Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-08-04

! scattering fusilade in air. Then the
ring of horsemen narrowed In 10 closer
quarters and there was some flashing
or bare steel In the firellght, at Wich
the Cherokee kiGnapers melted away
and vanished as If by magic.
With the shouts 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 II
was but womanlike tina they hould
add their shrieks to the din, being as
wen terrified as they had a right TO be.
But now the leader of the attacking
troop speedily brought order with q
word OF command, and when his men
fell back 10 post themselves as Yedettes'
among the trees. the officer dismounted
to uncoVe ~courteously and TO bow low
to h lady.
THE css-captaini" muttered Eph-
rain Yeatas, under his breath: but we
did not need his word for IL. Twas but
a child's pebble -toss across the barrier
stream, and we could both see and
hear.
II give you joy of your escape, Mis-
tress Margery,' said the baronet,
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 Il pretty chase, / do assure
you. But you are trembling yet. Calm
yourself, dear lady; o are quite safe
now"
/ was watching her intently as he
spoke. Twas now hard upon two
months since | had seen her last in
that fateful upper room at Appleby
Hundred, and the interval-or mayhap
it was only the hardships and distresses
- H. 3 ~ - - 49,,
w~oefully. Yet now, as when we had
stood together at the bar OF Colonel
Tarleton's court, / saw her pass from
mood to mood in the turning OF a leaf,
her natural terror slipping from her
like a c~ast-off garment, and a sweet
dignity coming to clothe her in a
q%ueenlier robe, making her, az l would
think, more beautiful than ever.
II thank you, Sir Francisco my
self and for poor jeanne she said.
You have come to take US back to
my father
He bowed again and spread his
hands as a friend willing but helpless.
Upon my honor, dear lady, nothing
would give me greater pleasure. But
what can | say? We are upon the
kings business, as you well know, and
our mission will not brook an hours
delay-indeed, we are here only by the
good chance which led our captors
to choose our route for theirs. l have
no alternative but to take you and
your woman with us to the west; but
| do assure YOU"
She stopped him with an im~passioned
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 at the last,
and begging him by all hat men hold
sacred to send her and 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 mad endeavor to spend his life
for her. So l know not In what false
phrase the baronet refused her, but
when / looked again she was no 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 Falconnet?" IN 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 /
could no longer see her face distinctly,
l knew well how the scornful eyes were
whipping him.
Listen she said. When you set
Tallachama and his braves upon us
in the road that night, you were not
enough, Captain Falconnet. !
saw and heard you. More than that.
Tallachama and the others have spoken
freely OF your plans in their own
tongue, not knowing that my poor
Jeanne had been three years a cap
tive among the T~elliquos."
The attack was so sudden sharp and
completely a surprise that he was
taken off his guard, else l made sure
he would not at such a time have
dropped the gentelmanly mask TO stand
forth the confessed raYtsher.
so no? Then you have been playing
fast and loose with me as o did with
the handsome planter and that beg
carly captain OF Austriens? Twas q
bold game, ma petite, but you have lost
and / nave won, for my game was still
holder than yours. What / need. take,
Mistress Madge, be 1t the body OF a
woman or the life OF a man. Savez-
vous un homme d~esespere. ma cherie?
I am that man. You ptque me, and I
need the dowry you will bring. II l
could nave Killed you lover out or
hand. I might have been content TO
leave you for a time. Since / could
not, you go where / go; and when we
return l shall do you the honor to
you Lady Falconnet."
Continued Next Weekly