The Southern herald., 1912-12-27

Erlc, Sle answered. sMAAy'
has disappeared. dead or deserted. On,
| cannot believe the last Is true, IL
was to save his reputation that
dressed in this uniform, performed the |
work assigned him. feel sure Grant
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. l know
better; that is not like Mortimer.
But | cannot search for him; | must
stay with my father. But II ! can only
be assured you viii 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"
| 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 grufly. by all the gods, |
thought it must be Eric. | never ex-
pected to find you togged out in this
style. By Jove, l wish 1t 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
your putty-faced servant-Saint Anne!
that fellow! But I'll review the mat
ter again. I'm drumming up Clintons
deserters, but now I've met you I'm
tempted to go along with you as far as
Elmhurst"
Become a deserter yourself?"
"Oh no, or at least only tempora
: rily. There will be plenty of fighting
. yet in the Jerseys. Clinton's whipped
: all right, and is going to have a tint
getting away to the ships. In m!
Judgment there will be richer picking
for a Jerseyman right here at home
than with the army in New York"
There was a moments silence; the
: the girl asked, shade Of horror l
I her voice:
Surely, you cannot mean to all
yourself with guerillas, Captain Grant
With-with Fagin?"
The man laughed, but mirthlessly
THAT would be horrible, wouldn
it? Well, personally fail to see VIII
Fagin is any more Of scoundrel tha
some of these other fellows In 81
epaulets However, I've not come
that point yet The fact is l have
private affair to attend to before
leave this neighborhood. Can "
guess what 1t is?"
81? Certainly not"
well, you will know shortly-h
ambulance is coming"
| rode my horse slowly forwar
keeping at the edge Of the road, un
assured sufficient distance separat
us. Then | gave the restive amin
sharp touch of the spur, sending hi
swiftly forward. My escort would ha
a mile or two the start, yet that W
nothing. My thoughts we're not WI
them, or with my military duty,
reverted to the little company arou
the wounded man. The bearing
the dispatch to Arnold was mere r,
tine, involving only steady riding,
the relations existing between Jlai
Grant, and Eric Mortimer were (
of mystery. There were connect
links could not understand; no dol
had the girl been permitted to C
clude her story l might fit it toe
er, but as it was l was left cropping
the darkness. Yet my mind te
ciously held to its original theory
to Eric's strange disappearance
had been betrayed by Grant, and '
being held prisoner. But where?
whom? And for what purpose?
pondered on this problem as
horse ploughed forward through
dust, my eyes unconsciously scanr
the dark road. Grant could not b
=, known that Colonel Mortimer was
ing taken home. His meeting with
ambulance party was altogether an
ice. cident. Yet / had no faith the
can was out seeking British stragglerst
had he been dispatched on such a
,ert- sion he would have had at leal
de- squad of soldiers with him. Then W
that The probability was that he was
the er riding to Elmhurst, or to some
devious with Fagin. Some plan
" been interrupted by Clinton's SUI
see march, by the British defeat at
left mouth, and Grant was risking
,ou." commission, Drawing the charge o
her sertion, for some private purl
into This might be love Of Claire, rev
upon Eric, or possibly both comb
nfer- The latter would seem most prob
Cap He would use Eric in some wa
i are threaten the Eister, to compel b