New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-10-07
CHAPTER XVI.
YORKTOWN.

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into the inn stable-yard, but there was
no stir about the premises, and she
found the stable-door open, as she
had left it. While she was putting
up her horse and slipping back to her
room the British were returning from
their frritless attack. That afternoon,
when Bessemer rode out from among
the trenches and redoubts of York
town to welcome her and her aunt to
the fortified town, he little suspected
that it was this girl who had COM
passed his defeat.
The Ellerys found Edward quite as
ill as Bessemer's letter had led them
to suppose, and for the next few
weeks their hands were full with
nursing him. When they arrived the
town wore an air of careless ease.
Young officers in gay uniforms swag-
gered through it's street, their talk
. loud boasts of what would be done
when reinforcements from Sir Henry
Clinton arrived or when the British
fleet came; but gradually all this
changed. One day hope ran high; the
British fleet had been sighted; it
was coming; the next, there was the
bottomless pit of despair. The fleet
was De Grasses.
Next came information Of Wash
ington's arrival; then news that the
French and American forces were
marching forward from Williams
burg. On the twenty-eighth the town
was thrown into a panic. The front
column of the approaching armies
had been sighted. Orderies dashed
hitler and thither; the lines Of sol
diery were put in motion; the man
ming of the works was strengthened.
The besiegers came; the British aban-
doned their outer works and huddled
within the intrenchments; the siege
had begun.
During all the worry and excite
1nent of these troublous times Besse-
mer did not neglect Jane nor fail
to look after her comfort as well as
he could. It was no secret among
those high enough up to know that,
! had CORVALLIS followed the advice of
his colonel of dragons, he. would
! have made bold dash out of York
town ere the allied forces had a
chance to pen him up. Even now Bes-
semer begged his commander to make
the attempt, and so far prevailed as
the first essay.
Returning from the conference with
his chief, he stopped to see Jane and
took her into his confidence suffi-
| GENTLY to tell her something of the
enterprise he had on foot.
eff we succeed, Sweetheart" he
said, IF we get out of this hole
trap, then we shall be able to soon
turn the tables upon these allies and
bring the war to speedy close; then
| shall, shall not, claim the fulfill
ment of your promise and carry you
back to England with me as my wife y
| "Col Bessemer," said Jane, who
| tried more than once to interrupt
him, 81 thank you for the confidence
| you have reposed in me this after
noon, but I feel that I have been
most remiss in receiving it without
first acquainting you with something
which, when you learn of it, may
| cause you no longer to desire me for
your wife, 90 j. s*
| Bessemer leaned forward. ''You
mean" he said.
| Then, with voice which faltered not
a little under the growing anger in
his eyes, she acquainted him with her
ride to warn Lafayette's army,
| Bessemer's brow darkened; his lips
compressed. Pushing back his chair,
| he walked to the window. .'And so,'
he said, turning to her at last, ''yon
thought to serve double purpose
by your treachery? To save the
partisans of your lover, and to forge
a means of making me repent the
wish to make you my wife? You have
miscalculated in the last. You shall
marry me. Had time, did not other
| matters press, we would be welded
tonight; but as it is, the delay will
not be for long, and ] will take care
that my wife shall be loyal."
! He strobe from the room. Jane
sat for a moment trembling under