Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-08-10
THE KNAVE OF
SPADES
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

girl-light hair with tinge OF red i'm
1t and complexion like ripe peach
Mary lived In stirring times, when the
people were struggling to be free
from what they deemed the tyranny
of the British sovereign.
or one Of these adherents she had
heard great deal, but had never seen
him. Dennis Shea was young rebel
taking an active part in the efforts to
throw of British supremacy and was
rapidly becoming n leader The gov
eminent was watching for some overt
act on his part that would afford IN
excuse for his arrest and condcmnn-
ton for treason But OF this the young
patriot knew nothing. a gifted orator.
he continued to speak to his country
men Of Ireland's wrongs.
Mary lived in house with an Eng
lish family who were very bitter
against the Irish patriots. Donald
Trevor, the head Of the family, was q
pussy, red faced, rotund man-indeed.
veritable John Bull, who didn't con
ceal his opinions. One evening when
the mail coach stopped at the town
a passenger alighted and asked for the
home of Donald Trevor 1t was point
ed out to him, and, with his travelling
bag, he went to 1t and knocked. Mary
opened the door, and the stranger said
that he had been recommended to the
house to stop. since Mr.. Trevor was a
stanch supporter of the king. Trevor
took him in, gave him the best cham
Der in the house.
This especial treatment OF the stran-
ger made Mary curious to know who
he was. The best way to learn was to
listen when Trevor and he were talk.
Ing together. This was not very prac.
tcable, but Mary kept her ears open
when near TO the two men and knew
they were eXcitedly talking abost
measures to hold the Irish in check
Then she caught the name Shea. This
induced her to take the chance of be
ing discovered eavesdropping by re-
naming behind n screen when she was
supposed to have left the room. The
two men were excitedly discussing the
Irish cause, and she heard the stran.
ger say:
Il have in my bag the kings war
rant for his arrest He will bc tried
at the pext .assizes,e sand within Il
month after that he wilI'swing."
This was quite enough for Mary
She went to the strangers room. open
ed his bag, took out parchment,
unfolded it and saw the name Dennis
Shea engrossed in large letters Tuck
Ing 1t under her apron string, she
closed the bag and. taking the warrant
TO her own room, touched match to
1t and burned it.
There is in the Irish people n love
for joke which shows itself in the
most serious moments. Seeing a pack
of playing cards on table, Mary took
them up and, placing the knave OF
spades as the top card. she wrote on
1t. I'm diggin' your grave" Then she
went back to the strangers room and
placed the cards in the bag where she
had found the warrant
This happened on the morning of the
strangers departure, and Ire did not
r open his bag again till he arrived at
Z the place where he had been told he
would find Shea. The rebel was to
speak that evening in the town square,
and shortly before the meeting the
kings messenger opened his bag to
take out his warrant. In It's place was
the knave OF spades leeripg at him
with the words Mary had written be-
low.
Here was pretty pass. The Brit
Usher was Obliged to leave the Irish
rebel to talk his treason" without in
reference. There was ne use to hunt
for his missing warrant, fer he had no
idea where he had lost 1t, and he did
not doubt that some sympathizer with
the Irish cause had destroyed 1t. He
must get another warrant Rut jour
ney to England in those days and re-
turn was not the simple satter il il
today One must Sc to ths coast oTer
muddy roads by the slow coaches OF
that period wait for vessel TO tskc
him across The Irish channel and near
ly cross England on sisilar coach
journey TO London. Then ne must pass
over the same route I'm return.
There was nothing for the messenger
but this long trip. but with true Eng
lish persistence he started on his quest
The next day Dennis Shea received
call from young woman who was
n stranger 20 him She was Mary
ORCur.c
What can ] DO for your" asked
Shea
100 into hldn."
Explain"
Mary told the story Of the stranger
who had stopped at the house where
The lived AMI what she had learned
shout the warrant She had got thu,
far in her story when Shea broke in:
And you have come 10 warn me?
Noble girlw
There no bury for YOU TO be part
IN with your friends she said
why nOtT
u stole the warrant, burned it and
put pack ~ cards i'm its place with
thc knovc ~ spades uppcrmost. So that
when ho opened bis bag he'd see 20
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