The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-11

mat you come straight from the DarOn
camp In Virginia-to see what you can see.
A spy, eh? 'Tis cut out of whole cloth,
DICK, my lad I've never took the oath on
either side
He looked vastly disappointed "But you
will. Jack? Surely you have not to think
twice in such a cause?"
LAS between King and Congress, you
mean? 'Tis no quarrel of mine
Now. God save us. John Ireton!' he
burst out in fine fervor of youthful en-
thusiasm that made him all the handsom-
er. II had never thought to hear your
fathers son say the liker'
/ shrugged.
"And why not, pray? The Kings minion.
Tryon, hanged my father and gave his
estate to his minions minion, Gilbert Stair
So. in spite of your declarations and your
confiscations and your laws against alien
landholders, come back to find myself still
the son of the outlawed Roger Ireton and
this same Gilbert Stair firmly lodged In my
fathers seat
Jennifer shrugged in his turn.
Gilbert Stair-for sweet Madge's sake
I'm loath to say it-Gilbert Stair blows hot
or cold the wind sets fair or stormy.
And will say this for him. no other Tryon
legatee of them all has steered so fine a
course through these last five upsetting
years. How he trims so skillfully no man
knows. A short month since he had Gen.
Rutherford and Colonel Sumter as guests
at Appleby Hundred; now it is Sir Francis
Falconnet and the British lighthouse Off
GERS who are honored. But let him rest:
the cause of independence is bigger than
any man. or any mans private quarrel,
friend John: and 1 had hoped"
! laid hand on his knee. Spare your
self, Dick. My business in Queensborough
was to learn how best 1 might reach Mr..
Rutherford's rendezvous
For a moment he sat. pipe in air. staring
at me as If to make sure that he had heard
Alright. Then he clipt my hand and wrung
1t, babbling out some boyish bravo that /
made haste to put an end to.
Softly, my lad" / said; "'tis no great
thing the Congress will gain by my ad-
hesion. But you, Richard; how comes 1T
that find you taking your ease at Jennifer
House and hobnobbing with his Majesty's
officers when the cause you love Is still in
such desperate straits?
He blushed like a girl at that, and for
little space only puffed the harder at his
pipe.
''I did go out with the Minute Men in &c.
IL you must know, and smelt powder at
Moores Creek. When my time was done
would have listed again; but just at that
my father died and the Jennifer acres were
like to go to the dogs. lacking oversight.
So came home and-and-"
He stopped in some embarrassment, and
thought to help him on.
Nay, out with it, Dick. If am not thy
father, / am near old enough to stand In his
stead. Twas more than husbandry that
rusted the sword in its scabbard, I'll be
bound"
You are right. Jack: twas both more
and less" he confessed. shamefacediy.
have said, her father blows hot or cold as
the wind sets. but not she. She is the
fierceSt little Tory in the two CarOlinas,
bar none. When 1 had got Jennifer In or
der and began to talk of listing again. she
flew into a pretty rage and stamped her
foot and all but swore that Dick Jennifer
in buff and blue should never look upon her
face again with her good will"
L had a glimpse of Jennifer the lover as he
spoke, and the sight went somewhat on the
way toward casting out the devil of sullen
rage that had possessed me since first
had set returning foot in this my native
homeland. Twas life lacking naught of
hardness, but much of human mellowing,
that lay behind the homecoming; and my
one sweet friend in all that barren life was
dead. What wonder, then, If L set this
frank faced Richard in the other Richards S
stead wishing him all the happiness that
poor Dick Coverdale had missed? 1 needed
little: would need still less, l thought, be-
fore the war should end; and through this
to ReSarS my Ss5 enner was
liorating thought, and while IL heid couio
be less revengeful
"Dost love her, Dick?" i asked.
AYE, and have ever since she was In
pinafores, and 1 a hobbledehoy in Master
Wytheby's school"
$50 long? 1 thought Mr.. Stair was a
later conner in Meckenburg."
He came eight years ago, as one or Ty-
ron's underlings. Madge was even then
motherless, the same little willful prat-a-
Rere Rer jack Ens mas Twould make this stiffness Of
mine seem less the thing 1t Is.
so you have stayed at home acquiring
while others fought to give you leisure
said /, thinking to rally him. But ne TOOK
it harder than meant.
'''Tis just that. Jack; and am fair
ashamed. While the fighting kept to the
North it did not grind SO keen: but now.
with the redcoats at our doors and the
Tories sacking and burning in every settle
ment. tits enough to fay an honest man
alive. God-a-mercy. JACK! III co. I've got
He sat silent after that, and as there
seemed nothing that curst old campaign
er could say at such pass, bore him
company.
Rv and by he harked back to the matter
of his errand, making some apology for his
coming to me as the baronets second.
Twas none of my free offering. you
NAV be sure" he added But II so hap
pened that Captain Falconnet once did me a
like turn. | had chanced to run afoul Of
that captain of Hessian pigs, Lauswoulter.
though now | bethink me. he did seem
oyeranxious that one or the other of us
should be killed.
sAs how?" inGuired.
s'Nhen Lauswoulter slipped and L might
have spitted him, and didn't, Falconnet
was for having US make the duel out
rance. But that's beside the mark. Having
served me then, he makes the point tnat
shall serve him now.
''Tis a common couretsy, and you could
not well refuse. 1 love you none the less
for paying your debts; even 10 sucn VII
lain as this volunteer captain.
..True It's debt as you say; but like
littIe enough the manner of it's paying.
How came you to quarrel with him. Jack?'
Now even so blunt a soldier as have ever
been may have some prickings of delicacy
where the truth might breed gossip-gos-
sin about a tale which | had said should
die with Richard Coverdale and be buried
in his grave So i evaded the question,
clumsily enough, as has ever been my hap
in fencing with words.
.sThe cause was not wanting. If any ask,
YOU may say he trod upon my foot in pass
ing"
Jennifer laughed
"And for that you struck him? Heavens,
man! you hold your life carelessly. Do
Won happen to know that this volunteer
captain of lighthouse is accounted the best
blade in the troop"
.sWho should know that better than"
T was fairly on the brink of betraying the
true cause of quarrel. but drew rein in
time "I care not il he were the best in the
army / have crossed steel beforehand
with a good swordsman now and them.
"Anan?" said Jennifer as one who makes
ing story is but a dry crust to offer
friend You spoke of a lady; who was she?
or was that only another way or telling
me Ia mind my own affairs?"
..Oh as to that; the lady was real enough.
and Falconnet did grossly asperse her. But
/ know not who she Is. nor aught about
her. save that she Is sweet and fair and
good to look upon"
Young?
And you say you do not know her? Let
me see her through your eyes and mayhap
/ can name her for you."
THAT / cannot. Mr.. Peale's best skill
any picture that should do her justice. But
-. tS sxv,au with tho airs and gra COS 30