Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-04-06

10 tnlnk Twice IN SQCn cause
AS between king and congress- you
mean? lis no quarrel of mine.
Now God save us, John Ireton!" he
burst out in a fine fervor of youthful
enthusiasm that made him all the
handSomer. II had never thought to
hear your fathers son say the like
| shrugged.
and why not, pray? The kings
minion. Tryon. hanged my father and
gave his estate to his minion's minion.
Gilbert Stair. So. in spite OF your dec
larations and your contiscations and
your laws against alien landholders,
come back to find myself still the son
of the outlawed Roger Ireton and this
same Gilbert Stair firmly lodged in my
fathers seat"
Jennifer shrugged in his turn.
Gilbert Stair-for sweet Madge's
sake / loath to say it-Gilbert Stair
or stormy. And j will say this for
him: no other Tyron legatee of
them all has steered so fine course
through these last five upsetting years
How he trims so skilfully no man
knows. a short month since, he had
General Rutherford and Conole Sumter
as guests at Appleby Hundred; now it
ish light horse officers who are hon
ored. But let him rest; the cause of
independence is bigger than any man.
or amy mans private quarrel, friend
John and had hoped"
laid q hand on his knee. Spare
yourself. Dick. My business in Queens
borough was to learn how best / might
reach MIR. Rutherford's rendezvous"
FOR a moment he sat pipe in air,
staring at me as if to make sure that
he had heard Alright. Then he clipt my
hand and wrung it. babbling out some
boyish bravo that l made haste to put
an end to.
great thing the congress will gain by
my adhesion. But you. Richard; how
comes 1t that | find you taking your
ease Mt Jennifer House and hobnobbing
with his majesty's officers when the
cause you love is still in such des-
perate Straits?"
He blushed like a girl at that. and
er at his pipe.
II did go out with the Minute Men in
'76. if you must know, and smelt pow
der at Moore's Creek. When my time
was done l would have ltsted again;
but just at that my father died and the
Jennifer acres We're like to go to the
dogs. lacking oversight. So l came
home and-and-"
He stopped In some embarrassment,
and 1 thought to help him on.
Nay, out with 1t, Dick. If am not
thy father. l am near old enough to
stand in his stead. Twas more than
husbandry that rusted the sword in
its scabbord. I'll be bound"
You are right, Jack; twas both
more and less" he confessed, shame
facedly. "Twas this same Margery
Stair AS have said. her father blows
hot or cold as the wind sets. but not
she. She is the fiercest little Tory in
the two Carollnas. bar none. When
had got Jennifer in order and began to
talk of listing again. she flew into a
pretty rage and stamped her foot and
all but swore that Dick Jennifer in buff
and blue should never look upon her
face again with her eood will"
l had a glimpse of Jennifer the lover
as he spoke. and the sight went some
what on the way toward casting out
the devil of sullen rage that had pos
sessed me since first had set return
ing foot In this my native homeland.
Twas life lacking naught of hard
ness. but much of human mellowing.
| that lay behind the home coming; and
my one sweet friend in all that barren
life was dead What wonder. then, If
/ set this frank faced Richard In the
other Richards stead, wishing him all
the happiness that poor Dick Coverdale
had missed' needed little; would
need still less. thought before the war
should end: and through this love-
match my lost estate would come at
length to Richard Jennifer. 1t was a
meliorating thought, and while 1T held
1 could be less revengeful.
"Dost love her, Dicko" asked
AYE. and have ever since she was
| In pinafores. and I a hobbledehoy In
Master Wytheby's school"
! $50 long? thought Mr. Stair was
a later conner in Mecklenburg"
"He came eight years ago, as one Of
| Tyron's underlings. Madge was even
| then motherless; the same little wilful
pratt n pace she has ever been. I would
you knew her. Jack. 'Twould make
/ this stiffness of mine seem the thing
1t is"
so YOU have stayed at home
accounting while others fought to give
you leisure" said I. thinking to rally
him But he took 1t harder than
| meant.
"'Tis just this. Jack: and am fair
ashamed. While the fighting kept to
the north 1t did not grind so keen: but
now, With the redcoatS at our doors,
and the Tories sacking and burning in
every settlement. it's enough to fay an
honest man alive. God-a-m mercy. Jack!
4 I'll go; I've got to go. or die of shame!"
He sat silent after that. and as there
seemed nothing thst a curst old cam
| paigner could say at such pass, bore
him company.
by and by he harked back to the
matter of his errand. making some
apology for his coming to me as the
baronets second.
Twas none of my free Offering. you
may be sure he added. But 1t so
happened that Captain Falconnet once
did me like turn. had CHANGED to
run afoul of that captain of Hessian
Y,tU T.I1c lfpr Mt pyHS NJ al
comet stood my friend-though now
bethink OF me. he did seem over-anx-
1 ious that one or the other Of us should
be killed.
AS how?" I inquired.
When Lauswoulter slipped and l
might have spitted him. and didn't.
| Falconnet was for having us make the
duel outrance But that's beside the
mark. Having served me then. he
makes the point that shall serve him
now
Tis a common courtesy. and you
could not we'll refuse. l love you none
the less for paying your debts: even
to such a villain as this volunteer cap
| tain"
True. It's debt. as you say; but I
| like little enough the manner of its
| paying. How came you to quarrel(with
him. jack"
Now even so blunt soldier as have
| ever been may have some prickings OF
delicacy where the truth might breed
gossip gossip about a tale which
had said should die with Richard Gov
erdale and be buried In his grave. SO
| evaded the question. clumsily enough.
as has ever been my hap in fencing
| with words.
'fhe cause was not wanting. If any
ask, you may say he trod upon my
foot in passing"
Jennifer laughed.
And for that you struck him? Heav-
ems. man. you hold your life carelessly.
| Do you happen to know that this VOL
] L..