The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-22

The window was quickly thrown down,
fastening the flagstaff down and holding
1t in position, where it continued to gen
thy wave defiance to the Tory throng
low.
Meanwhile Patty had heard the order
for her arrest and ran like the wind
down the rear steps, through the plat of
ground at the rear of the house and out
into Garden lane.
Across the way the door of the old
meeting house stood invitingly aiar, the
aged sexton having forgotten to close it
after the days garnishing. Into it Patty
ran, bnt not quickly enough to escape
observation by the soldiers
One Of them caught glimpse of her
flying skirts as she entered the door and
gave the alarm. In IA moment the entire
command, forgetful for the time of all
discipline, rusheSheadlong after her.
Just as they had all reached the meet
ing house SLANT sounded the solid
door in their faces, and as they gath
cred angrily around, baffied, they could
hear the sound of the heavy iron bar as
it dropped into place OH the inside.
"Crash!" went the bullet through the
pane. sent by some dastardly soldiers
pistol.
'Stop thatp shouted one of the Junior
officers of the company. "The next man
who shoots at that girl will be placed un-
der arrestp'
On the inside Patty crouched in front
of the center pillar of the building
breathless and good deal frightened.
The bullet whirred over her head and
buried itself in the wood about q foot
above her.
In moment one or two of the men
outside, assisted by their comrades, had
climbed to the window sill and had sue
ceeded in raising the window about six
inches. BY degrees they widened the
distance sufficiently to allow soldiers
body admission to the room. He clam
bered over the sill and dropped down on
tho inside.
"Ah, my pretty one," said the soldier
to Patty, who was now thoroughly
frightened, $50 we've got you at last,
have we?'
Major Derrond looked grimly down
from his high seat upon his horse as Pat
ty was led, trembling and timorous, be-
fore him.
''Take this girl to my quarters and
keep guard over her."
The colonels quarters, which had been
made in n stanch' stone mansion in an
other part of the village, We're reached
soon, and Patty was forthwith taken to
room on the second floor and locked
i'll, while soldier stood guard without
ha MI
under the one window
Two hours dragged their slow length
away before Patty heard anything more
from the soldiers. Then she saw them
coming toward the house i'll groups of
twos and threes.
Shortly, too, the major rode up, and
throwing his horses reins to servant
dismounted and entered the hall. Patty
saw one of her three friends-the lieu
tenant-accompanyin him.
After perhaps ID more minutes had
passed the same soldier who had locked
the girl i'll came and unlocked the door,
reckoning for Patty to come with him.
The soldier took her along the passage
way and down to the lower floor before
Major Derrond again. That officer
seemed trif1e less stern, she thought,
than when she was at first taken before
him.
81 have decided" said the major, "to
release you on condition that you do not
repeat the offense to his majesty that
was the cause of your being here. Are
you willing to give that assurance"
Patty hesitated moment, and finally
deciding that by promising she need in
nowise be untrue to her fathers and
lovers cause, gave the required promise.
Upon night soon after a heavy rain
had begun to fall about dusk and had
continued drearily the night long. Short
ly after 0 o'clock the little village was
locked in slumber.
Patty had retired soon after 8 and
had fallen Immediately asleep Nothing
disturbed her dreams until Just after
midnight, when q shower of gravel rat
tied sharply against her chamber win
The girl was awakened almost instant
ly, and jumped from her bed to investi-
gate the cause of the strange proceeding.
''Its me, Patty" came, a low voice
from below, which she Immediately rec
ognized as that of John, Jr., her lover,
who was supposed to be far away to the
wars.
Hastily she threw Oh her clothes, and
in q moment had unfastened the heavy
kitchen door and had admitted the SOL
der youth, drenched and bedraggled, to
the welcome warmth of the open fire,
which, although the season was summer,
gave out a generous heat to the chilled