The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-14
cnAprER xvIl.-continusd.

u 2A0E0 - ItuS UATUIOI WAS IA QOOA~PASAA w
defiance built on her trust In us. and
We have lain here"
He found the sword and thrust 1t
into my hand crying:
Come oni You can strew the dust
and ashes on me later. You said you
loved her h better. and I do believe it
now. Jack! You trusted her. as 1 did
not. Wen hght as one man to cut her
out OF this coil, whatever 1t may be;
and after that is lone I'll make my
bow and leave you a fair field"
May, nay: hat o shall not, Dick"
4 began: but he was halfway through
the narrow passage to the open. trail
Ing the ancient broadsword and the
bearskin from his bed; and I vas fain
g follow quickly. leaving the protest
all unfinished.
CHAPTER XVIII.
IN WHICH WE HEAR NEWS FROM
THE SOUTH.
AZ near az might be guessed. 1T
wanted yet an hour or two of daybreak
when we made a landing within the
boundaries OF Appleby Hundred, and
beached and hid the pirogue in the
bushes.
OF III downstream fitting through
q small hours of the warm midsum-
ner night there is no sharp-etched pic
.1AS liAe ineiHoTy page. AS i Iecdll
IT no spoken word of Jennifer's or mine
came In to break the rhythm of the
haeting voyage. Our paddles rose and
1ell.s dipping and sweeping In unison
AZ II We two. kneeling in bow and stern.
were separate halves of some relentless
mechantsn driven by a single impulse.
overhead the starlit dome circled SOL
ernnly TO the right or left to match the
windings OF the stream. On each hand
the tree-fringed shores sped backward
IN the gloom. and beneath the light.
shell OF poplar wood that barely kissed
q rtpples in passing. the river Tapped
and gurgled. chuckling weirdly at the
paddle plungfngs, and swirling aft in.
the longer reaches to point at us down
the Tightening wake with a wavering
nnger atlver-tipped In the wan star
Light.
With h canoe safely hidden at the
landing place, which was some little
from that oak grove where I
twice kept tryst with death, we set
out Tor III manor house, skulking In
dian fashion through the wood; and,
when we reached the infields, looking
momently to come upon q sentry.
Thinking the approaches from the
road and river would be better guarded
than that from the wood, we skirted q
widespread thfcket tang1e, spared by
my father twenty years before to be a
grouse and pheasant cover, and Fetch
Ing = compass OF half q mile or more
across the maize fields. came in among
h oaks and hickories Of the manor
grounds.
Still there was no sight nor sound
OF any enemy; no light Of candles at
the house, or OF camp-fres beneath the
trees.
u little way within the grove. where
the interlacing tree tops made the
n nVynn00 HHlynw ES0kynfto - p{rh$ Tn~~lR1~
went m all fours to feel around as IL
search OF something on the sward.
Whereat I called softly to know what
he would be at.
He ose muttering. half as to him
sell: y thought I'd v be SO far
Of reckoning" Then to me: "A
few hours since, the Cherokees were
encamped Just here. You are standing
In the ashes of their fire."
said ]. Then they have
gone ?''
Gone from this safely enough. to be
They have been gone some
hours: the cinders are cold and dew
wet
$50 much the better" I would say,
thinking only that now there would be
fewer enemies to fight.
He cltpt my arm suddenly, putting
the value of an oath into his gripping
1t.
Come awake, man; this is no time
to be a-dazel" His whisper was a
.gripped arm for emphasis. IF the In
dams are gone, 1t means that the pow
der train4has come and gone, too"
tHrWe1l?ss said /.
I was sttll thinking, with less than a
clod's wit, that this would send the
baronet captain about his masters
business and SO Margery. would have
~ Ht.n Ho- oEkir-4&ok v.-ax
But Jennifer fetched me awake with
another Whip-Iash word or two.
Jack! has the nights work gone to
your head? II Falconnet has got his
marching orders you may be sure he's
tried by hook or crook to play safe
bind. safe find, with Madge. BY heav-
emf twas that she was afeard Of, and
we are here too late! Come on!"
With that he faced about and ran;
and forgetting to loose his grip on my
arm, took me with him till I broke
away to have may sword hand free
Sosrunning, we came presently to the
open space before the house. and, truly
1t was well for us that the place was
clean deserted. for by this we had both
forgot the very name of prudence.
Jennifer outran me to the door by
half q length and fell t o hammerine
fiercely on the panel with the pommel
of his broadsword.
open! Mr.. Stair: open!' he shout
ed, between the gatherings; but it was
Ave full minutes before the fan-light
overhead began to show some fain,
glimmerings OF q candle coming from
the rooms beyond.
Richard rested at that, and in the
pause thin voice shrilled from within
BE of, you runagates! OF, I say!
or / Are upon We through the door!"
Giving no heed to the threat. Dick
net up his clamor again. calling out his
name, and bidding the old man open tc
q friend In some notching OF the hub
bub I heard the unmistakable click OF a
gun-flint on steel. There was barely
time; to trip my reckless batterer and
to fall fat with him on the door-stone
when a gun went off within. and q
handful OF slugs. preaching the oaker
panelsat the height Of a mans middle
went ~screeching owe US.
Before I knew what he would be at
Richard was up with an oath. backing
on to hurl himself, shoulder on. agains,
tho door. It gave with a splinterine
crash, letting him In headlong. I fol.
lowed less hastily. It was as black al
assetter's mouth within, the gun fire
having snuffed the old mans candle
out. But we had flint and steel and
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