Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-02-18

could advise or help her IN this euner-
geilcy. aud that was Captain AsgAl'
tut what had become of himf No
word had come To MarjOry from him
Tbrs,. whom she could ask. with any
hope II news. had heard that he had
left the city. whittier and upon what
.rrand they could not say.
The girls position was utterly
Wrerrued. That hand clasp Ia the
moonlight had awakened her heart
hut To- what endY Would be have de-
rIared his love for herr Would ne
have pledged his faithf Tender |
Thoughts OF him would surge up with |
In her. aud then-his disappearance,
his silence. what could they meanf
Her fathers prophecy rang In her
ears.
II had been speedily fulfilled. and
the mere suggestion which her soul
rcueIled that Asgill had had any hand
IN that calamity was madness In the
silence of sleeplcss nights.
Upon a day in May there came to
her a British soldier In tattered gar
ments bearing Il letter from Captain
Asgill.
Surprising his situation to be already
known to her, he had made no effort
TO prepare her mind. The poor girl
read the words of tenderness with
which the letter began, and her heart
sank. Then in an instant the fatal
news flashed through her like bullet.
Captain Asgill was under sentence OF
death. The words Of love he sent to
! her were the first and the last.
81 crowd all my facts into these
opening lines" he wrote, because 1
know not how long time | have be-
fore the secret messenger who VIII
bear this comes to me, When he
comes he cannot wait. 1t Will be
tap at the window, and must cease.
IL came to you that evening to say
goodby. being ordered upon a mission
Of some danger, which in fact led to
my capture,
81 had loved you from the first, but
did not mean to speak so soon. My
heart overmastered me. Would you
have listened? | know not and never
can know in this world.
II beg of you to think Of me as a
man of honor who would have laid at
your feet my name, my hopes, all that
was mine to give. My whole life was
yours then, when | counted 1t In years,
us now, when only days remain.
You will have heard Of the mis-
chance which has befallen me. You
NAV even have better information than
mine, but | am told this-that General
Washington demanded Captain Lip
pincott to be tried as a murderer for
the death of Captain Hubby; that Sir
Henry Clinton refused the demand;
that General Washington thereupon
summoned a council of officers, by
whom it was decided that British
prisoner of suitable rank should be
chosen by lot to eXpiate the crime OF
Lippincott, if crime it was.
THE lot fell to me, and rest, there
fore, under sentence of death, the time
[ and place unknown to me as yet.
| MY name may be much blown
about the country for little while
1 and it is better for your fathers SAKE
!, that yours should not be Joined will
D it.
. 81 have therefore refrained from
e communicating with you through opel
l means allowed to me, not knowing
$ under whose eyes my words nigh
+ fall, but heavens kindness has sen
me this secret means, which l seiz
S upon with gratitude"
e The concluding portion Of the lette
u dealt with certain perils which b.
Y foresaw for herself and her father an,
d pointed out the proper course for TIN
to pursue.
i 81 have small influence with 81
!. Henry Clinton" he continued, "bu
1 much with Sir Guy Carleton, who wi
succeed him. In fact, have acte'
II for some time under private instruC
t. lions from Sir Guy, an old time frien
d of my father, Sir Charles Asgill.
II at need, show him these lines.
?. would send some words to him upO
!. my own account if the time sufficet
IS but it does not"
d The letter closed with many word
II of love, and Marjory clasped it to he
breast and sat for long time motor
p less.
II Then she arose and went about a
ell odd task, putting small supply O
n food into little satchel, and, wit
a. that in her hand, she left the house.
Upon the second day thereafter sh
e. had come to that quaint old hous
S, with the broad roof and the low cave
re at Verplanck's point, upon the Hut
T. son, the headquarters of Washington
fe Now, at that time the affair of Cal
a tain Asgill was much upon the min
W of Washington, and when he was II
formed that a young woman sougl
ne him upon some plea connected wit
~ that matter he gave orders that she
I'd brought before him.
ed He was provided with extremel
r. full and accurate information abO,
Asgill, and no such name as Marion
I'D Lynde appeared upon the record.
IN If she came to plead for Asgill
III was likely that she was spy Of Gil
n tons and her plea fraud.
When Marjory was brought I'M
IS Washington's presence he was In
x pressed by her youthful beauty, b
ry more by certain rapt and trancelil
~, ~ expression of her face, as though q
no were suffused with some strong CO
trolling spiritual influence.
Il When hidden to speak she asked
!. the life of Captain Asgill simply, I
~ rectly and with no waste of words.
~. And what is he to you" ask
ne Washington.
>, "He is to be my husband" she !
,, piled.
y This ran counter to Washington