Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-05-03
Save myself, your honor!"

AS though smitten by a revulsion of feel.
ing, he started back and exclaimed:
mo! no! Not that! Great God! not
quite SO quick! What q 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
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 recognized the young
girl whose beauty had struck me as I 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
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
a mass of crisp waves.
If tears were on her checks, there were
none in her voice as she advanced before the
Englishman. AS she came to within a 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 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 moment
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, it
made him rather draw into himself, though
not without an'effort at self-control. Again
he arose and paced the floor behind his desk,
but finally stopping in his walk, took long
breath as if he had arrived at 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, ri
have been trying to save you from pain, but,
as you will have the truth, will give it to
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. He
was tried fairly, convicted, and sentenced to
be hanged as a spy. Yesterday he persisted
in the fire at Cruger's Wharf before the SEN
tence could be executed"
Now at these words / guessed this was the
girl whom I had been expected to kidnap
and make way with, and my first impulse,
quickly controlled, was to blurt out the fact
of her own danger. 1t had become plain,
however, that Clinton could not screw his
courage to going the length of even indi-
rectly taking her life, much as he wished for
some reason to be rid of her. 1t was strong
ly forced on me that he was being used as a
cats-paw by the woman who was known to
powerfully influence his actions, even to the
extent of altering the plans of campaign.
AS he finished his statement, knew he had
told the girl an untruth, or he had been lying
to me, as he had informed me that the
brother was about to be hanged, no mention
having been made of his death by fire. In
stantly there came to mind my encounter
with the scorched patriot, and instructive
y strung the two together.
l expected to witness the collapse of the
girl as the British general completed his
sentence, but there came nothing of the sort.
Instead, she stood tall and graceful, with lips
apart and eyes widely strained. Her color
faded trifie, but after breath or two she
answered stoutly:
Gen. Clinton, that is false My brother
held no communication with anyone beyond
the lines at Kingsbridge. You have overshot
your mark. TWAS /, sir, who informed Gen.
Washington of your intended movement
into the Jerseys, but my poor brother has
been doomed because he is in possession of
facts which would compromise Sir Henry
Clinton were they known abroad. /, too,
know them. Work your will on me, girl
Il care not; but if you injure hair of the
head of Beverly, all England shall know how
Mr.. Henry Clinton obtained his knighthood,
together with other matters which would
make interesting reading. 1.-Two years be-
fore, Gen. Clinton had challenged Lord
George German, of the British ministry.
In fear of his life, German promised Gin
ton title and the command of the army in
America if he would withdraw the chal-
lenge. Clinton did SO, obtained leave of abb
sence from America, went to London and
was knighted by the king. Returning, he
succeeded Gen. Howe, who resigned short
ly before the evacuation of Philadelphia.
The affair caused great scandal at the time. ]
BY his appearance, here is doubtless one of
your familiars," she went on, indicating me
by fine look of intense scorn. "Order him
to apprehend and make way with Gertrude
King, who By the help Of God, has been. 4