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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 1903)
A Little Traitor to the South A War-Time Com- cdy With a Tragic Interlude (Copyright, 1908, by Cyrus Townsend Brad.) CHAPEIt lit. How the Opsiortastlty Was Prestd. ELL, Bcmpland," said Lacy, with astonishing courtesy and forbear ance under all the circumstances, as he overtook the other man plodding alone the shaded street. "you don't seem 10 be in much greater favor with the young lady than 1." "Lacy," returned the other, "you did well this evening. Tou are not -good enough fur Miss Glen, I still think. Nobody la for that matter, but you less than others. My opinion of you, you know" "Faith, all the world may know it ap parently!" "That's unjust. I have never mentioned It to anyone and should' not have expressed K to Miss Olen had It not been to save her. But you showed the stuff that was In you, that used to be In yen, tonight. It was line. I thank you for having said" he paused. ""What?" asked Lacy. "Why, that about my not having had a chance, you know." "Oh, that was a trlflo " "I know. But not many men would bavs aid It at the time.". "I tell you what It is, Bempland. I like ysu, I always have liked you. When I er dropped out of the old set, you know, be fore the war, I didn't mind giving up any one so much as you. And I was sorry for you tonight. You hadn't had a chance. God knows I love the girl, but I am not the man for tier. I would break her heart in a month. Tou don't know women, I take It, but I think she will be yours In the end. I give her to you." "Bhe Is not yours to give." "No. I know she Isn't. But I withdraw In your favor." . . "I don't want that sort of a fair field. Harry," went on the other man, uncon sciously dropping Into the familiar form of boyhood, which caused Lacy's face to flush with pleasure, "I Am Bure she loves you. I thought it was I at first, but since this afternoon I have changed my mind. Why can't you be different? Tou are not a ili man to inui t y uiy iiOiit vvOur i o W , and when I thought of your record I doubted that you ever would "be. I was ure you would not, but see here, old . man I Throw the past aside! A fellow that's got It In him to do what you have done for the south why can't you control yourself? Turn over a new leaf. I love her, too. Bhe' a more to me than life Itself, bat her happiness la more than mine. If he loves you and wants you. make your self worthy of her. By heaven, I'll help you If It kills me! Tou thought I waa harsh today. I swear to you If you suc ceed nobody will acknowledge It quicker than II" "Will you tell her o?" "I will!" "Ithett," said the other man. stretching out his hand, "the woman I lore has this day honored me, but by heaven, I believe you have honored me more. I did think It was a low-down trick for you to go to Miss Glen, but I know why you did It and you were right. It's too late. I can never, b anything different. My father and grand father both died In drunken sprees It's In my blood. I can't help It. I've hud a chance or two to do something a little out of the ordinary in this war, thank God for It, but I suppose the reason I was able to carry It through was that I cared little whether I lived or died. No, that Isn't true. I'd rather die than live, but I would like to go out of existence doing something fine and noble. I I might get a better chance on the other side then, you know. Life Is nothing to me, and there are no possibilities In It" II spuke bitterly. It was raro that any one saw htm In that mood. "I tell you I'm cursed! I wouldn't take that girl If she did accept me. I only wanted to trouble you. Well, no, not ex act Iv that, either. I love her, God knows, tut the devil's got me In his grip and" "I can't understand It," said Bcmpland vaguely. "Of course you can't. You're so strong and so self-contamed-euch as you never ran understand such as I. But to be a drunkard, and a gambler, and a" .He stopped and threw up his hands, and then dropped them heavily by his side. "It's In my blood, I tell you! It Is not all try fault. Yet there Is good In me, enough good to make me go mad It I stop to think of It. I want some way to get out of this life with honor. I leave the field to you." "Bhe doesn't love " "You're a fool, Bempland forgive me about that woman. I know women better than you. Not so much the good as the bad, but In some things women are alike, a woman Is a woman whatever she does. That girl loves the ground you walk on." "Nonsense! It's you." "Pshaw! 8he Is fascinated by what she's heard on one hand, and she shuts her eyes to what she has heard on the other. The war Is young. We'll be beaten, of course, but not without some hard, desperate fight ing. Tour chance will come, and when it does" "I will master tt or die!" "Of course, but don't die. Master It. Mir I Mai "U: ' i.r.l'!.'' ml I I I i .1 1 J.I f , I j! 1 1 1 1 1 it .f'l til. if I. ii - ' J . Yi i P' .V T 'XW i "" - t I I B M If SIIWl till lllll I I til 9 . I. I t M sV 1 i . "THANK YOU." Leave dying to me. I've sought ways for It and now one Is at hand." "What la it?" "I am going to take out the David to night." What!" "Yea. It's a dead secret, but I can tell you. There are three blockade runners ready to sail. The Wabash lies off the Main Bhlp channel. Of course, all the others are blockaded, too, but Oeneral Beauregard thinks that If we can torpedo the flagship the others will hurry to her assistance and the blockade runners can get out through the Swash channel. Qur magaaines are running low and we must have arms, powder, everything. There are two or three shiploads at Nassau. This Is by Gyrus Townsend Brady an attempt to get to them. If we can blow up Admiral Vernon's flagship perhaps we can raise the blockade. At any rate.- It's the only chance for the blockade runners to get out." "Did the general order you to do this?" "Certainly not. I suggested It to him. They-don't order anyone to the David, you know." "I should say not," returned Bempland. "She's been down five times, hasn't she?" "Yes, and every time with all of her crew." "How marry all toM has she carried to death?" "8ome thirty. or more, I believe." "And she has never done any damage to the enemy." "Bhe scraped tne paint off the New Iron- HE SAID, "YOU HAVJB REWARDED KB. sides one night and scared ber crew to death, I reckon, but that's all." "Lacy!" cried Bempland. suddenly, "I have no right to ask favors of you. butr-" That's aU right. Ask." "Let me go tonight.'; ''What's the use? One officer is enough, and you could not do any good by going along. I should be In command " "Let me go In your place!" "Nonsense! It's almost certain death." "I don't cars. It's my chance. I can run the thing as well as you." "Oh, anybody can run the thing for that matter." "My life is of no mors value to the south or to me than yours. Come! .You have had your chances and Improved them; give this to me." Lacy hesitated. "Bempland, you're a fool, as I said before. You're running away from the woman who loves you. You're risking your life." "Never mind about that," returned the other. "She doesn't love me and I want to do It. For God's sake, old man, don't bo selfish! Let me have an opportunity!" Bcmpland was ordinarily a reticent and a quiet man, but this possibility awoke him Into action. He pleaded so long, and so hard, and so determinedly that ho over bore the weaker man and finally wrung from him a grudging assent to his request. "If the general is willing I'll give you my chance." "Thank you. God bless your If I don't GOOD-BYE." come back remember that you're to make ay man of yourself for her." "You will come back. You must com back!" "General Beauregard." said Lacy, as the two young officers were ushered Into the general's otnee, "X nave a most unusual re quest to make of you, sir." "What ts It, Major LacyT" returned toe other man. "I want you to relievo me of the duty of taking ont the David tonight, sir." "What!" "I want to giro tt to Mr. Bempbtat here." "Yon wish to avoid the danger?" queried Beauregard, gazing Intently at Lacy. "He does It as a favor to me, general," .1' A.