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copymcht, 1892, ey amjkícAn: prcss a&s'nT ■v ICOMTINUED.l CHAPTER XVIII. OFF FOR THE UNION UNES. Mark's first impulse after Fitz Hugh's departure was to leave the house at once. He tried to say something to Laura to soothe hpr, to excnse his own unfortunaie part in her bretking with ber lover. He could only go to her and taking her hand !:issed it without a word. Then he told her that he should take the rik of capture an depart instantly. He was discoursin upon the method of his dep.tnre in f;uick, excited tonea, when a horseman eitered the yard, and riding up to the veranda diew a letter from his belt and hand ed it toa negro who went out to reoeive It was for Mrs. Fain. It had been sent through the lines from Nashville, whero her husband was lying dtngerously ill, and begged her to come to him. After its perusal Mrs. Fain determined to set out the next day, taking with her her daughter and thu niaid Alice. Daniel would drive them. "You shall go with us," said Laura to LIark. "Thia is fortúnate. ín our com1 any yon will be fsir safer than trying to make your way alone." It occurred to Maik that sinee he was being hun'-ed as a half starved creature ia the disguise of a negro girl he would be less Hable to suspicion as a well dressed man traveling with a party of southern ladies than in any other character. At auy rate he took this view of it, and when Mrs. Fain announced her intention to go he offered to escort the party to the Union lines. The offer was accepted, and prepnrations were made to leave the next ïnorning. Jirs. Fain wrote a note to the officer in comniand at Chattanooga (to sond with the letter she had received from her husband for his porusal) asking for a pass for herself, her danghter and two servante). Mark took the missives and went out to fiud Daniel, who had just returned from Chattanooga. "Well, Daniel?' "I be'n dar." "What did you learn?" "I hearn ebery one talken 'bout sojers goen to 'de norf, and dey sayd day was goen to Knoxville. Dey was marchen 'n marchen all de same way. I follered 'n dey brung up at de depot, 'n I sor one train after anudder go out f uil o' sojers inside and hangen on to de platfo'm and on de roofs." "How many trains did you see go out?" " 'Bout forty hundred." "Daniel," said Mark, smiling at thd figures, "you're smart as a whip. But you'll have to go right back to Chattanooga, and take this note to the commanding officer with this letter from your sick ruaster to show him. The note is a' request for a pass for the party to the Union lines. Keep your wits about you, and if he is an easy going sort of a man, you might try to get him to put in three servants instead of two. At any rate try to ring uio in if you eau. Do you understand?" "Reckon I do, sah." "Can you read?" "A leetle. Missie Laura learned me." "Well, read the pass he may give you and ask him to fbt it so that it will include me as a servant. But you must use your judgment." Daniel drove again to Chattanooga. Mark waited anxiously for his return. Indeed so impatient was he that he thought the negro had been gone twice as long as he had when he saw him drive into the yard. He at once went out to the barn to meet him. "Any luck?" he asked anxiously. "I got de pass for misses and de res', but I didn't get what yo' wanted. I got a paper hyar. Mebbe it'll do." Mark took the paper. It was a pass for Thomas Green and wife from Chattanooga to the Union lines. "How did you get this," asked Mark, surprised. "I hab to wait while folks was getten passes. De officer go out to de adder room f ur a moment. Dis was layen on de desk 'n I tuk hit up and brung liit s.way." -Well," said Mark, "it's not exactly vrhat I want, but ingenuity will have to help me through. You'ro a trurnp, Daniel." In the morning when all was ready for the departure two vehicles were brought around to toe door, the one, a two horse carriuce. the other Laura's pnaeton, drawii by her pony. Mrs. Fain entered the former with Alice, Daniel being in the driver's seat. Laura and Mark got into tlie phaeton. Mark took the lead, designing to make for Battle Creek. The distance was not twenty miles, and he knew that they could make it in a few hours. It was a bold game he was playing, but the proximity of the halter was wearing on bim, and he desired to get rid of suspense. Besides bis presence, connected with his critical situation, was wearing on Laura. He therefore feit an exhilarating pleasuro when they drove out of the gate and trotted along the pike westward. Hope cheered him. All went well during thS first ten or twelve miles, when Mark received a piece of information which seriously interfered with his plan. Meeting a courier riding toward Chattanooga, who looked as if he might be the bearer of some important news, Mark hailed him and asked if lie had anything from the front. "The Yankees air getten no'th right smart," the man replied. "Reckon th' air left Battle Creek." Mark argned that if this were true there would be confusión on that route, and it would be better to take another. They were not far from the road leading from the Chattanooga pike north to Anderson, on which the Slacks lived. Mark concluded to take this road as far as Anderson, and then strike west with a view to reaching McMinnville on the other side of the mountains. Mrs. Pain left all to Professor Ehett, in whom she had perfect confidence, and on coming to the road in question Mark led the party northward. The change of route was unfortunate, inasmuch as it would add another day to the journey. The departure from the Fain esidence had been delayed by the preparations till nearly noon. McMinnville was a considerable distance over the n'ountains, and Mark knew they could not reach it that night. He remembered that they would soon pass the SI icks', and it occurred to him that it woiild be a capital place to pass the night. giving them a good day of twelve hours light on the morro w to pursue their journey. Hia disappointment at the delay was compensated for by the thouf.'ht that he would likely learn someihing of Souri and Jakey, of whom he had heard nothing since he left them in the Chattanooga jail. Mark told Laura of his plan. She was distressed at the delay. Something seemed to teil her that it would bring trouble. But Mark's reasoning was unanswerable, and there seemed nothing else to do. If they must Bpend a night anywhere it would better be among those upon whom Mark could rely. At last they drove up at the Slacks' gate. Mark handed the reins to Laura and jumped from the phaeton impatiently. Not seeing any one in the front of the house he proceeded to the rear. The first person he met was Jakey. He took the boy up and hugged him. "Aro yon glad to see your big brother, Jakey?" "Air th' corn ripe?" Souri carne out of the house, her big eyes glistening and her expressive face radiant with pleasure and excitement. She had heard nothing of Mark since he left her in prison. Mark seized her by both hands. "You uns air safe. J knowed it," she said, almost in a whisper. She could hardly speak for joy. "For the present, Souri, thanks to you." Mark asked no questions then. He knew that they were safe and at home, and he hastened to inform them and tho father and mother who caine Mit to welcome him that he was with a party who was unaware of his true character, which they must not betray, and desired permÍ8sion to stay in the house over night. Then he led them around to the gate. Daniel had rneanwhile caugh; up, and the two vehicles were halted iri the road. "We will spend the night with these good people," said Mark. "They are i quite willing, and will make us as comfortable as possible." The party alighted and the horses were i driven to the barn. Mrs. Fain and her danghter were given the room in which Mark had changed his clothes when he went through to the south, and Mark was assigned a bivouac on the gallery, or in the barn, or any other place he might i lect. An apology for a meal was carried in to Mrs. Fain and Laura, which they left untasted, preferring a luncheon they had brought with them in a basket. After supper Laura carne out and begged Mark tö bring Souri and Jakey to speak to her. She smoothed Jakey's tumbled hair out of his eyes and asked him if he remembered her. Jakey was about to reply in his usual fashion when he cbecked , self , and for the first time since Mark had known him answered directly. Souri stood eying Laxara from the corners of her black ej'es with a mingled ' expression of admiration and ( nism. Laura spoke to hor kindly, but got only monosyllables in reply. Mark passed the evening with the ! Slack family listening to a recital of I Souri's and Jakey's experience after he had left them in the jail at Chattanooga, and he gave them an account of his own ftdventures. After all were asleep that night Mark took Farmer Slack out into the yard, where they could converse ühlieard, and developed a plan he had conceived for Souri and Jakey. "It is due to your son and daughter," he said, "that I am hero at this moment, indeed that I am alive. I belong to a wealthy family and am wealthy myself. It only requires means to make a splendid woman of the girl and a fine man of the boy, for means will produce educación, and education is the open door toa desirable ca.ieer. I am going to leave with you a latter to my father in Ohio, which will contain an order for a sufficient amount of money to insure both Jakey and Souri an education. Take or send them north, present the letter, and you will find everything provided for you. S:rari may not consent at once, but doubtless she will in time. Now I must have pen and paper." "Younns is a good an, stranger. Y treat us f ar. Hadn't you better send tho letter wheny' git no'th?" "No. I must write it tonight. I am by no means safe; iny neck is still in a halter." The man led the wa to his bedroom, where the old woman was eleeping. There he produced writing materials, and Mark wrote an order which, whether he lived or not, insured the future of his two f rienda, his preservers among the "poor white trash" of Tennessee. The night was passed with snatches of sleep by all the party. In the morning, af tor the pork -and corn .bread meal of the country, the travelerá again got into the carriages. While they werfl standing before the gate prior to departure Mark saw Souri out bythe wellhouse. Ho went there to bid her goodby. "Souri," he said, "I wish thero was sonie way in which I could show you the gratitude I feel toward you. When I think of my fate, had you not appeared in the nick of time to save me by jour wit and daring and sacrifice, I feel that I would like to make some corresponding sacriflce for you." "Laws, I didn't do nothen. Besides"' - she leaned over the well and looked down into its depths - "you uns and me is too diSer. You uns is a gentleman, and I air poor white trash." Thero was an inexpressible melanolioly in her tone. "Souri," Mark went on, "I have made an arrangement with yonr father to make a lady of you. I can't make such a sacrifice for you as you have made for me; that is impossible; but I can do this if you will act with me and consent to the plan. I shall be off in a moment, and before I go I want you to proinise me that you will consent. I am .still in danger, and you must grant me this as . perhaps a last favor." The girl burst into tears. "Proinise." "I dou't keer what I do." "Do you promiseï" "Yas, I promise." Witb a jiressure of the hand he turned away, and gtalking to the gate got into the carriage beside Laura. Daniel and Mrs. Fain had started. Mark followed, and had gone but a short distanco when he heard Jakey calling to him. He pulled in the pony and waited for the boy to come up. Jakey was holding something out to him, which, as he drew nearer, Mark recognized as the red silk handkerchief. "Souri sent it ter y'." "Teil her that 111 never part with it." " 'N I got the squirrel gun," said the . boy. "All riglit, Jakey. Keep it to remember me by." Mark grasped the boy's hand and then drove on. Laura Fain leaned back on the cushions in silence. CHAPTER XIX. THOMAS GRF.KN AND WIFE. Mark designed driving to Andersqn, som'e tvvelve miles from the Slacks' house, whenco he knewthere was a road leading up in the mountains through a place called Altamont, some twenty miles farther, to McMinnville. He was inforined by people he met on the road that Altamont had been recently occupied in f orce by the Union troops. With luck they might reach the Union lines, which woulcJ doubtless exteud several miles from Altamont, that af ternoon. "Within 8ix honra," said Mark, "I shall either be safe among Union j diera or on my way back to nooga." Laura shuddered, but said nothing. Mark found a very different condition of aiïairs at Anderson from what he had found along the road. The Confederates had some cavalry force there and more at Dunlap, fivo miles north. On the road he heard that General Bragg was at Dunlap, but with no troopa save cavalry. "I see it all," said the spy to himself. "The wily fox ia confronting onr forcea with a hamlful of cavalry, while the two división of Cheatham and Wit her ' are marchiag north behiiui liiin, and the main force has gone to Knoxville by rail on a line still farther east. No wonder our generáis are puzzled and watching a line from Battle oraek to Cumberland gap. If the Lonl will only let me get through to carry thia i mation, I'H liever ask to live to go on anolher snel wepeditíon." f he party were stopped near Anderson by a j-icket. Airs. Fain produced her ]ass and btated that the two behind wiTt' in i:rr ci ni] iiuy. ; ue i meer toon no especia] care in rw ding it, and when Mark uu II ar; ctinie tip they got saf ely through v. iiln ni queation. Marl; v. ;,-. uöW BDXiona abont the picket which musí Lo passed in a few minutes on 1.he road leading west from Anderson. Mis. Pain was still ohead, and he hoped that all would go as well as at the picket just passed. Not i word was apoken between him and Laura: both dreaded i-tting out of Anderson. but once past the nest iicket they would breathe easiér. When they reached it .Mrs. Fain had been passed through and gone on. The officer in command, however, had read the pass carefully. He had not noticed any mention of Mark in it. "Where's your paast" he asked. "Didn't the lady ahead show it to you?" asked Mark. "Her pass didn't include you." "Didn't it?" Mark feigned surprise. "No." "Oh, I forgot; mine and my wife's is separate," and he drew out the pass of "Thomas Green and wife." Meanwhile Laura had turned white as a cloth. The officer read the pass, and would doubtless have let them go had he not noticed Laura's agitatlOB. "You'll have to go back to headquarters and get Major Taliaferro's order on that. He commands at Anderson." Mark remonstrated. He argued that he would become separated from Mrs. Fain; he urged his wife's deaire to reach her sick father. All in vain. Ho was told that the headquarters were only half a mile down i .- road and he would lose but little time. Ho made a virtue of necessily and drove back with apparent good natnre. When he the htrase that was pointed out to him aa headquarters, he lef t Laura in the phaeton and went inside. The comiuanding officer had gone to Dunlap, fivc mik s away, to pay his respects to General Bragg, 'and would not bo back lor ;;n hour er l WO. Mark resolved to report his absence to the officer of the picket post, in the hope that he would not be uompelled tD walt. He drove to the picket ai:d used his tonguo persuasively, but fo no purpose. The more nixious he sermed the mora resolved grew the captain. There seeraed to bo nothing to do but return and auait thearrival oí the commanding officer. ..fark reluctantly turned the horse'a head and drove back to headquarters. Laura's heart sank within her. Itwassunsi I when Major Taliaferro, a pleasant looking man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, rodo np to the door, and turning his horse over to an orderly entered the office. "Major Taliaferro?" asked Mark. "At your servies, sir." "Major, I have been detained by the officer at the picket, who wants your name on my pass. My wife's inother has gone on, and her daughter is very anxious to join lier. it is extreinely unfortunate for us to get eo f ar eeparated from Mrs. Fain." "Fain, of the Fains of Chattanooga?" "The same." "I have heard of the family, but have never had the pleasuro of meeting any member of it. One of my friends is engaged to Miss Fain. I havo just parted from him at Dunlap." Mark and Laura cast a quick glance at each other - a glance of terror on the part of Laura. "We are fortúnate in f alling into jrour hands," said Mark, and I beg you will not delay us a moment." And Mark handed him the nass. TO BICOMTINÜKl]