The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-10-29
CHAPTER ri.
THE

"Massa Godfrey" Gabriel called
cautiously through the keyhole, she
am done gone. Good-by, young
massa. Gawd bless you, sah." The
darky's voice was a sob.
Godfrey opened the door and issued
forth. "Good-by, old boy,">he said,
"good-by." The white and the
black hands clasped, and the negro,
the tears rolling down his cheeks,
stumbled blindly towards the stairs.
Godfrey turned back into the room
and, seating himself upon the chest
beside the diminishing candle,
awaited the coming of the death
guard. Little did he surmise that all
this time Jane had been in the tree
outside the entry window, where she
could see what went on, and while
she could not hear what was said,
for the tones were too low and her
distance too great, she could not fail
to understand the meaning of the
pantomime.
Was there no way left to save him?
Could she think of no other plan?
Why was she given a brain at all if
it would not serve her in such ex-
tremity? Suppose that tomorrow,
that an hour hence, when too late.
some plan would come to her by
which she might have saved him? She
could not bear it! She raised her
eyes to the jewelled sky. "Oh God,"
she prayed, "take away from me all
power for future thinking, but con-
centrate in me now, for this one in.
slant, the power to think to some
avail"
AS though in answer to her prayer
a thought did come to her. Working
her way down cautiously from the
topmost branches where she had
chung to- the wider limbs below,
whose leaves played within her open
window, she waited until the sentry
beneath had gone to the other end
of his beat, and then swung herself
to her acknowledge.
1t was an old, old trick, one she
had played dozens of times in her
childhood and girlhood. Often she
and Edward had gone through that
performance when they were chill
dren, and one or the other of them
was incarcerated in the garnet for
some misdemeanor.
The noose was ready to fit Worth
ington's neck when the figure in the
uniform of a British lieutenant, with
a military cloak slung across it's
shoulders, rushed upon the scene.
Captain, you are to join Col. Besse-
mer at once lear the old stone wall
back Of the meadow. He fears an
attack from the Americans, and every
man is needed at his post. Do not
delay a second"
"But, Lieut.. Ellery, what about this
fellow? We are to hang him."
Leave Linn to me. I will attend to
this man." r.
"But shall I not leave some of nv
men with you, sir? He might prove
troublesome"
The lieutenant drew his slim figure
up to it's full height, while into his
lisping tones, heretofore somewhat
breathless, he threw naughty imperi-
BUSINESS. what, has the British
army fallen SO low that a British
lieutenant is not q match for one
poor rebel prisoner with his hands
bound? TITS a sad state of affairs. I
advise you not to stand q%uibbling
here, captain, when your colonel
expects YOU"
The captain looked troubled. Though
nominally superior in rank, he knew
that young Ellery's position, as Besse-
mer's favorite, was far superior to
his own. He had no wish to offend
the lieutenant, much less to disobey
orders the colonel might have sent by
him, but the proceedings were most
irregular.
IF I leave the prisoner in your
hands, sir, you will be personally
responsible for him?"
Certainly" the other answered
brusquely.