The Washington times., 1902-06-29
Copyright. 1902. by Dodd, Mead = Co c..

big hands on my shoulders, towering
over me. and said again:
What ails thee, MANI"
Nothing"
"Mertcn." said he, in his boyish way
do ye forget, man. that there's hun
dreds. perhaps thousands of our mems
lives depending on the capture of this
HazeItine?"
II do not much care
He stood looking at me in wonder for
a moment, and then. gripping me with
his strong hands, he said:
Il do not know thee, Mertonl What
would Rob Curtis say to thy mood
Hast forgotten thy honor and let it
sleep? Wake up, friend. and remember
the trust the great Washington has pu.
in you, l do not know all you have 20
DO. You have not told me. But what's
to be done must be done quickly, or
you and l and Curtis will be dead and
nothing done
"a am n crazy fool | muttered.
THAT ye are not. Merton" said he
with kindly smile. But something
has happened, and you shall tell me-
and he sat down and drew out of me
the lie 1 gave Atherton over the wine,
and the sequel that was coming in the
morning at six. At that he laughed i
free laugh. and cried:
why, man, I've seen ye in worse
places than that and never knew you TO
toll rn Ye- hn 60 mo lntr- L
sword?"
/ could not tell him the truth, and
thought best to let him think so, and he
thereupon began to talk to me in an en-
barrassed fashion. telling me l had too
good hand to lose in such child's
play. and more and more. till 1 must
needs smile at his ill-concealed desire 20
bring me out Of my supposed dread or
fear to meet this man. And SO we
talked softly together through the night
as men talk bur seldom in lifetime,
as no one could write down On paper,
of home and friendship and chivalry to
ones God and ones commander. And l
learned in those few hours something Of
the soul OF a great honest man, awk-
ward when f3 got upon such subjects,
and the lovc of good women as it has
pleased God to let me hear ffom the lips
of any one, or see In the eyes of any
human being. save only one, and that,
Heaven be thanked, no man, And in
those few hours cropped up a friendship
through many a trial has lasted on 10
this day, and will till the death of us
both, and after.
And SO 1t came to five in the morning,
a sultry autumn morning, still dark,
when we went down Beaver Street and
through Princes to Queen Street, and
thence down Cherry Street to the ship
yards by ne breastworks at Rutgers,
and to the hill and fields at Corlear S
Hook. We had not gagged the distance
that it was striking six in the barracks
hard by when we came into the fields
above the tide that flows between Long
Island and Manhattan. The place wa;
rolling country dotted with trees and
and / had begun to think
we should not find the others when
heard a hail and saw the party in a
small hollow below us and nearer the
river. There was {. soft mist hanging
in the bottom like that of an August |
ald we could make out half a |
dozen figures looming up as We came |
down to them.
Here they are at last" said a voice |
that made me start, for l recognized it |
as that of Or. Low. the chirurgeon, who /
had laid ont with me not twentyfour
hours before the plan of abducting Ar
lold. Then stepped up Prince Henry. |
Major Sproat, and Lieutenant Purdy, and |
ast came Captain Atherton.
I'VE have come to see fair play done.
sir" said the young prince. And to be
n sufficient force to prevent any inter-
upton from the authorities, should such
,ccur You know all here but DR.. Low,
think"
What nar1e vas it," asked the .ioc-
or, shaking hands in busines.s-iike
way. as if he saw me for the first time
"Mr Merton and Mr. Roberts,, said
Iajor Sproat. presenting us.
well, gentlemen, il you insist on
his, t Is time t was over" said Low,
md the major and Acton then meos-
lred my sword and Atherton's. Finding
hem practically the same length. they
ed us to the bottom of hollow anG into
IN open bit surrounded by trees. and just
Is the light was fairly full grown for an
,ther day we were ready.
Acton was In his element. He talked
n an offhand way with the others, noped
,therton was good hand. as his friend
here was no fool. and asked:
What's the rules?"
The first serious draw of blood set
les the affair, DIR. Low deciding" said
he prince, "if you will agree
My friend is quite at your disposal.
entlemen," said Acton. bowing, while
walked up and down by myself. had
ad so little time to think en- the affair
hat the serious nature of it had not oc-
u-red to me. and now for the first
ime l began to think of what might
appcn to myself. If a stroke found
le home and did for me, did not much
are. But | had horror of a serious
,ound so that 1 should live on here anj
all in my work My death was nothing
o any one but General Washington, and ;
n olona would know nj my falling away