The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-07

1T any apprehension or me muuce
Captain Wharton to maintain his dis
guise, wish him to be undeceived,
Had motives for betraying him they
could not operate under present cir
cumstances."
The disguised man was, indeed. Hen.
~ Wharton.
The women were pale from fright,
but young Wharton, crying, Il believe
your tore off his disguise with a light
laugh.
The storm ended soon afterward and
Mr.. Harper departed, not however,
without warning the captain that his
visit to his family in disguise was
dangerous proceeding, which might yet
involve him in grave peril; and, added
Mr.. Harper. should this be the case, he
might be able to render Wharton valu-
able service.
Scarcely had the mysterious stranger
departed when there was a thunder of
hoofs and q clanking of sabres. The
house was suddenly surrounded by
party of Virginia Horse, under Cap
tain Lawton. and before he could even
make a motion, Captain Henry whar-
ton was a prisoner. and, being taken
In disguise, charged with being a roy
alist spy.
ilys despair Major Dunwoodie, who
had followed hard on the heels of his
troop, entered the house, to be received
with acclamations of delighted relief
Frances greeted MIN with a cry of Joy,
and he pressed her to his breast. but
all these demonstrations only served
to render more hard the part that he
had to playa part made doub1y dread
full because he realized the terrible
danger in which stood his cousin and
prospective brothef-in-law. He him
self believed Henry's statement that
his sole object had been to visit his
family. but he saw too clearly that
the courtmartial would give little heed
to this story.
Frances, who had thought nothing
except that Major Dunwoodie would
liberate her brother instantly. saw her
mistake, and poured on the American a
torrent of tears. remonstrance broken
reproach and piteous entreaty which
tortured the young soldiers soul.
Then. growing suddenly calm she
said "Peyton Dunwoodie, have prom
fsed, when peace shall be restored to
our country, to become your wife.
Give my brother his liberty, and I will
go with you this day to the altar, fol-
low you to the camp, and in becoming
soldiers bride learn to endure a SOL
dier's privations!"
Say no more, Frances" cried tin,
young officer, pacing the room in ag-
ony. Say no more unless you wish to
break my heartI'
Then you reject my hand2 said
Frances; and rising with pale cheek
and quivering lip she left the room.
Dunwood'e sank into a chair and
covered his face with his hands But
in that terrible moment the blast OF
trumpet tore the air and the despair
ing lover sprang to his feet, eager for
battle. Videttes raced in with horses
a-foam to report royal troops coming
10 sol
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 their wounded and
prisoners, she learned that Dunwoodie
was injured. But once assured of the
young mans safety. she resumed
GOODNESS of demeanor toward him which
went straight to his heart, and he
rode away, sad man, in the gloom of
night toward the post which he had es-
tablished at the Four Corners, two
miles above the home of Mr.. Wharton
AT The Locusts there was new
complication. For among the prison.
ers brought in by the Americans was
Colonel Wellmere, whose appearance
was hailed by Sarah Wharton with min
gled joy and Horrow-sorrow at seeing
the man SHe loved wounded ana prlS-
oner and joy at being once more in
his presence.
Though the wound of the royal COL
onel was slight, he was too much cha
grined by his defeat and capture to
resume his love making with the ardor
with which he had begun 1t in New
York, but sarahs devotion for her ma
ture admirer had suffered no abate-
ment Dunwoodie had accepted Coll
onel Wellmere's parole that he would
remain at The Locusts until his ex-
change, for which negotiations were at
once set on foot; and Henry Wharton
also had been bound by a solemn prom
Use to remain a prisoner in his faith
er's house until such time as the de-
tachment should retire up the river
taking him with them. Captain Law
ton himself returned win severe bruis-
es received in an attempt to capture
Harvey Birch after the fight The