The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-11-23

surely you do not wish me to run
laway?"
les, This time, for my sake as we'll
as your own Ii could have completed
my confession you would realize the
necessity, However, the fact that you
are Inc bearer Of dispatches should
be sufficient; your duty to the Colo
MES Is more important than any pri-
vate quarrel. You will go?"
fes-but you? Are you safe with
him?"
Perfectly, l wish might be
clothed in my own proper dress. but
with Peter and Tonepah on guard,
captain Grant alone is not danger
Gus. Besides, | wish to learn his pur-
pose in seeking TO join us She hes
ltated You must not fear for me,
out-out | wish to tell you all. and
and am sure | shall need your help"
You mean am TO join you again
at Eimhurst?"
is That asking too much?"
| Claire | whispered. bending to-
ward her, SO Peter could not overhear,
nothing shall keep me from coming,
dear. will ride back the moment my
dispatches are in Arnold's hands. But
tell me. first, If you are not afraid of
Grant himself, what is 1t you need me
for?"
| ERIC, she answered swiftly. He
has disappeared, dead or deserted Oh,
cannot believe the last is true 1t
was 10 save his reputation that |
dressed in this uniform performed the
| rly
knows where he is. what has become
OF him. | went TO him in Philadel-
phia, but he only sneered, and said the
boy had doubtless run away. know
better; that is not like Mortimer
But ] cannot search for him; must
stay with my father. But il can only
be assured you will come"
| You can be assured
| mistress Claire" broke in Peter.
some one is riding up the road
Yes, Peter, yes. Major, wait here,
| Don't move. We will go back and
meet him"
| i held my horse steady, although he
made an effort to follow. Voices came
back to me through the darkness
Grants loud enough TO be clearly
heard
What, is this you, Claire?" he
laughed grulIly. by all the gods,
thought it must be Eric. l never ex-
pected to find you logged out in this
style BY Jove, | wish it was day
light"
| Whatever she replied must have
sobered the fellow
| ''Everything | say you take wrongly.
OF course it's all right, for the coun-
try is full of stragglers out Of both
armies. Lord. | don't care what you
wear, as long as it suits you. My
business? Oh, | explained all that to
lyour putty-faced servant-Saint Anne.
that fellow! But III review the mat
ter again I'm drumming up Clinton's
deserters, but now I've met you I'm
tempted to go along with you as far as
Elmhurst."
Become deserter yourself?"
oh, no, or at least only Temporal
riy. There will be plenty of fighting
yet in the Jerseys. Clinton's whipped
all right, and is going to have time
getting away to the ships. In my
Judgment there will be richer picking
for Jerseyman right here at home,
than with the army in New York"
There was a moments silence; then
the girl asked, shade of horror in
her voice:
Surely, you cannot mean to ally
yourself with guerillas, Captain Grant?
With-with Fagin?"
The man laughed, but mirthlessly.
That would be horrible, wouldn't
it? Well, personally | fail to see why
Fagin is any more of a scoundrel than
some of these other fellows in gilt
epaulets. However, I've not come to
that point yet. The fact is | have a
private affair to attend to before l
guess what 1t is?"
Il? Certainly not"
well you will know shortly-the
ambulance is coming"
| rode my horse slowly forward,
keeping at the edge of the road, until
assured a sufficient distance separated
us. Then | gave the restive animal
a sharp touch of the spur, sending him
swiftly Forward. My escort would have
mile or two the start, yet that was
nothing. My thoughts were not with
them, or with my military duty, but
reverted to the little company around
the wounded man. The bearing of
the dispatch TO Arnold was mere rou
tine, involving only steady riding, but
the relations existing between Claire.
Grant, and Eric Mortimer were full
of mystery. There were connecting
links could not understand; no doubt
had the girl been permitted to con
clude her story | might fit 1t tof nth
er, but as it was was left cropping in
the darkness. Yet my mind tena-
ciously held to it's original theory as
to Eric's strange disappearance-he
had been betrayed by Grant, and was
being held prisoner. But where? By