The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-29
IAt GREAT VERMONT STORY !
RANGERS
OR,
THE TORY'S DAUGHTER.
ID JUDGE b. p. THOMPSON.
VOLUME Ii.
CHAPTER XII, Continued
VOLUME III.
CHAPTER XII, CONTINUED. J

OhArTER XII, Continued.
Miss Haviland and her fr;o,d ;;
tne mean time, closely Kent thar I;tt
chamber:and as little enviabla as n.y., ~
their sensations under tbo sor mer
W. Tn'cl the tempest, as it roared aroun,
uae dwellings,, naturally inspired, !
t Vas coon with feelings of thankfules
.hat they found themselves permits,
20 remain even there unmolested fo
.ne'r ears were continually shocked
anu thelr llveliest apprehensons offer
eHc'tsu' by the profane notifications
lne NOISY ribaldry, and awless conduc
u the tories, who, driven from thei
arenched tents, which afforded thon
out feeble protection against the fur,
or the storm, had crowded into FL!
lower rooms of the house where hal,
stihed, and jostled for want of snace
Ihey hiled up the stairway, and re-
peatedy attempted to force omen ths
fastened door of the trembling inmates
OF the apartment above But the LAT.
Ter were at length permitted to eyne.
rence a temporary relief from this
source of annoyance and apprehension
Towards night when the temnes,
lulled, and the rain abated, when tbe
tories left the house, and joined in the
universal rejoicing of the troops of the
encampment, that the discomforts and
suf1erlngs of the storm were over. If
soon became manifest, however. that
they had been relieved of one evil only
to be disturbed by another. In a
short time, the American scouting par.
ties began to show themselves on the
border of the field in various direc-
tions around the encampment. Present
| ly, the sharp crack of the rife followed
by the whistling of bullets, and the
fall of one of their number, in the
midst OF the startled camp apprised
them of the danger of remaining
longer inactive. And Baum astonished
at the temerity of his foes, and scarce
ly less so at their evident ability TO do
execution with small arms at such A
distance, instantly issued orders to fit
out parties of tories and Indians, to
go and dislodge them. At this June
ture, the girls received a visit from
their friendly hostess, who. with a
troubled look, entered their room, and,
after telling them that she and her
lister had been, like themselves, little
else than prisoners in the other cham
Der, proceeded to inform them that her
husband, impressed with a sense of
duty to his country, had secretly stolen
off, during the preceding night, to
the American camp; and that his tory
brotherin-law, from whom she had
contrived to conceal her husbands alb
sence through the morning, had just
discovered the fact, and, with bitter
imprecations. seized his gun and
rushed out to join the parties fitting
out to fight his countrymep. Scacelry
waiting to finish her hurried commui
nication, the agitated woman hurried
down and joined her no less excited
sister in the yard, TO witness the ex
pected encounter of the opposing
skirmishers while Sabrey and Vine,
sharing with the sisters. though less
keenly, perhaps, in the interest of the
event, took post at their window which
commanded clear view of the scene
of action and looked forth for the same
purpose.
A company of tories were cautiously
stealing along low bushy vale towards
the most westerly OF the opposite
woody points from which the firing
had proceeded On the extreme right
of the field under clump of tall ev
ergreens were seen the encampment OF
the Indians who were in lively commo-
tisn and evidently preparing to join IN
the meditated sally. One whose stat
IRE. accoutrements and bering denoted
him to be chief and principal leader
of the band appeared to be active
engaged in giving orders and pointing
ont the course to be taken to reach
some designated station in the woods
But lust as the whole party were be,
ginning to file away in their usual
fashion their steps were suddenly ar
rested by a rapid discharge of rifle
shots that burst upon them from pc
hind an old bush fence on the border
of the forest about hundred yards TO
the east when the tall chief, and three
ar four of his followers in different
narts Of their line, were seen leaping
wildly into the air and then pitching
beadiong to the earth, to rise DO more;
The next instant every dark form mao
vanished and their places OF reluge
were only distinguishable by the occa
sional reports of their guns as the pro-
tracted skirmish gradually recedeo
within the depths of the forest
Meanwhile the tories had proceeaee,u,
on their destination undiscovered w
they reached the termination OF lheir
screening sore ridge on the left which
bronpht them within so yards OF the
bushy point where the largest party OF
tbeir oppopents lay concealed, unsus-
nic;ous of any immediate attack here
r. q former made brief pause, Wheh
thev rushed forward with loud shout
md after a rapid exchange OF shots'
nd n brief hand to hand conIilct,
irova the Others from their groun1, anu
.amnelled them to flee acoss the IN
opening to the opposite Jun
70 Gov nrotection. A cry of exultatloh
slu, h hurst from the lips of the wiie OF
-he tory. as she witnessed TINS uhsuc
, ,nsos,,i onset of her husband, 8 parry
"a growing over her disappoinleti Sis
'n Che began to treat the inslgnincaht
.osnlt az the certain precursor OF tne
ooa5v fipbt of the whole rebel army.
peed hor tr;umph was of short duration
or, almost the next mom moment; emo With
omitted party, in con l,,nc', ~ whose
he band of their associates, 10 "n nmt
overt they had retreated' saiiet - The tbe
md. returning impetuousi! hnlIats
barge. sent fatal shower VI nnre-
nto The huddled ranks OF tne .h unp on
,,red tories, and soon rouiel LII Nh they
;relv from the woods, from wh i:. 'n
rare seen flying, in WIG m, u noIlvin9
owarns the encampment. Ihe '"i h,roLe
oM az - bio now, in turn, Droho