THE ROSE OF CHATHAM.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 20, 17 March 1894, Page 22

THE ROSE OF CHATHAM.

BY MAURICE THOMPSON.

[ Continued.\

Meantime Maynard's wound healed so rapidly that within ten days the gash had changed to a slender purple scar slantwise across his left cheek. So careful were the Fenwickes and so closely did they keep their secret that no susspicion of the Englishman’s presence in the house ever went abroad in the town.

Rose heard of Lieut. Prescott frequently through her friends, but he came no more to see her, nor did he send her any of those tender messages that lent such brightness to her life for months past. She felt the reason for this and could not blame him, for in her memory the act of driving him from the house lingered with all the ugly features that her imagination could lend to it, and she despised herself.

As for Prescott he felt sure that Rose still loved him, and that she had acted under some strange necessity which forbade him to make any inquiries until such time as she should choose for enlightening him voluntarily. Deep in his heart he suspected some connection between his unknown antagonist and the occurrence at the house, but his suspicion could not take any definite form. Soon after his recovery' and return to camp lie was sent in command of a detachment to a point opposite Whitemarsh island, some six miles from Savannah, which would have prevented him from calling on Rose, even if he had felt it the proper tliiug to do under the circumstances.

As Maynard convalesced he proved himself a man of most cultivated and insinuating manners. The master and the mistress of the Penwieke mansion became quite fascinated, spending a great deal of time in his company listening to his well told stories of adventure by land and sea in many parts of the world. Even Rose, although she .could but cordially despiso him, oftentimes lent captivated attention to his narrations, lie treated her with such marked and refined respect that it was impossible for her to show her real feeling toward him, though the longer he stayed the more distasteful ho became to her. For her father’s sake she was very kind in word and manner to this man, chatted pleasantly with him, played and sang for him, f evenreadaloud to him when he bested

her to. She did not note the looks of tender admiration with which he soon began to follow her, nor did she dream that in his heart he was permitting a passion for her to take deep and powerful hold. His face had been very handsome before the swordcut had left its livid streak, and even now it was impressive, if somewhat sinister, in its expression. With the cunning of a man whose nature both by gift and training makes him a detective he saw that Rose was a rebel, although not a word on the subject had ever fallen from her lips in his presence. Her character, however, was a guaranty to him that she would not betray him, knowing that to do it would be sure to compromise her father in a very dangerous way. Feeling secure at this point, it pleased him to linger at the Fenwicke mansion after he was quite well of the wound from Prescott's sword. The seclusion here was perfect, the household atmosphere quite agreeable, and then there was Rose, whose tall, superbly turned figure and charming face were fascinating him more and more every horn 1 .

CHAPTER IV. On the 23d of December word came to Gen. Howe that the British fleet had anchored off Tybee island. With the next tide it would come over the bar and take possession of the river. Little had been done by the Americans to erect defenses around the town.- There iiad been a line of earthworks, but this had been suffered to fall to ruins and was now practically useless, nor was there time for any repairs. The coining of the enemy was as much a surprise as if it had been a sudden descent in the night. Before Gen. Howe could ascertain the number or position of the enemy’s forces, and while he was trying in vain to dispose of his own little army to the best advantage, the guns began to batter away savagely at the bluff on Zirardeaux plantation, only two or three miles down the river from Savannah. In a moment all was confusion in the town and its suburban settlements. The approach of a battle under any circumstances would have caused alarm, but now it was, to a degree, a panic, with no wise management to control it. At first this feeling did not extend to the troops; on the contrary, they behaved well until their line was broken and they were thrown into disorder

Lieut. Prescott was detained by Gen. Howe to act on his staff, wherefore i t chanced to fall to his lot to be sent in the direction of Governor Wright's plantation just at the time when Lieut. Col. Campbell ordered the attack on the American lines. He was mounted on a fleet horse and bearing orders to Col. Elbert. His way lay along the edge of a swamp through which the enemy were

making efforts to pass, and in which they were already skirmishing with some American scouts. Riding in great haste and rather recklessly he pushed his horse into a boggy place and was delayed for many minutes in extricating him. In the meantime the British had attacked with great vigor, going right through the lines and completely routing the American forces. Not only this, they were already across the swamp ahead of him and were rushing on toward the city. He saw at once that his one chance of escape lay in reaching the Savannah road before it was fully in their possession. He knew the country perfectly and so was able to choose the shortest and safest route. Putting spurs to his horse he made a clash for that point where the road in question cut the line of old earthworks. If he could pass there in advance of the British he could reach Savannah long before they could get there. True to his youth and the love which had made youth doubly sweet to him Prescott no sooner set his face toward the town than he began to think of Rose Fenwicke. It rushed into his heart that perhaps he had seen her for the iast time; and how vividly arose the memory of her pained and distressed face as she stood before him that night in the doorway, thrusting him back and bidding him go away! And then, like some sad strain of music out of the distance, echoed again the parting words, “Good-by. dear, dear Wayne.” He felt a shiver run over him and he leaned forward in his saddle, urging his horse to its greatest speed.

When he reached the road and turned toward Savannah the way seemed clear, but he had sped but a few rods ere an obstacle suddenly presented itself in the form of an officer wearing the British uniform and mounted on a horse evidently captured from some unfortunate American.

“Halt!” rang out the challenge, too late for Prescott to check his speed, even if he had desired to. “Halt!” and then their swords crossed with a keen clink as the lieutenant dashed by. A short, sharp race, and Prescott felt that his enemy was gaining rapidly and would strike him from behind if he should not turn about at once. “Halt!”

He wheeled his horse just in time to parry a slash which would have severed his head from his body.

There was a rattling fire of musketry to his left, while on his right a light battery was bellowing vigorously. He thought of Rose, in fact the thought had not left him, and as he closed with the heavy set and surly faced foe again the words echoed • in his heart: “Goodby, dear, dear Wayne." It was a short and desperate fight, in which both men showed superior horsemanship and consummate command of the sword. The British officer was the

stronger, otherwise they were well matched. Perhaps the American fought at a disadvantage, his main thought being to get away from bis enemy by any means and reach Savannah in time to see Rose before the town fell into British hands. The sole aim of the other was to kill his doughty antagonist. On either side of the highway the ground was soft, and the combatants knew that if either were to permit his horse to leave the hard roadbed he would be at the other’s mercy; therefore the struggle lay largely in the management of their animals, which were now thoroughly excited and almost uncontrollable.

Doubtless his enemy felt something like the same spur to hasty action, for he urged his horse closer and cut and thrust-witb redoubled rapidity and force. As yet neither had been wounded, so vigilant had been their fencing, but the great strain of managing their furious horses and at the same time keeping up the increasing violence of their combat was telling upon their strength, which had been otherwise taxed to the utmost since early morning.

In a set duel it might have been thought a cowardly thing to do, but Prescott was no coward, nor did he dream of cowardice when, as the Englishman’s horse reared and plunged near, he struck it, with all the force he could gather into his arm, right across the left eye. It reeled back and sprang off the roadway into the mire, where it vainly floundered about.

The way was not more than twenty feet wide and in some parts had been strengthened by half buried palmetto logs, forming a sort of corduroy, very dangerous for the footing of the horses, whose springing and rearing and plunging kept a sort of lime to the rapid sword strokes of the straining men. Nearer and nearer came the scattered spray of the disordered army of Gen. Howe, floundering along wildly, flinging aside guns and abandoning artillery leaving everything in the hands of the victorious British.

Lieut. Prescott knew that if he delayed but a few short moments finishing with his antagonist all would be lost to him.

Wheeling his own horse, the lieutenant spurred on toward Savannah, well knowing that his antagonist could not follow. Two or three British fired at him from a little swell to his left, but their bullets hissed over his head. A little further on, where the road made a 6hort turn, he thundered through a bewildered group of American soldiers, who, hatless and gunless, were panting and running almost exhausted. Why should those words keep ringing through his ears and echoing as if in the remotest distance of memory? “Goodby* dear, dear Wayne.”

'He forgot the wrenching and strain 1 ing, the fatigue, the all but exhaustion of the struggle through which he had come; but with his bare sword gripped in his light hand, the reins held firmly in his left, he leaned over the pommel and strove to increase the speed of his foaming horse. He did not once think of the humiliation of defeat, nor did it occur to him that his duty might be along the line in striving to rally the broken and flying army of freedom.

It was like a fearful rebuke to him that just after he had passed over a little log causeway a round shot, half spent, struck his horse down under him. '' CHAPTER V.

Before the news of the British fleet’s arrival at the month of the river had gone abroad in Savannah Maynard quietly disappeared from the Fenwicko mansion without notice to any of tho household

On the day previous to this ho had tried, with great adroituuss and much show of deference mingled with passion, to pour into Rose’s ear the love which her beauty and grace had kindled in his strong and unscrupulous heart. To say that she repulsed him is to miss all the force of statement necessary to the simple truth. She scarcely spoke, nor was her manner in the least vehement. A look, a gesture, a slow turning away as from something unspeakably despicable and vile, perhaps the single word: “Youl” uttered scarcely above her breath, but with an emphasis that conveyed the last refinement of disgust and abhorrence; at all events there was no margin left for even a shadow of hope. Never before in his life had he felt small, weak, insufficient in the presence of an emergency, no matter bow formidable.

Ruse turned from him with just that deliberate dignity of movement which gave greatest effect to her beauty and

walked away, tho embodiment, "ns he felt, of incomparable stateliness, grace and purity.

Be shrank into himself, so to say, nnd for some moments after she hud gone his mind was vacant and his whole nature shriveled. Of course with such a man this was but a passing state of discomfiture and disorder, the result of snrpriao more than of unything else. Ho, with all his shrewd insight, had not dreumed that she could summon at a moment’s notico the power to crush him like this. Moreover, tho exhibition of calm, superb, absolutely commanding dignity so added to her charm that ho felt n groat joy in it, even while collapsing under its serene weight of contempt.

Large, almost giguntesquo in stature, with the supploness of health combined with the strength of a justly proportioned and thoroughly trained physique, ho rallied quickly from a wound, whothor of the body or of tho mind. Tho stupor of surprise and discomfiture soon passed from him, and with u sinister smile ho yawned and stretched himself us if shaking off a light nap.

“Confound tho girl!” ho exclaimed, “confound the girl! Sho is stunning, •amusing, bewildering!"

He walked back and forth, chuckling to himself, Ills face quite red, and tho Blender scar gleaming on his ebook like a tongue of Uaine, Minute beads of sweat gleamed on bis forehead, and his largo shapely hands actually shook as ho nervously rubbed them together. it was while ho was Urns pulling himBelf together after Rose’s departure Lhat Maynard received from tho hand of a servant a note written in cipher that informed him of tho approach of tho British fleet. In a moment ho had forgotten everything save the mission upon which he had come to Savannah, With him not even love could stand in tho way of the grosser enterprise which ho regarded as duty

Malring a few quiet and hurried preparations ho vanished from tho mansion without a sign or word to any of its inmates, and went to confer with some of nis Tory coadjutors. The purpose was to fire the town in tho rear of tho American army, just at tho time when tho battle should fairly begin, and follow this up with a show of attack upon tho handful of guards left to keep order in the streets.

The plot was well laid and must havo been successful had tho moment over come to put it into operation; but before anything certain could bo gathered after the British had landed the scattered and utterly demoralized American army was already fleeing in every direction. Soon enough the advance of the victorious invaders _poured into the town.

Tole Continued.)