The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-10-20

Va zA2 AAD1 4
;
icis Lynds. ---{
word would have been spoken; but now
the iron of resolution cooled in spite
of me.
Twas not that I was less willing to
pay the price of expiation; that must
be done in any case. But I had seen
n enemy, n all the soldier in me re-
belled at the thought of dying like a
noosed bullock in the shambles. Could
! but strike that one good blow
Tho, old court house of our greater
M-eckneburg was such as some of you
ma remember; a stout wooden build
ing raised upon brick pillars to leave a
story underneath. In the time OF the
British occupation this lower story
served as q market house, and the pub
lie to he court room above
was reached by steps or the outside.
In my boyhood days this outer stair
was the only one: but now in wander
ing almlessly through the market-place
beneath, I found another flight
In a corner: the Jury STAIR"
tney called 1t, since it pro-
vlded the means Of egress from the
jury box above.
VI NAiAS III SIoII oGl lltC
plotting. Gould I make use of it to
come unseen into the council chamber
OF Lord CORVALLIS and his officers?
n market place was we'll thronged
with lenders and soldier buyers; the
patriotic Mecklenburgers were not
averse to the turning of an honest
penny upon the needs of their OPP
pressors, as it seemed. I watched my
chance, and when there were no prying
eyes to mark 1t, made the dash up the
steps.
Happily for the success of the adj
venture there was an angle in the mar
row stair to hide me whilst I lifted the
trap door In the court room floor a
scant half inch and got my bearings.
AS I had hoped, the trap opened behind
the jury box, and / was able to raise 1t
cautiously n so to draw myself UP
into the room above, unseen and un-
heard.
-. peep around the corner of the high
jury stalls showed me my lord and his
suite gathered about the lawyers table
IN front OF the bar. OF h staff I rec
ognized only Stedman, the commissary
general; Tarleton. looking something
the worse for his late illness; Major
Hanger, his second in command, and
the young Irishman, Lord Rawdon.
Vt the m of my espial, Corn
listen, well enough content to be in
earshot. For If my good angel had
timed my coming I could not have ar
rived at a more opportune moment.
VIVA we have to consider now is
how best to reach Ferguson with an
saying. This rising of the
tain men Is likely to prove a serious
matter-not only for the major. but
for the kings cause in the two prov
inces. Lacking positive orders to the
contrary. Ferguson will hght-we all
aknnu fh0fsE n ND 80 H. rI1,.y - -
feated twill hopelessly undo his work
among the border loyalists and set us
back another twelvemonth."
Then your lordship will order him
to come In with what he has?" said a
voice which I knew for Colonel Tar
leton's.
send"
'Pshaw! I can find you a hundred
amongst the late royalist recruits"
this.
Damn themi" said his lordship
shortly; 81 would sooner trust this
new aide Of mine. He comes straight
from the major and car find his way
back again."
never agree upon him, my lord.
know not how he has made his peace
with you. but I do assure you he is as
great a rascal as ever went unnung.
lis true, as you say, / did not go into
the particulars; but were Captain Stu
art or Sir Francis Falconnet here,
either of them would convince your
lordship In a twinkling."
There was silence for a !..ttIe space
following the colonel's denuuciation Of
me, and then my lord broke it to say:
u may not be SO credulous as you
loyalist. he is safe enough for the pres
ent. In the meantime In this matter
OF reaching Ferguson we may make
good use of him"
In what ann your lordshfp?"
asked one whose voice I did not rec
ognize.
H has come straight from Major
Ferguson, as I say: and, loyalist or
rebel, he can find his way back to Gill
bert Town"
Blu you'll never be trusting him
with dispatches!" said Lord Rawdon.
There Is NO need to trust him. He
can be given the dispatches with some
hint OF their purport, n of how much
b kings will profit by their
safe delivery
Again a silence fell upon the group
around the lawyers table. and then
thought-said: otis an unread riddle
for me as vet. my lord"
Cornwallis laughed. Where are your
wits this morning, gentleman? II he be
loyal and true, the dispatches will &c
safe enough. II, on the other hand, he
be a rebel and a spy. he will doubt
less tamper with them; but in that
case he will none the less ride straight
enough to Major Ferguson's headquar-
ters in III west
HIN, your lordship is still too deep
for me- said Tar1eton's second In COM
mand. III he be a rebel and a Spy,
why, IN Gods name, should he carry
your lordship's letters to any but some
rag-tag colonel OF his own k%idney?"
My lord laughed again. Truly, Ma
jor, you should &c to a DANES school
and learn diplomacy. If we tell him
beforehand what our OBJECT is, how
could any rebel Ct them all defeat it
more surely than by going to Ferguson
with a garbled message that would
make him stand and fight a losing bat
tie?
..Eut. nv lors-the risk,n cut In the