The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-07

demonstrations only served to render I
 more hard the part that he had to play |
 a part made doubly dreadful because he |
 realized the terrible danger in which |
 stood his cousin and prospective brother |
 in-law. He himself believed Henry's state |
 ment that his sole object had been to visit l
 his family; but he saw too clearly that
 the courtmartial would give little heed
 to this story.
 cept that Major Dunwoodie would liber-
 ate her brother instantly, saw her mis-
 take, and poured on the American a tor
 rent of tears, remonstrance, broken re-
 proach and piteous entreaty which tor
 tured the young soldiers soul.
 Then growing suddenly calm, she said:
 'Peyton Dunwoodie I have promised,
 when peace shall be restored to our coun-
 try to become your wife. Give my
 brother his liberty, and I will go with
 you this day to the altar follow you to
 the camp, and in becoming soldiers
 bride, learn to endure a soldiers priva-
 tionsl"
 Say no more, Frances" cried the
 young officer, pacing the room in agony.
 Say no more unless you wish to break
 my heart"
 Then you reject my hand?" said
 Frances; and rising with pale cheek and
 quvering lip she left the room. Dunwoodie sank into a chair and cov- cred his face with his hands. But in that 1 terrible moment the blast of a trumpet tore the air and the despairing lover
 sprang to his feet, eager for battle
 Vedettes paeed in with horses a-foam to
 report royal troops coming up the valley and at the head of his dragons the young officer dashed away to meet the soldiery of King George. In the soul of Frances then love overswept all other
 thoughts, and she could not repress a cry of joy when, on the return of the victorious Americans bearing theft
 wounded and their prisoners she learned
 that Dunwoode was uninjured. But
 once assured of the young mans safety, she resumed a codness of demeanor to- ward him which went straight to his heart, and he rode away, a sad man, in the gloom of night toward the post which he had established at the Four Corners,
 two miles above the home of Mr. Whar- ton.
 At The Locusts there was a new cOm- plicaton. For among the prisoners
 brought in by the Americans was Colonel Welmere, whose appearance was hailed by Sarah Wharton with mingled joy and
 sorrow-sorrow at seeing the man she | loved wounded and a prisoner, and joy
 at being once more in his presence. Though the wound of the royal colonel
 
 by his defeat and capture to resume his love making with ardor with which he had begun it in New York, but Sarah'5 devotion for her mature admirer had suf- fe-ed no abatement. Dunwoodie had &C.,
 cepted Colonel We,lmere's parole that he would remain at The Locusts until his exchange, for which negotiations were at once set on foot; and Henry Wharton also had been bound by a solemn prom n fathers house until such time as the detachment should retire up the river, taking him with them. Captain Lawton himself re- turned with severe bruises received in
 an attempt to capture Harvey Birch after
 the fight. The Captain had sighted the
 spy lowering about and had jumped lis
 horse over stone wall in pursuit. but the animal stumbled and pinned his rider beneath him. Yet. much to the Captains amazement, the spy, though thus having his enemy at his mercy, turned quietly away, leaving the American unattached. The next few days were busy and event full ones at The Locusts. A new beauty was added to the household in the form of Isabella Singleton, who had been summoned to nurse her brother, one of the American wounded She was a south ern girl, with hair of raven blackness, a complexion of dazzling purity and dark eyes, which were by turn dreamy and full of fire. One night Frances went into her room unexpectedly and found the girl raptur- ously kissing miniature of Peyton Dun woodie Frances, already sorely dis tressed because Dunwoodie had not once visited The Locusts since the night he rode away to his post at the Four Corners |! lost all hope and felt that everything for 1 her was at an end. All too well did she I feel that the proud southern beauty would not bestow her love unsought and | at once she attributed the Majors ab- | sence to his natural disnclination to meet together two women to whom he l had paid court. Now, she thought she could understand why he had not ac- ! ceded to her prayers in behalf of her | brother and why he had rejected her ! offer of marriage.
 | She went about her household duties | and her care of the wounded filled with l shame and despair. and despite the pride which she tried to call to her aid, with l a great grieving for her lost love. The little garrison at the Four Corners | was surprised at this time by the ap- pearance of a party of skinners bearing l captive the spy Harvey Birch, and claim I ing the reward for his capture. They had | taken him in his house and burned 1t be- | fore his eyes. Dunwoodie delegated the i task of paying the sknners to Captain | Lawton, and the captain did 1t. But he l paid them in an orchard remote from the i post and surrounded by his dragons. 1 Then he called to his men. who stripped | the rascals and whipped them soundly ], before they let them go, which little at | tention caused the marauders to take a | solemn oath that they would kill Lawton | at the first opportunity
 I The next morning Dunwoodie arose at i daylight and wandered some distance l from the camp, deep in meditation. Sud- | denly the command rang out: Stand or | die.' Looking up he saw Harvey Birch. | The spy held a musket pointed directly | at him.
 l What do you wish?" cried Dunwoodie. .If you wish to murder me, fire. will
 never be your nrisonAr-'