The Glenwood post., 1912-11-16

rooms cape Tapping from his shoul-
dors, but twas The boy all right. All!
there so the guns up the bank. Now,
| perhaps. they'll let me take my fight
ing dogs across
The way vas open for me, at least,
and | swung up into the saddle. and
drove my horse down the slippery
shore into the water. The stream
WIS not deep, although the current
flowed swiftly, and a moment later l
had found Maxwell
Yes" he said to my first question,
I'VE are going to fight. although it
may not he anything more serious
than skirIlishing today. Washington
has decided in spite of Lee, thank
God, and Wen have go at the Red
coats. lafayette commands the adj
vance. and Wayne will be up within
few .ours. We are to skirmish for
ward toward Monmouth Court House;
Clinton has turned that way"
"You learned that from a scout?"
yes; he just came through: one of
Charles Lees men, l understood-a
blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked boy, who said
his name was Mortimer. He had rid
den from Cookstown, and was reeling
in the saddle, but would go on. Your
men are over there, major, beyond the
clump of timber. In my judgment
wen accomplish little today. for
yonder."
How many men will we have when
Wayne comes up?'
About four thousand. with the mi
litia. We are ordered to hang close
to Ciintons left, while Morgan circles
him to the right. 'Tis said the Brit
ish have transports, at Sandy Hook.
and are trying to get there; that was
the word young Mortimer brought in"
The bath in the water seemed to
have helped my horse. but l rode slow
ly up the valley toward the wood
which served as my guide. Before
l reached the skirmishers, great drops
of rain fell, and then a downpour, ut
terly blotting out the landscape.
Lightning flashed, the thunder unre-
mitting, the rain flood. water leaped
down the side of the hill cascades,
and. blinded, l drew my horse back
into the slight shelter of the wood,
and waited, gripping him by the bit.
Men ran back, down the hill, seeking
shelter from the fury Of it, and bent
my head, soaked to the skin. For the
first time realized how tired l was,
every muscle aching with the strain
of the long nights march, my head
throbbing from the awful heat OF the
early morning. sat down in the
mud and water; my arm through the
bride rein, my head against the
trunk of tree, which partially pro-
tected my face from the beating rain.
But there was no sleep possible.
My mind pictured the field of action,
reviewed the events leading up to this
hour. and, as surely. reverted to Claire
Mortimer. / had almost forgotten
the sturdy downpour SO intensely was
l thinking. when a courier came spur
ring forward. blinded by the storm,
yet riding recklessly. He must have
seen the group Of men huddled at the
edge Of the grove, for he drew up his
horse, calling my name.
Major Lawrence, l come from Gen
eral MAXWELL" he shouted between
the crashes Of thunder. You are
given command Of the right Of the
line, and will press on regardless of
the storm until the enemy 10 met In
force. Dragons have been seen two
miles east. You understand, sir!"
YES" leading forth my horse.
Come on. lads, its the top Of the
hill! What about the artillery"
I'VE may not Be able to move the
guns" he answered. but you are to
keep your powder a. dry a. possible
and hold Clinton to the road. Dry
powder will b sent - soon ~ the
storm breaks. That's all. sir"
could scarce ~ the fellow ~ his
horse whirled. and went splashing
down the slope. Through the mist of
rain the men gathered about were
mere blotches.
"All right, yoa water-rats, come on!"
I sang out chesrfully. We'll give the
Red-coats The butts q our guns any
how"
There was . faint cheer a. the
drenched figures sprang forward rae
ing after me. Twice We ran up against
small parties Of horsemen, exchanging
shots, but these fell back, leaving the
road clear. BY dark We were at Eng
hshtown. hungry and thoroughly worn
oat. and there We halted, sleeping
upoa our arms. All had in ny hav-
erssck was . single hard biscuit,
after munching which lay down upoa
Tie ground and fell instantly asloen.
CHATTER XIV.