The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-14
THE MASTER OF APPLEBY|
ByFrAncis Lynde.

We found him In the nook made by
the turn OF the stair, flung thither. as
1t seemed, by the recoi1 of the great
bell-mouthed blunderbuss which he
was stillsclutching. The fall had partly
stunned him, but he was alive enough
to protest feebly that he would tax a
dozen oaths Of his loyalty to the cause;
that he had mistook US for some thiev-
ing marauders OF the other side; craft
lily leaving cause and party without a
name till he shout have his from
US.
whereupon Richard loosed his neck
cloth to give him better breathing
space, and bidding me see II the rev
elers had left a heel-tap CT wine In any
bottle nearer than the wine cellar,
lifted the old man and propped him in
the corner OF the high-backed hall
settle.
The wine quest led me to the ban
quoting room. Here disorder reigned
supreme. The table stood as the rois-
terers had left it, the very wreck and
litter of. a bachanalian feast. Bottles.
some with the necks struck off. were
scattered all about, and the floor was
stained and sticky with split Wine and
we'll sanded with shattered glass.
I found a remnant draining in one Of
the broken bottles, and a cup to pour it
in, and with this salvage from the
wreck returned to Jennifer and
his charge. The old man had
come to some better sensing Of
things-he had been vastly more fright
ened than hurt, as I suspected-and to
Richards qu]estionings was able
to give some feebly querulous replies.
yes, they're gone-all gone, curse
'em; and they've taken every plack and
bawbee they could lay their thieving
hands upon" he mumbled. 'Tis like
the dogs; to stay on here and eat n
drink me out OF house and home. and
then to scurry off when I'm most like
to need protection"
but Madge?" says Richard. rs she
safe in bed?"
She's a jade!"" was all h answer he
got. Then the old man sat up n
peered around the end Of the settle to
where I stood, cup and bottle in hand.
Ills a Christian thought" he quaver-
ed. Give me a sup of h wine, man"
I served him and had a Scottish
blessing for my wastefulness, because.
forsooth, the broken bottle split a thin
bleful In the pouring. I saw he did not
recognize me, and was well enough con-
tent to let it rest thus.
Richard suffered him to drink in
peace, but when the cup was empty he
renewed his asking for Margery. AT
this the master of the house, heartened
somewhat by my fathers good madeira,
ludO0 SullI W 6SI upOA4 LAS ASSI
tremulous fashion.
"Madge, dye say? She's gone; gone
neither you nor that dour-faced
deevil that befooled US all will find her
soon, / promise you, Dickie Jennifer!!"
he snapped; and I gave them my back
and stumbled blindly to the door, max
ing sure his next word would tell my
poor wronged lad all that he should
but mine own. But Richard himself
PARTED the impending stroke OF truth.
saying:
$50 she Is safe and well. Mr.. Stair.
it's all I ask to know"
"She ID safe enough; safer by far
than you are at this minute. my young
cock-a-hoop rebel, now that the king
God save him!-has has own again"
I turned quickly on the broad door
stone to look within. Out Of doors the
early August dawn was craving mist
lily over head, but in the house the
sputtering tallow dip still struggled
feebly with the gloom. They stood
facing each other, these two, my hand
some lad. the pick and choice Of =
comely race looking. for all his tolls
and vigils. fresh and fit; and the old
man in his wooden dressing gown, his
wig awry, and his lean face yellow in
the candle light.
How is that you say. Mr.. stair?"
says Dick. THE king-but that il
be a king again this side of h water"
The old man reached out and hooked
a lean finger in the lads b~uttonhole.
Say you so, Richard Jennifer? Then
you will never have heard the glorious
news?' This with a leer that might
have been Of triumph or the mere whet-
ting OF gossip eagerness-I could not
tell.
mo-" says Richard. with much indif-
ference.
Hear 1t. then. Twas at Camden.
four days since. They came together in
the murk Of the Wednesday morning.
my Lord CORVALLIS and that poor fool
Gates. De Kalb is dead; your blether-
ing Irishman. Rutherford. is captured:
and your ragtag rebel army Is scatter
ed to the four winds. And that's not
all. On the Friday, Colonel Tarleton
came up with Sumter at Fishing Creek
and caught him mapping. Whereupon,
Charlie Mcdowell and the over-moun
tain men, seeing all was lost, broke
their camp on the Broad and took to
their heels, every man jack of them for
himself. So We see, Dickie Jennifer.
there's v a cursed corporaPs guard
left in either Carolina to stand in the
kings way"
He ratified all this off glibly, like a
child repeating some lesson got by
heart; but when I would have found q
| grain of comfort in the hope that 1t
was a farrago of Falconnet's lies, Jen-
infer made the truth appear in answer
to a curt question.
"Tis beyond doubt?-all this, Mr..
Stair?"
The old loyalist-1oyalist now. If
never certainly before-sat down on the
settle and laughed: a dry wizened
cackle Of a laugh hat sounded like the
crumpling of new parchment.
you'd best be off. light foot and
tight foot, Master Richard. lest you
learn shrewdly for yourself. It's in
everybody's mouth by this. There were
some five and forty Of the kings friends
come together here no longer g than
~yestere'en to drink his majesty's health,
and Ell, man! but it will cost me a
pretty penny! Will that satisfy YEP"
Yes" said Jennifer, thinking, may
hap, as I did, that nothing short OF
gospel-true news would hav suficed
to unlock this poor old miser's wine
cellar.
Well, then; you'd best be off while
you may; dye hear? I bear We no ILL
will, Richard Jennifer; and if Mr..
Tarleton lays hold Of YOU. you'll hang