The Irish standard., 1903-11-28
Copyright, 1907, by ]. B. Lippincot, Company.
CHAPTER Nv.
HOW'D NL>\

to Jane much sadness. for her
fathers death had occurred in the
spring.
Her stepmother, worn out by nurs-
ing MI. Ellery through his long i'll
ness and by the later cares of the
estate. had broken down. and was
only just recovering from a fever
when word came that Edward had
been severely wounded in ii skirmish
with Lafayette's army in Virginia
and was lying. it was feared, at the
point Of d. att, in Portsmouth. 1t was
BcsseE"r who wrote, and he urged
that Jane and her Stepmother set out
at cnce for the young soldiers bed
side. 1t was impossible for Mrs.
Ellery TO go. but Jane prepared inn
mediately for the journey. upon which
her aunt determined to accompany
her.
Soon after they entered Virginia
they learned that the British forces
had abandoned Portsmouth and pro-
ceeded to Yorktown; hence it was
towards the latter place they directed
their course: but, carried out of their
correct route. they found themselves
in the midst of Gen. Lafayette's
army. This might have been some-
what embarrassing had not Il colonel
of one of the Continental regiments
proved cousin of Mrs. Ellery's and
>ouched for that lady's loyalty and
Miss EIlery's discretion. 1t was well
towards the afternoon before they
could set out again upon their jour
ney. Dusk had fallen when they
reached the town where they were to
stop for the night, and with the dusk
had come heavy rain.
The inn at which they took refuge
was Il ramsl,ackle affair. Mrs. Ellery
went carly to bed, and after an hour
Jane followed her aunt's example,
though her vigorous youth rebelled
against the too early bedtime and she
lay awake, half worrying about her
brother, half wondering what recep.
ton they would meet with in York
town, when there was an entrance
into the room back of hers, against
whose partition wall her bed was
placed.
There were three voices audible.
One she recognized as the inn
keepers: the other two were unfa-
miliar and more cultured. She gather
ed that they belonged to "a couple of
British officers who had stopped at
the inn for supper. They spoke of
the heavy storm without. and ordered
their host to have Il fire built that
they might dry their drenched gar
ments. Soon she heard him laying
it, and presently it began to crackle
and roar.
They began to talk in low tones,
but the girl, after the first pleasur.
able interest in their entrance had
died away. occupied her thoughts
with other matters and soon dozed.
1t was the name of Besscmer which
startled her from her light slumber,
and involuntarily her ears were on
the alert. Then followed some quick,
low words which gave her an inkling
of what was in the wind \ night
attack upon l.afayrtte's army!
What was she doing---lying there
listening spying? lad size fallen so
low as that? Was it not her duty
to make some movement which
sh"lld betray her presence to- those
mcn; should appr;se them that they
were being overheard? Yes. clearly,
it was her duty. She. an EIlrry. had
been bred to know that. Yet she
made no mo c,nent. they began to
boast to each other. always in their
subdued voices. !ha, the anmhilation
of Lafayette's army would mean the
crushing of the American cause. 1t
as that. The French would be
ut1righted; there would be no more
pt their aid Forthcoming. and with
out it where would Mr.. Washington
be? On his knees before King
George.
Ih,y Guislrd their supper and
arose from e table. Jane could
hear them trampin@ about the room.
moving chairs and buckling belts,
evidently preparing for departure,
She had gathered that they were to
ride eastward and join Bessemer to
report the result of their recon
noissance. The attack was to be
made that night. The door opened
and closed. They were gone.
She arose, lighted her candle, and
looked at her watch. A quarter OF
eight. Slowly she dressed. Mrs
Ellery's shores were plainly audible
from the next room. She opened her
door and peered into the hall. 1t was
deserted. A torch over the stairway
and another at the farther end were
it's only lights. She walked to the
head of the stairs and began thu
descent They ended in corridor
below. She passed along this to tn.
rear of the house. The way was dark
but she had been over it before, TO,
the carriage had driven through tn,
inn-yard to the stable and she and hel
aunt had alighted there, entering b!
the back way.
She gathered her skirts about hel
and went down the corridor steps
The stable was only short distance
from the house. One of it's double
doors stood open. A lantern hum
within. She made her way to tn
traveling-carriage and took iron
under the back seat hooded cloak
which she threw about her. The
she took look at her horses, like tn
southern woman she was. Their
were the iage-horses-strone
sturdy, little overfed, turning calm
questioning eyes upon her. Their
H.,