The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-02

on one arm, neF chin IN ner mana. nef
face turned, her eyes looking outdoors
She said nothing, but the toe of her
slipper began to tap the floor gently.
There was no further use for indfrec.
ton or concealment.
Barbara" Erskine said with some
sternness. and his tone quickened the
tapping of the slipper and made her
little mouth tighten, what does all
this meanw
did you see" she answered, with
out looking at him, that the crops
were all destroyed and the cattle and
horses were all gomez
"Why did they spare the houseY
The girls bosom rose with one quick
defiant intake of breath, and for q
moment she held it
Dane Grey saved our home"
"How?"
HE had known Colonel Tarleton In
London and had done something for
him over there"
How did he get in communication
with Colonel Tarleton when he was
an officer in the American army?"
The girl would not answer.
WAS he taken prisoner Still she
was silent, for the sarcasm In Frs
kine's voice was angering her.
"He fought once under Benedict
Arnold perhaps he In fighting with
him now"
mol" she cried hotly.
'Then he must be a.
She did not allow him to utter the
word.
why Mr.. Grey is In British uni
form Is his secret-not mine'
And why he In here is-yours."
Exactly I" she famed. "You are q
soldier. Learn what you want TO
know from him. You are my cousin.
but You are going beyond the rights
of blood. I won't stand it, won't
stand it-from anybody"
Il don't understand you, Barbara
i don't know you. That last time it
was Grey, you-and now" He
paused and. In spite of herself, her
eyes flashed toward the door. Frs
kline saw it, drew himself erect,
bowed and strobe straight out. Nor
did the irony of the situation 30 much
as cross his mind-that he should be
turned from his own home by the
woman he loved and to whom he had
given that home Nor did he look
back-else he might have seen her
sink, sobbing, to the floor.
When he turned the corner Of the
house Barbara's old nanny and
Ephraim were waiting for him at the
kitchen door.
tsEphraim," he said as he swung
upon Fire1y, 'you and nanny keep
q close watch, and If I'm needed here,
come for me yourself and come fast"
'eYassuh Marse Grey is sutnly up
to some devilmint no which side he
fightin' fer. I got gal oveh on the
aige o. de Grey plantation an she tel
me dat Marse Dane Grey don't wear
dat white uniform all de time"
whats that-what's thatT' asked
Erskine
mo, sub. She say he got an udder
uniform, same as yose, an he keeps
1t at her uncle Sans cabin an she's
seed him go dar in white an come out
in our uniform, an al'ays at night,
Marse Erskine-aFays at night"
The negro cooked his ear suddenly !:
Take to de woods quick, Marse
Erskine. Horses comm down the
road"
But the sound of coming hoofbeats
had reached the wOodsman's ears
some seconds before the black man
heard them, and already Erskine had
wheeled away. And Ephraim saw
Ffrefiy skim along the edge of a
| blackened meadow behind it's hedge
| of low trees.
"Gawd!'' said the black boy, and
he stood watching the road. A band
of white-coated troopers was coming
| in cloud of dust, and at the head
| of them rode Dane Grey.
Has Capt. Erskine Dale been
here?' he demanded.
Ephraim had his own, reason for
being on the good side of the ques-
toner. and did not even hesitate.
"Yassuh-he jes' lef',! Oar he goes
| now ~ With curse Grey wheeled
his troopers. At that moment Firefiy,
with something like the waving flight
of a bluebird, was leaping the meadow
| fence into the woods. The black boy
| looked after the troopers dust.
"Gawdl', he said again, with a grin
| that showed every magnificent tooth
| in his head. "Jest as well try to
ketch a streak o lightning" And
| quite undisturbed he turned to tell the
news to old nanny.