The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-02-08
Major Charlton on Wednesday Let me


sir. I have given him my word; and |
shall not marry Major Charlton on We'd
nesday, nor on any other day. :" And
Mistress Dorothy, with head erect and the
danger signal flaming on either cheek,
courtesied low, not once but twice, and
reached the door without turning her back
to the enemy.
The Colonel swore and stormed and
clustered and the Major set his teeth hard
and swallowed wrath enough to choke him.
TO be fouted by raw Colonial girl, to
have his proposal thrown in his face-with
a joke at that, what would the men of his
mess say? Arundel, who had already
humiliated him, to be preferred before
him He drove the spurs deep in his
horses fanks as he rode away registering
vows of vengeance against both.
Dorothy found her position at home
difficult in the extreme. Her father rare
ly spoke to her, ignoring her presence as
far as possible His attitude of Tory,
was obnoxious to most of their neighbors,
who in consequence ceased to visit at Car
roll Place. They were made to feel their
disfavor in more ways than one Their
tobacco plants were pulled up, outlying
hayracks were burned Once stone was
thrown at the Colonel as he passed on
horseback through their market town
Nor did the adjectives he hurled at the
crowd that sheltered his assailant increase
his popularity. Added to this was Doro-
thys anxiety about her brothers, from
whom letters came infrequently. She
grew wan and nervous under the strain
though she did not speak of nervousness.
Colonial woman were not afflicted with
nerves.
One evening in December as Dorothy
sat in her own room late at night, nursing
the sad thoughts she sedulously put from
her during the day, when she was with her
mother, she was startled by a pebble
thrown against her window. With her
heart in her mouth she listened, another;
then another. She summoned courage to
90 to the easement, raise the sash softly,
push the shutter back and ask, ssWho' s
there?"
arthur, was the answer. "Come
down and let me in. Don t rouse any
one; but be quick
Dorothy stole down the stairs cautious
ly unclaimed the great door, and allowed
her lover to slip out of the shadow of the
portico into the dark hall, where Dorothy S
LII H. IL II
blew it out.
Dorothy he said, / am in deadly
peril | sought the British camp as a
spy, hoping to discover Tarleton's plans.
| thought my disguise perfect but | was
betrayed By chance l learned my peril
and fed | have travelled two nights,
hiding by day; lost my way, l am
wounded; | dare not go home, for they are
on my track and should be taken. |
would not grudge my life to my country,
if [ could place ihy information in Wash
ington' hand. Unless you can help me
and hide me am lost. -
sThey will not look for you here, in the
house of an avowed Tory said Dorothy,
reassuringly. Fortunately, father is not
at home tonight The only fire is in my
room; must take you there, and will get
you your food and wine.
1t was pitiful object that stood re-
vealed in the freight. Haggard, gaunt,
ragged, the young Confidential dropped down
in dead fatigue.
ssDon't make light, Dorothy |
would not bring you into peril for the
world. | can wait till morning for food
if l can only rest.
According to the Virginian custom the
kitchen was apart from the house. Dorothy
dared not venture to the servants quart
ers, but she stole softly down to the din
ing room and secured bottle of wine and
few of the beaten biscuit for which
southern cooks, even in those days, were
famous These she bore to her room for
her lovers refreshment.
Arthur had barely tasted the wine when
the swift gallop of troop of horses was
heard outside, few sharp words of com
mand, and then a thunderous knocking at
the great door.
''Open, in the King name r.
The hunted man drew paper from
among his tatters and with the other hand
drew his pistol.
"1'ake this, Dorothy, and for God s
sake get it to Washington, somehow. As
for myself, I shall sell my life as dearly as
possible. Dearest, | am sorry to have
brought this upon you
''No, no; wait | have plan, cried
Dorothy, finging open the door of great
clothes press that stood in one corner of
the large, irregularly shaped apartment.
Pushing bedding and boxes to one side she
motioned Arthur to get upon the broad
shelf that ran across it.
''Push out that panel; push hard,
harder Oh pray God the springs are
not too rusted to work! Push with all
your might =
Reluctantly the unused panel swung
back leaving an aperture large enough to
admit the man.
s'Push it back close to place. Don t
try to get out till / come for you. And
don worry, we shall outwit them. y
While Dorothy replaced the contents of
the clothes-press in their usual order she
heard the negro butler, old Pompey parley-
ing with the callers.
'sFor de Lawd, sab, there's no one to
home but Ole Missus and Miss Do thy,
sub No sub; de Kuh' mel done gone to
town, sub. No sub; dey ain no Wis tors,
nobody whats belong here, sub r.
Then Mistress Dorothy, taking the can
die, walked calmly down the staircase, as
proud and apparently as unnerved as any
of the painted danes whose portraits lined
it.
1t was Major Charlton who advanced to
meet her.
II crave your pardon, Mistress Car
roll, for this intrusion, but we are in search
of spy who has been tracked to this
place and is believed to be concealed in the
neighborhood. Have you seen any such
person p
"Assuredly not, Major Charlton. -
The Major sneered slightly. 'sPer-
haps Mistress Carroll, whose sympathies
are well known to be with the rebels does
not consider a person in rebel employ a
spy.
ssSir," retorted Dorothy "My father S
III. A. Pr. Caorc,a 80 ,rall I.co,r, +.