Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-06


learning, accomplished beyond mos'
men Of his day, utterly fearless, and
deeply ambitious, he Is a man to be
watched and feared; and whenever
single feather can be drawn from
his pinions, the opportunity should moi
be allowed to pass unimproved. Nc
other young officer has any chance
against you, and as for the older ones
history, II 1t teaches anything, teaches
,,us that the first leaders of success
| full revolution rarely ever reap It's
highest rewards. Who would have
dreamed at the beginning Of the Eng
lish civil wars, that the rough and
ungainly colonel Of the Ironsides
would be the foremost man In the
kingdom at its close?"
No immediate reply was made, and
the conversation when it was resum-
ed, turned to other subjects. 1t was
near midnight when Colonel Hamilton
rose to depart.
by the way" he said taking his
overcoat in his hand, I'VE have been so
deeply interested that I forgot to ask
where you had been since our part
ing"
ITO st. Croix. I wished to ascertain
If that fellow Williams, of whom you
once spoke to me, was really any one
whom I had ever known, and I pre-
ferred making the journey myself to
trusting to another who might be In
timidated, or make mistakes or accept
bribes from other hands than mine"
did you find him; and did you
know him."
81 saw him, but too late to learn
anything from him. AS Ill luck would
have 1t. the very day after my arri-
val, he was found dead In a thicket
of mangoes; and, up TO the time Of my
departure, which you may be assured
was not unnecessarily delayed, his
murderer had not been discovered"
Colonel Hamilton drew on his coat
rather hastily-bade his companion
good night" and in another moment
the direction Of his own quarters.
THAT will do" muttered Billings,
closing the door, and returning to the
fire. HE knows well enough who
struck that blow, and will feel that he
has one hold less upon me. He must
be desperate, indeed, before he resorts
to that other alternative which he
hissed in my ear on the heights of
Harlem"
James Billings habitually slept but
little, and that little at whatever time
proved most convenient. He rarely
dismissed any of the many problems
which, at different periods, thronged
his busy brain before he had worked
out a satisfactory solution. 1t was
his habit, always before seeking re-
pose, to think over any conversation Of
interest in which he had been engaged,
and to calculate how far he had sue
ceeded in making the impression he
desired. At such times his thoughts
almost invariably took the form OF
words, and he appeared to derive in
creased self satisfaction from the
sound Of his voice. On the present
occasion he drew off his boots, incased
his feet in a pair Of morocco slippers,
lighted fragrant Havana, and settled
himself comfortably down to think
aloud.
For a man of sense" so ran his
thoughts, "for a man of sense, and
ton was startled more than could have
been expected when I hinted at the in
dispensable necessity of putting George
Washington out of the way when our
plans were ripe, or nearly so. / am
glad / mentioned 1t so soon. He must
GROW familiar with the idea before the
time comes for putting 1t into execu-
ton. He has gone off now believing
he given to my suggestion; but I have
read the book of human nature too at
t, ntively to be deceived in such case.
It Is one of those ideas which, when
into a mans head will come back, no
matter how often they may be driven
ter how often they may be driven
away, and every time they present
less forbidding aspect There will be
no necessity for me to refer to it again.
It will force itself upon his attention,
and, in process of time, he will come
to regard 1t as a very dear and famil-
lar friend, whose society, instead of
creating uneasiness. is of exceeding
comfort in dark and cloudy weather.
| On that score l have no fears, not
withstanding his seeming horror at
the proposition; and the net 1 have
been so industriously weaving, In that
part at least is sound. My chief ep-
prehension is the want Of time. Our
hopes will be as effectually blasted by
an early termination Of the war, as by
England's reconquest Of her provinces.
Brother Jonathan comes Of stiff
necked race, who have, before now,
taken off the heads Of legitimate SOW
ereigns, and he is of a temper to fol-
low the ancestral example If any pre-
mature usurper should attempt to fet-
ter his limbs before he is completely
wearied and disgusted by successive
years Of lawlessness and blood. In
that case only will he consent to ex-
change his dreams Of freedom for the
government of prince, albeit that
prince should be Of his own selection.
We are getting along too fast now, and
I must contrive to put some clog upon
the wheels. An occasional hint to Sir
William Howe, such as may enable
him to gain partial success, will do
the business--and by the Lord, he
shall have 1t! This Staten Island eX-
pedition offers a good chance for
beginning. If Colonel Burr commands
it, a double purpose may be gained by
preparing the British to meet him. If
he does not, there is still the chance
of afflxing more or less odium upon
him as the original proposer of an ad-
venture which has ended in disaster
and defeat. The game seems to me
easy enough. All that Is needful is so