The Democratic advocate., 1905-06-10

aroused no one | felt easier presently, as
we passed into the shadow of the trees and
pushed along into the path and more quick
" down the road The night was filled
with It's noises as we thus silently passed on
from shadow to stretch of moonshine, and
as the slope fell we came ON the cobbler 5
cabin.
| was in cold sweat, wondering if
Pringle indeed might be there. What if
he shouldn' be? But keeping my eye on
my prisoner, | knocked at first regularly,
and then more insistently.
| believe there is fortune fayoring him
who dares. For presently voice sounded:
"Who' there ?
Il, Mordaunt You know me, Prin-
Gle p
He knew my voice, indeed. The door
fell back, aud little wiry man looked out
on us, at first starting at the sight of my
prisoner.
The Colonel, said |.
YES, |. Pringle. I'll have you hung
some day.
Not today, sir, said he, mOtiOning US
in.
Il am his prisoner, said the Colonel
rather savagely.
.'In New York, said Pringle.
"Yes, if you get away" he said.
"It's my business to attend to that,
the cobbler retorted. ''As it is, | was
about to cross in an hour.
But your boat? p the prisoner asked.
lis down there in the bushes, he said
But the patrols
Il know the password IN ON Sir
Henry's business.
What treacheryl he cried. ''rreach
cry
s.You can depend on men in town 50
divided a. this, Col. Van Hal, the cob
bier said grimly; and the meaning of that
word treachery depends on the side you re
on
II We found that out, said the prisoner
rather bitterly. Il can't call them all a
set Of rascAlly traitors families like
the Morlaunts are 80 much concerned,
and he bowed TO me.
| bowed back. acknowledging his; and
we stood together in that cabin, an oddly
assorted trio. Here was the little cobblel
himself--one of those whom civil war makes
into dare devils, here was the proprietor q
prisoner in our hands; and here was the
silll uncertain enterprise of taking him 70
the boat, aud Of getting the boat across to
Paulus Hook That moment, as well as
chance had carried the enterprise, twas
nothing TO gamble on.
The Colonel bright, apprehensiye eyes
studied us as we talked it over together.
Now wonder ii have made his resistance
to me appear too small ? As have said,
he always was held brave man, but this
emergency, with Its need Of sudden action,
had made him rather of a coward. Yet
YOU can't call a man coward IN that
phrasing; lis term that plays both ways
Do they not say that the brayest soldier
run in their FIRST battle, and why should
no, A brave man make his resistance rathel
[ less because he never had been n prisoner
50 taken, by a desperate escaped prisoner,
and held now as well by spy whose life
would be the forfeit of the British knowl
edge Of his business? And indeed Col
I Van Hal had resisted me well in that sharI
/ tuzsle. Eyea if then | had thrown th'
pistol down. he reasoned that We were des
/ perate men when banded together To al
| these considerations we're added his amaze
ment at discovering no; only Pringle rea
/ trade, but more, that this obscure civilian
knew the word of the night, and could pas
/ the river. Who could have given 1T !? h
was asking himself.
You viii not spy much longer, fellow,
he observed to pringle
II am not the only one in New York,
the eobbler retorted lyon yourself vii
have seemed
The proprietor face turned ashen, an
interrupted
None Of that | have promised to Sc
/ Col. Van Hal returned.
Without an exchange !?
Without an exchange, said |. %
have given lly word
why not leave him here If that th'
ease? We can bind aud gag him, and loci
him in. But, You see, Mr.. Mordaunt
this spoits my business.
.sYou viii have to get some other, sai
/. Turn sehoolmaster, for Eve heard 20
were once half sehoolmaster, half cobbler
As for the other matter, Col. Van lbs
cruises the river with Us.
"A matter Of pride. eh ? said the cob
bier. Shall we bind aud gag you
Colonel ?
Il viii cry out, said he, If yo
don t.
ssWhy not in my company, said |.
There were no sentinels near enoug
before YOU could have killed me; but o
the river the patrol will hear and cate
you
.'Yes, said | ''you must tie his hands
no. that not needful-gag him, Prinsie,
The prisoner looked about as if meditaI
iuy resistance, but he saw it was useless
as took his pistol and held it over hit
while Pringle gagged him, muttering some
thing low in his ears.
The candle in the rough room fickere
ON the scene. An old rheumatic dog ros
laboriously from his corner and shifted
the prisoner. Pringle slipped hand abou
his wrists, beyond my request, and the
snutfed the candle.
sYou'l walk, Colonel, OF We will carr
you.
He walked without demur, and we lei
by little path where the thick busht
swept our faces, The moon was low Q
the horizon, and the night soon would ia
dark. But Pringle, if once on the river
did not fear light so much; to Sir Henr
he was a spy on US; to us one on Sir Henry
he was constantly going to and fro.
Presently we found the skiff; the prisont
entered without resistance, We put ou
the cobbler extending me second pair
oars. He was surprisingly strong, in ii
way of those little wiry men; men who have
too, astonishing endurance, as have know
many times on long campaigns.
The moon had dipped and the landscaT
fell suddenly darker. A frigate doomed
leeward, and then we settled down to OF
steady work. A dog bayed dismally, an
nv heart beat again wildly over this pa
of the adventure | had succeeded so II
by an extraordinary association of chances