M
Y LAW
THE SOUTH
A IFnffi A AnaMwirs&iry WW Stay
COPYRIGHT, 1909. BY A. C McCLURG & CO.
j PROLOGUE.
A northern soldier, left for
dead on a southern battlefield,
recovers consciousness and hides j
near a farmhouse where he hears
a beautiful daughter of the south
admit that soon she must wed a
man she does not love. Read
and you will learn what daring
efforts he made to frustrate this
plan, win the girl's love, gam
valuable military information as
a spy and clear up the grim mys
tery of an old mansion where
murder was a daily occurrence.
Notable among fiftieth anniver
sary war romances, this stirring
tale shows that, while father was
arrayed against son and brother
against brother, little Dan Cupid,
field marshal of the army of
love, kept right on with his cam
paigning, even if one sweetheart
wore the blue and the other
sweetheart loved the gray.
chapter i.
IE FT WOUNDED ON THE FIELD.
1NOW recall our part iu the bat
tle merely In a series of de
tached pictures having dull,
blank spaces between. Neverthe
less, how vividly bright with color
each separate scene photographed It
self upon the retina of the eye! I
remember our battery Brst going Into
action along the western edge of the old
cemetery, among the billowy graves,
the cracked, overturned Rtoucs. 1 re
call the muss of green leaves, check
ered by red blossoms, where the vine
clambered over the large monument at
our rear, and how 1 entangled my foot
In the creepers and nearly fell.
1 shall never forget the ghastly white
face of Hosecrans' aid. his long brown
beard blown backward by force of the
wind, as he came furiously spurring
np the road, his bead bare, bis band
pointing forward, screaming out bis
orders. 1 remember the wild clang
and turmoil as our startled horses
. plunged to the left, dragging after
them the black guns, with muzzles still
smoking grimly, on a mad. reckless
gallop down Into the shelter of a shal
low ruvlne, splashing through the run
ning water and dashing In headlong
lmpetuousity up the sharp incline of
the opposite bank. 1 beard the wild
yelhi of the excited drivers, the blows,
the crunching of heavy wheels over
the stones; 1 saw the leap of the cais
sons, the rush of the men.
ranting for breath, stumbling over
the rough ground. I ruced beside No. 2
for the crest, vaguely wondering why
Wyaft was lashing bis leaders so like
a demon. I saw Homers go tumbling
forward in a shapeless heap, and one
of the Rtralnlng wheelers on No. 1
drop dead In the traces, drngged re
morselessly onward by his teammates
Yet 1 was there, my hands hard on
the spokes, sluing the heavy puns Into
position the very Instant the released
caissons were trotted to the rear down
rhr protecting slope.
rhen It Instantly became all clock
Work, mechanism, discipline. I could
wnreely distinguish faces or even
ferms; nil was rush. riot, seeming con
fnslon: yet I knew it must be Kruno
to right of me and Pnrkhurst at left.
A sharp order hurtled Into my numbed
brain, and I echoed It automatically
evpn ns I lien veil, the hot perspiration
blinding my eyes, the mad lust of the
fight -throbbing through my veins,
eTPh one bound backward I was at
the breech, the slim muzzle deflected
downward Into the valley. 1 marked
the vague figure of a man. unrecogniz
able, spring hastily back from the
mouth of the gun. crouching down.
Rtnmor in hnnd; over that deadly
(northed barrel I caught one glimpse
of low (nugled bushes, of drifting
smoke clouds, of a solid gray mass
breaking through, of sunlight shim
murlixr ii I ii i ir n front nf levplert Kleel:
then ,' j(,rk,,(1 ,he lanymd und mingled
smoke and flume burst forth
All that followed was pandemonium,
rush. roar, leaping, shapeless figures.
I could perceive nothing clearly; all 1
remember was that we were. tiring
canister, the deflected guns leaping
madly back with the recoil, growing
hot to the hand.
I trod on bodies ns I toiled. 1 beard
through the stilling volume of smoke,
the Infernal uproar, a hoarse shouting
of unrecognizable orders, the wild
scream of ti wounded horse, n single
mad oath, nn agonized voice yelling
from bchinu, "Where the devil Is the
Infantry?"' Yet nil that 1 actually re:i
lized then were those distorted black
shapes springing back and forth from
that gun muzzle, and the lanyard
grasped In my hnnd. That alone was
my work, my duty, and 1 must stand
to It until I died. Two years of iron
discipline had made me Into a ma
chine.
Something burned my shoulder like
a sudden spurt of flame: I felt sick
from the shock and clung desperately
to the breech to keep from falllug
I saw faces here and there amid the
brown whirls of smoke, strange, un
known repulsive faces, rendered hide
ous from the strain of conflict. My
gun toppled over, one wheel smashed
Into splinters I saw Wyatt turn and
run for the rear, and I'nrkhurst Hung
backward as though shot from a cata
pult. I Jerked the rammer out of his
dead, clutching hands, and began strik
ing fiercely at the crush of gray figures
leaping toward me. Then everything
went blank, and I pitched over under
the wreck.
It was dark when I slowly reopened
my eyes and endeavored to look about,
dark and still, except for a faint gleam
of distant stars, and the awful gur
gling of some desperntely wounded
man lylug not far away. My bead
throbbed feverishly from pain, and
my rigid side ached horribly as I first
attempted to move my lody. Above
mo was tho black breech of the gun.
and my extended band touched the
single wheel upholding it, the spokes
ragged from splinters. It hurt me so
desperately to turn over that I remain
ed motionless for a long time, staring
straight up at the sky, listening Intent
ly for each sound, und endeavoring to
think. In a measure the situation soon
became sufficiently clear that tierce
chnrge of the enemy had reached us
unchecked, and we had lost the guns.
Had we nlso lost the battle?
now deadly still the night was, not
a shot echoing anywhere, not a foot
step, not a voice; only that awful
gurgling breathing yonder to the left!
One of my feet pressed against a body,
and I moved It carefully, although
even this slight action resulted In a
sharp twinge of pnln. I could per
ceive another form huddled In a
shapeless heap ngninst the wheel, and
as my hand renched out groping to
ward the right It touched an Ice cold
face. I was afraid to nscertnin the
truth. Had I been badly Injured?
Was I crippled for life?
At length, my teeth clinched In final
determination to know the worst. I
endeavored to feel along my side
where the twinges of pain seemed
most severe, but only to discover my
rough woolen shirt stiff from con
gealed blood. My Hps were dry and
cracked, my tongue parched and swol
len. Suddenly In the stillness 1 dis
tinguished the sound of some one ap
proaching and sank down again, mo
tionless, listening.
They came slinking toward mo from
out the night much ns Jackals might,
creeping along from body to body,
mumbling to each other as they grop
ed around In tho darkness, occasion
clly lifting their heads to listen, like
hunted wild beasts. 1 recognized them
the scourge of the battlefletd-bu
man scavengers, foul vultures, viut-
ever uniform they might wear to hide
! their crime-midnight robbers of tii.'
j dead. I lay there silent, almost breath
less, while they swiftly rilled the
I pockets of 'thai shapeless, hideous
thing upheld by the wheel I hey saw
me lying there plainly enough, but
nearer at baud were victims far easier
oi approach, and so they slunk growl
lngly past, leaving me unmolested.
Vet I distinguished enough of their
profane speech to render the situa
tion clear. Our army had been press
ed relentlessly back, driven pell mell
across the river in disorderly retreat,
and the victorious forces of the Con
federacy held the field.
A single shot rang out far to my
right, and the black figure of one of
those skulking vultures went slinking
past on n run. stumbling In his baste
over the dead bodies. Already sen
tries diligently watched, nnd with the
coming of daylight the Confederate
burial parties would be busy.
The very sound of that distant mus
ket shot served to arouse me to ac
tion. Slowly, and with no little pain,
1 succeeded In creeping forth from
beneath the gun shadow, and sat up.
Mv side still throbbed severely. It is
true, yet my limbs were intact, nnd I
managed to draw myself erect by
grasping the spokes of the wheel until
I finally stood there faint nnd trem
bling. Nevertheless I realized my
strength was coining back In response
to movement, a fresh determination
taking possession of my mind. I felt
ready to endeavor, provided there re
mained anything to endeavor for And
why was there not? The 1-Yderal nrmy
could not be very far away. 1 must
try to join them, not lie here to run
the risk of capture on the morrow
There would be some hiding place
near by Into which I could crawl be
fore the revealing dawn came.
I could recall so little of the sur
roundings. There was the black
shadow of a wood to my front, but the
river would surely be in the opposite
direction, and the narrow stream we
had crossed while coming Into action
must be ygndcr to the left. I deter
mined to creep down there anyway,
for 1 must have water. Finally 1 ar
rived at the edge of the bank, where
the descent was steep, and slid silently
down. Once beside the narrow stream
1 dipped my face In the running water
and drank greedily. I tore aside the
rough woolen artillery shirt I wore and
attempted to explore the wound In my
side. It was a Jagged, ugly gash, evi
dently torn by a splinter, but not dan
gerously deep, although it had bled
profusely.
Suddenly I seemed to recall to mem
ory the vague glimpse of a distant
house far down the valley, half reveal
ed as our Inttery dashed forward into
position There would undoubtedly be
found opportunity for concealment
among the outbuildings, provided I
could attain to their shelter before day
break; possibly for food also if any ne
groes yet remained tljerc. Every Incli
of this open territory would lie diligent
ly searched for the wounded, nnd my
sole chi'iice for escape lay somewhere
without the Imnu'din'? zone of Ir.itfH
It iniift have been I wo. perhaps three,
miles distant, a large white house al
most completely siirr.ii:-Mled by lives
ni'd barely showing down the narrow
gap of the valley.
I was less seriously Injured than I
had at first be!!:-ved. and this knowl
edge nddel Immeasurably to my stock
of hope air! courage. Of Irish blood,
anient, combative, the very sense of
surrounding danger became a stimu
lant. I stole silently down beneath the
gloom of the bank shadow for possibly
a hundred yards, scanning the oppo
site shore with anxious eyes, yet per
ceiving nothing calculated to alarm.
Then I crept up to the level above, dis
covering there the faint traces of a
road which 1 followed, walking for
ward cautiously. Once I sank down
Into a shallow depression ns three
shadowy horsemen rode silently past.
Then the road led downward Into the
broadening valley, running through a
black fringe of trees, the gloom be
neath the interlaced branches so dense
I could scarcely discover the way. trip
ping continually over stumps and roots.
It was a long two miles before I at
tained to the fragment of an enclos
ing rail fence nnd could perceive the
dark outlined shadow of a large abed
beyond. However, tho exercise of the
tramp had served to strengthen my
muscles, while the nttendnnt excite
ment had completely swept away the
cobwebs from my brnln. I had be
come a man once more, energetic, re
sourceful; no longer the wounded, nlm
less thing that had crept, weak, dizzy
and despairing from beneath the
wrecked gun. I took a long breath
and then crept underneath tho rails
Into the shed shadow.
The faintest tinge of approaching
dawn was nlrcady In the sky, as yet
scarcely perceptible, but enabling my
eyes to distinguish the dim outlines of
my Immediate surroundlugs. Slightly
beyond were several small log huts,
closely grouped together, undoubtedly
the negro quarters of the plantation.
These appeared deserted. A low
picket fence, originally painted white,
but now sadly demoralized, ono sec
tion lying fiat on the ground, served
to separate this portion of the estate
from the house lot, while a thick hedge
of trees thoroughly concealed the man
sion Itself from view. But the smold
ering embers of a camp fire glowed
sullenly directly In front of the cover
ed entrance, nnd I could both perceive
and hear the restless movement of
horses tied to tho veranda rail. I was
enabled to distinguish tho Bhndowy fig
ure of a sentry wearily pacing back
and forth In front of tho broad porch.
Bcyoud nil question somo Confederate
general officer had very sensibly ap
propriated the place for his headquar
ters, while his personal escort wero en
camped within the yard.
I made my way slowly back, all Im
mediate hope of obtaining food dis
missed from my mind. Klnding ihe
door of the old shed ajar. I crept in
and crawled into a niche next to the
wall. Almos before I realized the xs
sibility I was sound asleep
Some unusual noise aroused me.
Then I distinguished voices conversing,
apparently not more than ten feet dls
taut. Quietly us both parties spoke. I
determined the speakers to be a youim
white woman and a ucgro. The negro
by every outward tokeu was an old
time slave, to whom freedom would
possess no vital meaning.
Just iH'.vond his broad, beut shoul
ders appeared the features of a young
girl, a most piquant face, marked now
by trouble and perplexity, yet clearly
retii-ctiiig a nature in which all the
joy of life naturally predominated. 1
aught merely a glimpse, for 1 dared
not brave disclosure. Yet so deeply
did dial single glance Impress me that
had I never been again privileged to
see her I could not have entirely ef
faced the memory Scarcely more
ilr.n eighteen years of age, rather
slight of figure, still retaining the
form of girlhood, less thau medium
height, standing (irmly erect, every
movement displaying unconscious
grace ami vigor, her face bright with
iniel'.ij'cnce. animated by every pass-
in;: emotion, her cheeks Hushed wltnjwj,(.Q lias heen supporting the p re
health, her hair of darkest brown, ! n)p,..fl tm,narchlal program for sev
DruTcd carelessly back from off the .r., weeks. Is now strengthened by . Ta
Mv. bro-.d forehead, her eyes the raMi nl((, ls, t.Uluvoring to obtain the
i!:epe.-!t unfathomable gray blue odd- gll,)p0I.t pf the United States nnd ot li
ly shadowed by long lashes densely ff conMrU Cl(,at Britain believes
black, her lips full, red and uivIi.hI. the ..so,iaratjon or the dependencies,
speaking softly the pleasant Idiom of Man,.,hm.jai Ton n nnd Thibet, and
the southland, for a single moment
she appeared to me a vision, fulfilling
jnv dreams of young womanhood. My
ears finally caught the words of the
slave:
"I tut shorely. Miss Jean. 1 reckon 1
don't git dls Jlst straight somehow.
mm.
Tf'h. v. .v II
m ill
I damcd not ni!AV DiscLosi'hB. 'tial levcili'tioiilsts nre willing to con
Why shouldn't ye do It. honey, when Mich a proposal..
yo' pa an' Mnssa (Jeorge both want
ye to? Dat's what I don't understan'
nohow. Don't ye want ter marry
Massa Calvert?"
The de'l'iilely arched mouth drew
down severely, the blue gray eyes
drooping behind lowered lashes.
-1 only wl-h I knew, Joe I
sure
wNi I knew.' her soft Voice filled
with doubt. "I reckon 1 always ex
pe ti'd to have to do this some day.
but that never seemed so bad when
it was a long way off. But now they
limlst It must be tonight, and and It
sure scares me."
"But don't ye love blm, honey?"
The girl's eyes opened wide, gazing
itralglit into the black, troubled face
fronting her.
"I just dou't know. Joe. that' a
fact, but-but I'm afraid not He is
Just the same to me now ns he was
when we were children and played to
gether. Sometimes I don't mind be
ing with him, nnd then there are other
times when 1 am actually afraid to
have him near me. I don't think 1 ever
really care whether he is here or not.
and and 1 do get awfully tired of
blm when he talks to me. lie be
treats me like a little girl and acts
so superior. It almost mnkes me hate
blm." She put her hands np to ber
bend, rumpling up the brown balr, a
little pucker showing across the fore
head. "Ho has been nway most of
tho last two years, and nnd. well. I
haven't missed him much. 1 know I
have beeu lots happier here left
alone."
"Ye shore have been happy nongh,"
broke In the negro soberly; "but yo
shorely enn't Ilvo ycre alone no more
for awhile, Miss Jean. 'Tnln't no
laughing matter, far ns I can see. Do
sojers was ycro most ebery day. an'
blnmo me If 1 can see which side was
do worst, de Yanks or do Confeds.
Iey steal, an' dey git drunk, an' dey
fight, an' It wnn't no tit place no long
er for any young gal to bo all nlono
by herse'f. wld no one but an or nig
ger to look after her. It could be did,
missus, when dls country was peace
able like, but now de Lord only knows
what's golu' to happen next Dls
yere house would have been burnt
to de grotin' long afore dls If (lenernl
Johnston hadn't been n-llvlng yere, an'
now he's gone. Ye know all dat, Miss
Jean, an' It shore looks best to mo
what yo' pa nn' Mnssn Gcorgo wants
ye fer to do."
(To Do Continued.)
Hogs Wanted.
Will pay Ihe market price for
hogs weighing from 80 to 150
pounds. Boo J. P. Falter, Coates'
block.
YUAN REFUSES TO
ACCEPT REPUBLIC
Premier ot China Firm in Oppo
sition to Rebel Demi
WILL UFKCLD THE MONARCHY
Great Britain Enlists Japan in. Support
of Monarchial Program Said That
American Group Is Supporting Brit
ish Idea.
Peking, Doc. 22 rremler Yuan Shi
Kal gave his answer to those who are
attempting to form China Into a re
public. In an official statement he de
rlared. without qualification, that he
refused to accept a republic.
It is believed here that Yuan Shi Kal
means what he says and will uphold
the monarchy. Now that this situa
tion has arisen, Great Britain,
the serious disintegration of China
proper would result from the csfih-1
lishmeiit of a republic, whereas tho
republicans already have obtained In n j
material way everything they desired.
Only the name of the monarchy Is
left." I
It is stated that the American
group. If not the American state de '
partment. already supports tho British
Idea and nre ready with two If not
three of tho others of tho "four nation
group" of financiers to lend Yurn Shi
Kai's government money. Negot'atlons
to this end have been proceeding for
some days.
It was on Great Britain's Initiative
that the six powers urged the Shang
hai penro conference to reach nn
agreement.
The extension of the armistice ten
days, to which the revolutionists have
agreed, has given some hope, but un
less tho revolutionists accent the pro
gram offered, the only alternative Is
renewal (if the conflict, w'th possible
division of the country, the denend
cncles rallying around the northern
cm plre.
Would Reopen Conference.
Shanghai, Dec. 22. Tang Shao Yl
has received a telegram from Premier
Yuan Shi Kal Instructing him to re-
open the conference and present a
counter nronosltlon to the revo'utlon-
j nry delegates, providing for a limited
I nionnrcby. There Is reason to believe
that n conrddeiable number of Inftuen
TRADE WITH GREAT BRITAIN
American Exports Double in Value lm
ports From British Territory.
Washington, Dec. 22. Over a billion
dollars' worth of merchandise passed
i between the United States and British
territory In the ten months ending
with October for which statistics have
been compiled. The burenu of stalls
tics of the department of commerce
nnd labor reports that exports from
tho United States to. British territory
In the period named aggregated $759.
000,000 and Imports therefrom $3R3,
000.000, thus Indicating that for every
dollar's worth of merchandise Import
ed from the territory In question two
dollars' worth of American products
ere exported thereto.
w. h ;o ; r co,;; th;
Zl:... J . ' v. a.n nd In
The growth of American commerce
I""'" rj.,r;;n.r les' notablv.
Canada, very rapid.
STORY LEADS TO MURDER
Kansas Man Killed For Money Re-
-Am4A UlHHn In fthnei
Kansas City. Dec. 22.-"He hides his
money In shoes." This story has been
freely circulated about Edward Jack
son, an employee of the Santa Fe rail
road, whoso body was found hidden
under the stairway of tho pumping
plnnt In Kansas City, Kan
The nolico believe that JackBon was
I
murdered by some one who hnd heard the minimum line,
the story of his hidden wealth. Jack- Believing her brother dead because
fon'a 6hoes were unlaced and evident-' of a silence of forty years, Mrs. Re
ly had been removed by the murderer, becca PowerB, wife of a truck garden
Thero was a deep cut across tho dead er 0f Ottawa, Kan., was surprised to
man's forehend, and a heavy Bhovel receive notice thnt by his death, which
nearby probably was the weapon used occurred recently at Chicago, she will
by the murderer. , recelvo the larger part of a fortune of
Rlcheson Will Recover Soon.
Boston. Dec. 22. Everything points
to the rapid recovery or ltev. uarenrc
V. T. Rlcheson, accused of tho murder
nf Avis Mnnell and who so mutilated
himself In his cell nt the Suffolk conn
ty jail that a drastic operation was
found necessary.
Camorra Trial Falls Down.
Vlterbo. Dec. 22. Tho trial or the
Cnmorrtsts has all but collapsed. Wit
tiesses who have been summoned fall
to appear, nnd the authorities have
been unable to locate them. Tho Jur
ors have asked the court to dlscon
tlnue the trlnl.
Ellett to Run on Dry Ticket.
Marshalltown, la., Dec. 22. An
nouncement was made of the candi
dacy of the Rev. O. D. Ellett, editor
of the Iowa Prohibitionist of this city,
for governor on the prohibition ticket
before the June primary.
PBiSCESS IOF.L
Baroda Beauty Who Is
To Wed Maharajah of
Gwalior In February.
'5 -yM I. V-
rhoto by American I'lfn Amjoclutlon.
BOY TAKEN FROM
"SUN WORSHIPERS"
W:: to Millions is Found In
Temple at Chicago.
Chicago, Dec. 22. How George
Lindsay, twelve years old nnd sole
heir to the millions of the Into W. B.
Lindsay of Philadelphia, had been
moved from the temple of a "mm wor
shipers" cult and placed under the
charge of the Juvenile court, at tho re
quest of relatives, was revealed here.
Charles H. Lindsay, undo of tho boy,
Is responsible for the action. After a
nation wide search the uncle round tne
boy In tho "temple" here. Detectives
ln tho employment of Lindsay, who at-
tempted to take the boy nway, were
attacked by worshipers, It Ik said. The
boy's mother, who placed him ln the
''temple," Is Hald to be known among
the cult ns "Vnhdah."
Ono of the charges made by the
boy's uncle is that the lad was givca
a diet of grapes nnd beer. He Is said
to have been In the "temple" six
months.
The boy's mother had been ordered
not to return him to tho "temple."
Judge Plnckney will hear the case
Jan. 4.
Shoots Of Hand While Cleaning Gun.
Beatrice, Neb., Dec. 22. Walter, tn
nineteen year old son of Mr. ami Mrs.
W. O. Rclmund, living west of the city,
lost his right hnnd by the accidental
discharge of nn automatic gun.
CONDENSED NEWS
In attempting to dip wnter from a
barrel. Mrs. John Issenhuth of Huron
S. D., fell In head downward and was
drowned. (
Eighteen holdup men arrested at
two
ere nentenced to terms of from Ave,
to seven yesr. in the penitentiary.
A million dollar appropriation for
the construction of n railroad ln Alas
ka Is contemplated In a bill Introduced
In congress by Sulzer of New York.
It Is Intimated that the department
Af tnatirn villi begin orosecutlon ta
j Philadelphia next week of .America
Vk j. ----- - -
members of the giant Brazilian coffee
combination.
Judge Skeen of Lee county, Virginia,
issued a proclamation In which he In
vited all who sold their voteB In a re
cent election ln that county to appear
before the court, confess and accept
135,000.
Scarcity of marriageable young
tvnmpn In rjrmit rountv. Kansas, haa
cmwA u,0 t,ariu.ors of the county to
fian(1 t(.g(,tnr for tne purpose of oh-
,aln,nR WVPH Tno cntalogues of the
orRnnzaton gve8 the names nnd qnnl-
,nrntlong of Pncn 0f the thirty live
members.
Report of n theft of $25,000 worth
of unfiet diamonds from the wnllot of
a diamond broker was made to the
Chicago police. ' Samuel Scott, the
broker, told the police thnt tho Jew
els were taken from his pocket while
he was plnying pool In a downtown
billiard hall.
Policeman Charles E. HcwBton was
shot and seriously wounded at Port
land, Ore., ln a revolver battle with a
highwayman. The bandit, who gate
his same as the "Tacoma Kid," and
confessed to robberies In that city,
was found lying fatally wounded
the scene of the Bhoollng.
1' 'I
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! v x hi;' Al