Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-07-14
CHAPTER XVIII
IN WHICH WE HEAR NEWS FROM
THE SOUTH

a = =
IN WHICH WE HEAR NEWS FROM
THE SOUTH.
As near as might be guessed, it
wanted yet an hour or two Of dayhreak
when we made a landing within the
boundaries Of Appleby Hundred, and
beached and hid the pirogue in the
bushes.
OF the down stream fitting through
the small hours of the warm midsum-
mer night there is no shaFp-etched pic
ture on the memory page. AS / recall
IL, no spoken word. of Jennifer's or mine
came I'm 10 break the rhythm OF the
hasting voyage. Our paddles rose and
fell. dipping and sweeping in unison
as IL we two. kneeling in bow and stern.
We're separate halves of some relentless
mechanism driven by a single %inpuise
Overhead the starlit dome circled SOL
EMMY to the right or left TO match the
windings OF the stream. On each hand
h tree-frtuged shores sped backward
In the gloom. and beneath the light
shell OF poplar wood that barely kissed
the ripples in passing, the river Tapped
and gurgled, chuckling weirdly at the
paddle plungings, and swirling aft in
h longer reaches to point at us down
h i~engthening wake with a wavering
finger silver-tipped in the wan star
light.
With the canoe safely hidden at the
landing place, which was some little
distance from that oak grove where /
had twice kept tryst with death, we set
out for the a house, skulking In
dian fashion through the wood; and,
when we reached the infields, looking
momently to come upon a sentry.
Thinking the approaches from the
road and river would be better guarded
than hat from the wood, we skirted a
widespread thicket tangle, spared by
my father twenty years before to be a
grouse n pheasant cover, and fetch
ing a compass of half a mile or more
across the maize fields, came in among
the oaks and hickories OF he manor
grounds.
Still there was no sight nor sound
Of any enemy; no light of candles at
the house, or OF camp-fires beneath the
trees.
A little way within the grove, where
the interlacing tree tops made the
darkness like Egyptian night. Jennifer
went on all fours to feel around as if
in search OF something on the sward.
Whereat ] called softly to know what
he would be at.
He rose, muttering. half as TO him
self. Il thought I'd never be SO far
out OF reckoning Then to me: "A
few hours since, the Cherokees were
encamped just here. You are standing
in the ashes of their fire"
ESQ., said l. Then they have
igone2'
! "Gope from this safely enough, 10 be
sure. They have .been gone some
hours; the cinders are cold and dew
wet"
so much the better" / would say,
thinking only that now there would be
the fewer enemies to fight.
He clipt my arm suddenly, putting
the value of an oath into his gripping
of NJ.
Come awake. man; this is no time
TO be a-daze!" His whisper was a
sharp behest. with a shake of the
gripped arm for emphasis. IF the In
dams are gone, 1t means that the pow
der train has come and gone too
"Well2" said /.
l was still thinking, with less than a
clod's wit, that this would send the
baronet captain about his masters
business, and so Margery would have
surcease of him for a time, at least.
But Jennifer fetched me awake with
another whip-lash word or two.
Jack! has the nights work gone to
your head? III Falconnet has got his
marching orders o may be sure he's
tried by nook or crook to play safe
bind, safe find. with Madge. BY heav-
en-! twas that she was afeard of, and
we are here too late! Come ont"
With that he faced about and ran:
and forgetting to loose his grip on my
arm. took me with him till / broke
away to have may sword hand free,
SO running we came presently to the
open space before the house. and ts.:!;.
II was well for us that the place was
clean deserted. for by this we had both
forgot the very name of prudence.
Jennifer outran me TO the door by
half a length, and fell to hammering
fiercely on the panel with the pommel
of his broadsword.
"Openi Mr.. Stair; openl" he shout
ed, between the gatherings: but il was
ive full minutes before the fan-light
overhead began to show some faint
glimmerings of a candle coming from
the rooms beyond.
Richard rested at that, and In the
pause a thin voice shrilled from within.
BE Off, you runagatesi Off. 1 sayi
or I fire Dol ye through the door."
Giving no heed 10 the threat, Dick
set up his clamor again, calling out his
name, and bidding the old man open TO
a friend. In some notching OF the hub
bub I heard the unmistakable click of a
gun-fiint on steel. There was barely
time TO trip my reckless batterer ana
10 fall fiat with him on the door-stone
when q gun went Off within, and a
handful OF slugs. preaching the oaken
panel It the height OF a mans middle,
went ~screeching over us.
Before I knew what ne would be at.
Richard was up with an oath, backing
or to hurl himself. shoulder on. against
the door. IT ave with a splintering
crash, letting him in headlong. i fol-
lowed less hastily. IT was as black az
q settlers mouth within. the gun IRE
Undertook. and when the punk was
slight Jennifer found the candle under
| foot and gave II me. 1t ook ARE with
tixxing like q rocket fuse, and wan well
biackened with gunpowder. Wher the