Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-25

all the fine enthusiasm that such de-
voted souls as hers do always radiate.
1t was plain enough shat nothing less
than miracle could bring success.
Tarleton's Legion was made up of vet
Grams schooled we'll In border warfare.
and though the bivouac seemed but a
camp OF motionless figures fast man
acled In seep-l could see them strewl
Ike dead men round the smoldering
flres-I made no doubt the sentres were
alert and wakeful. How then was any
messenger of Margerys to pass tho
lines. or. passing them. to come at Jen-
infer. who by this time would be at
Jennifer House. prisoner in all but
name?
Chewing such NORWOOD thoughts AZ
these. watched and listened while
the measured minutes circling slow on
leaden wings. pecked at my heart III
passing. and despair. cold like winter
fog, had chilled me to the bone. For
now 1T came to me that while would
be saving life. mayhap I had been per-
Hing 1t again. There was small doubt
that II the messenger were taken with
my letter his life would pay the forfeit.
And If the fear OF death should make
him tell who sent him and to whom no
was sent-I had been careful so to
word the letter as to shield my corre-
spondent-both Margery and Dick
would be involved.
TITS worthy of remark how, building
on the simplest superstition. we seldom
prophesy Alright For all my tlne-spun
theories the manner OF the thing that
happened was all unlike the forecast.
Suddenly. and in silence. out of the
ghostly shadows of the trees and into
the wan moonlight OF the open space
beneath my window. with neither shot
nor crash of sentry gun to give warm
a man In trooper trappings on either
hand. and on the led horse sandwiched
in between. woman.
You may believe my heart went cold
at the sight knew at once what she
had done-this fearless maid who would
be loyal to her friend at any cost. Hav-
ing no messenger she could trust-she
knew 1t we'll when she had promised me
she had taken the errand upon her.
self. Drawing hazard that would
have daunted many man.
l thought the worst had surely now
befnllen. and wished hundred times
that l had died before 1t come to this.
But there was worse in store. Her
captors passed the word while yet
looked and choked with rage and grief;
and then the bivouac buzzed alive. and
men came running. some with arms
and some with tor hes. these last to
flash the light upon her and to Jeer
and laugh. AT length-it seemed an
age to me officer appeared to fog
the rabble into order: then she was
taken from her horse and led into the
house.
Anon the windows OF the great fore
room flung bands Of yellow torchlight
out upon the lawn, and l knew that
Tarleton's court was set again. AT that
the pains of hell gat hold upon me ard
did pray as had never prayed before
that God would grant me this one boon
to stand beside her in this time of
trial; to give me tongue OF eloQuence to
tell them all that she was innocent:
to give me breath to swear she knew
not why she went. or what the message
was she carried.
Yours Is a skeptic age. my dears.
and you have learned to SCOT at things
you do not understand. But. SO long
as l shall live. l must believe that
agonizing plea was answered. While
yet the anguish Of 1t wrung my soul
there came hasty trampling in the
corridor. the sentrys challenge. and
then a quick unbarring of the door. 1
turned upon my heel to face young
ensign come with two men at his back
to take me to the colonel
Continued Next Week.)