Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-11-01
Lavender
Lovers

RouN1ARsrRoHN

Ra-T N the sv<afng he had danced
With hs@a slow. al stately Measure.
- Vas his fzshioa He had not sskes
her again hat-wsl. he would % So
he thought. IS In q whlri of lace and
feathers she swept past him. leaving
. faint h-ssth Of the ghoss a rs~i
crushed vssrs asa In the folds Of that
SfS, old gowh
Just then. frum the smhrsSure OF &
nearby window. he heard 9 voice say
ms. y guess they are none too ardent
psrtiotss the father lost everything in
Virginia, and I heard it was because
Of some personal amnesty begottsn Is
long ago as 10 II seems he came Of
IN unpopular famig-M strong tories
The enemies made then have followed
aim all these years. and finally accom-
plishsd his ruin. He had TO set out Of
the state His wife and daughter are
following"
Another voice added. Prom what l
can learn. the girl and her mother are
Just rs bad rank tories, yet. III be
sworn"
The first speaker laughed. cit isn't
likely the girl was born until long
after the war"
Maybe not, but II she has any SYM
pathies they're mixed. to say the least
Why, she. herself, told me that the
dress she has on is one her mother
wore at the Meschianza And she add
ed that Mrs. Creighton danced with
Andre. How's that for effronteryf
Andrs."
At this moment winslow let his
presence be known, and one Of the
soldiers exclaimed haughtily: "a lis
tsner, sirs"
There was insult in his manner, but
Winslow held himself in check. "An
unwilling listener, l assure you" he
said, and would have passed on, but
the soldier-an aide on the command
er's stan, barred his way. unwilling
to be caught. you near. No, sir; this
Is all of a piece: your tory friends pa
rading In the clothes which we're worn
In insult to the flag"
Winslow interrupted him with Q
scornful laugh. ".Are you not unrolling
s~ong-buried past, sirs What possible
excuse can there be for the use of the
word tory, now? 1t ceased to have
meaning when the king ceased to be-"
~"Indeed!" sneered the other, "but the
sentiment still lives in some hearts.
and fostered it win be so long as there
breatiNs an Aaron Burr, or one of his
spies!"
Winslow's impulse was to dash his
glove in the speakers face, but the
dramatic effect was with him, subservi-
emit to the proprieties, and he was OPP
posed to q scene. Instead, therefore.
he quietly dropped the glove, as If by
accident at his opponents feet. The
look In his eyes admitted Of no mis-
take as 10 his meaning.
II leave time and place to you, sir"
he said, and left the group.
When he had gone, the soldiers ex-
changed ~glances, partly of amusement,
but more Of chagrin. There was a
strict rule In the camp against duel
ling, so that II a combatant escaped
the sword or bullet of his antagonist,
the guardhouse or loss of rank awaited
him. Neither was a pleasing prospect,
and the soldier had much ado to hide
his fear under q cloak Of bravado.
Worse still, the very name of Aaron
Burr struck terror to the heart of q
duellist, and this man he had pro-
voked was connected with him-per-
hsps shared his prowess. The
thought made him vince. His CON-
panion read his fright under the as
sumption Of Indifference. Cheer up,
fold man, II your sword Is rusty be
careful how you insult Aaron Burr or
one Of his followers. This "a may
be a spy"
May beT I tell you he Is! Sent
here ~ostensibily on the FOOLS errand
to protect these women, but In reality
10 look the ground over and lay plans
for the capture Of the fort. It's all as
plain as a ~pikestaff. I won't take back
my word. My sword isn't rusty, and
DANCED II I don't prove 1t tomorrow"
Winslow left the two men with eyes
ablaze. His mouth, usually curved in
a ready showing Of the white teeth,
was set now, and hard. Near the door
Mrs. Creighton stopped him: whittier
bound, my friend?" she said lightly.
Then, as she scrutinized his face:
why, how solemn you look. Has any
thing happenedg"
Winslow's brow cleared In an at
tempted smile. ~ am only grieving
that I am not that lucky cavalier on
Miss Lavender's right. Will you ask
her to save the last minuet for me?
Command her by your maternal au-
thority or I shall never get It."
With this subterfrge he excused him
nclf and went on to the verandah, glad
to DO alone.
Mrs. Creighton slipped along the edge
cf the circle Of dancers until she found
! convenient chair In the embrasure
whore Winslow had encountered the
soldiers. She was IN time TO hear most
OF the ,conyersation that followed his
departure, and her quick wit OWNED
it, meaning. A duell Then Charles
had given 81. received q challenge. No.
matter which were the aggressor, there
was not time for blame Of argument.
a dheil She grasped the arm Of the
chair for support Then Al the men
walked away, sho sank to the seat with
the final words ringing In her ears,
my sword isn't rusty, and DANCED II
1 don't prove II Tomorrow"
"To-morrow!" Then she had 1 few
Aours In which to act. But It might 10