The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-03
MY LADY OF DOUBT.
CONTINUED from Page EIeven.

kOTus lOOk6u Up QuINhAJ anu Sow A1s5s
He called out an order, and three or
four men sprang up the stairs, grasp
Ing and leading me down. ! made no
resistance, not realizing / was in any
danger. The colonel, a tall man with
gray mustache and goatee, and dark,
searching eyes, faced me sternly.
What are you doing here, gir2
Come, speak upl What does all this
uean?'' and he swept his hand about
In gesture.
81 came along about thirty minutes
ago." explained, beginning to appre-
efate my situation, from the suspicious
Klances cast at me, and recalling how
disreputable my appearance must be.
81 found things just az they are now,
SIR. There's been . fight and rob
berry"
That's plain to be seenS are these
all the bodies?"
Eyes, sir, but the house is upside
down from end to end"
You saw no One2 No British sol
aiers7"
/ shook my head, conscious Of the
fierce grip with which / was being
held. A couple of the men dragged
out the body from behind the stairs,
and as the face came into the light,
the colonel's eyes saw It. heard the
sharp breath expelled through his lips,
as he stared down into those ghastly
features.
Good Lordi Mike! What IN the
name of heaven does this mean? He
was supposed to be with Clairei"
~There must be some mistake,
Colonel Mortimer" insisted the other
Officer gravely. Perhaps we can get
the truth out Of this pumpkin, Il we
take the lash to him"
understood in hash, and as swift.
" chose a course Of action. This
gray-headed colonel was her father,
and would serve her In this emergen.
cy without thought OF my own danger.
NO threat Of a whip would open my
lips, but memory would.
Come, you dogi" burst out the
colonel fiercely. 'You know more than
you have told. Speak up, or Wen skin
you alive"
81 will, Colonel Mortimer" I said,
looking him straight in the eyes. mot
because Of your threats, but because
wish to serve you. Now / know who
you are, and will tell you all know
about this whole affair"
''Was-was my daughter hece2" he
interrupted.
Yes, SIR"
"My Godl And Ericf"
mot to my knowledge there was a
man called Peter, this fellow, and a
black slave or two. They were ALL
saw"
But why should Claire have been
here" he asked as though dazed, "'un-
less she came to meet her brother3 !
supposed her safe in the city"
Il do not pretend to understand the
cause OF her presence. But If you
listen to my story perhaps you may
know what to do" paused an instant
70 get a grip on ny thoughts. / need
not tell all, confess my identity, or
mention my personal relations with
the daughter. 81 am a soldier, Colonel
Mortimer, In Maxwell's brigade OF
Washington's army. What brought me
here has nothing to do with the pres
ent story. was in the fight over yon-
der near Mount Laurel night before
last when we captured Delavan's for
age train"
What" burst In the Dragon OH.
eer. "was Delavan defeated, thenS
Hadn't Grant joined him?"
yes to both questions, sir. Della
van was killed, and Grant surrendered.
He and his men were psroled, and
started for Philadelphia last evening
from here"
''From herei" lncredulous1y. "That
must be lie, colonel, for Mount Lau-
rel is between here and the city"
Nevertheless, It is no lie" re-
sorted promptly, looking the young
TOOL I'm the eyes. Il was hiding here
Tor reasons Of my own when they
came tramping in along that road
about the middle Of the forenoon yes
serday. There was near a hundred
Hessians and Rangers, with two Ger
man officers, and Grant. heard them
tell Mistress Mortimer this was the
nearest place where they were sure
Of finding provisions, and that they in
tended to remain until night. l don't
know what happened after that, ex-
eept that the officers went inside, and
the men marched around to the back
10 eat their breakfast"
what became OF your
"Oh, had other business, and never
rot back along here until Just at day
light this morning. Then I found
things this way" ~
you don't know what occurred,
shen2"
mo more than you do. But I've got
my opinion. It's this-Grant and his
fellows must have left as soon as It
was dark, taking the west road, which
was the cause of your missing them.
Il is likely from this man Mixes body,
that your daughter and her party were
stiT in the house. 1t couldn't have
been much later when these others
got here and made the attack. Mike
must have fought them at the front