The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-04-10

| 80 FAR as arg attempt to rescue her
father was concerned. and very scanti.
| ly informed as to his situation.
Any prisoner was IN peril. So much
she knew. And this knowledge was
presently made doubly sure by the
atrocious murder OF Captain Joshua
Hubby, an American officer who was
taken from the military prison In New
York by party Of soldiers under the
Infamous Lippincott and hanged as an
act OF vengeance for the death Of one
White, plundering guerrilla.
Lippineott placarded the body with
the line, up Goes Hubby For Philip
! White" words which were soon on
every lip and were excellently calcu-
lated to haunt the minds of those
whose loved ones lay in danger
| Mariory knew of only one man who
could advise or help her In this emer-
gency, and that was Captain Asgill
| but what had become of him? No
word had come to Marjory FROM him
| Those whom she could ask, with any
| hope Of news, had heard that he had
| left the city. whittier and upon what
! errand they could not say.
The girls position was utterly
! wretched. That hand clasp in the
moonlight had awakened her heart.
| but to what end? Would he have de-
clared his love for her? Would he
have pledged his faith? Tender
thoughts of him would surge up with
| in her, and then-his disappearance,
his silence, what could they mean?
Her fathers prophecy rang in her
| ears.
1t had been speedily fulfilled, and
| the mere suggestion which her soul
repealed that Asgill had had any hand
in that calamity was madness in the
silence of sleepless nights.
Upon a day In May there came to
her British soldier in tattered gar.
ments bearing a letter from Captain
Asgill
Supposing his situation to be already
known to her, he had made no effort
to prepare her mind The poor girl
read the words of tenderness with
which the letter began, and her heart
sank. Then in an instant the fatal
news flashed through her like bullet.
Captain Asgill was under sentence of
death. The words of love he sent to
her were the first and the last.
II crowd all my facts into these
opening lines" he wrote, because l
know not how long time / have be-
fore the secret messenger who will
bear this comes to me. When he
comes he cannot wait It will be
tap at the window, and must cease.
II came to you that evening to say
goodby, being ordered upon mission
Of some danger, which in fact led to
my capture.
II had loved you from the first. but
did not mean to speak SO soon. My
heart overmastered me- Would you
have listened7 / know not and never
can know in this world
II beg Of you to think of me as a
man of honor, who would have laid at
your feet my name. my hopes, all that
was mine to give. MY whole life was
yours then, when counted 1t In years.
as now, when only days remain.
you will have heard Of the mis-
chance which has befallen me. You
may even have better information than
mine, but am told this--that General
Washington demanded Captain Lip
pincott to be tried as q murderer for
the death Of Captain Hubby; that Sir
Henry Clinton refused the demand;
that General Washington thereupon
summoned Il council of officers, by
whom 1t was decided that a British
prisoner of suitable rank should be
chosen BY lot TO expiate the crime of
Lippincott, II crime It was.
"The lot fell to me, and | rest, there
fore, under sentence Of death. the time
and place unknown TO me as yet.
MY name may be much blown
about the country for a little while,
and 1t is better for your fathers sake
that yours should not be joined with
1t.
II have therefore .refrained from
communicating with you through open
means allowed to me, not knowing |
under whose eyes my words might |
fall. but heavens kindness has sent |
me this secret means. which seize |
upon with gratitude"
The concluding portion Of the letter
dealt with certain perils which he
foresaw for herself and her father and |
pointed out the proper course for the
TO pursue.
81 have small influence with SiI |
Henry Clinton" he continued, "but |
much with Sir Guy Carleton, who viii
succeed him. In fact, have acted
for some time under private instruc-
tons from Sir Guy. an old time friend
of my father, Sir Charles Asgill.
AT need, show him these lines
would send some words to him upon
my own account IL the time sufficed.
but it does not
The letter closed with many words
of love, and Marjory elasped 1t to her
breast and sat for long time motion
less.
Then she arose and went about ali
odd task, putting small supply OF
food into q little satchel and, with