The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-04-06

That's what wan: to kneow {! Is this ere
boy spy? tell yeou -
ST roarei forth the above words at the
top of his voice aud glared at the captain
in way that made tina. xurthy's face flush
! with anger.
Frank stood looking .coolly on, leaving
his companion to do the talking. 1t was
evident that ueiher of the prisoners we've
in the least afraid.
"a very good argument. but you know
you are a SPY, and that ends it," replied
the Tory captain. ..You will be hung at
sunrise, " lie added.
Hung, is it, you beef-ea,ing beer-swill-
| ing
Take them away roared tile madden
ed captain.
y few moments more, and our two friends
found themselves confued wnIIin IL siIong
wuorlen building. Darkness bad settled
down upon the Scene, and the excitement
III camp had subsidrd.
Frank" said the Yankee, as soon as
| they were alone, Just punch my head, will
you? just roll the over aud iub my nose
III The ground. JIs'--''
Can't be done. My arms are bound to-
gethei," laughed Frank "What good
| would t,,at d" you ?''
''Ol,. sicti a culisarned dolt Sch an
! egii ! Ne, to L" and git caught 10y them
fcilers! Me, ST Keen. what Was the best
tlailer Of the Santee ~ Aud the Yankee
| ground his teeth in his anger.
1t was evident that the fact that he had
been caught AID thus cast stain upon his
reputation as IA scout, w"rI led him more
| than the fact that he had but u few hours
| to live.
The night passed slowly onward, and not
once during it's dark hours did sleep visit
the eyes of the prisoners They did not
speak to each Other, but sat in gloomy si-
! lcnce.
! Strange thoughts passed through the
! mind "f Our hero. So young, ana yet
| doomed to diet, lie, " hen life seemed to
be brightest. 1t was hard, but he WAS
| willing tn die fnt his country, and his faith
| i'll God prevented fear of death.
| lie remembered reading some where that
| hanging was painless death, aud he re-
! callrG, woId Tor wuId, the exhaustive de-
Il
! picture uf his death, aud he gazcd upon it
! an al lis horror.
No such thought agitated the n, ind of 81
, Keen. His busy mind was :nark king out =
| plan of escape. After long time, and at
| the cost of ii pair "f skinned niiefs, l,e had
| succeeded III slipping his hands through the
| rope which bound them. L. was but the
work of IN 'nent tn uubind his feet al
| though lie could hardly stand When he arose
! from the ground, beunnlbed were has
! limbs. He awakened his companion, vino
| had fallen into Il d''ze. and together they
! sought for some way of escape from their
prison. But, though small, their pl isuu
was strongly built.
In vain they sought to lpe. Morning
da wUed aud they were still Iris,rlets-
| Wha: availed it that they were free from the
| ropes with which they had been bound /?
| Wha, avaied all their eff,ris, if the morn
! ing found them still IN the hands Of the
enemy?
The Tory captain smiled grimly when he
saw that his prisoners had nearly given him
tie slip. platform consisting of "A single
plank resting upon tw" upturned casks had
been erected beneath IA convenient tree, aud
the prisoners arms having been bound they
were leo out to die.
The faces of our two heroes were very
pale as they mounted the rude platform.
They fully recognized the fact that they
were face to face with death. lIeaIts of
Oak! There was no sign "f fear there.
Why should We wonder that in a hundred
years our country has grown to be the equal
of any country on the globe! Read the
record of 776, ana when We see what n;in-
ner oc meu were there we know that it
could not be otherwise.
"Prisoners, have you anything to say ?"
asked the Tory captain, as the ropes were
being brought forward.
Il have this to say - cried the Yankee
And az he spoke his form shot up ia the air
and turning Complete hand spring, he
dropl.ed upon his feet directly in front ,,f
the as oiislied captain. Que power full kick
aud the tory doubled up like a worn out
j ,ck knife, aud although his arms were
b"uud, Yet Si disappeared i'll the woods,
and running with marvellous qu,ckness.
Frank gave vent to "a ringing cheer xheu
he saw The escape of i,is friend.
"Oh, ,ou needn't yell! You'll have your
uecx stretched any how and as lac spoke,
the hangman. who had mounted the llat.
! form, came toward the prisoner now iI
hand. Ere he could reach his victim, how.
cver ~ puif of sninke dar;ed out frs,n,
among til. trees. With gr"an the hang
man sank lifeiess at our here's feet
: The sharp report reused the Tories, and
they sprgng To their arms. Crack crack
crack The sharp. whir-like ,eports rang
out with startling distinctness. Coming from
, every direction. aud showing them tha
they were surrounded.