Books: My Lady of the North
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Randall Parrish >> My Lady of the North
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She drew me back hastily.
"Edith," she said, touching the sleeve of a young woman who was slowly
passing, "Edith, wait just a moment, dear; this is Colonel Curran--
Myrtle Curran's brother, you know. Colonel Curran, Mrs. Brennan."
CHAPTER XVI
THE WOMAN I LOVED
THE crucial moment had arrived, and I think my heart actually stopped
beating as I stood gazing helplessly into her face. I saw her eyes open
wide in astonished recognition, and then a deep flush swept over throat
and cheek. For the instant I believed she would not speak, or that she
would give way to her excitement and betray everything. I durst give no
signal of warning, for there existed no tie between us to warrant my
expecting any consideration from her. It was an instant so tense that
her silence seemed like a blow. Yet it was only an instant. Then her
eyes smiled into mine most frankly, and her hand was extended.
"I am more than delighted to meet you, Colonel Curran," she said
calmly, although I could feel her lips tremble to the words, while the
fingers I held were like ice. "Myrtle was one of my dearest friends,
and she chanced to be in my mind even as we met. That was why," she
added, turning toward Miss Minor, as though she felt her momentary
agitation had not passed unobserved, "I was so surprised when you first
presented Colonel Curran."
"I confess to having felt strangely myself," returned the other,
archly, "although I believe I concealed my feelings far better than you
did, Edith. Really, I thought you were going to faint. It must be that
Colonel Curran exercises some strange occult influence over the weaker
sex. Perhaps he is the seventh son of a seventh son; are you, Colonel?
However, dear, I am safe for the present from his mysterious spell, and
you will be compelled to face the danger alone, as here comes
Lieutenant Hammersmith to claim the dance I've promised him."
Before Mrs. Brennan could interfere, the laughing girl had placed her
hand on the Lieutenant's blue sleeve, and, with a mocking good-bye
flung backward over her shoulder, vanished in the crowd, leaving us
standing there alone.
The lady waited in such apparent indifference, gently tapping the floor
with her neatly shod foot, her eyes wandering carelessly over the
throng in our front, that I felt utterly at sea. Evidently she had no
intention of addressing me, yet I could not continue to stand there
beside her in silence like a fool. That she possessed a pretty temper I
already knew, but better a touch of that than this silent disdain.
"Would you be exceedingly angry if I were to ask you to dance?" I
questioned, stealing surreptitiously a glance at her proudly averted
face.
"Angry? Most assuredly not," in apparent surprise. "Yet I trust you
will not ask me. I have been upon the floor only once to-night. I am
not at all in the mood."
The words were not encouraging, yet they served to break the ice, and I
was never easily daunted.
"If there were chairs here I should venture to ask even a greater
favor--that you would consent to sit out this set with me."
She turned slightly, lifted her eyes inquiringly to mine, and her face
lightened.
"No doubt we might discover seats without difficulty, in the anteroom,"
she answered, indicating the direction by a glance. "There do not
appear to be many 'sitters-out' at this ball, and the few who do are
not crowded."
If the pendulum of hope and despair swings one way, the unalterable
laws of mental gravitation compel it to go just as far the other, and
although I do not remember uttering so much as a word while we
traversed the crowded floor and gained entrance to the smaller room
beyond, yet my heart was singing a song of the deepest hope. The
apartment contained, as she prophesied, but few occupants, and I
conducted her to the farther end of it, where we found a comfortable
divan and no troublesome neighbors.
As I glanced at her now, I marked a distinct change in her face. The
old indifference, so well assumed while we were in the presence of
others, had utterly vanished as by magic, and she sat looking at me in
anxious yet impetuous questioning.
"Captain Wayne," she exclaimed, her eyes never once leaving my face,
"what does this mean? this masquerade? this wearing of the Federal
uniform? this taking of another's name? this being here at all?"
"If I should say that I came hoping to see you again," I answered,
scarce knowing how best to proceed or how far to put confidence in her,
"what would you think?"
The color flamed quickly into her cheeks, but the clear eyes never
faltered. They seemed to read my very soul.
"If that is true, that you were extremely foolish to take such a risk
for so small a reward," she returned calmly. "Nor, under these
circumstances, would I remain here so much as a moment to encourage
you. But it is not true. This is no light act; your very life must lie
in the balance, or you could never assume such risk. Doubtless you
hesitate to trust me fully, but I assure you you need not, for you have
placed me under certain personal obligations which I have no desire to
ignore. Captain Wayne, you are in trouble, in danger--will you not tell
me all, and permit me to aid you by every means in my power?"
"I would trust you gladly with my life or my honor," I replied soberly.
"If I had less faith in you I should not be here now."
She started slightly at the words, and for an instant her eyes fell.
"Your life?" she questioned, "do you mean that is in the balance?"
"I understand that I am condemned to be shot as a spy at daybreak."
"Shot? On what authority? Who told you?"
"On the order of General Sheridan. My informant was Lieutenant Caton,
of his staff."
"Shot? As a spy? Why, it surely cannot be! Frank said--Captain Wayne,
believe me, I knew absolutely nothing of all this. Do not think I
should ever have rested if I had dreamed that you were held under so
false a charge. I promised you I would see General Sheridan on your
behalf."
"Yes," I assented hastily, for her agitation was so great I feared it
might attract the attention of others. "I remember you said so at the
time of my arrest, but supposed you had either forgotten or had found
your intercession fruitless."
"Why, how you must have despised me! Forgotten?"--her eyes filled
instantly with tears. "Not for an hour, Captain Wayne, but Frank--" she
bit her lip impatiently--"I was told, that is, I was led to believe
that you were--had been sent North as a prisoner of war late last
night. Otherwise I should have insisted upon seeing you--on pleading
your cause with the General himself. The Major and I breakfasted with
him this morning, but your name was not mentioned, for I believed you
safe."
She did not appear to realize, so deep was her present indignation and
regret, that my hand had found a resting-place upon her own.
"You must believe me, Captain Wayne; I could not bear to have you feel
that I could prove such an ingrate."
"You need never suppose I should think that," I replied, with an
earnestness of manner that caused her to glance at me in surprise. "I
confidently expected to hear from you all day, and finally when no word
came I became convinced some such misconception as you have mentioned
must have occurred. Then it became my turn to act upon my own behalf if
I would preserve my life; yet never for one moment have I doubted you
or the sincerity of your pledge to me."
She drew her hand away from my clasp, gently and not unkindly, then
passed it through the masses of her dark, shining hair, but her face
remained turned aside from me. Oh, how I longed at that moment to pour
forth in fervent words the affection that burned within my heart! But
irrespective of the doubt as to her being free to listen to such a
declaration, there was a pride about her manner, a certain restraint
which she ever seemed to exercise over me, that effectually sealed my
lips. Her very presence was a moral tonic, and I felt it would be
easier to tear out my tongue than to utter anything which she could
construe into possible insult. The very depth of her perfect womanhood
was itself protection, and, until the veil was finally lifted, my lips
were vowed to silence.
She waited quietly while a couple passed us and sought seats nearer the
door.
"Tell me the entire story," she said gently.
As quickly as possible I reviewed the salient events which had occurred
since our last meeting. Without denying the presence of Major Brennan
during my stormy meeting with General Sheridan, I did not dwell upon
it, nor mention the personal affray that had occurred between us. Even
had I not supposed the man to be her husband I should never have taken
advantage of his treachery to advance my own cause. God knows I have
enough failings to account for, but I have never done my fighting in
the dark. Neither did I speak of the information I now sought to bring
to Lee, for her sympathy, her interest, her loyalty, were all with the
opposing army. She followed my narrative eagerly, her eyes growing
darker with intensity of interest as I depicted our eventful climb up
the black chimney, and my venture down the stairs into the crowded
ballroom. As I concluded there was a tear glistening on her long
lashes, but she seemed unconscious of it, and made no attempt to dash
it away.
"You have not told me all," she commented quietly. "But I can
understand and appreciate the reason for your silence. I know Frank's
impetuosity, and you are very kind, Captain Wayne, to spare my
feelings, but you must not remain here; every moment of delay increases
your danger. Sheridan and those of his staff who would surely recognize
you were expected back before this, and may appear at any moment--yet
how can you get away? how is it possible for me to assist you?"
There was an eager anxiety in her face that piqued me. Like most lovers
I chose to give it a wrong interpretation.
"You are anxious to be rid of me?" I asked, ashamed of the words even
as I uttered them.
"That remark is unworthy of you," and she arose to her feet almost
haughtily. "My sole thought in this is the terrible risk you incur in
remaining here."
"Your interest then is personal to me, may I believe?"
"I am a loyal woman," proudly, "and would do nothing whatever to
imperil the cause of my country; but your condemnation is unjust, and I
am, in a measure, responsible for it. I assist you, Captain Wayne, for
your own sake, and in response to my individual sense of honor."
God knows I could not speak, although my heart seemed bursting within
my bosom. By sheer power of her will, her pride, her perfect womanhood,
she held me from her as though a wall divided us. Not for an instant
did she permit me to forget that she was the wife of another.
"Have you formulated any plan?" she asked quickly, and her rising color
made me feel that she had deciphered my struggle in my eyes.
"Only to walk out under protection of this uniform, and when once safe
in the open to trust that same good fortune which has thus far
befriended me."
She shook her head doubtfully, and stood a moment in silence, looking
thoughtfully at the moving figures in the room beyond.
"I fear it cannot be done without arousing suspicion," she said at
last, slowly. "I chance to know there are unusual precautions being
taken to-night, and the entire camp is doubly patrolled. Even this
house has a cordon of guards about it, but for what reason I have not
learned. No," she spoke decisively, "there is no other way. Captain
Wayne, I am going to try to save you to-night, but in doing so I must
trust my reputation in your keeping."
"I will protect it with my life."
"Protect it with your silence, rather. I know you to be a gentleman, or
I should never attempt to carry out the only means of escape which
seems at all feasible. Discovery would place me in an extremely
embarrassing position, and I must rely upon you to protect me from such
a possibility."
"I beg you," I began, "do not compromise yourself in any way for my
sake."
"But I am myself already deeply involved in this," she interrupted,
"and I could retain no peace of mind were I to do otherwise. Now
listen. Make your way back to the ballroom, and in fifteen minutes from
now be engaged in conversation with General Carlton near the main
entrance. I shall join you there, and you will take your cue from me.
You understand?"
"Perfectly, but--"
"There is no 'but,' Captain Wayne, only do not fail me."
Our eyes met for an instant; what she read in mine God knows--in hers
was determination, with a daring strange to woman. The next moment she
had vanished through a side door, and I was alone.
CHAPTER XVII
THROUGH THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY
A GLANCE at my watch told me that it was already within a few moments
of midnight. There was, however, no diminution in the festivities, and
I waited in silence until I heard the sentries calling the hour, and
then pressed my way back into the noisy, crowded ballroom. I was
stopped twice by well-meaning officers whom I had met earlier in the
evening, but breaking away from them after the exchange of a sentence
or two, I urged my course as directly as possible toward where the
spectacled brigadier yet held his post as master of ceremonies.
We had been conversing pleasantly for several minutes when Mrs. Brennan
appeared. Standing so as to face the stairs, I saw her first coming
down, and noted that she wore her hat, and had a light walking-cloak
thrown over her shoulders. My heart beat faster as I realized for the
first time that she intended to be my companion.
"Oh, General, I am exceedingly glad to find you yet here," she
exclaimed as she came up, and extended a neatly gloved hand to him. "I
have a favor to ask which I am told you alone have the authority to
grant."
He bowed gallantly.
"I am very sure," he returned smilingly, "that Mrs. Brennan will never
request anything which I would not gladly yield."
She flashed her eyes brightly into his face.
"Most assuredly not. The fact is, General, Colonel Curran, with whom I
see you are already acquainted, was to pass the night at the Major's
quarters, and as he has not yet returned, the duty has naturally
devolved upon me to see our guest safely deposited. We are at the
Mitchell House, you remember, which is beyond the inner lines; and
while, of course, I have been furnished with a pass," she held up the
paper for his inspection, "and have been also instructed as to the
countersign, I fear this will scarcely suffice for the safe passage of
the Colonel."
The General laughed good-humoredly, evidently pleased with her
assumption of military knowledge.
"Colonel Curran is certainly to be congratulated upon having found so
charming a guide, madam, and I can assure you I shall most gladly do my
part toward the success of the expedition. The Major was expected back
before this, I believe?"
"He left word that if he had not returned by twelve I was to wait for
him no longer, as he should go directly to his quarters. I find the
life of a soldier to be extremely uncertain."
"We are our country's servants, madam," he replied proudly, and then
taking out a pad of blanks from his pocket, turned to me.
"May I ask your full name and rank, Colonel?"
"Patrick L. Curran, Colonel, Sixth Ohio Light Artillery."
He wrote it down rapidly, tore off the paper, and handed it to me.
"That will take you safely through our inner guard lines," he said
gravely, "that being as far as my jurisdiction extends. Good-night,
Colonel; good-night, Mrs. Brennan."
She smiled her good-bye to him, and placed a gloved hand confidingly on
my arm.
"I believe I recall the road and shall find no difficulty in guiding
you," she said. "At least we cannot go so very far astray."
How cool and self-possessed she appeared--no hurry, no outward
nervousness marred a single action. I felt my heart throb with new-born
pride of her as I marked the marvellous self-control which
characterized every movement, for I realized now that her risk in the
adventure was scarcely second to my own. As I ventured life, she
ventured honor, and I doubted not hers was the harder task of the two.
Yet she gave no outward sign of struggle; as we crossed the crowded
hall I could note no lack of resolution, no faltering of purpose in
either step or voice.
At the door an officer spoke to her.
"Surely you are not leaving us so early, Mrs. Brennan?" he questioned
anxiously. "Why, supper has not even been announced."
I felt her hand close more tightly upon my arm.
"Unfortunately we must," she replied, in a tone expressive of deep
regret. "The Major was to go directly to his quarters if he was not
here by midnight, and would surely worry were I still absent. Have you
ever met my friend? Pardon me--Captain Burns, Colonel Curran."
We bowed ceremoniously, and the next moment Mrs. Brennan and I were out
upon the steps, breathing the cool night air. I glanced curiously at
her face as the gleam of light fell upon it--how calm and reserved she
appeared, and yet her eyes were aglow with intense excitement. At the
foot of the steps she glanced up at the dark, projecting roof far above
us.
"Do you suppose he can possibly be up there yet?" she asked, in a tone
so low as to be inaudible to the ears of the sentry.
"Who? Bungay?" I questioned in surprise, for my thoughts were
elsewhere. "Oh, he was like a cat, and there are trees at the rear.
Probably he is safe long ago, or else a prisoner once more."
Beyond the gleam of the uncovered windows all was wrapped in complete
darkness, save that here and there we could distinguish the dull red
glare of camp-fires where the company cooks were yet at work, or some
sentry post had been established. All the varied sounds of a congested
camp at night were in the air--the champing and pounding of horses, the
murmur of men's voices, the distant rumbling of heavy wagons, with an
occasional shout, and the noise of axes. It was also evident, from the
numerous flitting lanterns, like so many glow-worms, the late labors of
the cooks, and other unmistakable signs, that active preparations for
an early movement were already well under way.
We turned sharply to the left, and proceeded down a comparatively
smooth road, which seemed to me to possess a rock basis, it felt so
hard. From the position of the stars I judged our course to be
eastward, but the night was sufficiently obscured to shroud all objects
more than a few yards distant. Except for the varied camp noises on
either side of us the evening was oppressively still, and the air had
the late chill of high altitudes. Mrs. Brennan pressed more closely to
me as we passed beyond the narrow zone of light, and unconsciously we
fell into step together.
"Are you chilled?" I asked, bending my head toward her.
"Not in the least; but I must confess to nervousness."
I think we both recalled my wrapping her in the flapping cavalry cloak
the night we were first alone together, for she added quickly: "I am
quite warmly clothed, and have not far to go."
One often receives certain impressions without in the least knowing by
what means they are conveyed--some peculiar trick of tone or manner
teaching a lesson the lips refrain from expressing. Some such influence
now, unconsciously exerted possibly, made me feel that my companion
preferred to remain silent; that I could best prove my respect for her
by quietly accepting her guidance without attempting converse. We
walked slowly so as not to attract attention, as it was impossible to
say that we were unobserved. Once she slipped upon a stone and I caught
her, but neither spoke. Then there came the sudden clatter of hoofs on
the rocky road behind us. I drew her swiftly aside within the
protecting shadow of a tree, while a mounted officer rode by us at a
slashing gait, his cavalry cape pulled high over his head, and the iron
shoes of his horse striking fire from the flinty rocks. I could feel
the heart of the girl beating wildly against my arm, but without
exchanging so much as a word we crept back into the dark road and
pressed on.
A few hundred yards farther a fire burned redly against a pile of logs.
The forms of several men lay outstretched beside it, while a sentry
paced back and forth, in and out of the range of light. We were almost
upon him before he noted our approach, and in his haste he swung his
musket down from his shoulder until the point of its bayonet nearly
touched my breast.
"Halt!" he cried sternly, peering at us in evident surprise. "Halt!
this road is closed."
"Valley Forge," whispered the girl, and I noticed how white her face
appeared in the flaming of the fire.
"The word is all right, Miss," returned the fellow, stoutly, yet
without lowering his obstructing gun. "But we cannot pass any one out
on the countersign alone. If you was going the other way it would
answer."
"But we are returning from the officers' ball," she urged anxiously,
"and are on our way to Major Brennan's quarters. We have passes."
As she drew the paper from out her glove one of the men at the fire
sprang to his feet and strode across the narrow road toward us. He was
smooth of face and boyish looking, but wore corporal's stripes.
"What is it, Mapes?" he asked sharply.
Without waiting an answer he took the paper she held out and scanned it
rapidly.
"This is all right," he said, handing it back, and lifting his cap in
salute. "You may pass, madam. You must pardon us, but the orders are
exceedingly strict to-night. Have you a pass also, Colonel?" I handed
it to him, and after a single glance it was returned.
"Pass them, guard," he said curtly, standing aside,
Beyond the radiance of the fire she broke the silence.
"I shall only be able to go with you so far as the summit of the hill
yonder, for our quarters are just to the right, and I could furnish no
excuse for being found beyond that point," she said. "Do you know
enough of the country to make the lines of your army?"
"If this is the Kendallville pike we are on," I answered, "I have a
pretty clear conception of what lies ahead, but I should be very glad
to know where I am to look for the outer picket."
"There is one post at the ford over the White Briar," she replied. "I
chance to know this because Major Brennan selected the station, and
remarked that the stream was so high and rapid as to be impassable at
any other point for miles. But I regret this is as far as my
information extends."
There was a moment of silence.
"But how may I ever sufficiently thank you for all you have done for me
to-night?" I exclaimed warmly, pressing her arm to my side as I spoke,
with the intensity of feeling which possessed me.
"I require no thanks, save as expressed by your silence," she returned,
almost coldly, and slightly withdrawing herself. "I have merely repaid
my indebtedness to you."
I started to say something--what I hardly know--when, almost without
sound of warning, a little squad of horsemen swept over the brow of the
hill in our front, their forms darkly outlined against the starlit sky,
and rode down toward us at a sharp trot. I had barely time to swing my
companion out of the track when they clattered by, their heads bent low
to the wind, and seemingly oblivious to all save the movements of their
leader.
"Sheridan!" I whispered, for even in that dimness I had not failed to
recognize the short, erect figure which rode in front.
The woman shuddered, and drew closer within my protecting shadow. Then
out of the darkness there burst a solitary rider, his horse limping as
if crippled, and would have ridden us down, had I not flung up one hand
and grasped his bridle-rein.
"Great Scott! what have we here?" he cried roughly, peering down at us.
"By all the gods, a woman!"
The hand upon my arm clutched me desperately, and my own heart seemed
to choke back every utterance. The voice was Brennan's.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE REPUTATION OF A WOMAN
LIKE a flash occurred to me the only possible means by which we might
escape open discovery--an instant disclosure of my supposed rank,
coupled with indignant protest. Already, believing me merely some
private soldier straying out of bounds with a woman of the camp as
companion, he had thrown himself from the saddle to investigate.
Whatever was to be done must be accomplished quickly, or it would prove
all too late. To think was to act. Stepping instantly in front of the
shrinking girl and facing him, I said sternly:
"I do not know who you may chance to be, sir, nor greatly care, yet
your words and actions imply an insult to this lady which I am little
disposed to overlook. For your information permit me to state, I am
Colonel Curran, Sixth Ohio Light Artillery, and am not accustomed to
being halted on the road by every drunken fool who sports a uniform."
He stopped short in complete surprise, staring at me through the
darkness, and I doubted not was perfectly able to distinguish the glint
of buttons and gleam of braid.
"Your pardon, sir," he ejaculated at last. "I mistook you for some
runaway soldier. But I failed to catch your words; how did you name
yourself?"
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