Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-06-23

cit will be a rare sight there. sir"
said Seymour, "but 1t will not be long
before the exploits Of the Ranger will
make 1t known on the high seas IL ru-
NOR does not belle her captain"
81 trust SO. But do you know this
Captain Jones?'
mot at all. sir, save by reputation.
But / am told he has one requisite for
a successful officer"
And what is thatT'
"He will fight anything at any time
Of at any place. NJ matter what the
odds"
Colonel Wilton smiled. "Ah, well, IL
II were not for men of that kind our
little navy would never have a
chance"
mo, father, nor the army either. IL
we waited for equality before fighting
I am afraid we should wait forever"
True, Katharine. BY the way, hare
you seen Talbot todayT"
"No, father"
81 wish that we might enlist his
services In the cause. / don't think
there is much doubt about Talbot him
self, is there?"
mo. 1t Is his mother, you know.
She Is a loyalist to the core. AS were
her ancestors, so is She"
The colonel nodded gently. He had a
soft spot in his heart for the subject
Of their discussion. with her teaching
and training I can we'll understand 1t,
Katharine. Proud, of high birth, de-
scended from the loyal Talbots' and
the widow of one of them, she cannot
bear the thought Of rebellion against
the king. l don't think she cares much
for the people or their liberties either"
"Yes, father. With her the creed is.
the king can do no wrong"
"Ah, WE'LL" aid the colonel reflec-
lively, 81 thought so, too, once, and
many is the blow l have struck for
this same king. But liberty is above
royalty, independence mo- a dweller In
the court, so In my old age l find my
self on a different side" He slipped his
wine thoughtfully a moment and con-
tinued:
Madam Talbot has certainly striven
to restrain the boy, and successfully so
far. He is a splendid fellow. l wish
we had him. He would be OF great
service to the cause, with his name and
influence and the money he would
bring, and then the quality OF the
young man h4nself would be of value
to us. You have met him, Seymour. /
believer
Eyes, sir, several times, and I agree
with you entirely. 1t is his mother
who keeps him back. l have had n
or two conversations with her. She Is
q Tory through and through"
mot a doubt of 1t. not a doubt of
it, said the colonel. katharine, can't
you do something with him?"
"Oh, father, you know that l have
talked with him, H2eaded with him
and begged him to follow his inclina.
ton, but he remains by his mother"
Nonsense, Katharine! Don't speak
Of him In that way. Give him time. 1t
is a hard thing. He is her only son;
she is a widow. Let us hope that some
thing will induce him to come over to
u.s. He said this in gentle reproof Of
his spirited daughter, and then:
Permit me to offer you a glass Of
wine, Seymour-you are not drinking
anything, and to whom shall we
drink"
Seymour, who had been quafing
deep drafts of Katharine's beauty, re-
piled promptly:
eff l might suggest, sir. / should say
Mistress Wilton"
"No, no." said Katharine. Drink,
first of all, to the success of our cause.
I will give you a toast, gentlemen: Be-
fore our sweethearts, our sisters, our
wives, our mothers, let us place-our
country" she exclaimed, lifting her
own glass.
The colonel laughed as he drank his
toast, saying, Nothing comes before
country with Katharine"
And Seymour, while he appreciated
the spirit Of the maiden, felt a little
pang OF grief that ven to a country
he should be second-an astonishing
change from that spirit Of humility
which a moment since contented itself
with metaphorically kissing the ground
she walked upon.
by the way, father. where IL
PhilipY asked Katharine.
"He went up the branch fishing. with
Bentley. I believe"
But isn't IL time they returned? Do
you know, I feel ervous about them.
Suppose those raiders"-
"Pshaw. child! Still harping on the
r~aiders-and nervous too! What ails
you. daughter? I thought you never
were ervou We Wiltons are not ac-
customed to nervousness. you know.
and what must our guest thinky
Nothing but what il altogether
agreeable" replied Seymour. a little