The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-04
COPYRIGHT, 1902, The N-MERRlLL COMPANY.

the grass and would not speak again until
the waiting time was fully over and Yeates
gave the word to fall in line for the ad-
vance
Having learned the lay of the land in his
earlier reconnaissance, the old borderer
shortened the distance for us by guiding US
across the neck of a horseshoe bend In the
stream, and a half hours blind groplng
through the forest fetched us out upon the
river bank again, this time precisely oppo-
site the Indians lodge fire on the other side.
Here there was little pause for three
OF us while Ephraim Yeates crept down the
bank to try with his sounding pole what
chance we had of crossing.
Measured by what could be seen from our
covert the narrow width Of quick water
seemed the last of the many obstacles.
Lulled TO security, guessed. by the
apparent success of their ruSe to throw US
on the scent six of the CherokeeS were
lying feet to fire like the spokes of wheel
for which the fitful blaze was the hub. The
seventh man was squatted before a small
tepee lodge of dressed skins, which, as we
took it, would be the sleeping quarters of
the captives. Whilst all the others lay stiff
and stark as if wrapped in soundest sleep,
this sentry guard, too, Ii seemed was
scarcely more than half awake, for as we
looked his gun was slipping from the hol-
low of his arm and he was nodding to for
getfulness.
Richard was a-crouch beside me in this
peeping reconnaissance, and 1 could feel
him trembling in impatient eagerness.
1T should be easy enough-what think
your he whispered; and then with a sud
den grasp upon my wrist: You are cool
and steady nerved, John Ireton; / swear
you do not love her / dol''
Nay, / grant you that Dick" said /,
making sure that his excitement would OBJ
scure the double meaning in the admission.
And then I added. sincerely enough: "She
has never given me the right to love her
at ALL"
God help her at this pass!" he said
more to himself than to me; and then he
would go in a breath from blessing Mar
gerry to. cursing Ephraim Yeates for his
fresh delay.
1t was Uncanoola who broke In upon the
muttered malediction.
'Wahl Captain Jennif' cuss plenty heap
like missionary medicine man. Look-seei
Uncanoola no can find white squaw horse
hey?" ~
At his word we both looked for the
horses, marking now that they were no.
where to be seen within the circle lighted
by the lodge fire. The Catawba grunted
his doubt that the enemy was inalert
as he appeared to be; then he set the doubt
In words. 'Chelakee heap slick. Sleep only
one eye, mebbe, hey? Injun warrior no
hide horse and go sleep both eye on war
path"
Here our scout came gliding back, so
before We heard him. Dick had said was
overcool. but the old mans ghostlike re-
appearance gave me such start as made
me prinkle to my fingers ends.
How will it be, Eph?" Dick queried, hot
ly eager to be at work. "We can make it
across? Never say we can't pass that bit of
still water, mani
But Ephraim Yeates did say so in set
terms.
Il reckon ez how we've got to cross, but
not jest here-away, Capn Dick. She amt
making any fuss about it, but she's a-slip-
ping along like creased lightning, deep and
nightly powerful. L amt saying we
moughtn't. swim her and come out some
where's this side o Danl Boone's county;
but we'll make ii a heap quicker by pro-
jecfng round till we find the ford where
them varmints made out to cross"
Cod said Dick deep in his throat:
more time to be killed! By
The old man was parting the bushes to
have better sight of the encampment op-
posite. but at Dicks outbreak he fell back
quickly and clapped hand on the lips Of
cursing.
Hist! Lookee over yonder. will YER he
ear but mine: 1.-The Lord be marciful to
that little gal. Cap'n John: we've fooled
our chance .away-thel games afoot. and
/ looked and saw nothing save that the
sentry guard had risen to throw handful
of dry branches on the dying fire. But on
the instant the dry wood blaZed up and in
the wider circle of freight L saw what the
keener eyes of Ephraim Yeates had deserted
the sooner. In the shadowy background
of the surrounding forest dozen horsemen
were converging in orderly array upon the
encampment, and at the blazing up of the
dry branches their leader gave the COM
mand to charge.
to be was over in the briefest space The
troopers galloped in with shouts and aim
less pistolings, raising a clamor that was
instantly doubled by the yells of the In
dians. AS for resistance, the charging
troop met with nothing worse than the
yellings and scattering fusillade in air.
Then the ring Of horsemen narrowed in to
closer. quarters and there was some flash
ing of bare steel in the freight, at which
the Cherokee kidnapers melted away and
vanished as If by magic.
no 6rip
and her maid had burst out of the sleeping
lodge to find themselves in the thick of the
sham battle: and II was but womanlike that
they should add their shrieks to the din,
being well terrified they had a right
to be. But now the leader Of the attacking
troop speedily brought order with word
of command; and when his men fell back
to post themselves as vedettes among the
trees the officer dismounted to uncover
courteously and to bow low to the lady.
THE hoss captain!' muttered Ephraim
Yeates under his breath; but we did not
need his word for it, Twas but a child's
pebble toss across the barrier stream and
we could both see and hear.
Il give you joy of your escape, Mistress
Margery," said the baronet, mouthing his
words like player who had long since
couned his lines and got them well by
heart and letter perfect. rThese slippery
savages have given US a pretty chase / do
assure you. But you are trembling yet;
calm yourself, dear lady; you are quite
safe now"
1 was watching her intently as he spoke.
Twas now hard upon two months since I
had seen her last In that fateful upper room
at Appleby Hundred. and the interval-or
mayhap it was only the hardships and dis
tresses of the captive flght-had changed
her woefully. Yet now, as when we had
stood together at the bar of Colonel Tarle-
tons court, L saw her pass from mood to
mood in the turning of a leaf, her natural
terror slipping from her like a cast-off gar
ment and sweet dignity coming to clothe
her in queenler robe making her, as /
would think. more beautiful than ever.
81 thank you. Sir Francis-for myself and
for poor jeanne she said. You have
He bowed again and spread his hands as
a friend willing but helpless.
Upon my honor, my dear lady, nothing
would give me greater pleasure. But what
can l say? We are upon the Kings busi-
ness, as you well know, and our mission
will not brook an hours delay-indeed we
are here only by the good chance which
led your captors to choose our route for
theirs. have no alternative but to take
you and your woman with US to the west:
but 1 do assure you
She stopped him with an impassione
gesture of dissent, and darting a despairing
glance around that minded me of some poor
hunted thing hopelessly enmeshed in the
net of the fowler, she clasped her hands
and wrung them. breaking down piteously
at the last and begging him by all that
back TO her father, IL only with a single
soldier for guard.
Twas then we had to drag my dear lad
down and hold him fast else he had flung
himself into the torrent in some mad en-
deavor to spend his life for her. So know
not I'm what false phrase the baronet re-
fused her. but when looked again she was
Il 49, H. - Il. ~