The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-25

/! GA 20 70 among the people myself TO
| night a. I must nght ca shs morrow
.*Bus can GO. Tncle Tsas,,~ said Merry
eagerly. as sooa as the night has dark
| ened I vii mount nay Gray B@ss ard AZ
try bidding I viii ride 10 West Haven
ard also 20 Black Rock, and notify al
the patriots that they nzEst be prepared
Thou art true patriot. lass Mercy.
said the old man approvsugly. and vea
! vat that thou canst do this az well as
Paai Revere did GONE time sgo- Bat
think il would be well for you 20 90 down
the Derby rcad piece and warn the men
there. and yen might ride toward Milford
rs well; and IL would do no hurt If the
good people in Montawese were notified.
too. Art thou good FOR an all-nights ride.
lass? II may be the last thoa or any OF
us can ever do FOR our country. for ere
f0morrow's sun sets we may ali be dead,
for Tryon has no spariag hand"
Il an ready, Uncle Isaac" she answer
ed proudly, these are not the times
when a woman should sit idly by: mt
do YOU and the good dame care for your
selves while I am gone"
''Ay, and We will lass but quietly You
must 60. and notify the loyal people: tell
them not where you heard IL for II might
become known TO the tories and they
would join in the search for Nathan on
the morrow Tell the captain OF the
militia to come for me. for l will march
with them on the morrow IL Tryoa
comes"
The night was dark and suiTry. but II
brough: no terrors TO Mercy Weather5ee
as she rode on her loyal errand- quiet
call in the dark at the houses; a few
words OF earnest conversation at the
door and silently as they had come the
gray mare sped down the road bearing
/ the young girl with the warning word
Midnight came and went and still shs
rode The fort At Black Rock had been
notified: the hamlets leading to Mon
towese received their word, and through
the silent streets the gray mare galloped
over the bridge leading TO West Haven,
where on the morrow the militia would
| make gallant stand. The gray light OF
early morning dawned. and Mercy had
ridden her rounds. and In the last hour
! before sunrise she rested near West
Haven. Wrapping herself well in her
mantle she sat beside her weary horse
which cropped hungrily the green grass
by the wayside. All West Haven seemed
to be sleeping at her feet: but no slumber
| came TO her eyes. She eagerly scanned
the gray waters as they slowly brighten
ed into Light. and her gaze was rewarded.
for her eyes caught the first glimpse OF
Tryon's sail as ii came into the harbor.
A moment satisfied her that the enemy
mad come. The next, she had mounted
Gray Eess and had galIoped toward her
home. Her warnings were we'll Needed
Tor the loo OF Tryon's men which he had
oispatcned TO enter the town by that road
met with such resistance from the
sturdy militia at the bridge that they
We're forced TO retreat and effect their
entrance 10 New Haven by means of the
Derby road
NO time did Mercy lose ere the news
was known IN New Haven. AS the cam
non from West Haven doomed out the
news. the militia started. and foremost
among them. with the same step and
Vaior he displayed In 81 marched old
isaac "eatheroee and In the same COM
pany of gallant defenders marched the
venerable DR.. Daggett, a former presi-
dent OF Yale college
Fastening to her home. Mercy found the
Dame almost Frustrated by the news and
tearing that she would do Nathan more
harm than good IL she remained there
Mercy prevailed ON her to 60 10 her sis
ter's horne for the day. while she would
! stay at the farm and. IL possible. avert
any suspicious of Nathan's Whereabouts
from the British soldiers.
Mercy did not know that half of the
Meet had landed On the east side Of the
hafbor; the half commanded by Gen.
lyron. who was furious at the escape
OF the Spy. Nathan Weatherbee. The
Tort was quickly taken, but the little
garrison of nineteen men escaped aud
hastcning TO the town Joined their breth-
rem In its defense.
meanwhile Tryon entered New Haven,
ana rightly conjecturing that Nathan
would have made for his home. he lost no
time IN going to the farm in company
with MS STAN. leaving his men TO pIllsce
ana burn the town as they pleased. Mercy
saw their approach and nerved herself for
the trial. Brought up In the stern PnrI-
tan faith she never doubted GODS ability
10 aid her in the ordeal If she adhered to
! the truth, for never in her brief life OF Is
years had she told falsehood. and she
could not do IL now: but with her implicit
faith was her determination not TO reveal
| Nathan's hiding place even at the cost of
her own life. 1t was q stern place for a
young girl, but the daughters o. the
revolution were made of stern material
Resolved TO capture Nathan. at all haz-
ards. the governor had closely questioned
his tory allies. but could not learn that he
had been in the neighborhoo6: vet the
| news had gone out that Mercy Weather
! bee had warned the people OF their APP
! proach. and no one but Nathan could
have informed her. So reasoned the gov
ernor and as he approached Mercy he
! said sterniy:
In the Name Of King George. girl. I
! command you 10 tell me what you know
| regarding the spy. Nathan weatherbee.
| who informed you of our approach"
! Mercy started. So Nathan's presence
| there was known. Her heart sank within
| her ard she made no reply.
Come repeated the governor, stern
/ ly. tell me where you saw him.
! Mercy rallied. She looked the governor
! In the face as she answered him firmly:
! ~ have not seen him.
Then how dl3 you know OF our ap-
( proach?" he asked sneeringly, "for I I'M
/ derstsnd that IL was you who warned the
| rebels last night"
''In times OF danger the senses az the
/ eefenceless are sharpencd." she answer
Z cd evasiyely.
"No parleyinr. maiden" was his stern
rejolnder. Il know that you received your
! Information from him. Once agaIn / de-
nand that you tell IRE what YOU know
| concerning him. or your iige viii pay the
| penalty"
Mercy's courage rose Again tell you
/ thar I have not seen him. but that ne
I warned ne is true"
! Tia, / thought she would tell, Nov,
| maiden, Viii you ;eu me how he could
warn you and set you not see him7" he
asked. sneeTinsly.
but yester cen when I was returning
/ from the pasture with the cous he called
+ me from the top Of yonder elrn." pointing
Z ~ IL with her hand. " and in sooth me
/ foliage WAS. so thick that / did not sec
( him" abe went on rapidly. But NJ told
me how he had escaped and he haae me
warn the loyal people CT your approach
sad I Cid So
50 I perceive. ana Their 7 suppose ven
escorted him n the house Or some other
M r-F