Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-07-30

20 w nlcney'S surprise, seemed encouraged.
"'Tis the maids way" said Putnam.
fancies with maids foolishness, and she
trusts to win favor and promotion for him.
She's brave girl and q wise one, Whit
ney, and she has Putnam blood in her
veins"
SO the General briefly sketched his plan
and instructions. The young fellow was to
leave as soon as possible, make his way
within the enemy's lines as a deserter, and
when in their hands declare that Putnam
was making preparations to quit Reading
and retire to the Sound as speedily as he
was able.
''Let her send her sweetheart on this
chance, and, to make sure, find some one
else to send on a similar Grand"
BY dawn of the next day Whitney had
procured another trustworthy fellow and
sent him on his mission, and had also Civ
en- to the maid the instructions of the Gem
eral. She demurely received her commits
sion and promised faithfully to execute it.
When the darkness of that evening set
tied down upon them, Mistress Mary, hav-
ing muffied her slender figure, sped by the
sentinel. who knew her we'll, and made her
way in the direction of the house of her
pastor, Mr.. BlOss, where, she said, she had
made promise to spend an hour that even
ing. But when she came to the old pasture
lot she darted quickly by the little path
through the narrow ravine that led to the
cleared space beyond, and in a moment
erected as a rude shelter for cattle. As she
stepped within tall figure appeared from
somewhere in the darkness by her side.
MARY" it whispered.
"Robert," and the tall figure, bending
over her, took her muffied head in both his
palms, uplifted it, and kissed her.
"RObert, have you waited long, and are
you all safe." She put out her hand to
touch his cloak, seemingly to assure her.
self.
but few moments. I feared the in.
clement weather or some chance might
keep you"
keep me, Robert, when yen have
travelled all these miles, full ten At least,
to meet mew
"Ah, ten miles; twice ten would come
daily il l could but hear you say, MY
Robert" and receive your sweet kiss Of
hope and trust"
For a few moments they chatted with
the ner rous haste of a hurried meeting,
and then she said: "Robert, do you hear
meet in secret, for have a way to rid us
of all such annoyance hereafter. The
General will permit you to come. 1 shall
win his consent"
"Ah, little one, you will be more VIC
torious than others have been if you get
him to permit that" he replied.
"But l shall. Robert, is there not a
camped not far from your homer"
"There is"
"Then take this message that I have
written and see that it is delivered to him.
You pass in and out of their lines easily,
do you not"
"Yes. But what is this?" he said, doubt
fully.
"Trust me, Robert. l can not tell you
now. Do it for my sake, and come again,
say Friday next. After that you will be
free to come and CO." she said.
81 trust you, Mary, though this is a
mysterious thing"
"And, Robert, on no account reveal that
you have seen me or received it from me. -"
''1s it SO important as that"
"For me, yes"
"Then I'll keep it secret with nv life."
"Yes, do" she said, with a solemnity
that impressed him greatly, though had
he been able to see her eyes and smile he
would have surmised there was no such
great concern about it. Then she babe
him go.
"You will wait for me Friday night?"
he asked, and she replied yes.
A few moments later Mary was de-
murely chatting before the parsons fire,
and an hour after she sent a message to
her father that she should spend the night
ut the parsonage with Betsy BloSs, her
only mate.
General Putnam and his young secretary
were preparing to retire for the night,
when commotion without checked such
preparations. There was heavy knock,
voices, and in a moment an officer with
two soldiers and tall, handsome civilian
stood before the General.
The old warrior realized at once what
such proceeding meant, but he calmly
said:
"Who is this:"
"He was captured by the SENTRY" said
the officer, "as he was leaving the pasture
lot below, where he had been in consulta-
tion with another whose form the men
dimly saw, but who escaped them. When
captured, he, by a quick, unsupported
motion, thrust a bit of paper in his mouth
and, though the men choked him, he
swallowed it."
Putnam's face was like a thunder cloud,
but he checked any other manifestation of
his passion. -
''WhO are you:" he asked.
"Robert Lockwood, of Ridgefeld town
ship"
"Have you any permit to be within my
lines:"
He shook his head, and Whitney, who
was watching him closely, was deeply i'm
saddened expression that tempered his
manly face.
"What were you doing here:"
THAT can not say, except that it was
purely a private matter that brought me.
with which neither you nor your army had
ANYTHING to do:"
.Thcn why sneak here secretly at Qight:''
"Because you made that method the only
possible way OF getting here"
II suppose you know what that means
for you? Tell me, are you patriot"
"No," he said sadly. 81 do not sympa-
| thize with you in rebellion against our
King. am ROyalist-a Tory, you call
us-but have been a man of peace ever
since this war begun"
Then up rose General Putnam, setting
| free the mighty tempest of his wrath. His
passion was terrible, and it seemed as
| though even in his fury he might strike
down this man there. With oaths and i'm
precautions he cursed him and all like him
until at length the prisoner SAIL:
''Sir, you are to do with me as you will
| but you are too brave a man to insult me. "
II will do nothing more but hang you
Hanged you shall be at sunrise to-mor-
| row."
Hanged! For what."
| "As a British spy found in my camp, and
unable to explain his presence there"
Here Whitney said few words in a low
| tone to the General.
"Yes, yes. That is so. See here. There
was some one with you. Some of my mer
giving you information. That's the trato,
l want. He gave you some message. Tel
m. who it was and I'll spare your life, aut
hang him before the whole army"
| The prisoners head dropped till his CHR
! fell upon his bosom. But he said nothing
| Come, be quick about it," roared Put.
| nam.
| ST have done M wrong am not puiltv
Blu. can not tell you what you ask"
take him away. Whitney, see that my
orders are carried out. Hang him at sun.
/ -,