The Press., 1915-03-17

trooper was to remain ail night. anf she replied that she did not know. Sht | thought that. having eaten his supper he would go on to either Newark Ol Elizabethtown. Woodville told her he suspected the man was a messenger and if so he desired to get possession of any document he might have on his person. He begged her to find out fl possible what was the mans erran6 and if he were carrying message tC try to get it away from him.
 Jennie promised to do all she could in the matter and. returning to the house. brought out something fol
 Woodville to eat and put him in the smokehouse. Later she returned and said that she had talked with the sol dier and learned that he was on his way to Princeton. where British commissary of subsistence was sta toned for the purpose of gathering supplies for General Howe's army al New York. She would detain him ii possible.
 Woodville was puzzled. Having seen the British ships loading with supplies off Manhattan Island. he had got the idea that the force would be trans ported by sea. Was this commissary to be directed to have supplies ready for the British on a march through Princeton. or was he to be ordered tC send them to New York that they might be loaded on the ships? This n,.Ao op,t I,.,t Jennie should secure further informa ton on the subject. Woodville paced back and forth before the smokehouse impatiently awaiting her return.
 An hour passed. and Woodville con cluded to reconnoiter. Leaving the smokehouse, he went to the front of the house and saw the soldier talking to Jennie, who seemed to be doing heI best to entertain him, every now and again rising. going to the bar and re turning with mug of flip for the guest. Satisfied that all was going we'll, the spy returned to the smoke house. About 10 o'clock Jennie came to him and told him that the soldier had gone to bed we'll filled with liquor. As soon as she was assured that he was sound asleep she would go into his room and capture anything he might have in his possession.
 Woodville had been deprived of sleep for several nights and while waiting fell into slumber. He was awaken ed by Jennie, who thrust a sealed paper into his hands. She had taken the precaution to bring also a flint and steel and a candle and struck a light. Woodville rubbed his eyes and read the superscription on the paper. It was to Captain George Doncaster. commissary of subsistence, Princeton. \. J. Breaking the seal, he read:
 Captain-You are hereby ordered to send all the supplies in your possession to a point on the coast directly east of Prince ton and deposit them on the beach at the nearest inlet, where they can be taken of in boats. You will also direct any officer in charge of a supply station south of you to transport his supplies to the coast at convenient point for shipment. Signal by fire on the dunes. The fleet will be near you on the -th.
 By order of Major General Howe.
 When Woodville had read this he threw his arms about Jennie and gave her a dozen kisses.
 What does it mean|' she asked.
 Ut means that General Howe is going to attack Philadelphia, and he dare not try to force his way through New Jersey, liable to be bounced upon by General Washington from Morris town. I must be off with the docu- ment at once."
 Giving Jennie farewell kiss, Wood vile went to the point where he had left his horse and, mounting, rode away. Passing through Newark and Orange, he ascended the rise west of the latter place, and early in the morn ing rode up to Washington's head quarters at Morristown. Throwing himself from his horse, he asked to see the general. Washington, who had risen early to begin the work of the day. hearing that Woodville had re turned, directed that he be shown to his bedroom. On entering the young man held out to him the paper he had secured through Jennie Smithson.
 "Ahr' exclaimed the general. "He goes by sea to Philadelphia. Now we know just where and when to meet him."
 Washington was not able to prevent the ultimate capture of Philadelphia. out he caused Howe so much trouble that he was prevented from sending more troops to help Burgoyne out of the difficult position into which he had fallen. and the British disaster at Saratoga soon followed.
 Jennie Smithson was suspected of having stolen the paper from the Brit ish trooper. but the act could never be proved against her. After independence was secured she met her reward in the husband she desired.