The Press., 1914-02-11

f vened to court, and Athol was brought before them. There was no doubt that he had been caught carry ing information, the penalty for which was death. but he was permitted to
 make an explanation. He said that he was on his way to Charleston when | arrested in answer 10 summons he
 had received from there; that he was neither Tory nor rebel; that he had no idea how the communication had come into his pocket. He asked to see it and was permitted to inspect 1t. The
 handwriting was very like his own, which added to his astonishment. Not a suspicion that his friend PincktOn had put it there entered his head. Of course the case was plain to the court that tried him, though since they were convened to convict him this made little difference. They brought in verdict of guilty and sentenced him to be hanged the next morning. Meantime Mrs. Athol was riding to the camp of the Continental troopers she had heard of. Reaching the place where they had been, she found that they had moved. No one knew where, for troops in war time are not accus- toned to tell where they are going. But the direction they had taken was known, and Mrs. Athol started after | them.
 While riding she thought of the trap that it was evident her former suitor had laid for her husband and wonder ed what it was that had been dropped in the latter's pocket. This she could | not divine She had no idea of the depth of degradation into which Pinck- | ton had sunk. the treachery to one who trusted him implicitly and consid- cred him a bosom friend. Tears came into her eyes as she thought of her 1 husbands unjust speech to her when she had warned him.
 Along the route she took she made inquiries from time to time of the troopers she was chasing and learned that she was gradually drawing nearer to them. Then they were but few miles ahead, then a mile, and at last she came upon them as they were about going into bivouac for the night. She sought the officer in command and told him of his proximity to the Brit ish troops.
 The officer knew of this force md. having superior numbers. was after them to attack and capture them, but he had been misinfOrmed as to their whereabouts and was moving in the wrong direction. Mrs. AthOl offered to pilot him to their camp. but begged him to send few men to Pinckton's plantation to arrest him. To this the officer assented. and 1t was agreed that after supper and a rest the command would saddle up with a view to sur rounding the Britishers before day.
 It was 10 o'clock when they started. lighted by half mOOn~and pilOted by Mrs. Athol. She described the lOca- ton of the enemy so that the Amer1- can force might be divided and ap- proach from different directions. Be fore they reached the vicinity of the British camp it was near mOOnSet. and the night had become dark from clouds. On reaching the place where her huS- band had been captured Mrs. Athol described three different routes by which they might come upon the Br't- ish. The separate bodies started and were each given an hour to get into position. The signal for attack was to be two shots in quick succession from the troops accompanied by the com- manding officer.
 When those. two shots rang out on the still night the British sentries gave an alarm, and the redcOats sprang to arIns--too late. They were hemmed in, and it did not require long time for their commanding officers to real ize the fact. He was called on to sur render and did so without firing a shot.
 Athol not only found himself liberat- ed. but by his wife's instrumentality. She said nothing of Pinckton's treach- cry. but in the morning the latter was brought into camp, and Mrs. Athol made a charge against him and re- quested the American commander 10 convene court martial to try him. The officer was not slow in granting the request of one who had given him a victory, and the court was convened.
 By this time all knew that forged document had been placed in AthOl's pocket. and Pinckton was charged with having placed it there. He broke down under Mrs. Athols testimony and con feSsed his crime.
 The court would have inflicted any punishment Mrs. Athol named. but as long as her husband was convinced of his supposed friends perfdy she re Iuested that he be allowed to go free.
 The incident. which had really be- come a tragedy. changed Athol from being neutral in his sympathies to an ardent patriot. and he enlisted in the American army.