Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-09-30


distance, and figure came forward in the
darkness, who whispered to their guide, and
then led the way up to a building, which see
med by the shadowy outline, to be a large stone
barn. They entered it, and were severally
placed in small hooks where they could feel
that the hay was all around them, except on
the side of the wall Shortly after, some pro-
visions were brought to them with the same
silence, and it was signifed to them that they
were to remain concealed through the whole
of the coming day.
i Through crevice in the wall Lee could
discover as the day came on, that the barn
was attached to small farmhouse. He was
I SO near the house that he could overhear the
I conversation which was carried on about the
door. The morning rose clear. and it was
evident from the enquiries of horsemen who
occasionally galloPped up to the door, that the
country was alarmed. The farmer gave short
and surly replies, as if unwilling to be taken
| off from his labour; but the other inmates of
the house were eager in their questions, and,
from the answers, Lee gathered that the means
| by which he and his companions had escaped
were as mysterious as ever.
The next night, when all was quiet, they re-
sumed their march, and explained to Lee that,
as he was not with them in their conspiracy
ana was accidentally associated with them in
their escape, they should take the precuation
to keep him before them, just behind the guide.
He submitted without opposition, though the
arrangement considerably lessened the chances
/ in favor of his escape. He observed from the
direction Of the stars, that they did not move
in direct line toward the Delaware, but they
changed their course SO often that he could not
conjecture at what point they intended to strike
the river. He endeavoured, whenever any Pc
culiar object appeared, to fix it in his memory
i as well as the darkness would permit, and sue
ceeded better than could have been expected,
considering the agitated state in which he ira
4 velled.
I For several nights they went on in this man.
ner, being delivered over to different persons.
from time to time; and as Lee could gather
4 from their whispering conversation, they were
Regularly employed on occasions like thespre'
sent, and well rewarded by the British for theil
: services. Their employment was full of dan
: ger; and though they seemed like desperate
men, he could observe that they never RENTED
their precautions. They were concealed BY
: day in barns-cellars-caves made for the pur
: pose, and similar retreats, and one day wa'
: passed in a tomb, the dimentions of which hat
n been enlarged, and the inmates, if there hae
n been any, banished to make room for the liv
ling. The burying grounds were a favorite re
: treat, and on more occasions than one the,
e were obliged to resort to superstitious alarm
e to remove intruders upon their path; their sue
e cess fully justified the experiment, and, un
o lpleasantly situated as he was, in the prospect
IS of soon being ghost himself. he could nc
1t avoid laughing at the expedition with whic
d old and young fed from the fancied apparitior
d under clouds of night, wishing to meet sue
IF enemies, like Ajax, in the face of day.
lie Though the distance to the Delaware wa
is mot great, they had now been twelve days o
d the road, and such was the vigilance and super
r stition prevailing throughout the country, tha
'. they almost despaired of effecting their object
is The conductor grew impatient, and Lees com
eel panions, at least one of them became ferociou:
Idl There was, as we have said something unples
e. SAINT to him in the glances of this fellow tc
in ward him, which became more and more ferc
ir as they went on but it did not appear whethe
ch it were owing to circumstances or actual SUI
ne picion. 1t so happened that, on the tweltt
en night, Lee was placed in barn, whilst the re-
ed of the party sheltered themselves in the cell;
ne of little stone church, where they could ia
ut and act with more freedom, both because Il
en- solitude of the church was not often disturbt
an even on the sabbath-and because even Il
He proprietors did not know that illegal hands h:
re added a cellar to the conveniences of the bui
ng ding.
ed The party where seated here as the day brol
cir and the light, which struggled in through or
CHI vices opened for the purpose, showed 10
lis room about twelve feet square, with dan
use floor and large patches of white mould upt
ia the walls. Finding, probably. that the paw
ment afforded no accommodations for sieePin
lot the worthless were seated each upon little ca
ng which seemed like those used for gunpowde
ip- Here they were smoking pipes with gre
gh diligence, and, at the intervals not distant,
in plying huge canteen to their mouths. fro
de- which theydrank with upturned faces expressi
ere of solemn satisfaction. While they were tn
as engaged, the short soldier asked them in a car
YER less way. if they knew whom they had in thu
ear party. The others started, and took thu