The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-09-06

I droWsy and numb. His legs began to
give way. He felt that he was slowly
but surely losing consciousness, not
withstanding his efforts to fight it off.
He staggered against tree and, slid
ing to the ground in the shadow of it,
rolled over on his face. The snow
that melted upon his lips and temples
revived him after he had lain there a
few minutes, and he gathered his wits
together sufficiently to realize the dan
ger in which the army stood of being
surprised by the enemy and his own
peril if found in his present position
by the round No explanation would
be listened to. Accused of sleeping at
his post, he would be summarily
courtmartialed and shot.
This thought galvanized him into
activity again. and he bent his stiffened
limbs in an effort to struggle to his
feet. AS he did so he thought he saw
something moving among the trees,
and his heart came into his mouth as
he made that something out to be a
man. His first impulse was to secure
his musket, which was lying where he
had dropped it few yards away, and
challenge the proWler He checked
himself, however, for he reflected
that if he moved out of the shadow of
the tree he would certainly be seen
and the man would get clear away
in the wood before he could fire at
him. At the same time it occurred to
him that he might be watching the
spy whose identity his uncle, every
body, had vainly sought to discover.
| His surmise was strengthened by the
| fact that the man was coming from
the direction of the camp, not going
toward it,
However this might be, the man was
plainly ignorant of the sentrys proxi-
nifty. He advanced to the edge of
the wood, peered rapidly in every
direction and running along in the
shadow, entered the wood again a few
yards from where Travers was crouch
ing. Leeping out upon him Ernest
grabbed him with both hands The
man uttered a low, startled yell and
struggled desperately to free himself.
/ Back and forth they swayed, the SEN
try shouting for help until he was
borne against a tree with such vio-
lence that he was nearly stunned
Suddenly the man ceased strug-
Cling.
81 am lost! Here comes the guard.
Don't shout. For Gods sake, have
mercy upon me and let me co." he
duplicated, hoarsely.
Travers started as though he had
been shot. Dragging the man into a
clearing, where it was light enough
for him to see his face, he pushed him
away from him after moments hest
tation and said:
Rum"
The man needed no second bidding.
AS he disappeared in the darkness,
Travers trying to calm his violent agi
tation, hurried back toward his post
but ere he had taken many steps a
stern voice ordered him to halt, and
he found himself surrounded by the
guard. One of the soldiers was carry
ing the musket he had dropped.
What are you doing off post and
without your musket?" demanded the
sergeant
"I-I-nothing," stammered TRAY
ers, confusedly.
Il saw something run into yondel
thicket Here, Putnam, Van Zandt
Holloway, quick, after him. Get him
alive or dead Shoot at anything yol
see moving. You others arrest thi:
fellow and kill him full of slugs if ht
J attempts to break away"
The three men named darted ava!
into the wood, while the others seized
/ Travers, who offered no resistance
The sergeant struck. light with {
finder box and flint and explored thu
: ground round about
Il thought l was not mistaken hC
exclaimed. Another man has beer
t here. The footmarks are different
Oh, if it were only daylight, so tina
we could follow his trail. All! wha
!. is this?"
] He picked up slip of folded paper
; 1t bore number of figures and capita
2 letters.
s "a cipher message! Oh, no! Weir
: on a red-hot clue this time, and NJ
3 mistake"
e Sergeant" began Travers, Il
: Silence, traitor!" commanded tn
8 sergeant. keep your lies for Co
t Dayton and the chief You'll need
i invent a mighty plausible explanatio
i. to escape facing firing party at da1
y break"
r The soldiers who had been sent j
$ pursuit of the fugitive presently r.
turned and reported that they ha
o seen nothing of him. The guard the
# closed around Travers and he wa
t marched back to the main comman
g The army was already astir and til
other sentries had been called in, *
e. Washington was very anxious to pl
is the Delaware between him and tt
p, British. Travers' comrades looke
e. wonderingly at him as he was brougl
in.
x Col Dayton listened to the sc
z geant's report without saying wor
lie Continued on Page o.