Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-04-23
CHAPTER ".

The family were early in assembling
around the breakfast table; and Miss
Peyton, with little of that minute pre-
cision which creeps into the habit of sin
gle life, had pleasantly insisted that the
absence of her nephew should in no man
ner interfere with the regular hours she
had established; consequently. the party
were already seated when the captain
made his appearance.
Il think | did much better" he cried,
taking chair between his sisters, ito
secure a good bed and such a plentiful
breakfast instead of trusting to the hos
pitality of that renowned corps, the Cow
boys"
IF you could Sleep" said Sarah. 'you
were more fortunate than Frances and
myself; every murmur of the night air
sounded to me like the approach of the
rebel army"
why" said the captain, laughing. 81
do acknowledge little inquietude myself
but how was it with your" turning
to his younger and evidently favorite sis
ter, and tapping her cheek; did you see
banners in the clouds, and mistake Miss
Peyton's Aeolian harp for rebellious mu-
sic?"
NAY, Henry" rejoined the maid. look
ing at him affectionately. much as
love my own country, the approach of her
troops just now would give me great
pain"
The brother made no reply. but return
ing the fondness expressed in her eye by
look of fraternal tenderness. he gently
pressed her hand in silence: when Caesar,
who had participated largely in the anx-
iety of the family and kept vigilant
watch from one of the windows, exclaim-
ed. with a face that approached to some
thing like the hues of white man:
'Run-massa -Harry-run--if he love
old Caesar, run--here come a rebel horse"
Run. :" repeated the British officer,
gathering himself up IN military pride;
mo. Mr.. Cesar. running is not my
trade" While speaking, he walked de-
liberately to the window, where the fam
lily were already collected in the greatest
CONSERVATION.
At the distance of more thaP mile.
about fifty dragons We're to be m In
advance with an officer was a man dttired
In the dress Of a eountryman. who point
ed in the direction of the cottage \
small party now left the main body and
moved rapidly toward the object of their
destination The Whartons continued
chained in breathless silence when the
party, having reached the dwelling of
Birch, made a rapid circle around his
grounds, and in an instant his house was
surrounded by dozen sentinels.
Two or three of the dragons now dis
mounted and disappeared; in a few min
utes. however, they returned to the ward.
followed by Katy, from whose violent
gesticulations ii was evident that matters
of no trifling concern were on the carpet.
A short communication with the loqua-
eious housekeeper followed the arrival of
the main body of the troop, and the adj
vanced party remounting, the whole
moved toward the Locusts with great
speed.
As yet none of the family had suffi-
Gent presence of mind TO devise any
means of security for Captain Wharton
but the danger now became pressing. His
sisters. with trembling hands. replaced his
original disguise. the instruments of
which had been carefully kept at hand by
Cesar. in expectation of some sudden
emergency. This arrangement was hast
lily completed. as the Dragons entered the
lawn. and in their turn the Whartons
We're surrounded.
Nothing remained now but TO meet the
impending examination with as much in
difference as the family could assume.
The leader of the horse dismounted, and.
followed by 8 couple OF his men. he APP
preached the outer door of the building.
which was slowly and reluctantly opened
for his admission by Cesar. The heavy
tread of the trooper rang in the ears of
the females and drove the blood from their
faces
A man. whose colossal stature manifest
ed the possession of vast strength. entered
the room. and removing his cap. he salut-
ed the family. His dark hair hung around
his brow in profusion. and his face was
nearly hid in the whiskers by which il
was dis6gured- Still. the expression Of
his eye, though piercing, was not bad
and bis voice. though deep and powerful.
vss far fron unpleasant