The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-05-25

And but for this: that I heard tn
door latch click behind her, and the
the heavy wooden bar fall into place
I might lave thought the happenings o
the hour the unsubstantial fancies of
dream.
CHAPTER Y.
HOW A FORLORN HOPE CAME TC
GRIEF.
Although l could not hope to know
the outcome of this desperate cast tt
speed the warning to the over-moun
tain settlements-could never live Il
know it, as l thought screened tn,
candle and stood beside the open win,
dow, not to see or hear. bat rather
from the lack Of sight or sound tt
gather some encouragement. For sure
| reasoned, if Margery's messenger
should fail to pass the sentries there
would be clamor enough to tell me o.
it.
So while the minutes OF this safety
silence multiplied and there was space
for sober after-thought. I fell to cast
ing up the chances of success. Nov
that Margery was gone, and with heI
all the fine enthusiasm that such de-
voted souls as hers do always radiate,
1t was plain enough that nothing less
than a miracle could bring success.
Tarleton's Legion was made up of vet
Grams schooled we'll in border warfare,
and though the bivouac seemed but a
camp Of motionless figures fast man
aCled in sleep-l could see them strewn
like dead men round the smoldering
t1reS--I made no u the sentries were
alert and wakeful. How Their was any
messenger of Margery's to pass the
lines, or, passing them, to come at Jen-
infer whn hV this tin,a u-n,I1I no ~
Jennifer House, a prisoner in all but
name?
Chewing such wormwood thoughts as
these. I watched and listened while
the measured minutes circling slow on
leaden wings, pecked at my heart in
passing, and despair, cold like a winter
fog, had chilled me to the bone. For
now 1t came to me that while 1 would
be saving life, mayhap l had been per-
ling it again. There was small doubt
that If the messenger were taken with
my letter his life would pay the forfeit.
And If the fear Of death should make
him tell who sent him and to whom he
was sent-I had beer careful so to
word the letter as to shield my corre-
spondent-both Margery and Dick
would be involved.
'Tis worthy Of remark how. building
on the simplest supposition, we seldom
prophesy Alright. For all my fine-spun
theories the manner of the thing that
happened was all unlike the forecas ST.
Suddenly, and in silence, out of the
ghostly shadows Of the trees and Into
the wan moonlight of the open space
beneath my window, with neither shot
nor crash of sentry gun to give warm
Ing came three figures riding abreast
a man in trooper trappings on either
hand, and on the led horse sandwiched
in between, a Oman
You may believe my heart went cold
at the sight. I knew at once what she
had done-this fearless maid who would
be loyal to her friend at any cost. Hav-
ing no messenger she could trust-she
knew it we'll when she had promised me
she had taken the errand upon her
self, Drawing a hazard thai would
daunted many a man.
I thought the worst had surely now
and wished a hundred times
that I had died before it come to this.
But there was worse in store. Her
captors passed the word while vet I
looked and choked with rage and grief:
and then the biVouac buzzed alive, and
men came running, some with arms
and some with torches, these last to
Hash the light upon her and to jeer
and laugh. At length-it seemed an
oNNO 49, IA opPCoISc " lDS
rabble into order; then she was
from her horse and led into the
house.
Anon the windows of the great fore
room flung bands Of yellow torchlight
out upon the lawn, and l knew that
court was set again. AT that
The pains of hell gat hold upon me and
did pray as 1 had never prayed before
God would grant me this one boon
to stand beside her in this time of
rial; to give me tongue of eloquence to
ell them all that she was innocent:,
% give me breath to swear she knew
lot why she went, or what the message
she carried.
Yours is a skeptic age my dears,
Ind you have learned to scott at things
you do not understand. But, SO long
Is | shall live, L must believe that
lgonizing plea was answered.. While
the anguish of it wrung my soul
here came a hasty trampling in the
the sentry's challenge, and
hen a quick unbarring Of the door. I
.urned upon my heel to face a young
ensign come with two men at his back
% take me to the colonel.
Continued Next Week.)