The Sauk Centre herald., 1910-07-07
THE KNAVE OF
SPADES
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

girl-light hair with Il tinge Of red in
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.
OF one of these adherents she had
heard u great deal. but had never seen
him. Dennis Shea was a young rebel
taking an active part in the efforts to
throw off British supremacy and was
rapidly becoming Il leader. The gov
ernment was watching for some overt
act on his part that would afford an
excuse for his arrest and condemna-
tion 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 a house with an Eng
lish family who were very bitter
against the Irish patriots. Donald
Trevor. the head of the family. was a
pussy. red faced. rOtund man-indeed.
a 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 it 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
ber 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-
ticable. but Mary kept her ears open
when near to the two men and knew
they were eXcitedly talking about
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 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:
81 have in my bag the kings war
rant for his arrest. He will be tried
at the next aSsiZes. and within a
month after that he will swing"
This was quite enough for Mary.
She went to the strangers room. open
ed his bag. took out parchment,
unfoIded it and saw the name Dennis
Shea engrOssed in large letters. Tuck
ing it under her apron string. she
closed the bag and. taking the warrant
: to her own room. touched match to
it and burned it.
There is in the Irish people love
for a 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
it. I'm diggin' your grave" Then she
went bach to the strangers room and
placed the cards in the bag where she
had found the warrant.
This happened on the morning of the
y
open his bag again till he/arrived at
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 &c
take out his warrant. In its place was
the knave of spades leering 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 no use to hunt
for his missing warrant, for he had no
idea where he had lost it. and he did
not doubt that some sympathizer with
the Irish cause had destroyed it. He
must get another warrant. But jour
ney to England in those days and re-
turn was not the simple matter it is
today One must go to the coast over
muddy roads by the slow coaches Of
that period. wait for vessel to take
him across the Irish channel and near
ly cross England on a similar coach
journey to London. Then he must pass
over the same route in 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
a call from a young woman who was
a stranger to him. She was Mary
O'Rourke.
what can l do for you?" asked
Shea.
"Go into hidin'."
Explain"
: Mary told the story Of the stranger
who had stopped at the house where
she lived and what she had learned
about the warrant. She had got thus
far in her story when Shea broke in:
"And you have come to warn me?
Noble girl.'
."There's no hurry for you to be part
in with your friends" she said.
"Why not 2"
81 stole the warrant, burned. it and
put a pack of cards in its place with
the knave of spades uppermost, so that
when he opened his bag he'd see it
starin' at him."
This was too much for Shea. He
sprang for Mary. took her in his arms
and covered her face with kisses.