The Trials of the Soldiers Wife | Page 5

she would be compelled to
work for a living, as they have no relatives in this State, and only a few
in Baltimore. To gain my object, I should pretend that I desired to
befriend her--send the two children to some nurse, and then have her all
to myself. This," continued the villain, "is the object with which I have
called upon her"--
"And paid a visit to church for the first time in your life," said Bell,
laughing; "but," he resumed, "it is not necessary for you to wish the
husband dead--why not proceed to work at once?"
"Well, so I would, but she is so very particular, that on the slightest
suspicion she would take the alarm and communicate to her husband
the fact of my having renewed my acquaintance with her, which would,
perhaps, bring him home on furlough."
"Nonsense," replied his friend, "the secessionists need every man to
assist them in driving back McDowell, and there is no chance of any
furloughs being granted; besides which, we are on the eve of a great
battle, and for any of the men to ask for a furlough would lay him open
to the charge of cowardice."
"That may be all true," said Horace, "but I shall not venture on
anything more as yet. As far as I have gone, she believes me actuated
by no other motives than the remembrance of my former affection for
her, and, with that belief, places implicit trust in me."
The conversation was here interrupted by the appearance of two waiters,
one carrying a waiter filled with different descriptions of food, and the
other a small basket containing six bottles of champagne. After setting
them on a table, Horace inquired what the charges were.

"Twelve dollars, sah," was the reply.
Horace took out his pocket book, and throwing the man a twenty dollar
gold piece, told him to pay for the breakfast and champagne, and
purchase cigars with the remainder.
The negroes having left, Horace Awtry and his friend proceeded to
discuss their breakfast and champagne. After eating for a few minutes
in silence, Horace suddenly said:
"Charlie, what do you think of this war?"
"My opinion is, that the South has got in a pretty bad dilemma," replied
that gentleman.
"That is identically my impression, but for heaven's sake do not let any
one hear you say so. The people are half crazed with excitement, and
the slightest word in favor of the North may lay you at the mercy of an
infuriated mob."
"What do you intend doing, now the ports are blockaded, and no one
can leave the country?" asked his friend.
"Why, remain here and pretend all the friendship possible for the South.
Maybe I will get a contract or two, which will further the design of
covering my opinions on this contest."
"Such was my idea, but I am afraid that the secesh government will
issue their cotton bonds until all the gold is driven from the States, and
then we will have nothing but their worthless paper money," replied
Bell.
"I have thought of that, and made up my mind to convert all the
property I have here into gold at once, which will give me between
sixty and seventy thousand dollars, and as fast as I make any of the
bonds from contracts, I will sell them for whatever gold they will
bring."

"That's a capital idea, my dear follow," said Bell, rising from his chair
and slapping Awtry on the shoulder; "I think I shall follow your plan."
The cigars having been brought in, after a few minutes of unimportant
conversation, Charles Bell left his friend, with the arrangement to meet
at the Varieties theatre in the evening, and Horace Awtry, divesting
himself of his clothing, retired to sleep until the evening should come.
CHAPTER FOURTH.
A POLITIC STROKE--THE TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCH.
June and half of July had sped swiftly away. The great battle, which
everybody daily expected, had been fought, and the Yankee army
ignominiously defeated. As every one of our readers are well
acquainted with this battle, I shall not go into any details; enough; as
history will tell, to know that it resulted in a glorious victory to the
Confederate army, and covered the gallant Southerners with honor.
On the arrival of dispatches giving an account of this victory, to use a
vulgar phrase, New Orleans "ran wild." The excitement and exultation
of the people were beyond description, and during the same night that
the news was received, one scene of gayety was observed in the city.
There was one heart, however, that did not share the joy and merriment
so universal among the people. In the privacy of her dwelling, with her
two children near by, Mrs. Wentworth spent a night of prayer