Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-21

the colonies were struggling for their
independence. when the Swamp Fox"
as General Francis Marion was called.
was contesting the possession of South
Carolina with Colonel Tarleton, COM
mander of a British cavalry force.
something like that led by the Confed-
crate Colonel Mosby during the war be-
tween the states. there lived in Berke-
ley county of that colony one Edward
Athol and his wife.
Athol. though he had not been long
in America. was not, as might have
been expected of a newcomer from
England, a Tory. He was disposed to
be neutral in his ,sympathies. He had
married the daughter of one who had
been born in America. and his bride
was in sympathy with the colonists.
hut since her husband took sides with
neither she desired to live peacefully
on their plantation without being dis
turbed by the kings men or those of
the Continental congress.
This required tact. for one day along
would come riders wearing the blue
and the buff and the next those wear
Ing the red Both sides expected sym
patty If not aid from the people of the
country they traversed and were in
clined to be severe with those from
whom they did not get it. This placed
the Athols in an unpleasant position,
for If they treated both sides as friends
they would please neither. But Mrs.
AthOl was equal to the occasion. being
woman Of rare diplomatic ability.
There was Q man living on a neigh
boring plantation whom she feared.
He was bachelor, and his sympathies
were with the redcoats. He and Ed
ward Athol were bosom friends, and
Mrs. Athol feared that the Tory might
get her husband into trouble. One day
she said to Athol:
Edward. l wish you would be care
| full of what you say to Henry Pinckton.
You know he is Tory and may at any
time consider it his duty to sacrifice
| his friend to his king
"That is just like woman" replied
the husband. "Your sex cannot rely
on each others friendships consequent
| ly you do not realize that men will be
true to each other.'
Had Athol known what his wife
knew he would have realized the in
justice of this thrust Pinckton had
been q sutton for her hand while Athol
was counting her. Moreover, a wom-
ans perceptive faculties are, when I'M
Influenced, more delicate than a mans.
The wife knew instinctively that Pinck-
ton had never forgiven her husband
for succeeding where he had himself
failed. Moreover, she was not sure but
that the unsuccessful lover would be
glad of an opportunity to get rid of
his friend, hoping that if she were free
he might persuade her to marry him.
1 One, day some British troopers camp
s ed in the vicinity of the Athol planta-
| ton. Pinckton went to the commander
and told him that there was man III
the neighborhOod who was furnishing
information of the movements of the
British troops to General Marion. The
commander asked If the man could be
taken with documents on him to prove
that he was spy. Pinckton said thai
he would keep u watch on the rebels
movements, and if he fodnd an oppor
tunity to capture him carrying infor
nation he would let the officer know.
Pinckton went away and concocted {
plan to eptrap AthOl. He wrote Atho
forged letter from a man in Charles
ton asking AthOl to meet him in tha
town Immediately since he had i'm
portant news for him. PincktOn Wen
to see Athol just as he was setting ou
on his journey and pretended to b'
much surprised at his going Atho
bid his wife gOodby, and the two mel
rode away together. Mrs. Athol haC
roticed that Pinckton acted strangely
When Athol had said that he doubted
If the trip were worth while PincktoI
urged him to go. With wOman's quicl
Insight for danger TO one she loves
Mrs. AthOl suspected that her hus
bands pretended friend had laid plai
to get him out of the way. The tw'
men were 10 ride together on the roat
TO Charleston till they came to tn
branch road leading to Pinckton's plan
tation when they would part, Pincktol
going home and Athol continuing hi
journey.
. Mrs. Athol saddled horse and fol
lowed them. intending to overtake he
husband after he had left Pincktol
, and persuade him to give up his jour
, ney. She kept at a distance behin'
y them. and when they were about t
T part she saw PincktOn drop a littl
r behind her husband and drop some
: thing into his coat pocket. This cor
: firmed her in her opinion that som
wrong was intended. Nevertheless
she could not at once follow her hu:
band without running the risk of bt
ing seen by Pinckton. who left til
Charleston road at an angle. Havin
waited till he had passed into woot
she started again. She was nearin
her husband when she saw some rec
coats spring from a thicket beside til
o road and make him a prisoner.
L Without wasting any time the so
5 diers took Athol to the British cam
o Mrs. AthoI followed and saw her hu
9 band led within the British lines, the
refined in to think what she had be.t'
DO. Size had heard a man say IL;
. very mornlne that there was a troG
u OF Continental cavalry at q little TOW