The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-18

smoothing the braid on his gay coat
The watch will find the body in the
morning and all Boston will say that
John Hapgood was killed in tavern
brawl with some of my drunken men,"
Mistress Anne Spencer, niece of the
Governor gave a shrill scream and
clutched the arm of one of the men
servants who attended her homeward
from "A neighborly call.
The servant on her left raised his
lantern and all three stared down upon
the huddled figure. Then one of the
men bent over and felt for the heart
which strll beat family tiaNRn
Mistress Spencer was no coward.
He is sorely wounded. Bear him to
the house and let us waste no time"
she straightway commanded.
She carried the lantern while her
two servants bore the senseless form
Of John Hapgood into the Governors
mansion. Then, with tender and not
unskillful hands, she bound up his
wounds and, sitting by his side all
through the early night watches, she
listened to the words of delirium,
which told her much. But IL was not
until his brain cleared in the early
morning hours that she learned the
whole bitter truth concerning the man
to whom her hand had been promised
in marriage. Her hand, but not her
heart, and politics went down before
this love story of another and a sadly
wronged woman.
Mistress Spencer was not one to
hesitate when assured that she was
right. The Governor was gone, to be
sure, so also was his good wife, but
in the library. a dull and shadowy
place, was that which she needed
aOrn1W and which che INFANT IN find
Like a ghost she fitted adown the
hail. through the door which creaked
warningly as she passed through, and
up 10 the massive table, where, hold
ing her candle aloft, she searched
eagerly for a packet Of parchment
forms and the ponderous seal OF her
uncle, the Governor.
Then came silence, save for the
quick scratching of her quill as she
filled in the blank forms. Her uncle's
name she signed with a great flourish,
and then, leaning back, she surveyed
her work with much satisfaction.
1.-THE good Lord knows that there Is
forgery and forgery" she murmured,
without qualm of conscience.
But there was no time to lose. The
vessel which would carry Jessamy in
to Virginia slavery sailed at dawn.
Again attended by her faithful SER
this time toward the town gaol. To
the warden she said:
ut matters not how this came. Some
one rode hard and fast that an inno-
cent woman might be saved a terrible
wrong. Set her free and have IL
known she is with me at the home of
our most excellent Governor"
The warden read the paper she Of
fered, bowed his head, and, not with
out evidence of pleasure, released the
prisoner.
There was a stormy scene that
morning when the Governor arrived at
his home, but tired and sleepy though
she was from her hard night and long
vigil, fair Mistress Spencer carried the
day.
There was much wonderment and
secret gossip over the sudden release
and pardon of Jessamy Wright. the
strange wounds of John Hapgood and
the sudden sailing of Major Golden,
late commander of His Majestys
forces. But while tongues wagged.
the hearts of two lovers, tried and
true, sang a hymn of Thanksgiving
and Mistress Spencer also gave thanks
for that which she had been spared
through finding poor John Hapgood in
her pathway that dark and dolorous
night.