Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-31
CHAPTER XIV.
THE FOG.

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lay like one dead until we'll into the
morning, waking as blithesomely as child,
only to be shocked as | came to realizing
sense OF the tolls that beset me. Physically
was a new man, and the feeling of antago
nism and defiance with which l met the out
look proved that my spirit was yet un
broken.
But not hole could ! discover through
the network of circumstances that had made
me victim. Testing the matter from all
sides, the result was the same. 1t was fight
and die, though ! was careful not to betray
this conclusion to either Ames or his sister
] knew that the youth was equally at sea,
but the girl was cheerful and acted as
though her troubles would be OF short dura-
ton, feeling doubtless, as her sex is prone
to do, that with two protectors things would
go not far wrong.
And, indeed, we needed the flip of good
spirits from some source, and hers aided
my philosophy to the extent of causing me
to think it were as well to smile at approach
ing death as to sit and quake over its GER
tanty.
All that day we fed well, this once maiden
of fashion preparing our food, while by the
aid of the ladder in the attic Ames and my
self kept watch by turns through one of the
half-moon windows which commanded the
high road annie or SO away. But we were
undisturbed, though we saw numerous
troops going north, and once feared squad
was about to turn toward US, but they went
On, only halting 9 moment where the roads
+ Joined. = =
AT sunset Burns returned, bringing the
news that double gordon of the enemy had
been drawn across the island near the Dove,
which body was to divide and beat up the
country both north and south, securing
every house, tree, andinook and Granny from
enc end Of Manhattan to the other. This
accounted for the unusual number of troops
we had seen that day, and to this extent had
my act stirred to its center the British
army. 1t almost enabled one to count the
hours of remaining freedom, and / figured
that by noon on the day following the forces
would have drawn their line close to the
purleus of the city and caught us as fish
is caught in a narrowing net.
3 The thought fairly drove me wild, and in
my very despair / rose from the table at
which we had been sitting and went to the
window for air, that might be rid of the
oppression which like weight lay upon my
chest. Was this fear? Hardly; for, had the
house been assaulted at that moment, the
load would have fallen away as fell the bur
den from the back of Christian. Nay, II was
uncertainty and inastioe.h still playing on tho
harp strings Of my nerves, but it was an
tihbearable feeling.
The moon was up, and it cast lusty light
over the lowlands and the river, though its
setting would not be late. It was lovely
night; in faith, all nature was possessed %
i beauty which made the thought of yield
ins up 81 life bitter enough. Everything
suggested freedom, from the rolling of the
distant woodland on Long Island to the
sparkle and dance 81 The water which lay
between II and me, barring me from liberty
and MY inbarn right to breathe the free air.
Che apeck that shot across the brilliant
moon path knew. to ba patrol BOAT. and 8