, 1922-12-22

stoner and 1 saluted his epaulettes
This is young Nick stoner. Of
Fonda's Bush. sir" said the Palatins
officer.
oh" SAID the Colonel dryiy. 81
have heard of the Stoner boys. And
what may be your manner" he in.
quired. fastening hts piercing eyes en-
mine.
John Drogue. sir"
81 have heard of you, Also" he re-
marked. more dryly stlll.
For a fun minute. 1t seemed to ms.
he scrutinized me from head to foot.
Mr.. DroEue," said he. 81 am Col
mel Dayton: and 1 have in my per-
sonal baggage a lieutenRnt's COM
mission for you from u good gov
ernor.
I stood astonished to learn OF my
p~refermeut. never dreaming nor even
wishing for military rank. but per.
fectly content 20 carry the sack of a
private soldier in this most Just of all
wars.
Mr.. Drogue." said Dayton. you. I
believe, are the only example nmong
the gentry of Tryon county who has
so openly embraced the cause OF our
colonies. I do not include
the Albany PATRON: l speak only of
the nobility and gentry OF this county.
I. And 1t took courage to turn
back upon your own caste"
ut would have taken more to turn
against my own countrymen. SIR
ftGi- Trhn Dc fIa1 MA 80. --
IT." he said abruptly.
l felt the hot shame burn nv face
TO the roots Of my hair.
Broke his parole Of honor and
gone Off" added Dayton. "where do
you suppose he is making for with
his Tories and Highlander"
God knows, sir. By the Saeandaga
and the lakes. no doubt?''
Gould he go by Saratoga and the
top O. the Hudson?'
ut ia a painless wilderness"
Yes. And still I think the rogue
went that way. I have rangers out
looking for signs of him beyond Balls.
ton. Also I sent half n battalion to.
ward theSacandaga. OF course Al
bany Royalists warned him of my
coming. / couldn't prevent that, nor.
ould Schuyler, no, nor the very devil
himself.
And here am 7 at the Hall, and
the fox stole away to the Canadas.
And what now to do now 1 know not
Do you?
Colonel" said I. unless the Brit
ish hold Champlain. Sir John would
scarcely risk a flight in that direction.
He would prefer to plunge into
the wilderness and travel by oswe-
getchl."
do you SO believe. Mr.. Drogue?"
I looked at Dayton. then turned to
Nick.
what think you. Nick?- I de-
manded.
by God" he blurted out. I am
of that mind too, Only a mailman
would attempt the wilderness by Os.
wegatch3, and I wager hat Sir John
is already beyond the ~sacandaga and
making for the Canadas on the old
Mohawk war-traiit'
Colonel Dayton laid one hand on my
shoulder:
Mr.. Drogue," said he. I'VE have
militia and partizans moro than SUI
ficient in Tryon. What We need are
more regulars. too; but most of all,
and in this crisis. we need rangers.
God alone knows what is coming upon
Tryon county from the North-what
evil is breeding thore-whst sinister
forces are gathering to overwhelm
these defenseless settlements.
I'VE have scarcely a fort on this
frontier. scarcely n blockhouse. Every
town and village and hamlet north o.
Albany is unprotected; every lonely
settler is now at the mercy of this
unknown and monstrous menace
which is gathering like a thunder
cloud in the north.
Regular regiments require time &c
muster: the militia have yet to prove
their worth; partizans, minute men
alarm companies-the value of al
these remains a question still. Damr
1t, 1 want rangersl II want them now
He drove one gloved hAnd into TIL,
palm of the other TO emphasize what
he said:
! 81 want real rangers. not militia.
want young men who laugh at an,
face old death can pull at them. !