The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-07

XUYHEN the war between King w George III and his American
 w Colonies broke out no man was more concerned and perplexed than MT. Wharton, wealthy citizen of New York. His one desire was to conserve his own interests and to affiliate himself with the winning side. Being quite unable to guess which side would hold that enviable po- sition. he decidedly finally to retire to Ihe Locusts, his country house in West chester. to await events. Accordingly. he removed there with his two motherless daughters and their spinster aunt, Miss Peyton.
 Westohester county, now becoming the crowded uptown" of the noisy city of New York, was the a wild and beautiful country. distant nearly a days journey from the city. By retreating to it's lone Illness, Mir. Wharton gained freedom from embarrassing complications but he gained no peace.
 From without the peace of The Locusts was threatened by both sides; for West chester, lying between the American and the British lines. was termed the neutral ground" and was overrun by the COW boys, plundering in the name of the king. and the skinners, robbing in the name of Congress.
 Within. The Locusts was house divid- cd against itself. Sarah, the elder of the two girls was a stanch Tory and had given her heart to Colonel Wellmere of His Majestys Household Troops Frances was devoted heart and soul to the cause of the Colonies and had bestowed her love on Miss Peyton's nephew Major Peyton Dunwoodie of the Virginia Horse under Washington. add to the compli- cation, their brother Henry Wharton, was an officer in the royal army.
 One evening as a great storm was gath ering. a solitary horseman rode up to The Locusts and asked shelter. He was a man of striking and brave appearance, tall and large of frame, plainly military in bearing. and with a noble countenance that compelled instinctive difference, so serene and commanding was it.
 He gave his name as Harper and spoke as little as courtesy would permit, but listened with keen interest to the fervent discussion between the two beautiful girls, which centred, as usual, around the war, and in which each young lady spoke enthusiastically in favor of her side.
 The discussion was interrupted suddenly by the arrival of two other travellers, one of whom threw MT. Wharton and his family into such trepidation that it could not be concealed, desperately as all tried to appear at ease. This stranger had the appearance of an old man, but his impet- uous action and speech belied his looks.
 The second of the arrivals was Harvey Birch, a peddler in ostensible calling, but notorious as a royalist spy, who had been captured several times by the Ameri- cans yet escaped mysteriously each time, so that price was set on his head.
 At the sight of Mir. Harper the peddler startel sharply in evident astonishment, but he recovered himself instantly, and quick look of Intelligence passed be- tween the two-a look which on the ped- dler's part was full of respect that was almost awe. After making few hurried sales to the young ladies he departed has tily.
 Hardly had he gone when MT. Harper said to the other guest
 s.If any apprehension of me induce Cap- tain Wharton to maintain his disguise, I wish him to be undeceived Had l mo- lives for betraying him they could not operate under present circumstances.
 The disguised man was, indeed, Henry Wharton.
 The women were pale from fright. but vo,nr Wharton, crying. q believe vour' tore off his disguise with light laugh.
 yhe storm ended soon afterward, and HIT. Harper departed, not, however, with nut warning the Captain that his visit to his family in disguise was dangerous proceeding, which might yet involve him in grave peril; and, added MT. Harper should this be the case, he might be able to render Wharton valuable service.
 Scarcely had the mysterious stranger danarted when there was thunder of boofs and clanking of sabres. The house was suddenly surrounded by party of Virginia Horse, under Captain Lawton, end before he could even make a motion. Cantain Henry Wharton was prisoner, ami being taken in disguise charged with being a royali spy.
 In the midst of the distracted tamiiy sas,air Major Dunwoodie, who had fol- lowed hard on the heels of his troops, en- tered the house, to be received with ac- carnations of delighted relief Frances greeted him with a cry of joy and he pressed her to his breast. but all these