The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-11-24
ny FrAncis Lynds,

the house. and who took on himself the
Responsibility Of breaking in upon the
party In the supper room.
I shall not soon forget the scene that
fronted us when we came into my lords
presence The p was In some sors
a gala feast held in honor of my lords
accession to his earldcm. The table,
lighted by great silver candelabra which
/ recognized as Ireton heirlooms, was
well filed around by the members of the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS military family.
with the earl at the head, and Mistress
Margery, bedight as befitted a lady of the
quality. behind the tea urn at the foot.
AT our incoming all eyes Were turned
upon us, but It required my lords sharp
question to make me cav off dwelling
upon my sweet lady's radiant beauty.
How now, Captain Ireton? Do you
bing us news from the major?'
/ broke he fascinating eyehold and
turned slowly to face my fate.
Il do, my lord
Well. what of him? You left him has
tening to rejoin with his new loyalist
~levies, I hope?"
I drew my sword, reversed It and laid
1t upon the table.
May all the enemies of the common
wealth be even as he is. my lord" 1 said,
quietly.
Now. truly. I had hanged my petard
well and was plain the shock of 1t had
gone far to shatter the wall of confidence
our enemies had bnilded on the field of
Camden and elsewhere. Had a
grenade with the fuse alight been dropped
upon the table. the CONSERVATION could
scarce have been greater. To a man the
tablesul was up and %thronging round me;
but above all the hubbub 1 heard a little
cry Of misery from the table foot where
my lady sat.
How is this. sir?-explain yourself."
thundered my lord, forgetting for once
his mild suavity.
IT'S but a brief tale, and I will make
t as crisp as may be in the telling" 1 re-
piled. II came upon the major some miles
this side of the crossing of the Broad.
He was marching to rejoin you. in ac-
cordance with his orders. But when he
had your lordships command to stand
and fight, he obeyed."
my communicative / gave him no such
order!!'
Nay, truly, you did not-neither in the
original nor in the duplicate. my lord. But
when We had waylaid Lieutenant Tybee
and quenched h duplicate. and lad so
amended the original as to make it fit
our purpose. the brave major thanked you
for what you had not don and made his
~ 1--WE ~ " AkSO1IllAiS VI luC nONeIs
mOuntain men,"
For q m I thought they would
hew me limb from limb. but my lord
Quelled the fierce outburst with a word.
2 up your swords, gentlemen. We
shall know how to deal with this traitor
|v1e said. And then to mes: Coon, sir, IL
youaplease: there has been q battle. as I
take .t?, Z,
There has. indeed. The mountain men
came up with US In the afternoon of the
Saturday. In an hour one-third Of the
majors force was dead or dying, the ma
jor himself was slain,, and every living
man left on the field was q prisoner"
SAgatnsa dozen swords Missed from their
Escabbards.. and again I heard the little cry
Of misery from h table foot. I bowed
my head. looking momently TO a the
penalty: u orc more my lord put the
swords aside!
81 us have Clean breast of It this
time. Captain Ireton." he said. "You
know well what you nave earned, ana
nothing you can ray will make Il better
or worse for you. Was this your purpose
ut was"
And q have been q rebel from the
gfrst?s'
met the cold anger in the womanish
eyes as = condemned man might.
Il have, my lord-since the day nine
Years a8One when y learned that your
kings ininions had hanged my father IN
the Regulation,
Then II was . farrago OF lies you told
me about your adventures In the western
mountatns?' -,
Not wholly, It was your lord.hin..
good pleasure to send succors OF powder
and lead to your allies. the western saw
ages. I n three others followed Cap
tain Falconnet and his Indians. and /
have the honor to report that we over
took n exploded them with their own
powder cargo,
And Captain Sir Francis Falconnet
with them?'s
II do SO hope n trust. my lord"
He short on his heel. and for a
moment q silence as Of death fell uoon
the room. Then Re took the Ferar from
the table and sought to break 1t over his
knee; but h good blade, like the cause
II STOOD for. bent like Z withe n would
not snap.
Put this spy In irons and clear the
room" he ordered sharply. And this is
how the litlle drama ended with the
supper guests crowding to the door: with
my lord pacing back and forth at the
tab.e head; with WI sergeants bearing
me away to await, where and how I
knew not. the word which should efrace
me.
XIII.
IN WHICH I DRINK "A DISH OF TEA
Being without specific orders what ia
do with me. my two sergeant hnilifro