The Adair County news., 1922-09-05
Be wAs eoIng to ,pln caark, he saic.

nut mere than Cin and the war were
drawing him to the outer world. What
II was he hardly knew, for he was not
yet much given to searching his heart
or mind. He did know, however, that
some strange force had long been
working within him that was steadily
growing stronger, was surging now
like flame and swinging him between
strange moods of depression and exul-
tation. Perhaps it was but the spirit
of spring in his heart, but with his
minds eye he was ever seeing at the
end of his journey the face of his little
cousin Barbara Dale.
A striking figure the lad made rid
ing into the old capital one afternoon
just before the sun sank behind the
western woods. Students no longer
wandered through the campus of Will
liam and Mary collegeA Only an occa-
sional maid In silk and lace tripped
along the street in high-heeled shoes
and clocked stockings, and no coach
and four was in sight. The governors
palace, in its great yard amid linden
trees, was closed and deserted. My
Lord DunmOre was long in sad flight,
as Erskine later learned, but not in
his coach with its six milk-white
horses. But there was the bust of Sir
Walter in front of Raleigh tavern, and
there he drew up, before the steps
where he was once nigh to taking Dane
Grey's life. A negro servant came for
e Ia. I.
black young giant leaped around the
corner and seized the bride with a
| welcoming cry:
"Marse Erskine! But l knowed
Firefiy fust." 1t was Ephraim, the
! groom who had brought out Barbara's
ponies, who had turned the horse over
to him for the race at the fair.
81 come frum de plantation fer ole
marse," the boy explained. The host
of the tavern heard and came down to
give his welcome, for any Dale, no
matter what his garb, could always
have the best in that tavern. More
than that, a bewigged solicitor, learn
ing his name, presented himself with
the cheerful news that he had quite a
little sum of money that had been con-
fded to his keeping by Colonel Dale
for his nephew, Erskine. A strange
Difference seemed to be paid him by
everybody, which was a grateful
change from the suspicion he had left
among his pioneer friends. The little
tavern was thronged and the air
charged with the spirit of war. Indeed
nothing else was talked. Ny Lord Dun,
more had come to a sad and unbe.
moaned end. He had stayed afar from
the battlefield Of Point Pleasant anG
had left stalwart General Lewis to
fight Cornstalk and his braves alone
Later Ny Lady Dunmore and hel
sprightly daughters took refuge on 6
man-of-war-whither my lord soon fol
lowed them. His fleet ravaged the
banks of the rivers and committed
every outrage. His marines set fire tt
Norfolk, which was in ashes when HI
weighed anchor and sailed away t.
more depredations. When he in
trenched himself on Gwynn's island
that same stalwart Lewis opened ;
heavy cannOnade on fleet and island
and sent a ball through the indignan
nobleman's flagship. Next day he saw
a force making for the island in boats
and my lord spread all SAIL and s.
back to merry England, and to Vii
ginia no more. Meanwhile, Mr.. Wash
ington had reached Boston and starte
his duties under the Cambridge elm
Several times during the talk ErSkin
had heard mentioned the name o
Dane Grey. Young Grey had bee
with Dunmore and not with Lewis a
Point Pleasant, and had been conspicr
Gus at the palace through much Of tn
; succeeding turmoil-the hint being hi
devotion to one of the daughters, sine
7 he was now an unquestioned loyalist
: Next morning Erskine rode fort
: along a sandy road, amidst the sins
ing of birds and through forest {
7 tiny upshOoting leaves, for Red Oak
} on the James. He had forswOrn Coll
mel Dale to secrecy as to the note h
had left behind giving his birthrigl
] to his little cousin, Barbara, and b
knew the confidence would be kept II
violate At the boat landing /
hitched his horse to the low-swur
: branch of an oak and took the pat
e through tangled rose bushes and III
e dergrowth along the bank of the rive
!, halting where it would give him fort
n on the great, broad, grassy way thi
d led to the house among the oaks The
n was the sundial that had marked evel
It sunny hour since he had been ava
|. For a moment he stood there, al
It when he stepped into the open
d shrank back hastily-a girl was col
e ing through the opening of boxwoC
e from the house-coming slowly, bar
IS headed, her hands clasped behind he
n her eyes downward. His heart throbb'
e as he waited, throbbed the more VIII
n his ears caught even the soft tread
n her little feet, and seemed to ST.
It when she paused at the sundial, al
Ie as before searched the river with h
If eyes. And as before the song of neg
p oarsmen came over the yellow fioc
IN growing stronger as they neared. So
t. the girl fiuttered handkerchief Al
is from the single passenger in the ste
ID came an answering fiutter of viii