The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-01-30

seemed a trlfie less stern, she Thought,
than when she was at first taken before
him.
81 have decided" said the major, ito
release you on condition that you do not
repeat the offense to his majesty that
was the cause of your being here. Are
you willing to give that assurance"
Patty hesitated moment, and finally
deciding that by promising she need in
nowise be untrue to her fathers and
lovers cause, gave the required promise.
Upon night soon after heavy rain
had begun to fall about dusk and had
continued drearily the night long. Short
ly after 9 o'clock the little village was
locked in slumber.
Patty had retired soon after 8 and
had fallen Immediately asleep. Nothing
disturbed her dreams until just after
midnight, when shower of gravel rat
tied sharply against her chamber win
dow.
The girl was awakened almost instant
", and jumped from her bed to investi-
gate the cause of the strange proceeding.
"It's me, Patty" came low voice
from below, which she Immediately rec
opnized as that of John, Jr., her lover,
who was supposed to be far away to the
wars.
Hastily she threw on her clothes, and
in a moment had unfastened the heavy
kitchen door and had admitted the sol
der youth, drenched and bedraggled, to
the welcome warmth of the open fire,
which, although the season was summer.
gave out a generous heat to the chilled
and dripping youth.
"Now," said Patty as John removed
his coat and stood before the fire, ''tell
me how you came to come homer
John made no answer for several min
utes. Then he said:
81 suppose that l might as well tell
YOU, Patty, that I've deserted"
The girl failed to comprehend for
moment and sat with wide, wondering
eyes.
"You don't mean, john" she finally
said slowly, that you've run away from
the army, do you"
"You said yourself that you wouldn't
blame any man for being afraid, . he said
feebly.
yes" answered Patty. but I've
changed since then. I'm not coward
any longer. The tables seem to be turned
now" she added significantly, and John
flushed uneasily. And then the girl re-
counted the story Of her adventure with
the British soldiers.
At this the weeping soldier lad dried
his eyes and sat up a little straighter.
"You must have walked good way"
| Patty said after a time, little more
| kindly. where did you leave the armyT
mot very far from here" answered
John. "Our general heard the British
were fixing up headquarters down here
somewhere and sent company down to
see. They're in camp now about seven
miles to the north. None of the men saw
me slip out, - he added in slammed way.
A moment later and glorious posi-
bility had flashed across the girls mind
She unfolded it rapidly to John, and that
youth, timorous and faint hearted though
he was, succeeded in mastering a small
/ degree of enthusiasm concerning it. He
| finally agreed to do his part, and was
let out of the house, as he had come, by
Patty.
AS the tall clock in the hall struck |
Patty crept back in bed again and lay
shivering nervously, with sleepfar from
her eyelids. Her thoughts were with
John as he trod the drenched road upon
the mission on which she had sent him.
Would he prove equal to it, or would
he be found wanting as before2 She
heard the clock strike 2, then 3.
She waited long time, listening for
it to strike 4, when again a shower of
gravel ratified against the window panes.
Her heart beat wildly as she hurried to
the window.
The same figure, looking more drenched
if possible, she saw dimly below.
''All right" she whispered, and in an
other minute was talking eagerly with
John in the kitchen.
He was quite different youth from
the one she had admitted but few
hours before, and who had confessed to
such pitiable cowardice.
All trace of the respondent cringe
with which he had stood, so full OF
shame, before Patty had disappeared,
and he seemed now like a man who could
be trusted in any crisis.
Everything is all right" he said.
And then he secured from her the names
of the villagers upon whom the Tory
soldiers had quartered themselves.
With the British company protracted
stay in the village, the girl knew almost
to a man whose the different houses
were which sheltered part of the kings
army.
After this information was secured
John again disappeared, and Patty, fol
the third zine that night, sought her
couch, but not to sleep, however.
Meanwhile the Continental company
which had been brought by John from
their nearby camp, rapidly and noise
lessly surrounded each dwelling where a
prize was to be secured in the shape of a
British soldier When the work was
complete, the trumpeter stood in the cen
ter of the village and blew a stentorian
blast
For moment there was no sound IN
reply. Then windows were thrown open
and at every one appeared one or more
heads, the owners thereof rubbing theiI
eyes and sleepily trying to discover the
cause of such unseemly disturbance OF
their peaceful slumbers.
The British soldiers, too, stumbled out
of their comfortable beds, surprised and
uncomprehending When they looked
into the street, however, and saw al
every door the Continental blue and vel
low, they rapidly arrived at correct
conclusion.
Ere long every red coated soldier In
Bridgetown was in the custody of the
Continentals who promptly conveyed
them as soon as possible to the New
England headquarters, where honor'
were showered thickly upon the heads
of the entire company.
John went with them and received hi
full share as the supposed author of tht
capture. What the commanding officers
always supposed was merely hare
Drained midnight visit to his sweetheart
was pardoned in the light of its unex
pected and happy result,
John served all through the long wal
after that with bravery and distinction
his part in the snaring of the British sol
diers apparently having cured him of th'
! slightest suspicion of cowardice. An6
Patty kept her husbands secret well.