The Washington herald., 1914-04-14
THE SPY,

The father slowly opened his eyes and
as they rested on his son a smile OF satis-
faction passed over his paIlid features.
leaving behind it the impression Of death.
MY son." he said in hollow voice.
..I know you too well not to forsee you
viii be a pilgrim through life. But you
have that in you, Harvey, that Will guide
Won Alright The duties Of"
A noise in the adjoining room inter-
riIpted the dying man. and Harvey
hastened to learn the cause. His nrst
glance at the figure in the doorway told
him only too well the intruder's errand.
He was a well known leader of one OF
those dreaded gangs OF marauders' the
SINNERS, who infested the country Win
a senblance Of patriotism and aggravated
the terrors of the American revolution.
Harvey knew resistance would be vain.
ana both he and Ceasar. the negro ser
want were stripped OF their garments and
made to exchange clothes with two Of the
hlthiest Of the band.
AVE cried the leader, there must
he gold somewhere Give us your gold
Mr.. Birch; We know you have II.
Let me-let me go to my tather ana
YOU shall have ALL
~ swear you shall go then" said the
Skinner.
Here, take the trash" cried Harvey
Birch, throwing aside a purse.
The robber picked il up with hellish
laugh. AYE, but 1t shall be- TO your
father in Heaven
Monster, you have no feeling, no faith.
no honesty" Birch could endure no
more but shrieking out, Father! Father!
I GOMEZ GOMEZ" he darted by the Skin
ner and was the next moment pinned to
the wall by a bayonet. His quick motion
had caused him to escape a thrust aimed
at his life. The band prepared to depart,
intending to take with them Birch, the
peddler, offer him 10 the American troops
and claim their reward for the capture
of a spy They were about TO lift Birch
in their arms when form appeared that
appalled, the stoutest hearts among them.
The father had risen from his bed.
Around his body was thrown the sheet
Of the bed, and his fixed eye and hag-
gard face gave him the appearance of a
being from another world. The alarmed
SlCinners fed the house in a body.
The fathers glazed eyes were fixed
upon the son, and Harvey bent down.
and with the parting breath Of his par
ent received his dying benediction. A
life of privation and OF wrongs embit-
tered most of the future hours of the
peddler. But in all his sufferings. in all
his misfortunes. the subject OF poverty
and obIoquy, the remembrance of that
blessing never left him. He remembered
it few days later. when, again having
fallen into the hands of the SINNERS, he
was dragged before Capt. Lawton, the
American officer.
Here ! deliver to your hands a con-
demned traitor; this is Harvey Birch,
the peddler spy" said their leader. The
captain bowed 20 Mai. Dunwoodie. Here
is the commanding officer; to him you
will address yourself he told the leader.
Mai. Dunwoodie regarded the peddler
keenly. You have already been tried,
Harvey Birch" he said. and the truth
has proved you to be an enemy too dan
gerous to the liberties of America to be
suffered to live"
The truth" echoed the peddler.
Aye! the truth. You were charged
with lettering near the continental army,
10 gain intelligence of its movements,
and, by communicating them to the
enemy, to enable him to frustrate the
intentions of Washington