The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-02-01

need 4"
Then, for The love Of God let me sol
There will ht a price on ms hcadl Ii IL
ccash 10 hold me hare! / was 70 b hanged
N a SPY, hus the hrc at Iac free"
"A spy by the Lord. from yeur lcoksycu
might be a second Shadraehl What name
ere you undcry Come, lc. us work into safer
cnartcrs." said I. tall u a sudden fever, for
IL never occurred 10 rac 10 be doubtful Of his
statement.
sNay, then, am best Elone Let m, 20,
man: your grip IA crushing my arm! have
friend, and once with him, ! am safe. l
believe you 20 be true. Know me as Rcx."
"one second more, thcn" aid |. loosen
ing ms grip. Where can we mectr'
lie had drawn from me apace sud was
prepared 60 rnu. hut halted long enough TO
throw back; The Dove knmbTidge road
III God be willing / get 40 far. See Nick
stFyker" Aud With this he disappeared
into The smoke
This incident happened - quickly that I
haa met him, taken his status and he had
gone before realized that had not gotten
from him a tithe of the knowledge ] wished.
The Dove" wns no puzzle. boat AZ Nick
striker had never heard. The former was
a tavern somewhat back from the Kings
bridge road, about sryea miles from the city.
and near McC'owan's psss, tuow included Ia
Central parkl, the latter probably the host
OF that house oi call.
knew the place from having siopprd
there before the war, and, IN TACT, thc upper
island was a. familiar % me a. TO the ina
irrity OF Is inhabitants, but az that time
there was no Nick S,ryker holding forth az
the Dove Years aud the yiriasitudcs OF war
had doubtless changed many features Of the
country above the ,own. and tnisht well have
changed the proprietorH Of tavern. No to
u determined 70 50 az soon az could come
by pass from Clinton.
How tho spy could run the barriers wat
a peg further than could sec. bn, he seemed
inll Ot resource, and evidently kncw hu buai.
ness. Douhsless, though. !, hes friend i
powerful, and viii put him on his way.
berated myself for having let him go.
would have stood rs him ia the face uf
platoon, ~ hunrercd was for ono IN whom
! could coutidc and who could AISLE. me IA
the plan which still boiled in my brain.
Find HIM again I must The name Of
Rex" being but Latin for "thC king
sucs@ed 20 lc only password through which
his aihes might come hy bin, and this con
lecture was al ] had 90 assist me IN my IN.
tended search But 30 was something to 80
On. connected with tls- rest, and with no
further attention TO the vast ConllagTaton,
made my way out Of iis vicinity.
Within two hours Of the time I lci. it
delugc oi rain, which had been threatening
sl day, came down and gucnehcd the flames.
For ny own interests ! looked upon the
food on proyidcutal and it was as well for
the interests oi the th1uHlnds Of patriots
thut up IN the cty, aa had it not been for
this Interpolation Of Heaven, the cuuro
! town would have bccn swept 10y fire, and the
imprisoned inmates Of the packed sugar
houses might have shared the fate Of the
buildings themselves.
| Il did not surprise me that on repairing
| to the Kings Arms / found Scanned had
rot returned 20 receive my note. nor did l
| greatly wonder when told the next morning
/ that be had not been 10 overnight The con
| fusion attending the fire might easily ae'
count for many irregularities, and what
cared I, after an9 bad done what prom
ised him. and be might take mp o. leave tho
| matter as he saw iit. IS for myself, busted
me with my damaged clothing that | might
| bs presentahlc at headquarters IN the alter
no0n and when these wctc 10 a. fair shape
| as a clumsy bachelor could make them, had
nothing TO do but pass The time
OF al the DAYS Of the overheRtcd summer
/ II l77s that Of Sunday, tho Sch Of August,
was the most terrific IN paint Of tempera-
| turr. B, hish noon no man migh, stand the
suns rays unprotected, and the heat radi'
| ated from the s,rrsts as from furnace. In.
/ doors was hut little better than without, yet
/ for that little remained IN my rooms and
| wcll.nigh stripped myself Tor comfort.
Being nov 10 the best Of humors, | ordered
measure Of rum and jug Of water and
/ with these before me sat me down 70 build
| cir castles Tor The morrow. Great waves OF
4 heat surgrd through the open windows, and
the drowsy stiffness made mc nod. Not
wishing 10 sleep, brought ont the paper re-
ccived from headquarters, and opened It as
| / had done for the tenth time at least
! had reread but few lines when | was
| attracted by the sound Of distant thunder,
snd going 10 the window, beheld a mighty
( bank Of blue-blaek clouds towering above
the western horizon. the topmob. ridge min
| gliug with the thin column o! smoke rising
| from the burned district Not a breath Of
cir stirred the hanging leaves OF The trees be-
| fore the door, nor was soul in SIGHT save
small squad oi rcdooats that just then swung
I tnNuh hllt NNfNtE lfNHi AAiN sANAa"@A "AA
entered the tavern bar.
The coming Of tempest has always been
& delight TO me, and | watched with sup
pressed emotion the advance Of this, which
| prcsaeed unusual violence. As looked, tho
hrst great gust of wind came tearing up tho
broadway, bending low the trees and bear
iLg with Il mighty van Of dust and rubbish.
tlurriedly alamming down the Windows !
surned TO don some clothing and get below,
| wheu, through the din Of clashing branches,
swinging blinds. aud rushing wind heard
thunderous knocking at my chandler door,
which was opened ere | moved TO answer,
and IN the gathering gloom bcheid Capt.
stammell hastily entef and close the heavy
portal behind him.
The advent Of this man, wham all the laws
ef dusling prohibited seeking me at the pres.
snt stage Of Afairs, oecasioned something OF
shock. The manner Of hn entry, tho tragic
aspect Of nature, and the sickly'green light
enveiopinS everything within and without;
the ciamorous advance Of the storm, aud per
haps as much a. anything, the sudden se'
vrlsion Of temper caused By seeing him,
sl.rcw me for the moment of my mental
balance, and stood without moving, gar
ing at him as ] might have gazed at an ap-
partition.
As we thus faced csch other, ! noticed that
he was hRtie.s. coailess, aiHi without aide
arms, the latter fact causing me further sur.
prise. a. was aware Of the extreme pride a
British officer has in his sword and his re-
iuetsnce to lay II beyond his reach.
Hard upon these details came three others
Of different nature. | saw at once that the
ran was intoxicated, though hot beyond bis
oxn control. that in his leii hand Ia had an
open paper, while his right, which still hung
hy his side. held cooked pistol, though this
would not have seen but for the sudden
CLEAN Of a fash Of lightning. II gave me a
quick realization Of the fact that ! was in
great danger and without the means Of com.
batting il, for my sword was in the eloses,
while both pistols and rife lay unloadsd IN
!. G corner.