Evening star., 1924-02-08


plainly"
"As we'll as any man. my dear! Go
on"
Therefore. even if Capt Lewis
does go forward. he can only fail
at the last. This is what is said by
the federalists. by your enemies"
And perhaps by certain of my
own party not federalists-by Col.
Aaron Burr, for instance" Thomas
Jeffer on smiled grimly..
courage.
II cannot pause to inquire what
my enemies say. my dear lady. But
in what way could this affect our
friend. Capt Lewis? He is under
orders. on my errand."
Il saw him this very morning.
I took my reputation in my hands
7 followed him-I urged him. i'm
plored him to stop"
Yes? And did he?"
Not for an instant. All. l see you
smile: j might have known he would
not. He said that nothing but word
from you could induce him to hesitate
for Il moment"
My dear young lady. l said to
Capt. Lewis that n report from any
slant to doubt his loyalty to me. If
,nything could shake him in his
'oyalty, it would be his regard for
you yourself but since ] trust his
honor and your own, / do not fear
that such a conflict can ever occur
She did not reply. After a time
; the President went on gently:
MY dear. would YOU wish him to
come back-would you condemn him
further to the tortures of the
. damned? And would you halt him
while he is trying to do his duty
benefit to you?"
She drew up proudly.
What benefit, indeed. to me- Do
you think / would ak this for my
! for his welfare only that ! dared to
come to you. And you will not hear
! new evMence:"
But now she was speaking to
P, Thomas Jefferson. the President of
i. tl.o United States. man of affairs
as well. man of firm will and clear
! cut decision.
! Madam said he. coldly. "in this
| office We do a thing but once. Had
! I condemned yonder young man to
his dcath-and perhaps ] have-l
would not now reconsider that deci-
sion. I would not speak so long as
| this over it. did | not know and
! love YOU both-yes. and grieve oyer
you both: but what is written is
f. written"
with firmness. on the desk at his side.
. The ineXorableness of a great will
! was present in the room as an actual
thing. Tears swan in her eyes.
You would not hear what was the
actual cause Of my wish for him
! NO, my dear. We have made our
! plans"
There arc other plans afoot these
Tut. tut. Are you my enemy.
| too" Oh. yes. I know there are
enemies enough in wait for me and
my administrator on every side. Yes.
| / know plan-1 know of many
such. But one thing also I do know.
madam, and it is this-not all the
=, enemies on this earth can alter me
ono iota in this undertaking on which
! l have sent Capt Lewis. AS against
f: that magnificent adventure there is
! nothing can be offered as an offset.
/. nothing that can halt it for an in
+! slant. No reward to him or me
nay. no reward to any other human
! being-shall stop his advancement in
{ that purpose which he shares with
, me. If he fails, ] fail with him
and all my life as Well"
! She rose now, calm before the inn
| psrious quality of his nature, so un-
! like his former gentleness.
| You refuse, then. Mr.. Jefferson?
You will not reopen this case"
! Il refuse nothing to you gladly,
my dear lady. But you have seen
!him-you have tested him. Did he
| his chief. halt him at such a time?
Now that5 were the worst kindness
to him in the world. And / am con-
| WINGED that you and both plan only
! kindness for him
| Suddenly he saw the tears in her
| eyes. At once he was back again.
i the courteous gentleman.
DO not weep, Theodosia. my child"
| said he. Let me kiss you, as your
/ father or your grandfather would
-hn hn11 1c fnn tn Ii
heart. Forgive me that pass SEN
| tence on you both. but you must
part-you must not ask him back.
! There now, my dear, do not weep.
or you will make me weep. Let me
! Kiss you for himAand let us all go
on about our duties in the world.
! Ny dear. gool-by: You must GO
! CHAPTER \.
F, The Threshold OF the West.
| Meriwether Lewis, having put; be-
hind him one set of duties. now ad-
dressed himself to another. and did so
! with care and thoroughness. a few
F.; of his men, a part of his outfitting. he
| found already assembled at Harpers
Ferry, up the Potomac. Before sunset
! of the first day the little band knew
! they had leader.
! There was not q knife or a tor1a-
! hawk 5of the entire equipment which
! he himself did not examine-not a
rifle which he himself did not person.
ally test. He went over the boxes and
bales which had been gathered here,
! and saw to their arrangement in the
/ transport wagons. He did all this
without bluster or officiousness, but
with the quiet care and thoroughness
| of the natural leader of men.
! In two days they were on their way
i across the Alleghenies. A few days
more of steady travel sufficed to bring
them to Pittsburgh, the head of navi-
| cation on the Ohio river, and at that
| time the American capital in the up
per valley of the west. At Pittsburgh
Capt. Lewis was to build his boats,
toe complete the details of his equip
ment, to take on additional men for
his party-now to be officially styled
the Volunteers for the Discovery Of
| the West. He lost no time in urging
forward the necessary work.
The young adventurer found this in
land town half maritime in its look.
Its shores were lined with commerce
suited to seaport. Schooners of con-
siderable tonnage lay at the wharfs,
others were building in the busy ship
yards. The destination of these craft
obviously was down the Mississippi
to the sea- Here were vessels bound
for the West Indies, bound for Phila-
delphia. for New York, for Boston
carrying the products Of this distant
and little known interior.
AS he looked at this commerce of
the great west. pondered its limitas
tions, saw its trend with the down
slant of the perpetual roadway to the
sea, there came to the young officers