The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-31

OF
RoTer Ireton was executed in 1e6l by Governor
Tyron Tor his participation in the Regulators In
surrection. and his .nrolina estate, Appleby Hun
dred. bestowed upon .ne Gilbert Stair. His son.
John Ireton, having ;il then served the King In
q regiment In England, threw up his commission
and took service with the Austrians. In 17.S he
returned to the New World to see II. in the
trouhlous days OF revolution. he could not regain
his ancestral estate.
Almost the drst man he meets Is Sir Francis
Faiconnet, an old enemy OF his English Army
days, now q Captain OF Heaiana. The two fight
q duel. in which Sir Francis wounds Ireten. taxi
Ing an unfair advantage OF the Intervention Of
Nargery Stair. the daughter OF the usurper Of
Appleby. whittier 1reton Is taken by her orders
She nurses him. and he falls In love with her.
honor bidding him TO respect what be believes
70 be the prior claim Of q young American. Dick
Jennifer. She also tells him that Biz Francis
Talconnet has asked her to marry him, . mar
risgs that he purposes TO prevent.
Ere long he Discovers that he II in reality the
prisoner Of the Baronet. who intends to denouncs
him to TArleton As q Continental epy. he also
learn that a powder convoy IL to be sent out to
arm the Indians for rsids upon the patriots.
While trying to escape with the map OF the touts
q this convoy; he II captured TaTleten con-
cemns him to death. and during the night before
his execution Msrgery visits him. She rndeavors
to carry tho map to Jenni;er. but u taken. Tarie-
ton taunts her with being the mistress OF lreton.
who boldly declares that she II his wife Gilbert
etair. knowing that he IL about to die, demands
q secret marriage. as this will secure Appleby for
his daughter Independent Of his ccntiscstor's
claim.
Ireton 10 led out to execution. but saved At the
last moment by q band OF patrfotA- Uncanoola,
his Indian playmate OF boyhcod days. lnforms
him that Jenniser. too. has escaped. Ireton
chances to find Jennifcr surrounded by -nenies-
He rescues. Jennifer and the two engage in .
Msrsery star i. kidnapped BY Indians; John
Mston, accompanied by Dick Jenn.fer and Ephr-
RAIN Yeates. a. old hunter. set out to rescue
her, After many adyensu1es; they locate Mar,
S sssn e dnsh A SP ana p asr; F1 fssson:. Dsrt sy0G spem
aiding her. Jennifer plans . new coup.
CHAPTER xxVI-Continued.
30 we waited. and 1 could hear his teeth
clicking like castanets. Having had a
tertian fever more than once in the Turk
ish campaigning. I had a fel,ow-feeling for
the poor Lad. knowing well how the thought
OF q plunge into cold water would make
him shrink.
In a little while he felt for my hand and
grasped 1t
I'm warm enough now. in all con-
science he said: and with that we slipped
into the stream.
Twas a disappointment Of the grateful
sort to find the water no more than mid
thigh deep. The current was swift and
strong. but with the pebbly bottom to give
good footing twas possible to stem 1t SLOW
ly. Laying hold of each other for the bet
tar breasting Of the flood We felt our way
warily to the middle OF the pool: felt for the
low-sprung cavern arch. and for that scanty
AitlnS OF II WEere We hoped to rnd head
room between stone above and stream be-
low.
We found the highest part Of the arch
after some blind cropping. INT making lowly
o6eisance to the gods Of the underworld be-
gan q scail-like progress into the surgling
throat of the spewing rock-monster.
! here confess to you. my dears, that, had
! loved my sweet lady less. no earthly
owe could have driven me into tina dis
NAL stiGing place. All my life long / have
had q most u~nspeakable horror OF low
rooted caverns and squeezing passages that
cfamp q man for breath and for the room
70 draw 1t In: and when the suffocating
madness came upon me. as 1t did when we
were vel Jammed in this cursed horror
hole. I was right glad to have my love for
Nargery to make An notwithstanding man
Of me-: glad, too. that my dear lad was
close behind to shame me into going on.
Yet, after all. the passage through the
throat Of the rock dragon was vastly more
terrifying than difficult. Once well within
the closely drawn upper lip we could brace
our backs against the roof and 80 have q
purchase for the foothold. Better still.
we had passed a pike's-length beyond
the lip the breathing space above the water
grew wider ard higher. tf1 at length We
stand erect and come abreast to lock
arms and push on side by side.
From that the stream Droadened and grew
1Aaiew viii every step. and presently We