Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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By JOSEPH A. ALT8EELEE, Author of "A Soldier of Manhattan," "The Sun of Saratoga*' Etc. Then she sang: **Dum barton 's drums beat bonnie O. When they mind me o? my dear Johnnie Ol flow happy am 1 When my soldier is by, While he kisses and blesses his Annie Ol "Tis a soldier alone can delight me O, For his graceful looks do invite me C. While guarded in his arms I'U fear no war's alarms. Keliher danger nor death ?hall e'er fright me Of **My love is a handsome laddie O, 'Genteel, but ne'er foppish nor gaudy Ol Though commissions are dear. Yet I'll buy him one this year. For he'll serve no longer a eadie Ol A soldier has honor and bravery O, Unacquainted with rogues and their knav? ery O! Be minds no other thing But the ladies or the king. Star every other care is but slavery Ol Thea I'll be the captain's lady O! Farewell, all my friends and my daddy O! Ill wait no more at home. But I'll follow with the drum, Aod whene'er that beats TCI be ready Ol Dumbarton's drums sound bonnie O! They are sprightly like my dear Johnnie O ! Bow happy shall I be When on my soldier's knee, ' And he kisses and blesses his Annie O!" Ser voice was deep and time, and the old war ballad was music in my ears. As the melody rose and fell in the lone? ly night my eyes drooped again and my train became dim with advancing slum? bers like a child soothed to sleep by the cong of his mother. I was as tired as a dog: I had ridden long and far and had -worked much, and every nerve and muscle in me cried aloud for rest, but I soused myself as she finished and the last note of her song died in the dark? ness. "That is a proper military song, " I said, "and nobly sung, but I object to the sentiments of your hero. He minds soother thing but the ladies cr the Iring. The ladies are all right, but no Jong! Leave the king out!" Old Put was stamping his feet again. "That's right, Put,"I said. "Ap? plaud the song, for it was well sung, though you and 3, who are good Ameri? cans, don't altogether like the senti? ments. That, I take it, is an old song of loyalty to the Stuarts. It is a singular thing to me how wholesome minded Ungi i sh people can invest the Stuarts, whom they kicked out of their country, with so much romance and charm when nil history shows they were an utterly debased lot, and nobody knows it better than the English themselves. " "The sentiments of the song, king and ali, are perfectly correct, and I'll sing that verse to you again. " . She looked at me with a look half of defiance, half a smile, and sang: ~"*My love is a handsome laddie O, Genteel, but ne'er foppish nor gaudy Ol Though commissions are dear. Yet TU buy him one this year. For he'U serve no longer a eadie Ol A soldier has honor and bravery O, Unacquainted with rogues and their knav ery 0! He minds no other thing But the ladies or the king. For every other care is but a slavery Ol' She sang it still more softly and gen? tly than before, and, though my eyelids drooped again, I turned my eyes from the bed of coals to her faca The fire? light played ruddily over her eyes and cheeks, and the expression there seemed tender and faraway, as if her thoughts had gone from this dark night and the war torn fields of South Carolina to the green English meadows and peaceful sunshine. When she finished, I raised my hands and clapped them together. " Well done !" I said. 4' Well done !'* "Done well enough for ns," said some one, and strong hands reached over the log and grasped me by the wrists. My languor and my sleepiness were gone in an instant, and I made a i powerful effort to wrench myself loose, .bat 1 had been taken too suddenly i Turee or four men flung themselves j upon me, and I was crushed nuder a great weight, while the firm grip was still on my wrists. I managed to deal somebody a heavy kick and heard a grunt of pain, bnt in a few seconds I was overpowered and, like a wise man, ceased io struggle further. Singularly enough, one of my early thoughts in that moment was of relief that Old Put should prove not to be a false prophet, having enjoyed such a good character in that respect so long. I had been a fool not to take his warning more seriously. Then I wondered why the girl did not cry out at the sight of struggling men and the sound of oaths and blows, a violent medley usually very terrifying to women. 1 caught one glimpse of ber, and she was sitting on the log, her back against the up thrust bough, leaning upon it as lazily as if she were in a rocking chair in a parlor. The firelight still played over her face and eyes, but the soft and tender ex? pression which had pleased me was gone. Instead the look that she turned ?pon me was a mixture of dislike, ?oalioe and triumph After meeting such a glance it was a relief to me to look another way and see who had captured me. CHAPTER V. A CHANGE OF FRONT. "Truss him np good," said one. "These rebels are not to be trusted even when they are tied. " I gave careful notice to the man who spoke, evidently the leader of the party. He was of middle size, middle age and truculent features. His most noticeable characteristic was his drooping eyelids, which would induce the casual observer to think he was fast asleep, though in reality he was wide awake. He was dressed in the uniform of a captain in the British army. I set him down as a partisan chief on a small scale. He had five comrades, cast in the same mold as himself, all dressed in British soldiers' wniforms and rather wild of look. They bound me securely and set me with my back to the log and my face to the fire, much MI th? position that 1 had occupied whii?? the gir' was singing Confound u< : Inihnu away my cau? tion and sn . r<?:i> ::: ."i.u. maimer!. 1 toad BO doubt now that she h?d see. Fed uniforms of the British when i went into the wood to search fo] canse of the noise. I was a fool I my distrust of her decrease for s ment. "That was a complete job, Missl ard,"said the leader, "welldone b erybody, and your part is the best of all. " "You have rescued me from hsjids of a rebel, Captain Crowder,1 replied, "and 1 am back with my people, for both of which I thank y I thought it was time for me to something;. "It is true yon have trapped m< tween yon, Captain Crowder, for hear the lady call you, " I said, *'t wouldn't exult, because the next ch, might be mine, and it would hurt ; feelings for me to pay you back. " "I don't know about any next ch; for you," he said, "because here in south we generally hang rebels. " I did not reply to his threat, thin! that I had said enough, and turned head away. My glance fell now v OM Put. His eyes were full of reprc tc ma The I told you so expression there, and the I am sorry for you myself expression was mingled wit! "I will never lose faith in you ag? best of all comrades I" I signaled bi Captain Crowder, having seized also seized my camp, evidently with intention of spending the night th and he posted one sentinel, while others sat around the fire, making th< selves comfortabla The girl occup her old seat on the tree trunk, lean against the projecting bough. "Do you know where my father Captain Crowder?" she asked. "With Tarleton," he replied. "And where is Tarleton?" "Hot on the chase of the rebel ma and his men. " "Can we overtake Tarleton by nc tomorrow?" "Undoubtedly, for he has to go rat] slowly, not knowing just where Morg is. He doesn't want to run past 1 gama Morgan's hard to catch, but wi Tarleton once comes up with h there'll be an end to one rebel army. I listened to this conversation w the closest attention and continued listen while he described Tarleton movements, force and equipment. I could escape him and the hangmai rope with which he had threatened n this information would be of gr< value to us. I was glad that, for t sake of precaution, I had torn up t girl's letters and other written fa< about us when I captured her, for n( she could rely only upon speech, waited for her to tell Crowder about i but she said nothing upon that poii and I reflected that her reticence w natural, as she would want to give h information herself to Tarleton, ai thus secure all the credit instead of lc ting the guerrilla. Crowder, claim least half of it Two of the men disappeared in tl wood and returned in a few moment leading the horses of the band, whi< they tethered to the trees near by. guessed that they had seen the light our fire at a distance and leaving the horses there had crept upon ma " You will excuse us, Miss Howan while we eat and drink a little, " sa: Crowder. "We've ridden far today, ar we're tired and hungry. " Their appearance was sufficient ind ; cation that they needed food and res for the grime of travel was thick upc them They rummaged their haversacl and saddlebags and produced bread ar meat, which they began to eat greedily They were absorbed like wild anima! in their repast and paid no attention 1 anything else. The girl rose and walked >over to m< Reaching down, she seized the end < my silk handkerchief, which was prc jecting from my pocket, and jerked : forth. She threw it into the fire an watched it burn, the red heat grippin the delicate silk and converting it in moment to ashes. Then she turned upo me a face of flame. "You dared to bind ma" she said "you a rebel and I an English woman the daughter of a loyal English officei You dared to insult me so!" "And I presume that is the rea so you burn the handkerchief with whic I bound you. " I said. "Yea" "Now that you have begun the jo' of burning I suppose you would like t burn ma too, as I am the man who tiei the handkerchief, and I did so becaus you deserved it. " She was silent, but her cheeks wer as red as ever "I congratulate you upon your rescue your rescuers, your company," I said. "They are loyal British soldiers." "They wear the British uniform Any ruffian and robber may do that. " "I have seen Captain Crowder him self in the army of Cornwallis. My fa ther knows him, and I do toa " "You know his face, and that is all. He may be a good enongh British sol? dier when he is with Cornwallis, bul elsewhere he is anything that suits hii purpose. Look at him and his comrades now. *" Every man had produced a bottle and was drinking deeply from it. The odoi rose and was too strong to bo swepl away by the wind. "Look at them," I repeated. "I con? gratulate you on your company. " They drank deeply and replaced theil bottles in their pockets, where I wai sure they were not destined to remain long. The red fled from the girl's faca but she said nothing, and giving me the same curious look of mingled triumph and defiance went back to her old place on the log. There she sat, staring straight into the fire, as if she were wholly oblivious of me and the other men around her. The partisans were in great glea They laughed and cracked rough jokes, and presently, as I had expected, pulled out the bottles again and took a long, deep draft, once, twica thrice Their faces flushed from the effect of the strong spirits, and the loudness and roughness of their talk iucreased. Crowder, the leader, was the loudest and roughest of them all "That wax a fine song yon sang to that fellow there, when. you set. him a-napping for ris to catch, Miss ard, "he said presently, land w< music, too. don't we boys?" "Yes, yes!" they roared, all toge "And won't you kindly sing 6ong or another as good for us, Howard?" he continued. She made uo answer, staring str at the red embers, her cheeks pala .1 say, Miss Howard, don't h?ar?" exclaimed Crowder roughly "Yes, I hear,'1 she replied, "bm sorry I can't oblige you. I can't an?- mate. " "If you?an?ing for that d-d : there," continued Crowder, "I sh think you oouid sing for us, who good and loyal English like yourse] She was silent again. "Didn't we rescue you?" he tinned. "Aren't we your saviors? I you owe us gratitude?" Still unanswered, he swore an and said to his comrades: "Here's gratitude for you, lads. "V if she won't sing for us, we can sinj her. How do you like this, my 1 It's called Til Qwre the Muir to 1 gy, ' and it goes very well with the i that you sang. " Then he sang the old song, wfc like the girl's, was Scotch: "And Til owTe the muir to Majrgy Her wit and sweetness cali me There to my fair I'll show my mind, Whatever may befall me. If she loves mirth. I'll learn to sing, Or, likes the Nine to follow, I'll lay my lugs in Pindna' spring And invocate Apolla "If she admire a martial mind, I'll sheath my limbs in armor; If to the softer dance inclined. With gayest airs I'll charm her; If she love grandeur day and night? I'll plot my nation's glory. Find favor in my prince's sight And shine in future story. "Beauty can work wonders with ea? Where wit is corresponding. And bravest men know best to please With complaisance abounding. My bonnie Maggy love can turn Me to what shape she pleases If in her breast that flame shall burn Which in my bosom blazes. " His voice was not unmusical, and bad some idea of rhythm and measu His comrades joined him, and tl roared out a chorus which must hi penetrated to the farthest edge of i wood. "I'll not only sing for you, M Howard, " said Crowder, "but I'll dal for you too." It was plain enough that the m was drunk and was relapsing into J natural condition of savagery. I hot. that he would fall into the fire, but did not His drunken head swayed fr< side to side, but he kept step to 1 beat of the song. One of the men drew his empty b< tie and beat upon its side with 1 knife blade. It made a lively tinl that sounded like music, and the othe: seeing his success, imitated him. Oro der had not only a vocal but an instr mental chorus as welL His zeal i creased, and he danced like an Indi at a scalp dance, while the men roar out tho song and beat their bottles wi enthusiasm. "Again I congratulate you on yo company, your glorious band of rc cuers, Miss Howard," I called out her. I know she heard me, but she d not reply. Her lips were set firmly, b her cheeks were growing paler ai paler, and she seemed to be white to ti hair. I tugged at my bonds, but I cou not move them. The song stopped for a moment, ai Crowder, looking around for furth amusement, spied me. "A good song, boys, and good fun, he cried, "but here's better fun. Let hang the prisoner and see him squirm. The others, as drunk as their leade shouted their approval, but the gi sprang up. "You shall not do that!" she cried. "And why not, miss?" asked Crov der. "He is our prisoner." "Because I will not permit it I" sh cried. They roared with laughter. "If you do, " she said, "I will repoi your act to Colonel Tarleton. This ma is an important prisoner. He can guio1 Tarleton to Morgan, and he will do i to save his life. He must be taken safel to the British camp Tarleton will n ward you welL" "All right, if you say so, Miss Ho\* ard," he said. "Anything to oblige especially one as handsome as you art And we won't hang him tonight Mayb we will do it in the morning anyhow but that's no reason why we should sto; the fun now. A soldier's life is hard and he ought to make merry while h can." He took ft large flask from his haver sack and shared it with his men. The: they began to sing and dance again, al of them wild with drink. It was an orgy of savages. The fir? had died down and ceased to blaze only the red embers glowed in the dark ness. I could feel the blackness of thi night which rolled up and encircled UJ more closely. The giri was as immova ble as a statue. Her tawny hair shone in the dim light, and I could see thai her face waa still white, but that wai alL One of the men fell down presently from sheer exhaustion. "Let him lie, " said Crowder. "He'll sleep as. well there as anywhere. " The man ne\*er moved, but began tc snore, and a second one yielded to exer? tion and whisky and, stretching himself out on the ground, went to instant sleep Crowder himself waa the third and was followed speedily by the others, including the sentinel, who had joined without objection in the orgy. The six men were sound asleep in a slumber heavy with weariness and liquor. A last brand fell over in the coals and blazed up. The girl rose from the log, j and by its light I could see that her face j had turned from white to red. She J walked quickly over to me and said in ! a voice shaking with excitement and ; alarm: j "Take me away from here, Mr. Mar? cel! Take mo away at once! I would rather be with you than these men, : these savages, these brutes! Nor is your ] life safe here!" j "They wear, the British uniforma . They must be loyal British soldiers, ;; could not keep from saying, j "I do not know what they are, " replied, with alarmed insistence, " let's go. Pray take me at once." She pulled at my shoulders as if would have me rise and go on the stant. "Untie my wrists, " 1 said. She tugged at the cords, but conic nothing. They were tied too tight. "Take a knife from that drun fool's belt,"I said, indicating one the mern "Don't be afraid. He w( wake." * She took the knife from the mz belt and cut my bonds. I rubbed wrists together for a few minutes take out the stiffness and to restore circulation. Again she urged me start without delay. "Wait a minute, " I said. "We m provide ourselves. " They had taken my arms from when they bound me, and I recove them, adding to my supply Crowd? pistol and some ammunition. The turned to the horses. Old Put's great dark eyes flan with approval and gladness. He r stood at his halter's length, wa teni the orgy and my .rescue with attenti and understanding. "We'll bid farewell to these bea now, old comrade, " I said in a whisp patting his nose. He was too cautious to whinny a : ply. The brown hack was near him, t I saw another among those belonging the guerrillas which I fancied mu more than he. I hastily changed M Howard's saddle to his back, assisi her to mount and sprang upon Old Pi I turned the heads of our horses I ward the northwest, but as the woe before us were dense and interlac with wiry bushes and creeping vir we dared not attempt more than a wa] The horses stamped and neighed as i left them. The girl's mount stepped i a large, dry branch, which broke wi a crack like a pistol shot Nor did luck stop at that The abandon horses, frightened by the report, neigh and stamped again, creating a great u roar. The sentinel, who was the lea drunk of the party/sprang to his fe* He was yet half dazed with sleep ai liquor, but he saw the dim figures of man and a woman riding away from tJ little encampment, and he knew tha according to the plans of Captain Cro\ der, it was not what should be. He fir? a hasty pistol shot in our direction, ti bullet clipping the dry twigs above OT heads, and then shouted to his comrade to awake, giving emphasis to his cri with many sturdy kicks. "Look out for your head!" I shout* to Miss Howard. "An untoward bong might prove fatal And be sure you sta with me. " "I'll not leave you," she said. "Now, Old Put" I said, "lead t out of this. " He curved his long neck in the dari ness and looked ahead with sharp brow eyes. I let the reins fall loose, and h wound about among the trees with judgment that was never at fault Th other horse kept close at his side. Bi hind ns we could hear the cries of th awakened men as they leaped upo their horses and rode after ns, shoutin to us to stop. Two or three more piste shots were fired, but the air receive them. t If the men could see at all, it was bu dimly, though they could follow us b; the hoof beats of our horses and th tearing of the vines and slapping of th bushes as we passed. They made such ; prodigious cursing and swearing tha we were never in any doubt as to wher they were. I had a mind for a momen to send toward them a pistol ball whicl would stop their fuss, but I concludec that the more noise they made the bet ter it would be for us, as it gave us ex act warning of their approach- The] did not seem to be gaining upon ns which was a satisfaction for the present Out on the plain they would see u: more distinctly, but I believed that om horses could leave them thera I saw a beam of light shining throng! the latticework of the boughs and ther another and another and knew that W( would soon be in the open. The girl'i horse stumbled, and she uttered a little cry of dismay, but in a moment th* horse was steady on his feet again, anc we went on. The beams grew more numerous and fused into a broad shield of moonlight Two minutes more and we would be out of the wood and inte the cleared ground, with the fields rac? ing behind us. But the light had its evil for us. Against its broad silver disk we were silhouetted like the man in the moon, and the popping of pistols told us that we had become good targets. One bul? let passed so close to my head that I thought it must have cut a lock of hair in its passage, and I took it as a warn? ing to hurry. "Haste, Miss Howard!" 1 said. "We want to be beyond pistol shot in the cleared ground, for the light will help them there. " She was riding well, and her expres? sion was firm and courageous. We shook the reins against the necks of our horses, and taking the chance* of bush and vine sped into the open as a volley of pistol shots whistled afi^r us. I uttered a shout half of pleasure, half of defiance, to our pursuers and bade Old Put show them what it was for a real horse to run his best I had confidence, too, in the horse that the girl rode, fo.r he was long limbed. He looked like u strong animal, and he cer? tainly had a clean, fast gait that kept him alongside of Old Put I regarded our escape as assured, and the girl seemed to take a like view of the casa Relief showed in her eyes. "Miss Howard," I said cheerfully and egotistically, "I congratulate you on the improvement in your company." " At any rato, you are still a rebel, with a rope around your neck. " "I seem to have been preferred to the British behind us, who do not have I ropes around their necks, but deserve j them. Remember that I ride with you at your own invitation. " "Then you consider me still your prisoner?" "Oh, I am yours; but, whether one cr the other, I am to be guide. " The men behind us were silent, and we were sure of gaining upon them. I could see their figures rising out of the plain in the misty gray light, gigantic and distorred in shape, and the thud, thud of their horses' hoofs, as regular as the ticking of a clock, came to our ears. "Which way do we go?" asked the girl. "To Morgan, of course." "Then I shall soon be with my father and friends again. ' ' "Why do you think so?" " Because Tarleton will certainly take Morgan, and of course I shall be re? taken." She looked at me with much of the old sparkle and defiance and the abso? lute faith in British valor that British defeats seemed unable to shake I was annoyed, and my patriotic pride was hurt. " You seem to take it for granted that Tarleton will win if he should overtake Morgan. " "I da" "Yet you have heard the news from King's Mountain?" "A chance, an accident. " "The same chance, the same accident, may happen again. " "Never." I could not say her nay, for were we not retreating steadily before the ad? vance of Tarleton, a retreat that seemed to all to be the part of wisdom, for again let it be said that we were fewer in numbers, far inferior in equipment, and more than half of our little army were raw troops, farmers ! The exhila? ration of the flight and escape disap? peared for the time, and a heavy depres? sion took its place CHAPTER VT Ei A RTATK OF SIKGE. Old Put stretched his neck, and the regular, steady beat of his flying hoofs was music to a man who loves a good horse. But the new horse, too, length? ened his stride and kept by my side. 1 judged that he was a good, comrade for Old Put. The plain, grassy and undu? lating, rolled away before us, and 1 could not see its end. Our pursuers hung on, and I distrust? ed their silence. It betokened resolu? tion, a determination to follow us mile after mile, to hang to the chase like hounds after a deer 1 judged that among Crowder's motives chagrin at I having made such a fool of himself j and a desire to repair the error were I the strongest The men did not spread out fan shape, but followed us in a close group. I was still sure that we were gaining, though very slowly, and they seemed to think so, too, for pres? ently they fired two or three shots, as if they hoped to frighten us with spent balls. The girl's horse swayed a bit to one side, and I thought he had stum? bled again, but she said he was merely startled by the pistol shots, and, pulling him back into the true course, we gal ? loped on. We crossed a swell of the earth, and far out on the plain I saw the dim out? lines of a small house, or rather log cabin, rising from the earth. The girl's horse threw up his head and uttered a neigh, or rather a cry or a great sigh, I for it was almost like that of a human I being, and staggered from side to side, his pace sinking quickly from a sure gallop to a shaky trot. The horse's great eyes were distended with pain and fear, and blood and foam were on?his lips A dark red clot of blood appeared upon his side, and I knew then that one of the bullets which I thought would fall short had struck him and the wound was mortal Without my hand pulling upon his rein Old Put stopped and looked at the other horse with eyes of pity and sor? row, for he knew what was going to happen-he knew he was going to lose one who had been proving himself a worthy running mate and comrade. I leaped from Old Put's back and snatched the girl from the saddle just as her horse reeled and fell and gave up his honest life with one great groan. I half lifted, half pushed, the girl upon Old Put's back, where she sat se? curely despite the man's saddle Once she protested, but I roughly bade her be silent and obey me and we would es? cape yet. Then she said no more "See the house yonder?" 1 said. " We will reach that and beat them off. Maybe we will find allies there This should be a patriot region. " I rested one arm on Old Put's shoul? der. The girl was on the horse's back, and 1, partly supported by him, ran by his side It is a trick that the borderers will tell you is common and useful enough Old Put gave me great assist? ance, for he understood, and as we flew along my feet at times seemed not to touch the ground. Our pursuers reached the crest of the swell and raised a shout of triumph as they saw the dead horse in the path and the single horse running on, carrying one of the fugitives and half carrying the other. I took one quick look backward and calculated that we would reach the hut in time Our pursuers evidently did not think so, for they fired no more shots. The girl was silent, her hands folded upon thti pommel of my saddle and her face ail white again. She left the di? rection of everything to me The cabin continued to rise from the plain, the corners, the eaves and the roof appearing until it stood before us distinct and near at hand. "Now, Put, old comrade greatest of horses," 1 cried, "we are nearing the goall Show them how much strength and speed you have kept in reserve for this last effort I Show them what you can do when you try your best!" He replied by deed, and 1 fairly swung through the air as we raced straight to the cabin I expected some tousled head to appear, roused by the thunder of so many hoofs, but none came The cabin remained silent and lone There was a small garden, but no fence around either it or the house Old Put dashed straight for the door, as if he knew what was wanted of him. which, in fact, he did? and stopped five feet in front of it so abruptly that the girl would have shot over his head had I net held her. She sprang to the ground. I slipped the bridle off Old Put's head, gave him a slap and cried : "Go!" He galloped around the house and disappeared, his hoof beats dying away In the darkness. Then I shoved the door open and rushed in, dragging the girl after ma I slammed back the door and looked for the bar that is commonly used as a fastening in such frontier houses. There it was, and I shoved it into its placa Nothing Int a battering ram could break in that door now ! '1 Safe for the time !" I cried. * * I defy them to take us in this fort!" Then I looked around ma The girl, half fainting, had staggered against the wall and was leaning thera It was a house of but a single room On a wide brick hearth a fire was still burning, or rather smoldering, yet it threw out enough light to disclose the contents of the room. No human being was there Everything of value except the heavy furniture, which was of the rudest de? scription and worth not much more than raw lumber, had been removed, and the whole appearance of the place indicated that its occupants had taken a hasty departure. It was easy enough to guess the causa Some poor family, frightened by the converging of the armies upon this region, and with good reason, too, for no other state was har? ried in this war as was ours of South Carolina, had gathered up their portable goods and fled to safer quarters and per? haps not an hour before our arrival, as the fire still burning proved. "They might have made things a lit* tie more comfortable for us," I said cheerfully, for my spirits had gone up with a leap, "but it's good as it is, and we haven't any right to complain. Mr. South Carolina farmer, whoever you are and wherever you are, we thank you." The girl smiled faintly and walked mechanically to the fire, where she sat down on a rude stool and spread out her fingers before the coals as if she were in her homa "Take a little of this," I said, for I saw that she was half dazed. There was yet a little whisky left in my flask, and I handed it to her. She obeyed me like a child and drank it Then I turned my attention to the single window, which was closed with, a heavy but ill ' fitting shutter, some wandering moonbeams finding a way through the cracks. Peeping out, I could see the guerrillas dismounted be? yond pistol shot and holding a confer enca "Thej' are talking, but let 'em talk, my dear,, "I said to the girl. "They can't ge: us in this cabin. What a neat, stout little place it is!" I really began to have a friendly feel? ing toward her. We had been throughi so many dangers together, and besides she was my prisoner. It is much easier for the conqueror to be generous to tha conquered than for the conquered to ba generous to the conqueror. She did not reply either to my words; or my manner. Her cheeks, which had been so white before, were faintly flushed -with pink, but ? could not tell whether it was the fire or not Sha seemed to me to be in a state of collapse, natural to a girl, even the strongest and. bravest after so much. "Now set the table for us, " I said. "We must eat a little after our long, hard ride, for we will need our strength. See if you can't,find a candle in that-, cupboard. And, here, take my bundle and get out the food. " I handed her the wallet of bread and: meat which I had snatched from Old Put's back almost with the same mo? tion with which I had swept off his bridle. She took it, drew the rough pine table to the center of the room and spread the food upon it Then, sure enough, she found in the cupboard a piece of old tallow candle, which sha lighted and stuck in the middle of the tabla These simple household duties seemed to revive her. Her eyes bright? ened, her color came back, and her first thought was half to defend, half to apologize for her previous collapse "I was tired merely, " she said. "I did not lose courage Don't think that I'm an English girl." "I never said you lost courage " I re? plied "I think that you have borna yourself bravely, almost as well as an American girl would have done in tha same situation. " "Show me the one who would have done better," she said, with a snap of the eya But that was manifestly impossible at the time and 1 made no such at? tempt "The table is ready, and we wait only for the army to take a seat and enjoy itself, " she said in a light tone "Come and take a look at our ene? mies first "I said, noticing how her strength and courage had come back and how well thex. became her. .. [TO BE CONTDIXED.] Diekens* Supremacy. "So this, then, is your husband's new library. Mrs. Mcchrox? Ah, 1 see he has Dickens and Thackeray side by side. Which do you consider the great? er of the two?" "Oh. my. Dickens! Joshua paid $2.40 more for them Dickenses than he had to give for Thackeray's book3 right at the same shop."-Chicago Times-Her? ald Missed His Chance. During his lecture to children at the Society of Arts Mr. E. Walter Maunder told his audience an instructive story. A certain lecturer on astronomy ob? served that some of the students were* not paying due attention. "Mr. So-and so," he called out to one of them, "will? you be good enough to tell us of what the corona is composed?" The student addressed hesitated for a moment and1 then blurted out, "I did know, sir, but I've forgotten." The professor looked at him and then exclaimed: "What a calamity! Here we have the only man? who ever knew the composition of the corona, ami be has forgotten!"-London Chronicle.