The Democratic advocate., 1905-06-10

believed that no good, nothing but disaster
would come of our success He Was honest
and brave and strong, and commanded with
the rank of Colonel troop which had
| been enlisted for the King. | had fallen
into his house, and he was sitting out
! there-beyond the doOr-writing
Then, as | stood there in that dark hole
like cornered fox, | remembered where
the shop of Hosea Pringle stood-Pringle
the cobbler, who was a spy in our service.
1t was down a turn at the hill $ foot. If
| could reach there, Pringle would hide
me That was one of the houses the ser
geant referred to; one Of the spies they not
so much as suspected This much was
plain If Pringle should be in, he would
find means of sending me across the river.
| My heart beat till could hear its thump
ing, As thought Of my position then; as
| saw how near, and yet how far, | was
from that Jail. must get out of this
house unobserved, not only for my own
sake, but as well, because could not lead
to Pringle's; the discovery that the honest
fellow was spy would lead him to his
/ execution.
Yet even with this suddenly presented
| chance the situation was not much happier.
| The great Col Van lIal-after Col. De-
Iancy, one of the richest and stanehest
New York Tories-was outside that door.
Ny exultation suddenly died The chance
was, indeed. - small one. Aud then
thought of my father thought of Peggy
the one girl in all the world who ever
was worth while They all seemed very
far away that moment. If they took me
they nov wouldn take my parole which,
after all, was thankful not to have given.
And time passed, and the quill still
scratched On to stop At last 1t must have
been after two hours. | was cramped and
stifF. Then heard him rising. He
might have turned TO the closet, suddenly
rscollec.ei. bat he didn't The light in
the chink. aickered, and a. | heard his
steps the door shut. and the outer room
va. dark
Then You may believe | watched
watched iill | thought should venture it,
when I threw back NY ciuset door
was startled by noting the hight through
the keyhole Some one was behind that
outer door. and suddenly the door was
thrown wide and a tall figure stood there,
holding the candle high aboye his head.
Who there 2 Col, Van Hal asked
Standing sherr, hopeleSsly revealed, my
plans all aWry. saw ON the table pistol,
which snatched almost instinctively; twas
self preservation, aud then. a. he looked
his ainaremeut, said. as If | held the
position.
Il regrct ms lack Of courtesy to 4 gen
,leman Of your position in this eolSay-
this State, mean; bat | must ask YOU 10
cone in. 10 close the door--to ST down
Or else and | meant i, ALL will
shoot yoa down. Col Van Hal
En- said be, and then, doubtless
feeling the sincerity in my tone, and being,
while a brave man not a foolhardy one,
hs closed the doar exactly as babe him.
.Weng said he well =
I'm MOr,laun,, said the prisoner
they were after.
"Ah, the prisoner they we're after,
said he, still surveying me with the candle
held high. while held the pistol leyellesl-
Bas | IN minded TO get away don 1
believe. sir, theirs ans one an the house
ven can call to. or else you would not have
closed the door.
II va. fool, said he
No, SIR; said |, mo, that This in
,errupsiou was too startling You eoulan' t
well have done otherwise But how
But NOW said he,
you u try to prevent my escape 50 |
Iaast take you as prisoner.
Me- said he, las prisoner.
Now. honestly, said then, how
else can do Tis your duty 10 follow
me
.Yes, said he, .'my duty.
so you must come with me.
Where said he. swheret
II must iind that out, said, ''and |
will.
..Yoa are Mordaantg he said
"of Maryland, retor,ed,
You are like them, he said, 'and,
80, a gentleman Don yen see that II
disappear they will say I've deserted-l,
Nicholas Van Hal.
.Yes, said l. but. pon ny honor,
IN Say that YOU didn't More than that
i promise TO return you here tomorrow.
You promise?
Nevertheless, his eyes were moving un-
easily
Yet, if you try TO run, to hight, will
shoot you down, Col. Van Hal.
YES, your father would do it, he said.
You knew my father
Il was with him at Quebec.
..Ah, remember. | am sorry for this
di.eourtesy. Col. Van Hal. Yet an
forced have given you my word.
Now, snuff the candle and lead to the door,
: | can see you by the moon.
He made some demur, but finally did as
| bade him. | saw he was one OF those
strong men who lose their wit in emergency.
So he led. as ordered, into the hall, out
side into the moonshine, not once crying
out for, as had surmised, there was NJ
one in the house to answer.
TO Pringle 5, | said in tremble
for here was the new hazard.
TO Pringle's?' he said, turning.
, so | said, Colonel.
.sYou know the direction
ssYou can t mislead me, said |, grimly
4 II know this town, now that | have my
, wits gathered.
e ssYou have been here? - said he, as We
stood there, two figures outlined In th'
e moonshine.
"Once, said |, ''if in the flight ha'
forgotten it. But on, sir-out OF the
moonshiner'
For moment he looked at me, anc
then he sprang toward me. Rage anC
n desperation were in his muscles that mo
ment, and I dropped my pistol; could
i. not use it against him for all my threat
for all the determination had few mo
It ments before. thought he would raise
e cry. but he failed to; rage had taken the
i power of shouting, and we met and wrestle'
for moment. He was strong man in
IS deed, but was more supple. had tha
n advantage and having him down in a mo
n ment | jumped up from him, and selzln'
n the pistol stood above him.