The Washington herald., 1912-06-09

up, the British would have made shor
work Of him. Flintloek, poor, honesI
faithful man IS gone forever"
A knock sounded at the door jus
then, and. as Priscilla opened it,
small boy stood upon the threshold.
Message for Mr.. Jack Loughboro
ma'am," he said, handing her a yelloweC
piece of paper.
-By George" shouted Jack. II be.
lieye that this is a clue" and seizing th'
paper, he quickly ran his eye over th'
writing. Immediately his face assumed
an expression Of the greatest pleasure
and he fairly shouted out:
"Priscillal Priscillal He is alive
Listen to this
On board H. NJ. S. EiIbeck
am all rite, and viii stay by treas
ure til / get It. FLINTLOcK'"
Il knew iti / knew i'll" cried the
girl. You can't kill the trapper. He
has nine lives, like a cal"
But Jack was so overcome by the
good news that he had fallen into a
chair and was laughing hysterically
Finally, he pulled himself together, told
the boy to leave, and began to sing a
song, so happy was he with the thought
OF old Flintlock's survival. "Hurrah
Hnrrah!" he cried. Now / can make
merry with the rest Of you, for ! see
that what you tell me about our cause
IS true. We will win, for the people
are Of the same stock as the English.
and they are as sturdy and fearless as
these royal adherents. Besides, we are
animated by a spirit which never can
possess them, as we are defending our
rights and they are fighting far from
home. We will beat them, surely, but
twill be solid struggle and one that
will take many men and many years Of
trial"
He was interrupted by another knock
upon the door, and, upon running to
open it, the well-known features of
Tommy Wallace appeared on the
threshold
Hello he cried. 81 know that
would find you at last, Jack, and l have
been looking all around for trace of your
whereabouts. Lord Fairfax wishes to
see you, badly, for the old man is much
broken with the news of American in
dependence and he has some things to
sly. For this reason, partly, | have
come down the river, and | also brought
a message to Lord Dunmore-who, |
perceive, is now so far at sea that /
cannot hope to get him So, when you
are ready, | am all prepared for the
journey to the Court"
Jack was overjoyed to see Tommy
once more, and, after a long talk with
Mr.. Doddridge, in which the good mer-
chant promised to carefully take charge
of his fortune for him. he joined the
messenger from Greenaway and was
soon upon the long and tiresome jour
ney to the Shenandoah. Life looked ex-
ceedingly bright to him-his fortune was
aSsured-his health was never more
the cheering word from the
trapper made him feel that, after all,
old Flintlock would turn up as smiling
and cool as always. So the long Jour
fight like minutes, as the two sturdy
young Virginians pushed their now
way far up to the headwat-
ers of the Potomac
Meanwhile. a sorrowful and broken
hearted English gentleman awaited their
coming, with spirit, that, never over
cheerful, had now become even sui
en- and morose. All was quiet and peace
in the valley of the Shenandoah, and
As he gazed thoughtfully at the blue
outlines of the mountains, his spirit did
not fail to be softened and made more
serene, by the gorgeous scenery and
Wild grandeur of the purple hills. The
forest stretched away in all the beauty
Of its wild ruggedness; the clear sky
was blue as azure to his sober eye; while
the thought of peace and safety from
further depredations by the warlike In
iians, should have made him tranquil
md happy.
Day after day he sat upon the low
1ortico of his home in the wilderness,
gazing listleSsly across the fields, in
front, which were being cultivated by
lis few negro slaves. His gun and fish
ng rod lay idle. His setter dog whined,
n vain, to be taken out into the forest,
md his game bag. so often filed with
he spoils of the chase, now lay unused
n a corner of the great living room. !
The squirrels chartered at each other |
rom the great NAPLES in the front |
Tearing. the crows cawed disconsolately !
n the branches, and, as the sun of early !
ipring gradually turned the landscape /.
If brown to that of a delicate green, the !
But still he would sit. gazing, nOdding, /
linking, upon his wide porce; neither |
moving nor taking any part in the rug |
yed life of the frontier, as had been /
lis custom
For, as Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax !
he master of Greenway Court-heard F.
he news of Colonial success from the /
over country. his visions of English /
greatness began to fade. His dream OF
vast British colony began TO vanish.
lis hopes for a new dependency under
he mother flag took wings and fled.
IN ambitious man az home, he had
moved to a new country so that remind
rs of his disappointments politically
hould not be constantly before him.
Jew ambitions had stirred his soul and
e saw, in his minds eye, vast coun-
~ won to England (with himself as
uler and adviser to the CROWN. Events
lere going against his will. Trouble
ad been brewed of which he suspected
othing and could not stop, if he would.
| revolution which had threatened had
urst upon his own country before II
ould be averted, and now, with fear
nd with helplessneSs, he saw the work
{ his hand, the victories of the French
nd Indian wars, the sweat and blood of
revious struggles, all about to be
wept away by a united people, stimulat-
! by that great spirit of personal lib
rty, which has always animated the
resst of the Englishman. Had he been
lie King of England, he felt that he
0uld have averted 1t. But, alas, he