The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13

"'Tis nigh on TO a crime" said I.
This victory. smartly followed Up.
might WEI be the turning Of the tide for
US"
flying condition. Twill be no less as
il is" he declared. Mark you, Jack;
twill put new life into the cause and
nerve every man of ours afresh. And
as for the redcoats. if my Lord Corn
wallis gets the news of it in a lump as
he should. Gates viii have plenty OF time
to set himself in motion. slow is he is. -.
Twas then / had an inspiration, and
thought upon il for moment
What are your plans. Richard?'
lie shook his head. Il have none
worth the name.
Then you are not committed to Colo
mel Sewer for term Of service?'
No: nor to Cieaveland. nor Mcdowell.
nor any. We heard there was to be fight
ing eawsy-Ephraim Yeates and l.
and We came as volunteers"
Good! then 1 have thought which
may stand for what il is worth. To
make the most Of this victory over Ma
jor Ferguson. Gates should be appTised
at once and by a sure tongue; and his
lordship should have the news quickly.
too, and in lump. as you say. Let us
take horse and ride post, we two; you
to Gates at Hillsborough and / to Char
lotte"
4 had thought Of my part of that"
he said in a muse. Then he came alive
to the risk ! should run. But you can't
well go back 10 CORVALLIS now, Jack;
'tis playing with death There will be
other ews-carriers-there are sure to
be: and a single breath to whisper what
you have done will hang you higher than
Haman."
I shrugged at this "'Tis but a war
hazard"
He looked at me curiously. saw a
shrewd question in his eyes and set in
stant action as barrier in the way Of
its asking.
Let us find Colonel Sewer and beg us
the loan of pair of horses" said 1; and
so we were kept from coming upon the
dangerous ground of pointed questions
and eVasiVe answers.
Somewhat to my surprise, both Sewer
and Shelby fell in at once with our pro-
ject. commencing it heartily; and L
learned from the lips of that courtliest
Of frontiersmen, 'Nolichucky Jack" the
real reason for the proposed hurried re-
turn of the over-mountain men. The
Cherokees. never to be trusted, had, as 1t
seemed, procured war supplies from the
British posts to the southwark, and were
even now on the verge of an uprising
BY forced marches these hardy borderers
hoped to reach their homes in time to de-
fend them. Otherwise, as both comman-
ders assured US, they would take the
field with Gates.
We made our acknowledgements; and
when / had bespoken good care for Ty-
bee we took leave of these stout fighters
and of old Ephraim as well, since the old
borderer was to serve as a guide for the
over-mountain men, at least till they
were SOntS upon IdInllldT ground TO Lne
westward.
Once on the high road we pushed on
briskly for the river, nor did we draw
rein until the sweating beasts were pick
ing their way in the darkness down the
last Of the hills which sentinel the Ca
tawba to the westward.
An hour later we rode the scant mile
through the stubble fields to my old roof
tree. AS you would guess. we looked to
md the manor house turned into an out
post headquarters; but now we were des-
perate enough to face anything.
HoWbeit, not to rush blindly into the
jaws OF trap, we first routed out the
old black majordomo at the negro quar-
ters; and when we learned from him that
the great house was quite deserted, we
took possession and had the black make
US rousing fire in the kitchen arch.
Nay. more; when we had steamed our
selves little dry we had old Anthony
stew and grill for US and fetch us bot
lie OF that Madeira Of my fathers laying
in.
a toast!" cried Richard. when the
bottle came, springing to his feet with
the glass held high. 'To the dear lady
OF Appleby Hundred. and may she fore
gather with the man she loves best. be II
you. or /. or another, Jack Iretonr
We drank it standing; and after would
ii before the fire, havering like two