The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-01-17
~Yassuh."

the rose bushes to the kitchen door.
Barbara, standing in the hall door
way, heard his step.
"Erskine ~ she cried softly, and she
came to meet him, with both hands
outstretched, and raised her lovely
face to be kissed. "What are you do
ing here?"
II am on my way to join General
Lafayette"
"But you will be captured. 1t is d,ln-
gerous. The country is full Of British
soldiers"
$50 I know" Erskine said dryly.
'When did you get here?"
"Twenty minutes ago. l would not
have been welcome just then. / wait
Cd In the hedge. / saw you had COM
pany."
"Did you see them7" she faltered.
II even recognized one of them"
Barbara sank into chair, her elbow
on one arm, Der chin In her hand, her
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 indirec-
tiOn 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 mean?
ibid 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 houseT
The girls bosom rose with one quick,
defiant intake of breath, and for
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 prisoners" Still she
was silent, for the sarcasm In Frs
kine's voice was angering her.
"He fought once under Benedict
Arnold-perhaps he is fighting with
him now"
mol" she cried holly.
"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 is here is-yours."
Exactly" she famed. You are a
soldier. Learn what you want to
know from him. You are my cousin,
but you are going beyond the rights
of blood. 1 won't stand it won't
stand it-from anybody"
Il don't understand you, Barbara
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 so 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.
"Ephraim," he said as he swung |
upon Firefly, you and nanny keep |
a close watch, and IL I'm needed here |
come for me yourself and come fast"
"Yassuh. Marse Grey is sutn'ly up |
to some devilmint no which side he
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 that?' asked
Erskine.
mo, sub. She say he got an udder
uniform, same as yose, an he keeps
It at her uncle Sans cabin an she's
seed him go dar in white an come out
in our uniform, an arays at night,
Marse Erskine-al'ays at night"
The negro cooked his ear suddenly:
Take to de woods quick, Marse
Erskine. Horses comm down the
'Oad"
But the sound of coming hoofbeats
lad reached the woodsman's ears
,ome seconds before the black man
leard them, and already Erskine had
Wheeled away. And Ephraim saw
Tirefy skim along the edge of a
,lackened meadow behind Its hedge
# low trees.
"Gawd I" said the black boy, and
Ie stood watching the road. A band
f white-coated troopers was c>ming
n a cloud of dust, and at the head
# them rode Dane Grey.
HAS Capt. Erskine Dale Eeen
ere?" he demanded.
Ephraim had his own reason for
eing on the good side of the ques-
Toner, and did not even hesitate.
"Yassuh-he jes' lef'! Oar he goes
owl" With a curse Grey wheeled
is troopers. At that moment Firefy,
18th something like the waving flight
f bluebird, was leaping the meadow {
TIT, oly |