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THE CONTINENTAL DRAGOON.

by

R. N. STEPHENS.

      *      *      *      *      *

Works of R. N. STEPHENS.

An Enemy to the King.
The Continental Dragoon.

_In Press_:
The Road to Paris.

L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY, Publishers,
(INCORPORATED)
196 Summer St., Boston, Mass.

      *      *      *      *      *

[Illustration: "_'Take that rebel alive!' ordered Colden._"

Photogravure from original drawing by H. C. Edwards.]


THE CONTINENTAL DRAGOON

A Love Story of Philipse Manor-House in 1778

by

ROBERT NEILSON STEPHENS

Author of
"An Enemy to the King"

Illustrated by H. C. Edwards

"Love's born of a glance, I say"







Boston
L. C. Page and Company
(Incorporated)
1898

Copyright, 1898
By L. C. Page and Company
(Incorporated)

Entered at Stationer's Hall, London

FIFTH THOUSAND

Colonial Press:
Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.
Boston, U. S. A.




CONTENTS.

  Chapter                                                         Page
       I. The Riders                                                11
      II. The Manor-house                                           32
     III. The Sound of Galloping                                    50
      IV. The Continental Dragoon                                   65
       V. The Black Horse                                           87
      VI. The One Chance                                           116
     VII. The Flight of the Minutes                                140
    VIII. The Secret Passage                                       156
      IX. The Confession                                           180
       X. The Plan of Retaliation                                  197
      XI. The Conquest                                             214
     XII. The Challenge                                            236
    XIII. The Unexpected                                           252
     XIV. The Broken Sword                                         267




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  "'Take that rebel alive!' ordered Colden."              Frontispiece

  "'Give it to the Colonel.'"                                       82
  "Leaned forward on the horse's neck."                            111
  "'You are too late, Jack!'"                                      154
  "'Go, I say!'"                                                   196
  "'I take my leave of this house!'"                               248




CHAPTER I.

THE RIDERS.


"I dare say 'tis a wild, foolish, dangerous thing; but I do it,
nevertheless! As for my reasons, they are the strongest. First, I wish
to do it. Second, you've all opposed my doing it. So there's an end of
the matter!"

It was, of course, a woman that spoke,--moreover, a young one.

And she added:

"Drat the wind! Can't we ride faster? 'Twill be dark before we reach
the manor-house. Get along, Cato!"

She was one of three on horseback, who went northward on