Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-18

l loved to take ms Ire III ms hand ] for the thrill such adventure gave him, yet in this instance he was guilt 1 less of so mad a piece of folly. On the contrary, he had been as much surprised to find himself in the midst of so large body of redcoats as the British had been to see him. One of the few Americans who had | escaped from the fight of yesterday, he was flying through the country as fast as his horse could carry him, | striving to get together band of | American sy1npathizers to revenge l Bessemer's refusal of quarter to the I Americans at that battle.
 This mission bringing him close to his own home, he stopped there to see his parents for a few moments, and was besought by his sister to carry note to her dear gossip, Jane, since bis route lay past the Ellery place. He was at the mouth of the lane which led to the Ellery plsnta- | ton when he came upon 8 couple | of scouts whom Bessemer had sent out to reconnoiter. Thinking them | but stragglers from the British army, and having no idea the main body was so close, he set upon the soldiers and pursued them as they retreated towards the mansion, firing as he went. It was these shots which startled the British from their ease, and before the young man could realize his predicament he was facing the stern, straight lines of Besse- mer's dragocns with their leveled weapons staring at him.
 As the horse went pell-mell through the woods, taking the underbrush and stumps that came in his way until he could find the bridle path, his rider looked back over his shoul- der, on the watch for pursuers. When he became convinced that none followed, he dropped back nonchal- antly into his saddle and shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.
 Upon my soul, what towards these British be at heart, for all their splutter and their murderous ways" he muttered. out of the insolence born of his temporary triumph.
 He rode on through the woods, humming the snatch of patriotic song, but when the moments exhil- aration had passed his brow was overcast, for his errand had not been accomplished, and it ill suited his pride to leave his commission unper- formed. Furthermore, on the road he had learned that James father and mother were from home and | that she was alone save for the black servants and the white overseer and his family, whose house was fully quarter of a mile from the mansion. | Under other circumstances this would have caused him no uneasi- ! ness, for he we'll knew the devotion of the slaves to Jane, but the pres ence of Bessemer and his soldiers perturbed him much. His distrust of the British colonel was great, and vastly did he dislike the thought of Jane being alone in her fathers house with only servants to protect her against possible British inso- l lence.
 If he could only have word with | Aunt Rachel or Jane's black nam my, two faithful souls, and warn them to keep careful watch over their mistress's welfare until he could bring a force to oust the interlopers, his mind would be easier. 1t would well suit his mood to ridc back to the Ellery mansion, dash through the opposing redcoats again. snatch word with Jane or some of her devoted dependents, and gallop away.
 By the Gods. it could be done too," he told himself. his blood quicken 1 ing at the notion
 Back at the E1lery place the officers had eaten their fill. rested their men and horses, and had really no excuse for lingering, yet not one of them, from the Colonel down, but was loath F to go.
 At length they began their prepa~ ations for departure, but ere they were ready to set forth the colonel turned to Jane with real concern. "Is it possible, dear lady," he asked, 'that you are left alone in this great house with only these blacks? Surely, 'twere a perilous situation, and I must crave the privilege of leaving with you a guard of some of my faithful fellows until your father and mother return"
 Jane threw back her head and smiled at him in a bewitching de- rision., ''What harsh mistress Col. Bessemer must think me-" she re- marked, "that I should needs be afraid to be left alone with these, my people. Know you, sir, that every negro upon this plantation has be- longed all his life to either my fathers family or that of my own mother or my stepmother. Each of them is bound to us by ties that have been weaving through generations. Every one of them is as dear to me as though he were my hnsman, and I dare to believe that l am equally dear to each of them. Nay, colonel. you are not half so safe at the head of your legion as I am here surround ed by my black servants" She spoke with spirit, the rich color