Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-04-19

the dim lantern light.
"What does all this mean, Cicero?" she
asked of the old negro.
"I dunno, Missy, rs sure nebber. see
sich COINS on, nebber Gemmans been
runnin' up an down stairs, an in an out
jes like de flies in de molasses-pot."
She then asked one of the workers. :.
the man, "we're a-goin' to do away with
the Britishers, that's what we're a-goin' to
do :" and accompanied his answer with
winks and head-shakings which spoke vol
umeS.
"Do away with the Britishers !" repeated
Marjorie to herself. "That means fighting,
and murder-and perhaps Edward, or IA
ther''-anda a terrible cloud of thoughts came
over her mind. ooh, how happy we could
all be-" she thought, 'if people had no such
things as prejudices."
Meanwhile, her father was returning from
the house of one of the confederates, which
stood a little beyond the other side Of the
town, on the road to Mount Pleasant, and
was not little surprised to meet the Rev:
Nahum Bond, who was evidently in a great
hurry. Had it not been pitch dark, he
would not have noticed too that the minister
was equally surprised and rather confused
at seeing him but the young man was
quick at recovery, and said: Just whom
I wanted to see, Master Hood. am sorry
to say anything that may offend you, but
feel it my duty to warn you against your
daughter"
"Iord man," exclaimed the old farmer,
"what has the wench been doing now?
Laughing at her tutor?"
"Nay, nay, Master Hood" replied Ma
hum; ''it is no light matter. l think not
of what she has done, but of what she may
do. She knows perfectly we'll what our
project is she loves one of the men against
whom we are going to work she met him
this afternoon. Put two and two t0gether.
Good-nightv And he was lost in the dark
ness. :,
For a moment thaold man stood beWll-
dered. Then he smote his brow and NUT
tered: "What fool I was not to send her
away! Of course I see what the parson
means-that she will betray us-and yet l
dare not think that she would do so. Her
love for the red coat may be strong, but it
would be strange if her love for her father
and her country were not stronger. How
ever, will see her." And he rode on home
wards.
Marjorie methim at the door with fright
ened face. 80 father, / am so glad you
have come," she cried, throwing her arms
around his neck; g! am so frightened.
Tell me what all this means-these guns
and swords and bullets, and all this quiet
andsecrecy."
Her father gently removed her arms from
his neck and held her out at arms length,
looking keenly in her deep brown eyes, IN
each Of which tear glistened.. And you
mean to say, Marjorie, that you know moth
aNothing, father, but what Abram Stoke
told me just now about doing. away with
the Britishers," answered Marjorie.
"And you did not tell Mr.. Harranden
about it, when you met him this afternoOn:'
"I did not know it father-indeed, | did
not; and if I had, I do not think that
that''-
"No, no, now exclaimed her father, kiss
in her; don't believe you would"
"But tell me, dear father" she said,' '"is
there to be fighting and shooting and muir
der? Oh. I am SO terrified! Suppose you
were to be killed, and suppose suppose, he
you know can't help loving him, and SO
would you il. you knew how good and kind
and true he is"
"Tut, tut, lass never .fear," replied the
old man 'these are not things for girls to
be talking about. It's time for you to be
in bed-Good night, my love; l have much
writing to do" g.,
Marjorie went sadly enough up to her
room, and in truth hers was not an envlable
position. A dread was on her that some
thing terrible was about to happen, some
thing in which the two men she loved be-
yond all others in the world were concerned,
and she could do nothing to prevent it. At
one time she determined that she would
warn her lover Of the danger; but the image
of her stern patriotic father and Ofhis wrath
at what he would assuredly term betrayal,
came before her. Then she resolved to thoW
herself at her fathers feet and implore him
to abandon his design. Her thoughts were
interrupted by a knock at the door; and in
answer to her "Come in," the woody head
and ebony countenance of Cicero appear
ed: "Please Missy, Massa wantyou. He's
in debil of rage"
Marjorie went down, and found her father
striding up and down the little room he
styled his study.
"Marjorie," he said, in a voice which was
scarcely coherent for passion. "1f was to
shoot you on the spot, it would not be more
than you deserve" These were terrible
Words wore for a father to address to his child,
and still more terrible when they came from
father who loved his child so dearly as
jeremiah Hood loved Marjorie.
"What-What do you mean, father ~
asked the terrified girl.
"What do mean, girl? You know very
we'll what | mean. Read that J! and ne
threw on the table towards her small
scrap of paper.
IN tin1e."
She could not recognize the writing, nor
was there any signature to this laconlc epls-
tie. Turning it over she saw in smaller let
ters :-"Ihe penalty for conceating arms or
for har6oring reuoH is immediate death d'd
confScation Of estate"
"But, father" said Marjorie, II have had
nothing to do with this. Surely you do not
think that l have betrayed you ?"
"Not word more," said her father, rails
ing his hand knoa0 that you have betray-
ed us. You will keep your room until
find means to send you to Connecticut"
| "But, dear father, hear me, beg of you.
Hear your daughter, your Marjorie, whom
you say you love-" cried the girl in piteous
| tones.
"Silence !" said Hood, in a stern voice.
''Did not love you as, do, you would ere
now have been lying where you now stand.
Obey me, and 60"
Poor Marjorie left the room crying bitter
ly and her father went out to tell the news
to the confederates.
Next evening, Alexandria lay sound
asleep in her mantle Of snow as the clock
struck midnight. ItWasthe 24th of Deem
Der, 1881. A few lights from the ships by
the quay-side and from the Royal George
and CSty hotels, were the only indications
of a town visible from the British huts on
Mount Pleasant. In these "good old days" "
folk kept reasonable hours, and except up
on such special occasions as a birthday night
or a subscription ball, as a rule retired to
rest about the same hour that their modern
posterity are at dinner. But upon Mount
Pleasant there was activity, and moving
about of lanterns, and buckling on Of KNAPP