The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-24

OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
Roger Ireton was executed in I7N by Governor
Tyron for his PARTICIPATION in the Regulators In
surrection. and his LArolina estate. Appleby Hun
dred. bestowed upon one Gilbert Stair. His son.
John Ireton. having al then served the King in
a regiment in England. threw up his commission
and took service with the Austrians. In l71S he
returned 10 the New World to see If. in the
troublous days Of revolution. he could not regain
his ancestral estate.
Almost the first man he meets is Sir Francis
Falconnet, an old enemy Of his English Army
days. now a Captain OF Hessians. The two night
q duel. In which Sir Francis wounds Ireto2. tax
Ing an unfair advantage OF tho Intervention OF
Marxery Stair. the daughter of the usurper Of
Appleby. whittier lreton Is taken by herLprders.
She nurses him. and he falls in love witnSsher,
honor bidding him TO respect what he believes
to be the prior claim O; a young American. Dick
Jennifer. She also tells him that Sir Francis
Falconnet has asked her to marry him. q mar
riase that ne purposes to prevent.
Ere long he discovers that he 10 in reality the
prisoner Of the Baronet. who intends to denouncs
him TO Tar!etoE as a Continental spy. He also
learns that a powder convoy 10 to be sent out to
arm the Indians for raids upon the patriots.
Nhfle trying TO escape with the map of the route
OF TINS convoy. he Is captured Tarletvn con-
ss fa.i him to sssse; an 2ssi auf b,9 the ss nis ,nss eeiG IRE
TO carry The map 10 Jennifer. but Is taken Tarle-
VINO boldly declares that .he IL his wife. GiioeFt
STAR. knowing that be Is about to die, demsiits
his daughter iSdepenaent OF his connscators
claim.
Ireton Is led out to execution. but saved At the
last moment by q band Of patriots; Uneanoola,
chances to find Jennifer surrounded by enemies.
He reseues Jennifer and the two engage in .
Massery stair is kidnapped by Indians; John
rain Yestes. az old hunter. set out TO rescue
her: After many adventures; they locate Mar
ihen dash Up and prevent Ireton's party from
aiding her.
CHAPTER xxIv-Continued.
We'll. now; I'll be daddled IL this
here amt about the beatin'est thing
l ever chugged up ag'inst" was
the old borderer's when we had
fogged our wits to small purpose In the
search for some clew to the mystery.
What's your mind about it. hey, Chief?'
Uncanoola shook his head. Heap plenty
slick No go upstream. no 30 down, no
cross over. no go back. Mebbe go up like
smoke-w'at?"
The hunter shook his head and would by
no means admit the alternative. ZEE 1
allow, that would ak for q merricle and l
reckon ez how when the good Lord sends a
chariot o. fire after sech a clanjamfrey as
this'n O. the hoss-captain's, It'll be mighty
dad-blame' apt to go down stead Of up"
We were standing on the brink of the
barrier stream no more than a fsherman's
cast from the black rock-mouth that
spewed 1t up from its underground NAV.
While the hunter was peaking, the Catawba
has lapsed into statue-like listlessness, bis
gaze fixed upon the eddying flood which
held the secret of the vanished cavalcade.
Suddenly he came alive with a bound and
made a quick dash into the water. What
he retrieved was only a small piece of
wood, charred at one end. But Ephraim
ieates caught at it eagerly.
Now the Lord be praised for all His
mercies!" he exclaimed. 1T do tax an
Injun to come %a-running whenst everybody
else is plumb beat QUIT Meier another one
of lis had an eve Sharn enough to Eetch
that bit O. sign a-foating past. What
cay. Cap'n John?"
1 shook my head. seeing no special sig
nificance in the token and Dick asked:
What will it be. Ephraim. now that it is
caught?"
The old man looked his pity for our
dullard wit. and then set a moiety of it in
words.
We'll. well. now: I'm fair ashamed Of We!
What all dye reckon blackened the end O.
this bit O. p~ine-branch?"
why, fire." says Richard. beginning. as
I did. to see some glimmering Of light.
In course. AND 1t come from yonder.
didn't it?' pointing to the cavern under
the clin More than that. twas cut wi a
hatchet-this fresh end of it-no longer ago
than last night. at the furdest the pitch
that the fire fried outn 1t is all soft and
find where this here creek comes out into
daylight again we're a-going to find the
h~oss-captain and the whole enduring passed.
soonerr"
What comment this startling announce
ment would have evoked I know not. for at
the momen OF its utterance the Catawba
went nat upon the ground. making most
urgent signs for us to do likewise. What
he had seen We all saw a fitting instant
later-the painted face OF q Cherokee war
rior as a setting for a pair OF fierce basf~
LEX cscs pec-ing out o: the lcw-arched