The state herald., 1913-01-31

fitting. too..'-.t of. finging It across
the saddle pommel. As did SO q
folded paper came into view, and
drew 1t forth. curiously. My eye caught
the signature at the bottom Of brief
note, and l stared at 1t In surprise.
Fagin! How came Fagin to be writing
to Captain Grantf He pretended to
be Tory to be sure, yet both armies
knew him as a murderous outlaw,
plundering loyalists and patriots alike.
There came to me a memory of Far
rell's chance remark that Grant had
some connection with this fellows ma
rauding. had not seriously consid-
cred It then, but now-why, possibly
1t was true. read the lines almost at
a glance. scarcely comprehending at
first, and then suddenly realized the
base villainy revealed:
Have the money and papers. but
the girl got away. VIII wait for you
at Lone Tree tonight. Don't fail, for
the whole country will be after me
as soon as the news gets out about
Elmhurst: FAGIN."
So that was the reason for this raid
Grants personal affair. He had re-
turned to Elmhurst. leaving his men
to trudge on into Philadelphia under
their Hessian officers so that he might
communicate with Fagin. What pity
1t was had failed to kill the fellow.
instead Of leaving him unconscious.
The papers! Perhaps they were in
the coat also. Surely Grant had no
time to change or destroy them. as he
must have ridden directly to Elmhurst.
l searched the pockets Of the garment
hastily, finding a note or two, his
orders to escort Delavan. and small
packet tied securely by a cord. ! felt
no hesitancy In opening this. and as
certaining its contents. The lines
read hastily seemed to blur before my
eyes; I could barely comprehend their
purport. Little by little grasped the
meaning OF II all, and then my mind
leaped to recognition of Grants pur.
pose. They were notes OF instruction,
brief orders, suggestions. memoranda,
such as might be issued to a secret
agent greatly trusted. These were ad.
dressed simply Mortimer" many un.
signed, others marked by initials, but
instantly recognized the handwriting
Of Washington. Hamilton and Lee.
Without question this packet was the
property OF Eric Mortimer. but why
had the boy preserved these private
instructions. covering months of op-
erations, ! should Judge. although
scarcely one was dated? And what
caused them to be OF value to Cap
tain Grant?
The answer came In a fash OF suspi-
cion-the colonel He could be threat.
ened with them. blackmailed. dis.
graced before Sir Henry Clinton. driv.
en- from his command. They were ad.
dressed merely to Mortimer" discov-
cred at Elmhurst. and were sufficient
to convict Of treason. 1t was a fiend.
ish plot, well conceived. and Grant
was fully capable OF carrying It out
30 the end. could realize what the
possession Of these papers meant to
him-milltary advancement. a distri.
button of the Mortimer estate In which
he would doubtless share. and fresh
hold on Claire whereby he could ter
rify the girl into accepting them.
stood there In uncertainty, turning
these papers over and over In my
hands. striving TO determine my duty.
Should ] return TO Elmhurst7 To do
so would only bring me into renewed
peril. and would apparently benefit no
one. Without this packet Grant was
helpless to inIure Colonel Mortimer.
AS TO Claire. Seldom would protect her
for the present. and as soon as tho
father returned. he would doubtless
compel her to accompany him back to
Philadelphia. The best service could
render wan to destroy these notes. and
then seek out Eric Mortimer. In Lees
camp. and tell him the whole story.
All that anyone could do now was 10
warn the Mortimcrs against Grant. TO
let them know his treachery. and this
could be best accomplished through
Eric. Although In different armies.
striving against each other In the
field. there must stlll exist some means
OF communication between father and
son. or. II not. then between brother
and sister.
with nint and steel I built a small
firc OF leaves In n cleft beside tho
road. and fed to the flames one by one
tho papers from tho packet. glan,ing
over each one again to make sure OF
it's contents; all wcro addressed alike.
simply Mortimer" butt upon two I
found tho word "Elmhprst," II was
easy to see how the discovery OF such
communications would tempt nm un.
pcrupulous seoundrcl likc Grant to uao
them TO injurc another. and win HIS
own end. but why hnd that young Eric
failed TO destroy them M soon ns re.
ccivcd1
when the last paper had been rc.
duced TO ashes. stamped out the om.
bors OF flrc under my boot heel. and.
with lighter heart, rode down tho hill
toward the ford.