Special Messenger Read online

  SPECIAL MESSENGER

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  WORKS OF ROBERT W. CHAMBERS

  Special Messenger Iole The Firing Line The Reckoning The Younger Set The Maid-at-Arms The Fighting Chance Cardigan Some Ladies in Haste The Haunts of Men The Tree of Heaven The Mystery of Choice The Tracer of Lost Persons The Cambric Mask A Young Man in a Hurry A Maker of Moons Lorraine The King in Yellow Maids of Paradise In Search of the Unknown Ashes of Empire The Conspirators The Red Republic A King and a Few Dukes Outsiders In the Quarter

  FOR CHILDREN

  Garden-Land Mountain-Land Forest-Land Orchard-Land River-Land Outdoorland

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  SPECIAL MESSENGER

  by

  ROBERT W. CHAMBERS

  "Daintily her handsome horse set foot in the water." Page 131.]

  D. Appleton and CompanyNew York--MCMIX

  Copyright, 1909, byRobert W. ChambersCopyright, 1904, 1905, by Harper and BrothersCopyright, 1908, by P F Collier & SonCopyright, 1908, by The Curtis Publishing Company

  Published, March, 1909

  TO GEORGE F. D. TRASK

  IN MEMORY OF OUR FIRST MARTIAL EXPLOITS IN THE NURSERY

  Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.--PSALM lx, 4.

  PREFACE

  In the personality and exploits of the "Special Messenger," the author has been assured that a celebrated historical character is recognizable--Miss Boyd, the famous Confederate scout and spy.

  It is not uncommon that the readers of a book know more about that book than the author. R. W. C.

  CONTENTS

  PART ONE

  WHAT SHE WAS Page

  I. Noncombatants 3

  PART TWO

  WHAT SHE BECAME

  II. Special Messenger 39

  III. Absolution 67

  IV. Romance 99

  V. Red Ferry 127

  VI. An Air Line 157

  VII. The Pass 192

  VIII. Ever After 223

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE

  "Daintily her handsome horse set foot in the water" Frontispiece

  "'They seem to be allfired sure of us'" 78

  "Then, like a flash his hand fell to his holster, and it was empty" 90

  "'Turn around,' said the Special Messenger" 176

  "She dropped her sunbonnet--stooped to recover it" 216

  "White-faced, desperate, she clung to him with the tenacity of a lynx" 220

  "'We was there--I know that; yes, an' we had a fight'" 238

  "'Yes,' she gasped, 'the Special Messenger--noncombatant!'" 258