aePEDMIST A TALE OF CIVIL STWTI t t PARPISn 't fLusimriom 4K.D RHODES 4 cawvcrtr AjC.mCtMJK k(tX SYNOPSIS. —l» Confederate fcrfant Wyatt Is sent a spy to his native county on the SlMi Briar. Ho meets a mountaineer ■MMd Jam Taylor. At a houaa beyond ■•t Springs they meet Major Harwood. Taylor murtm Harwood and escape*. Wjr*tt changes to U. L uniform, escapes *o the Green Briar country and goes to Bsrwood's hotne. where be flnde Noreen Harwood. He Introduces himself as IJeu trnant Raymond. Parte a Nichols comae t* the house and Wyatt force* him to x>nf»*e that he has been sent la advance ef Ansa Cowan. who prtepoeee to marry Noreen at onco. and ao quiet title to the •and In dispute between tba Cowans and Norwi. s dead father. Anae Cowan and his gang arrtva. Wyatt tells Noreen who he la. They force the preacher to sllsnce. Unable to escape while the cang Is on the first floor aad around the hotrts, Wyatt proposes to msrry Norssn and protect her from Cowan. She accepts and wyatt forces the preacher to msrry them. Cowan's Bang Is driven off by Federal troops, one of whoa* officers Is the real I.leutenant Raymond. Wyatt Is trapped, though Noreen attempts to ds fend him. Wyatt la taken to I/ewlaburg for trlsj as a spy. The camp command ant and Captain visit Wyatt In his oetl In the courthouse basement. lie re fuses Jemencr In return for Information, and uses his boyhood's knowledge of the building to prepare a way of eernpe CHAPTER XVl— Continued. "How la It, Wyatt?" Fox asked, aa ! failed to speak. "Should Mia* Har wood be Informed of the lleutenaut'a action?" "By no mean a, captain. 1 doubt If ahe really trusted the fellow even when she made him a messenger." "80 do I, for later she went heraelf." "To Colonel IMckney ?" „ "Yea, an hour ago, after Raymond returned wllh hla report. I waa at tho, hotel, and aaw her allp out the aide door. Colonel Plckney haa head quarters In the big stonfe houae oppo site the courtyard, and 1 hwl the curi osity to watch. She waa Inßlde nearly half an hour, and returned byway of tha aide street. Then ahe Bent for me." "Bho told you the reault of her Inter view?" "It waa not even mentioned, but I knew she had met with no succeaa. Hhe aeemed distressed, but was anx ioua that you should know at once the seriousness of your position, and the ■only hope of eacape offered you." My heart was beating fiercely at thla direct evidence of her lntereat In my nffalrs. She had even humbled licrseh' to beg for mo a chance; per haps, to Colonel Ilckney she hud oven confessed the truth In hope of chang ing his decision. Hut the effort hud proved useless; he had named terms, which t»he evidently considered unwor thy. "What hope?" I asked coldly. "You mean the terms offered me before?" He bowed gravely, but without apcaklng. "And did Miss Harwood request you to urge my acceptance?" "Hy no meaiiß. Jler purpose waa to acquaint you with the conditions, to relieve your suspense, and permit you to realize her friendliness. 1 ,wus to tell you this frankly, but not to urge any decision upon you." "And 1 you, Captain Fox. and beg you to express to her my appre- Fox Graspsd My Hand Firmly In Both His Own. elation of her kind loyalty. My life la «f small account In thla struggle, and tts preservation would be no excuse for treachery." • Fox grasped my hand firmly In both o( his own. "1 am glad of your decision, Wyatt," he said earnestly. "I had no doubt of what it would be; nor do I think she had. Is there anything I can do? , Any comfort I can add?" "Only one; I would ask of Miss Harwood a single favor. It Is that she write my mother: the conditions of * .Tjy death—a woman can do that best." VI can promise you lt'shall be done. 1 sincerely'wfsh. Wyatt, we had'met under -plfeaßantttr .Circumstances. This ts a sad ending to what might have been a lasting, friendship; I confess I ftave learned to like you. my boy." "And I you, Captair Fox," I respond- ' 1 * ■■ ■-■ iA ■ -V'jt^UC ß t lAa it fF !§& linear "And," In spit* of every effort at control my voice faltered, "you will tell Mlaa Harwood bow much her mas sag* of klndnaaa meant to me." "I certainly will, my lad—la that allT It may not be poaalbl* for me to come again." "There la nothing else; Jackson will learn the truth through othar source* —good-by, and may Ood guard you." "Oood-by." Our hands clung, our eyes met, and then he turned away, without ventur ing to glance back; the door cloaed behind him, and I stood atarlng at It through blurred vision. I was atlll standing there motionleaa when the Iron barrier opened a few inches, ana the band of a soldier pushed a tin containing food along the floor. "Here's your supper, Johnny," growled a voice Indistinctly, "an* 1 guess you won't be bothered any more tonight" I eat on the box, and choked down what food I could, endeavoring to drive away the feullng of depression In which Fox had left,, me. I needed now strength and courage to front the one chance left. CHAPTER XVII. Tha One Path of Eacapa. There was absolutely nothing for me to do but wait, but It waa hard to Judge time. The nolae of the camp without was aome guide, but, aa the evening lengthened, a band began play ing overhead, and I could hear the Bound of feet on the floor above. Evi dently a dance was In progreaa In the big courtroom, and for the moment my heart aeemed to atop beating In a Hudden fear that my plan of eacape for that night waa blocked. It waa the big fireplace opening Into this room through which I had hoped to emerge, but I could never accom pllah such hope amidst those duncera. And they might keep up their dancing to so late an hour aa to give me no opportunity before dawu to And a plfcce In which to elude search. Yet the nolae waa In my fav>r, If I could only be aaaured the chimney was wide enough above to permit of my finally renchlng the roof. Once there 1 would discover a way down. The grim Incongruity of that merry party above, dancing and laughing In the bright light, and of myaelf In that black cell belffw, waiting the cert:« tuty of death the next morning, serv d lu Bteel my reaolve. \ I could hear nothing of the guard in tho corridor, although I listened In tently, my ear against the Iron door, during a lull In that babel overhead. It waH hardly likely another inspection would be matle, at least not until the seatries were again relieved, probably at midnight. To my judgment this would allow me nearly three hours in which to make my effort—and surely half that time should prove sufficient. The hand burst into harmony again— a polka 1 remember —and I tore free the loosened support. It made an ugly bit of iron, well adapted for the purpose I had in mind. Not only could It be utilized as a lever, but It was no mean weapon for use In emergency. It must have required fifteen or twenty minutes to break the iron sheathing edge loose so as to insert the point of my wedge. The bar, once Inserted, furnished the necessary lev erage, forcing the Iron to yield about the rivet heads. I waited between the dances, recruiting strained muscles, and listening anxiously for any alarm ing sound in the corridor, onls to spring again feverishly to the work tho moment the band resumed play ing The barrier yielded Inch by Inch, until 1 forced fully half the Iron cur tain backward, jamming It against the wall, and thus revealed the black opening Into the chimney. The open Ing which I had uncovered was suf ficiently large to permit the squeez ing through of my "body, and, once' within the chimney, I found ample space In which to explore. 1 could see nothing, and was com pelled to rely entirely upon the sense of touch. Iron bars had been left on one side the chimney, forming an Irregular ladder. My groping hands located these, and by their aid I began to clhnb slowly upward. At the level of the first story I came upon a pro jection of rock, possibly BIX or eight Inches wide, on which I found secure foothold, and was thua able to regain breath and strength for a renewal of the struggle. I was crouched opposite the oldtlme fireplace, and the band, playing noisily, was within a very few feet of where I hid. However, not a gleam of light was visible, and It was some time before I located the open ing which had been left for a stove pipe. Even then I could feel no pipe, but, as I extended my arm, ,a finger burst through the paper which had been pasted across the entrance, and a glow of radiance Illumined the black walls about me. I waited, motionless, holding ,my breath In fear' that some eye might have witnessed the tearing of the pa per; but there was no cessation of noise, no evidence of discovery. As sailed by a temptation V? view Uis THE ENTERPRIBE, WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA scene, I found foothold a little higher up, and, clinging to the edge of the hole, brought my eyes to a level with the rent In the paper. The vista wai not a wide one and I dare not enlarge the apace, yet I saw sufficient to yield me full knowledge of the party end Its occasion. The floor waa crowded, the men almoet without exception la Federal uniform. The couplea whirled past circling the room. I watched the faces ea gerly, but they were all strange. No doubt some of thoae young women 1 had known as girla, but they had grown out of my recollection. None among the officers present, so far aa I could tell, had 1 ever come la con tact with —ah! yes! there was Whit lock elttlng disconsolately alone below the judge'a bench. I clung to my perch determining to assure myaelf. but my eyea encountered no other familiar countenance. Of course No reen would not attend, but there must be some special csuse to account Tor Raymond's abaence. He was the sort to whom such an occaelon aa this would naturally appeal. Satisfied by my scrutiny, 1 explored the opposite wall In vain for any simi lar opening. As I remembered there were offices there, where In days of peace the county officers held sway, and the floor above waa an unfur nished attic, extending the full length of the building, having a low, uncalled roof. In the old days It had been used for storage purposes, and there was a narrow .stairway leading down into the sheriff's office. Ay! and there was a contrivance there once In which they used to burn waste papers. I re membered a certain house cleaning In which I assisted, and waa assigned to the Job of stirring the papers fre quently with an iron poker. I thought It fun, and the chimney funnel was a big one. Possibly it was there still, but could 1 succeed In getting up that far? The light shining through the broken paper permitted a faint glimpse of my immediate surroundings, yet re vealed little to encourage me. The chimney was barely large enough to admit the upward passage of my body, and was a black myatery. However, the Irregularity of the stones promlHed finger and foot hold. it offered a chance, a hope—and I could ask no more. I was climbing before the mimic censed, clinging desperately to every ■light projection, and bracing myself against the walla. Progress was alow, atid occasionally painful; the con tracted space gave me a feeling of suf focation, and I dislodged enough soot so I was compelled to struggle con stantly to refrain from coughing. My only relief was to bind a handkerchief across mouth and nostrils. While the music remained silent, I rested, fearful lest my struggles would be overheard, taking such m3bw comfort as I could. Tho first blare of the horns started me off once more, careless In the midst of so much noise as to whether I rattled the loosened plaster, or even dislodged an Ill secured stone. But at the best the passage was made by Inches, and I took more than one desperate chance of slipping; twice I clung breathless as the music ceased, but the secoid time I felt convinced I had attained to the level of the upper floor. With the next burst of melody from below, now somewhat mellowed by distance and the Intervening walls, I made another attempt to ascend, but had scarcely attained more than a foot or two when my right hand plunged Into a wide opening. Clinging as best I could to a precarious foot ing, I ran my arm deeper In until I came in contact with a tin covering, which fell rather noisily to the floor. 1 paused, startled at the sound, but no gleam of light came through the open ing, and I instantly realized that the attio was unoccupied. The rattle of the tin would, in all probability, ere ato no alarm because of the din be low. I knew now exactly where I was, the only immediate problem being my ability to squeeze through that nar row space. The old-time burner had evidently been removed. 1 wriggled my way in liead first. My knees were doubled up in the chimney, and my feet found solid purchase against the stones. I felt as though the very skin was being peeled off me. but I shot forward, my head and shoulders emerging Into the open. Heavens! what a relief! I drew a long breath, dangling over the floor, unable to roach any support; then kicked and struggled until 1 fell out headlong, and Us, too exhausted oven to muve, - It was so still I could ]«Anly hear the Bwift beating of my heart, and so dark that not an object was discern ible. The music below had ceased, and, as I was now on the opposite side of the building, the sound ot con versatlon and movement did not reach me. For a long moment I lay there endeavoring to recall the surround ings, but I dare not waste much tlm« in such idleness The night was slip ping away, and every instant gained was to my advantage. There was no safety until I was out of this building. I ached from head to foot, my clothea must be in rags, and. no doubt. I was as blsck as a negro from chimney soot Yet my heart beat high with hope, and the spirit of adventure gripped me. The stairs were somewhat to the right, unprotected by even a handrail. I crept toward them across the rough board floor, fearing a (all, and Anally located the opening. Nothing indi cated that the room below was occu pied. add I slipped down as silently as possible, although the steps creaked under my weight.. Once in the sher iff's room, some reeolleotlon of ita form and furnishing recurred to mind. My memory aerved by the dim reflec tion of a campflre without, which ren dered objects faintly risible. 1 coubl dlatlngulah the desk and a few round ed-back wooden chair* poshed against the wall. There waa a door to the left standing ajar, leading Into a wash room, and I ventured within, feeling about to asaure myself If there had been any water left I found a bucket nearly fall, and two bars of soap, aad unable to reelst the luxury. I stripped off my ragged uniform coat, aad be gan vigorous scrubbing. How thor ough a Job I made of |t I cannot tall, but the soap lathered freely, and I certainly did my beet using up an entire roller towel in the final effort to attain cleanliness. There waa a coat and hat hanging on the hooka, neither article of the hlgheet respectability I Judged from feeling them, but more to my purpose than the rags I had cast aside, aad i donned the two gladly, finding them no bad fit The hat was looped np with a star, reeling quite myaelf again la these new habiliments. aad tmlL fl For a Long Tims I Lay There. conscious of a clean face, I stole across the sheriff's deserted office, seeking the door Into the corridor. 1 found it, but It was locked. Falling to force this, I tried the windows. only to discover them securely barred. All these offices were connected together, that of the county clerk adjoining the sheriff's, and possibly I might find a door unlocked somewhere; at leaiit none of the other windows would be ignored. 1 listened at the door leading Into the clerk's room, but heard no sound. There was no lock on the door, and It opened silently to the pressure of iny hand. A flood of light swept Into my eyes, and I stood blinking blindly, too surprised and startled to draip In stantly back. There were two men In the room, one bending over a desk, the other leaning back against the wall directly facing me. The latter was Lieutenant Raymond. (TO BE CONTINUED.) ' Chinese "Altar of Heaven." No altar on earth viea In marble majesty with the Altar of Heaven- Tien T'an —in the south of the Chinese city of Peking, which Emperor Yung-le of the Ming dynasty reared in A. D. 1420 with its triple balustrades, stairs, and platforms of pure white marble c&rved miraculously, its great circle covering a wide area In the midst of a vast enclosure. Standing alone, de serted under the blue Chinese sky, it is a dream of majesty and beauty. As the great setting of a scene of ritual pomp that calls for thousands and thousands of robed celebrants, with music, incense, sacrifice, it is trans There the emperor knelt once a year and worshiped "the only being In the universe he could look up toShang tl —the emperor of the world above, whose court Was In the sky and the spear tips of whose aoldlers were the stars. L. New Rursl Schooling. The old district school Is rapidly disappearing, and modern and attrac tive school houses, thoroughly equipped with proper apparatus, are spring ing up everywhere. A new type of teacher will shortly sspefSede the average rural schoolmistress of the past. She will be country-born agd bred, with both a high and a normal school education, and she will be a lover of country life. Her aim will be to better existing conditions in the country, coupled with a strong desire to save these boys and girls for the farm. A teacher governed by thcae motives, and possessing a strong per sonality, will accompliah much in this direction.—Margaret Woodward In Tbe Countrywide Magaxlne. Something to Do. Benator Lodge was talking In Wash ington about a dull summer resort "I know a man," he said, "who toot a cottage there last summer to pleas* his wife. "This cottage,' the agent said lm> pressively, during the signing of the lease, 'is Just a stone's throw from the station.' "'Good,' said the man. That will give us something to do on the long summer evenings.' "'Yes?' said the agant with a pus sled smile. 'Yes? How so?* " 'lt will give us something to do. I said, on summer evenings,' the maa explained. 'We can sit on the front porch and throw atones at the train!' " I have made up my mind to one thing. When I get ready to be saved I do not intend to let the Job to a bay Kllby. iNIEDNfiriONAL SMSOHQL LESSON By a. O. SELLERS, Actios Director of Sunday School Course of Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.) (Ctwriskl 1111, WnUri Ntviptftr Union.) LESSON FOR DECEMBER 12 JKHOVAH YEARNS OVER ISRAEL. LESSON TEXT—Hosea 11:1-11. GOLDEN TEXT—I draw them with oorde of a man. with bands of love.— Hoses 11:4. A contemporary of Isaiah and Amos. Hosea continued to prophesy after the first captivity of the northern kingdom. His style Is sbrupt and fig urative. larael is Jehovah's adulter ous wife, repudiated, but finally to ba, purified and restored. This lesbon Is a part of the second section or the book (4:1-13:», which Is a descrip tion of the sinful people I. "The Perverse Child," w. 1-7. The "remnant" (ch. 6:1-3) had cried out for relief. (See Isa. l:t; Rom. 2:1). Jehovah's reply (begins t:4) la a severe arraignment of Israel's back sliding as contrasted with bis grace. To understand this lesson read the entire book repeatedly. In versa 1 of the lesson Jehovah recalla to the na tion the days of its childhood. Be cause of his great love (Deut 7:7) he called them out of Egypt the land of bondage, Into Canaan, the land of bleaslng and liberty. Yet larael aensed not ita duty nor Ita obligation of grati tude. We are living under a greater obligation because of the greater re demption Ood has provided for us in the person of his Son. Ood here calls Israel "my son" (Ex. 4:22); wa have the right to call ourselves sons (John 1:12; I. John 3:1-2). Matthew's gos pel applies these words to him who alone was fully and liTthe true sensa God's son. Jesus is the summary of the whole nation In that he alone fully realised God's purpose in Israel (Matt. 2:16). As contrasted with what a son Is or should be verse 2 gives a picture of Israel's wandering. The whole bla tory of the nation Is one of going after false gods. (I. Bam: S:7-S and many other references.) In those childhood days (v. 3) Jehovah taught them how to walk, and healed their hurts, "but they knew not"—Ood, ss a tender Fa ther, had watched over, taught, guid ed and healed (Ex. 19:14; laa. 46:3; 63:9). Even ao, in this present ago Ood Is a Ood of mercy and long suf fering (Rom. 2:4). yet the mass of men "know not" what Ood Is doing for them. In verse 4 the child has grown older and as mothers often tether a child lest it run away, so Je hovah endeavors to draw Israel to him with "cords of love." v His cord of love now Is the mighty power of Calvary (John 12:32). Jehovah not only drew but even sought to entice, for he "laid meat unto them"—Jesus will dellve* us, for he bore our yoke (Matt. 11:28-30) and is for us the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 68). Love does not mean that the twekattder shall he free from punishment "Bo cause they refused to return . . . the sword shall abide" (v. 6-6 and Heb. 12:6). Bven so God did not permit them to go back to Egyptian bond age (v. 5). Israel was " bent to back sliding." In spite of the constant call to worshtp and serve him nonS "would exalt him." 11. The Pleading Parent, w. ®-12. None can fathom the depths of tka cry. "How shall I give thee up. How Khali I deliver thee" (▼. 8). Israel would persist and atlll Jehovah pleada that perchance they would heed his cry (Jer. »:7; Lam. 3:53). Admah and Zebofm were Irretrievably over thrown with Sodom and Gomorrah (Dent. 39:33), shalt Israel likewise perish? No! (r. ») for "1 am Ood, not man." God does not, like man, change—his covenants are not "scrape of paper/' his love Is everlasting (Nu. 23:19). It is not God hut man who is responsible for his destruction. The "Holy One In the midst of thee" Is there to save, not as an avenger. God has not come into our midst In wrath —God's passionate desire is to save not to destroy. His purposes are those of love and redemption and as with Israel of old, so in this age. he will carry out these purposes in iplte of our backsliding (Rom. 11:28-29). Verses 10 and 11 are prophetic of the ultimate repentance and restoration ot Israel—Judgment shall pass upon their foea (Joel 3:18) and those of the dls persiou (see parallel Isa. 11:11-18) shall gather, as "doves to their win dows," and be once more "In their houses," 1. e., set up as a nation In their God-given land. Ephralm (t. 12) sought to rule wltpout or by casting off Jehovah (I. Cor. 4:8). In Judah was the legal priesthood and the legitimate ldng, but the apos tasy of Israel was more culpable be cause of the example ot Judah which ha had set at nought 111. Premised Deliverance. In a most striking way Hosea flashes s note of hope and love through th« cloud of gloom which hung ever the nation as It drew cloeer to Its doom, because the people refused to repent Amos delivered his warning «iw» re turned to Judah. Hoeea was a part of the nation which emphasises such verses of his prophecy as the following: fi:l, 4:4 11:4, ll:e, 6:4, 6:6, 2:15 and 10:12, which' sound the message of hope like bulletins from the battle's front Verse 9 is the final summary fot Israel and tor us ss watt. flow to Tted Croup Externally Mb VfcM Salve w| mm the throat mm ehaet for else aria. !>■ UllßßWfWtftH—iMMldXfc Lssve the eovwing looee around the neab so that the aooUnng SMiUeslsrt tscuis sets, lag w*f loans the rfcnMng phlegm vti w»tt»aiwH hraslhing. (5M ippß» , attack. Wqg^gSALW Unofficial Library. "Well, how's things to PlenkvilleT" "Oh, so so." "Oot a circulating library In your townT" "Mine is a sort of one. except that I don't get paid for books loot or kept Indefinitely."—Lonisvllle Courier Journal. As bnprovedQainine, Does aot Cause Nervousness nor Riafing in Head tk« teppr oombt—ttoa of laxatives Is LAX ATIVE BROMO QUININB tamkm the Quinine la this form hare a hu bettor effeei tbaa the ordinary Quinine, mm* it eaa be takaa by aay one wlUioat affecting the head. Remember to eall lor tha full aaasa, Laxative fewaoQalaiaa. Look lor slguatur* of R. W.Otwva. SBa. Still a Lasso on Life. The Cook—Sir! Sir!! There's a Zep'lin outside ami if yoa don't come wi* the keys of the cellar, well all ba In—in—heaven in a eoeple of min utes! The Curate —Go* forbM!—Loadoa Opinion. RHEUMATISM—ITS CAUSE AND TREATMENT, The cause of Rheusatlsm is ones— of uric acid and no read relief can ba expected until this la eliminated. Many chronic sufferers find pin inn nent relief after taking Rhmnanctds, on sale at your druggist. —Adv. The milkman Is about the only out sider who ever sees a woman staged without the aid of scenic investiture. IV. Pierce's Pellets sre best for lfver, bowels and atomach. One little PWlet tsr s laxative—three for s cathartia.—Adv. Some men outlive their usefulness If they live to be a day over twenty-one. Cuts clear to the bone have been healed by Hanford's Balsam. Adv. Club* are places where men g» whoa they want to get rid of themselves. For Spavin curb, splint, sweeny, wounds, swellings, galls, sprains, scratch es, collar boils, etc. Yager's Liniment gives the most satis- , factory results. It dispels the pain and stiffness and absorbs the swellings very quickly. YAGER'S LINIMENT ImmimM H Driver and Trainer / Mr. B. L. Tuft, Salem, N. J., writes: "Yager's Liniment is the most wonderful horse lini ment I ever used. Have been handling and training horses for speed for 20 years and have had hundreds of different brands of so-called horse rem edies. I wish your liniment the large sale it deserves and , recommend it most highly." (m —Driver and Trainer, M W. Penn. Record 2: 12 J. Pat up in lara* bottle* Nra3W I containing eight oudcm. At all dealer*. PrwrMl by 1^23 GILBERT BROfc A CO., BALTIMORE, MO. TRY THE OLD RELIABLE U/INTERSMITH's */ i* CHILL TONIC ' For MALARIA °revai* 1 AfM MNBMAfcBIBINIIIWMNI IMMM TyfsJOls "iiwSstsfisi la—l»NwsU—iiiiiliih. Mi*. 2*«t» NAME'S VAPO-MEMTU / Tha Internal Vapor Hmtdy 9 far ONOUP ANO PNEUMONIA v oai«la«aaM. SM4 torOatankaa«Bar WreTalaa. Pill* hrah by all Deal « w ml Port Paid imIH of 'SaMto aaaiavgg«Bsagr».j ißsa FOR SALE! IS«ag / HBSWH! " ffti BOY OLD D.S. "SSSS2 V ttT.aaiwiKioa. I ft jp 1 NO. 50-Itll* . *' » * ; % •■ / t