The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-02
TED[E TWO DOORS
The Rebe02 tho Tory and the Spy
ara,r OF an ESCAPE IN NEW YORK, '77e.
Bv CLINTON ROSS.
copyright. 1897, by Clinton Ross.

pened on the quarters of some COMPANY:
had run surely into a net
Two met me squarely, but l bore down
on them like ram-my head bent down
as have seen a negro in Maryland run.
my fists clinched. They had no time to
reach for weapon. A pistols Init
would have brought me over. Rut nv
impetuosity bore them down, and I wrie.
gled out from their fingers, and pres.
emily the hue and cry fell behind me
The lane opened into the country. and
my heart beat eXutantly. / felt as if 7
We're the whole army Of congress break
ing through the kings lines and scatter
ing them, exactly indeed as Gen. Wash.
ington did in Jersey.
But 1 had small time to feel nv ioy;
twas followed shortly by fit of depres-
sion. l had been glad too soon. when 7
had everything to do. The lane seemed
to be upa hill, and from the farther side
came an order | could not mistake that
quick positive tone. They were heading
me off, while from behind came the CRY
of the hunters and again the scurrvins
of lanterns light-yellow, searching.
The choice was small. l leaped a low
fence at my left and broke through come
bushes and found myself on the edge of
lawn with a great house at its center
The moon suddenly burst through the
clouds, and it all lay clear. which was
so much the worse for me. | could hear
the two parties meeting i'm the road T
mad left, and L threw myself fiat on the
sod. And then other sounds distracted
These were hOofbeats and an officer
drew up on the road before the door. He
was followed by another, plainly a SER
want. For, dismounting, he threw the
bride rein to him, and disregarding the
cries of my hunters, he went into the
house, while the man with the horse
led them away, about a corner of the
house, leaving the door ajar, as if he
were about to come back.
1 reflected for moment, but / did not
know where to turn. Presently the
sounds were nearer. / saw that | must
be surrounded, willy, nilly; that l must
take desperate chance.
l wonder at it now. But what I did
was indeed the most foolhardy thing l
could have done; yet, perhaps not so
badly calculated, since what else could
| do? | did not know the lay of the
land; nor how well they might have the
place surrounded. At the worst l might
be taken. But somewhere-in some silly
book of adventure, or in some story of
my fathers, who had served with Wolfe
somewhere / had read, or heard of a
man hiding in a house, in the very heart
of an enemy's town. The chances were
that should not hide; but that l should
run on them. full tilt But, then. as |
have said, what were the chances ON the
other side?
But to bring this reasoning to an end.
L stole across that moonlit space, and
through the door. At the halls end was
a single pencil of light as from doors
crack. A broad stairs foot faced me.
To the left was the door of an unlit
room. Into this l stole as quietly as
you please. At one side in the moon
shine l saw another door; and this
pulled open cautiously, finding myself
in a long deep closet SO far it had been
well. L began to feel quite proud about
1t all and that my father himself might
not dlsapprove of my readiness. Then
remembered in time enough not to leave
myself vain, that the chance of that
door at the Jail was, while extraordi-
mary, very simple one to take: and
remembered, too, how the expedition
into Westchester had failed through my
over-confidence; i thought, as well, of
my poor comrades in their Jail. | tell
you L was left even frightened by
thoughts, with the considerati ton that I
was still rather tightly caught; should
nave moment to breathe, / as well
might try to fly as to try to get away
from the island. These thought left me
sober enough.
but at the moment were sounds at the
outer door and shutting feet, and a
strong, decisive tread, and the steps were
III tne room ON which my closet opened.
Put down the candles, Simpson, l
heard In clear, authoritative voice.
We'll, sergeant, you can't find himT'
mo, sir; he's gone.'
lie slipped through your line some
where With companies about here it
seems as If he might have been caught"
Hes vanished, SIR
Somebody will have to be court-mar-
tailed for this
1T isn't my mems fault. if it please
you, colonel"
No; you oughtnt to be blamed for
what happened in the guard house;
tneres that blessed meeting in the Irish
nne' and the dinner, where the young
steers lost their heads"
IL s remarkable, sir" said the other.
L don't understand it. But it isn't my
matter. It's Sir Henry's. But here is
your prisoner reaching my grounds
aes gone, sir" the sergeant repeated.
30 1t seems; i know, l know, he's
gone. But I'm dragged into the mat
ter"
Not you, sir.''
well, find him. Go over the ground
again, do you hear / don't believe any
thing like this even happened in an Eng
fish regiment"
1T ought not now, SIR said the SER
geants gruff voice. 81 only can ac-
count for it in Sergt Timms being ex-
cited by the noises outside. There have
been many arrests, sir"
well, Timms will have chance to
explain to the proper authorities. Now
do your best"
I'm afraid he's gone too far, sir. You
know Their are many houses in New
ork that would like nothing better than
to hide rebel"
Nothing in the world BETTER said
the colonel.
Good night, sir"
Good night to you, sergeant, and bet
ter luck"
Il hope for it, sir
His steps sounded and the door opened
and closed. The candles still burned in
the outer room, for the light entered
throught the chinks of the closet door.