Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-03-28

the credit of that"
Indeed! Have you the paper with you,
properly indorsed?"
For an answer | took it from my pocket
and laid it before him, at the same time
realizing with start that the communica-
tion 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-
IIfent 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. Listen. | 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 l will
start to his relief within two weeks. i
shall also communicate with him by land"
He arose again, and ciaspng his hands
behind him walked up and down the floor.
] saw that the man was wishing to come to
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
remnrking:
The matter of the cruise is plain
enough, but your excel!ency limited at Sc
cret instructions"
Yes, yes" he answered. 'It was that
referred to moment since" He hesitated,
and then pointing to my arm, continued,
Perhaps your wound would cripple you
for active service?"
"No, your excellency," / answered hur-
redly; sit is about healed"
will you, then-undertake to-to-in
short-to abduct "a person and-and
perhaps deliver her to Pipot?"
1T is woman, then"
"It is a 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
rcady-be ready within five days. Can
rely on you? Then report for final details
Is there anything more?"
yes, your excellency, there is more.
shall need pass. Some of my men are with
out the lines"
| Very good!" he 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? lf-if-if-"
| The pen in his mouth gave his voice the
character of a snarl; his eyes flashed, ano
he bent forward eagerly. I caught :
| glimpse of the villainy of this man, and
without winking promptly replied:
Save myself, your honor!"
As though smtten by a revusion of feel
ing, he started back and exclaimed
No! no! Not that! Great God! not
quite so quick! What a tool you are! l.
there no other way? Let me think; let il
rest as it is until you report.-Ah! what ii
| the meaning of this?"
a noise of controversy in the hall without
the sudden opening of the door, and the en-
try of Il female unannounced. She wa
veiled, but before the door had fairly closet
behind her, with graceful move of her arm
she uncovered her face, and involuntaril!
came to my feet as l recognized the youni
girl whose beauty had struck me as l wa
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 unde
the back of her head covering there strayet
few locks of hair, which some might hav
called red, but red they were not, being tn
richest of auburn, and of such nature tha
the damp of the air had curle6 them int
a mass of crisp waves.
If tears were on her cheeks, there wer
none in her voice as she advanced before tn
Englishman. As she came to within pac
of him she halted, and demanded in a low
firm tone, which for all it's firmness wa
sweet:
''Sir Henry Clinton, where is my brother?
Clinton dropped his eyes, while heav
frown contracted his smooth forehead. Fo
an instant he appeared about to give way t
temper, but finally unpuckered his brow
and replied easily, as though patronizing
petulant child:
MY dear Miss Gertrude, you must as
your aunt"
"Call your Mrs. Badely no aunt of min,
: Sir Henry. She may be my guardian, bu
none of her blood flows in my veins. B
that as it may, sir, she has but this momer
, referred me to you. My brother has bee
|, , gone a week You have promised each da
that should see hlm the next. Slr f1enrl
where is my brother?"
The decidedly defiant tone of the last d.
mand made me wonder at the audacity
the speaker, but instead of arousing the ten
, per of the man to whom it was addressed,
made him rather draw into himself, thong
not without an effort at self-control. Agai
T he arose and paced the floor behind his desl
but finally stopping in his walk, took Ion
breath as if he had arrived at q determine
; ton. and suddenly turning to me, said:
Capt. Lounsbury, the plan l mentione
will remain in abeyance.-My dear Ge
, trude," he continued, addressing the girl, :
have been trying to save you from pain, bu
, as you will have the truth, will give 1t I
you. Your brother has been discovered ac
ing in the interests of the enemy. His o
fense was clear, and he has acknowledged
He was arrested one week ago this day. Il
| was tried fairly, convicted, and sentenced
! be hanged as a spy. Yesterday he perishe
in the fire at Cruger's Wharf before the SCI
tence could be executed"
) Now at these words / guessed this was IL
girl whom l had been expected to kidna
and make way with, and my first impuls
| quickly controlled, was to blurt out the faa
of her own danger. 1t had become plai1
however, that Clinton could not screw h
courage to going the length of even ind
rectly taking her life, much as he wished fl
some reason to be rid of her. 1t was stron
: ! ly forced on me that he was being used as
cat'spaw by the woman who was known
, powerfully influence his actions, even to Il