Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-10

a point against Which Just then he was shy
ing, and, as time was an object to me,
hoped to help him over the difficulty by
remarking:
"The matter of the cruise is plain
enough, but your excellency limited at Sc.
cret instructions"
Yes, yes" he answered. "It was that /
referred to moment SINCE He hesitatcd,
and then pointing to my arm, continued,
Perhaps your wound would cripple you
for active service?"
"No, your excellency," l answered bur.
riedy; at is about healed"
"Will you, then-undertake to-to--in
short-to abduct "a person and-and
perhaps deliver her to Pigot?"
"lt is woman, then?"
ut is woman. In fact, my position is
delicate-I must not be known in the mat.
ter. She is troublesome to- Well, her
brother is about to be executed wish to
save her from this knowledge. Do you
follow me? She is to be the victim of an
unauthorized outrage; the motive to be
your own. No ill treatment, no unnecessary
violence, of course. You shall be paid
you shall be well paid. Get the boat
ready-be ready within FIVE days. Can
rely on you? Then report for final details.
Is there anything more?"
eyes, your excellency, there is more
shall need pass. Some of my men are with
out the lines"
Every good" ne returned, sitting down
and pulling paper toward him, on which he
wrote rapidly; then pushing the writing
away, he began talking with the feather of
the quill betwixt his teeth.
"Here is your pass" said he, laying his
hand over the paper and looking hard at
me, "and there is your gold. There is more
to come. No violence-no brute violence
What would you do if necessity demanded
your sinking the ship? If-if-if-"
The pen in his mouth gave his voice the
character of snarl; his eyes flashed, and
glimpse of the villainy of this man, and
without winking promptly replied:
"Save myself, your honor!"
As though smitten by a revulsion of feel
ing, he started back and exclaimed
No! no! Not that! Great God! not
quite SO quick! What tool you are! Is
there no other way? Let me think; let it
rest as it is until you report.-Ah! what is
the meaning of this?"
The last remark was drawn from him by
a noise of controversy in the hall without,
the sudden opening of the door, and the en-
try of female unannounced. She was
yelled, but before the door had fairly closed
behind her, with graceful move of her arm
she uncovered her face, and involuntarily
came to my feet as l recognized the young
girl whose beauty had struck me as was
about leaving the Sprite.
Her eyes were red from weeping, and, in
deed, the tears on her cheeks were as appar-
ent as the few raindrops on her silken hood,
| as well as on her plain though elegant cos
tune. Over her white brow and from under
the back of her head covering there strayed
a few locks of hair, which some might have
called red, but red they were not, being the
richest of auburn, and of such nature that
the damp of the air had curled them into
mass of crisp waves.
If tears were on her cheeks, there were
none in her voice as she advanced before the
| Englishman. As she came to within pace
Of him she halted, and demanded in low
| firm tone, which for all its firmness was
| sweet:
"Sir Henry Clinton, where is my brother?
Clinton dropped his eyes, while a heavy
frown contracted his smooth forehead. For
an instant he appeared about to give way to
temper, but finally unpuckered his brows
and replied easily, as though .patronizing a
petulant child:
my dear Miss Gertrude, you must ask
| your aunt"
Call your Mrs. Badely no aunt of mine
Sir Henry. She may be my guardian, but
none of her blood flows in my veins. BE
that as it may, sir, she has but this momen,
referred me to you. My brother has been
gone week. You have promised each day
that should see him the next. Sir Henry
where is my brother?"
The decidedly defiant tone of the last de
mand made me wonder at the audacity Of
the speaker, but instead of arousing the tenn
per of the man to whom it was addressed, il
made him rather draw into himself, though
not without an effort at self-control. Agar
he arose and paced the floor behind his desk
but finally stopping in his walk, took lont
breath as if he had arrived at a determine
ton, and suddenly turning to me, said:
Capt. Lounsbury, the plan ] mentioned
will remain in abeyance-My dear Ger
trude," he continued, addressing the girl, :"
have been trying to save you from pain, but
as you will have the truth, I will give it t,
| you. Your brother has been discovered act
ing in the interests of the enemy. His of
Tense was clear, and he has acknowledged it
He was arrested one week ago this day. H
was tried fairly, convicted, and sentenced t,
be hanged as spy. Yesterday he perishet
in the fire at Cruger's Wharf before the sen
tence could be executed"
Now at these words guessed this was tn
girl whom had been expected to kidna]
and make way with, and my first impulse
quickly controlled, was to blurt out the fac
| Of her own danger. 1t had become plain
however, that Clinton could not screw hi
courage to going the length of even indi
rectly taking her life, much as he wished 70
some reason to be rid of her. 1t was strong
ly forced on me that he was being used as
cat's-paw by the woman who was known t
powerfully influence his actions, even to tn
extent of altering the plans of campaign
AS he finished his statement, knew he ha,
told the girl an untruth, or he had been lyin
to me, as he had informed me that tn
brother was about to be hanged, no mention
having been made of his death by fire. In
stantly there came to mind my encounte
with the scorched patriot, and instructive
ly strung the two together.
expected to witness the collapse of tn
GIRL tho Rr;tipb naroc,1 oo,,,,lotoJ l.;