The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-05
Chapter Nv
A SPIDER WEB.

] Roger sat cleaning Sotherans unused
brasses for the tenth time. and hurarning to
himself His master lay In the second room
| beyond; his ears were quick, and his temper
doubly uncertain from his confinement. yet
the boy fingered over one verse OF the newest
song, longing to sing it.. It's rough and true
compliment to the rebeis-forced, as it were,
from the camp poet-pleased the boy Per-
haps the captain was asleep; he would risk It,
and began to sing in a low tone. The mean
| ing of the words, the swing Of the atr, carried
his crescendo to q jubilant sheut.
| He sang it to the end. and then, realizing
| the force that he had put into 1t, olapped dis
hand to his mouth. But his sparkling eyes
said that he did not care; he had sung 1t.
'Roger!" thundered from tho captain .
room. .'.
"Yes, SIR" answered the boy, Fastening
thither. "Iou called, sirF' -
| But not anger met him. The captains face
was flushed as he lay on his couch. and his
eye was sharp yet his mouth had smile.
| Fetch NE your uncle" he ordered. "Go!'
Left alone in his apartment, sotheran' 3
smile became a laugh OF joy. He unfolded his
ment! Golden words writ with jewsled
pen Tho letter began abruptly:
I hope this will reach you. Three attempts
I have made without success. In the last the
man was discovered in effeeting his escape,
Ing which you may guess my feelings; but q
little art and little cash settled the matter:
sure. @ and with such 1lttle time to prepare,
that I will not use the cipher. $780,.
Now to come home. On the 18th Of Juns,
here as / expected) called furried1y together
the committee Of safety and showed us q
letter. Laugh. for here is your desire: The Ths
it 70 US merely then destroyed II; put mem
orized the words: II have intelligence that
the governor means to seize and fortify Dor
was sRe Ga Wsh Rsrys na
full credenoe was given 1t. and means were al
once, taken to fortify Gharlestown, With wha!
result you know: wrote wrote to ~ warn It you .is and
heard too late that the man was shot n
passing the lines--these Yankee sentrIes are
devilish sharp-and buried where he fell
| I foresee Ellerys fate, and envy him not
Washington and Lee are expected daily and
Il the army is confident. own dislike the
congress Is Arm, and recruits are pouring fl
Is there to be no accommodation Of this dis.
pute7 Your Friend
There was no other signature. satherar
held the letter aloft. my ffiend!" he cried
Truly, my friend!" And he laughed tht
harsh laugh Of malice satisfied. Reward foi
the waiting and the planning, payment Ii
full for skill and 1orethought, were to Be hfs
He heard the step on the stair and lid TIT
letter under his pillow. - N s. IL
The visitor was Tudor fresh and fair, opsr
and bright. sotheran welcomed hirn grfhly
AS Tudor sat and gayly dealt out news
Sotheran received his condolences ard marks
of affection with contempt. Outward1y III
smiled and said little.
The visitor had all the gossip OF the town
: new general had yesterday arrived d.
Cambridge and was to-day to take connant
Of the rebels. Washington was his name
known personally to the governor; q frontfe
soldier, unskilled in managing an army. Bu
Tudor's face saddened for an instant as b,
thought Of the opposing forces.
ITO BE fighting our own people: terrfBfe
Henry, fs 1t not7. he asked. y
There was something in his humanity ant
hopefulness that might almost have touched
so cold q nature as Sotheran's. But the olde
man, indiRerently listening, nodded merely.
But" said Tudor, brightly, zlet Us :,
cheerful You seem much better, Henry. Ye
J It must BE irksonne to be 90 confined Dft
you know that the man Brush is deputy mar
shall, with oversight Of the jail?'' s,
II know said sotheran; glad he was.
no aIlew Brush" went On Tudor, bic ex
pressive features changing with IFS fHdigna
ton, ITO have s1eh power over the prisoner
, seems wrong. The general can have no ide,
OF the fellows true character. Prisoners ar
: sure Of i1I-tfeatment. ~ s@4 =
i tsure-than1 God!'' thought SotheTan
4 Fl1ery in Brush's care, became not broker
. in body and spirit, there was no ether sur
thing. Brushs interest was clear, and
broad hint, dozen guineas, weuld maEs til
matter certain. >. = = Il. r q
s. And he drew the picture OF Frank on iii
; plank bed, in d narrow cell, with filthy wate
4 and rotten food denied air and exercise aBs
. all communication. Such was prison life
{ and easily made worse. And when at las
: Eliery should come to trial, secret evidenc
> would be against him, irrsfutabIe; and dis
graceful death would meet him, approved b!
! all his former friends. The pieture-nay, til
:. yston--delighted him. hundred times b
had thought Of It; now tt was to Be real
Alice would turn with terror from the traitor
E and Eliery's name would be black forever
r Then he learned that Alice had been at til
D prison His thoughts took new turn.
) "Mr Brush announced Roger, appearini
, at the door. !.
"IIe here?'' asked Tudor, rising with
|. grinnace Then I'll be gone I'm sorry IL
! you, Henry. .
Gone was Sotheran's exultant certainty
). Tie blatant Brush, boasting Ills new frnpor
i tance, reused the captains disgust. The dr,
81 glow of fever came again inte his eyes d
he watched his uncoutn visitor l
II screw 'emp' cried Brush, striding iip an,
/. down to display his gaudy clothes. '.I worl
3 'em! They play sick, but they can't come
RI over me. They want better food. I tell zen
e | eat the nailheads and gnaw the planks. Hal