Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-10-21
CHAPTER Kill.

army at Philadelphia, on the north, were
Q line Of intrenchments, commencing on
the Delaware river. just above Willow
street, and running across to the ScnuyI-
kill, terminating at the Upper Feify:
IN q line with that part OF CaIIowniIl
street. This line was composed OF ten
redoubts, we'll manned, and connected ~
strong palisades. The first redoubt was
ct the junction Of what were then coun.
try roads, one leading to Frnnkford, and
the other to Kensington, very near to
me Delaware. and on the present line OF
Greene street; 1t was occupied BY force
Of light. horse. called The Queens Rang
ers, under command Of Lieut.. Col. Sim.
coe.
Just at dusk, on the evening Of Tues.
day, the third Of March, In the midst Of
Q driving snowstOrm, q stranger ap-
preached the rcdoubt by way Of the Ken
sington road. and upon being hailed By
the sentinel. he demanded to see the
o6,cer of the guard.
II am one Of the kings scouts" he
said, with pass, but without the coun-
tersign."
As the sentinel had no business with
any pass but the countersign, he called
for the sergeant Of the guard. The ser
eeant came. and when he had learned the
particulars he went back to the guard
house, and soon returned, bearing Ian
tern. and accompanied BY lieutenant.
The sergeant held up his lantern. the
light Of which revealed q tall, strongly
built man, cnveloped In q rough, thick
horse blanket, beneath which was per-
ceptible the green garb peculiar to the
Tory legion. His face was dark, with Q
90 sNt
upon the left check, extending from the
corner Of the mouth almost to the tenn.
pie. HIS hair was black and matted, and
worn quite long, being cropped In front
to keep It from his eyes.
"You have passY' said the lieuten-
ant.
by your leave, yes---and from Sir
William"
"Who are your"
MY pass will tell you. II you have the
right to look at It,"
LET me see IT,"
ITS hardly the thing, Lieutenant, In
this driving storm. Isn't Col. Simcoc at
the redoubtY'
"Give me your name and I will carry
\ to him."
:. Its a name that I guess has been
beard Of In both camps-John Trcmaine."
It may have been the name, or II may
have been the mans manner, that led the
lieutenant to pass him by the sentinel,
and then direct him to follow with the
sergeant.
A sort OF blockhouse had been erected
close BY the redoubt. upon the south, In
which was suite Of very comfortable
apartments, and In one Of the largest Of
these the lieutenant found his superior,
70 whom he reported, and who immedl.
atsly ordered that the scout should be
brought before him.,
Lieut.. Col. ]. Graves simcoe. lately
promoted from the rank Of major, was
middle.aged, strongly framed man, bear.
Ing the stamp Of hard service upon his
weather beaten face. He looked up from
his desk. where he had been writing In
his Journal, 40 the newcomer entered.
The scout had laid aside his storm beaten
blanket In an ante.r0oui, and he now
stood proudly erect In his green uniform,
% though conscious that he was Of i'm.
poftAnce enough to the royal cause to be
respected. even by q lieutenant colonel.
The patch Of plaster gave his dark face
sinister expression, and the long, black
hair was like an Indians. From an In.
nsr pocket he drew q vellum pouch. and
from the pouch he took q paper, which,
without speaking, he handed to the col.
enei.
Simcoe opened the paper and held It to-
wards the light Of bis candles; and when
be had read II, he signed to the lieuten.
ant and the sergeant that they might
withdraw.
ESQ.," he said, when they two were
alone, you are John Tremaine?"
Eyes, Colonel"
"Where are you fromT'
"From the Chester farms back Of
Valley Forge-from Gabriel Van 'rromp's
last"
"And you come with information for
ESP
"For Sir William, yes"
"What II Its nature?'
excuse me, Colonel. My orders are
from Sir William Howe. and to him !
must 6rst report"
"You are right. BY what route have
you comer'
II crossed the schuylkill below Valley
Forge, and came by the way Of White
Marsh and Germantown"
"A roundabout way, should say"
Eyes. but safe one. Seaton's cavalry
ere raiding on the other SIDE"
Simc0e expressed his estimation Of Sea
tons cavalry In language rather more
profans than polite, and then continued:
"And 20 Captain Scaton 10 not dead.
after ALP
II should think not, SIR"
"Your chief, Kirk Pagan. sent us word
that he was surely done for"
AYE, sir. and on the very next day
after that Pagan was himself captured"
"Yes-I heard Of that But. say--have
you seen or heard anything Of a provis-
lon train on the road since you struck the
White MarshT'
"No. SIR"
ut IL strange where Mai. Mckenzie
can be. He should have been here yes
tsrday."
"Maybe the storm, sir"
bah! He should have been here hours
before this storm set In. But ] will not
detain you. will send an orderly with
you to Sir williams headquarters"
There Is no need Of that, COlonel. II
Gen. Howe Is at the old place. on High
street. ! should prefer to find him alone.
Ny mission Is secret one, and there may
be- people at his quarters who ought not
20 know that have come In. A man
sent with me might be questioned"
Simc0e reflected q few moments, and
having looked over the pass again, he re.
folded 1t and handed 1t back.
II think ] will trust you, Tremaine.
This pass gives you considerable latitude.
The countersign Is Oxford. How long