Evening star., 1897-05-01

crying cut, for as had surmised. there
was no one in the house to answer.
ITO PringIe's." said in a tremble; for
here was the new hazard.
ITO Pringle's?" he said, turning.
so said, colonel"
You know the direction?'
You can't mislead me- said I. grinly.
Il know this town, now that I have my
wits gathered
You have been here" said he, as we
stood there. two figures outlined clear in
the moonshine.
Once" said /. ''if in the rush Of flight
had forgotten it. But on. sir-out of the
moorShne!''
For a moment he looked at me, and then
he srrang toward ME. Rage and despera-
tion were in his muscles that moment. and
l dropped my pistol; l could not use it
against him for all my threat. for all the
determination had few moments before
l thought he would raise a cry. but he
failed to; rage had taken the power of
shouting, and we met and wrestled for a
moment. He was strong man indeed, but
l was more supple. had that advantage.
and. having him down in a moment.
jumped up from him, and selling the pis-
fol stood above him.
I'm sorry" 1 said, "but you must go
with me-"
Then sulienIy he rose.
1T seems it must be so. But" He
paused. Your proniise?"
ITO see that you are returned If we
cross the river. 1t is given. SIR
Then he rose and went on. I following,
wondering at the chance of our having
aroused no one 1 felt easier presently, as
we passed into the shadow of the trees and
pushed along into the path and more
quickly down the road. The night was
filled with its noises. we thus silently
passed on from shadow to stretch of moon
shine. and as the slope fell We came into
the cobbler's cabin.
1 was In a cold sweat that moment. Won
derirg If Pringie indeed might be there.
H.
eye cn my prisoner, knocked at first reg
ularly and then more insistently.
I believe there is a fortune favoring him
who dares. For presently voice sounded:
who's there?"
'T Mordaunt. You know me. Pringle:"
He knew my voice. indeed. The door fell
back. and little wiry man locked out on
us. at first starting at sight Of my pris-
erer.
1.-The colonel" said I.
Yes, I, Pringle. I'll have you hung some
day."
II am his prisoner" said the colonel,
rather savagely.
I'm New York" said Pringle
"Yes, If you get away" he said.
TITS my business to attend to that" the
cotbler retorted. LAS 1t is. was about to
cross in an hour"
"But your boatT" the prisoner asked.
wcrderingly.
"'TiS down there In the bushes" he said.
"But the patrols?"
.I know the password! I'm on Sir Hen
rvs business.
what treachery!" he cried. "what
You can't depend on men in a town so
divided as this. Col. Van Halls" the cob
bier said, grinly: "and the meaning of that
word treachery depends on the side you're
on
'Tve faund that out" said the prisoner,
rather bitterly. 81 can't call them all a
set of rascaily traitors-when families like
the Mordaunts are so much concerned;
and he bowed courteously to me.
bowed back. acknowledging his: and we
stood together IN that cabin. an oddly as
sorted trio. Here was the little cobbler
himself-one of those whom civil war make
into dare-devils; here was the proprietor
q prisoner In our hands: and here was the
still uncertain enterprise Of taking him to
Paulus Ifook. That moment as well as
chance had carried the enterprise twas
nothing to gamble on.
The coloners bright apprehensive eyes
studied us as we talked 1t over together
Now I wonder II 1 have made his resist
ence to me appear too small As I have
said, he always was held q brave man.
but this emergency with its need of sudden
action had made him rather Of a coward
Yet you can't call a man a coward in that
phrasing: it's q term that plays both ways.
Do they not say that the bravest soldiers
run In their first battles: and why shouId
not q brave man make his resistance rather
less because he never had been a prisoner
SO taken. by q desperate escaped prisoner.
and held now as Wen by spy whose life
would be the forfeit of the British knovi-
edge OF his business. And. indeed Col
Van Halls had resisted inc well IN that
sharp tustIe. Even IL then / had thrown
the pistol Gown. he reasoned that we were
desperate men when banded together To
all these. considerations were added his
amaxeHeHt at discovering not orly Prin-
glc's real trade. bat more, that this obscnra
civilian knew the word Of the night. and
could pass the river. Who could have
given itf he was ashriax himself.
s'xou will not spy much longer, fellow"
he observed 10 Pringie. = -
II ana not the only one In New York.
the cosbler retorted. .Yen yoErseif vim
Ths psopristoss sscs tasned ashsa,, ana
lnterruftcd:~ - =. =. :
None q That. 7 heve pren,sed to zee
!, sWfthont an, exchAneeYs
given my wogd"