The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-20
A Stirring Story Of Love and Adj
venture In Revolutionary Days.
b -...
HAMBLEN SEARS


carried. and the kindness with which
he then sped US on our way with fresh
horses. requesting me to take Hazel
tines dispatches with me. did not carry
OF the cold feeling that had settled some
where n the pit Of my stomach at the
mems look.
However VIC wero IN well guarded ter
ritory now, and passed post after post on
our ride into the city. At Greenwich we
stopped a moment for the last outpost
examination. and then rode on down BY
the waters side through a muddy read
over the creek and into town.
Twas a duslSy foggy night with signs
OF rain and high wind that sent dark
ness and light over the Shiny street In
quick succession as the clouds swept by
the moon. l had little time to notice
much, but at the top Of tho town we
passed or the left a long row Of build
ings that ] knew must be the barracks.
Further on were the ruins Of a beauti-
full church on the right, that / knew
must be Trinity Church, burned in the
great fire a few years beforeIt lay close
ty the old wall OF the town, now fallen
into dspfe, and We met many people
cropping aiong fere ana there In the mud
and a crowd CT carriages interpreted
with a chariot or two. Once we must
needs wait a few MON ents till line of
vehicles could move On. and one of the
chsriots brought back to my mind q
certain wet country road and such an
other vehicle tilted over to one side with
the face Of a young SRI looking out of
its window at me.
What the devil means this erowd?"
said l.
Crowd manw said Acton, why. do
you not know you are in CITY, my
friend? And that just below here Clinton
holds a court as high and mighty as
III
| think ye, are ye then. IN camp?'
Then We are near No. 2 Broadway"
| esked.
Aye, here We are" ne answered as
we came opposite tho head Of the line
| of carriages, which we're diseharging la
dies with silken gowns and powdered
wigs at a covered bit OF canvas that
hung eyer the door of the great house.
| The place was lit frem top TO bottom,
| and l could hear fiddies jigging out a
dance amidst the hum Of a hundred
voices, Joeose 81 ceilings of men, and yells
of servants In livery crying out to one
coachman to move on end to another to
move up. Twas q bustllng and brilliant
scene out there In the dimly lighted, fill
thy street For no light except what came
from a lsnthorn hero and there over a
door, OF escaped from the great house,
served to give the eye the smallest
oisnee
Beyond doubt that is the house.
and he holds court this very night" said
Acton, as we came opposite the entrance
with the lima Of carriages between us
and the door, Twas a jam, indeed, and
before we knew 1t We were caught be-
tween two lines of eursing coachmen,
enc driving up to the door, the other
turning and moving back.
A chance drew up, and | had leaned
down on my horses neck to look through
the windows up the steps and into the
house. when the vicious hiss Of whip
on the other side sent my beast, that
Was mono of the best, by side jump
against the coach, bringing me up to
the door with thump that shook the
whole vehicle. And then I had like to
heve fallen into the mud; fer there, look
ing at ne out Of the window, in some
white ard silkfn gown, with a whittier
reck peeping out from under a furry
cape WAS a face l had had by me these
ten days.
She knew me on the instant, and start
ed forward with cry OF surprise, as If
| to speak And then, on the impulse, the
| powdered head went up with movement
l knew full well, and the stare that
only a high-bred woman knows how to
| call up from some depth within her met
my eyes, as a gruff voice behind her
| cried.
| ''Haye a care there my man What the
devil, would you ride in here by US?
Come. Deborah. we are at the door, !"
and I was pulled on by the frightened
| horse, and reached the door across the
street, knew not how. in a daze of mind
| that finally landed me In a ditch by the
gutter, as l slid off his back.
She had known me, would swear; and
yet she had given me IS cold a denial as
ever heartless wench gave any man. And
| yet twas but human nature TO think
IT, Yet | had saved more than her life
but fortnight ago, and risiSed my own
skin In The saving. But what should,
Merton Balfort, expect, after ALL and
| what right had ! to expect 1t could or
| should be otherwise?
STILL what tricks the mind will play!
I knew then that that free had been by
me ever since the night at the old tav-
ern, and In my foolish thoughts the next
meeting had happened again and again;
| but the reality was of far different
| order from the dream.
no be Coptinued)
-