Year: 1870

Our story opens in one of the inland


counties of North Carolina, and its


date is somewhere near the center oi


that long and bloody strife which gave


America her independence, and made
her name known and respected among
the nations of the earth.


Among the large landed proprietors
of this country, was man by the
name of Silas Earle, and rank tory
in all his words and deeds.


Possessed of a large estate and
many slaves, he was fearful that the
struggle would endanger his property,
and perhaps reduce him to poverty.


This was one reason why he clung
to the cause of the mother country at
the commencement of the contest, and
as it grew more bitter his enmity to-
wards the patriots increased in CORES
ponding rate.


Another reason was, that he bore
but little good will toward his neigh
bors, who nearly all espoused the cause
of their country; and as he often de-
clared, he hoped to live to see them
ruined, their property confscated, and
themselves either swinging from the
gallows-tree, or exiled from their
homes.


The family of Silas Earle consisted
only of himself, an adopted son, and
his ward. Annie Lee, the daughter of
an old friend, who, dying, left his child
to his care, and her property, which
was considerable to his management.


No sooner was this done, and Annie
an inmate of his house, than he de-
termined to bring about union be-
tween her and Louis, the youth whom
he had adopted and given his name.


But such plans are sometimes hard
to be carried out, and in this case Silas
Earle found them to be so.


There were three reasons, either of
which Annie thought sufficient cause
for her to refuse his suit.


One was that she felt no affection for
him but rather aversion. Another,
that while he was a rank tory like his
father, she was a staunch patriot
And the other, and more urgent reason
than either, she already had lover.
to whom she gave all her hearts af-
lection.


Plenty of good and sufficient reasons,
says the reader and so say we.


But Silas Earle was not of this mind.
Come what would, he was determined
to carry out his ends. She should
marry Louis if he had to evoke the
powers of Darkness to do it.


Her fortune. which be had long looked
upon as his, should never go to enrich
Hugh Comfy, the rebel, and the son
Of his old rival and enemy.


Of that he was fully determined,
and finding that he was gaining moth
ing by delay, he determined to force on
The marriage he had so set his mind
upon.


Louis had been sent with score of
followers, to Join the forces of Tarleton,
who was ravaging the country with
ire and sword, meeting with resistance
only when he encountered the gallant
Marion.


To him he despatched a messenger,
begging leave of absence for Louis
and enjoining the latter to hurry home
IS soon as he should obtain it, as busi-
ness of Importance demanded his pres
,nce.


The messenger, a tool of Earle's,
and to whom he had confded his in
.entions regarding Annie, returned and
that the desired leave of alb
sence would be granted, and that Louis
would be at home in three days time.


Earle had encountered his man on
his return near a thick mass of shrub
berry at the foot of the lawn, and after
he had reported as to the result of his
srrand, the former had said:


"You have done well, Simon, and
now 1 have another errand for you to
perform, and in which l hope you will
be as successful"


81 will do my best, SIR"


"I have no doubt of that. You
know where Sam Wheeler lives?"


"You mean that rantiug preacher?" !