CHAPTER XI. - FRIENDS OR FOES ?

We must return to Mara Morland in her loneliness and despair.

As we have seen, her relatives had fled from Woodsville—gone no one knew where, their fates the more uncertain to those there because they had espoused the Union cause.

She was looked upon with distrust at first, but there were kind hearts in Woodsville and her forlorn condition aroused their pity.

A kindly widowed lady who had three sons in Johnston's army offered the shelter and comforts of her home.

Mara could do no better than to accept so generous an offer, promising to repay the favor when the cruel war was over.

Kind Mrs. Gray seemed glad to have her company, and the Wizard Scout was fain to leave Mara with her.

"Keep up good courage," he had said to the latter. "I shall see Mr. Remington as soon as possible and will carry the message you wish for him. At the first opportunity one of us will return to you, but do not be alarmed if we do not come speedily. Good-bye and good fortune.

" He seems like a good man," said Mrs. Gray, as they saw him depart. " Does he belong to Johnston's troops?"

"He is a good man," replied Mara, without seeming to notice the question of her friend, not caring to divulge the scout's identity. "At least he has been very kind to me, and had it not been for him I could not have escaped."

" But yees did not tell missus whefer or not de sojer 'longed to Massa Johnsting's troops," broke in an old, decrepit Negro who was allowed the hospitality of Mrs. Gray's home. From whence he had come even she was ignorant, but he had come there so destitute that she had pitied him.

Mara started at the abruptness of the question, and for a moment seemed too confused to quickly recover her presence of mind enough to reply:

"I think he belongs to no particular division but acts as a scout. My brother saw him at Dalton with Johnston."

"So yoes hev a brudder wid John-sting?" asked the inquisitive darkey.

"I had," answered Mara with a calmness that surprised herself. "He was killed at the fight of Wing Ridge near Dalton."

"Aw!" and the Negro seemed satisfied.

'• You need have no fear of Miss Morland's loyalty, Pete," said Mrs. Gray, warmly, and the conversation turned into another channel.

The days that followed brought excitement and dread forebodings to the few inhabitants of Woodsville.

The two great armies seemed to encompass them and not an hour passed without the thunder of the distant cannonading, gradually coming nearer and nearer.

As a week passed and Mara had heard from, nor seen nothing of the scout or her lover, she grew more anxious and restless.

If they should be killed what would become of her? Then she blamed herself for asking such a selfish question.

Poor Mrs. Gray had not heard a word from either of her sons so that she was not alone in her grief.

Near the close of the tenth day hearing loud voices at the door Mara hastened to see what was taking place to find Pete answering the questions of another Negro who, travel - stained and ragged, had stopped at the house.

" I'se want ter find a Missus White," he was saying. " I'se——"

" Go 'long, yer good fer nothin' brack!'' replied Peter. "No Missus White lives in Woodsville."

"Are ye suah?"

" O' course; go 'long I say."


"But I maybe mistooken 'bout de color. Mebbe 'twere blue, or .brawn, or sum sich."

Before Pete could interfere as he intended Mara spoke: " There is a Mrs. Gray——"

"Fore de Lawd, dat's it!" cried the new-comer. " Whar am she?"

"In the house; won't you come in?"

"Better not let him in," whispered Pete. " Mebbe he Yankee spy."

Without heeding him, however, Mara, led the other into the house, he saying: " I's 'portant message for her."

In answer to her inquiries he said: "Lieutenant Gray wanted me to tell his mudder dat he am s'prisin' well."

" That is Charley—and he is well. Oh I'm so glad. And the others—James and Lewis?"

"Dey well, too, I s'peet. Leastway Charley tink so."

" I am thankful! I am thankful!" was all Mrs. Gray could say.

While she was giving expression to her great joy in words more feeling than intelligible the new-comer handed Mara a piece of paper, saying: " Sumthin' I s'peet ye'll be glad to see."

At this moment the dark face of Pete appeared at the door, to vanish in an instant while a low chuckle escaped his lips.

Mara to her joy found that the note Was from Cavalry Curt and that he was well and hopeful.

Below the lover's message in a different hand was written:

"Don't let any one see this. We are watched. Can we trust Mrs. Gray?
" WIZARD SCOUT."

Intuitively she glanced up and in the stalwart frame of the supposed Negro she fancied she saw a resemblance to the massive figure of the strange scout.

He seemed to divine her thoughts, for as his gaze met hers he bowed slightly.

With an effort Mara remained calm.

"Massa Charley want me to ask you if you tink it best to stay hyer longer?"

" Best to stay here longer?" she echoed. " I must. Where can I go?"

" Mebbe if you tink r'al hard you dis-remember a place 'way whar de sojers won't come. Dey be hyer soon."

"Oh, when will this dreadful war be over?" she cried wringing her hands.

" Not 'fore soon I s'peet. So you won't go?"

" I—I don't know. I must have time to think it over.”

"Times is dreful precious. I mus' go suah soon. "Dis gal, her lubber say, go with me."

Mrs. Gray looked surprised at this, though occupied with her own grief she gave little thought to others. She had not mistrusted the new-comer to be other than he represented.

Thus fifteen minutes and it may have been half an hour, for time flies rapidly when we are occupied, passed when the hoof strokes of a body of horsemen was heard.

"Who can it be?" exclaimed Mrs. Gray, running to the window, followed by the others.

They were not kept in suspense long before a squad of soldiers came dashing into sight.

Just, then Pete might have been seen skulking away from the house.

"Look! they are coming here!" cried Mara. "What can they want?"

"Don't be alarmed," said Mrs. Gray. They belong to Johnston's army and we are safe."

Mara, however, was not so confident. The disguised man whatever he might have felt showed no signs weakening.

Reining up in front of the door the soldiers quickly surrounded the house.