The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-08-13

loan cause, and willing 70 sacrifice
Hhislife, if need b, far 10 good Of his
copntFgnsen, ~ wer Bsing or
Liberty and for q s|It
He was fullY - riislIs;be
fate awaiting him should he be sus-
pected and taken. By means Of var
ious disguises, he had reconnoitercd
pretty thoroughly, and had acquired
much information of an important
nature. He had about resolved to
return to the American camp and re-
port himself to the commander-in-
chief, when the following incident
strengthened his determination.
While walking along one day, mus
ing upon the exciting events which
were then transpiring, he was met
by. one Of the common soIdiery, who
stopped to speak. The man looked
animated, ,.and seemed pleased with
his thoughts.
Halo, comrade!m he cried. s'You
are going the. wrong way !
FIguess nos,a rejoined Hastings,
carelessly. .;
"Well, l s'pose you know best; but
you'd dbetter go back to campwith me.
I'm going to get'a description of that
tchap that's been playing the spy,"
added the man, familiarly.
1sWhat.about him? it's all news to
me, replied the colonel, aneencern-
.edly, though his pulse beat a little
quicker at the mans language; but
he had long exercised severe gov
ernment over the play Of his features,
and not muscle expressed surprise.
"You must be deaf, then, for every.
body is talking about him to-day"
continued the other. ellis name is
Tom Jones, and he's been skulking
round here, listening to what the Of
4 6esrs 6 say, d pumping . the mem, q ,and
Trying to find outWhat the next moye
is to be. But they've smelled a rat.
There's bounty offered for his head,
and he's as good as a dead man.. !.
"Good enough. .for.h .hiha!, exclaimed
the colonel ,-who still maintained The
same Indifferent demelnor. 'sHis
life isn't worth much, that's a fact.
But .saytcomrade, s.he added, slap
ping the soldier faaiiiiarly on the
shoulder, "isn't hanging a little too
good for the erascal?"
The; man replied. with a coarse
laugh and an oath, and then passed
on his way, leaving Hastings in no
elyiable state Of mind. Had the fell
low been acquainted with him de-
lection would have been inevitable.
He Hastings) had left the barracks
early that morning, noticing
nothing unusual but probably his
absence, added to other circumstan-
ces, had awakened suspicion. Not a
moment was to be lost; his life de-
pended upon. instant concealment,
as flight at that hour (it being about
four in the afternoon) would be at
tended with extreme danger The
soldier would hear a description of
his story, tell his story, the alarm
would be given, and a score Of enc
mics would be Immediately upon his
track.
The young officer hastily entered
a thick growth Of trees near by, and
looked about for some place ofrefuge.
He could discover nothing which Of
fered the slightest protection but a
large brush-heap, but as no better
.refugetould be found he concealed
himself as we'll as possible beneath it.
He heard the tramp Of horses feet
and the voices Of men in a very short
time, which was a good reason for
concluding that he had not secreted
himself minute too soon. They
passed the spot where helay without
'halting, and Hastings breathed more
freely when the echo of their shouts
was lost in the distance.