Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-10-26
CHAPTER xxxvm-continued.
God save the king"

brown dot of humanity clad in russo
homespun crouching in the path, it
childish eyes wide with fear and 1t
4 lips parted to shrill again: God say
/ the king!'
/ threw stiff leg over the cantl
and swung down to go on one kne
to my stout challenger l can neve
make you understand, my dears, HOY
the sight of this helpless waif appear
4 ing thus unaccountably In the heart 9
the great forest mellowed and softenet
/ me. Twas Il little maid, not allow
4 ) or years old and with face tina
/ Master Raphael might have taken as ;
pattern for one of his scraphs.
What know you of the king, little
4 one" l asked.
"Gran'dad told me-" she lisped. ~
/ was to see a soldierman must say
4 quick God save the king or haps he't
eat me. Isis you hungry, Mister Sol
\ dier-man?"
Truly l am that, sweetheart; but
don't eat little maids. Where is your
I grandfather"
Amt got any gran'farver; l sale
! 'gran'dad.'
We'll, your granddad then; can yol
1 take me to him 2"
II don't know. 'Haps you'd eat
! him"
NO fear of that, my dear. Do look
as If l ate people,"
She gave me a long scrutiny out OF
the innocent eyes and then put up two
I little brown hands to be taken. 81
tired" she said; and my sore heart
went warm within me when took hel
In my arms and cuddled her. After q
long drawn sigh of contentrnent, she
said: My name Polly; what's yours?'
You may call me Jack, if you
please Captain Jack. If that comes the
H..
your grand dadw
She nodded and spoke to the bay
and mounted, still holding her closely
in my arms.
Tell me quickly which way to go.
Polly" ! said; for besides being, as
would fear, far out of the way TO Gill
bert Town, the last hilltop to the rear
had given me another sight of my
Swallowing pursuers riding hard as If
they meant TO overtake me.
The little maid sat up straight on
the saddle horn and looked about her as
If to get her bearings.
THAT way" she said. pointing short
to the right; and l wheeled the horse
into q; blind path that wound i'm and
out among the trees for a long half
mile, to end at a little clearing on the
banks of small stream.
I'm the midst of the clearing was a
rude log cabin; and in the open door
way stood man bent and aged, a pa
triarchal figure with white hair falling
to his shoulders and n snowy beard
such as Aaron might have Worn. At
sight of me the old watcher disap-
pc;lrcd within the house, but Il moment
later he was out again, lingering the
lock of an ancient Quecn's-arm.
| drew rein quickly, and the little
maid sat up and saw the musket.
Don't shoot, Grnn'dad!" she cried.
He's Cappy Jack. and he doesn't eat
foltseS."
At this the old man came to meet us,
though still with the clumsy musket
held at the ready.
'"rhese be parlous times, sir" he
said, half in apology, l thought. And
then: You have made friends with
my little maid, and l owe you some
what for bringing her safe home"
May" said l. "the debt is mine, mas
much as ] have the little one for my
fuend. IT'S long since I have held a
trusting child in my arms, l do assure
you, sir:
He bowed as grandly as any cour-
tier. II hope her trust is not mis-
placed, sir; though for the matter of
that, we have little enough now to take
or leave.
You have given 1t all to the king?"
said |, feeling my way as 1 had need
His eyes flashed ard he drew himself
up proudly.
The king has taken ALL sir. as you
see" this with n wave of the hand to
point me to the forlorn homestead
There is naught left me save this poor
hut and my little maid"
Taken you say? Then you are
not of the kings side?"
He came a step nearer and faced me
hal icf 81 wa nf
We're left on the bloody field of Cam
den. and the butcher Banastre Tarleton
slew the other two at Fishing Creek
A month since n band of rowing saw
ages, armed With King Georges mus
kcts mind you, sir, carne down upon
us at Northby, and this little maids
mother"
He stopped and choked; and the
child looked up into my face with her
blue eyes full of nameless terror. ooh,
| want my mammy." she said. Wont
you find her for me, Gappy Jack?"
! Slipped from the saddle. still clasp
ing the little one tightly in my arms.
Enough, sir" said when could
trust myself to speak. This same
King Georges minions have made me
a homeless outcast, TOO. live but to
give some counter stroke. III | may
Hal" said the old man, starting
back. then you are for our side? But
You: Uniform
is that of AN Austrian officer. my
exchange for the buff and blue, but
that | can serve the cause better i'm
this.
He dropped the Queens-arm, took
the child from me and badc me well
come to his cabin and all it held but
MAS not minded to make him Il sharer
in my private peril.
Fall l,.,
find Gilbert Town and Major l'crgu-
sons Rendezvous and l will ride whilst
L can see the way"
He looked at me narrowly. "l'ergu-
son left Gilbert Town some days since
If tits the place you seek. you are gone
far out Of Your Way; IL tbs the man"
Ills the man. | cut in hastily.
The patriarch shook his head
III you be of our side as you say, he
will hang YOU out of hand"
so | can make my errand good. |
care little how soon he hangs me-
And what may Your errand be?
Mayhap / can help you.
III is to bring him to stand till the
mountain men can cvertake him..
The old man trembled with excite
ment like "a boy going into his first bat
tie
All, III You could-if you could.' he
cried. but tits too late now. Listen:
his present camp is but three miles to
the westward ON Buffalo creek. | was
there no longer ago than the Wednes-
day. Ii made my submission to him
curse him-so that | might mayhap
learn of his plans. He told me all; how ,
that now he was safe; that the noun
talneerS were gone off from the ford
ing OF the Broad on Il false scent; that
Tarle;on with 400 of the legion would
soon be marching to his relief.