The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-07

Il
been in my boyhood days. narrow. iron
barred window in the farther end or the
wine cellar. opening beneath that other
window OF the great south room where L
had climbed TO spy upon the conspirators on
the night of Capt. John Stuarts visit TO
So ii CHANGED that when another
fash came / was looking straight over
Dicks head at the place in the farther arcn-
ing OF the vault where the little window
should be.
The momentary glare showed me the low
square of the winuow opening, and framed
for fitting instant therein a face of most
devilish malignity- peering in upon me with
foxy-fierce eyes; tAe face, to-wit, of Gilbert
Stairs lawyer factor.
In a twinkling the vision was gone, and In
the space between the flash and the crash
there was sound as OF wooden shutter
slamming in place; Dick heard the noise
without knowing the cause OF IL, being so
far beneath the window as TO see nothing
but the lighting OF the glare
What was that?" he demanded. when
the thunder gave him leave
" Twas our trapper clapp,ng the shutter
on the window over your head" said l.
He was looking in to see If we were ripe
for hanging
IT'S no time for riddles: what mean your"
Il mean that We shall have file of red
coats down upon us as soon as ever Mr..
Owen Pengarvin can give the alarm,
Ohio. said Dick; and then he pulled his
sword from his scabbard, and / could see
the battle veins swelling in his forehead.
They can hang me when I'm too dead to
cut and thrust more-not sooner.
L got me up and went to find the sword
which / had laid aside in the horsebaiting.
Twas poor blade-one of our captures at
the Cowpens; and when 1 tried its temper
1T snapped in my hand.
Never mind said /; "give me the
broadsword scabbard and 1 will play 1T
cudgel. It's long enough and full heavy
He laughed and clapped me on the shoul-
der, swearing out his love for me as If
had said something moving. You are every
inch soldier, Jack; you would put heart
into worse craven than / am ever like TO
be-. And he lOosed the iron scabbard and
gave it me.
Now ensued most painful time of wait
ing and listening for the tramp OF our tax
ers. We posted us near the door. little to
the SIDE so that its inswing might not catch
us; and so, bracng for the onset. We waited
til the strain of suspense grew SO great
that we both started like frighted children,
when finally the key was thurst into the
lock and the bolt shot back.
But when the heavy door gave inward, as
at the pushing of weak or timid hand, We
saw our dear lady standing in the half
gloom of the ante-dungeon, breathless and
trembling with excitement.
Gomez" she painted; "come quickly
there is not an instant to spare. The factor
has betrayed you: he will be here directly
with the dragoOns!
1 cut in swiftly. He has not seen Dick;
does he know we are both here?"
She had one hand on her heart to still its
tumultuous beating, and the other held be-
hind her, and she could scarce speak more
for her eagerness to have us out and away.
heard Colonel Tarleton give the order. Lieu
tenant Tybee is to take file of his troopers
and hang without grace the man he will find
hiding in the wine cellar; those were his
very words. Oh. merciful heaven! will you
never stir?"
Richard gave a low whistle.
so Tybee has come alive in good time to
square the old account with u.s." he would
the other head. Your father?" / gasped.
And he sent you to save me?"
again his guest CAPTAIN fretcn T FSs 0s sSe
stamped her foot. and though the candle
light was of the poorest, j could her
eyes flash. will you squander the last mo-
ment In silly questions?' she burst out.
1 smiled. "Give me that sword you are
hiding behind you and l will keep the door
whilst you spirit Dick away. He is not to be
in this
She gave me the weapon, though not, as
made sure in any consenting to my pro-
posal could have cried out in sheer joy
when l found the sword to be my own good
me by my father.
Sharp as the crisis was, make no doubt
how she came by the blade had last seen
when my Lord CORVALLIS tried to break it
over his knee; but the march of events sud-
denly became too swift for me. There was a
passage leading from the buffers pantry
above, and our chance for escape that way
was gone.
TOO late!" said Dick; and with an arm
about Margery he whipped behind the great
oaken door opened back against the wall,
whispering me to follow.
We were scarce in hiding. with the door
we'll drawn back to screen us, when the
cautious footsteps came slowly into the out
cellar. Peeping through the crack behind
the door we saw Pengarvin-alone.
hot i'm fhar th2,, ht<x ovo
of armed men at his back no man will ever
know; but since his ways were always
crooked and devious. l guessed he would not
wish to appear in the matter in his own
proper person. and yet could not deny him
self a 'forehand peep to see If the trap were
still safe shut and secure
Twas evident he was much disconnected
at finding the door open and the wine vault
apparently empty. At first he would start
and dodge as if to run away; then his rage
got the better of his caution and he had one
Of those Senseless cursing fits have before
told you of. raving and swearing and
promising all manner of fiendish recon-
pense to Mistress Margery when he should
have her in his power.
little longer dwelling upon this varia-
ton of the cursing theme-ravings in which
Dick learned for the first time of the fac
tors design to marry my widow and the
estate-and / do think the lad would have
gone out to make him sing another tune.
But now the factor left off suddenly to cock
his ear and listen, and afterward to come
legs to run If a mouse should but squeak at
him.
He was muttering to himself as he passed
our hiding place.
by all the devils. he must be here, some
gait. The little jade would have warned
him If she had known; but 1t is known only
to the doddering old miser and me, and the
girl is safe in her bedroom. Happen this
devil of an Austrian captain has drunken
himself sodden: all, that would be a rare
Jest-to wake with the rope around his neck!
If those cursed, slow-footed dragons would
but come. Damme. I'll have that bull
necked lieutenant cashiered If his high and
mighty lettering balks me in this
He stopped before the wine cask whereon
the Pickering candle stood and craned his
neck to look beyond it. The candle was gut
tering smokily, and he reached a shaking
thumb and finger to pluck the dead man.
from the wick. At that we heard him NUT
tering again.
Twas a play to make the very devil
envious; and to have it marred by that Dig
of a lieutenant! No one knew me In ii save
the legion colonel, and could we have sprung
the trap fair and softly, not even Mistress
Margery herself could have laid this swash-
bucker's death at my door, But now he's
gone-vanished' like straw bailee. and all
because the damned understrapper of Colo
mel Tarleton's must needs turn up his nose
at bit of sheriff's work. Curse him.
The candle was burning brightly now and
he crept catlike around the cask to peer
into the bin beyond Ii. Just then the shutter
to the little window of espial fell open with
a shrill creaking of its rusty hinges, and a
blue glare OF lightning came to prick out
every nook and corner of the cellar Being
almost within blades length of the factor
l saw him plainly saw him start back and
put his hands to his face and drop down all
been sitting when he discovered me.
To second the flash a prolonged drum-rol