The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-06

listened LOT lne next sOunu lndl HlieHl
come. Gradually the slight moonlight gave
US some light in the room. and l turned
towards her.
Twin you give me your word not to give
any sign or make any noise?'
She did not reply.
II must go downstairs; viii you give it?''
Still no sign.
Then / must trust to your sense OF JUS
tice and honor"
II could not see her face. but knew 1
was needed below; and so, letting her hand.
| fall, ] moved quickly to the door. Some
| slight sound made me turn as reached II.
and / was in the nick of time 10 see her
| stealing swiftly towards the window. With
a bound 1 reached her, just she raised
the sash. and before l could stop her she
had cried out. Then the pity of it all came
| over me. for the frail little creature began
to struggle.
| Mistress Philipse, l am here 10 do my
dutyl There be twenty-five men and three
| officers within call. You cannot possibly
help the British! They are doomed now!
But 1 cannot-God forgive me, l will not
struggle with you! There is but one other
! alternative. Here is pistol; you can easily
see me. Shoot quick and straight; for will
not go down, or take you down TO those
Inen!" She took the pistol IF you fire 1t
without hitting me, i shall use this one on
myself
Slowly she raised the weapon-I could see
| as plain as day, now-slowly she pointed
| it, first at my body. then at my throat.
then my head. And it came into my mind
that my hour was indeed, come: but there
was no trouble in my mind; for If 1 must
go. would go by her hand, and that was
as it should be. looked her steadily in the
eye for a time, and then the shining thing
dropped with a clatter to the floor and she
stood still looking into my face.
How long we stood thus. could not tell;
but we both started as a voice from out
side the door. whispering to me;
Are ye there. lftinint?"
Eyes. What is il. Callahan
There's twilve min a-conlin' over the
NIL at the back of the house
Go down again and work your trap on
them. Let in half and cover the others.
Let them have it. il anything sudden oc-
ours"
"Yess. sir. Have We found annywan?'
''iSot a man! But I have not yet covered
the whole house. There's some one in the
back of the house here. Go down! I'll be
with you in an instant"
l heard him mutter something about
coming down now. but he went away, and
we could hear his step creak on the stair.
do you understand now?" l asked in a
whisper.
She nodded her head.
''Win you trust to me?"
Again she nodded.
Twill you-will you try to forgive me?'
81 cannot! 1 cannot" she murmured.
and sank back into the chair. You have
no right to treat a woman They are my
people too trying to rescue a brave man
a man know
''They can do nothing for him. He will
not come this way, and is even now safe
OH the other side OF the river. IT'S abso-
lutely hopeless, mistress!" Though. in
good truth. it was not so hopeless as It
might seem.
So she stood a moment; and then 1 left
her, and stole softly towards the door
do not go down." came to me in hur-
ried tones, as she moved after me- II do
not want-I do not dare to stay here
alone!"
But must go down to take command of
the men. I have stayed here too long as
it is"
81 beg you to stay! cannot stay here
aloner'
''You?" cried 1. under my breath. You,
who have lain here night after night
alone?" and with puzzled feeling in my
brain looked hard a her in the dim light.
Could she be trying to help her men by
keeping me away from mine? Yet she was
not of the kind that feared anything Of this
sort.
She came and touched my arm.
please stay here by me-" she was actu-
ally pleading. Either she had suddenly
changed or l had lost my wits. 1t could not
be. Something lay beneath this.
There is no fear in YOU" said I. taking
her hand from my sleeve, and moving
quickly to the door, and through it into the
hall. l heard stifed exclamation break
from her; but my mind was made up. She
had something to conceal and. bitter at
the thought, 1 stole softly to the head of
the stairs.
But ii was not to be. Even as got to the
top step long line of light spread out
from under the stairway, and leaning over,
l saw a strange sight that might well have
stirred her, any woman yet man. fer
the matter OF that. The light came from an
open panel beneath the stairs. and as /
stood there, shooting my long nose over the
rail, one-two-three-six-a eight-men
stepped silently forth. one after the other.
into the hall.
| The leader, a man in a long cape coat,
held a shaded lanthorn in his hand; and the
others. evidently by prearranged design,
spread out. each gliding silently into a
room, while two, the leader and another
moved swiftly to the stairs and began to
ascend.
sol" said I, bitterly, though in a low
voice. as 1 stepped into the room so that
is IL, madam You have. indeed, set me a
pretty trap; and fool like me is none too
wise. but must needs fall into it. Well mis-
tress. am sorry; but you shall see
| On the instant the room became light
and l saw that she had lit the tallow dip.
Hide here in the curtains. quick." she
whispered. do so quick quick!"
Twas some instinct in me that made me
glide behind the heavy curtains by the
open window. as the tall coaked figure
stepped in. l could see naught but as he
entered | heard an exclamation break from
| him;
so no! my runaway wench." cried he,
land here you are in papas old house, and
| in the midst of a conspiracy