Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-10-05

appeared! The men who had regarded
the race rs simply a joke TO frlghten
the girl now vowed to find her and
take her before the c-ommandant.
wei ride right to her fathers door.
and the one VINO finds her and brings
Der before tlie officer Of the day shall
receive q liberal reward"
Jane uiilard spoke truly when she
said she knew the country around, and
when che aaw that the British were In
pursuit OF her she decided On a des-
pcrGto move. At a point hidden from
tine highway She yaulted her horse over
the hedge. turned down the edge CT a
creek, and Ivy the time her disappear
bgce yeas discovered she was carefully
skirtlng hyr way through her fathers
orchard. IN a few moments she was
galloping over the grass at the edge Of
the driveway and soon arrived at the
Hi,iard homestead.
M orc was 10 sight. and The girl
hastily sprane frcm the saddle, opened
the deer aud. leading her horse into
the Kitchen. securely fastened the great
UlA NNANr~ TIT EllAA LAttN4 " Ath HAkAN
caution Sic icd tie mare through the
living roa,a. down tie wide hail and
the .ensth of tire state parlor into a
little b,Groom. She closed every door
behind hcr. ard when She took the
horse into Tie sleeping room she quite
filed the space between the enormous
bed and the old fashioned, dimity
draped drcEslng table.
There she whispered. unfastcning
the saddle girth. The redcoats won't
get Us this tl..ei ms girl"
In the meantime tie officers rode up
the lane to the Hiilard mansion, care
fully looLims fof tracks In the dust,
and or c'an Enccscd at the kitchen
door SO loudly with his riding whip
that Mr.. Hazard hastily answered the
summons. corning out Of the cellar,
where Size had hecl assisting the maids
in sklmn.Eg The cream.
we are locking aid the man, "for
q maiden who rides about the country
or a bay mare. She is, ! believe, your
daughter, madam
MY %daueltorr' stammored Mrs. Hill
lard. "What "a sou possibly want of
herf'
I'VE believe" went on the officer,
that she is carrying reasonable mes
sages to the Continental army"
why, siis," cried the mother, you
are greatly mistaken. Jane Is but a
child, and she knows no more Of the
ways of war than yonder lamb"
Know you where size is at presentT'
Il Of them asked.
'She left the house an hour ago.
was TIE reply, "aud | expect her home
at any moment"
"Ncll, madam said the first speak
er, III you viii assure me that she is
doing no mischief and promise me that
she holds no communication with the
Continpntals, we will bid you good
Gfterhool."
81 will also p.om!sc YOU" returned
Mrs. billiard, "tEat hereafter she shall
do her riding on her own estate, and
pledge YOU my honor that she has not
nor shall she hold any communication
with the Continental army"
There was great CONSERVATION In the
household when Jane led her horse
from out the best bedroom and told
the story NJ her fight and her manner
OF escape.
Late that night, when all the house
hold was asleep, q little figure stole out
and in n few seconds placed in the
hands Of the waiting messenger a
packet, which was in the possession
of General Washington before dawn.
And that day the Continental army
gained a great victory.
Several morths afterward General
Washington took dinner with the HI.
lard family, making the journey out OF
Philadelphia to personally thank the
young girl who had risked so much
for the cause so dear to her heart, her
astonished family then hearing Of II
for the first time. The commander In
chief Of the army also wrote Jane Hill
lard a letter. which he signed, your
faithful friend, G.. Washington"
The Hillard mansion is yet standing,
and In the best bedroom and on the
threshold Of the state parlor are still
to be seen the hoof marks of the faith.
ful horse that carried the messenger
when Jane Hillard risked so much for
the u OF lIberty.-Troy Northern
Budget,