The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-26

the outcome of this desperate cast to
speed n warming TO the over-moun-
tain settlements-couid never live to
Know it. as / thought screened the
candle and stood beside the open win
dow. not to see or hear. but rather
from the lack of sight or sound to
gather some encouragement. For sure.
l reasoned, ii Margery's messenger
SHOULD fai! to pass The sentries there
would be clamor enough to tell me OF
it.
SO while the minute of this safety
silence multiplied and there was space
for soher after-thought. | fell to cast
ing up the chances OF success Now
that Margery was zone. and with her
all the fine enthusiasm that such de-
voted souls as hers do always radiate.
it was plain enough that nothing less
than a miracle could bring success
Tarleton's Legion was made up Of vet
Grams schooled we'll in border warfare.
and though the bivouac seemed but a
camp of motionless figures fast IA
acled in Sleep-l could see them strewn
like dead men round the %snioldering
tires-l made no doubt the sentries We're
alert n wakeful. How then was II
messenger of Margery's to pass the
lines. or. passing them. to come at Jen-
infer. who by this time would be at
Jennifer House. a prisoner in all but
name?
Chewing such wormwood thoughts as
these. l watched and listened while
the measured minutes circling slow on
leaden wings, pecked at my heart in
passing. and despair. cold like a winter
fog. had chilled me to the bone. For
now it came to me that while l would
be saving life. mayhap L had been per-
ling 1t again. There vas mail doubt
that ii the messenger We're taken with
my letter his life would pay the forfeit.
And if the fear of death should make
him tell who sent him and to whom he
was sent-I had been careful so to
wore the letter as to shield my corre-
spondent-both Margery and Dick
would be involved.
'Tis worthy OF remark how. building
on the simplest superstition, We seldom
prophesy Alright. For all my f%ine-spun
theories the OF the thins that
happened was all unlike the forecast.
Suddenly. and in silence. out of the
ShoStly shadows Of the trees and into
the al moonlight of the open space
beneath my window, with neither shot
nor crash of sentry gun to give warm
ing, came three figures riding abreast
a nan in trooper trappings on either
hand. and on the led horse sandwiched
in between. Il omar
You may believe my heart went colo
at the sight. | knew at once what she
had done-this fearless maid who would
be loyal to her friend at any cost. Hav-
ing no messenger she could trust-she
knew it we'll when she had promised me
she had taken the errand upon her
self, Drawing a hazard that would
have aunted many a man.
L thought the worst had surely now
befallen. and wished a hundred times
that I had 1iaH hafnro IL. - ~, tht.
But there was worse in store. Her
captors passed the word while yet L
looked and choked with rage and grief;
and then the bivouac buZzed alive, and
men came running. some with arms
and some with torches. these last to
flash the light upon her and to jeer
and laugh. At length-it seemed an
age to mean officer appeared to fog
the rabble into order: then she was
taken from her horse and led into the
house.
Anon the windows of the great fore
room flung bands of yellow torchlight
out upo the lawn. and l knew that
Tafi~--2'S court vas set again. AT that
the pains Of hell gat hold upon me and
l did pray as | had never prayed before
that God would grant me this one boon
to stand beside her in this time of
trial; to give me tongue of elouuence to
tell them all hat she was innocent;
to give me breath to swear she knew
not why she Went or what the message
was she carried.
Yours is a skeptic age, my dears,
and you have learned to scott at things
you do not understand. But. so long
as shall live, 1 must believe that
agonizins plea was answered.. While
yet the anguish of it wrung my soul
there came a hasty trampling in the
corridor, the sentry's challenge. and
then q quick unbarring of the door. l
turned upon my heel to face a young
ensign come with two men at his back
to take me to the colonel.