The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-10-31

CHAPTER Xxx.
THE MEETING BY THE vAUx-
HALL GARDENS.
The shreWd chirurgeon no Don
saw me than he took me into a little
back room, and there we sat most Of
the afternoon, laying out the plan for
Arnold's abduction. The house at No.
3, which the traitor occupied, had a gar
den that ran down to the waters of
the Hudson and was surrounded by q
high board fence. Low had the whole
plan, though he could not take active
part, as he must be ready in the. future
for many such affairs, and had thus to
keep himself above all chance of sus-
picion. 1t was a wonder to me how he
had done 1t SO long, and I told him so,
saying also that I mcrvelled how I had
escaped arrest.
"'T is simple enough" said he. 1T
do but attend to my work as a physic-
ian. So I enter all houses, even Clin-
tons, at all times, and I heal more
than any one has the least hint of.
What I do for the cause is lone here,
and always a visitor has some such rea-
son as you have now for coming. If he
is arrested, and several have BEEN" he
continued with a serious face, IT am
lISe, dIlA lleNeI yGt'udS Ildl OF woman
betrayed me by the slightest sign. Your
case Is not so sure, and I have II tell
you that your episode with that man in
the old burnt house was a bad blunder.
He Is furious at o for that, or some
thing else, and were it not that his
work for Clinton is so secret that few
in this city kno of it at all-and I only
because I was once treating Clinton
when he arrived and the news of his
yyN1>1Y yxynC NJ hoFrr,o <l@xr ~
you would be in prison long ago. They
must keep the whole thing quiet, and
no doubt they are trying to find your
reason for being here. Have more care
therefore for the rest of this day and
n1ght-'and do not go out. I cannot
help you if you are taken. You will
simply disappear. No public arrest, no
execution, no trial for you, man! That
was why no force was sent to arrest
you this morning. Now for the PLAN"
The plan was simple enough. An
opening had already been made in the
high board fence by the water. The
boards could be taken out at a mo-
ment's notice. We, Acton, Curtis, and
|, were to approach the garden in a
BOAT with some trusty oarsman, proceed
through the hole in the fence, thence
through a window into the real Of the
house, opened for us by an American
soldier, who had got himself employed
by Arnold on the ground of desertion
from our lines. Arnold himself was to
be aiken out Of his bed, gagged, put in
to a huge bag and carried out to the
boat. Thence to Paulus' Hook across
the river, and into our lines.
II was a simple plan and one that
would have worked Is it has worked
before, but for fatality, that has more
to do. with making history than thou
sands of great minds.
And so at dusk T left Low with a long
shake Of the hand and walked slowly
and carefully through the little streets
so muddy II narrow, so foul with the
smell Of the burnt houses and soaked
refuse that it sickened one in those
strangely hot and heavy days. Low
lived hard by the corner Of Princess
site the waste of ruins that no hand had
touched since three years before.
There III the novels, for they were
nothing better, burrowed out Of half
ruined houses, lived the scum ce the
great toWn-the poor wretches who
scarcely live, the harlots Of the city
and there were thousands of them, as
there are in the rear OF any great camp
who beset you as you strobe along the
narrow, crooked, filthy streets.
Thence I came to Mrs. Hodges, and
found Acton just returned again from
the neighborhood Of No. 2 Broadway,
where he had been a~nxiously watch
ing for Curtis. I told him that I
fancied I had a chance Of catching
Hazeltine from something I had heard
by going up to the top, of the town
the more shame to me again that T
looked into his blue eyes and told him
the story-but I cannot help it, nor
could I then! IT was an affair of my
own and another, and I could not share
it with him. So that he agreed to wait
for Curtis till 10 o'clock, bringing him
on with him; but If he did not come
then, to follow me himself to Vauxhall
Gardens, for I told him the place.. I, in
turn, was to get back as soon as posi-
BILE to his place in an angle Of two
houses where we watched for our anx-
iously expected friend.
I set out and wandered along Broad
way 80 Vesey street, and thence down
that muddy n unkept thoroughfare
among he burnt houses up Barclay
street to the college, now a prison, and
thence by Chambers street to Vauxhall
gardens. There stopped and looked
about. 1t U he near nine, and she
had selected -rdeserted a spot as could
be well eound around the city. Beyond
the gardens all was wilderness and
trees and muddy roads, and a nasty
mist hung over everything, that made
my clothes limp and wet.
Not Is soul appeared to be anywhere
in sight or hearing, and so I walked
slowly on by the side Of the road look
ing for the four trees, fearing every
minute lest I miss them. Suddenly T
heard a clock somewhere ring out nine,
and just ahead a figure stepped out into
the road. I dropped into the under
brush and looked long at it, but could
not make the mistake Of forgetting that
quick nervous movement Of head and
limbs I had grown to know SO well,
1t was she fast enough, and my heart
beat a tattoo to think I was so near
her in such a spot, and that she had
such faith in me as this. Her sorrow
must indeed be a terrible one. AS I
stepped out into the road she made a
quick movement to disappear and then
came towards me slowly. s
you have come,"' said she, under her
breath. This way" And soon we were
off the road a hundred yards and I'M
der the gloom Of four great trees
standing close together. 81 know not
what I am doing" said she, nervousiy,,
ss'if you should be found here, Il would
be our ruin" vi
Would you grieve for that?"I asked.
Would atSWife grieve for her hus-
band ~ asked she gently.
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