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THER WAR LIBRARY.
broken spirited by the awful losses in dead
and prisoners, retired to the former position
on Seminary Ridge, looking back as they
went at thestill firm and bristling walls of
blue and steel on the opposite ridges.
CHAPTER XXVI.
A SPY IN THE CAMP.
Night veiled the earth, shutting out from
view the ghastly remnants of that eveutful
day at Gettysburg.
Still there seemed to linger in the mount-
ains and the slopes a something like a sullen
murmur that would not be hushed.
Up from the gory plains ascended the
shudderful groans of perishing men, agony-
tortured men, who had fallen as only heroes
can fall, in the face of the flaming cannon’s
mouth.
The object of the great Southern invasion
had been blasted to atoms against those
Pennsylvania hills; Lee found himself
forced to the realization that he had better
get back to Virginia soil as quickly as pos-
sible.
“ Yet, as if loth to yield up his footholdon
the loyal soil, he paused again on the ridge
ere sending his bleeding army in full retreat
—paused to reflect on that terrible car-
nage passed with the day, and wish that the
victorious General Mead would be foolhardy
enough to now inturn attack him _in those
still grim strongholds on Seminary Ridge.
But the hours of the night counted slowly
on.
The expected rattle of the Yankee arms
sounded not.
The wearied soldiery even dared to sleep,
some snatching slumber ns they stood up-
right with still warm muskets in hand,
In a tent at the Union rear lay Lieutenant
Jack Roy. -
The double hurt of his wound and the
broken arm—so long, unfortunately, with-
out proper medical attention—had produced
a fever in his system, which, though it did
not bring on delirium, was none the less
dangerous if careful nursing should be lack-
ing now.
There was no fear on thut score.
At the side of the rude cot was a watchful
figure—watchful eyes that were bent con-
stantly on him as he lay, seeming to sleep
lightly. .
“*Uarla, you are very kind.”
‘* There, do not speak of it.”
“T would fare badly indeed, were it not
for you, atsuchatimeas this—if the great
battle to-day has been as severe as you hint
—nurses are scarce, and the wounded are
not given much chance for choice. Do you
know, am actually suffering with the
thought that my wound was not received in
the fray ?’”’
“Received in a good cause, though, I hope
you think.”
“TI would lay down my life for you, incase
of another adventure like that through
which we passed!’ he exclaimed, impetu-
ously.
The color rose to her cheeks in 2 wave.
* You must not talk so much,” she said.
“It will perhaps heighten your fever.”
“Will you be angry, Uarla, if I tell you a
secret ?"”
“Save it until you are better.”
“No; it must be told now ”
- “Y¥thinkitis time to take some of your
medicine,” sheinterrupted, making asif to
turn to the improvised stand at the foot of
e cot.
But the hand of the young lieutenant
caucht hers and detained her,
“ Uarla, listen to me.”
For a few moments they gazed into one
another’s eyes; the color deepened in the
girl’s face a3 she stood there.
It would be impossible to mistake the
feelings of both, the gentle emotion that
swayed their hearts ina magnetic mutual-
ity.
“I love you!” he exclaimed, abruptly,
though in @ low tone. .
Andas no reply came from the girl, he
added:
“TI love you, Uarla! Doyou think that
you could ever love me in return—love me
enough to become my wifeif I survive my
term of service? Answer, please.”
“We have not known one another ve
long,” she said, at last—and deeper still
- grew the red blush on the fair cheeks.
‘Ah, but I donot ask that you will accept
meatonce. I expect you to claim the right
toknow the man better before that event
could transpire. What Iam now asking is:
do you think it possible you might learn to
love me in return, if you become satisfied
7
that you are giving your heart into the keep-
ing of a worthy man?”
‘* Perhaps,” hesitatingly.
‘You are heart free, then?”
“Yes,” promptly.
“Then I shall feel that I have a great
hope.” And he repeated: “I love you,
Uarla!”
Then his grasp on her hand seemed to
weaken; the emotion of this honorable pas-
sion had buoyed him up beyond his strength
for a brief while—now it deserted him, and
hesunk back again upon the hard pillow,
closing his eyes.
In the unseen depths of her pure heart,
Uarla was saying to herself,as she continued
there, watching the fevered face:
“He loves me! Heloves me! And I love
him; but I dared not tell him so—not yet—
but sometime. Yes, I do love him!”
She was interrupted at her pleasurable
Contemplation by the entrance of an or-
erly. :
With careful step he advanced to her side,
ashesaw that the young officer was sleep-
ing, and in a low tone said:
“Twas sent, through the request of Cap-
tain Raymond, your father, miss. to say that
you must take some rest.. You have been
with the lieutenant all day?”
“Yes; andIam tired. So, thank Heaven!
my father is safe?” :
* Yes, miss; though he had a slight wound
in the battle.”
Leaving the orderly with instructions re-
garding the medicine for the wounded
officer, Uarla left the tent and started in a}
direction which she knew would bring her
to the presence of her father; for they had
agreed upon a place of meeting in the event
of his surviving the fray which all her per-
suasions could not keep him from, even sup-
posing thathis sword would not be needed.
Hardly had she takenadozen steps when
she was confronted by atall and bearded
personage who came suddenly from behind
au tree on the slope.
“Hold a minute!’ commanded this in-
truder. |
‘You here!” she exclaimed, in vast as-
tonishment.
It was the ex-sutler.
“Here, as you plainly see,” rejoined Jas-
per Barnwell, and there was something so
disagreeable in his voice that involuntarily
and inexplicably she shuddered.
“Well, sir, what do you want?”
* You arenot very choicein your toneof
address to the man who reared you froma
ehilda——”
‘But who did so only in pursuance of a
wicked plot,’ she retorted, interruptingly.
And she added, with some spirit:
“T know you now, Jasper Barnwell,
though I only suspected your character be-
ore.”’ :
“What do you know?”
lite Everything —the whole plot of your
ife.”
‘*Bah! Whatever you have heard, I have
told you——”
‘““You are mistaken. The story you told
me was but the garble of a part truth. The
whole history of your plot with Chloris
against my father I have heard.”
“*T will not believe it,” he said, in half be-
trayal of himself, angered by the girl’s bold
spirit. ‘“‘Only two persons in the world
know anything about the little plot of your
history.’
“True, and it was from the lips of Chloris
my father learned all—to tell mein turn,
All, everything, is over between us, Jasper
Barnwell. But I shall still show some
eratefulness for the care you gave mein the
ast.’”
“Indeed!”
“You need not sneer. When I tell you in
what manner, you will perhaps appreciate
it. Ishall give you your life.”’
“My life!’ and there was the hugest sur-
prise in his exclamation.
“Yes. Iknow you, and my father knows
younow,as a spy for General Hill—ay, I
would even tell the part I have played in
carrying your communications to that gen-
eral. You would be instantly shot——” .
Barnwelltooka quick *step to her side,
and his rough hand griped her wrist.
“You would not do that?” .
“*Tonly say that ITcould. Unhand me.”
“Cau you guess why I have dared to vent-
ure witbin the Union lines?”
‘*){. is a matter of noimportance to me.”
“‘T have come for you.”
A moment’ssilence. Then Uarla laughed
low aud derisively.
* You—come after me? Ha—ha—ha!”
“Listen, girl. As lonce before told you, I
have come to think something moro of you
thanthe childI have reared. I want you
for my wife——” ,
t With a quick wrench, she tore herself.
ree. .
“Take care, Jasper Barnwell! Do not
forget that you, yourself, taught me the use
of the revolver which I carry always ready
in my bosom. Touch me again in that way,
and as sure as there is a heaven above, I will
kill you!”
“Then you will have a fair field, I suppose
ou think, to wed that young fellow who is
aying in the tent there wounded;’ and he
pointed toward the near-by tent, indicating
Lieutenant Jack Roy.
“Tam no longer achild, and am capable
of choosing my own husband, Jasper Barn-
well. And now stand aside.’’
A little to her surprise—for she was antici-
pating some trouble with the man—he
moved aside and made no further attempt
to detain her as she swept past him.
CHAPTER XXVII.
RETRIBUTION AT LAST.
It was rather a bold game that Jasper
Barnwell was playing.
He knew that Captain Raymond was now
aware of the fact of his having gone over
to the Confederate side; and there in the
Union stronghold, if caught, he would hard-
ly have a chance for his life, because his
presence would suggest strongly and at
once that he was performing the part of a
an
s
Y-
Hazardous, because, in seeking Uarla, he
was placing himself directly, almost, in the
path of Raymond.
This fact, which had not presented itself
so strongly for his consideration when he
left the ranks of Hill to accomplish the in-
terview with the girl, now seemed to be the
governor of hisaction in permitting her to
pass on her way.
All around were the boysin blue; though
it chanced that they were fewer in that im-
mediate vicinity within the pickets.
He looked after her until her form faded
in the gloom.
‘“‘Will she go so far as to tell her newly
found father that Iam herein the camps?”
he questioned himself. ‘But hardly, for
she said she would give me my life by not
revealing my presence, and I know enough
of her to know that she isa girl of her word
—so much so, forsooth, that I verily believe
she would have shot meas she threatened.”
‘Then astorm of passion began to work in
his breast.
His eyes in the darkness there almost
snapped a deadly fire,and the teeth under
his large beard grated savagely together.
He shook one fist after thereceding girl.
“Go on, go onl” he snarled, ina husky
way. “But you will find that you cannot
choose your own husband, as you supposed.
I bave something yetto say about that, as
you will find. Iff cannot, have you, I will
destroy the little idyl you have begun to
build for yourself, miss!*
He moved from the exposed spot, and his
steps were in the direction of therear of the.
teut where Jack Roy was sleeping with the
faithful orderly by his side.
As he went, he was continuing his mut-
tering:
“Then Chloris must have died in the
flames of the cabin, which I found burned
down; and in some way, the white-baired
captain found her in time to hear her con-
fession, Chloris always swore that as long
as she lived she would not betray the plot;
the girl's assertion seems to prove that
Chloris must be dead; and theskeleton in
the fireplace went with the burning tim-
bers, of course. Aha! perhaps you do not
know all yet, my valiant Captain Raymond.
Perhaps you will wince some day, when you
learn that your wife did not perish in'the
flames of the burning hotel at Lancaster.
Wait. I may have my time yet. Who
knows?”
At the rear of the tent, stealthily he crept
close and sunk to a crawling position,
Through the canvas he could hear the
slow and regular breathing of the lieu-
tenant.
And the orderly wasnstonished as hoe sat
at a little distance from the cot, to suddenly
hear the apparent voice of the lieutenant,
saying:
“Find Captain Raymond and ask him to
come to me.”
_ But will it be well to leave you alone,
sir?’’ queried the astonished soldier.
“Yes, sir.”
With the respectful rejoinder, the orderly
arose and left the tent with rapid steps; for