The Coolidge examiner., 1933-07-28
CHAPTER xiII-continued

hVutN SoVA De SOluS away Ou
perilous and important mission. 1t
would be successful.
Colin was interested. He gave the
date and hour OF his BIRTH Soon
the fortune-teller made this conf
dent and astonishing declaration: !:
You have a sweetheart whose life
is in peril. think that she is with
the British army. I see darkness
and lights, flashing lights. They
will give you good news. see a
battle. The Americans will win an
easy victory. There will be a great
scampering Of the frightened enc
my. | see another battle-a long,
hard. bloody battle. Again your
army wins. / think II will be the
defeat of BurgOyne. Some friend
rather dear to you will be among
the dead. | see a man riding a
horse. | think it will be you going
TO meet your sweetheart in some
distant place long after the battle"
Colin paid a fee and left the man
with a smile of incredullty. No
doubt he had learned from Mrs.
Bowlhy OF Pat In the British army
and Nancy In New York. Anyone
OF good sense would know that
BourgOyne was bound to be defeat
ed and that Mrs. Bowlby would sue
ceed on any mission. If there should
be a victory against the army OF
St Leger II would tend to strength.
en- his weak faith in the stars. He
would see what was on the scroll
or the near future as II unrolled
The little adventure in that cham
Der Of mysteries had been worth all
IL cost for Ii had won the needed
help Of Mrs. Bowlby.
The good woman was now willing
90 undertake the mission.
He left her and soon after day
light in the morning was on his way
up the Mohawk valley with Arnold's
army. ST. Leger, then besiaging
Fort Stanwix. was depending main
iy on large force OF Indians. The
cunning Arnold knew that they were
as tickle as the April wind aud
easily alarmed He had a force OF
only fifteen hundred men. On the
way he caught two loyalist half
breed brothers. They were related
% old Thorny Tree OF the Onon-
dagas. Being part Indian. they had
some influence with the red men.
One of them was a lackwit. They
were both led to believe that they
would be hanged. Their panic hav-
Ing continued for some hours the
lackwit was told that their lives
would be spared on one condition.
He must go on ahead to the fort
and tell the Indians that a force of
ten thousand men were coming.
from whom he had narrowly
escaped. His brother was to be held
as hostage If when Arnold got
there the Indians had not deserted.
the brother would be promptly
hanged
The lackwit's coat was hung on a
bush while Arnold tore ii with bull
lets. Young Cuyler put It on and
hurried away. his brain filled with
the seed Of panic. A rich harvest
came of IL Many Indians broke
away from St Leger. Others in a
riot turned their guns on the Brit
tsh. The camp was quickly demor.
allied When Arnold's force ap-
peared. guns and knapsacks were
thrown away and the tracks of
white men were four feet apart on
the German fats as they ran to save
themselves II was a rout and many
men, guns and stores were captured.
The victory and the "scampering"
set Colin to thinking of the star
reader. Was il all coming true and
were his troubles soon to end?
That night dispatch bearer
reached their camp bringing orders
co Arnold from the Commander In
Chief and letter TO Colin from
the Lady Washington. then at
Mount Vernon. She wrote:
Ny dear boy: am almost took
poorly thinking of my husbands
enemies. Howe has been stopped.
He will not attempt the river pas
sage TO the north. Burgoyne will
not be able either TO get back or
forward He Is certain to be defeat
ed Gates Is good politician.
pray God that you may live through
IT, The General says little In his
letters about the war. One may pry
and pry and never get an opinion.
But | know LOT more than he
thinks ! do Of what Is going on in
that head of his. When Burgoyne
surrenders the British can have no
hope Of winning the war. They
may keep on fighting and make a
lot Of trouble hut IL can only end In
their defeat. get a thrill In my
Snine thinking that you and Pat
will soOn he near each other. If
YOU get together don't you dare GET
married without letting me see II
done. Don't try To rob me of the
privilege of seeing that il Is we'll
done I've suffered enough looking
forward To your marriage to have p