The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-22
VI.
(Continued.)

The girl hustled abou to serve them,
while the pair lean'd their elbows Oh
the counter. and in this easy attitude
began to chat.
"a shrewd night"
! ave. a very freezing frost! Lucky
that soldering is not all sentry work,
or l for one 'ud ensue my natural
trade O. plumbing. But, let's be cheer
full, for the voice O. the turtle is heard
4 the land.
"Hey?
The man took q pull at his hot beer
before explaining.
1.-THE turtle signifieth the Earl o
Stamford, that is tonight visiting
Colonel Essex in secret, an this is
the import-war. bloody war. Mark
me-"
Stirring, striving times"
"You may say so! "A hath fifteen
thousand men, tie Earl, no farther
off than Taunton-why, my dear. how
pale you look, to be surc!'
"'Tis my head that aches" answered
tue girl.
The men finish'd their drink, and
saunter'd out. l crept from under the
counter, and look'd at her.
"Father'll kill me for this"
"Then you shall say-Is it forward
or back I must go?
Neither" She pulled up a trap
close beside her feet, and pointed out
q ladder leading down to the darkness.
"The courts are full Of troopers" she
added.
1.-The CELLAR"
She nodded.
Quick! There's a DOOR at the far
end. 1t leads to the crypt OF st.
Johns Chapel. You'll find the key
beside it, and a lantern. Here is flint
and steel" She reached them down
from a shelf beside her. Crouch
down. or they'll spy you through the
window. From the crypt a passage
takes you to the governors house.
How to escape then, God knows! Ills
the best l can think on"
I thank'd her, and began to step
down the ladder. She stood for q
moment to watch. leaving the trap
open for better light. Between the
avenue of casks and bins l stumbled
toward the door and lantern that Were
Just to be discern'd at the far end of
the cellar. As l struck steel On flint,
l heard the trap close; and since then
have never set eyes on that kind
hearted girl.
The lantern lit. I followed her dicec-
lions and succeeded in gaining IN
observed the entrance hall Of the
governors house.
An oak door, very massive, fronted
me; to left and right were two smaller
doors, that plainly led into apartments
of the house.
While / stood bordering which door
to take. the doubt was answered for
me. From behind the right hand door
came a burst OF laughter and blinking
of glasses, On top Of which a mans
roice-the voice of Colonel Essex
called out for more wine.
I took a step to the door on the
left paus'd for 4 second Or two with
my hand on the latch, and then
cautiously push'd it open. The cham
Der was empty.
Twas q long room. with a light
burning on q square centre table. and
around it q mass Of books, loose papers
and documents Strcwn seemingly
without order. The floor. too. was
litter'd with them. Clearly this was
the Colonel's office.
1 gave q rapid glance around. The
lamps rays scarce illumin'd the far
corners; but in one Of these stood a
great leathern screen. and over the
fireplace near t 4 rack was hanging,
full CT swords. pistols, and walking
canes. Stepping toward it l caught
sight Of Anthony's sword. suspended
there among the rest Ghey had taken
it from me on the day Of my examina-
ticn). which now I took down and
strapp'd at my size. l then chose ont
a pistol or two, slipp'd them into my
sash, and advanced to the centre table.
Under the lamplight lay His Ma
3estys letter. open.
My hand was stretch'd out to catch
it up, when I heard across the hall
a door open'd. and tie sound of mems
voices. They were coming toward the
Office.
There was scarce time to slip back,
and hide behind the screen. before the
door latch was lifted, and two men
enter'd. laughing yet.
Business. my lord-husiness," said
the first ctwas Colonel Essex; Il
have much to do tonight"
"Surc," the ether answered. 81
thought we had settled it. You are to
lend me a thousand out of your gar
risor-"
(Which. on my own part I would
willingly do. Only l beg you to con
slider, my lord. that my position here
hangs or Il thread. The extreme neil
are already against ne; they talk OF
replacing me by Fiennes-"
"Nat Fienres is no soldier"
"No; but he's Il higot-a stronger To-
commerdation. Should this plan mis-
carry. ard I lose a thousand men
Heavens alive, man. 1t cannot mis-
carry. Hark We: there's Rrthen OF
Plymouth will take the south road
with ali his forces. 4 days march
behind I shall follJw-a!cnG reads to
northwaGG-parallel for a way. bn'
aftelwarG ~convprgin~. The Cornish
mcn arc all in BoGmin. We shall cone
on them with double tier nUElAei,
aye, almost treble. C&a You doubt tEc
issue