The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1905-04-15

unusual sight. Out on the jasper col
ored river came a succession of huge
barges and from them, above the plash
of oars and creak of cordage, rose the
hum Of a multitude. She leaned far
from the window to listen. How like
phantom shadows the bristling floats
swept past! what can it be-" she
cried.
"'Tis the French, come in the feet of
De Grasse," said Mr.. Burwell. at
must now be at anchor in Hampton
Roads. Thank Godl Thank GodP'
There was a thrill of rejoicing in his
tone, but Anne's heart beat painfully.
Hope and help were come to her land
to Virginia the beautiful, the tragic, the
tender. The first promise of this help
had come to it when strong arm called
to counsel and counsel to strong arm
and both feared to answer. And he
who bore that message? Denied by her
lips that called to him, dishonored by
her hand that ached for touch of him,
what thought now had his heart for
her?
The dark shapes passed on to the
notch of jamestown island that night
and disgorged an army. Silently they
filed up Archer's Hope creek and drew
with Lafayette's troops, the fatal Gordon
about Yorktown.
The feet that brought them lay in
the river mouth below, and when the
British ships which CORVALLIS had
been promised hove to that same day,
with fourteen hundred guns, De
Grasses watchful frigates battered
them away.
The would be rescuers sailed back,
and CORVALLIS woke to find himself
entrapped.
On the day Washingtons allied ar
mics marched into Williamsburg, Anne
stood with Colonel Tillotson on the
steps of the capitol to see them pass.
The Continentals were ragged, worn
with painful marches in heat and rain.
with stained rags covering old wounds.
but with the unquenchable resolve in
their faces. Rochambeau's French were
uniformed in white, with rose colored
facings, eager, debonair, carrying gold
wrought standards that caught the sun.
Anne watched through smarting eyes.
Somewhere, waiting these, among those
other troops lying painting against the
hills nearer Yorktown, was the one
face which meant the whole wharf.-the
whole world-to her.
Steadily, under the enemy's fire, bat
teries rose along the parallels. From
one to another of these rode Knox.
placing his gunners, his round. jovial
face creased in smiles, in his element
at last. And these gunners for five
days, from sunrise to sunset, hurled
iron and flame upon the defenses.
The inner parallels crept toward the
river bank, tightening the line. Here
their advance was stayed by a redoubt
on the high bank, thirty feet above the
river. 1t had resisted all the force of
the gunners.
IF we take that redoubt," said Wash
fngton to Knox on the afternoon of the
fifth day of the bombardment, Corn
wallis must surrender"
Colonel Armand, with handful of
his troopers reconnoitered that after
noon on the right, came near the river
and in advance of the foremost Ameri-
can battery. From the redoubts far
to the left came a scattering whistle of
grape and now and then the grinding
belch of carronade. The air was full
of the heavy, pungent smell of burned
powder and the reelxing scent of fresh
turned earth.
His gaze had sought the wide river
Cor moment and turned up the
stream with look that was fixed and
far away.
"A prisoner. coming from the town,
captured under the river bank, sir"
The voice recalled him. Bring him
here"
The man brought before him looked
with a start, then smiled with CLEAN
of mockery on his rudy lips. Ar
mand's face was immovable.
Still the same, colonel" the new
conner Haunted, with glance at the
others uniform. "Still Captain Jarrat.
My Philadelphia wound, as you see,
proved not solbad. am on my way
DOW out of the precious rat trap yon-
der. l nave smalf liking for these pc
cuiiar delays. Suppose you scribble
me pass through the lines"
Sergeant" said Armand, take this
man. to the trench and give him ten
minutes to go back to his own re-
doubts"
A swarthy red came to Jarrat's face
4 would speak with you alone a mo-
ment. have a communication to
make"
AT Armand's nod the others fell back.
What is your communication he
asked sternly.