Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-10-13
CHAPTER XXXV.
IN WHICH | FIGHT THE DEVIL
WITH FIRE.

C1Af Ely AAAN'
IN WHICH l FIGHT THE DEVIL
WITH FIRE.
With the house guard for a guide /
found my host in a box-like den below
stairs; a room with a writing table,
two chairs and a great iron strong box
for it's scanty furnishings.
The old man was sitting at the table
when / looked in, his long nose buried
in a musty parchment deed. The light
from the single small window was none
too good, but it sufficed to help him
recognize me at a glance, despite the
hussar uniform. In a twinkling he put
the breadth of the oaken table be-
tween us, hurled the parchment deed
into the open strong box, clammed to
the cover and gave a shrill alarm.
"Ho! you devils without, there!
Here he isl have him Help! Muir
der!"
The guard, a burly, bearded Darn
stadter, turned or his heel and stood
at attention in the doorway, looking
stolidly for his orders, not TO the shrill-
ing master of the house, but to the man
who wore a uniform.
"'Tis naught,' | said, speaking in
German. He mistakes me for a ritz
meister of the rebels. Nerstehen Sie?'
The soldier saluted, wheeled and van
ished; and ! sat down to wait till the
old mans outcry should pause for lack
of breath. When my chance came, [
said:
Calm yourself, Mr.. Stair. You are in
no present danger greater than which
you may bring upon yourself. Blot out
all the past, if you please, and consider
me now as a member of Lord Corn
wallis military family seeking quar-
tiers in your house by my lords express
command"
Quarters in my house?-ye're a
damned rebel spy!'' he cried. I'll de-
nounce We to my Lord for what ye are.
Ho, ye r~ascals, l say!'
Peace l commanded sternly; this
is but child's folly. No man in the Brit
ish army would arrest me at your be-
hest. Ring the bell and summon your
factor lawyer. l would nave a word
or two in private with both of YOU"
He dropped into a chair, and l could
see the sweat standing in great beads
on his wrinkled forehead.
ID ye-d' ye mean to kill us both?"
he gasped.
Not if 1 can help it. But some bet
ter understanding is needful, and we
will have it here and now, once for all.
Will you ring, or shall II"
He made no move to reach the bell
cord, and / rang for him.. A grinnihg
black boy came to the door, and seeing
that Mr.. Gilbert Stair was beyond CIV
ing the order, / gave it myself.
Find Master Pengarvin and send
him here quickly. Tell him Mr.. Stair
wants him.
There was a short interval of waiting
and then the lawyer came. Being but
a little wisp of a man, all ~malignance
and no courage, he would have fled
when HI saw me. But / caught him by
the collar and sent him scurrying
around the table to keep his master
company.
Now, then; how much or how little
have you two blaDbed of the doingS at
Appleby Hundred some weeks since?"
| demanded. Speak out, and quick
ly."
Twas the lawyer who obeyed, and
now he was the trapped rat to snap
blindly in despair.
You will hang higher than Hannah
when the dragons find you," he grit
ted out.
son your information"
ION mine and MI. Stairs"
"Yc ie,' shrleked the miser. Il telft
We to keep hands off, ye bletherin lit
tie deevil, ye!"
Never mind" said I; what's done
Is done. But 1t must be undone, and
that swiftly and thoroughly. Lie out
OF ii to Colonel Tarleton and the others
as YOU will; Captain John Stuart and
the baronet are not here to contradict
you, and you are the only witnesses.
Knock together some story that will
hold water and lose no time about IT.
Do you understand?
Seeing he was not to be put to the
wall and spitted on the spot, the lawyer
recovered himself.
"'Tis not the criminal at the bar who
dictates terms, Captain Ireton," he
said. with his hateful smirk. You are
under sentence OF death, and that by a
court lawful enough in war time.
You refuse?" / said.
He shrugged.
~..Speaking for myself. / shall leave
no stone unturned to bring o to book
captain-when it suits my purpose.
/ was loath to go to extremities with
either of them; but my bridge of glass
must be defended at all hazards.
you would best reconsider, Mr.. Pen
garvin. At this present m / an
one of Lord CORVALLIS military family
/, and / have his confidence. "A word from
me will put o both in arrest as per
sons whose loyalty in times past has
been somewhat more thar blown upon
BAH said the pettifogger. "Blus-
ter is a good dog, but Holdfast is the
better. You car prove nothing, as you
, we'll know. Moreover, with your owr
meek in a moose you dare not mess and
/ NEEDLE with other mem affairs"
\ Dare not. o say? I'll tell you wha,
I may dare. Master Attorney. Ii yoJ
I are not disposed to meet me half way
in this matter, / shall GO to my lord
, tell him how / hav been cheated on
of my estate, declare the marriage
with Mistress Margery. and see tina,
you get your just deserts. And you
may rest assured that his soldier-ear
l will right me. come what may
Twas a bold stroke, the boldcst OF
{ any l had made that morning: but ]
was wholly unprepared for its effec,
upon the lawyer. His rage was like
that of some little animal. q
thing to make an onlooker shuddeI
and draw back.
"Nevert" he Kissed: never, say!
I'll kill her first-I1l-" He choked In