The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-12
which I knew for Colonel rar,..ou...

which knew for Colonel Tarieton'a
''Instanter. had q sure man to send"
"Pshaw! I can fnd you hundred among
the late royalist recruits" Twas young
Lord Raw6on who said this
Damn themr' said his lordship. shortly.
II would sooner trust this new aid OF
mine. He comes straight from the Major
and can find his way back again
Tarleton laughed. IT fear We shall never
agree upon him. my Lord. I know not how
he has made his peace with you. but do
assure you he is as great rascal as ever
went unhung. It's true. as you say, did
not goi into the particulars: but were Cap
tain Stuart CT Sir Francis Falconnet here,
either OF them would convince your Lord
ship In twiukling.''
There was silence for q little space fol-
lowing the Coloners denunciation of me.
and then my Lord broke in to say:
Il may not be SO creduious IS you
think. Colonel Rebel spy or true-hlue 10y
alist, hs is safe enough for the present In
the meantime in this matter Of reaching
Ferguson We may make good use Of him"
In what manner, your lordsaipr asked
one whose voice I did not recognize.
He has come straight from Major Fer
guson. as 1 say; and. loyalst or rebel. he
can find his way back TO Gilbert Town"
But you'll never be trusting him with
dspatchesi" said Lord Rawdon.
There Is no need to trust him. He can
be given the dispatches with some hint Of
their purport and Of how much the Kings
cause will profit by their safe delivery
Again silence fell upou the group around
the lawyers table. and then some one
twas Major Hanger. as / thought, said:
"'Tis an unread riddle for me as yet, my
Lord
CORVALLIS laughed. where are your
wits this morning. gentlemen? II he be
loyal and true. the dispatches viii 60 safe
enough II. on the other hand. he be a
Na ,r-i1l 90
with them; but in that case he will none
the less ride straight enough to Major Fer
guson's headquarters in the West"
HIN; your lordship is still too deep for
me- said Tarleton's second in command
IF he be a rebel and spy. why. in Gods
name. should ne carry your lordship's let
tiers to any but some rag-tag Colonel Of his
own kidneyT'
My Lord laughed again. Truly, Major.
you should go to a danes school and
learn diplomacy. II We tell him beforehand
what our object is, how could any rebel OF
them all defeat 1t more surely than by go
ing to Ferguson with garbled message
that would make him stand and fight los
ing battle?'
but, my Lord-the riskl' cut in the Com
missary General.
There need be none. An hour after he
sets out We shall send mounted detail
after him with an Indian tracker to nose
out his trail. The Lieutenant in command
will carry duplicate dispatches. At the
worst, Ireton will guide these followers to
Fergusons rendezvous: and. 50 far as We
know, he Il the only man who knows eI-
actly where to find the Major"
had heard enough. Under cover Of the
chorus Of braves raised by Lord Cornwall
lis's application OF his plot within a plot.
lifted the trapdoor and made my exit as
noiselessly as I had come.
Guessing that no time would be lost In
putting the plan into action. I made haste
to be found inquiring hither and yon for
the Commander in Chief. when my Lord
and his suite came down the outer stair;
and when We were met was quickly told
Of my assignment to courier duty.
Make your preparations to take the
road within the hour, and report to me at
Friend Stairs" said my Lord, most af-
fably. I'VE shall put your new-found 10y
atty to the test. Captain Ireton. by intrust-
ing you with a most important mission.
Go with the Commissary General and he
will find you your mount and equipment"
Thus dismissed, I went with Stedman,
and was accorded . more gentlemanly well
come than my overhearingS had given me
leave to expect.
On the way to the horse paddocks the
Commissary General told me Of his plan to
write a history Of the campaign: q bit Of
confidence which set me laughing inwardly
| and wondering II he would put one John
Ireton, sometime Of the Scots Blues. and
late Captain in her Apostolic Majesty's