The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-15
CHAPTER XI.


"Still on? Have not the forest gloom,
| The taunt of foes the threatened doom,
| Shaken thy courage yet!
The ndefatigable Bart, after seeing
the object of his greatest solicitude IN
safety for the night, that OF his next.
his loved Lightfoot well stabbed and
fed and, lastly, his own wants sup
piled, determined. with his usual eau
| ton and foretbought, on making a
little tour of observation to Fort Ed
ward, now some miles in the rear, for
the purpose of gathering what new in
telligence could be gained respecting
the movements of the enemy, which
might both enhance the value of his
burden d news to carry home, and en-
able him to shape his course more I'M
derstandingly and safely on the NOR
row. Accordingly, in the new disguise
of barefooted, bareheaded, coatless
farmers boy, with basket of green
corn to sell for roasting slung on his
arm. he proceeded on foot to the re
cent?, established rendezvous of the
enemy at the place above named, and
boldly entered their encampment.
Here he soon made discoveries that
filled him with uneasiness, and, final
w, those which thoroughly alarmed
him for his own and the safety of his
charge. The whole camp was in a
state of hustle and commotion. Colo
mel Baum. in anticipation of the time
fixed for his march, had just arrived
with his appointed force, and was in
tending, after allowing his troops
short respite. to press Immediately for
ward that night on the contemplated
,nlp Of M pfaH Ind
who had also arrived from the main
army since dark, were eating and
drinking in grim revelry. or enacting
the frightful " ar dance. on the out
skirts of the encampment. Parties of
tories were constantly coming in from
the surrounding towns. receiving arms.
and departing to the different allotted
stations. to act as pickets to the force
about to advance, or as scouts to scour
the country along the road to the
south. And at last. to crown all. Peters
and Haviland, with small number of
attendants, all bearing, on their bespat-
tered persons, evidence OF hard and
rapid travelling, rode hurriedly into
camp. and announced that dangerous
spy had. that afternoon. been at the
headquarters of the main army auda
ciously abducted a young lady. and
with her escaped in this direction, for
the arrest of whom handsome reward
should be paid.
at is time you and | was jogging,
Bart muttered the unsupported per
senage within hearing, who deemed
himself not the least interested in this
unexpected announcement. as he grad
lally edged himself out of the camp.
and made his way, with unusual haste.
back to his quarters for the night.
Scarcely had the first faint sutfu
sions of morning light begun to be
dstinguishable in the chambers of
the EAST. before the wellrecruited
Lightfoot stood paving at the door. as
if impatient TO receive and bear of |
her precious burden from the scene of
danger. In a few minutes, the fair flu
gitive. in answer TO the summons of
her vigilant after ant, came forth, ev-
identity refreshed by her repose, and,
in good measure, recovered from the
shock occasioned by the sad and fear
full spectacles of yesterday. Without
any illusions to the startling discover
les he had made since they parted for
the night, other than the quiet remark
that he had ascertained that it might
not be wholly safe for them to proceed
any longer in the main road, Bart as
sisted the lady to mount, and led the
way on their now doubly difficult and
hazardous fight Striking off oblique
" to the left, into a partially cleared |
pine plain. and then after thus pro-
ceeding while, again turning to the
right. they directed their course for
,.,,alla1 10 fhn nraaf |
to the south, but at a
suffi cient distance from 1t to insure
them against the observation of all |
who might be passing therein, or
scouting along its borders And on,
now through open fields, and now
dense forests, now through
splashy pools, or rapid rivers, and now
over sharp pitches or deep ravines, now
in cross roads or COW paths. and now
in trackless thickets, now over fenny
moors, and now along the rocky decliv-
tiles of mountains-oD, on, did they
pursue their toilsome and weary way
through the seemingly interminable
hours of all the first half of that event
ful day.
At length, however, believing them
selves many miles beyond the rendez-
1ous of Peters's corps, who were I'M
lerstood to have been selected as the
pioneers of the expedition. they
e emerged from the woods, and fell into
he main road leading up the winding
Nalloomscoik to the village of Ben
,ington. Greatly rejoiced that, at
asst, she could be permitted to travel
n smooth road with some assurance
If safety, and encouraged by the pros
,ect of soon reaching the friends and
ces of her old neighborhood,
rom whom she was confident of a cor
Iial welcome, our heroine now rode on
With lightened feelings and renewed