The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-04-24

invariably induces. ''''''
'Dunning," said Piper, at lenptl
rousing up little, and drawing from
his pocket well filed leatbern nurse
which he carelessly chinked agains
his appraised knee by way of nrel;m
mary" Dunning, it is mystery to m,
where all this stuff comes from. 81,
weeks ago. it was thought there wa,
scarcely thousand hard dollars ey
cept what was in tory families, in al
the Grants. Now there must be vel
on 10 that sum even in our own com
pany, every recruit having been mai,
his bounty and months advance nav
IN silver or gold on the spot Wber,
does it come from?
From the sale of the der torv os
tates, of which they have been making
a clean sweep you know" replied the
other.
" Yes, yes, we all know that, I sun.
pose but where do the purchasers OF
these estates get the money to buy
with?' reioined the former.
Il never Otter catechised them
about it," said the hunter evasively.
bNol IClldIhtt L lUtT. DlI /
have lately heard curious story
about the matter. They say there has
been a sort of home spun looking old
fellow that nobody seems to know, fol-
lowing the commissioners of sales
round from place to place with an old
horse and cart, seemingly loaded with
wooden ware or some such kind of gear
for peddling: and he has bid off a
great part of all the farms. and stock
on them, which have been sold, pay
ing down for them on the spot, in hard
money, which they say he carries
about with him tied up in an old
stocking, and hid away in his load
of trumpery. Some mistrust he is a
jew and some are afraid he is a
British agent, not only buying up
farms, but also the Council of safety,
who are also strangely full of money
these days.
"That last would prove rather dit
ter tough bargain for him and his
masters. | reckon, responded the
hunter dryly.
ayes, that is all nonsense, no doubt, :"
observed Piper. but still it is mys-
terry to my mind how money, that a
short time ago was so scarce, should
now all at once be so plenty and that
was the reason | raised the question
before you, who generally know pretty
well what is going on among our head
men, and who thought likely could
explain this secret E"
"No," said the other: mo, Bill,
there might be trouble about that.
When a state secret falls into my
ears, it is not so easy to get it out of
my mouth. I've got an impeachment
in my ditter speech, you know" he
added with slight twinkle of the eye.
"Your mouth goes off well enough
ou some public matters, l find, J" re-
marked Piper with an air fuctuating
between milf and laugh
"Der yes, yes, to say for instance,
that the decree to contiscate and sell
the tory estates was ditter righteous
one-has worked like charm called
out the rusty dollars from the der
hiding places as thick as der humble
bees in June-ditter drove off the blue
level from among the people, and |
raised regiment of men in less than
three weeks ~ =,
"Ah and fine regiment, too, it will
be long to see it all brought together,
for don't know tenth of them
men or officer-not even our colonel
"Herrick? Well, 1 can't der quite
saw should know him now but he is
litter 90 ahead fellow who loves the
smell of gun powder nearly as well as
Seth Warner himself, whoes pupil he
6 in the trade. We shall have the
pleasure of seeing him in a few min
ties. probably as Coffin told me he
passed along here night before last
m the way to number -Four, to come
m with Stark. That may be told
Without Otter mischief. !"
"And so may another thing, perhaps
which | should like to know, Dun
ling. ,o.,
"Why YOU know that Bart, the night
,fter we discovered the place where we
imposed the girl was destroyed, dls-
Lppeared. and has not been here since.
Where have they sent him. ana
What after?'' H..
.sPier YOU are as brave as a hon
nd as strong as a horse, der doubt,
ass but your tongue may ditter need
raining. for all that. Still as you
mean right, and will probably learn to
ride that unruy member only by
ractice, | will for once, put you TO
he trial. Bart has gone as spy to tne
british camp. Though Harry, IN ms
esnair. would for while believe
ching but that she was der dead or
,orse. yet, as / and others, putting al,
bings together, hoped and reasoned
liter different, in part, and Thought
he might not have been killed there
nt retaken: and for fear of pursuit
urried off directly to the British, ne
included to dispatch Bart to his friend
lien, of the Council to take advice,
nd then proceed, in some disguise or
IL, ~ r;obt into the lion g den-ascer-