Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-03-30


well rewarded. Have you money!"
mo, your excellency; have nothing but
my promise of prize money. l am living on
the credit of that"
Indeed! Have You the paper with you,
properly indorsed?"
For an answer l took it from my pocket
and laid it before him, at the same time
realizing with start that the communica-
ton given to me the day before had been
left in my room in the hurry of escaping
from the tavern. He picked up the docu-
ment / laid before him, glanced at it, and
then, rising, went to bookcase, which on
being opened disclosed small strong box.
This he unlocked, and taking from it several
rouleaux of coin laid them on the table.
You must have money; you cannot get
ready without it. You will have many ex-
penses.. Listenl | shall not intrust you
with packet to General Pigot. The ven
ture is too hazardous. Tell him to hold
Newport to the last extremity, and ] will
start to his relief within two weeks.
shall also communicate with him by land"
He arose again, and cfasping his hands
behind him walked up and down the floor.
l that the man was wishing to come to
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 exceIleney limited at Sc
cret instructions"
Eyes, yes" he answered. cit was that I
referred to a moment since" He hestated,
and then pointing to my arm, continued,
Perhaps your wound would cripple you
for active service?
"No, your excellency," / answered bur
riedly; at is about healed"
"Will you, then-undertake to-to-in
ShOrt-tn
perhaps deliver her to Pigot?"
at is a woman, them"
cit 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 i'll 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. I
shall need pass. Some of my men are with
out the lines"
very goodi" he returned, sitting down
and pulling paper toward him, on which he
wrote rapidly; then pushing the writing
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
he bent forward eagerly. I caught a
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:
mo! no! Not that! Great God! not
quite SO quick! What a 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 1 involuntarily
came to my feet as l recognized the young
girl whose beauty had struck me as 1 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 sill1en hood,
well 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
a 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 it's frmness 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 a week. You have promised each day
! that l should see him the next. Sir Henry,
| where is my brother?"
| The decidedly defiant tone of the last de
| Tand 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 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 l mentioned
will remain in abeyance.-My dear Ger
trude,' he continued. addressing the girl, 80
have been trying to save you from pain, but
as you will have the truth, viii give 1t t.
| you. Your brother has been discovered act
ing in the interests of the enemy. His of