The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-03-06
larsplunge or two ahead, and then shot
offllike an arrow up the road
CHAPTER III.

"What heroes from the woodland sprung,
When, through the fresh. awakened land,
The thri ling cry of freedom rungs
Aud TO the work of warfare strung
They eoman'a iron hand"
Leaving Woodburn to the hot and
eager pursuit that patriotism and
private luminosity had prompted him
to undertake, we will now precede him
a few miles on the road, for the pur-
pose of introducing and accompanying
another old acquaintance, who was
also destined to become an actor in the
wild and stirring adventures Of the
night.
Near the southern confines OF Man
chester, about nine O'Clock the same
evening, youth of the probable age
of twenty, of Il sandy complexion, and
of a rather slight but evidently tough,
wiry frame, with short rife on his
shoulder and powder horn and ball
pouch slung at his back, was making
his solitary way on foot along the
main road towards the town Just men.
toned. As he now reached the Baten.
kill, where the stream, here first begin
ming to find a more peaceful flow, after
its headlong descent from the Green
Mountains, intersectcd the road, he
suddenly paused and began to muse,
with the air of one who has been
struck by some new thought tending
to divert him from his settled pur-
poses: aud, SLOWLY passing on tn the
bridge. which, after the rude con.
struction of the times, had been thrown
across the river at this place, he took
seat on one of the side timbers, or
binders. as they were usually termed.
and, in accordance with an old and
inveterate habit, generated probably
by the peculiar circumstances of his
early life, began to commune with
himself aloud
- wonder what this new business
is they want you should do, Bart?
Harry said it was a secret matter when
he handed over the paper" he con-
tinued, pulling out and abstractedly
unrolling small wad of white paper,
he cotinued. pulling ont and abstract
eddy unrolling small wad of white
paper, "a kinder private commission.
or something, which he would explain
about, after | had gone and got his
letter to the girl, az he met me on my
way back. But why don't he meet me
before this timer It's pesky strange
he should hang back IN a woman affair
SO! Why, he would go-like enough
has gone but then how could he miss
meY o, Lord, Bart, what stupid
pup. He passed you when you was
mapping it in the bushes at that cool
spring! III bet my old hat ont
Well. we shan't see much more of him |
to night. likely, seeing it is love he's |
doing, and such moon as this holds |
the candle; and we may as we'll be
trying to find out this business with
out him. So let's be digging out what
the paper says. Harry and the rest
of 'em don't know | can read writing |
but | can, when driv to it: though
think we won't let 'em know that,
Bart for no knowing what cunning
things we may find out if they don't
mistrust it. Now let's look. Why. !
can see as plain as day ~ he AIDED,
holding up the writing to the bright
moonlight, and beginning to spell out
the wel-known bold and distinct
characters of the secretary of the
council, as follows:-
ITO Bartholomew Burt =
You are hereby appointed by the
Council OF Safety TO go through this
and the neighboring towns, bordering
on the British line of march to spy
out the resort to the tories; to mark
and identify all inimical persons; to
gain all the Information that can be
obtained respecting the movements of
the enemy at large and make report,
from time to time, to this council or
some field officer of our line.
Ira Allen. Secretary.
ITO BE CONTINUED.