The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-06-19

TnfdDly Hlteu.
"You are John Irons, Jr., and ]
am Henry T%hornhill,' said he. I saw
you at Undertook where l used to
live. l liked you then and, since the
war began, l have known of your adj
ventures. | saw you passing a little
way back and I followed for | have
something to say to you
81 shall be glad to hear of it, was
my answer.
"'Washington cannot be overcome
by his enemies unless he is betrayed
by his friends. Arnold has been put
in command at West Point. He has
planned the betrayal of the army
"Do you know that? l asked.
Gas well as | know light and dark
ness
"Have you told Washington
"No. AS yet I have had no oppor-
tunity. 1 am telling him, now, through
you. In his friendships he is a sim
gularly stubborn man. The wiles OF
an enemy are as an open book to him,
but those of a friend he is not able
to comprehend. He will discredit or
only half believe any warning that you
or l may give him. But 1t is for you
and Solomon to warn him and be not
deceived
"T shall turn about and ride back
to camp 1 said.
"'There is no need of haste he
answered. Arnold does not assume
command until the third of August
"He shaded his-eyes and looked to,
ward the west where the sun was set
ting and the low-lying clouds were like
rose-colored islands in a golden sea,
and added as he hurried away down
the road to the south:
cit is a beautiful world
"Too good for fighting men, 1 an
swered as [ sat down to finish my
luncheon for I was still hungry.
"While [ ate, the tormenting thought
came to me that l had neglected to
ask for the source of his information
or for his address. 1t was a curious
oversight due to his mastery manner
and that sense of the guarded tongue
which an ordinary mortal is apt to feel
in the presence of a great personality.
l had been, in a way, self-bridled and
cautious in my speech, as have been
wont to be in the presence of Wash
ington himself. 1 looked down the
road ahead. The stranger had rounded
a bend and was now hidden by the
bush. 1 hurried through my repast,
bridled my horse and SET off at a gal
lop expecting to Overtake him, but to
my establishment he had left the road.
l did not see him again, but his words
were ever with me in the weeks that
followed.
81 reached the Corlies farm, far down
in the neutral territory, at ten o'clock
and a little before dawn was with
Corlies and his %neighbors in a rough
fight with a band of cattle thieves,
in the course of which three men and
a boy were seriously disabled by my
pistols. We had sailed a herd and
concealed ourselves in the midst of
it and so were able to shoot from good
cover when the thieves arrived. Solo,
mon and 1 spent four days in the neu-
trail territory. When we left it a doz-
en- cattle thieves were in need of re-
pair and three had moved to parts I'M
known. Save in the southern limit,
their courage had been broken.
II had often thought of Nancy, the
blaze-faced mare, that / had got from
Governor Reed and traded to Mr..
Paulding. / was again reminded of
her by meeting a man who had just
come from Ta%rrytown. Being near
that place | rode on to Paulding's farm
and spent a night in his house. / found
Nancy in good flesh and spirits. She
seemed to know and like the touch of
my hand and, standing by her side, the
notion came to me that l ought to own
her. Paulding was reduced in circum-
stances. Having been a patriot and
a money lender the war had impover-
ished him. My w horse was worn
by overwork and so l proposed a trade
and offered a sum to boot which he
promptly accepted. l came back up
the north road with the handsome,
high-headed mare under my saddle.
The next night | stopped with one
Reuben Smith near the northern limit
of the neutral territory below Stony
Point. Smith had prospered by sell
ing supplies to the patriot army.
had heard that he was a Tory and
so l wished to know him. l found
him a rugged, jovial, %long-haired man
of middle age, with a ready ringing
laugh. His jokes were spoken in a
low tone and followed by quick, ster-
torous breathing and roars and ges-
lures Of appreciation.
He looked my mare over carefully
before he led her to the stable.
Next morning as he stood by her
head, he asked if I would sell her.
"'You couldn't afford to own that
mare / said.
81 had touched his vanity. In fact