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Show Ti MUSTEK ZM f - llrving Bachellet King. "I don't know what we will do. My wife is near her time and sick in bed. I canont move until she is out of the straw." The cannonading increased. King arose from the table to go out-of-doors. Suddenly a cannon ball bounded through a window and against the leg of Sergeant Sapp. breaking it and crashing through a door. "My G d !" said Sapp. "If It was a battle I wouldn't mind, but I hate to lose a leg eating breakfast." Colin helped King to set the bone and put splints on the leg of the wounded man. That done he mounted his mare and set out for the fort. Soon he came upon St. Clair's little army in retreat. Congress Con-gress had failed to provision them. They would have been starving force scattered. The filthy Indians were with the enemy. 1 pretended to be a loyalist. Told them I would help and that I wanted to see Miss Fayerweather. I met her. She was in a party of grand ladies. Lady Harriet Ackland, a daughter of the earl of Ilchester, the young Baron ess de Riedesel, Mrs. Major Ham age and others. These fine-gowned, high-bred women, two of whom had children with them, were goiug to ride comfortably through the wil derness in tumbrels a kind of two-wheeled two-wheeled cart. Think of that. They were among the Indians. They were interested in the look and the chattering of 'the noble red men. The mosquitoes and gnats and black flies were as thick as ants on a puddle of molasses. They were biting through the veils and sleeves and stockings of the women wom-en and getting to their necks and wrists. They had expected a sylvan paradise. They had found purgatory. purga-tory. The children were crying with pain. It was an itching, swollen, swol-len, bloody, wretched group. I had a little talk with your sweetheart. Of course she didn't know me until un-til I had given her the truth as you and I know it. She clung to me then. Her horse had gone with others In the charge of scouts who knew the forest. We went on in the bateaux as far as we could. A part of the force set out to lay siege to Ti. I took to the woods ( with about twelve hundred women, some children, a lot of Indians, a force of pioneers and three regiments regi-ments of Canadian militia. We were to move westward, clearing the ruined road and camping in the wll derness to wait for the main force. 1 was driving an ox team. I told them that only jumpers could get through, but they made me hitch to a wagon loaded with baggage. 1 warned Pat to stick to me. She did it and rode on one of my oxen. An old lady who was with her went with Lady Ackland in a cart. They were far behind us. All bridges had been destroyed. Soon the whole baggage train foundered in a swamp. Then wide-runnered jumpers jump-ers had to be built. The tumbrels were wrecked the first day. The ladies' la-dies' veils were torn to rags in brush and briers. Their life became a battle with hardship. They got through the swamps on the back of oxen. "Pat fell sick of a fever. The poor child was very sick and no physician at our camp. I knew that in June Doctor Parmly of Hudson a loyalist was always at his fishing camp on a lake not more than three miles from where we were. I got permission to .take her there on condition that I would return re-turn the next day. I carried her on my back a slow hard journey, but I got there. Doctor Parmly took her in. The poor girl was down with smallpox. They had all within a week. So they bad to quit the fort. Colin set out for Stark's camp with a heavy heart. He wrote his dispatch when he halted to give his mare hd hour of rest that evening and rode on until he came to a log inn at midnight. He was up and off at daylight. Before he had put his horse to hay at Stark's camp an express rider was clattering down the road with his dispatch toward the first relay twenty miles beyond. So the disenheartening news went to Washington. Soon John Adams was saying: "We shall never succeed suc-ceed until we hang a few generals." It was a hasty remark. He would better have threatened the necks of a few politicians. A few days later an address to the troops came from General Washington. It was posted at headquarters head-quarters and read to officers and men on Sunday by Parson Allen. "Our situation before has been unpromising un-promising and has changed for the better," it said. "If new difficulties arise we must keep our courage and put forth new exertions." "Thus the unconquerable spirit of our great Commander has come up to us through the hills and valleys," said Allen. "It has gone out to all his embattled hosts. Do ye not j feel his God-given patience? Get it in you. Resolve to die for It if necessary and the British will never pass us. We must all die soon or late. I shall be glad to die not of weakness, but of courage when my hands are strong and life Is dear to me, undefeated, proud that I have given it for a thing far better than I." The British did not pass. They made a thrust at Bennington and were turned back with heavy loss and the parson "fought like a wolverine." wol-verine." Colonel Cabot and his regiment had no part in the battle. Long before be-fore it was fought they were sent to Albany to report to Arnold for duty in his campaign against St. Leger coming down from the northwest. north-west. So they moved southward to strengthen the little army soon to engage in a big undertaking. Colin was warmly received by General Benedict Arnold a born rebel who had run away from home when a stripling in quest of adventure. adven-ture. In later life as a partner of Elijah Woodbridge Nancy's father fa-ther he had prospered shipping horses and mules to the West Indies. In-dies. Unlike the Commander In Chief, he had no patience with "the pot-bellied mouth fighters In congress." con-gress." He was an arrogant, highhanded high-handed man lacking in dignity and politeness. Still he had "the un conquerable spirit." His courage and valor had been proved. Dark-skinned Dark-skinned and black-bearded, his blue-gray blue-gray eyes often glowed with anger. In his strong athletic body was the energy of wildcats, and the snarl of them was often In his mouth. Stung by Ingratitude, his was the Spirit of Protest now abroad In the land. Congress, for some reason, had promoted every brigadier save himself. He had suffered indescribable inde-scribable hardships going to Quebec, Que-bec, and was wounded there in a desperate assault. With a fleet in Lake Champlain, he had delayed the advance of the British for a year, yet the Sim Bottses In congress, con-gress, undei some hidden Influence, had thus expressed their appreciation. apprecia-tion. Genera) Washington had mildly rebuked this slighting of an able officer. His sympathy had kept Arnold in the service, and his sending the best Massachusetts regiment reg-iment to be an arrow in the quiver of "the Black General" signalized the special interest of the Chief in this member of his staff. Colin had not been a day In the Albany camp, when he received a note from Mrs. Bowlby. "I heard from a friend of General Gen-eral Arnold that you were to be here." she wrote. "As soon as possible pos-sible after you arrive, come for a talk with me at 40 Pearl street." It was a brief and cheerless note. What did it mean? Night had fallen. He hastened to the address of Mrs. Bowlby. He passed a public pub-lic house, with open doors. At its bar a reveler was singing a mournful mourn-ful love ballad. A moment he listened. It told what a man had done "for the love o' Barbara Allen." Al-len." "Yes. 1 know; 1 know all about it." he whispered as he wont on. Mrs. Bowlby mot him with a sad face. Tliey sat down together. She was silont. "Is it had news?' lie asked. "It is net guild news Our love story is now in the hands o' God I ilon t know what will happen I'll tell you the "hole story 1 met the BrittMi at Crown point Seeing the groat army of liurgoync. our small nior. 1 ime-HAPTER XIII Continued :ent; 18 1, a iere is a dense wilderness on l't f side of the lake," Colin said. ;, butould be easy for a man hidden whetreetop along the shore to es-e es-e the force. If you will Irust de a the matter I will get correct ey al.nation and arrange for relays .vorrle night and day until It ! fig;; to your hand." rydr-vill commit to you this under-dire;, under-dire;, for there Is no man In Your: prudence, energy and good :r anient I have greater confl- i the ." sillt the Chief. "You know eeatorthern road and many people ;ite, iive on it You may prepare regiment to set out tomorrow up oennington, where you will re-Larnjo re-Larnjo General Stark for duty." regiment set out with horses sowing laden with bat baggage. Ifuii- re are Illuminating entries in nisei8 diary as to the northward snuii-y through Danbury and New -arte;'!. tight some leather and many ;esoled their boots by firelight V mos put a new spoke In a ni wheel." troncdt Danhury 1 cleaned Mr. Dun-jrCoi Dun-jrCoi watch." aCS k'ew M i If ord 1 got a spoon jgnnd cast twenty spoons after LDBotf.ilted for a night's rest." "lasi P-ennington the regiment be- n part of the big camp of 1 mountain men under Stark. arch ended on a Sunday In .litne. While It waited for fiuggage wagons, officers and Vent to hear the sermon and lJ7We reading. Rev. John Allen -,.tslield, whom Colin had met 5)S1 ! Tied Cock tavern In Rhode , that night of the bloodless 4was preaching. He told the jjiof the quarrel with Conway noted what the aide of Wash 1ve had said as to the sublime ghnes!te of the Commander in ntr latum. " 1 er d isco u rn Kern en t. ,r"' the leaders of. humanity .id l to leave the old road and new direction, there is much I and waiting," he said. "The Tf)vn-V mlls, De cleared of an-1 an-1 Vlprpjtidlce. But do uot forget I CP'le British have more trouble ir way than we have. Cour-tcmpce Cour-tcmpce "eed and then patience . But', far-seeing, superhuman pa-"on"- We need the courageous rouble ig patience of St. Paul, when "''Ight of the World was llick-IR llick-IR I Our Washington lias it." 5- fyn was surprised and delight-ke delight-ke I ion, nfter the service, Colin his hand and Introduced him-1 him-1 f '" "The fighting parson" became 'fA V friend of the young colonel, J,IM'1 Invited both of them to A,,en's son was a mis-w.v mis-w.v at a settlement near the lake north. jjfTijtgj will help you," said the par-fZ: par-fZ: "1 w'll e've you a letter to tburn.(nd a map of the road and - " I think that the British are -!tnharked. The Six Nations Slathered near the head of the l vo:o wait for them. I think that lid hotter he on your way." ,n left his regiment in com ,of the capable Major Humph Ullliid set out on his northern y that nfternon, stopping at inn, when darknes fell, to rest Q nre for the night. As usual, IiA f111''' ontC(' nll(l st rawed" her lis own hand. i.-'-'t three days In the saddle V"tne to the rude hamlet In a .-alley near the hike where he i-1 the young missionary. The . bloo't' ll,ul not -vot Passed. Young Jlshw disqualified for military serv ' J'jJ. lameness, was eager for any opinio"' to help the great cause. The )r. l'iT was that the big flotilla iir the , is n,pi pass any chosen point In the itio i?S8 of the night when a reck-;'Ju'-oiiUI be Impossible. It was ii pcov- to be n long, slow-moving ru8S'",.sion of sloops and bateaux. "JK map of the lake, they 'Fgtwo stations about ten mile's JUTi Allen would await the In- 0,1 n I10'"' "ear his home. LL"n nn itiI;,nl some ten miles ;kaCl,:vard. larit ' evening, with his destina-lS) destina-lS) dc:) view, Colonel Cabot set out nofSl' In a small boat. It was n rbla; island covered thiols with jrywfc'spruee and hemlock. Its south Pr;d dwindled to a narrow stone Apart from the forest, where -over-'nd !,., tl1 t.,p,,r s(l)0(1 ,0 f a .loose hemlock. Its upper TfiTa s,l'lt,,'1'C(1 h.v lightning, had In the wind. It now lay frtrred, decaying in the shal-V shal-V "e ,,u'oaled his boat In K&M n"'1 lay down with his vV"'1 on a carpet of pine NVp and had a restful sleep daylight lie climbed some ten tdo the ragged top of the stub --ftyOiind. as he expected, oniv a s of sound timber that en closed a mass of damp decay. He began to throw it out and soon discovered dis-covered that It crumbled and packed under his weight until he had a firm footing and comfortable accommodations for his stature inside in-side the shell. Opposite bis eyes, with his knife, he made two holes like those of a woodpecker, fronting both channels. This little timber tower, with its diminutive windows, offered an ideal opportunity to view the passing of Burgoyne's army. For two days, from dark to dark, he sat many hours in a treetop like a bird, looking northward for signs of the coming caravan. Soon after sunrise on the third day he saw a new island with silvered edges and white lowers In the distance. He watched It through his glass, thrilled by the thought that In the great procession moving toward him was a fragment of mortality which had filled his later life wilh Inspiration. In-spiration. Vast beyond his expectation expec-tation was that endless flotilla streaming down out of the north on the smooth, wide water alley be- ' tween high mountain ridges. Its I length waved backward into dim, I misty reaches of the lower lake. 1 When it had come within a mile or so of his Island, Colin went to his station in the hollow stub. Before the front of the long pro cession was abreast he heard a band playing merry music. The flotilla was led by painted Indians in canoes. Soon he saw the first rank of the immense batteaux, each about forty feet in length and some seven feet wide, and each worked by four men head and stem men and middle men. Through the long summer day Colin stood in his wooden tower counting and making notes. It was a trying day, with only a moment of anxiety when a soldier amused himself by shooting at the peek-hole in the tower. Fortunately, Colin had seen his purpose and stooped In time, or that shell of hemlock would have been his tomb. Only a bit of dust fell on his head. He waited a few minutes before resuming his work. The sun was low when the last rank of bateaux in the vast caravan passed him. Its many voices grew dim In the distance as the light of that long day faded Into gloom. He had counted "nearly eight hundred of them and had a fairly correct estimate of the lighting light-ing men eight thousand. He won dered at the number of women and children. There were some twelve hundred of them and more than a hundred musicians. Night was falling. Stiff and sere he came out of his hiding place, hauled his boat Into the water and put his strength on the oars. He thought of Pat and the ladies with her and of the unexpected perils and hardships ahead of them swamps, log-strewn forests, briers, black flies, mosquitoes, savages, some of whom would surely be infected in-fected with smallpox. He was op poslte the center of the long flotilla when he reached Allen's point at nine o'clock. In the missionary's house he wrote a report to Gen eral Washington and half an hour later was in his saddle hurrying southward. In the morning he mounted a fresh horse at a farm, arranging for his own to be sent on to Bennington. That night he arrived at Stark's headquarters and within ten minutes a mounted courier was on the south road with Colin's dispatch. After a few days' training with General Stark he received an order from the Commander In Chief to go to Fort Ticonderoga and report as soon as possible on the plans of the British. On his Jouruey he spent a night at Skeneshorough. where he found a force of Americans. lie learned that Burgoyne's army was advancing to Invest the fort. There he met the scout Israel Sapp, who told him that Mrs. Bowlby had sent her children to a friend in Albany and was earning big wages driving an ox team for the enemy. Was it her interest in romance which had taken her to the British camp? The inn was closed and Sergeant Sapp had found accommodation In the house of a one-armed mill-hand of the name of King. Colin spent the night there. While he sat at the breakfast table next morning there came an abrupt change in the situation. situ-ation. "Has St. Clair fortified Sugar hill?" he asked. "No." Sap answered. "Not men enough there to do it." "Then Ticonderoga will fall. The hill commands the fort.'' "Congress has not provisioned It for a siege." Their talk was interrupted by the roar of cannon. "It's the British gunboats." said "You Have a Sweetheart Whose Life Is in Peril." teen inoculated and were good to as. They put her to bed and sent down to the village at Fort William Henry for a nurse. I stayed until the nurse came. Pat was better when I left. The doctor was to bring her to General Schuyler's house at Albany on his way down the Hudson. Since then 1 have heard nothing." Then and there Colin wrote a letter to his beloved I'at. When It was finished he said to Mrs. Bowl by, "Have you the courage to take it up the river tomorrow and try to ma,ke Family's camp? If so, I will give you ten pounds." "First come with me and we will take a look into the year ahead," said Mrs. Bowlby. "What do you mean?" "1 know a man who has a marvelous mar-velous gift He can see into the future." "1 have no faith in that kind of tiling." Colin answered. "lie foretold the week of my marriage mar-riage and the kind of man 1 would marry and my successful trip witt your letter. I will not take the risk of the Journey you ask me to make without his advice." So it happened that Colin went wiih Mrs. I'owlhy to a crystal-gazer and a reader of the great stars a long-haired polite man with large-dark large-dark eyes, of the name of Kara potos, who had a luxurious suite of rooms and who had done a thriving business in .New York. Prlven away 1 1 v t he war scare he had been working work-ing the hi; river towns in which many rich New Yorkers had sought refuge. (Tfl RR rOKTIM'EDl |
