The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13

.Capitali~ said /. Now. If the light
ming would but strike these pursuers OF
mine, we should have the Scotsman at
bay in a hands turn"
How" said the patriarch; ARE you
followed?"
/ told him I was; told him Of my lords
plot within a pIot-that three light-horse
riders. one of them a lieutenant bearing
duplicate dispatches. had been hard upon
my heels all the way from Charlotte.
At this the old warhorse-I learned
afterward that he had fought through
the French and Indian war-wagged his
beard and his eye flashed.
I'VE must stop them" he said. Three
OF them, do you say?"
Three white men and an Indian
trailer"
"Ha. If It were not for the little
maid. Let me think"
He fell to pacing up and down before
the fire on the hearth, and l took the
small one on my knee to let her chatter
TO me. Twas FIVE full minutes before
my ancient gave me the worth Of his
cogitations. but when he did speak 1t
was much to the purpose.
These marqlot rear guards Of yours
Will spoil it all If they come to Fergu-
sons camp either before or after you Do
they know the majors present where
aboutsg
NO more than did an hour ago. AS
I take ii. they are depending on me TO
show them the way"
We'll, then; dead men tell no tales"
But, my good friend, you forget
there are four Of them and only-two OF
US. We should stand little chance with
them in fair fight"
Again the old mans eyes snapped and
glowed as # pent-f1res were behind them.
Was IL fair fight when Tarleton's men
rode in upon Tom Sumter's rest camp at
Fishing Creek and cut down this little
maids father while he was naked and
bathing in the stream? Was ii fair fight
when King Georges Indian devils came
down in the dead of night upon our de-
fenseless house at Northby? Never talk
to me Of fairness. sir. while all this
bloody tyranny is afoot.'
! thought upon il for little space.
Twas r~~e so easy to decide On one
hand. stern loyalty TO the cause had es-
poused passed instant sentence on these
four men whose lives stood in the way;
on the other. common humanity cried out
ande called it murder
Never smile. my dears and hint that 1
had found me new heart Of mercy since
that ambush-killing Of the three Chero-
kee peace-plen in the lone valley of the
western mountains. We did but give the
saYag ges q cole out of their own store of
cruel cunning and ferocity. But as for
these my trackers. three Of them. at
least. were soldiers and men Of my own
race. ! could not do II.
No. said /. firmly. These followers
Of mine must De stopped. as you say.
else there is 10 need Of my going on. But
there must be no butchers work"
The patriarch frowned and wagged his
beard again
"A true patriot should hold himself
ready to give his own life or take an
others" Quoth he.
Truly; and 1 am most willing on both
heads. But we have had enough and
more than enough of midnight massa-
Gre"
Where this argument would have led
US in the end, know not. since we were
both waxing warm upon It. But in the
midst the little maid came running in
from the open door. her blue eyes wide
in childish terror.
"Ipjun mani was all she could say;
but that was enough. At a bound /
reached the door. An Indian was at nv
horses head, loosing the halter. as L
thought. Before he could twist to face
me the point Of the Ferrara was at his
back
Luckily, he had the wit not to move
NO xii! Lncanoola." he muttered. this
without the stirring of muscle. Then.
as If ne were talking to the horse:'
White squaw, she send 'um word; say
'good-by'" "
My point dropped as if another blade
had parried the thrust.
Mistress Margery, ycu mean? Do YOU
come from herr
She send 'um word; say good by"
he repeated.
What else did she say?" 1 demanded.
No say anything else; say 'good-by.'"
be turned upon me at that and 1 saw
why he had kept his face averted He
mad on the war paint-of a Cherokee chief.
Uncanoola good Chelakee now" he
grinned. Help redcoat soldier find Cap
tain Longknife. Wah."
saw his drift, and though I knew
ms courage well, the boldness of the
thing staggered me. He. too. had nene-
trated to the inner lines of the British
encamDment at Charlotte; and when thev
mad sought an Indian tracker to LIT nv
trai twas he who had volunteered. But
now my spirits rose. With this unex-
pected ally we might hope to deal force
fully and yet fairly with my rear-guard
Where are your masters now?''
asked.
He spat unpon the ground s.Catawba
chief has no master he said, proudly.
''Redcoat palefaces yonder." pointing
back the way l had come Make fire
boil tea, sing song. heap smoke pipe"
I'VE must take them" said l.
He nodded. XIII 'em all; take scalp.
Wah."
The bloodthirstiness of my two allies
was appalling But l undertook to cool
the Indians ardor, explaining that the
redcoat soldiers were the Longknife's
brothers, in a way. not to be slain save
in honorable battle. 1 am not sure
whether ] earned the Catawba's con-
tempt or his pity for my weakness; but
since he was loyal 10 the son of his old
benefsctor first. and a savage afterward,
he yielded the point
So now l made him known to my pa
triarchal host. who all this time had
been standing guard at the cabin door
with the old Queen s-arm for a weapon
So we three sat on the doorstone and
planned il out. When the night was far
enough advanced we would stalk the SOL
diers In their camp, sparing life as we
could
When all was settled the old man gave
US a supper Of his humble fare. after
which We went into the open again to sit
out the hours of waiting. The rain had
ceased. but the night was cloudy and the