Rock Island Argus., 1903-10-02
DAILY SHORT STORY
Molly Hunts Temptation.
IOriPinal.1

before 1 return. She and L are warm
| friends
The girl drew away. Instinct told
| her that when a man risked his life to
meet a woman it was not friendship
| that led him to do so. The man called
gOOdby, and they had parted.
The next night party of British sol
diers appeared on the place of Andrew
| Moncrief and asked if a stranger had
stopped there for the night. On being
told that no one was there they search
ed the house, then the outhouses and at
last came upon Lieutenant Lionel Otis
hidden I'm the haymow. He was search
ed, and plans of the British fortifica-
tions at Trenton, with information as
to the strength of the force defending
| them, were found concealed in his
clothing. He was taken to the house of
Farmer Hunt and led into the kitchen,
where Molly was cooking supper.
When she saw him she turned deadly
pale.
"Good morrow, Mistress Molly" said
the young man. I'VE meet again very
soon. Some one has given me away"
Molly staggered, without a word, out
of the room, turning her back to the
soldiers that they should not see her
face.
Strange" said Otis, ''that she should
be so affected. But perhaps she knows
the fate of spy"
1t was late when the prisoner was
taken to the farm, and his guard con-
cluded to keep him there over night.
A sergeant in command went to the
second floor and selected a room with
but one window and one door. Into
this room he thrust Lieutenant Otis,
placing man at the door and one I'M
derneath the window. Then the rest
Of the guard lay down on the kitchen
floor before the great stone fireplace
and went to sleep.
At midnight the sentinel below stood
leaning against the house, his hands
grasping his musket, his hat over his
eyes. Presently he sat down on the
ground, then fell over on his back. He
was asleep. Suddenly he felt his gun
slip from his hands and, looking up,
saw Molly bending over him, holding
long knife, its point within an inch
of his heart. He thought her insane,
so wild looking was she.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Molly did not answer; but, keeping
the point of the knife as near his heart
as possible and her eye fixed on him,
she drew a little away till suddenly
she raised the musket and, pulling up
the firelock, pointed it at him instead
of the knife. Then she told him in a
whisper to go before her, indicating
the direction by pointing. Marching
him to the house of a patriot whom she
well knew she could depend on, the
two locked him up In the barn, and the
man stood guard while Molly returned.
Going at once to an clubhouse, she took
out ladder, raised it to Otis window
and, mounting, gave a faint tap. Otis
heart jumped within him as he went
softly to the window and cautiously
raised the sash.
Come said Molly, and she descend
ed the ladder.
In the barn two horses stood Saddled.
Molly led the way with one, Otis fol-
lowing with the other, through a field
to the rear, and, making a circuit. they
struck the road far from the house.
MOLLY" said Otis. his voice trem-
bling with emotion, "'I owe you every
thing. If 1 get clear some day 1 Will
return to thank you. If a life of devo-
ton will help to repay
"Oh, hush"'
'MolIy, listen to me. Perhaps you
thought that there was more than
friendship between me and Margaret
Moncrief. There is not. She is work
ing with me and was to give me war
secrets. True, her father is a Tory
and must have got wind of my being
on the place"
"Oh, no, no! You were informed on
by a wretch. one unworthy to live a
minute by your side!''
'WhoT'
She was riding at a gallop, but she
dropped her reins on her horses neck
and covered her face with her hands.
''Molly, sweetheart, never mind who
gave me away. You have rescued me,
and my life belongs to you. 1t will be
a willing servitude, for my heart is
also your slave"
mo, no, no.' walled the girl. "I am
unworthy of you. thought you loved
Margaret Moncrief and were going
from me to her. 1 betrayed you.
am a selfish fiendish creature. 1 put
you in jeopardy of the halter, and the
only hope 1 have for peace of mind is
that have undone what 1 have done"
She turned her horses head and
went galloping back in the direction
from which she had come. Otis reined
in his horse and sat looking after her.
'Mollyr he called. MOLLY! 1 for
give you"
There was no reply except the di-
sound of her horses hoofs as |
she drew farther from him.
After Corvallis surrender Otis |
sought out Hunts farm. hoping to find |
Molly. but be was told that she had /
pined away and died. Her doctors said |
that she suffered from some mental |
strain that sapped her vitality.
GEORGE WORDER PLUM.