Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-10-28

on the left forward shoe Of all Major
Lee's horses.
For moment, believe, they hest
tated. dumfounded that SO faithful
soldier as I should suddenly initiate
Arnold. In all the disaffection there
never had been desertion from that
corps. Who can be trusted? could fan
cy them muttering. 1 knew that Major
Lee would delay them all he could. But
". too, must carry out the play. He,
wht must appear astounded that I, who
and Us had proved faithful, should all
become among the most faith
asas.5. thnnRht all This while the mare
bore me over the road toward Bergen,
for l designed to hail the kings patrols
at Paulus Hook.
But with all the delay had but lit
tie the start. Soon I heard them after
me and the mare almost spent. The sky
lightened. The mare seemed to be go
ing even slower, and knew as came
to the forks on the hill, which is by the
Three Pigeons inn, above Bergen, that
they probably would catch me before
could make the stone bridge below.
Nay, turning in my saddle, could see
in the darkish dawn Cornet Middleton
heading the pursuers and hear his loud
hello
At the forks, w1UnIn stones throw
of the Three Pigeons, for moment l
liberated. Should have my reputa-
all lost for nothing? They probably
lid shoot Ine as (. 5avr.s, nor could
k1,o1, 1,o1{
Only for a moment did I hesitate,
you may believe, before turning direct
ly down the slope by Elizabeth Point to
the river, and there, as luck would
have it, was patrol. sprang from the
mare and waded through the marsh in
to the river, hallooing. Just then the
pursuers perceived my detour, and a
bullet came singing around my ears. I
pushed out beyond my depth, and the
men in the boat, comprehending the
situation, pulled me in, firing and
shouting derisively to my old comrades,
whose curses reached me-
I was taken to Sir Henry Clinton,
who, examining me closely, ended by
believing in my sincerity, as in faith
the desertion was plain enough, and
that one from Major Lees corps.
AS we had thought would be the
case he recommended me as an honest
fellow to General Arnold, who, too,
had run to the kings side. could de-
tect certain detestation in Sir Henry S
tone when he spoke Of Arnold, who had
received his e10, 1000 and his brigadier-
ship as the price Of his service, who yet
waR cerely dislilzed, more because the
efs;zos ,ad cost the army Major Andre,
: a than for -
i I reported that mornihS y
British brevet brigadier at !,
in the old bathrooms, over BufS 4 ;, 3.
do not know what I had e1led
Of the man, I had heard IS much eshis
discredit. I saw simply an >agrseeably
hammered gentleman, who questioned
me closely and in the end believed that
had been persuaded by his example.
Strangely, too, he rented Of a widow,
, Mistress Warren, whose daughter, Pris-
ella Warren, once had made furious
love to in Virginia. A plump, fair hair.
ed, gray eyed girl, Mistress Priscilla's
| greeting, her congratulations to me at
having come over from rebellion to 10y
: atty, made me for moment sicken
. again of the false part.
must explain this to show how that
? which followed came about Nor did
/ Benedict Arnold fail to treat me with
further consideration He promised tc
| obtain me commission in legion Of
American loyalists in time to join the
, expedition Lord Howe was then prepar
ing to send to the Virginia capes Ii
the meantime, other decent lodging be-
, ing hard to find, he had permitted mt
ITO take room at the Widow Warren
I In fact, all had gone exactly as the
plan had been laid. had communicat
ed, as have said, with General Wash
|, ington, showing him, as had it from
{ Arnold himself, who appeared to trus
. me implicitly, the full extent Of thu
/ treachery and the names Of the few
. persons in any way implicated. I have
r been told that this information frs
/ gave the general in chief heart to be
r lieve there remained those he coult
a trust, and that the major general h,
i suspected was, after all, not in the af
' fair
o And now the rest was all plain. Ar
mold would stroll in the garden to quie
Q his nerves before bed. My desperate fel
j, low would hide behind the loosed pal
t ing, could be sure, at the appointed
o hour. was now equally sure of Mas
ter Roland having the boat in READINGS
: ct the foot Of the lane. Yet, as though
i, of it all, felt dismayed. I Hooked III
! praying to keep my courage ' warm. 0'
a decided to take tankard Of beer at tn
! tavern. The night was dark enough
! and now began a cold drizzle. Lon
since the Guards band had stopped o
the green. What could be better tina
I such night, made for the adventure?
:, At last the clock licked near the tim
h when General Arnold would descen
for his stroll in the gardeM Even no
: knew my man Hawkins was waitin
. in the lane. paid my reckoning an
o turned for moment into the street.
The mist was clearing. Certain]
% General Arnold would take that wal
:. to get some air before sleep, but if
kept to his usual custom it lacked