The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-19

IT stole away when could. and that night
took horse and rode twenty miles to TOM
Sumters camp at Flint Hill-all to little
purpose. I fear. Poor Tom is still desper.
| ately SICK Of his Fishing Creek wounds. and
Colonel Lacey was the only officer ft to go
| after Shelby and the mountain men to set
them straight should have gone myself.
/ but
"stay, my good friend" said I; you 60
too fast for me. II Ferguson Is stu out OK
Communication with the main at Chariotte'
| we may halt him yet"
The old man made q gesture Of impa-
| thence.
"'Tis q thing done because It is as good
| as done The Major will break camp ana
| march tomorrow morning, and he can
| with their losing Of his trail. the noun.
| tain men are those same two days behind
him"
"None tho less, We shall halt him." said 1.
Have you ever an inkhorn and Quill IN
your cabinr
"Both; at your service. sir. But cannot
understand
1--WE may call It the little maids judgment
on those who have made her fatherlesa
| But for her stopping Of me ! should nave
come unprepared into the camp OF the
| enemy l am the bearer Of letter from
Lord CORVALLIS to this same Major fersu-
| son." a.
"You-a bearer of Lord Cornwallts's dis
patches7" The old man put blades length
between us and held the little one aloft as
| IL he feared l might do her mischief. l
laughed and babe him be comforted.
"'Tis q long story, and l may not take
| the time to tell 1t now. But word VIII
! suffice. Like yourself. made my suomis-
| sion-and for the same purpose My Lora &c
| cepted 1t and made me his aispatch oeafes
| because he thought knew the way TO eet.
guson when no one else knew AZ ous
| enough Of this; time presses. Let me nave
Ink and the gull" ,,,
| The old man led the way into the capin
! and put his writing tools at my disposal
| Left to myself, l should have broken the
= seal Of the packet; but my wise o.d any
| cool and collected now, showed me ho" W
! split the paper beneath the wax. Openeo
| and spread before US on the ruoe slao tapie'
| the letter proved to be the brieiest Ok NM
| tary commands: a peremptory order to fer-
guson to retoin the main body at once, pro-
| ceeding by forced marches II neeoiuA anu
| on no account to risk engagement villa
the over-mountain men.
| How to change such an order to reverse
| 1t in effect knew no more than yokeA ,
| but here again my ancient any sno"e
| himself man OF parts Dressing the pen
| to make it the fellow Of that used py my
| Lord CORVALLIS. he scanned the naho
| writing of the letter closely. made q fe"
practice pot-hooks to get the initiative hahs
1 of Ii, and wrote thus pToSCflpluin d. sAs
| bottom Of the sheet.
"Since writing the foregoing I have your
| courier and ms dispatches. Lieutenant
| Colonel Tarleton. with Nv OK the legion,
| will take the road for you to-MghI II
| battle is forced upon you, make q stand
and hold the enemy in check TIL reinforcs-
ments come. COtsN W. Al1hAo.
| me old man sanded the wet pensuokes
| and bads me say IL it would serve. Twas
| a most beautiful forgery. My Lords Grabbed
! handwriting was copied to q nicely. and
! Of the two signatures doubt If the Earl
| himself could have told which was his own;
| twas the same circle &c" the same print
| Ing r., the same heavy precision through
| out
4 "Capitalr' said !. Now. II the lightning
| would but strike these pursuers Of mine,
| we should have the Scotsman at bay in
i hands turn"
"HowT' said the PATRIARCH ARE you fol-
Iowedf"
told him was: told him OF my Lords
plot within plot-that three lighthouse
riders, one Of them a Lieutenant bearing
! duplicate dispatches. had been hard upon
my heels all the way from Charlotte.
d! At this the old warhorse-I learned after
| ward that he had fought through the
French and Indian War-wagged his beard
and his eye flashed.
/ I'VE must stop them" he said. 'oThree
| Of them, do you say?"
Three white men and an Indian trailer"
Hal II 1t were not for the little mail,
Let me think"
He fell to pacing up and down before the
| fire on the hearth. and I took the small
one on my knee and let her chatter to me.
! Twas five full minutes before my ancient
gave me the worth of his cogitations. but
| when he did speak it was much to the pur-
/ pose.
These marplot rear-guards Of yours will
spoil 1t all il they coma to Fergusou's