BOOK III. HOW I WON HER. CHAPTER X.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 394, 17 August 1889, Page 4

BOOK 111. HOW I WON HER. CHAPTER X.

SHE CAME ! The nexfc day the gang of labourers with which I worked was moved out of the fort. At dusk, to avoid the Federal fire, we were embarked on boats tcved by a steam tug up Charleston Harbour, and I thought we were going to the town ; but, instead, our voyage was continued to a little creek called 'Wappoo,' that empties into the Ashley River, opposite the city. Moving up this as far as boats could go, we were landed and inarched a mile or two that night, to some sheds evidently prepared for us, given our miserable rations of poor corn meal and poorer bacon, and lay down in some straw like dogs in a kennel, to sleep. Early the next morning, under guard, we were set to work on some fortifications about a mile from Fort Pemberton, on Stono River. These were being hurriedly completen. Having failed in the reduction of Fort Sumter, the Union forces might now make some attempt to come to Charleston, via Stono River. It was much pleasanter here than on the sand dunes of Morris Island. There was running water, j green trees, and an absence of that deafening sound that came upon us day and night from the Federal guns. Bad as it was, the place was a great improvement upon where we had previously worked. These fortifications were not heavy earthworks, like those at Wagner, or on Morris Island, but were long, lines of intrenchments fitted to protect an infantry force in the open field, though, at convenient places, batteries were erected in which guns could be placed as needed to resist any Federal advance. Curiously enough, my health under these circumstances became better. The greenness of the trees pleased me after the white sand dune 3 of Morris Island. The running water sounded sweetly to me, and I became stronger and better each day. I had grown accustomed to hardship and hard fare. Besides, my life was given a certain variety by the number of people I saw passing along the country roads, this place being entirely out of the range of Federal guns. Ladies, even, sometimes passed that way, though I took but little notice of them, and my life was monotonous toil. I was awakened from this monotony by a sudden shock. One day, labouring on an earthwork that ran close to and commanded a long, yellow, dusty road, I heard the sound of hoofs upon it. Chancing to look up, my gaze became p«trified fend fixed upon four figures on horseback, made indistinct by a surrounding cloud of dust. One was a red-headed negro ; another looked like that of Bee the Georgian. Then cantered behind a youth with an empty sleeve, and last,— her form ! For a second I thought myself going mad, that it was an hallucination. # But her face became more and more distinct, the lovely eyes grew familiar to me, and her voice came to me. ' Arthur, are you sure this is the right way V At these words existence seemed at hrst a dream, then floated away. The shovel fell from my hand — the earth seemed to strike me. The next thing I remember was the guard saying, * Why, the poor devil must have got a sunstroke ! He fell down jusb as you come up, miss !' Then Laura Peyton's voice cried : 'Quick ! Place him by this spring. The water will revive him !' I opened my eyes, and found myself in a small grovo, through which a pretty little stream flowed down to the swamp that bordered Wappoo Greek, near the place where I had been working. The cold water revived me. I lay upon the grass. She was gazing at me and muttering ' Poor ftllow !' but there was no recognition in her eyes. Caucus was bathing my face with water. As he did so, the negro began to tremble and turn dusky. Though he said nothing, aloud, his lips muttered : c Fo' de Lord !' A moment after the guard said : * Git up and back to work. I can't wait for you any longer, Git up !' I did not move. I would have died before I left her without her knowing me. 4 Git up ! : and the fellow would have kicked me had she not stepped between us. • This poor creature is sick, worn out — can't you see it ? Aie your eyes not human ?' she said, standing over me in the plain homespun dress these days of prolonged war had brought to all the ladies of the South. • The officers are inspecting of us. I'm responsible for him ; he must come with me~. Gifc up, you sneaking skunk !' mutt«red the man. ' Git up !' and he raised his hand. * Don't fyou dare touch him !' she cried. ' My brother, Captain Peyton, is one of the officers inspecting you, Colonel Bee the other. I'll be responsible for this man's custody. Can't you see he's top weak to move ? Go back to your duty !' 4 All right, miss, if you say so,' muttered the man. ' Remember, you'll see he comes back. Don't git me into the guard-house.' ' I'll see you are safe.' ' Very well, miss,' and the man returned to the.intrenchments. He had no sooner disappeared in the trees than Caucus, whose eyes had been rolling wildly, suddenly cried : ' Fo' de Lord ! Maspa Bryant !' and fell to kissing 1 my hand, while she who had been gazing at me with a look of pity and naught of recognition, suddenly grew pale and gasped :' My heaven !' then commenced to sob and wring her hands, and would have flown to me. But I waved her off, and said : * Keep away — don't touch me. The filth of the prison is on me I' And she muttered : ' I don't care !' and would have soothed me with pitying tears, but tas she came toward me she stopped and shuddered, looked at my striped dress, hesitated, turned pale and gasped : ' Why, you are a convict /' 'Yes, a convict for loving my country — for loving you ! This striped dress is a present from your admirer — Amos Pieraon's influence has brought me to this !' ' Amos Pierson !' she cried. •He has again tried to obtain my consent to marry him. . Ifc was reported that you were dead, as you had gone out to sea in a blockaderunner, which was destroyed by Federal vessels.' .. __ .

* Yes, Amos Pierson !' said I, between my teeth, 'Amos Pierson! But, thank God! his influence has brought me back to South Carolina— to you ! Laura, you refused him — was it for me ? Was it for my sake ? Do you still, in spite of all,' muttered I, for the girl was panting and sobbing in a way that gave mo hope, "' do you still ' I looked around. Caucus had disappeared. 'Do you still, in spite of the North and South, do you still love me ?' She said nothing. I was trembling with disappointment, when in a flash she turned toward me and held up her finger. The sunlight through the treetops illumined it, and I saw upon it the engagement ring that she had dropped upon the greensward the day I parted from her in Columbia six months before. Despite the rags and filth that covered me, I would have seized her in my arms, but at this moment the bushes that lined the stream were parted and Stuart Bee gazed upon us. As he looked, a grip partly of astonishment, partly of good-nature, ran over his handsome countenance. >He turned hurriedly back and I heard his voice saying : 1 Arthur, your sister is not here. We must look for her somewhere else. ' As he did this, the sergeant of the guard forced his way through the brush, crying out to mo : ' You lazy sneak, you have been twenty minutes loafing here ! Back to work at once !' A flash of rage was in my sweetheart's face. In another moment she would have confronted this man, her brother would have heard her, and there would have been a denouement, when Bee at this moment, looking over his shoulder, said sternly: 'That man is worn out with work. Give him an hour's rest, or you will have to put him in the hospital, sergeant.' ' Very well, sir,' replied that functionary touching his cap. *He has generally done his share, and I'll bo easy on him this time !' He went back to his men. I could hear Bee and Arthur walk ofl' to their horses. Laura and I were alone together once more. 1 Do you know that officer ?' she suddenly asked. 1 Who, Stuart Bee ?' replied I. 'He has been my only friend. '.4 ' He is still your friend — our friend,' she cried. •He must have planned this meeting for us. He it was who obtained my brother's appointment to make the inspection of the fortifications here, and persuaded me to come with him.' _ ' It was for my sake, Laura ! God bless him !' I cried, as remorse seized me for the words I had uttered to him when last ws met ; ' but we will not be long uninterrupted. I must say all 1 have to say very quickly.' I told her my adventures that had brought me to the state in which she saw me ; this very rapidly, and only interrupted by sighs of sympathy and exclamations of horror from Laura. When it was over she said : • Lawrence, you must end this martyrdom as once.' ' Yes, by perjuring myself, and becomiag a Confederate soldier !' • No — not that way ! Though I am a southern girl — not that way ! I should not respect you if you took that way now.' • Then how ?' ' I can't tell, yet. All I know is, that I could not exist thinking of you as I 3ee you now. In some way I must save you — in some way I ivill save you !' ' You love mo V I gasped. ' I'll talk of nothing now but how to save you !' • You love me V I begged. ' I hear my brother calling me ! I must go, or he will find us here !' *' You love me ?' I cried. f Yes,' she said. ' I love you, and will save you !' I seized her hand in mine and pressed my parched, hot, burning lips upon it. As I did so, both a tear and a kiss fell upon my face. Arthur's voice was heard calling : • Laura, where are you ?' She turned from me and ran through the grove in the opposite direction to the road, apparently intending to come out at some distant point in answer to her brother's call. Her tears had unloosed the fountains of my heart for the first time in all my misery. Half an hour afterward I staggered out to the line of men, shovelling sand upon the Confederate earthworks. There was no sign of either her, her brother, or Caucus ; still 1 shovelled away with a better heart than I had ever had before in the rebel trenches, for I had faith in the woman I loved fulfilling her promise and finding for me a way to freedom.