Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/250

 if any, was the quickening of her horse's pace at the unconscious touch of the little spur concealed beneath her skirts.

Her silence meant ta him feelings too deep for words, and again his heart sang for joy.

Four miles out of town they left the main highway and turned into the narrow crooked road which wound along the banks of a creek through the densest forest in the county.

"I'm going to take you to 'Inwood,' General Gaston's place. The house was burned by Sherman's army, only the vine-covered ruins are standing now. It was the finest house ever built in the state, and many a gay party held high carnival there in the old days."

"I've heard my mother speak of it," she answered soberly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "In fact, it was there at a picnic one day that my father proposed to his sweetheart and my mother accepted him, and planned their elopement. How strange that you should have chosen to bring me to this place to-day!"

"You'll understand it later," he quickly responded.

"I hope you don't mean to kidnap me?"

"It might be advisable in view of the events of the past three days," he laughed.

She glanced about her at the deep shadows