The Secret Shot; Or, The Rivals Of Misty Mount — page 28: what you’re looking at

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Cleaveland glanced around and perceived that. they were standing apart, and beyond ear-shot of his men. And yet he hesitated in reply. His irresolution was but of a moment’s duration, however. “A vicissitude like this demands frank- ness, Mr. Gwin, and I will speak frankly,” said he. “The double reason that my interest in your daughter’s safety is so strongly evinced is one, sir, which I now avow. I—TI love your daughter—deeply, devotedly, passionately.” “Have you ever spoken to Ida, colonel ?” asked the old gentleman, with a ‘pleased expression of the careworn face that made the young man’s fieart thrill with a strange joy. “ Never,” was the reply. . “I am wholly ignorant of Miss Gwin’s feelings toward me, and would hesitate to wound her gentle nature by a confession of sentiments which might displease her. I merely mention it that you may know that my sacrifice in being compelled to abandon the search is not inconsiderable. Forgive me if I have been bold; I meant only—” “JT have nothing to. forgive, my dear colonel,” said the old man, as heartily as his anxiety would permit. “As far as I am concerned, you have my hearty approval in your suit,” “You make me very happy,” said the colonel. ‘ Now, a word before I go, and I think it may cheer you. We have come to the conclusion that the raiders of last night were mostly Tories of thes vicinity—mainly in the service of the king. Is it not most likely that the service which calls me away 80 abruptly to the field must also call every Tory within summoning distance to the other side? Ferguson, who commands the red-coats at King’s Mountain, has doubtless had wind of our approach, and, depend up- on it, he will rake up every available man to meet us. Every Tory around us must, at this moment, be on the wing to join him. Whatever may have been their designs in carrying off Miss Gwin, in all probability she is at present merely kept in concealment, to await the event of the battle and young Gleason’s return—that is, if he remain true to his colors.” “ There is much wisdom in what you say,” said Gwin, thoughfully. “It relieves my anxiety considerably. But the quest shall not fall off in your absence. In the mean time, if you should meet with the villian who carried her off—” THE SECRET SHOT. “May an avenging fate permit that I may!’ exclaimed thie colonel, fervently, his right hand instinctively clutching the hilt of his sword. “One of.us shall perish, if we meet! Farewell!” Ile galloped to the head of his escort, and, in a few minutes, the little troop were dashing swiftly down to Valleyton. CHAPTER YVIIL The Dove in the Hawk's Nest. “Wer circles the Hawk-o’er-the blossoming grove? hy down does his.crooked beak stoop ? Because in the wood sits a white-feathered Dove, And the Hawk is preparing to swoop.”’ As we have seen, a happy state of ob- livion enveloped the lovely victim of the Tories’ raid, when they bore her away from the house and the prostrate forms of those who would have protected her. When her consciousness returned, Ida could scarcely realize eyen the more material facts of her diiemma. At first she thought that she was in a dungeon.’ The narrow couch upon which she was reclining she could feel with her hand to be composed of the furry skins of wild beasts; and the feeble glimmer of a small iron lamp, which was hung from the low ceiling, showed the walls of her new appartment to be of granite. Indeed, as she examined their structure more in- tently, she discovered that. no» mortal ma- sonry was coneerned in the low, vaulted ceiling or narrow walls, but that they were of the solid rock without a seam. This convinced het that she must be in a cav- ern, smoothed, doored and otherwise assisted to the formation of this regular-shaped cell ; which only increased her amxiéty. An old- fashioned clothes-press, a stool and a small deal table, with a bowl and pitcher of wa- ter thereon, and the couch upon which she had now risen to a sitting posture, consti- tuted the sole furniture of the desolate dun- geon, whose floor was of the same solid, immutable granite as the walls and ceiling. Having gathered together her seattered fac- ulties in making these discoveries, the first thing which the terrified maiden did was to cry very heartily and bitterly; which was perfectly natural. A man, even—thus awakening from home, kindred, and the limitless freedom of the open atmosphere to the stifling air, chill gloom, ‘and cramped dimensions of a subterranean dungeon would-have been likely to give way to sorhe CORNICGOOKS ——