The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-05-19

among the ~bystanders. being fresh come
from the night without to the glare OF
candle-light within; and while the
swart-faced colonel piled him with
questions l had a chance to 10 him
up and down. Though his arm was still
In Its sling, he was seemingly the bet
ter Of his wound. There was a glow Of
health and strength returning in cheek
and eye. and l thought him handsomer
than ever what time he stood forth
boldly and confronted the bullying
colonel
Knowing the Jennifer stock and lta
fine scorn of subterfuge. ! feared II
would go hard with Richard; and so,
Indeed, 1t had gone. lacking a word in
season from an enemy. When TarletOn
would lave him choose between the
taking of the kings oath and captivity
in the hulks at Charleston. a burly Hes
sian captain at the table spoke the word
In season.
"Verdammt! mine Colonel; I VIII
know dis Mr.. Yennlfer. He Is a prave
yoong s~chalavags. and he Is not gone
out nit der rebels. Give him to mi
for mine plumbers
teeth. Having one man to hang he
could afford to be lenient with another.
What Will you dc with him. Cap
tain L~auswoulter? BY the look OF
him he'd make but Indifferent sausage
meat"
Vat shall l do nit him? I shall
make him mine best bows and send him
home. py Colt! We did had some lid
die troubles init der cards, and ven
mine foot was slipped on dis verdammt
gr~easegrass he did not run me trough
so like he might"
"Oh: an affair OF honor? Well. We'll
count that In his favor. Fake him
n me- ~ rTt.n1 - u. ~ rsl -,,r - .r,,-~r
and twenty men upon him at Jennifer
House. You nave your parole. Mr.. Jen-
infer: but by the Lord, If you break 1t
by so much as a wink or q nod. Ire
lawny Will hang you to your own ridge
pole"
Given a hearing, Jennifer would have
spoiled 1t all by swearing holly he had
given no parole. but at the word the
colonel roared him down like a bull OF
Bashan. and in the hubbub my brave
lad was hustled out.
Though l was full to bursting with
my news there was nothing l could
do; and when 1t was fairly over he was
gone. l was right glad he had not
seen me. For l knew well his steel
true loyalty. and that at sight Of me in
trouble he would have lost his slender
chance of guarded liberty, and with it
my last hope of sending word across
the mountains; though. as for that. the
hope was we'll night dead at any rate.
While Jennifer's guard and quota
were mounting at the door the aide-de-
camp returned. and tina without the
baronet. l caught but here and there
a word OF his report: enough to gather
that the captain-knight was not yet
In from posting out the sentries.
l made no doubt his absence was de-
signed. He would have Margery be-
lieve tina he had spared me honorably
as an enemy wounded. and so had left
me to the tender merices Of his colonel.
we'll assured that Tarleton would not
spare me. And his the colonel did
not mean to do. as l was not to hear
in brief.
You put a bold front on, Captain
%Ireton. but tits to no purpose, this
time" he began. '"Tis charged against
you that o rode here from the baron'a
camp with your commission in your
pocket. and came and went within our
lines like any other spy. You are a
soldier. sir, and you know that's hang
Ing. Yet l Will hear 0 II you've any
thing to say"
made so sure that I should hang in
any case that 1t seemed foolish to an
swer, and so l saved my breath. With
al he was the terror Of our Southland,
this tyrant colonel gave me time to
consider: and while he waited. grim and
silent the candles on the table guttered
and ran down. and the dim light
failed till l could no longer see the
face OF her l loved framed in the arch
way Of the stair.
thought 1T hard that l had seen my
last Of her sweet face thus through
thickenlng shadows. as a dream might
fade. Nevertheless, l would be glad
that l had seen her thus. since other
wise. l thought, I must have gone with
out this last or any other sight of her.
1t was While l was still %straining my
eyes for one more glimpse Of her, and
while the court room silence deepened
dense upon us like the shadows. that
Colonel Tarleton signed to those who
guarded me-. A hand was laid upon
my shoulder, but when l would have
turned to &C with them a woman's cry
cut sharp into the stiffness. Then, be-
fore anyone could say a word or think
a thought. my dauntless little lady
her glorious beauty heightened in a
blaze of generous emotion.
For shame! Colonel Tarleton.' she
cried. do you come thus into my ia
Tiers house and take a wounded guest
and hang him? You say he Is a spy,
but that he can not be, for he has lain
| abed In his same house a month or
more. You shall not hang him!"
At this there was a mighty stir about
the table, as you may guess; and some
would smile, and some would snuff the
candles for a better sight of her sweet
face. And through 1t all, the while my
heart went near to bursting at this
fresh proof Of her most fearless loyalty,
I ground my teeth in wrath that all
those men should look their fill and
say by wink and nod and covert smile
that this were somewhat more than
hostess loyalty.
CONTINUED Next Weekly