The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-12
THE MASTER OF APPLEBY:: BY FRlVgS IYnDE

! would-be ravisher and begged me for mine
would do.
"Oh. Monsieur Johnl be merciful as you
are strong!" she pleaded. Think what it
! will mean to you. and how you Will loathe
me and yourself as well when this madness
Is overpasti oh, go: go quickly, lest l, too.
forget"
Ard SO II was that I found sudden
strength to turn and leave her kneeling
there: turned to grope blindly for the door
with all the pains of hell aflaEe within me.
For now l had put honor under foot: now
I knew that l had truly earned her scorn
and loathing. l could TO longer plead that
I was the puppet Of fate flung against my
will between this maiden and my dear lad.
1 was the wiltul offender: false to my love,
false to my friend recreant to every oath
wherewith l had bound myself to be true
and loyal to these two.
With such q flaming sword to drive mo
forth. l stumbled from the room. thinking
only how 1 should quickest rid me of my
self. Fastening to my garnet sleeping
place l buckled on my sword, found my
shake. and went straight to my Lords bed
chamber. My rap at the door went unan-
swered. and broad-shouldered young fell
low in a Lieuteuants uniform. lounging on
a settle in the clock landing Of the stair,
told me Lord CORVALLIS was gone out.
i
tenant before I recognized him; being 80
bent upon haste I should have passed him
on the landing without second glance
had he not risen to grip me by the
shoulders.
by the Lord Harry" he cried, rs It
thus you pass an old friend without "ord'
Captain I.eto7?
Twas my good death-watch: that Lieu
tenant Tybee Of the light-horse who had
sunk the British officer in the man In that
trying night at Appleby Hundred. 1 re-
turned his hearty greeting as well as
might. and would have explained my pres
ent state and standing but that was loath
to lie to him. But as to this. he saved
me the shame Of It.
II could have sworn you were no rebel,
Captain Ireton: indeed. made bold to say
as much to our Colonel. after It was all
over. / told him q soft word or two would
have won you back to your old service.
You see knew better than the others what
lay beneath all your madnesses that night"
You knew somewhat, but not ALL
said; and thereupon. lest he should involve
me deeper and detain me longer when
was athirst TO be gone, / fastened to ask
where might hope to find his Lordship
and Colonel Tarieton.
Its the hour for parade; you will find
them at the camp" he replied. And then.
out Of the honest English heart Of him:
Have you made your peace, Captain? Do
you need a friend to go with your
l said I had been granted a hearing by
Lord CORVALLIS but little while before;
that by my Lords appointment was now
a sort Of honorary aide-de-camp.
Good! said the Lieutenant, gripping my
hand in q way to make me vince for the
lie-in-effect hidden in the simple statement
of fact Then he roared at the soldier
standing guard at the house door below:
"a mount for Captain Ireton-and be swift
about itr'
He held me in talk till the horse was
fetched. happily doing most Of the talking
himself and when was In the saddle gave
me hearty God-speed. Being SO sick with
self-despisings. I fear I made but a poor
return for all this good comradeship: but
at the time I could think Of nothing but
the he'll that famed within me. and Of how
1 could soonest quench the fires CO Il.
The town, which I had not seen since
early summer, was but little changed by the
British occupation, save in the livening of
1t by the near-at-hand camp Of an armed
the northward march, 1t was not fortified;
indeed. for the matter Of that, the camp
proper was little way without the town,
as have said.
I rode slowly across the common, skirt
ing the commissary'S quarters and making
mental notes Of all I saw; this from soldier
habit solely, for at the time / had little
thought of living on to make a spy's use
of them. Arrived at the parade ground, I
found my Lord galloping through the lines
on inspection. and SO I must draw rein in
the background and wait my opportunity.
The pause gave space for some eye-sweep
of the scene, and all the soldier blood In
me was stirred by the sight. the first
I had had in many a day, of q we'll
ordered army. ft, disciplined. ma
chine drilled to move like the parts Of a
wondrous mechanism.
At the back Of Lord CORVALLIS and his
galloping suite Tarleton's famous light
horse le..ton was drawn up; and fronting it