The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-21
COPYRIGHT, 1902, The Bowen MERRILL COMPANY.

turned upon my heel to face young ensign
come with two men at his back to take me
10 the colonel.
They bound me well and strongly with
many wrappings of stout cord before they
led me down. Nor must you think me
broken spirited because l let them. In any
other cause but this 1 hope / should have
fought to die unmanacled; but now L
suffered gladly this little, seeing had made
my dear lady suffer greatly.
When We were come into the room below
they let me stand beside her, as / had
prayed God they might; and when L stole
glance at her was fain to think my COM
ing gave her courage and support. For you
must know the place was fair alive with
men and flaring light with torches, and they
had never offered her chair.
The colonel stood apart, the center OF a
group of officers, and Falconnet was with
him. lowering on the edges of the group.
as If afraid to show themselves too boldly
in such coil, were Gilbert Stair and that
smooth, northumberland knave, his fac
tor. The while they thrust me forth to
take my place at Margery's side the good
old priest came and would have joined US,
but they would not suffer him.
So We two stood alone together as we had
stood before. but now my lady's eyes were
downcast and her lips and cheeks were pale.
Yet she was more beautiful than 1 had ever
seen her-so beautiful that / would swear
the sum of all the precious gifts in God s
universe might be expressed for me in this.
that 1 might die to save her from this
shame and agony.
When my guards had thrust me forward
the colonel made short work of our fresh
offense.
this tangling of the lady in your treason
he began. How did you get your speech
with herr"
THAT is none of your affair, Colonel
Tarleton,'' / retorted boldly, thinking that
with such man the shortest word was
ever the best. Yet 1 may say that the
lady knew not what she did nor why. AS
for my getting speech with her she was
not any way to blame. i tempered with
your sentry"
by God. you lie," was his comment on
| guard and so got leave to keep midnight
| tryst with you. but not you" And then to
my poor, frightened love: Have you no
| shame, Mistress Margery Stair?"
Now, have said that she was changeful
| as any child or April sky, but never had
| seen her pass from mood to mood as she
! did then. One moment she stood woman
| tremulous and fearful as any woman
| caught in desperate deed: the next she be-
| came goddess vilifed, and if her look had
| been a dagger 1 think her flashing eyes had
| killed him where he stood.
you've found way to make me speak,
| SIR and l wish you joy of 1t. Twas i who
bribed your sentry, and did go to Captain
| The colonel laughed and shot gibe sharp
| at my enemy.
How is this, Sir Francis. Did I not tell
you you had thrust an inch or so too high
| By God, sir. think you will come overlate
| if ever you do come at all. This captain
| emeritus hath forestalled you beautifully.
AS more than once before in this eventful
night, the air went flaming red before my
| eyes and helpless wrath came uppermOSt
| / saw no way to clear her, and had there
been the plainest way, dumb rage would
still have held me tongue-tied. So L could
| only mop and NOW and stammer, and when
| the words were found make shift to blunder
| out that such an accusation did the lady
grievous wrong: that she had come at
| tended and at my beseeching to take a
message from dying man TO one who was
his friend.
| payment laugh that, starting with the
| colonel, went the rounds in jeering grins
| of incredulity. And on the heels of it the
colonel swore afresh, cursing me for a
"A likely story thatr' he scoffed. "Next
you will say she knew not what this mess
age was
! message was nor why / sent it,
| 1 felt her eyes upon me as | spoke and
| turned to find them full of fearful pleading
| "Oh, tell the truth she whispered. DOM
you see? He has the letter."
looked, and sure enough he held it in
| his hand: and then l understood the flash
| of irony in the sloe black eyes of him.
| You lie clumsily, Captain Ireton, though
! it is a gentlemanly lie and does you honor
| But we have trapped you fairly and You
may as well make , clean a 3feaS asa OF a IL
| would have her do. and since she Is your
| mistress went to do 1T.
| While he was speaking L mad a thOush,
| white hot from some forge fre or lnSp1ra'
| tion-a thought to tip an arrow Of convic-
| ton and set it Quivering in the mark.
| would not stop to measure 1T, to look aside
| at her or any other lest one brief glance
| apart should send the arrow wavering from
| its course. So / looked the colonel boldly
| i'm the eye and drew the bow and sped the
| shaft.
"You think no other than a mistress
| would have done this, Colonel Tarleton-
| that it was done for love? Well. so it was
| but with the love there went duty.
"a duty. say you? How is that?"
| I bowed as best / might, being so tightly
| bound then fixed his eye again.
You had forgot that honor is not wholly
dead. sir. This lady is my wife"
ITO Be Continued