Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-11-09

You know the law against dueling!
Gomez"
What of him?" l asked. pointing
to the body of La Classe; and the ad-
vancing water seemed reaching for
him.
LET the tide bury him. Listen!
hear voices on the bluff! Lean on me
and hurry"
obeyed him, and was dimly con-
scious that he took me north and
through the slum of Canvastown; but
il was an awful walk before we
reached Cherry Hill. | took Champe
into the silent house and TO my room.
ana there gave him the lace with a
note 10 be delivered early the next
morning. Agnes would be in terror
the while. And all that the note con
tanned was the one sentence:
Wounded at home"
AS for Champe, God bless him! |
did not see him but once again (when
he gave me certain papers he had
stolen from Arnold) until two years
after the war was ended. He went to
Virginia with Arnold, and while there
deserted again, reached Lee, and was
ut once honorably discharged from
the army, as he would have been
promptly hanged by the British had he
ever been taken prisoner All the re-
ward he got was tract OF land In the
Western Reservation-that and me-
dial granted by Congress.
The note brought Agnes, as well
knew it would, and she nursed me
like the angel she was and is; and
loved her as | fancied no man had
ever loved woman before. And II
was then, when | had conquered my
fever, when my wound was well knit
ted and was fairly convalescent. that
there came thing like rumble OF
diNant thunder presaging storm,
though did not recognize II as
such
IL was five days after my duel.
Agnes had told me that the chariot
had been loaned 10 her for the Whole
day and evening, and that in the after
noon she would come for me and take
me for drive, and l was sitting in
my room impatiently waiting for the
time to arrive (less for the drive than
for that | would be with herr when I
heard my aunt's shuffling step coming
up the stair. The next moment she
Knocked at my door.
She was in a state OF high excite
ment for her, her masculine face, .usu.
ally pale, being flushed. In her hand
she held paper, which she thrust at
nae without preface as she entered the
room.
GLORY to Gideon! What do ye
make of this, Mr.. Benson?"
I took the paper, and at once saw
that it bore the royal arms and the
word Headquarters emblazoned on
it. 1t was formal and read thus:
Sir Henry Clinton presents his COM
+ pliments to Mrs. Abigail Melton. and
asks that she personally wait upon
him at his quarters, No. Broadway.
at three o'clock this afternoon. The
business is important.
Sir Henry Clinton's carriage will be
at Mrs. Melton's door shortly before
that hour.
II was a command couched in polite
language. And II gave me something
OF start. Was Il possible that Gin.
ton had heard Of me as ledger at
Cherry Hill, and had become suspi.
cious? Hardly had / conceived the
idea when put il aside. were game
too small for such man; file of
soldiers from Cunningham, the pro-
vost-marshal, would be enough for
Inc. But could not imagine why the
old lady should be summoned by SO
high a functiOnary, and told her So
Has General Clinton ever seen your
j asked; and it proved to be a forum
ate question.
"Yes. cir. Two years ago. when the
rebels were beaten In Brookland, he
came to this very house. He was goin'
to make it his headquarters. saw
him then an he saw me. But he
didn't stay hardly ten minutes after
ward. He said 1t was too far from
town. Glory to Gideon! wonder what
he wants. / got to go. s'pose."
rlage comes for YOU" l told her; and
so she went off in a flutter with her
GLORY to Gideon!" echoing down the
hall. laughed in spite OF myself, il
being my last laugh for some time. 1t
was then eleven o'clock in the morn
ing, and looked for Agnes and the
chariot at about the same hour that
Sir Henry's equipage was to appear.
And when it did appear a bomb had
burst. God In heaven Never will l
forget that day!
II came to be half past two, and !
was dressed and was going out 10
wait for Agnes. when on passing down
the stairs l was fairly stopped by the
sound OF mans voice coming from
the library. II being on the second
floor (as was mine) and seldom used.
That he was shouting into my aunt's
eartrumpet was plain enough, and ]
heard him ask:
"Who is this lodger you haye?"
"A Mr.. John Benson. He's a law.