Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-03-01


was written an introduction
| II was about week after this that
young man rode up 10 the Older
shaw mansion aud asked II he might
beg meal The request was not un-
usual. for taverns were not plentiful
along the route,f aud hospitality WAS
| the rule OF the country. Oldershaw
asked the traveller whence he had come
and was told that he had left New
York few hours before; that he was
travelling on business for General
Howe and was on his way 10 Trenton.
Being left for few minutes alone
with Anne Oldershaw. his expression
| changed 10 one Of terror. and. handing
her slip Of paper. he begged her TO
hide him Anne glanced at the paper.
saw that II bore an Introduction from
her brother and beckoned Trnvers TO
| follow her.
| The meal for the traveller had been
prepared and Mr.. 0ldershaw was open
ing bottle OF wine with which 10
regale his guest when n clatter OF
horses hoofs was heard without. and
dozen British troopers rode up to the
house. An officer dismounted. came
In and asked Mr.. Oldershaw If citi-
zen, describing Travers, had stopped
at the house. 0ldershaw said that he
| had and thought he had gone 10 make
a toilet: he was expecting him 60 come
In nj any moment. The officer asked
| II Oldershaw was loyal subject OF
the king or a rebel and when assured
| that he was the former told him that
he was harboring a spy OF General
| Washington's who had been TO New
York and was carrying information of
the British forces.
The house was at once surrounded.
Oldershaw went through the interior
| looking for him. Neither Travcrs nor
Anne could for some time be found.
but presently oldershaw met the lat
| ter coming through hall on the
ground floor.
"where is the strangerT he asked.
"The stranger, Why. isn't he with
youf"
"No We must find him. He's
spy OF the rebel. Washington"
II was with difficulty that Anne was
able to maintain her equanimity. but
| her father was so eager to catch
| Travcrs that he was not as observani
as he would have been otherwise. hi
recting her TO help hunt for the spy.
he ran back to report to the officer
| that the young man had disappeared.
| Anne Oldshaw had ut times wonder
ed at a certain part OF the flooring ~
| the basement or cellar, the wood 81
which seemed to have taken on diff
| ferent color from the rest. She had
spoken to her brother Of ii. and one
day they had examined II together
Edgar found way to lift this bit OF
flooring. The two descended into u
subcellar and entered passageway.
at the end of which they came TO two
wooden gates. like those OF canal
lock. though hut live or six feet ~
height aud two or three IN width.
Through seams In these gates water
trickled
This tunnel had been built 10y the
original owner Of the house. after lac
|
from Indians.
The discovery occurred after the
family had become divided on the sub.
ject Of loyalty TO King George. and II
occurred 10 Edgar that this passnge
might afford means OF escape. for he
had heard the stories OF troubles with
the Indians that the former occupants
had suffered He told his sister to
say nothing about IT, for the present
az any rate. till he could explore II fur
Their But before he could do so the
episode that had taken him to Morris.
town had occurred and the matter re
manned rs he had left IT,
When Young Travers asked Anne 10
hide him she Mt once thought of this
place, known only 10 herself and her
brother. She led him down pair OF
stairs Together they lifted the trap.
and he went into the passageway.
There could be nothing better calcu-
lated 10 draw two young persons Of op-
posite sex together with magnetic ra-
pidity than this situation. Before the
trap was lowered look passed be
tween them that annuled their indiyid-
ual natures and made them one. After
pressure ~ hands the trap was per
miiied 10 fall aud few moments later
Anne met her father in the hall.
II was manifest 10 the troopers that
the spy was hiding somewhere In the
house. 50 they maintained their watch
without and hunted within Fortu.
nntely for Travers. Anne WAS not sus.
pected As soon ns she left him he
threaded his way through the passage
TO the gates Seeing chink above
through which n ray OF sunlight came.
he managed To raise himself 10 II and
saw the river. its surface about foni
and u half below the roof of the tunnel
II he could open the gates he might get
out and escape The tunnel would only
be filled to within eighteen inches al
its top and he need not be drowned
| RI. triad ~. at.au thu snfaG lint eDtliQ