San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-04-05

':Dang! Bang! uang! inc Inree ing
ates responded.
Dunderberg grumbled with loud
echoes. He was pleased to be awaked
by the song of birds; but the victorious
noise of British cannon he protested
against, like good American.
THE coast is clear for US, resumed
,Jierck. Clear almost as if these We're
peace times. Now, if you'll come along,
I'll take You to a safe den in the woods,
a mile from the manor house, where
you can stay all day, snug as chip
munk in chestnut stump, and see how
the land lies. I'll tell you my other
news as we 60"
They took up their guns and KNAPP
sacks and followed. The light of morn
ing was fair and tender. The autumn
colors were exhilarating. White frost
shone upon the slopes and glimmered
upon every leaf in the groves.
These were the manor lands. Each
spot Edwin Brothertoft remembered as
a scene of his childhoods discoveries of
facts and mysteries in nature. They
walked on for an hour, and Brothertoft
grew almost gay with memories Of his
youth.
do you see that white shining
through the trees?' said Jierck, hating.
Its the river Ten steps and you'll see
the house. Now, major, I'll go and look
after my boys and come at noon for
your orders"
Jierck turned back into the wood.
Major Skerrett stepped forward eagerly.
He had an eye for a landscape. He had,
also, soldiers eye for every new bit of
possible battlefield.
Ten steps brought him to the edge of
the slope. A transcendent prospect sud
denly flung out its colors before him.
First was a stripe of undulating upland
thoroughly Octobered. Then a stripe of
river, bending like belt in a flag that
breeze is twisting between its fingers.
Then beyond highlands, not so glowing
as the foreground, nor so sparkling blue
as the blue water, nor so simple as the
sky, softly combined and repeated all
the elements of beauty before him.
He turned to give and take sympathy
was not beside him. He had seated
himself within cover of the wood.
Come out, sir" called Skerrett with
enthusiasm. Il am so bewildered with
this beautiful prospect that need to
hear another mans superlatives to sat
isfy me l am not in a dream. Come
out, sir! We are quite safe"
The day wore on, and in this pause of
action the two gentlemen opened their
hearts to each other.
1t was the intercourse of father and
son. Each wanted what the other gave
him.
The fatherless junior felt his mind
grow deeper with a man who had touched
bottom in thought. He was sobered
and sOftened by the spectacle of one so
faithful to the truth that was in him, so
gentle, so indulgent, weakened perhaps
by sorrow, but never sOured.
The sOnless senior said. "Ah, Skerrett!
you are the young oak. If had had you
to lean upOnI should not have lost force
TO climb and bloom. Such a merry heart
as yours makes the whole world laugh
not empty laughter, but hearty"
At noon Jierck Dewitt came to report.
He and the boys were safely hid in his
fathers barn.
''Ike mostly sleeps" says Jierck, "Sam
plays old sledge with dummy, and Hen
drecus is writin something in short lines
all beginnin with big letters-poetry per
haps. He's an awful great scholar"
Their plans were again discussed and
orders issued.
"Well, said Jierck, Eat dusk I'll have
my men and fathers runt pony for the
prisoner to straddle down at the forks
of the road waitin for you. Nothing
can stop us now but one thing"
'And that" asked the major.
els Lady Brothertoft. If she sus.
picions anything before we're ready tc
run it will be all up with us-haltel
round our necks and all up among the
acorns."
So Jierck, still "stiff as the lord chan
cellor," and yet timber as a snake in the
grass, took his departure.
Afternoon hours went slower than the
morning hours.
"The sun always seems to me to hold
back in going down hill" Skerrett said
Il wish he would tumble to bed faster
l am impatient to make our success
sure"
"Your sturdy confidence reassure
me, returned Brothertoft. Il am ham,
there is one of US whose heartbeats will
not unsteady him. l lose hope when
think what failure means to my daugh
ter"
81 must keep myself the cool outsider
with only knight Grants share in thi
adventure" Peter said.