The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1912-10-24

must bear o disapproval However,
we need discuss the matter no
longer"
She sprang to the door, aud glanced
out into the hall, stepping back once
more as Peter appeared. His eyes
swept the room in silent observation
Captain Grant and the two officers
with him have concluded their meal
Mistress Claire" he announced calm.
ly, and n Of them has gone for q
file Of soldiers to begin the search Of
the house,
Very well, Peter; go back and az
sist them. ! Will see TO the safe con
cealment Of Major Lawrence"
He bowed g%raciously. and disap
peared.
You have not given me your par
dom implored as u eyes again
met.
There is nothing to pardon to my
knowledge. / respect you because Of
your sense of propriety, but we cannot
talk longer now. You must enter the
passage at once"
You will give me your hand hrst?"
Gladly" and felt its firm pres
sure, her face frightened by a smile.
Now let us remember rather the
danger, the necessity Of concealment
and not delay too long. Wait a mo
ment, major; is It true you absolutely
trust me?"
1T certainly is"
Il am going to put that to the test
You have papers you desire to give
at once into the hands Of General
Washington. You may be detained
here some time, but l have with me
an Indian who could take them across
the Delaware tonight. It is not the
first time he has made that journey.
VIII you confde them to me?"
Our eyes were looking directly into
each other. / may have hesitated an
instant, confused by the unexpected
request, yet there was something in
the expression Of the girls face which
swept doubt swiftly aside. without a
word took them from an inner peck.
ct, and gave them to her. The red
lips smiled, the blue eyes Frightening.
"Tonepah shall leave within the
hour" she promised, thrusting the
small packet into the bosom of her
dress. Now step within, major, and ]
will close the door"
/ did as she requested, hearing the
click Of the lock behind me, and be.
ing as instantly plunged into dark,
ness. / waited a moment, my foot upon
the first narrow stair, listening. No
sound reached me from without. and.
with her animated face still before me
in memory, / began to slowly feel my
way down the circular staircase. There
was nothing dangerous about the pas.
sage, but with only the bare stone wall
to touch with the hand l was Obliged
to grope along blindly. The huge
chimney had evidently been erected
merely for -concealment, and I mar
veled at the ingenuity Of it's construc.
ton. l failed to count the steps, but
l went around and around so many
times, pressed against the smooth
wall, that l knew l must be we'll below
the basement Of the house before I
finally stood at the bottom. I CROPPED
forward in the intense darkness, feel.
ing with outstretched hands. The first
object encountered was a rough table,
the surface Of which l explored. dis.
covering thereon a c~andlestick with
flint and steel beside it.. With relief
/ struck a spark, and a yellow flame
revealed my surroundings.
What / saw was a low room some
fifteen feet square, the walls and roof
apparently Of stone securely mortared,
the only exit the narrow circular
stairs. The floor was Of earth. Op-
posite me was a bunk slightly elevat-
ed, containing a blanket or two, and a
fairly comfortable chair built from a
barrel. An old coat and hat hung
from a nail at the head Of the bunk.
a shelf near by was an earthen
crock, and two candles, and beneath
this, on the floor, was a sawed-on gun
and two pistols, with a small supply
Of powder and balls, the former
wrapped. in an oiled cloth. It was in
truth a gloomy, desolate hole, al.
dry enough. For want Of some
better to do / went over and
up the pistols; the lock Of one
broken, but the other seemed
seryiceable, and, after swapping the
flint, | loaded the weapon, and slipped
It into my pocket. Somehow its o
session yielded me a new measur of
courage, although 1 had no reason to
/ would be called upon to use
he ancient relic.
There was little to examine, but !
.ramped about n%ervously, tapping the
wallis, and convincing myself Of their
and, finally, tired by this use
exercise, seated myself in the
chair. 1t was like being buried in a
omb, not a sound reaching my
strained ears, but at last the spirit of
depression vanished, and my mind be-
to grapple with the problems con
ronting me-
Heaven alone knows how long / re-
NAMED there ~motionless, my mind
elsewhere, drifting idly backward to
he old home, reviewing the years Of
var that had transformed me from
,Ov To man aq THOUGH nv oop,n -oA