Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-31

81 know not what apology to make
for Jane" said her stcpmother. "but
IL seems she set out at dawn for ono
of those horseback rides of which
she is so fond. and has not yet re-
turned. | doubt me not she will
come in at the tail end Of the meal,
when all is cold, as Is her won't"
But the meal drew TO O close and
still no Jane appeared. Bcssemer's
brow, clear enough upon his entrance
into the room, grew creased, and
when his arrangements for depart
IRE were complete and still she had
not come he i'll concealed his irrita-
ton. The reflection that Jane must
have known that he could not long
delay his departure from her fathers
house. and the suspicion that she had
taken herself off for the very pur-
pose Of depriving him of that adieu
TO which. IA her accepted lover, he
was entitled. was not pleasing.
When the troops rode out from the
Ellery place the mist Of early morn
ing i'm late summer filled the mir. At
the head Of the cavalcadc rode Bcsse-
mer. and close beside him was the
prisoner. carried by stout trooper
upon his horse. The Americans
arms were tightly bound. while the
sabrc-cut upon his check showed liyid
in the morning light.
Gradually the lcvclnrss of the way
was broken by low hills. and finally
the horsemen entered the mouth of n
great forest. The road dipped into
hollow. and suddenly the trees burst
into sheets of fame. Horses reared
and plunged and went down, carrying
their riSrs with them.
The trooper who guarded Worth
ington was shot in the temple: his
horse was shot under him. and the
prisoner himself lay Il helpless heap
upon the ground. Bcsscmer's own
horse, an animal he loved dearly. had
been KILLED; and the British colonel,
frcnzicd with modification at the
completeness of the surprise, rccov-
cred from the fall he had received to
find Worthington lying at his feet.
"Iou trcachcrous >ilIain." he cried.
Unsheathing his sword, he was about
to run him through. when his eyes
met those of Lieut.. Ellcry.
Edward. shot through the arm, had
been unable TO control his plunging
steed and was dismounted. falling
with his head against the trunk of n
tree. Stunned. his brain just clear
ing when his gaze encountered that
of his colonel. Besscmer could not
81
pleaded for the life of his old play
mate, yet there was that in them
which reminded the Englishman too
| much of Jane not to make his arm
waver.
In calling Worthington trcachcr-
Gus villain, term which scarce APP
piled to one who had ever been an
with surmises of James treachery.
Might il not be that her morning ride
was for the very purpose of gather
| ing this band of Americans TO rescue
her lover? Might not the whole am
buscade be Of her planning? But
with Edwards face. the picture of her
own, before him such thought melted.
Nay, he could not believe her guilty
of such disloyalty. Surely. the dan
ger OF imperilling her brother. if no
other consideration, would have
stayed her. With his returning belief
in her came memory of her promise,
and he put aside his sword
"Your horse, Edward" he said: for
Edwards mount, reared from colt
upon his fathers plantation and ever
the young mans pet, having succeed
ed in throwing his master. was seized
with CONSERVATION and now stood
with pcnitcnt. dropped head, Bcsse-
mer vaulted into the empty saddle.
and was soon recognizing his de-
moralized oops-encouraging, revil-
ing. inspiring.
As his back was turned two figures
darted from behind trees. seized
Worthington and made their way
boldly towards thicket from whence
the shots came heaviest. The kid
mapping of the prisoner had not been
unnoticed, but those redcoats who
sought to interfere found themselves
the special targets Of the finest
mnrksmcn in the world.
The lire sackened. the ASSISTANTS
were drawing off Sensing this, the
british began to beat the bushes for
their retiring foe. Bcssemer divided
his forces and sent part Of them, I'M
der his Iieutcnant-C olonrl Turner
with Edward as guide, to the east
ward, while he himself set out in the
opposite direction. The way he had
chosen was that which would lead
him past the Elijah Ellcry abode, and
he was prompted to this course by a
remark Of Edwards that morning
that he supposed Jane had gone to
her Aunt Susannah's on her ride, else
she would have been back in time for
breakfast. With the escape Of the
prisoner from his clutches, the En-
glshman's suspicion of Jane had re-
turned, and bitterly he regretted
now that he had not killed the Amer
lean while he had him in his power
As he rode towards the plantation n
determination fixed itself in his mind
and he bat needed Jane there to put
il into execution.
War had played sad havoc with the
Elijah Ellcry place. The mansion
house had been burned by BRITISH
and tories some months before, while
the once fertile fields lay neglected
and untitled. Mrs. Ellery now oc
cuplcd the cottage of the ovcrsecr