Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-07-14

against the smashed door, And a
fetches me back to u errand mere
You say Madge | safe. Does that mean
that you have spirited her away SINGS
last nightY'
nDtnna fash yourself about Nadge
Richard Jennifer. She's meat for your
betters. sir" rasped the old man laps.
ing into the mother tongue. as he ala
now and then In fear or anger.
Still. I would know what you mean
when you say she is safe" says Rich
ard, whose determination TO crack a
nut was always proportional 10 the
hardness of the shell.
Gilbert Stair cursed him roundly Tor
an impertinent jacknapes, and then
gave him his answer.
''TIs hone of your business. Dlckle
Jennifer, but you may know ana De
hanged to you! She rode home with
the Witherbys last night after the rout.
and will be by this safe away in tother
Carolina where your cursed Whigger-
les darena lift head or hand"
"Of her own free will?" Dick per-
sisted.
"Damme! yes; bag, baggage, serving
wench and all. Now will you be on
about your business before some spy
ing rascal lays an information against
me for h%arboring you?"
Richard Joined me on the door-stone
The dawn was in It's twilight now, and
the great trees on the lawn were tax
ing gray and ghOstly shapes in the dim
perspective.
You heard what he had to say?"
said he.
/ nodded.
1T seems we have Kissed our cue
on all sides" he went on, not without
bitterness. II would we might have
had a chance to fire a shot or two be-
fore the ship went down."
AT Camden, you mean? That's bat
the beginning: the real battles are all
to be fought yet, should say
He shook his head d~espondently.
You are a newcomer, Jack, and you
know not how near Outworn the coun-
try is. Gilbert Stair has the right Of
it when he says there will b nothing to
stop the redcoats now"
l called to mind the Tesolute little
handful under Captain Abram Forney,
one of many such, he had told me, and
would not yield the point.
There will be plenty of fighting yet,
and we must go to bear a hand where
it is needed most said I. Where will
hat be, think you? At Charlotte?'
He looked at me re~proachfutly.
This time tits you who are the lag
gard in love, JOIN Ireton. Will you go
and leave Mistress Margery wanting
an answer to her DOC little cry for
help"
/ shrugged. What would you? Has
she rot taken her affair into her own
hands?"
God knows how much or little she
has had to say about it," said he. But
| mean to know, too. before | put my
name on any company roll" We were
among the trees by this, moving Off for
safety's sake, since the day was COM
ing; and he broke off short to wheel and
face me as one who would throttle a
growing cur before it has a chance to
bite. I'VE know the worst of each
other now. Jack, and we must stand to
u compact. Let us see her safe be-
yond peradventure of a doubt; then I'm
with you to fight the redcoats single
handed, if you like. 1 know what you
will say-that the country calls us now
more thar ever; but there must needs
be some rallying interval after all this
disaster, and"
Have done, Richard" said /. set
the pace and mayhap l can keep step
with you. What do you ~propose?"
This; hat we go to Witherby Hall
and get speech with Mistress Madge.
If so be-"
Stay a moment; who are these
Witherbys? ?"
"a dyed-in- the-wooI Tory family
seated some ten miles across the line in
York district. True, tbs a rank Tory
hotbed ove there, and We shall run
some risk"
Never name risk to me IL you love
Richard Jennifer!" l broke in.
What is your plan?"
His answer was prompt and to the
point. "To press on afoot through the
forest till we come to the York settle
ment; then to borrow a pair of Tory
horses and ride like gentlemen. Are
you game for it?"
/ hesitated. Il see no great risk in
all this, and whatever the hazard. tits
less for one than for two. You'd best
go alone, Richard"
He saw my meaning: that / would
stand aside and let him be her succor
If she needed help. But he would not
have IL so,
NO" he said, doggedly. Wen go
together, and she shall choose between
us for a champion, If she Is in the hum
or to honor either of us. That is what
twill come to in the end; and / warn
you fairly, John Ireton, / shall neither
give nor take advantage in this strife.
| said last night that / would stand
aside, but that l can not-not till she
herself says the killing word with her
own lips"
And that world will be-"
THAT she loves another man. Come:
let us be at it; we should be we'll out
of this before the plantation people are
as:ir."
{Gopf;nued Naxt waaL