The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-29

persisted in walking beside Diana, who
treated him with the utmost haughtiness II.
A A last LAST, stung BY her scorn, he said angriys
8 D, l'll break your high spirit, my young la
ey!' and upon reaching tho house he locked
her ~ one OF the upper rooms, telling her
thai When she made UP her rnind to trent one
OF his majesty's officers with proper respect
ne would let neront, Otherwise there Was a
prospect Of her travelling to Canada as a pris-
foner, %# S,.. 55&5 55#'88
Scarcely had the key turned upon her be-
Tore Dlana's Womanly wits were nv work to
ind some way whereby she might thWart the
p0mpOus ma or. fiss s#s Ef =3$ "a EB =5
& II have i.F' she presently exclaimd 81
heard him speak about a Wheattield. IT he
thinks the British are going TO have the BEN
eft of that he il mistaken. Y q III
Going TO the window and looking out, she
continued II att al . {I& ss "a (
..8 u suppose he thought he had me safe up
here Bah! / have climbed this cherry tree
too ofteni 1t reaches way MP to the window.
FIhe major and his crew. are all in the dining
room on the other side Of the house, so they
won't See me-
With one little bound, Diana was out of the
window and in the tree. Scrambltng down
among Its branches, she soon reached the
ground. Stealing cautiously around the
was there except old Nanny Lucrece, whose
face shone with aspiration as she bent over
the fire at her cooking.
n 'Mamny!n whispered Diana, e b ".
4 "Bress us, chile! Is thai your
81 yes, II amtny. What are YOU doing 2" & 3f
4 t'Fryin' hapjacks--and, de Lord presarve
us! dis is de sebenth plate OF dem Use made!
And de meat and bread and vegetables and
cider dem pesky Britishers has done made
away wild would make yer brack eyes stare!
Use had to 40 all the cookin' myself, for Lily
and Su and Venus hurried off when dey see
+de,red coats comm | didn'5 90, fur was de-
stermined TO stand by you gals. Dat pesky
Major Griddle does swear SO! De oder officer
am q gentleman, aud he am helping yer pore
sister watch wild de dead colonel. Oh, deati
me, that I should live to see my old massa
murdered! But what can q do for ye, Miss
3DI2n
y Nothing, NANNY, only give me some light
this pau. May / 2''
asartin But what be yer goin' ter do
chile? Nothin' rash, hope ?''-anxiously. I
sDontworry nanny, FL do nothing that
my poor father would disapproye;" and, talk
Ing the pan and glowing Goals, Diana hur-
riea away, bent ON carrying out her purpose.
Shes mad she is.' '{quOtt Nanny Lucrece,
( as with q dexterous twist she turned another
hapjack. Eur high spirit she is. de colonepsS
own darter. Hark! Dere's dat Major Griddle
wish he'd done choke hissef wild oEer 81 f1#S IF
@sEs Meanwhile, with swift steps Diana was
speeding along. She reac ed the barn, and
paused there long enough to gather an arm
ful Of dried hay. Bearing it il her arms, she
continued on her way to the wheatfeld. A,
pleasing sight Of plenty was this army Of
golden grain. s% 5fEA}5
& What q pity to destroy i'll Y thought Diana;
S"yet better than have the British enjoy It,"
She carefully arranged the dried hay in lit
tie heaps here and there, and applied the red
Goals to them. There had been no rein for
several days, and it was not long before tie
whole wheat field was in a blaze. Seeing that
her tasksWas completed, Diana FASTENED back
to the house and entered her chamber by the
way she had left it. F te{ EttE3k3
Major Gridley and his men had been SO
bnsy gormandjzing thati it was some time be-
fore they knew Of the fire. AL rushed out to
check the flames but in vain; the destroying
element had already passed over the wheat.
field, leaving only a few black smouldering
remains. "Who did this ?" angfily demanded
they major, stalking about in an infatuated
manner.
"some OF the servants, probably" suggest.
ed one Of the soldiers. @
aWhere are Colonel Marshalrs servants g'
addressing Nanny Lucrece, who with terri.
fed eyes, clasped hands, and turban all awry,
was standing in the kitchen doorway. .Oh,
dey all run When aey seed yon comm" she
stsngsered iRrepiy.
rhsn you must have set the wheat ahre,
you vixen p
oh Lord bless We, / didn't! How could ].
when was frying hapiacks all de Whileg'
| 3@Joye, that's SO! But did you see any one
set fire to it?'
| .sNo, sahi's
aDoy you know who did it?' ~
| This was a poser. Nanny Lucrece was
! very relis ious, and not to save her skin would
| she tell q lie. She did know who was the in
| cendiarv--at least she felt certain that it was
| Diana But betray her young mistress
Never! And SO she stood silent.
| why don't you answer q roared the major,
1 81 can't answer, please, sah.'
| Ii you don't answer in five minutes Ell
have my indians tie you to tree and give you
o good beatingG' said the major, brutality
| Yet not even this threat made poor NANNY
| speak. She folded her arms firmly across
her breast and stood in respectful silence
Time passed on. At last Major Gridley
said shortly: 2%s
think mean what isay'' and with an oatl
he ordered two savages to bind Nanny i-u
| creee to the cherry-tree. They had taker
but one step toward her when there was {
slight noise overhead as of a window shutter
thrown open, and a clear voice called out:
Major GIidley!"
4 sSAll glanced up, and there at the second
4 story window, was the face of Diana. With
flashing black eyes she continued:
Major Gridley, you will let that old woman
free. She did not burn the wheatfeld-I dix
that myself, sir" with a saucy, defiant bow
that set all her ietty curls a-futter.
1 .Youp' exclaimed the major, in astcnish
ment How could you get out Of you
room?" Ssl
4 ooh, we American girls can climb" Dian.
1 replied nonchalantly.
Course you! wonder if you can walk q
/ vel, Z sputtered the major. will give 70,
the privilege Of trying, for this very Afternoon
i you will start with us, as our prisoner, 70
/ Canala!"
i SCARCELY" said Diana, with gay laugh
/ don't believe you will start for Canada to-day
my dear major. Allow me to ask you t,
/ glance behind you.'s 4 If BAT ~ s 81 .$fs
Major Gridley and his companions hastil,
/ glanced around them. They had been 81
1 absorbed in the scene before them chat the,
had not noticed q party of American soldier
VINO had silently stolen in the gate ant
i surrounded them. .8s #&s
1 Silas Ambrose, who had known tina
Colonel Marshall was pursued on his home
ward Journey. had sent to the American CAM
for aid. party had been Immediately sen
out to the rescue.
To say that Major Gridley was surprise,
would be to express our meaning very tan,ely
Resistance was useless, as he and his soldier
hac left their arms in the house. surrende
II WAS the Onlv aItarnativa and fkfa tho rn.in