Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-10

ftumDurR mas the PROOF.
The keeper Of the lodging house drew her
into the passage within the shine Of the
candle. The hood fell back from the fine
white girlish face, and the woman be-
lieved.
That will 1 for your own sweet sake,
my child. I did not know you were that
kind OF a lass. Tell the whole story to
Meg wilsey, and II she can do aught for
you she will. Don't you be afraid, my
pretty. Wen find a way to save your lad
YET
She took the sobblng girl to her breast
and soothed her with gentle words and
caresses. Margaret wilsey let rooms to
British officers. but her heart was with the
ragged continentals.
So IL happened that when Captain Fritz
Hamburg let himself in with his latchkey
and walked quietly up the carpeted stair
way he found visitors in his outer room.
He saw at a glance that one was his land
lady and the other Kate France. ~Instinc-
lively he drew back from the half open
door into the shadow without, where he
could see, himself unseen.
Mrs. Wilsey was holding a candle above
his desk while the girl his
papers. Presently he heard Kate give a
little glad cry.
This must be II. Yes. It is the letter.
and here are the other papers. Oh. let me
be gone ere he comes back"
In the darkness outside the cantein
smiled bitterly, yet with a certain sar-
donic humor. He knew tina what the girl
had found were duplicate copies Of the
papers, not worth a pinch Of SNUFF for her
purpose. She would take them to Sir VIII
Iam-and would meet the greatest surprise
or her life. The captain Rugged himself
when he thought of that. 1t was the one
thing that made the situation tolerable TO
hin His hungry eyes devoured the sweet
face and the slender figure was not for
him. The wild, impotent desire was on
him TO rush in and snatch her up in his
arms, somehow despite herself to win her
love by force; but he set his teeth and stole
silently down the stairs and out Of the
house.
When Mistress Kate showed the letter
and papers to Sir William Howe that
gentleman threw back his head and laughed
till she feared apoplexy.
"Egad. y'are too late, Mistress France
he told her through his tears.
Too late; do you mean that he has been
already-that-?" she cried with blanchins
face.
Yes, the mischief is done already. I'll,
the best joke"
"Then-he-is-dead?"
Dead? POUNDS, no! 1 mean you came
too late to save him, for he is already
saved. While you were rocking his room
Captain Hamburg was here with the papers
which showed. Major Arundle to be only
a rebel and not a spy. Faith, It's a sit.
uation for a playwright. l must get Major
Andre to write IT into a play for us. You
went to his room and stole the ~villain'
papers, ha, ha! Rebel condemned as q
spy-loved by Tory maid-saved with the
rope already around his neck Just before
curtain falls. Gadzooks, twill make a hitl'
And Major Arundei-where is her"
Sir Williams hilarity abated in
measure, though he continued to chuckle
"'Slife, yes! To be sure. 1 had forgo
the last scene of the play. Happy lover
In each others arms! Soft music from tn,
wings as curtain falls!'
He tapped the bell and commanded al
orderly to fetch the prisoner, who pres
emily appeared in the doorway.
Good morning, Major Arundle. Glad Il
see you all in the land of the living. Your
in luck, sir, more ways than one today
'Twere worth a bad night to make so fai
a lady solicitous on your account. Var
to be congratulated, Major"
The general began to hum merriIy a frag
ment OF 4 Scotch street ballad much in tn
popular favor:
The cauld blast O. the winter wind,
That third through my heart,
They're a blown by; I hae him safe:
Till death we'll never part
"Egad. the cold blasts will thirl no more
Major. 'Tis all May and sunshine with yo
now. But 1 fear I intrude. Exit Mars
enter Eros"
And General Howe left them alone witt
the little god.