The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-03

scattering fusilade in air. Then the
ring of horsemen narrowed in to closer
quarters and there was some fashlns
OF bare steel in the freight. at wien
the Cherokee k~iGnapers melted away
and vanished as if by magic.
With the shout and the firing Mar
gerry and her maid had burst out OF
the sleeping lodge to find themselves IN
the thick Of the sham battle; and 1t
was but womanlike that they should
add their shrieks to the din, being as
we'll terrified as they had a right to pc.
But now the leader of the attacking
troop speedily brought order with q
word of command, and when MS men
fell back to post themselves as Vedettes
among the trees, the officer dismounted
20 Uncover courteously and to bow low
TO the lady.
The hoss-captain!" muttered Eph-
rain Yeates. under his breath; but we
did not need his word for 1t. Eva but
a child's pebble-toss across the barrier
stream. and we could both see and
hear.
Il give you JOY of your escape, Mis-
tress Margery,' said the oaronet
mounting his words like a player who
had long since conned his lines and
got them well by heart and letter-per-
feet. These slippery savages have
given us a pretty chase. | do assure
you. But you are trembling yet. Calm
yourself, dear lady; you are quite safe
now"
1 wa watching her intently as he
spoke. Twas now hard upon two
months since l had seer her last in
that fateful upper room at Appleby
Hundred, and the interval-or mayhap
1t was only the hardships and distresses
Of the captive flight-had changed her
woefully. Yet now, as when we had
stood together at the bar of Colonel
Tarleton's court, 1 saw her pass from
mood to mood in the turning Of a leaf,
her natural terror slipping from her
like 6. c~ast-off garment. and a sweet
dignity coming to clothe her in a
]queenlier robe, making her, as l would
think. more beautiful than ever.
Il thank you, Sir Francis-tor my
self and for poo jeanne she said.
You have come to take US back to
my father?'
He bowed again n spread his
hands as a friend willing but helpless.
Upon my honor, dear lady, nothing
would give me greater pleasure. But
what can I say? We are upon the
kings business, as you we'll know, and
our mission will not brook an hours
delay-indeed, we are here only by the
good chance which led your captors
to choose our route for theirs. l have
no alternative but to take you and
your woman with US to the vest; but
l do assure you
She stopped him with an impassloned
gesture of dissent, and darting a de-
spairing glance around that minded ME
of some poor hunted thing hopelessly
enmeshed in the net of the fowler, she
clasped her hands and wrung them,
breaking down piteously al the last,
and begging him by all hat men hold
sacred to send her n her maid back
to her father, If only with a single SOL
der for a guard.
Twas then we had to drag my dear
lad down and hold him fast, else he
had flung himself into the torrent in
some mac endeavor to spend his life
phrase the baronet refused her, but
when I looked again she was 10 longer
pleading as his suppliant; she was
standing before him in the martyr
steadfastness of a true, clean-hearted
woman at bay.
Then you will not by SO much un-
do the wrong you have done me, Cap
tain F~alconnet?" she said.
"A wrong? How then; do you call
1t a wrong to rescue you from these
brutal savages, Mistress Margery"
She took a step nearer, and though
the dry-stick blaze was dying down l
could no longer see her face distinctly,
7 knew well how the scornful eyes We're
whipping him.
"Listen.' she said. when you set
Tallachama and his braves upon US
the road that night, you We're not
cautious enough, Captain F~alconnet. I
saw and heard you. More than that,
T~allachama and the others have spoken
freely of your plans In their own
tongue, not knowing hat my poor
Jeanne had been three years a cap
tive among the Telliquos."
The attack was SO sudden-sharp and
SO completely a surprise that he was
taken off his guard, else I made sure
he would not at such a time have
dropped the gentelmanly mask to stand
forth the confessed ravisher.
80 no? Then you have been playing
fast and loose with me as 0 did with
the handsome planter n that beg
carly captain of Austrians? Twas a
bold game, ma petite, but you ave lost
and T have won, for my game was still
holder than yours. What I need, take,
Mistress Madge, be 1t the body Of a
woman or the life Of a man. Savez-
vous I'm homme ~desespere, ma cherie
7 am that man. You pique me, and ]
need the dowry you will bring. If ]
could have killed your lover out OF
hand, I might have been content to
leave you for a time. Since I could
not. you go where I go; and when we
return I shall do you the honor to
make you Lady F~alconnet."
Continued Next Weekly