The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-19

old Queens arm for weapon. So We
three sat on the doorstone and planned 1t
vanced We would stalk the soldiers In their
camp. sparing life as We could.
When all was settled the old man gave US
a supper Of his humble fare after which We
went into the open again TO sit out the
hours Of waiting. The rain had ceased. but
the night was cloudy and the darkness
soft black veil to shroud the nearest OBJ
1ec.s. High overhead the autumn wind was
signing in the tree tops. and now and again
sharper gust would bring down patterins
volley Of lodged faindrops on the fallen
leaves.
Uncanoola sat apart in stoical silence.
smoking his long-stemmed pipe. The old
man and talked in low tones. or. rather.
he would tell me Of his past while Sat and
listened. holding the little maid In my arms.
After a time the child fell asleep, and 1
craved permission to put her in the little
crib in the chimney corner. Tho Pickering
light Of the hre fell upon her innocent face
when I loosed the clasp Of the tiny hands
about my neck and laid her down. Again
the wave OF softness submerged me. and I
bent to leave a kiss upon 1.-THE sweet uncon-
scious lips
All! my dears. you may smile again II
you will: but at that moment 1 had far
OF glimpse Of tho beatitude Of fatherhood:
was no longer the hard old soldier I
have drawn for you; was but q man, hum
gering and thirstins for the love Of wife
and trusting. clinging little children like
this sweet maid.
l rose. turning my back upon the CHM
ney corner and its holdings with a sigh.
For now the time was come for action, and
must needs be q man Of blood and iron
again.
Lacking tho Catawba to guide u.s. doubt
II either the old man or could have found
my rear-guard's bivouac near the trail I
had left But Uncanoola led US straight
through the pitchy darkness; and when We
were come upon the three soldiers We found
them all asleep around the handful OF
campfire.
'Twould have been murder outright to kill
them thus; and now think the old patriarch
forgot his wrongs ana was as merciful as
/. But not so the Catawba. He had armed
himself with stout war-club. and before
was free to stop him he had knocked two
Of tho three sleepers senseess. and would
have battered out their brains but for the
old mans intervention.
As for the officer. i had flung myself up
on him In tho rush and was having pretty
handful Of him. But though he was broad
in the shoulders and as agile as a cat, he
was taken at a sleeping mans disadvantage.
and 80 l presently had the better Of him.
Enough, mani IT'S as good as feastr'
he cried when ! had him fast pinioned. and
thereupon I let him have breath and free
dom to sit up. In the act he had his first
good sight Of me. as 1 had mine OF him,
Twas Tybee and no other.
Cad. my Captain" he said. feeling his
throat III you have a grip like that for
your friends I'm damned glad I'm not your
enemy"
but you are" rejoined, rather shame
facedly. yet thankful to the fnger-tips that
had not consented to q massacre. Il am
for the Congress and the Commonwealth.
ga,,t ant ND
trouble you for the dispatches you carryT"
He looked up at mo with q queer grimacs
on his boyish face
''The DEVIL but you're a cool hand. Cap
tain Iretonl Whatever you were In that
coil at Appleby. you've led the spy's long
suit this time. And I'm not sure whether
like you any the worss for It, II 80 you
must be a rebel" And with that he gave
me the sealed packet and asked what I
would do with him.
His query set me thinking. As for tho
two stunned troopers, meant to turn them
over to the old man for bookkeeping; but
was 10th to make 1t harder than need be
for this sood-natured youngster. 30 put
him upon his honor.
do you know what this packet con-
tains7' asked.
He laughed My Lord did not honor me
with his confidence. I was to follow you
in to Major gerguson's camp. deliver the
dispatches and vanish"
Good; then you need tell no lies When
the Indian has fetched my horse 1 shall
ride to Ferguson's camp. and you may ride
with mo. I shall ask no more than this,
that you do not fight again until you are
exchanged; and that you will not tell Major
Ferguson whose prisoner you are. Do you
accept the terms2'
"Gadi I'd be a fool not to. But what's
in the wind. Captain? Surely you can tell
me, now that am SAFELY out Of the run
NH