, 1922-12-28
BRITISH CIPHER

bEhAAAohA III MN
Now. no sooner DID I reach my
camp with my prisoner than my peo-
Pile came crovding around Us.
I drew Nick aside and told him a.
You shall take Johnny Silver
said 7. -and set of Instantly for Sum
msr House and the Continental camp.
You shall deliver a letter 20 Major
westfaT. and then o shall search
with your lanterns every face o en-
counter. for I am beginning to be-
iisve that I truly saw Stephen Watts
and Lieut.. Hare in thu orchard at
Summer House Point this night. And
damned spies. and should be taken;
and suffer as suchr'
MY God" says he. Lady John
sons hrothsrT'
And my one-time friend. Is It not
horrible. Nick But any hesitation
makes me n traitor TO my wi peo-
Pile"
The sagusnAy was holding the pris-
oner.
Search him" said I briefly.
Joe and my Oneida rummAgOd him
10 the buff. II Was In his boots they
discovered. at last. a sheaf OF papers.
I could not read what was writ. for
the writing was in strnnSc-signs and
figures 50 presently I n over try
ing and looked up at my prisoner.
who now had dressed again.
You are Capt. Moucher2'
He denied Il hoarsely; but I. hav-
ing now no vestige of doubt concern
ing this miserable mans Identity, ig.
nored his answer
do you recoiiect that We supped n
company at johnson Hall-you and I
and not 30 long aso7" I demanded.
He had no remembrance.
And Lieut. Hare and Capt. Watts
were Of the eompany:'
He denied acquaintance with these
gentlemen.
"or H'akatoo7"
Had never heard Of him.
I hade Joe lay more dry wood on
the Fire.
THE paper ! have Of you IS writ IN
sr't'sh military cipher.
Now. before I send you TO Col.
DAYTON. with my report OF this exam
nation. what have you to confess that
I might add TO my report. in extenu.
atiore''
He made no answer. Then he reel
al Sideways and by accident. set foot
n the live Goals And instantly went
lean crazed with fright.
AS the Oneida caught him by ths
shoulder. 10 steady him. he Shrek ed
md covered. grasping Joe arm in his
terror.
"They mean TO murder mer' he
Yelled. Keep your savaEes away. I
eel your'-struRgl'ng between Tshi-
mi and Joe-"Iu say what you wish.
2 they won't burn rne!-"
BE silent" I said.
He had gone on his knees.
Every word was q betrayal of conf
-ndes; every whine a plea for his own
blotched skin.
To save his neck-ii treachery
night save 1.-THE sold his King. his
cause. his comrades. and his own
manhood.
And so I learned of him that Steve
Watts disguised. had been hat night
It Summer House with Lieut.. Hare:
hat they had brought news to Lady
Johnson of SIR Johns safe arrival In
"auada; that they had met and talked
20 Claudia Swift: had counted our
men and made a very accurate re-
mort. which was writ in the military
cipher which we discovered.
I learned that we We're to be IN.
vaded from the west. the north. and
the south by three armies. and thou
sands of savages; that Albany must
burn. and Tryon flame from schnec-
ta6y to Saint Sacrement. . And
I wrote all down.
"Is there more7" I asked. looking
at him with utter Ioathing.
'Howelr's house." he muttered. "the
log house Of John Howeil-tonight-''
The cabin on the hard ridge yon-
der?"
Yes. A plot to massacre
this post. They meet there"
"who9'
"King's people. John How
ei, Dries Bowman. the Cady's. The
Helmers. Girtv. Dawiing. Gene
Grinnis. Ba'ty weed"
"Tonightr'
Yes"
where are they nowr'
Hid in the tamaracks-in the
bush-God knows wherel-"
when do they rendezvous7"
Toward midnight"