American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-10-03

oian. Then Eric must have been IN
the house while / was there. Indeed
IL must have been Eric who made me
prisoner. And to protect him she
mad old me a deliberate falsehood.
AS rode back through the night,
nndlng a path almost by instinct
through the maze of military encamp.
ments, l thought of all these things.
generating her from wrong, and vet
wondering more and more at her real
connection with the various events
Inc HE had not stated what infor.
nation of value Grant had promised
10 reveal; nor what Eric's first report
mad contained. In my sudden disap.
continent l had forgotten to inquire
and where could the boy be? What
could have happened to him? Some
tning serious surely to keep him thus
hidden for nearly a month. Claire
would know, but she was probably
ing ago back in Philadelphia in the
heart of the British garrison. And I?
Well, / was tied hand and foot by dis.
clpllne; helpless to turn aside from
duty now in the face of this new cam.
paign. Every man was needed. and
no personal consideration would ex.
cuse my leaving the ranks even for a
DAY. 1t was with heavy heart | rode
into the camp of my regiment. and Law
down on the bare ground, with head
pillowed upon the saddle, knowing the
drums would sound in a few short
hours.
1t was hard to work through the
routine OF the next few days, although
some excitement was given us of
MaXwell's brigade by scouting details
sent across the valley to observe the
movements of the British patrols. On.
such duty passed the greater portion
Of two days in the saddle, and. by
chance, met both Farrell and DuvaI.
who were with the Jersey militiamen,
now rapidly coming in to aid us, as
the rumors of an impending battle
spread across country. Farrell came
at the head of fifty men, rough look.
ing, raggedly dressed fellows. but well
armed. and I had a word with him
while pointing out where Dickinsonis
troops were camped. Unfortunately
he knew little of value to me. Nor
timers column of Queens Rangers
had passed his place on their return
to Philadelphia two days after my es-
cape. Grant was not with them, but
Claire was, while Peter had been left
behind at Elmhurst. Fagin had not
hPan nVnrt lion althnI1oh thn Ran0arc
had engaged in a skirmish with some
of his followers, losing two men.
Colonel Mortimer had been wounded
slightly. AS to Eric he knew nothing
one had even mentioned the lads
name.
1t was thus clearly evident I could
do nothing, although l now possessed
a well defined theory of just what had
occurred. To my mind Eric was in
the hands of Fagin, either hidden Sc
curely away among the sand caves for
some purpose connected with Grants
treachery, or else with the intention
of claiming the reward for his capture
offered by Howe. The former prob
ably seemed most likely in view of
Grants failure to return to Philadel-
phia with Colonel Mortimer, yet there
vas no reason why the conspirators
should not wreak vengeance, and win
the reward also. But did Claire
know, or suspect the prcdicament OF
her brother? If she did. then she
seeking to conceal the truth from
her father, but would never remain
long inactive in the city. l knew the
girls real spirit too well TO believe
she would fail for long in Learning
the boys fate. And when she did she
would act quickly. Perhaps even now
she was back at Elmhurst, facing peril
in the track of the %contending armies,
striving to give the lad refuge.
In an agony of apprehension | asked
fer a scouting detail in that direction.
but was sternly refused. Word had
come that Clinton was evacuating
Philadelphia; that his advance was
already across the Delaware. ANY mo-
ment might bring to our little army
orders to press forward to intercept
him. | was a soldier, compelled to
remain.
CLADTEQ XYJN