The Elbert County tribune., 1910-08-19
CHAPTER XVII.
On the Road to Turner's.
Who goes there?"


"a Jug
What kind of a jug?"
"A little brown jug from Kildare"
Thus Mr.. Thomas Ardmore tested
his pickets with shibboleth of his
own devising The sturdy militiamen
of North Carolina patroled the north
ern bank of Raccoon creek at mid
night. aware that riotous flood alone
separated them from their foes.
The terraces at Ardsley bristled with
the guns of the First Light battery.
while. upon a, cot in the wine cellar
beneath, Mr.. Bill Appleweight, alias
Poteet, slept the sleep of the just.
He was rudely aroused, however, at
one o'clock in the morning by Ard
more, Cooke and Collins. and taken
out through the kitchen to one of the
Ardsley farm wagons. Big Paul held
the reins. and four of Cookies detec.-
ives were mounted as escort. Ard
more, Cooke and Collins were to ac-
company the party as board of
strategy in the movement upon Tur-
ner Court House. South Carolina.
Appleweight. the terror of the bor-
der. blinked at the lanterns that flash
ed about him in the courtyard. He
had been numbed by his imprison-
ment. and even now he yielded HIM
self docilely to the Inevitable. His
capture In the first instance at Mount
Nebo had been clear enough, and he
could have placed his hand on the
men who did 1t If he had been free
for couple of hours. This he had
pondered over his solacing solitaire as
he sat on the case of Chateau Bizet
in the Ardsley wine cellar; but the
subsequent events had been altogeth-
er too much for him. He had been
taken from his original captors by a
girl. and while the ignominy of this
was not lost on the outlaw, his wits
had been unequal to the further fact.
which he had no ground for disbe-
lieving, that this captivity within the
walls of Ardsley had been due to a
daughter Of that very governor OF
North Carolina whom he had counted
his friend
The road between Kildare and Tur-
ner's Is fairly good" announced Cooke,
though we've got to travel four miles
to strike it. Griswold evidently thinks
of this business, and he won't find
out till morning that we've crawled
round his line and placed Appleweight
in jail at Turner's, where he belongs"
You must have good story ready
for the press Collins" said Ardmore.
"The North Carolina border counties
don't want Appleweight injured. and
Gov. Dangerfield don't want any harm
to come to him-you may be sure of
that. or Bill would have been doing
time long ago."
Gentlemen, 1t was very impolite
of you not to tell me you were ready
to starti" and Jerry came briskly
from the side entrance. dressed for
the saddle and nibbling a biscuit
But you are not to go. l thought
that was understood" cried Ardmore.
1T may have been understood by
you. Mr.. Ardmore but not by me.
should never forgive myself If, after
all the trouble have taken to
straighten out this little matter,
should not be In at the finish. Will
you kindly get me horse?"
Miss Dangerfield's resolution was
not to be shaken. and few minutes
later the party moved out from the
courtyard. Cooke rode several hun
dred yards ahead; then two detectives
preceded the wagon. in which Apple
weight sat on cross-seat with two
more OF Conxe's men on a seat just
behind him. He was tied and gagged.
and an old derby hat (supplied by
Paul. had been clapped upon the side
of his head at an angle that gave
him jaunty air belied by his bonds
Though his tongue was silenced. his
ewes were at once eloquent of won