The Coolidge examiner., 1933-08-04
CHAPTER XIV

In Which the Broken Thread of
Love Is Curiously Reunited.
DEFORE the second battle, Colin
ID had received an order from Gen.
eral Washington written at the If
teenth milestone on the Skippack
road in Pennsylvania, directing him,
at the end of the Saratoga cam
paign 10 get a discharge from Gen.
eral Gates and proceed with his
regiment by a route known to Ser
geant Sapp. the bearer, to general
headquarters. Colin, still in bed.
ordered his men TO prepare for the
journey and to set out the next
day.
He Immediately sent a letter by
post TO Rachel Bowlby telling her
of the order and mapping the route
and destination. This TO make sure
that Pat would know where TO find
him. He expected to be able to fol-
low and overtake the regiment in a
day or two but the young man was
detained in the hospital more than
two weeks after his men had gone.
A lingering weakness from the loss
of blood kept him in bed.
The day of his discharge he head
ed for Albany in the saddle. Ar
irving there he found Mrs. Bowlby.
He learned that Pat and the Lady
Ackland with their horses and an
escort of four men had set out on
n southbound ship few days be-
fore. They were TO leave the ship
about sixty miles below Albany and
start westward in the saddle 10 in
tercept Collins regiment on its way
10 Washington's headquarters. Her
ladyship had a permit from Gates
TO 90 south with the troops and
Join friends in Philadelphia.
Collins mare had been wounded
in a fOreleg in the last battle and
was unfit for a long journey. More
over. he had not enough money to
buy a good horse. Mrs. BOwlby was
a poor woman with children de-
pending on her. He could not ac-
cept her help even if she were able
TO offer il; the masterful woman.
always prepared for emergencies,
took command of the situation.
You know that Washington is
within twenty miles of Philadel-
phia," she said. "He is on the Skip
pack road. The map you sent me
shows the road. A neighbor of mine
here is a cousin of John Pennebeck-
er who runs a mill on PerklOmen
creek not ten miles from there. So
your best route is the Delaware riv-
er. Take the ship this afternoon
down the Hudson. At Kinderhook
hire a man to take you across conn-
Try TO the Delaware. Buy a good
canoe, a small tent and sail and
some provisions. Keep moving. You
can make fifty miles day with the
current and more In fair wind
It's as much as q horse could do.
In some places you'll get ride on
the fiaiboats. II the British are in
Philadelphia. you'll know ii long
before you get there. Leave the
river somewhere near BOrdentown
and go due west. Keep north of the
Frankford creek until you cross the
Old York road Then cross the
Frankford and you'll come TO the
Wissahickon. The Skippack road
will be near you. Remember there's
To be some delay before you meet
Pat. When you do meet her you'll
know what to do. guess. For the
Lords sake. don't let her get away
from you I'm almost worn out
trying TO bring you together. There
have been times when ! wondered
whether the war was for liberty or
Pat"
Colin laughed: i've learned bet
Ter than to disobey your orders"
well. there's some comfort in the
thought that you couldn't get away
from her if you tried" she an
kwered with smile. Mother Ems
low is happy with me and can stay
until Pat has a home. I'll look after
the mare"
The young man set out and
obeyed her orders almost to the let
ter. In good weather, with favor
Ing winds, he flung the miles De