The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-12


her saddle. Ills my first lesson, en-? Par
don me. I should have said that dissolute
monarch-er-man. George the Third.
'Debby," said 1. you are an angel! Will
you draw your horse up and permit me to
kiss your ladyship?"
NO. sir. L will not, I do not think 1
should allow it in any case just now, but
certainly not upon the highway. And 1
wish you to understand. Merton Balfort,
that I am not yet a rebel-er-that is, that
George the Third is still the king
Yes. Mistress BalfOrt''
Up came her face towards me at the men
ton of her new name. and leaning over her
horse she put her hand in mine, and said
not a word as we rode along.
Il am too happy to stand it, Debby,' said
/, presently.
We'll l should be happy. too" said she,
eff knew how we were TO live in the near
future"
IF you think OF that so seriously. why is
it that all day You have been chuckling TO
YOURSELF"
"Oh, never mind! have certain
thoughts, and-and-certain knowledge of
my own.
Tell me-"
Not for the world
"Tell me this Instant l am your hus-
band
''Sakes, You begin so soon, do you? Very
well, then. listen TO this will tell YOU not
4 one single word Now. what doth thy
! noble husbandness say TO that?'
81 say it's outrageous and unwifelyi But
/ let it lie; for here we are come to the house
where we may stay for the night, and that
ends it,
1t was the home of man whom Ather-
! ton had hidden us to by note. saying that
| we would get good food and lodging and no
| questions asked. And, indeed, we were in
| sore need of rest and comfort l had urged
| pushing on thus far that we might clear
! the foul neutral country ahead Of us the
! next day while daylight held and make the
| camp at Nerplancks by the next night. But,
| good horseWoman as Debby was she was
nigh done for, and was more than willing
| to retire as soon as she had eaten.
Early in the morning we were again on,
| and, still noting that my fair companion
| had something her mind. l was mar
| yelling what it might be, when the lay of
the land along the road began to look Ia
| miliar and l recognized ahead of us the old
| tavern kept by Gowan as 1t lay hiding itself
under the hill. I turned quickly to Debby
and found her smiling mysteriously at me.
You know the spot?'' asked;
| quite WE'LL. said she land / have a
| mind to stop and visit Master Gowan.
! Not by any means"' said l, decidedly.
THE place may be the house of our we'd
| ding, but just now tbs no place for you.
Z And yet ! would stop there while,
| and-will!" What a world Of vigor was
| there in that last small word
! i urged, commanded-nay, tried force
| but to no purpose. In we must go. So, dis
! mounting, l called for hand TO take our
horses. and in we went a second time to the
dim old tavern.
Never shall forget the little chuckle he
hind me as I stopped suddenly on the sill
| and saw-sitting as If in camp, perfectly at
sI,.s,- T-l1,,
! Of ale before him, Robert Curtis-or Phil
pse, as he should be called-and. sitting at
the same table between these two, that
| Somber old robber Marvin.
Up rose the three as | turned 10 Deborah
! and saw in an instant that she knew all
| nay, that she had done the planning TO
! bring il all about.
Aha! Merton, my friend, here you be at
| last cried Acton, shaking us by the hand.
| Curtis smiled quietly and gave me his
| friendly handclasp. and l had begun to eX-
! press my surprise when Acton turned me
! about and cried
Here. man! Here is the Rev. James
/ Marvin to welcome yei''
Marvin" said L, slowly. you are a
thieving scoundrel, and | have mind to
| run this blade through your belly!
| And yet" said the cool villain. twas
married ye TO the girl we would most
| haVe'
Married me. you scoundrel?" cried l.
AYE at the point of a pistol
| And would We have me undo il now?"
THAT is none of your affair, man, Do
| YOU get out of here before | send you to
| the place where you belong"
Tut. tut Merton" laughed Acton. "the
reverend doctor is here by the special invi-
| taitOn of a lady.
You see, Merton, dear" and for the first
time since l had known her L believe she
was bit uneasy-"you see / did not feel
just sure was really-you see-I
| didn t
Feel quite sure whether she was Mis-
tress Balfort, or Philipse. or Kings sub
| ject. rebel Or
Merton" interrupted Curtis. this was
all arranged by Debby. and We are here 10
| witness the wedding.
looked again at her and found her
brown eyes grown large with anxiety. And
for my sins | caught the CLINT of big tear
ready TO break loose at the first signal
What could big fool like me do but take
her hand and turn again to the scOundrel
that. somehow, L could not feel much real
Marvin. YOU thief" said l, because OF
this fair lady you go free for this once. DC
YOU marry me TO her here and now. But
IL ] ever run across you again I'll slit you
in two-I will. so help me" But could
get further. for even Curtis began 70
laugh at such a wedding.
And so there i'm that same grim room the
old wretch did indeed marry us again
while Debby placed hand that shook now
a little in mine and looked up at me a S
had never known her to look at me before
with faith and trust and gentleness that
! Swore TO heaven should never go from her
face and heart long | could give my
poor life to keep them there. And beside
us stood John ActOn-seriOus, too. for the
moment-and Robert Curtis Philipse hel
brother, with a sadness upon him that
nothing could ever lift. for that his life
was scared by this that had bereft him
of all family ties. Deborah gave answer &C
the simple service in a low, gentle voice
and when we were done kissed her for her
brave heart and her dear self. and-be il
confessed--in general thanks to God thai
she should come so freely to be with me fol-
as long as He should give US life
And so the little ceremony was done.
Merton" said Curtis. as we sat down L
| some food. Il have a messag sc for you tina
means much. / suspect" and he gave me
great official package that | knew came
| from headquarters soon as my eye Iii
upon it, | was for letting It lie for tn,
time. but Debby was for insisting on open
ing il TO see what il might mean And 81
I broke the seal. and found over our com
mander's great hand my appointment to b'
a major under dear old Putnam. and will
this an order TO join my regiment in Con
| necticut at once.
Acton slapped me on the back: Curtis
gravely shook me by the hand, and Deb
by-aye what would Debby do now?
"Wll you go?' I asked
'Why not. dear?" said she. simply-a!
simply. as unhesitatingiy as she has sal,
the same thing every time from that day &
| this.
And 50 in the early afternoon I shool
those two tried friends by the hand an,
babe them farewell, started ridinl
| eastward Both were ordered South. TO e
| they knew not where. Whether we thre
should ever meet again. no man could tell
But higher authority decided that
should never be.
A I al | hnCan Ell "a