The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-04-21

q 49, 'Hp' mn - -
and a few struggling huts on the Island
of Roanoke, stood mantlcd in shadowy
feds. Myriads Of stars glimmered down
upon the other world and q full-orbed
Iaoon, whirling up like a silyery wheel
from the distant sea, slowly eclipsed them
with a greater glory. Ever and anon
the sharp zap of a fox. or the Querulous
boot of an owl reverberated through the
surrounding sWamps, where numerous
providers of the night pursued their Vari-
Gus ways.
The solitary sentry at Fort Raleigh
paused a moment, held his watch to the
light of the moon, and. shouldering his
musket, continued his monotonous beat.
He was Il handsome man, as women eS-
teen ut, being tall, well-formed and with
a certain merriment lurking in the depths
Of his honest blue eyes. His mouth and
chin, now somewhat roughly dclineated
beneath Il weeks growth of yellow beard,
were scarcely strong enough for a phil
osopher, or soft enough for a philan-
thropist. And. in truth, Edward Thorn
hurst, with the blood of his Saxon for
bears flowing warm and strong IN his
veins, could have been, by all phySiolo-
gical laws, only what he Was-a lover OF
life. He had not passed twice along the
stretch of sand that fringed the shore
when the flicker of a white robe betwixt
him and the dark outline Of the fort be-
spoke the approach of a woman. He
halted, and, leaning on his musket. await
ed her with fluttering heart and a flush
OF pleasure mounting high upon his
bronzed cheeks
Am [ late, mon ami?' she querfed,
with a soft French accent, as she swept
gracefully to his side and placed a
tremulous white hand upon his arm.
yes, you are always late, though you
come an hour before time, my little
Louise
All, mon chere ami, you must learn
to wait-patience, patience-it conquers
the world"
And the heart of a maiden, Louise?"
he said, drawing her to his bosom, the
heart of the sweetest of all maidens?"
'Sacre bleu! but you are sudden, mon
sieur,'' she exclaimed with mock satire
flashing from her great eyes. You Eng
lish make love by storm. You are worse
than we French"
But the sentry, disdaining her impotent
effort to disengage herself, continued: Il
love you Louise, above all earthly treas
ures. Though We are beleagnred by the
sea on one hand and savages on the other
hand. | swear to make you happy with
my loye-to live for you-to die for you
TO-
ALIAS, that you love me. since twill
bring bitterness and pain. Gaspard de
Vincent has sworn to kill you, and in la
belle France his word was death. It's
we'll to love but it's better to be wise.
Ne C est pas?' She hesitated a moment,
then continued. Let me treat you with
outward GOODNESS so as to deceive Gas
~anJ ,t;Jl ,oorc;o,r 7 - Cr,xn,nn,1r cholJ
return with the ships-the heart shall be
warm Within The beautiful woman
paused and gazed anxiously in her COM
panions face.
Think you could offer you my love
if l were afraid to defend it? You do
not know Edward Thornhurst; you do not
know his contempt for a coward Let
Gaspard de Vincent come against me il
he will. He Will find no lackey to lick
his boots, l warrant
"Pardonnex moi, mon ami; / was only
thinking of your welfare and Of the
colony. The Indians may attack US at
any moment. We cannot afford to weak
en- ourselves by strife. I am only a wo-
man, but | can foresee the danger that
threatens US. Death stares us in the
face-till Monsieur lie Gouverneur re
turns with aid" The sentry suddenly
bent over and pressed his bearded lips
to her mouth intercepting further speech.
Go your ways, little prophecies he
said softly, and forget your sorrows. l
will keep watch in Virginia this night
with the seal Of love upon my heart"
She darted from him with a musical
eau revoir" and sped toward the fort.
Presently he heard the good natured old
warden opening the door, and gazed long
ingly upon the palisade mat protected
Sir Walter Raleigh's colony from hostile
savages. AS he turned his eyes from the
scene, shadows fell swiftly athwart the
sand at his feet and, before he could
raise his muskct, he was seized by power
fu! hands and forced backward. With a
mighty effort he sought to wrest himself
from them and, failing in that, raised his
voice to give warning to the colony, but
rough hands stifled the sound in his
throat. Then the light of the moon faded
from his vision, and he knew no more.
II.
The sun was mounting up over the tree
tops that looked down upon the village
of the Indian chief, Wanchese, hard by
the yellow waters of the Roanoke. The
gray treepees had long taken on the
semblance of life, and the painted war
Iiors were now beginning to assemble in
q large tent In the center or the village
known as the council chamber Present
ly. to the harsh rattle Of a "tom-tom,'
two braves emerged from the teepee OF
Wanchese with a white prisoner walking
unsteadily between them. His face was
pale from loss of blood, some of which
was still visibiy clotted in his light har.
When they entered the council chamber,
the bucks, hideously besmeared and be-
feathered, began to dance about them, ut
tering weird cries and pausing at inter
walls to prod the prisoner with sharpened
sticks.
Finally, an old Indian, with many
feathers in his head-dress, arose from q
deer skin upon which he had been sit
ting. and made a signal for the dancing
tn cease. at the same time motioning the
two braves who held the prisoner to come
nearer.
pale face" said he in broken English
"vou in hands, Wanchese White mer
trust YOU: no trust F~renchman. Morrow
,ead Wanchese fort; no lead him, burn
fire" The Indian pointed Significantly
. a bundly Of pine-splinters in a distant
- Of the tent.