River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-10-03

sure. her face frightened by smile
Now let us remember rather the
danger, the necessity of concealment,
and not delay too long. Wait mo-
ment. major; is it true you absolutely
trust me?"
1T certainly is"
Il am going to put that to the test.
at once into the hands Of General
Washington. You may be detained
here some time, but / have with me
an Indian who could take them across
the Delaware tonight. 1t is not the
first time he has made that journey.
Will you confide them to me?"
Our eyes were looking directly into
each other. l may have hesitated an
instant, confused by the unexpected
request, yet there was something in
the expression of the girls face which
swept doubt swiftly aside. Without
word l took them from an inner peck
ct, and gave them to her. The red
lips smiled. the blue eyes Frightening.
"Tonepah shall leave within the
hour" she promised. thrusting the
small packet into the bosom of her
dress. Nov step within. major. and
will close the door"
! did as she requested, hearing the
click Of the lock behind me, and be-
ing as instantly plunged into dark
ness. waited a moment. my foot upon
the first narrow stair. listening. No
sound reached me from without, and,
with her animated face still before me
in memory, l began to slowly feel my
way down the circular staircase. There
was nothing dangerous about the pas
sage, but with only the bare stone wall
to touch with the hand l was obliged
to grope along blindly. The huge
chimney had evidently been erected
merely for concealment, and l mar
veled at the ingenuity of it's construc-
, ton. / failed to count the steps, but
| went around and around so many
times, pressed against the smooth
wall, that knew / must be well below
the basement of the house before I
finally stood at the bottom. l CROPPED
forward in the intense darkness, feel
ing with outstretched hands. The first
object encountered was rough table,
the surface of which / explored, dis
covering thereon a candlestick with
flint and steel beside it. With relief
struck spark, and yellow flame
revealed my surroundings.
What | saw was a low room some
fifteen feet square, the walls and roof
apparently of stone securely mortared,
the only exit the narrow circular
stairs. The floor was of earth OPP
posite me was bunk slightly elevat-
ed, containing blanket or two, and a
fairly comfortable chair built from a
barrel An old coat and hat hung
from a nail at the head Of the bunk.
On a shelf near by was an earthen
crock, and two candles, and beneath
this, on the floor, was a sawed-off gun
and two pistols, with small supply
of powder and balls, the former
wrapped in an oiled cloth 1t was in
truth a gloomy, desolate hole. al
though dry enough. For want of some
thing better to do I went over and
picked up the pistols; the lock Of one
was broken, but the other seemed
serviceable, and, after swapping the
flint, l loaded the weapon, and slipped
it into my pocket Somehow it's pos
session yielded me a new measure OF
courage, although l had no reason to
suppose / would be called upon to use
the ancient relic.
There was little to examine, but I
tramped about nervously, tapping the
! walls and convincing myself of their
solidity, and finally, tired by this use
less exercise, seated myself In the
chair. 1t was like being buried in a
tomb, not a sound reaching my
strained ears, but at last the spirit Of
depression vanished, and my mind be-
gan to grapple with the problems con-
fronting me.
Heaven alone knows how long I re-
NAMED there motionless, my mind
elsewhere, drifting idly backward to
| the old home, reviewing the years OF
war that had transformed me from
boy to man as though by some magic.
(Tn RE CONTINUED