Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-20
CHAPTER XLIII.

lOES.
The grasp of a warding foe.
- JOANNA BAuLIE.
The month of S. ptember was more
than half gone. The night had just
set in, and the waxing moon shone
forth from "a clear heaven, fiinging
her rays upon the rippling surface
of the Ennoree and upon the glossy
leaves that fiickered in the wind by
the banks Of the stream, when Mary
Musgrove, with wary and stealthy
pace, glided along the path, intricate
with shrubbery, that led upward i'm
mediately upon the margin Of the river.
For a full half hour she had toiled
along this narrow way since she had
stolen past the sentinel near her
fathers gate. The distance was not
a mile; but the anxious maiden, pur-
sued by her own fears, had more than
once, in the fancy that she was fol-
lowed, stopped in her career and con-
cealed herself in the thick copse-
wood, and listened with painful in
tensity for the footsteps OF those
whom her imagination had set upon
her track There was, however, no
pursuit; 1t was the prowling fox or
the raccoon whose leap had disturbed
the dry and rotten branches that lay
upon the ground; and Mary smiled
with nt-heartedness at the illusions
of her own mind. She arrived at last
beneath the brow Of a crag that jut-
ted over the stream, and in the shade
Of one of the angles of the rock, she
discerned the figure of a man seated
upon the grass. She paused with a
distrustful caution, as she challenged
the silent and half concealed person.
Hist, John! is it you? For mercy,
speak! Why would you frighten me?
Me, Mary. Don't you know me?"
said the maiden as she took heart Of
grace and advanced near enough to
put her hand upon John Ramsay's s
shoulder. Powers above, the mans
asleep" she said with laugh. who
would have thought 1 should have
caught you mapping, John, at such a
time as this!"
why, in truth Mary" said John
Ramsay. waking up under the touch
OF his mistress, and rising. to his feet,
'I deserve to be shot for sleeping on
my watch: but l have been so driven
from post to pillar for this last fort
night, that it is as much as l can do
to keep my eyes open when night
comes on. So, Mary, you will forgive
me, and more particularly when l
tell you l was dreaming of you; and
thought this war was at an end, and
that you and were in home of our
own. l have been waiting for you
for upwards of an hour"
"Ah, John l don't think 1 could
sleep if it had been my turn to watch
for you"
There's the difference" replied
John, "betwixt you women and us
men: you are full of frights and fidg-
etings and fancyings, that l do verify
believe all the sleeping doses in the
world could never make you shut your
eyes when anything is going on that
requires watching, whether it be
sick friend or a piece of scheming.
Now, with us, we take nap on
hard trotting horse, and fall to snor-
ing up to the very minute that the
trumpet wakes us to make charge.
What news from Butler?"
"It is all fixed" answered Mary, Ito
our hearts content. Lieutenant Mac
donald, ever since CORVALLIS letter,
allows Major Butler greater privi-
leges; and the sentinels are not half
so strict as they used to be; so
think we may give them the slip.
BY the gable window that looks out
from the garret room, the major Will
be able to get upon the roof, and that,
he thinks Is near enough to the tree
for him to risk a leap into the
branches: though 1 am almost afraid
he is mistaken, for 1t looks awfully
wide for a spring. He says If you
will be ready with the horse an hour
before daylight tomorrow. he Will
try the leap and join you at the Will
lows above the mill. Christopher
VIII one OI the NdSOll ilO''S''
and lead him to the place"
And the sentinel who keeps guard
on that side?"
"Ah. John. that puzzles u.s." said
Mary: I'm so much afraid that you
will be rash. 1t is your nature to
forget yourself"
Tut, girl; don't talk of that. I'll
find a way to manage the sentinel.
] will steal up to him and take him
unawares: and then seize him by the
throat. give him his choice of a knife
in between his ribs. or a handful of
guineas in his pocket"
Hadn't we better tell him what a
good man, the major is?" said Mary
alarmed at the idea of a struggle in
which her lovers life might be en-
dangered, land try to coax him to
take our side?"
"Ha, ha!" calculated the trooper
involuntarily. that's a very good wo-
mans thought, but it won't hold out
in a campaign. The fellow might
happen to have some honesty. and
then away goes our whole scheme.
No, no: blows are the coin these ras-
Gals buy their bread with and. faith
Wen trade with them in the same ar
ticle."
But then John, you will be i'm dan
ger"
What of that, girl? When have |
been out of danger? And don't you
see. Mary, what good luck l have
with it? Never fear me; l will stifie
the fellow in the genteelest fashion
known in the wars
And if it must be so John, l will
say my prayers for you with more
earnestness than / ever said them IN
my life. AS my father says, the God
of Israel will stand by our cause
and when He is for us, what care we
who is against us?"
You are a good girl. Mary replied
John Ramsay, smiling. Get back to