The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-03-19
JUST IN TIME


New York, on both sides of the Hudson,
and the Vallame mansion was two miles
within them. From the very beginning
Of the war Mrs. Vallame had sided with
the English, for she was Of English birth.
/ George Vallame, widower with one
child, q daughter, had married Alice de
We're, widow with one child, son, In the
year 1T74. With no fortune save remark
hble beauty OF person, she had fascinated
George Vallame. At that time her son,
Rudolph de We're, was In his twentieth
year, and Cora, the daughter of Vallame,
In her sixteenth.
AT the bloody battle Of Long Island Cap
tain Vallame had fallen, and even his
grave could not be pointed out among the
hundreds that studded the battlefield.
4 The widow, yet In matronly prime, was
seated before the cracking fire when the
clock struck 10.
As the dial ceased to vibrate with the
last stroke, the door opening from the hall
was tapped THRICE from without, and as
the widow raised her head and said sharp
ly, "Come,"a young man OF "a or 25 en-
tered cautiously, who wore the garb of O
British officer.
"You have brought your troop,"
"More than enough to capture 10 reb-
els, - said Captain Rudolph, for whom his
mothers Influence had procured British
commission. "You are sure Horace Sin.
clair Is in the summer housed"
"Would to heaven / were as sure that
the arch rebel of ell, Mr.. Washington, were
there" said the widow sternly. "Twict
have heard his signal to Cora. The let
ter wrote him he has deemed his Cora's
imploring him to hazard even life itself &c
meet her this night in the lonely summer
house. Have you the chaplain with your
"He is below In the dining hall. he
knows why he is hereto make me a mar
ried man. But, mother, can you force
Cora to become my wife2"
"You shall see," was the cold and firm
response.
Enough Go, capture Horace Sinclair, y
she said, with a slight shudder. "Brinl
him hither, bound. When you return, lei
the chaplain be with you. Cora shall meet
you and ere you part shall be your wife, u
Her reckless son left her, and she rang
a small bell az he departed.
"Tell Miss Valance said she to the
prompt servant who answered to her call,
THAT l desire her here Immediately"
The servant hurried TO obey. She soon
returned, bearing limp and followed by
the lovely orphan. Cora Vallame SILENT,
bowed her head as she entered.
"Wait!" was all that the widow said
and as she spoke loud shouts, pistol shot
and the clash OF steel reached her ear.
Cora glanced uneasily toward the doc
and then to her stepmother's face. Err
long Rudolph threw open the door ant
was followed by two British dragons
who escorted a young man clad in the uni
form of continental major of cavalry.
A short, i'll looking man in black brough
up the rear.
"Horacei and prisonerl' exclaimed
Cora,
1.-THE same" said Rudolph, fierce witt
bloody cash that scanned his check 18th,
rascal has slain two of my best men. Blu
he shall die the death of spy"
"My uniform proves that am no spy,
said Horace Sinclair. al have fallen int
snare and am prisoner of war-no spy
Cora, did you write me q summons hith
err"
Never, Horace" said Cora in astonish
ment. "'Tis some trick of this''---
"Of mineI' said Mime. Vallame sharply
"Come, we have no time to lose. Cora
you see that gentleman in black3 He 1
the Rev. Charles Fairweather. He is her
to make you the wife of my sonp
1.-The wife of your sons meanest troope
shall l be sooner than his!'' exclaime,
Cora.
"Consent," said Nine. Vallame, tor Sc
Horace Sinclair hanged upon the tree wher
he and you have so often meti'
"They dare not hang me, Cora" sal,
the calm voice of the bound officer. ~ an
taken In my uniform and no spy. Do no
be imposed upon"
''Do not sing so boldly" said Nine. Val
lame. 1.-THE hanging of a rebel, uniforme
or not, is pleasure to our loyal Englisl
general"
Cora Vallame, you see that dial-it /
now 90 minutes after 10. If, when tn
minute hand shades the cipher O, your lip
have not made you my sons wife, Horac
Sinclair swings."
"Oh, Horacel What shall I dor" erie,
Cora as the silence grew terrible.
"Let me die thousand times rathe
than behold you the wife of that renegade
who slew his mothers husband, !" said Sin
clair.
ooh, Horacc" and weeping bitterly sh
flung herself upon her brave lovers hos
ON, and ere the furious son and fiendisl
mother could tear them asunder Cora
quick hand, armed with dagger, had sew
cred the cords that bound the American
arms.
Sinclair snatched saber from the hant
of the nearest trooper and sprang upon tn,
other, who went down, cloven to the chin
Wheeling hercely, the 81 Der FLASHED will
that Of Rudolph, and sweeping back from
the shock came down with mighty SLASH
that sheered the rufiian's right arm from
the shoulder
Shouts and the sharp tumult of sudden
strife without smote Rudolph's ear as ht
fell, and at the next moment the room wa,
filled with American dragons, led by one
whom he deemed long dead-George Val
lamel
".Iust In time, my boy" said Vallame
who had escaped from the slaughter o.
Long Island, and for purposes of his owl
bore another name in the American army
~ mistrusted this when found the de
coy letter written by that tigress Return
ing to camp, found the letter in your
tent, and collecting score of your dra
goons hastened to save you"
An hour after, as British soldiers filled
the house, 30 timely vacated by the Amer
teams, they found Nine. vallame lyinl
upon the body of her son and as dead a,
he. The sudden shock had slain her
When the war was over, years after
Colonel Horace Sinclair and his bride, Cora
with Major Vsliame, returned to the scene
But 1t was to see the mansion heap o.
charred ruins.-Boston Globe.