The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-05

a. a. EbAE OHn AINELEsA NAfcEE.-
What would you have me Do"
"A very little thing to weigh against a
life Mr.. Gilbert Stair is my very good
friend"
] let that go uneontradicted.
His title TO the estate is secure enough.
as you know. but you can make ii better"
he went on.
This saying of his told me what had
only guessed: that as vet he had not been
admitted into Gilbert Stairs fUli confidence:
also, that he had no hint OF what had
taken place in my chamber som hour or
Two past midnight At that. a iay fierce
like pain came TO thrill me.
Go on" said l.
Your route TO Camden lies through
Charlotte. Your guard will give you time
and opportunity to execute n guiiclaim TO
Mr. Stairs favor"
rs that anT' ! asked.
No; after that our ways must lie apart
or yours and Marcery's. at all events. Give
me your word of honor that you relinquish
any claim you have. or think you have. up
On her. and 1 pass this letter on to the
ensign"
And II 1 refuse
He came so near thai l could see the
lurking devil in his eyes.
If you refuse? Harken. John Ireton: il
you had a hundred lives TO thrust between
me and the thing l crave. I'd take them
all" So much he said calmly: rnan a
sudden gust Of passion seized him.
and for once. 1 think. he spoke the simple
truth. Cod! I'd sink my soul in Caivin's
hell TO have herr
/ could not wholly mask the smile of
triumph that his words evoked. This fox
OF maiden vineyards was entrapped at
last. ! saw the fire OF such a passion as
such a man may know burning in his eys.
and then / knew why he was come upon
this Grand
'so?' said L. Then Mistress Msrgery
sent you here to save meT' Twas but a
guess. but ! made sure It hit the truth.
He swore n sneerinE OATH. so the priest
carried tales. did he? Well. make the most
OF IL; she would not have her fathers guest
taken from his bed and hanged like a
dog"
1 smiled again. Twas more than that:
she would even go 80 far as to beg her
husbands life a boon from that same hus-
bands mortal enemy"
"Bahr" he sconed. THAT lie Of yours i'm
posed upon the Colonel. but had better in
formation"
"A lie. you say? True. twas a lie when
II was uttered. But afterwards. some hour
or so past midnight. by the good help of
| Father Matthew. and with your Lieutenant
Tybee for one witness and the lawyer for
another. we made a sober truth OF IT,"
l hope. for youf OWN peace OF mind my
| dears. that you may never see a fellow-hu-
man turn devil in a breath as ] did then.
His mans face fell away from him like =
vanishing mask. and in the place OF 4; 8
hideous demon. malignant and murdsrouS,
glared upon me. Twice his hand sought
the sword-hilt. and once the blade was half
unsheathed. Then ne thrust his devil-face
in mine and Missed his parting word at me
so like 4 snake it made me shudder with
adherence.
You've signed your own death warrant.
You witiess fool! You'd play the spolI-sport
here as you did once before. would you?
Curse you'll L Sish you had a hundred lives
! that might take them one by one?" Then
: he wheeled sharp upon his heel and gave
the order TO the ensign Belt him 20 the
/ tree, Farquharson. and make an end Of
him I've kept you waiting overlong."
They strapped me to a tree with other
belts. and when all was ready the ensign
| stepped aside to give the word. Just here
there came q little pause prolonged beyond
the moment Of completed preparation 1
knew not why they waited. having other
things to think Of. l saw the firing line
drawn up with musket leyeled. / marked
the row OF weather-beaten faces pillowed On
the gun-stocks with eyes asquint 20 sight
the pieces. I remember counting UP the
pointing muzzles: remember wondering
which would be the first TO belch its fire
at me, and II, at that short range. a man
1 night live TO see the fash and hear the
rSr before the bullets killed the senses.
But while 1 screwed my courage to the
sticking place and sought to hold it there.
the pause became a keen-edged agony.
A glance aside-a glance thatS cost
q mightier effort than It takes to
, break q niRhtmare-showed me the ensign
standing ear a-csck, as one who listens.
he heard I know not. for all the
earth seemed hushed to silence waiting on
his word. But On the instant the early
morning stiffness OF the forest crashed
alive. and pandemonium was come. A saw
age yell to set the very leaves a-tremble,
q cracking volley from the underwood that
laff q hGan nf Qrifhfn0 drFn9 49, 1885,.
but now the firing squad had stood: then a
headlonE charge Of rough-clad horsemen-
all this befeil in less than the time the
written words can measure
/ sensed It all but vaguely at the first. but
when a passing horsernan slashed me free I
came alive. and life ana all II meant TO me
was conferred IN a single nerce desire. Fal-
comet had escaped the f~usilsde; was MAJ
ing swiftly for his horse. safe as yet from
any touch Of lead or steel So l might reach
and pull him down. 1 cared no great what
followed after.
1t was not so to be. In the swift dash
across the glade ! went too near the
shambles. In the midst. The Corporal of the
firing squad. a bearded Saxon giant. whose
face, hideously distorted. will haunt me
while I live. lay fairly In the way. his heels
drumming in the death agony. and HIS great
hands clutching at the empty air.
l leaped to clear him. In the act the
clntching hands laid hrld OF me and | was
tripped and thrown upon the heap of dead
and dying men. and could not free myself
In time to stop the baronet.
i saw him gain his horse and mount; saw
the fash Of his sword and the skii;ful
parry that In q single parade warded death
on either hand: ssw him drive home the
spurs and vanish among the trees. with ma
norse-holding trooper CO his heels.
And then my rescuefs. or else my newer
captOrs picked me UP hastily: and I vas
hoisted behind the saddle OF tn. nearest.
and 50 vss borne away in all the hue ana
cry OF a most unsoldierly retreat.
XIV.
In Which a Pilgrimage Begins.
As you have guessed before you turned
this page. the men who charged so op-
~portrneiy to cut me out OF peril were my
cSptors only in the saving sense.
Their overnight bivouac was not above
a mile beyond the glade OF adjustment. |
It was In a little dell. cunningly hid: and
the em5ers of the camp fires were still alive
when we OF the horse came first TO this
agreed-on rallying point.
Here at this rendezvous in the forests
heart / had M first sight OF any fighting
fragment OF that undiscipIlned and yet un-
conquerable patriot home guard that even
in defezt proved too tough a morssl for
British Jaws to masucate.
They promised little TO the eye OF 4
trained soldier. these border IevieA In
fancy I could see my old Field Marshal
he was the father OF all the martinets-turn |
I'D his nose and GSmiss them with a cor
temptuous "Achi me.l Gottr,, Ard. truly.
there was little outward show among them !
Of the sterling metal underneath