The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-14

against the smashed door. And thss
fetches me back to o0r GRAND here.
You say Madga 4 safe. Does that moan
that you have spirited her away aimee
last nisht?" ~
.Dinnx fash yourself about MadSs.
Richard Iennises. She meat for your
betters. slr!" rasped the old man. laps
now and then in fear OF anger.
"Still. I would know what you mean
when you say h 10 SAFE" says Rich
ard. whose determination to crack q
nut was always proportioned to the
hardness Of the shell.
Gilbert Stair cursed him roundly for
an irnpertinent jacknapes, and then
gave him his answer.
TITS zone of your business. Dickie
Jennifer, but you may know and be
hanged to you! She rode home with
the Witherbys last night after the rout.
n will be by this safe away in t'other
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 of
about your business before some spy
Ing rascal lays an information against
me for %harborirg 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.
said he.
I nodded.
ut seems we have missed our cue
on all Sides" he went on. not without
bitterness. IT would we might have
had a chance to fire a shot or two be-
fore the ship Wen down"
AT Camden, you mean? That's but
the beginning; the real battles are all
to be fought yet, I should say"
He shook his head despondently.
You are a newcomer. Jack, n you
know not how lei outworn the coun-
try is. Gilbert Stair has the right of
1T When he says there will b nothing to
stop h redcoats now"
I called to mind the resolute 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.
n we must go to bear a hand where
it is needed most" said I. Where will
that be. think you? At Charlotte?"
He o at me rep~roachfully.
This time it's you who are the lag
and leave Mistress Margery wanting
an answer to her poor little cry for
help"
1 shrugged. What would you? Has
She not taken her affair into her own
halads?"
God knows how much or little she
has had to say about IT," said he. But
I mean to know. too. before I put my
name on n company roll" We We're
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 u before 1t has a chance to
bite. We know the worst OF each
other now, Jack, and we must stand to
our compact. Let us see her safe be-
yond peradventure Of a doubt; then I'm
with you to fight the redcoats single
handed, IL you like. I know what you
will say-that the country calls us now
more thar ever; but there must needs
be some rallytng Interval after all this
disaster, and
Have done. Richard" said /. "set
the pace and mayhap I can keep step
with you. What do you propose7"
This; that we go to witherby Hall
and get speech with Mistress Madgs.
II so be-"
stay a moment; who are these
"a dyed-in-the-wool Tory family
seated some ten miles across the line In
York district. True. tits a rank Tory
hotbed owe there. ana We shall run
some risk"
Never name risk to me IL you love
me, Richard Jennifer!" I broke in.
What is your plan2"
His answer was prompt ana to tho
point. ITO 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?"
I hesitated. II see no great risk in
all this. and whatever the hazard. it's
less for n than for two. You'd best
go alone, Richard"
He saw my meaning; that I would
stand aside and let him be her succor
If she needed help. But he would not
have 1t SO.
NO" he said. doggedly. We'll go
together, and she shall choose between
US for a champion, If h is in the hum
or to honor either OF us. That is what
twill come to in the end; and I warn
you fairly, John Ireton, I shall neither
give nor take advantage in this strife.
I said last night that I would stand
aside, but that I can not-not till she
herself says h killing WORD with her
own lips"
"And that world will be-"
THAT h loves another man. Come;
let us be at 1t; we should be we'll out
Of this before the plantation people are