Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-02-08
CHAPTER X.-fContinued.l

fairs remained as they had been, save
that now the French king had sent an
army to supplement the feet. and
Count Rochambeau and the allies were
encamped on Rhode Island ready to
take the field
In the South the distressing situa-
ton following the disastrous battle OF
Camden was but little changed. Gen
eral Gates. with the scantiest follow
ing, had fastened first to Salisbury and
later to Hillsborough. and had since
been busy striving to reassemble his
scattered forces.
few military partiZans, like my
host. had kept the field, doing what the
few might against the many to retard
my Lord CORVALLIS northward march;
and week earlier the colonel with his
handful of mounted rifiemen had dared
to oppose his entry into Charlotte.
Twas no more than hint to his
Lordship that we were not afraid OF
him. said my doughty colonel. You
know the town, take it?"
Very well, indeed"
We'll, we harassed him all the way
from Blairs Mil, and twas midnight
when we reached Charlotte. There we
determined to make a stand and give
him taste of our mettle. We dis
mounted, took post behind the stone
wall of the court house green and I'M
der cover of the fences along the road"
Good! an ambush" said /.
Hardly that, since they were look
ing to have resistance Tarleton was
sick, and Major Hanger commanded
the British van. He charged. and we
peppered them smartly. They tried 1t
again, and this time their infantry out
tiankcl as. We abandoned the court
house and formed again in the eastern
edge of the town; and now, bless you!
twas my Lord Charles himself who
had to ride forward and flout at his
men for their want of enterprise"
But you could never hope to hold
on against such oddsi" 1 exclaimed.
'Oh, no; but we held them for a
third charge, and beat them back, too.
Then they brought up two more regi-
ments and we mounted and got off in
tolerably good order, losing only six
men killed But Colonel Francis Locke
was one Of these, and my brave Joe
Graham was all but cut to pieces--a
sore blow to us just now
The colonel sighed and a silence fell
upon us. Twas 1 who broke it to say:
Then we are still playing a losing
hand in the South, as l take it?"
IT'S worse than that AS the game
stands we have played all our trumps
and have not so much as a long suit
left. CORVALLIS will go on as he
pleases and overrun the State. and the
militia will never stand to front him
again under Horatie Gates. Worse
still, Ferguson is off ~ the westward.
embodying the Tories by the hundred.
and we shall have burnings and hang
ings and harryings to the kings taste"
l nursed my knee moment and then
said: What may one man do to help,
Colonel Davie?"
He looked up quickly. Much. If you
are that man, and you do not value
your life too highly. Captain Ireton."
"You may leave that out of the ques-
tion,' said l. Il shall count it the hap
piest moment of my life when 1 shall
have done something worth their kill
ing me for"
Again he gave me that curious look
/ had noted before. Then he laughed
'Jf you were as young as Major Joe
Graham, and had been we'll crossed in
love. l could understand you better
Captain. But. testing aside. there is
thing TO do, and you are the man to do
it. Our spies are thick In Corvallis
camp. but what is needed is some mas
ter spirit who can plot as well rs spy
for us. Major Ferguson moves as Corn
wallis pulls the strings, Could we
know the majors Instructions and de-
signs, we might cut him off. bring the
Tory uprising to the ground, and 70
hearten the cou-, try beyon measure
I say we might cut him o .hough 1
know not where the men would come
from &C do It,"
.swer?" said l. when he paused
THE preliminary is some better in
formation than our spies can give us
Now you have been an officer in the
British service, and"
/ smiled. Truly; and 1 have the
honor. II you please to call Ii so. OF
his Lordship's acquaintance. Also, 1
have that OF Colonel Harleton and the
members of his staff. the same having
tried and condemned me as a spy at
Appleby Hundred some few weeks be-
fore this chase / have told you of"
His face fell. Then, of course. II is
out of the question for you shov
Yourself In CORVALLIS HEADQUARTERS.
rose and buttoned my borrowed
coat.
ION the contrary, Colonel Davie. |
am more than ever at your service.
Let me have a cut of your venison and
a feed for my horse, and shall be at
my Lords headquarters as soon as the
nag can carry me there"
Colonel Davie gave me bite and sup.
and 1 was soon ready to take the road.
Ny plan. such as 1t was. had been de-
termined upon. and TO the furthering
of il, the colonel had written me a let
ter to friend in the town who might
shelter me for night and make the
needed inquiry for my belongings. AL
so. he had given me another letter. of
which more anon. and had pressed up
on me small purse of gold pieces.
When all mas done. two OF my late
captors were ordered TO set me straight
in the road: and some half-hour past
noon I had shaken hands with the big
fellow in homespun who had been so
bent upon hanging me without benefit
of clergy. had crossed the river, and
was making the first looping in de-
tour which should bring me into Char
lotte from the westward.
I had recrossed the river a mile or
more below Appleby Hundred. when
began to meet the outposts OF the Brit
fish army. I was prom pity halted by
the first of these: but my borrowed
uniform and q ready word or two
passed me within the lines as courier
riding post TO headquarters from Ma
jor Ferguson in the west. The lieu
tenant in command OF the first vedette
line asked me q few questions. and
was so obliging SIS to give me the
password for tie night TO help me
through the inner sentry lines
When 1 was come to town II was
well past candle lighting: and the pa
troll was out in force. But by dint of
ustng the password freely I made my