Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-10-12

Flora, he hurried to DC aSenSeu on DOM
one and the other. When, therefore, tie
barriers were removed from either side OF
the lists, aud the trumpets were sounded,
he dashed forward with the speed OF the
whirlwind, but he was speedily checked ,
in his headlong career by the lance OF the !
powerful stranger, which received nm |
with so terrible passing thrust that n al !
most sent him headlong out OF the saddle. |
Returning to the conflict now with re-
doubled fury, and determined to make
tragedy of it in earnest, he lifted his bat
tle-axe aud aimed so fierce and deadly
blow at his adversary that had ii been 'ie-
liyered rs it was intended, his skull and he'll
met would have been woven in twain. This
was noticed and denounced by all present,
but before he had time to recover himself, :
after having missed his cowardly aim. u
terrible stroke from the battle of the
Knight of the Black Charger sent him
trembling, senseless, to the earth, with
the blood spouting through the visor. All
was confusion in a n oment; but Just as
signs of intense alarm and uneasIness
were beginning to be evinced on all sides,
the strange knight observed that Flora
had hastily quilted the pavilion in which
she had been seated aud was making her
way out of the grounds, accompanied by
q gentleman, of whose back only he had
caught a glimpse. Noting the way she
took, he paused FOR an instant; but learn
ing in The course OF few minutes that his
adversary had been absolutely killed, and
was now dead, he put spurs to his horse,
and before a hand could be laid on him,
he and his squire were out of the arena.
and dashing along the banks of Schuylkill
in the direction OF Valley Forge.
He rode at a rapid pace for about an
hour, Nhen. just as It was becoming dark,
and when he had entered the American
lines where his squire separated from him.
he noticed in the gathering gloom that he
had caught up with two riders that were
evidently slackening their pace with a
view Of resting their animals at little
wayside inn hard by, where Washington
was often to be found receiving intelli-
gence from persons who did not wish to
be known in camp, and who were in some
instances members of Tory families.
Before he had reached the door, the
strangers had dismounted ard were al.
ready, as the landlady informed him, clos
eted with Mr. Gardiner, as he called him.
SELF isOn receiving this intelligence, the
strange knight took seat in the bar
room, which at the moment happened to
be without customer. His hostess seem.
ed to eye him now and then. with suspi-
,ciOn, from the character of bis attire and
the rumors OF the great doings in the city
which had reached her; but word in her
-ear soon set matters all right, and sent her
smiling into theroonl where Mr.. Gardin-
er and the two new corners We're convers-
ing. while the knight was seeing to his
charger, that had of course suffered lit
tie from the weight of his armor. although
the SUIT was more than ordinarily light
Whatever she had whispered privately to
that gentleman soon brought him out !;
when meeting the knight at the door, he
grasped bis hand suddenly with great
warmth, although with a few words some
thing like reproof. and led him the next
minute into the room he had just left
When the stranger entered the apart
ment preceded by his friend. as it would
seem he was. he started with surprise; for
there before him sat the lady of the pink
glove, still in her gorgeous attire. On
peFceiying her and her astonishment, he
Instantly unclasped his visor. disclosing
,, the handsome features of Capt. Marion
or Daredevil Nedp She bounded to hel
feet, extended both hands toward him with
. CRY OF joyful recognition; but immedi
ately afterward his bewilderlnent was al
its height on perceiving in her father, who
stepped forward to greet him also. the
features Of the old trapper, to whom he
was known under the name of Waters.
Mr.. Gardiner, who was no other than
George Washington himself, now threw
all the necessary light upon the subject.
Mr.. Mildmay had never failed him II mo-
ment, but was the writer of the secret dis
patches already known to the reader, and
their depositor in the cleft of the rock, in
the guise OF trapper. from time to time.
~ some means or other, however. the
TACT had become known to the English,
and the intention was to arrest him ON the
day after the fete, and doubtless execute
him for treason. This intelligence reach
ed Washington just in time to save him !;
30 he placed note in cipher in the hands
OF Marion, with the most urgent request
that he should find some means OF for
warding 1t TO him. AS it concerned the
father oil his beloved. and seemed to be OF
such vital consequence, Edward deter
mined to carry the missive to its destina-
ton himself, as no other trusty messenger
could he found at that moment; and hay
ing, as we know, previously heard OF the
intended tournament, and learned fom the
RCu Va ElOla uclsctl lltt SuC was QtLCI
mined to balk Vorblek by wearing a pink
glove on that occasion, he instantly made
up his mind to enter the list as strange
knight. and while furnishing the coarse
al and nnprincipled Hessian, place the note
in the hands OF Flora herself as he be-
= ieved himself totally unacquainted with
her father. This latter, rs we have seen,
he accomplished As airoitly and rs effect
ually as he did the former, Flora aiding
him to some extent, as the subscription oil
the note was urgent and in English He
would have made himself known to hel
\ @ the time he put the missive in her hand,
had be NOT feared that the knowledge OF
sshie presence at such moment and in such
dangerous locality, might alarm and en-
barrass her greatly, while she, on her
part, had caught up the idea that the CO.
Incidence of the strange knight wearing
the counterpart Of the glove which She
herself displayed, was owing to the fact
/ that on perceiving the popularity of the
badge he had perhaps been able, at a mo-
ments notice, to borrow one from some
lady friend.
The rest of my story is soon told On