Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-02-22
CHAPTER XII

found my host in box-like den below
stairs; room with writing table,
two chairs and a great iron strong
box for its scanty furnishings. The old
man was sitting at the table when l
looked in, his long nose buried in a
musty parchment deed He recognized
me at glance, despite the hussar uni
form. In twinkling he put the breadth
of the oaken table between US, hurled
the parchment deed into the open
strong box, slammed to the cover and
gave shrill alarm.
"Ho! you without, there! Here he
Isl have him. Help! Murder!"
The guard. a burly Dardstamter,
turned on his heel and stood at atten-
ton In the doorway. looking stolidly
for his orders, not to the shrilling mas
ter of the house. but to the man who
wore uniform.
TITS naught," I said, speaking in
German. He mistakes me for ritz
meister of the rebels"
The soldier saluted, wheeled and
vanished; and l sat down to wait till
the old mans cutlery should pause for
lack of breath. When my chance came,
1 said:
Calm yourself. Mr.. Stair. You are
In no present danger greater than that
which you may bring upon yourself
Blot out all the past. if you please, and
consider me now as a member of Lord
CORVALLIS military family seeking
quarters in your house by my Lords
express command"
Quarters in my house ?-ye're a reb-
ell spy!" he cried I'll denounce we to
my Lord for what we are. Ho! we ras-
calls. say!"
"Peace!" 1 commanded, sternly;
this is but childs folly. No man in
the British army would arrest me at
your behest. Ring the bell and sum-
mon your factor lawyer. would have
word or two in private with both of
YOU"
He dropped into chair, and 1 could
see the sweat standing In great beads
on his wrinkled forehead.
Dye mean 10 kill us both?" he
gasped
mot II l can help it. But some bet
Ater understanding is needful. and we
will have it here and now, once for
all. WIN you ring, or shall II"
He made no move to reach the bell
cord, and 1 rang for him. A grinning
black boy came to the door, and see
ing that Mr.. Gilbert Stair was beyond
giving the order, 1 gave it myself
Find Master Pengarvln and send
him here quickly. Tell him Mr. Stair
wants him."
There was a short interval of waiting
and then the lawyer came. Being but
a little wisp of man. all malignance
and no courage, he would ha e fled
when he saw me. But / caught him by
the collar and sent him scurrying
around the table to keep his master
company.
Now, then; how much or how little
have you two blabbed of the doings at
Appleby Hundred some weeks since ?"
l demanded. Speak out, and quickly"
Twas the lawyer who obeyed and
now he was the trapped rat to snap
blindly in despair.
You will hang higher than Hannah
when the Dragons find you." he grit
ted out.
Never mind" said 1; what's done
is done. But it must be undone, and
that swiftly and thoroughly Lie out
of it to Colonel Tarleton and the 9TH
and the baronet are not here to contra
dict you, and you are the only witness
es. Knock together some story that
will hold water and lose no time about
IT. Do you understand"
Seeing he was not to be put to the
wall and spitted on the spot, the law
yer recovered himself
"'Tis not the criminal at the bar
who dictates terms. Captain Ireton,"
he said. with his hateful smirk You
are under sentence of death, and that
by a court lawful enough in war time"
You refuse?" 1 said.
speaking for myself. 1 shall leave
no stone unturned to bring you to book
Captain-when 1t suits my purpose"
was loath to go to extremities with
either of them; but my bridge of glass
must be defended at all hazards.
You would best reconsider Mr. Pen
Varvin At this present moment I am
of my Lord CORVALLIS military fam
ily and | have his confidence. A word
from me will put you both In arrest
as persons whose loyalty in times past
has been somewhat more than blown
upon"
BAH" said the pettifogger 'Blus-
ter is a good dog. but Holdfast is the
better. You can prove nothing. as Won
we'll know. Moreover, with your own
neck in a moose you dare not mess and
NEEDLE with other mems affairs"
Dare not. YOU say? I'll tell Won
what may dare, Master Attorney. If
YOU are not disposed to meet me half
way IN this matter. 1 shall go to nv
Lord, tell him how have been cheated
out of my estate. declare the marriage
with Mistress Margery, and see that
YOU get your just deserts. And Won
may rest assured that this soldier-ea~l
will right me. come what may
Twas a bold stroke, the boldest of
any l had made that morning: but I
was wholly unprepared for its effect
upon the lawyer His rage was like
that Of some venomous little animal. A
thing TO make an onlooker shudder and
draw back
"Neverl" he Kissed; never, I say!
I'll XIII her first-I'll-" He choked in
the very exueerance of his malignance
and his face was like the face of man
in 1T.
Twas then that saw the pointing
of his villatny and knew that Margery
sons OF his own he was holding my be-
trayal in allegiance. He was Falcon
nets successor and my rival This lit
tie reptile aspired TO be the master Of
my fathers acres and the husband of
my dear lady, And his holding or
from denouncing me at once was also
explained. Taking Ii for granted that
the wife would bargain for the hus-
bands life. he had made a whip OF his
leniency to fiog Margery into subjec-
ton.
My determination was taken upon
the instant. There was no safety for
Margery whilst this plotting pettifog-
ger was at large. and l stepped TO the
door and called the sentry. The Darn
stadter came back and pointed to the
lawyer Then. indeed. the furious lit
tie mailman found his tongue and