MyLady&ftWNorth
t UK LOVE STORYOF
A GRAY JACKET HVV
TnrJ&iAUHLzlbjuasff \-|T
cAuuh* oar v /
na.wmwwßMV.WKWG
[rations ?y* *
(Xvsißja&&ACAKCuzKsxz- -jemoeEDjirjuniaKU&jua.zoatcK
SYNOPSIS.
The story opens In a Confederate tent
at a critical mage of the Civil War. Oen.
Lee tin parts to Capt. Wayne an Important
meae&fe to Longstreet. Accompanied by
Beret. Craig, an old army scout. Wayne
•tarts bn his mission. They get within
the lines oI the enemy and in the dark
ness Wayne Is taken for a Federal of
ficer and a young lady on horseback Is
(Wen In his charge. Bhe la a northern
■trl and attempts to escape. One of the
horses succumbs and Craig goes through
with the dispatches, while Wayne and My
Lady of the North an> left alone. They
seek shelter In a hut and entering It In
tbe dark a huge mastiff attacks Wayne
The glil shoots the brute lust In time.
The owner of the hut. Jed Bungay, and
his wife appear and soon a party of
horsemen approach. They are led by a
man claiming to be Red Lowrle. but who
proves to be MaJ. Brennan, a Federal
offlcer whom the Union girl recognises.
He orders the arrest of warns as a spy
and he Is brought before Sheridan, who
threatens him with death unless he re
veals the secret message. Wayne believes
Edith Brennan to be the wife of MaJ.
Brennan. He Is rescued by Jed Bungay,
who starts to reach Oen. Lee, while
Wayne In disguise penetrates to the ball
room, beneath which he had been im
£rlsoned. He Is introduced to a Miss
Unor and barely escapes being unmask
ed. EOlth Brennan.recognising Wayne,
says sh« will save him. Securing a pass
through the lines, they are confronted by
Brennnn, who Is knocked senseless. Then,
bidding Edith udleu, Wayne makes a
dash for liberty. He encounters Bungay;
they reach tho Lee camp and are Bent
with reinforcements to Join Early. In the
battle of Shenandoah the regiment is
overwhelmed, and Wayne, while In the
hospital. Is visited by Edith Brennan.
Wayne and Bungay are sent on a scout
ing detail, and arriving at the Minor
place, Wayne meets Miss Minor and Mrs.
Bungay, and later Edith appears.
Wayne's detachment Is besieged by guer.
rlllas. Brennan and his men arrive and
aid In repelling the Invaders until a res
cuing party of bluecoata reach tho scene.
Brennan challenges Wayne to a duel; the
latter fires In the air, and Is himself
wounded. He bids Edith adieu and she
expresses the hope that they may meet
after the war.
' CHAPTER XXXVll.—Continued.
"Hey, there, you gray-back!" he
shouted, "hold on a bit!"
As 1 came to a pause and glanced
back, wondering if there could be any
thing wrong with my parole, he swung
his rap and pointed.
"That officer coming yonder wants
to speak with you."
Across the open field at my right,
hidden until then by a slight rise of
ground, a mounted cavalryman was
riding rapidly toward me. For the
moment his lowered head prevented
recognition, but as he cleared the
ditch and came up smiling, I. saw It
wae Caton.
"By Jove, Wayne, but this Is
lucky!" he exclaimed, springing to
beside me. "I've actually
been praying for a week past that I
might see you. Holmes, of your serv
ice, told me you pulled through,
but everything Is In such confusion
that to hunt for you would have been
tho proverbial quest after a needle
In a haystack. You have been
paroled then?"
"Yes, fa completely out of It at
last." 1 answered, feeling to the full
the deep sympathy expressed by hia
face. "It was a bitter pill, but one
which had to be taken."
"I know it, old fellow," and his
hand-srasp on mine tightened warm
ly. "If you have been beaten there
Is no disgrace In it. for no other na
tion in this world could ever have
accomplished it. But this wag a case
of Greek meeting Greek, and we had
■the money, the resources, and the
men But. Wayne, I tell you, Ido
hot believe there Is today a spark of
bitterness in the heart of a fiirhtlnir
Federal soldier."
"I know. Caton," I said—and the
words came hard—"your fighting men
respect us, even as we do them. It
has been a sheer game of which could
•tand the most punishment, and the
weaker had to go down. I know all
Uiat, but, nevertheless, It la a terrible
ending to so much of hope, suffering,
and sacrifice."
"Yes." he admitted soberly, "you
have given your all. But those who
survive have a wonderful work be
fore them. They muat lay anew the
foundations; they are to be the re
bullders of states. You were going
home?"
, I smiled bitterly at this designation
•f m.v journey's end.
"Yea, if you can so name a few
weed-grown fields and a vacant negro
cabin I certainly shall have to lay
Ue inundation anew most literally."
"W»II you not let me aid you?" he
Questioned eagerly. "I possess some
meaiiH. and surely our friendship is
sufficiently established to warrant me
in making the offer. You will not re
fuse V
"I must," I answered firmly. "Yet
I do not value the offer the less.
Sometime I may even remind you of
It, but now I prefer to dig, as the
others must. I shall be the stronger
for it. and shall thus sooner forget the
total wreck."
For a few moments we walked on
together In silence, each leading his
horse.
"Wayne," he asked at length, glan
cing furtively at me, as if to mark
the effect of his words, "did you know
that Mrs. Brennan was again with
us?"
"1 was not even aware she had been
away."
Oh. yes; she returned North Imme
diately after your last parting, and
came back only last week. So many
wives end relatives of the offieere
have come down of late, k Lowing the
war to be practically at an end. that
our camp baa become like a huge pic
nic pavilion. It is quite the fashion
able fad just now to visit the front.
Mrs. llrennan accompanied tbe wife
of one of the division commanders
from her state—Connecticut, you
know.".
There was much I longed to ask
regarding her, but I would not venturo
to fan his suspicions. In hope that 1
might turn his thought I aske?, "And
you; are you yet marriedT"
He laughed good-humoredly. "No,
that happy day will not occur until
after we are mustered out Miss
Minor Is far too loyal a Virginian ever
to become my wife while I continue
to wear this uniform. By the way.
Mrs. llrennan was askkig Cella only
yesterday If she had heard anything
of you since the surrender."
"She Is at Appomattox, then?"
"No, at tbe headquarters of the
Sixth Corps, only a few miles north
from here."
"And the Major?"
Caton glanced at me, a peculiar
look In his face, but answered simply:
"Naturally I have had small inti
macy with him after what occurred
at Mountain View, but he is still re
talned upon General Sheridan's staff.
At Mrs. Brennan's request we break
fasted together yesterday morning, but
I believe he is at the other end of the
lines today."
We sat down upon a bank, and for
the time I forgot disaster while list
ening to his story of love and hU
plans for the future. His one thought
V
"Hey, There, You Gray-Back 1" He Shouted.
of Celia and the Northern home so
soon npw to be made roady for her
coming. The sun sank lower into tho
western sky, causing Caton to draw
down his fatigue cap until Its glazed
visor almost completely hid hla eyes.
With buoyant enthuslaam he talked
on, each word drawin- me closer to
nlm In bonds of friendship. But the
time of parting came, and after we
had promised to correspond with each
other, I had stood and watched while
he rode rapidly back down the road
we had traversed together. At the
summit of the hill he turned and
waved his cap, then disappeared,
leaving me alone, with Edith'a face
more clearlyi than ever a torture to
my memory of defeat —her face, fair,
amlllng, alluring, yet the face of an
other man's wife.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
My Lady of the North.
I walked the next mile thought
fully, pondering over those vague
hopes and plans with which Caton's
optimism bad Inspired me. Suddenly
there sounded behind mo the thud of
hoofs, while I heard a merry peal of
laughter, accompanied by gay ex
change of words. I drew aside, lead
ing my horse Into a small thicket be
side the road to permit the cavalcade
to pass. It was a group of perhaps a
dosen —three or four Federal officers,
the remainder ladies, whose bright
dresses and smiling made s
most winsome sight. Tbc7 glanced
curiously aside at me as they galloped
past But bone paused, and I mcre'y
glanceA at them with vague Interest,
my ttonghts elsewhere. Suddenly a
horse scmed to draw back (roM oy'. u(
the center or toe fast disappearing
Party.
I bad ltd my limping horse out Into
the road once more to resume my
journey, paying scarcely the slightest
attention to what was taking place,
for my head was again throbbing to
the hot pulse of the tun. The party
of strangers rode slowly away into
the enveloping dust cloud, and I had
forgotten them, when a low, awtet
voice spoke close beside me: "Cap
tain Wayne, I know you cannot have
forgotten me.'
She was leaning down from the
saddle, and as I glanced eagerly up
Into her dear eyes they were swim
ming with tears.
"Forgotten! Never for one mo
ment," I exclaimed; "yet I failed to
perceive your presence until you
spoke."
"You appeared deeply burled In
thought as we rode by, but I could not
leave you without a word when I
knew you must feel so bad. oh, but
you, Captain Wayne, you have youth
and love to Inspire you—for your
mother yet lives. Truly it makes my
heart throb to think of the upbuilding
which awaits you men of the South.
It is through such as you—soldiers
trained by stern duty—that these
desolated states are destined to rise
above the ashes of war into a great
ness never before equaled. I fetl
that now, in this supreme hour of sac
rifice, the men and women of the
South are to exhibit before the world
a courage greater than that of the
battlefield. It is to be the mr.rvel of
the nation, and the thought and pride
of it should make you strong."
"It may Indeed be so; 1 can but be
lieve it, as the prophecy comes from
your lips. I might even find courage
to do my part In this redemption wert
you ever at hand to Inspire."
She laughed gently. "1 am not a
Virginian, Captain Wayne, but a most
loyal daughter of the North; yet If
I so Inspire you by my mere /ords,
surely it is not so far to my home
but you might Journey there to listen
to my further words of wisdom."
"I have not forgotten the permis
sion already granted me, and it is a
temptation not easily cast aside. You
return North soon?"
"Within a week."
I hardly knew what prcmpted me
to voice my next question—Fate, per
haps, weary of being so long mocked
—for I felt small interest In her prob
able answer.
"Do you expect your husband's re
lease from duty by that time?"
She gave a quick start of surprise,
drawing in her breath as though sud
denly choked. Then the rich color
overspread her face. "My husband?"
she ejaculated In voice barely audi
ble, "my husband? Surely you can
not mean Major Brennan?"
"But I certainly do," I said, won
dering what might be wrong. "Whom
else could I mean?"
"And you thought that."' she asked
Incredulously. "Why, how could you?"
"How should I have thought other
wise?" I exclaimed, my eyes eagerly
searching her downcast face." "Why,
Caton told me It was so the nljght I
was before Sheridan; be confirmed It
again in conversatl - less than an
hour ago. Colgate, my Lieutenant,
who met you in a Baltimore hospital,
referred to him the same way. If I
have been deceived through aii these
months, surely everything and every
body conspired to that end—you bore
the aame name; you told me plainly
you were married; you wore a wed
ding-ring; you resided while r.t camp
in hi* quarters; you called each oth
er Frank and Edith. From first to
last not one *ord has been spoken
by any one to cause me to doubt that
you were his wife."
"I recall starting to explain all this
to you once," she said, striving vainly
to aprcar at case "It was when we
were interrupted by the sudden cim
irg uror. us of Mr. and Mrs. Uungay.
Yet I supposed you knew, that you
would huve learaed the facta from
others. The last time we wore to
gether l told 70a I did not wholly un
derstand you. It la no wonder, when
yon thought that of me."
"1 am going to tell 70a my story.
Captain Wayne. It Is not a pleasant
task under these circumstances, yet
one I owe you as well as myself. Thla
may prove our last meeting, and we
must not part under the shadow of a
mistake, however innocently It may
have originated. lam the only child
of Edwin Adams, a manufacturer, of
Btonlngton, Connecticut. My father
was also for several terms a member
of Congress from that State. As the
death of my mother occurred when I
was but five years old, all my father's
love was lavished upon me, and I
grew up surrounded by every advan
tage which abundant means and high
social position could supply. During
all those earlier years my playmate
and most Intimate companion was
Cbariep Brennan, a younger brother of
the Major, and the son of Judge David
Brennan of the State Supreme Court
As we grew older his friendship for
me ripened into love, a feeling which I
found it Impossible to return. 1 liked
him greatly, him most highly,
continued his constant companion,
yet experienced no desire for closor
relationship. My position was ren
dered the more difficult as it had long
been the dream of the heads of both
houses that our two families, with
their contingent estates, should be
thus united, and constant urging tried
my decision severely. Nor would
Charles Brennan give up hope. When
he was twenty and I barely seventeen
a most serious accident occurred—a
runaway—In which Charles heroically
preserved my life, 'but himself re
ceived Injuries, from which death In
a short time was Inevitable. In thoso
lsst lingering days of suffering, but
one hope, ono ambition, seemed to
possess his mind—the desire to make
me his wife, and leave me the fortune
which was his through the will of his
mother* 1 cannot explain to you. Cap
tain Wayne, the struggle I passed
through, seeking to do what was right
and best; but Anally, moved by my
sympathy, eager to soothe his final
hours of Buffering, and urged by my
father, I consented to gratify his wish,
and v wore united In mnrrhge while
he was on his deathbed. Two days
later he passed away."
She pau ed, her faltering, her
eyes moist with unshed tears. Scarce
I knowing It, my hand sought liera,
I where it rested against -'the saddle.
"His brother," she paused slowly,
"now Major Drenn&n, but at that time
a prosperous banker In Hartford, a
man nearly double the age of Charles,
was named as administrator of th«
estate, to retain Its management until
I should attain the age of twtnty-one.
Lees than a year later m ' father also
died. The (lnal settlement of his es
tate was likewise entrusted to Frank
ilronnan, and he was made my guard
lan. Quite naturally I became a real
dent of the Hrennan household, upon
the same standing as a daughter, be
ing legally a ward of my husband's
brother. Major Ilrennan's age, and
his tnoiightful kindness to me, won
my respoct, and I gradually came to
look upon him air oßt as an elder
brother, turning to him in every time
of trouble for encouragement and
help. It was the necessity of our
business relation which first com
pelled nie to come South and Join
Major Brennun In cami ; as he
unable to obtain leave of absence, i
was obliged to inako the trip. Not
until that time, Captain Wayne—in
deed, not until after our experience
at Mountain View—did I fully realize
that Major Brennan looked upon me
otherwise than as a guardian upon his
ward. The awakening period pained
me greatly, especially as I was
obliged to disappoint him deeply; yet
I seek to retain Ills frlendnhlp, for my
memory of his long kindness must
ever abide. I am sure you will under
stand, and not consider me unwoman
ly In thus making you a confidant."
"I can never be sufficiently grate
ful that you have thus trusted me," I
said with an earnestness that caused
her to lower her questlojilnjkp es. "it
has been a strange misunderstanding
between us, Mrs. Ilrennan, your
words have brought a, new hope to
one disheartened Confederate soldier.
I must be content with hope, yet 1 ara
rich compared with thousands of oth
ers; infinitely rich In comparison with
what I dreamed myself an hour ago."
I held out my hand. "There w'll come
a day when 1 shall answer your In
vitation to the North."
"You are on your way home?"
"Yes; to take a frer ..old upon llfw,
trusting that sometime In the earlj*
future I may feel worthy to come to
you."
"Worthy?" she echoed the word, •
touch of scorn in her voice, her eyei
dark with feeling. "Worthy? Captain
Wayne. I sometimes think you the
most unselfish man I ever knew.
Must the sacrifices, then, always bo
made by you? Can you not concelvo
it possible that I also might like to
yield up something? Is 't posaiblo
you deem, me a woman to whom
money Is a god?" t
"No," I said, my heart bounding to
the scarce hidden meaning of her Im
petuous words, "nor h-ve the sacri
fices always been mine; you wera
once my prisoner."
She bent her very soul In
her eyes, and one whit'J hand
upon my shoulder. For an Instant we
read each other's heart in silence,
then shyly she said, "I am still your
prisoner."
THE END.
His Right to Title.
A French paper says that a Now
Zealand chief bad just taken up his
residence upon a piece af land, his
right to which was contested: "I
have got an undoubted titlv to ths
property." he observed, "aa 1 ate tlx#
preceding owner."
Mzwmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm wmmmmmm mmm
zr
By VAUGHAN KESTER
0F you want to read a
delightfully humorous,
essentially American story,
with a hero and heroine
quite after your own
heart, you cannot afford to miss
the new serial we are about to print.
THE
PRODIGAL
JUDGE
is a tale that treats of American
life and conditions of several
decades ago and is wholly unlike
anything else in recent fiction.
When the story is ended you'll find
that you have left a company that
you have come to know intimately
and, for the most part, loved.
BE SURE TO READ THE OPENING CHAPTER
HaMnBBaBSSBHBMCHMSHmHHaSBaBMI
I I
By
VAUGHAN
KESTER
y
i i
mSF H^\ E !
'M'jiuji' secure "
mm m publication
rights on this great
story that from Jan
uary to December,
1911, was
The Best !
Selling Book in
America j
It is a story that stands *
out head and shoulders
above the average mod
ern story because of its
mystery, villainy, love,
adventure, humor, pathos
and dramatic thrills.
I 1 J
READ IT
Yon'll Find There b No
Lack of Excitement
in This Story
Mii
■ ■ =
is a story of humor
and dramatic thrills.
Stirring and laugh
able scenes alternate
along its shores like
the whirlpools and
eddies of a mountain
stream. The court
scene at Balaam's
Cross Roads is a
joy, the fight at Slos
son'sTavern a thriller,
the Judge's jail
breaking a comedy,
the surprise at the
church door a trag
edy, the final climax
a whirl of excitement.
—Chicago
Record-Herald.
I, I
We have secured
the serial rights
of this great story
I i
Do Not Miss the
Opening Chapter
ifasdi
•».