Show in the IM of ka r CW cy vy by IRVING BACHELLER s by irving bacheller Bac teller A MEAN CUSS SYNOPSIS solomon voter veteran n scout and ancl interpreter and Ns hla young companion jack irons passing through horse valley now york in september settlers of 0 an indian 1788 1709 to warn uprising rescue from epand of redskins red skins tho the wife and daughter of colonel hare of england jack distinguishes himself in tho the fight and lator later rescues Nl margaret argaret nare iiara from tho river jack and margarot margaret fall in love on reaching fort stanwix colonel iiara says aya the both aro are too young to marry and hare family sail nail tor for england tho the irons family move to albany anres grown growa in the col colonies onles because of tho the oppressive measures solomon of tho the english government in and jack visit boston november 1770 1770 jack goes to philadelphia and works in denjamin franklins pr printing inting plant nearly three years la later ter margaret reminding writes him from london him that her youth to la passing and saying she has appealed to doctor franklin dinkelis has received a letter from washington to be carried across the ocean and jack sails with him arriving in england 13 ankus to Is arrested but jack has tho the letter and proceeds ads to london jack delivers the papers to franklin in london denkus Is released and joins them in th the 0 great city clothes jack orders fashionable jack and Id margaret argaret moot meet and are moro more in love than ever but colonel onel hare Is not eager for the marriage r franklins efforts extorts to obtain better treatment tor for the colonies aro are futile lie evades the he a attempt empt of the kings men to tow him into port CHAPTER VII continued then said lady ilowe 1 I wish my brother franklin that you were to bo be sent thither r I 1 should like that much bottor better than general blowes going to command the army there A rather tenso moment followed franklin broko broke its ita silence by saying baying in a gentle tone 1 I think madame they should provide tho the general with more honorable employment I 1 beg that your ladyship will not misjudge me I 1 am not capable of taking an from this government while it Is acting with so BO much hostility toward my country tho the ministers have the opinion that you can compose tho the situation it if you will lord iloco declared many of us have unbounded faith in your ability I 1 would not think of trying to influence your judgment by ft a selfish motive but certainly you may with reason expect any reward which it Is in tho the power of the government to betow tow then came en me on an answer which should live llvy in history as one of the great credits of human nature and all nien men those of english blood should fool a certain pride in it th the answer was wag your lordship I 1 nm am not looking for rewards but only for justice let us ug try to agree as to what la is tho the justice of the matter howo flowe an will you not draft ft a plan on which you would bo be willing to cooperate that I 1 will bo be glad to do persisting in ills his misjudgment judgment luls rowe suggested i As you have friends here and constituents ln fl america to keep well with will perhaps it would better not bo be in your band handwriting wrItIng send it to lady ellwo and she will copy it and return the original then said bald the sturdy old yankee 1 I desire my friends that there shall be no secrecy about it lord rind and lady indy inowe showed allowed signs of great disappointment as lie he bade them good night and begged to be sent to tits his room 1 1 I nm growing old and have to ask for like indulgence from every hostess lie pleaded inowe was not willing to leave n stone unturned lie ile could not dismiss the notion from tits his mind that tho the purchase could be effected if the bid wc were are raised ile iio drew the doctor aside and said wo do not expect your assistance assistance without proper consideration I 1 shall insist upon generous and ample appointments point ments for tile tho men you take with you and especially for you as well as ag a firm promise of subsequent rewards 1 aliat crown find ho he in mind for tho the white nud mil veneable ven emble brow biba of the man who stood before him beneath that brow was waa a now typo of statesman born of tho the hardships ships and perils and high faith of a now world and annu then und and thoro there ns as those two faced each other tho soul ot of tho past and tho the soul of tho the future a moment was como come than which there had been no creator in huma n history lil story in america bronco and england tho the cocks had been crowing and now tho the first brut light of down dawn of a now new day foil fell upon tho the figure of the ho man who in honor and understanding towered lowered above tits his follows now for a moment on tho character of tills this man tho unfathomable plan of god for future ages would to havo have been resting in tits sixty eight years lie ho had discovered among other things tho the vanity of wealth and splendor it was no to him thai tho the idle idla wind these tire are his exact words as ap lie ho stood with a inelo smile on tits hla faco face it you wish to uso mo me give me tho the propositions and dismiss nil all thoughts of rewords rewards from your mind they would destroy tho the influence you propose to uso use tho the old gentleman climbed tho the grent great rind and went to tits ills chamber while lord ilowe was no doubt communicating muni cating the result of tits his interview to hla his other guests there were those among them who freely predicted that war was inevitable CHAPTER vill VIII an appointment and a challenge solomon cinkus had left the tha city with preston to visit sir jeffrey amherst in tits his country sent bent near london sir benjamin had taken jack to dine with him nt at two of tits his clubs and after dining thoy they had gone to see the great actor robort robert bensley as lot and the comedian dodd tia is sit sir andrew Ague cheek the BrIt laber had been most polite but had seemed boomed studiously to avold mention of the subject nearest the heart of the young man after that the latter was invited to a revel and a 0 cock fight but declined the honor and went to spend on an evening with tits his friend the philosopher os fur for days Vr franklin anklin had been shut in with gout jack had found him in tits hla room with one of tits hla feet wrapped in bandages and resting on a chair 1 I nm glad you clime came my lily sl son sold said the good doctor 1 I am in need of better company than this foot soll AND here is MINE said JACK FIE y tude tilde Is like water good tor for a dip but you cannot live tn in it margaret has been here trying to give me comfort although she needs it more for herself I 1 margaret Margri ret I 1 the boy exclaimed why does she need comfort ah largely on your account ray my sent son I 1 iler her father Is obdurate and the cause Is clear to me this courtship of yours youra Is taking an international na as hect 1 I only tea feric that I 1 may not be able to provide for her in a suitable manner said jack oil oh you aro are well orf off said the philosopher os you have some capital rind and recognized talent and occupation for it when I 1 reached philadelphia I 1 had an empty stomach and also a dutch dollar a few pennies two soiled shirts and a pair of dirty stockings in my pockets many years passed and I 1 had a family before I 1 was as well weil oft off as Y you an are 11 AS jack was saying good night to tits his venerable friend tho the latter remarked 1 I I 1 shall ngo go to sir john Pr ingles in the morning for advice lie ile Is a noted physician my man will be having a day oly off could you go with we me at ton ten gladly told said jack then I 1 shall pick you up tit at your lodgings bodgin 99 you will see your rival at cringles los he Is at homo home on leave cave and lias has been going to sir johns office every tuesday morning nt at ten thirty with hla his father general clarke a gruft gouty old hero of the french and indian wars and an aggressive tory he to la forever tossing and goring the whigs it may bo be the only you will havo have to see BOO that rival of if yours ilo ho ts la it a handsome lad ind doctor franklin with ilia crutch him in tile tho cub called for liti hla young friend tit nt tho hour appoint od tho tb 0 omco emco of tho the doctor baronet was on tho the first floor of a largo building fleet street A number in gough clough square of gentlemen sat eat in comfortable chairs in a largo waiting room sir john will see BOO you in a moment bir an attendant said to doctor frankin tin no IB they entered tho the moment was it very long ono one belr at last tho the door to tho private room of if tho the great physician created creaked on ita hinges with a kind of groan and he conio canio out accompanied by a limping patient walt here for a n minute n gout min uto 11 said franklin to his young friend when pringle dismisses mo I 1 will present you jack eat ant and waited white tho the room filled with ruddy croachey crot chey gentlemen supported by canos or crutches elderly old and of middle ago age amon those of tho the latter does class was it giant ot of a man erect and dignified accompanied by y a big blond youngster lo in a lien lieutenants tenants uniform ile iio eat ant down and began to talk with another patient of tho the troubles in At america 1 I seo see tho the d d yankees havo have thrown another cargo of tea overboard liala ho he in a tono tone of anger T athla ills time it was in capo cape cod wo we must give those choso kaboos yahoos a lesson jack surmised now that here was the aggressive tory general of whom the doctor had spoken and that the young man was tits his son eon 1 I fear that it would bo be a costly bust busl nesa sending bending men to tight fight across three thousand miles of sea said bald elih other bosh I 1 thero there to la not one yankee in a hundred that has the courage of a rabbit with a thousand british B h gr gren e n adlore adlers I 1 would undertake to go from one end of america to another and amputate the heads of th tha males partly by force and partly by coaxing A laugh followed these insulting w words jack irons rose quickly and approach edthe man who had bad uttered them the young american was angry but lie managed to say with good composure 1 I am an american air bar and I 1 demand a retraction of those words or a chanco to match my courage against yours A murmur of surprise greeted grett ted his challenge clial lenge the turned buich quickly dy with ath color mounting to his brow ind sur keyed the sturdy form of the young man 1 I take back nothing that I 1 say hg he declared tb then en in behalf of my blan blundered dered countrymen I 1 demand the right to fight you or any who has tho courage to take up your quarrel qu avrel jack irons had spoken calmly palmly like one who hot had weighed his wo tda the young lieutenant who had en the room with tile the fiery middle aged rose and faced tho the american and said 1 I will take up his quarrel sir here flere ts Is my card and here Is mine said jack when will you be at homol homel at noon tomorrow some friend of mine will call upon you jack assured the other A look of surprise came to the face of the lieutenant as aa he surveyed the tha card in tits hla hand zack jack was prepared for the name he read which was that of lionel clarko clarke that evening solomon preston jack told them in detail of 0 the unfortunate event of the morning solomon whistled while tits his face ace began to get ready for a shot I 1 he bo exclaimed meres heres suthon havo have to be tended to fore I 1 take the water clarke la Is full of hartshorn and vinegar P said preston lie ile was waa like that in america ile he could make more trouble in ten minutes than a regiment could mend in a year ile he Is what you bod would call a mean cuss but for him and lord cornwallis Cornwall ls I 1 should be back in the service they blame for or tho the present posture of affairs la in america jock jack im glad that young pup aint roe me said solomon never was waa 0 man better covalt cited to please a friend er hurt an enemy if he was to say pistols I 1 guess that ol 01 sling 0 0 yours would bus out laugh laughin tn an I 1 aint no idee lie he could stan a in front 0 your hanger its bad business and especially for you said preston dueling Is not so much in favor hero as in france of course there are duels but the best people in england are set against the practice you would be sure to get the worst of it the old general genera Is a favorite of the king ho ele Is booked for knighthood if you were to kill ills hla son in the present state of feeling here your neck would ho be in danger it if you were to injure him you would hava to make a lucky escape or go to prison it Is not a pleasant outlook for 0 one no who Is engaged to an english girl he has a great advantage over YU you ye shoot quick jack an meble thata what saved yo ye 11 TO DB BE CONTINUED I 1 |