New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-19

bushes of laurel on either hand glinted back the
lights of the tilbury. and presently around a
sweep of the drive 1 saw window shining Mr.
Rogers pulled up once more.
Jump out and take the path TO the left. Nj
bring you out almost facing the front door Get
among the Iaurels there and watt
1 climbed down and drew the rug about me
as he drove on, and heard the tilbury's wheels
come to a halt on the gravel before the house.
Then following the path. which wound about a
small shrubbery 1 came to the edge Of the
gravel sweep before the porch just as a groom
took the mare and cart from him and led them
around to the left, toward the stables. 1 saw
this distinctly for the right of the porch,
where there ran pretty deep veranda, each
window on the ground floor flung a blaze of
light across the gravel TO the laurels behind
which I crouched There were in all five win
dows lit of which three seemed 10 belong to an
empty room, and two to another filled with peo-
pie. The windows of this one stood wide open.
and the racket within was prodis1ous- Also the
company seemed to consist entirely Of men. But
what surprised me most was TO see that the
tables at which these guests drank and supped-
as the clatter of knives and plates told me- ana
the shouting OF toasts-were drawn up in
semi-circle about tall bed canopy reaching al
most to the ceiling In the far right hand corner.
The bed itself was hidden from me by the broad
backs Of two sportsmen seated In line with 1t
and nursing a bottle apiece under their chairs
Now, while I wondered, Mr.. Jack Rogers
having Invested himself of his driving coat IN
the hall-passed briskly through the room with
the closed windows toward this chamber Of rev.
elry, preceded by elderly woman with
smoking dish in her hands. I could not see the
doorway between the two rooms, but the COM
pany announced his appearance there with an
uproarious shout, and. several guests pushing
back their chairs and rising to welcome him, in
the same instant were disclosed to me first, the
pale face of the Rev. Mr.. Whitmore under a
sporting print by the wall opposite, and next
reclining in the bed, the most extraordinary fig
Of woman.
So much OF her as appeared above the bed
clothes arrayed in an orange colored dress
ing gown and a nightcap, the frills Of which
lowered over a face remarkable IN many ways
but chiefly for its broad. masculine forehead and
the firm outline of its jaw and chin Indeed
though overspread for the moment by broad
hilarty it asserted itself at once too good for
this company Of hawbucks; although you might
not at once have perceived this, being occupied
with wondering how such a face came to belong
to a woman. 4 slight darkening of the upper
lip even suggested mustache, but on second
look 1 set this down to the shadow of the bed
canopy.
small. round table stood at her elbow. with
a bottle and plate upon It; and In one hand she
lifted a steaning urnmer to Mr.. Rogers's health,
crooking back the spoon in it with her forefinger
as she drank. that it might not incommode her
aquiline
Good health, Jack, and sit you down. she
hailed him. her voice ringing above the others
like bell "Tripe and onions it is, and Plyni-
outh gin-the usual fare; and while you're help
ing yourself tell me-do I owe you ten pounds
or no?"
THAT depends" Mr.. Rogers answered. search
ing about for clean plate and seating himself
amid the hush of the company. "All the horses
back?"
Five of en- They came IN together. nigh
on an hour ago. and not a tub between EN- The
roan's missing Her voice sank and OF her
next words caught only the name "Jin.'' and
something which sounded like "own stable"
Unless the redcoats have him." said Mr..
Rogers deliberately. holding out his tumb1er OF
Plymouth gin. Here. pass the kettle. some
body"
"Redcoats?'' she cried, sharply You don't
tell me- But the sentence was drowned by
a new and Ito mel very horrible notes.-the fu-
rious barking of dogs from the stables or ken
nels in the rear Of the house Here was danger
which had not occurred to me; and liked it so
Httle-the prospect of being bayed naked
through those pitch dark strawberries by pack
of hounds-that without waiting TO consider it.
and prompted only by fear, 1 broke from my
covert of laurel. hurriedly skirted the broad
patch of light on the carriage sweep, and
pumped down close to the windows. behind
bush of mock orange at the end of the veranda.
Crouching there, 1 could not see INTO the room as
before but a couple of leaps would land me
within it among Miss Belcher's guests and felt
that even Mr. WhitInore less formidable
than Miss Belchers dogs. of whose teeth my
small calves were distressfully presentient
The noise of their barking died down after
minute or So and the company, at first diseon-
certed by it (or so ii appeared by their silence),
began TO call again upon Jack Rogers for his ex-
plantation 1t now turned our that. quite untn-
tentionally, I had posted myself as to hear
every word spoken; and, 1 regret to say, was
deep in Mr. Rogers's vivacious story-from
which he considerably omitted all mention OF
me-when my eye caught a movement among
the shadows at the far end of the veranda.
A moment later man came stealing along 1t
and toward me, moving noiselessly and hold
ing himself close by the house wall
He reached the first of the lighted windows
and nausea. f1attening himself and peering war
iIy around its angle This room. as 1 have sald'
was empty; but while he assured himself Of this
the light rested on his FACE, ana through tHe
branches of the mock orange bush 1 saw his
features distinctly. 1t was Sergeant Letcher
He wore his red uniform and white panta-
looms but had slipped off his boots and-as
saw when he rapidly passed the next two panels
of Ight-was carrying them in his hand
Reaching the first of the open windows. ne stood
for a while in the shade beside it, listening. and
then. to my. establishment, turned and stole back
nv the vav he had come. 1 watched him till he
.di.anneared at the far end in the darkness be-
yond the house porch.