Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-03-15


flush! Who is in the house?"
mon but the old woman and the chill
dren."
''There will be some one here soon, Mr..
Simon. The Tories are after me. Hide
me until they are gone and then 1 will
go to Washington"
well, il yer a doin' work fur General
Washington, We can depend on me to
help"
Molly entered the house, where she was
warmly greeted by the farmers wife, Civ
on a warm place by the fire. and a warm
supper. quickly prepared, while the farm
err cared for the horse, which he conceal
ed in a shed surrounded by a thicket.
The evening was passing very agree
ably to the tired woman when the loud
barking of the dogs suddenly warned the
inmates that strangers were approach.
ing.
Stay Ill see who we have" Mr.. ST.
mons said. He cautiously opened the
door while he bent his ear and listened.
There came the tramp Of horses feet
and a clanking of arms from the opposite
hill. The farmer hastencd pack in the
house and said:
"Thcy are comm, Molly. The redcoats
are comin'"!
Molly exhibited none of that fear which
characterizes people of weak nerves. She
gazed quietly into the face of the farmer
and asked:
where can l hide?"
There is the attic"
IF they suspect l am in the hous.
they will search the attic"
III tie n rope from the window, SO
when all are inside, if you want to. you
can climb out and so to the barn." Molly
was an athletic woman. and could easily
climb up or down a rope. She was at
once shown to the attic, and told to re-
main there until convinced the Tories
would search the house.
Come out here, old daddy, and drive
your dogs off, or We'll pull your house
down about your ears" the brutal, harsh
voice of Captain Taplcy could be heard
saying. The farmer went out, and call
ing off the dogs, asked:
Whit will We, gentlemen? I'm a poor,
old farmer. but l will accommodate ye to
the best o my MEANS"
We're tired, cold and hungry, can ye
give us shelter, a rasher o. bacon, some
bread and n mug O. hard cider??"
with pleasure, gentlemen"
And our horses, too, need some barley,
hay and corn"
The farmer called to n r%ed-headed boy
and instructed him to take the. horses to
the barn, where they were to be watered,
stabbed and fed.
The table was spread, and the Tories
gathered about it to eat, drink and jest.
The moon. in the meanwhile, had risen,
and was flooding the hills. woods and
fields with a mellow light. From the at.
tic window Molly was gazing on the road,
and at the same time listening to the
Britons fcasting and drinking in the room
below. Suddenly, her quick eye caught
a glimpse of an object moving cautiously
toward the house. 1t was n horse and
rider, both giants in size. The wind be-
ing in the wrong direction, the dogs had
not scented him. Those noisy animals,
not fancying the piercing cold, had re-
tired to their warm kennels, and there
was little probability of their making any
disturbance at the approach Of the stran-
ger.
The horseman rode around behind some
haystacks and d%ismounted. Molly caught
a fair view of his face, and whispered:
Sam Moulton. The very man l am to
give the papers,"
She threw the end of the rope out of
the window, and, clinging to the cord
nearest the beam, climbed out. No rope
climber was ever more expert than she,
and safely, swiftly and noiselessly she
glided to the earth.
Meanwhile Sam Moulton, the giant
trooper, was making his way on foot to
the barn, from whence he intended to re.
connoiter the house. Sam was a shrewd
scout, and knew if there were British or
Tories at the house, they would have
horses in the barn. Before he reached
the barn he saw Molly climbing down the
rope, and recognized her.
Sam! Sam.' she whispered.
"Molly!'
She bounded to his side and asked.
Where did you come from, Sam?"
valley Forge" he answered.
She FASTENED to make some personal
inquiries about her husband. She then
informed him she was just from Phila-
delphia, with a package of papers which
Captain Fitzgerald had sent him to de-
liver to Washington.
WHO are in the house, Molly?"
mark Taplcy and five other Tories"
Only six in all?"
"That's all. Sam"
by jung! I've a notion to take them
with me to Valley Forge" said Sam.
What do you mean, Sam?"
what do I mean? Why, heart alive,
1 mean to take every internal Tory with
me to Washington's camp"
Any other woman would have tried to
dissuade him from such a hazardous I'M
dertaking, but not so with Molly. She
at once fell in with the idea, and said:
"We'l do it, Sam; you and I are as
good as any half dozen Tories"
"Molly, are ye armed?"
She exhibited u brace of small pistols
and answered:
They never miss; you can depend on
me if we come to a scrimmage."
They crept carefully and cautiously to-
ward the house, and, peeping through
a window, saw the Tories about the table
laughing and TESTING. Their arms had
been left in the next room, having grown
tired Of wearing them all day.
N