Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 64: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

48 Tom ANDERSON, DarE-DEVIL An instant later, the starved wolf, which had followed furiously the trail.of blood (here and there a drop had trickled from the soldier’s injured arm), had found his prey. Rearing against the pew door, he thrust his head over it, — open-jawed. In very desperation the girl seized one of the pistols so close at hand, and pushed it right into the wolf’s teeth. Then it was that Tom’s voice burst upon her ears: “Don’t shoot him! Don’t!” Unaka gripped the Governor by the scruff of the neck, and hissed crackling Cherokee into his ears, till the beast’s green eyes closed, and his slack-twisted jaw dangled, limply. And at this juncture they heard a big voice rolling along through the darkness, and there was Dr. Pratt! — at his elbow, Mimi, shaking like a leaf. “Well, now, Miss Mary Josephine, what’s the matter? A sick man, eh? Oh, you here, Thomas? Could n’t make anything of what ma’m’selle tried to tell me.” “Tt’s along story, Doctor. I’m to blame — and I mean to take this man to Oxheart House. We want you to look after him, if you please.” Dr. Pratt, stooping over the prostrate man, recoiled in astonishment. “Why, God bless my soul! 4 redcoat?”” And Dare whispered, big-eyed, “ Doctor, it is the British Dragoon — Colonel Tarleton!”’ “What? The arch-fiend of the British army?” ‘“D’ you mean it, Dare?” burst out Tom, in tremendous excitement. “Yes — yes!” And Mimi nodded, whispering tremulously, “He pre- sented himself to me.’ They looked at each other with bewildered faces — all except Dr. Pratt, who was busy. He was putting brandy to the lips of the half-conscious man. Tarleton a prisoner! —and Dr. Pratt’s patient! What boundless interest and excitement such a state of things would stir up! What a perspective of possibilities! Gomichbooks (E() m