The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-07-06

what mas become OF my uIrlO R1rly~
I do not know" I confessed, gas-
Ing about In bewilderment. She came
up the stairs. am sure. It was Just
as the fight began, and I had scarce
~ moment to observe anything be.
tore We were at it fieroely. She shot
Eagin down, and then ran.
"Shot Fagin! Clairei" T.
"Yes; she was justified. Had she
not acted 90 quickly would have
done so myself. He was forcing hon
Into marriage"
Into marriasel With whom1"
Captain Grant," answered pas.
sfonately. TT was a deliberate plot,
although he pretended to be innocent.
and a helpless prisoner. Later the
man fought with the outlaws against
us; after Jones was killed he even! a.
sumed command"
HE has been hand and slove with
those fellows from the nrst. Colonel"
chtmed in Farrell hoarsely. 1--WE
known 1T, and told Lawrence 90
month ago. I only hope he was killed
down below. But what can have be-
come Of Claire9"
She never passed along here" in.
sisted Mortimer. Tor I haven't taken
my eyes from that door"
Then she ia hiding somewhere in
those front rooms. Come on. Law.
renee. and We'll search them."r
We went out hurriedly, leaving tho
wounded man lying helplessly on the
bed. and stepped carelessly across the
dead sentinel lying in the hallway,
The memory Of Peter required to me.
He was not the kind to desert his mis-
tress at such time. Stopping Far
rell, stepped back to inquire. The
Colonel opened his eyes YEARLY at
sound Of my voice.
HE Is not here" he explained slow
". Both Peter and Tonepah were
sent away to find a surgeon, and have
not returned. We anticipated no dan.
ger here with Captain Grant present"
l ground my teeth savagely togeth-
err. recalling the treachery of the lat
ter, his insults to Claire. his deceiv.
Ing Of Eric. his stealing of papers.
hoping thus to- ruin his own Colonel.
his alliance with Fagin. his selling Of
British secrets. Here was a villain
through and through and l hoped he
had already paid the penalty. If not,
vowed the man should never escape.
But the thought of the missing girl
came back, driving all else from nv
mind. She was In none of those rooms
we searched. nor did we discover the
slightest evidence Of her having been
there. AS stood In tho door of tho
deserted MUSHROOM staring helpless
ly about, a sudden possibility occurred
to me. Ay! that must be the truth.
the full explanation Of her vanishing.
She had come flying up the stairs.
frightened. desperateLso far as she
knew. alone against Fag!n's unscrupu-
lous band. She had not returned to,
her father. or escaped by way Of the
hall. Where then could she have,
gonef The secret staircase. down
which she had hurried me, and which
was known only to herself, Eric and
Peter. grfpped Farrell's arm eagerly.
You know this house well-did you
ever hear Of secret passages in it?"
Il have heard 1t whispered in COS.
SIP" he answered. that such were
here in the old Indian days. why?"
Because 1t ia true. The girl hid
p,e here from Grant. And that is
where We will find her. The opening
. there by the false chimney. but I
request. We found him bound and
under guard out yonder. a. We aD-
preached the house,"
And he 10 here nowf"
Eyes: he was hurt in the fight, and
10 still unconscious. but will i've"
His reputation" i
rs safe. Washington believes he
brought him the news of Clinton's
route OF march, and will never know
otherwise"
She arose to her feet. standing
straight and slender before me. the
htckering Light Of the candle on her
face. -'e'
Major Lawrence" she began, II
wish to get out Of here-it seems like
q grave to me-but must speak first.
Ous dlu bb 6N-u nave accomplished
what l endeavored to do for my BROTH
or. Captain Grant tried to make mo
believe him deserter, but l would
not. When he failed to come back to
me as he had promised. could hardly
determine what my duty was. I knew
bis plans. his orders, and the thought
came that should carry these out
myself. We looked sufficiently alike
20 that this could be done with little
danger Of discovery. He had uni
forms concealed here, and l felt driven
to impersonate him. do not insist
that did right; I do not know-only
1t seemed right to me. Then-then"
her voice faltared. II met you. again
and again. and IL began to doubt
myself. I had no one to confde. in.
no one to advise me. was simply
compelled to go ahead. and keep my
own secret. The only ones I knew I
could absolutely trust were our old
house eerv0nta"