The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-03-15


mainder of the water, "this is to the
health of King George-George Wash
ingtonl I'm glad to see that your con-
version has begun"
She frowned at me, but we had an
amicable dinner over the scraps never
theless | stopped at intervals to watch
the progress of the partisans outside.
They had not yet made any movement
against us, and all sat or lay around
the fire. counted them-six-and
knew that all were there, as choice a
lot of scoundrels as one could find on
the soil of the IS colonies.
turned my eyes away from the crew.
ice to look at the girl. The rest and the
bite Of food had made wonderful i'm
provement. She was true English
rose could see that-a rose of Devon
or Warwick or Kent, or whatever is fair
est among their roses, girl with yell
low hair that shone like fresh gold in
the sun, tinted with red in the freight,
and brow of white and cheeks of the
warm pink that is the heart IF the pink
rose. Oh, we'll, as l said twice before,
everybody knows that the most beauti-
full women are the most dangerous, and
I wondered if these Saxon maidens of
old England were ever an exception.
For moment felt feeling of warmth
and kinship to old England, but then
this England, which is SO kind to herself
and so appreciative of her own merits,
has never been anything but an enemy
to US.
"What are you thinking of, Mr.
Marcel?'' she said suddenly as she looked
up why are you so serious?'
81 am astonished that you should ad-
dress me as Mr.. Marcel and not as a
rebel, with rope around his neck"
She patted the floor meditatively
with her foot and looked away from me
and at the fire
sit was mistake due to forgetful-
ness" she said, with an air of resent
ment. II will not do it again -
II would not forget epithets when
you speak of us, ~ said. "You will get
out of practice, and then you will be
unlike the remainder of your country
men and countrywomen.
''Do you want another quarrel?" she
asked pointedly. Il should think that
we had enough to do to carry on our
quarrel with those men outside. -
She went to the window and took
long look.
"They are still by the fire." she
said, land see your horse too He is
dining like the rest Of us. -
"Where?" cried, for | was some.
what surprised at the early reappear-
ance of Old Put.
There's another crack here. Use it,"
she said. Don't you see him grazing
over there to the left in that field, sur
rounded by q tumble down fence, or
rather the rails of what used to be a
fence?"
In truth, it was Old Put, about 30
yards to the left Of the cavalrymen and
grazing with supreme horse content, as
il no enemy were within so miles of
him. 1t was a southern slope on which
he stood. and l suppose some blades Of
grass had retained their freshness and
tenderness despite the wintry winds 1t
was these that Old Put sought, with the
assiduous attention to detail and keen
eye for grist characteristic of him.
There was a fine, full moon, she'd
ding silver gray light over the earth
Old Put was clothed in its radiance,
and we could see him as distinctly as if
he stood at the window-the long, taper
ing head; the velvety nose, which slid
here and there over the grass in search
Of the tender stems; the sinewy neck
and the long, powerful body, marked
often, it is true, by wear and war, but
in the prime and zenith of its strength.
My saddle was still upon his back, but
that was trifie to which he had long
since grown accustomed i'll his life with
a cavalryman.
How rash Of him, thought to come
10 near the British! The old doubt
which had of Old Put when he allow.
I'd himself to be deceived by the girl
came back to me. Perhaps he was real
ly growing old, falling into his dotage
Surely nothing else could account for
his taking such riskl would have
shouted to him to go away had l
thought he could hear me- but knew
my voice could not reach him, and in
suspense and anxiety merely watched
that old horse as he continued to Craze
almost within the light of his enemy's
campfire.
fro BE CONTINUED.