Queens University of Charlotte - Coronet / Edelweiss Yearbook (Charlotte, NC)

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cloak ; when I opened my eyes I stood a bigger, nobler woman. I handed her my papers without a word. This will not be easy for you. Men will insult you. But only until twelve o ' clock, after that I will be safe, and you may take back your name, Vera is mine. She passed into the line of waiting passengers. I came after her in a few minutes. But when I was asked for my papers, and had none, 1 was sent back into the province. The familiarity of the men was dread- ful. I was taken into a dance hall and put down at a table, with some officers and some dancers. I instinctively knew that Vera had been the belle of this place. It was up to me to play my role. I was almost choked to death on my cigarette smoke, and the wine 1 could not touch. I could have stood all this had not one of the men put his arm around me, and tried to kiss me. I screamed and ran madly from the room. Just before I reached the door I stumbled, and would have fallen had not someone caught me. I raised my terror-stricken face to gaze into the calm blue eyes of the young officer. The drunk man staggered forward and tried to take me out of his arms. With one hand he sent him back- ward over the table. Then to me he said : Choose me, and I will take you away. The next thing I knew I was in his room, and he was bending over me, disgust and disappointment on his handsome face. So I see noV why you would not tell me your name. Ah, and I thought I loved you! Dong. Dong, went the clock on the mantel twelve times. I sprang up. I am, oh, I am not Vera. I am Helen— Helen Bayard. There was a knock at the door. Some officers filed in with a paper ordering the arrest and execution of Vera. The execution was to take place at six o ' clock in the morning. It was five minutes past twelve when father ' s door opened and Vera entered. Here are your papers. Uncle Bernard. I have done my best. What ! Why yes, I hope you don ' t object to the Uncle? Of course, you don ' t know me. but no doubt you will remember your oldest brother Andre? He married my mother — she was a Spanish girl — and left her before I was born. My history you will find in Von. However, I was born here and lived here ten years. Mother taught me that this was home, and I love it. Good-bye. But stay, stay, can ' t you stay? I will try and do for you some of the things that my brothpr would have done had he lived. She threw back her head, and laughed a bitter laugh. No, T have an engagement at six. At five o ' clock I could not sit still another moment. I paced back and (25)

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bad! I did not know until long after, when Dad told me all about it; nf how that very night she shot that officer in order to get the papers that saved our province from ruin ; of how, when she heard her country ' s call, the same wave of patriotism that later came over me, came over her. The authorities sent her word that that officer had maps of our forts, plans of all our defenses, which meant absolute ruin to us. They told her rhat she was the only person that had any chance in the world of getting those papers. She had planned to make the officer drunk, and then get the little book, out of his inside pocket, that had the combination of the vault, where the plans and maps could be found. She thought he was asleep when she took the book out of his pocket. She had the vault open and her hand almost on the papers when something caused her to look around. He had risen and was standing with a gun leveled on her. She made one cat-like spring at him. In the struggle the gun went off. He was killed. He fell in the door of the vault. She pulled him inside, banged the door shut, pnd fled with the papers. His body was not found until twelve-thirty that night. That gave her several hours before the law was put on her track. Officers were soon after her. They wanted her not only for the murder, but also as a spy. I had gone down very early to see about getting my passport. There was a long line of waiting people ; I had to wait my turn. I told them my name, and they gave me my papers without any trouble. I had gone into a little side room to wait. I was surprised to see the beautiful woman of the night before come in. Her face was a study; it had disappointment and fear mingled on it. She looked up and saw me. She came right upto me and said : Have you got your passports? Yes. ■ Do you love your country? Very much. Enough to make a big sacrifice for it, perhaps d ' e for it? Gladly! Then give me your passport. I have been turned down. They know me too well here. Give you my passnort, why? 0, iDlease quick, I haven ' t time for words, but it means defeat or victory to your country whether I get there tonight or not. I have given my word of honor not to trust any one with my message. 0, you must, you must. I closed my eyes for a moment and th ' iUQ-ht. I could see my dear home in smoking ruins. A feeling of love for it came over me that T had never had before. I wanted to do something big for my land. A sob shook me from head to foot, my frivolous girlhood dropped from me like a (24)

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forth. At five-thirty I went to the window, and looked out. I could see men in uniform moving about the yard. I drew back with a shudder At htteen minutes of six, Jacque placed my coat around me. Come, we are going to run for it. I will not see you shot for some- thing you did not do. Are you crazy, man? Don ' t tempt me like that. Go, and leave me alone. You make my duty twice as hard. No, Helen, I love you, I can ' t see you shot. I will not. You did not do it — come! If love were the only thing, I could follow you to the world ' s end ; tor you hold my heart in the hollow of your hand! But is love the only thing ; Honor binds a woman, too, Jacque. My honor lies in being true 1.0 my country and my word. The door was flung open and— Vera stepped in. She put me quickly behind a curtain. The soldiers filed in one by one. She stood up straight and still. Her face was very white. Vera went out at the head of the little line. , }. half-fainting into Jacque ' s arms. I tried to shut out all sound but in the distance I heard the dull thud of the guns. Minnie B. Doar. (26)