Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1907 — THE SPY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SPY

BY J. FENIMORE COOPER

''k STORY OF THE REVOLUTION

CHAPTER XIV. In making the arrangements by which Captain Lawton bad been left, with Sergeant Hollister and twelve men, as a guard over the wounded, and heavy baggage of the corps, Dunwoodie had consulted not only the. information which had been conveyed in the letter of Colonel Singleton, but the bruises of his comrade’s body. In vain Lawton declared himself Tt for ahy duty that man eould perform. His commander was firm, and the reluctant captain was compelled to comply with as good a grace as he could assume. ' Before parting, Dunwoodie repeated his caution to keep a watchful eye •a the inmates of the cottage. A vague suspicion of danger to the family had been awakened in the breast of the major, by the language of the peddler. For some time after the departure of the troops, the captain was walking before the door of the “bdtel,” replying to the occasional queries of Betty, who ever and anon demanded an explanation of various passages in the peddler’s escape. At this instant he was joined by the surgeon, who had hitherto been engaged among his patients in a distant building. “Where are all the sentinels, John?” he Inquired, “and why are you here alone?" “Off—all off, with Dunwoodie to the river. You and I are left here to take rare of a few sick men and some women.” “I am glad, however," said the surgeon, “that Major Dunwoodie had consideration enough not to move the wounded. Here, Mrs. Elisabeth Flanagan, hasten with •ome food. I have a dead body to dissect, and am in haste." “And here, you Mister Doctor Archibald Sitgreaves,” echoed Betty, “you are ever a coming too late; here is nothing to ate.” “Woman,” said the surgeon in anger, “I bid you hasten with such food as may be proper to be- received into the stomach fasting,” “And I'm sure it’s for a pop-gun that I should be taking you sooner than for a cannon ball," said Betty, winking at the captain; “and I tell yee that it’s fasting you must be. The boys have ate me up intireiy."

Lawton now interfered to preserve the peace, and assured the surgeon that he bad already dispatched the proper persons in quest of food for the party. A little mollified with this explanation, the operator soon forgot his hunger, and declared his intention of proceeding to business at once. “And where is your subject?” asked Lawton. “The peddler,” said the other, glancing a look at the sign post. “I made Hollister put a stage so high that the neck would not be dislocated by the fall, and I intend msffffig as handsome a skeleton of him as there is in the States of North America; his bones are well knit. I have long been wanting something of this sort to send as a present to my old aunt in Virginia, who was so kind to me when a boy. But what has been done with the body?” Lawton was obliged to explain to his friend.

Thus doubly disappointed in his meal and his business. Sitgreaves suddenly declared his intention of visiting the “Locusts," and inquiring into the state of Captain Singleton. Lawton was ready for the excursion; and they were soon on the road. For some time the two rode in silence, when Lawton, perceiving that his comrade's temper was somewhat rufflal by his disappointments. made an effort to restore the tranquillity of his feelings. “That was a charming song, Archibald, that you commenced last evening, when we were interrupted by the party that brought in the peddler,” he said. “I knew you would like it, Jack. Poetry is a respectable art.” The surgeon involuntarily hemmed, and began to dear his throat. The captain, observing him to be sitting with great uneasiness on his horse, continued: “The air still, and the road solitary—why not give the song? We are fast approaching some rocks on our left; the echo will double my satisfaction.” Thus encouraged, the surgeon set about complying with the request in sober earnest. Some little time was lost in getting the proper pitch of his voice; but no sooner were these two points achieved than Lawton had the secret delight of bearing his friend commence. “Hush!” interrupted the trooper; “what rustling noise is that among the rocks?” “It must have been the rushing of the melody. A powerful voice is like the breathing of the winds.” “Listen 1” said Lawton, stopping his horse. He had not done speaking when t a stone fell at his feet. “A friendly shot, that," cried the trooper; “neither the weapon nor its force implies much illwill. It would be easy to hide a regiment behind those rocks,” dismounting and taking the stone in his hand. “Oh! here is the explanation along with the mystery." So saying, he tore a piece of paper that had been ingeniously fastened to the small fragment of rock, and opening it, the captain read: “A musket bullet will go farther than a stone in the rocks of Westchester. The horse may be good, but can he mount a precipice?” “Thon sayest the truth, strange man.” said Lawton, “courage and activity would avail but little against assassination and these rugged passes." Remounting his horse, be cried aloud: “Thanks, unknown friend; your caution will be remembered.” A meager hand was extended for an instant over a rock, in the air, and afterward nothing further was seen or beard in that quarter. • “Quite an extraordinary interruption,” said the astonished Sitgreaves, “and a letter of a very mysterious meaning.” v “Ob! 'tie nothing but the wit of some bumpkin, who thinks to frighten two of the Virginians by an artifice of this kind.” said the trooper; “but let me tell arou, Mr. Archibald Sitgreaves, you were iwanttog to dissect, just now, a very hon-

“It was the peddler—one of the most notorious spies in the enemy's service; and I must say that I think it would be an honor to such a man to he devoted to the use of science.” “He may be a spy—be must be one,” said Lawton, musing; “but he has a heart above enmity, and a soul that would honor a soldier,” The surgeon turned a vacant eye on bis companion as he uttered this soliloquy, while the penetrating looks of the trooper had already discovered another pile of rocks, which, jutting * forward, nearly obstructed the highway. “What the steed cannot mount, the foot of man can overcome,” erelalmed the wary partisan. Throwing himself again from his saddle, and leaping a wall of stone, he began to ascend the hill. This movement was no sooner made than Lawton caught a glimpse of the figure of a man stealing rapidly and disappearing on the opposite side of the precipice. “Spur, Sitgreaves—spur,” shouted the trooper, dashing over every impediment in pursuit, “and murder the villain as he . - The former part of the request was promptly complied with, and a few moments brought the surgeon in full view of a man armed with a musket. “Stop, my friend—stop until Captain Lawton comes up, if you please,” cried the surgeon. But as if the invitation contained new terrors, the footman re-

doubled his efforts until he had reached his goal, when he discharged his musket toward the surgeon, and was out of sight in an instant. To gain the highway and throw himself into his saddle, detained Lawton but a moment, and he rode to the side of his comrade Just as the figure disappeared. “Which way has he fled?” cried the trooper. “Where you cannot follow —into that wood.” The disappointed trooper, perceiving that his enemy had escaped him, now turned his eyes, which were flashing with anger, upon his comrade, and gradually his brow relaxed, and his look changed from its fierce expression to covert laughter. The surgeon sat in dignified composure on his horse; his thin body erect, and his head elevated with the indignation of one conscious of having been unjustly treated. “Why did you suffer the villain to escape?” demanded the captain. “Once within reach of my sabre, and I would have given you a subject for the dissecting table.” “ ’Twas impossible to prevent it,” said the surgeon. “The rogue threw himself on the other side of this fence, and left me where you see; nor would the man In the least attend to my remonstrances, or to an intimation that you wished to bold discourse with him.” “Here was nothing to stop you, man; I could leap a platform through, boot and thigh, without pricking with a single spur. Pshaw! I have often charged upon the bayonets of infantry, over greater difficulties than this.” "You will please to remember. Captain John Lawton. that I am not the riding master of the regiment—nor a drill sergeant—nor a crazy cornet; no, sir—and I speak it with a due respect for the commission of the Continental Congress—nor an inconsiderate captain, who regards bis own life as little as that of his enemies. I am only, sir, a poor humble man of letters, a mere doctor of medicine, an unworthy graduate of Edinburgh, and a surgeon of dragoons: nothing more, I do assure you. Captain John Lawton.” So saying, he turned his horse’s head toward the cottage, and recommenced his ride. CHAPTER XV. The graduate of Edinburgh found his patient rapidly improving in health, and entirely free from fever. His sister, with a cheek that was, if possible, paler than on her arrival, watched around his couch with tender care, and the ladies of the cottage bad not, in the midst of their sorows and varied emotions, forgotten to discharge the duties of hospitality. Frances felt herself impelled toward their disconsolate guest, with an interest for which she could not account, «nd * force that she could not control. She had unconsciously connected the fatei of Dunwoodie and Isabella in her imagiaation, and she felt, with the romantic ardor bf a generous mind, that she was serving her former lover most by exhibiting kindness to her be loved best. Several days now passed without any interruption of the usual avocations of tl& inhabitants of the cottage, or the party at the Four Corners. The former were supporting their fortitude) with the certainty of Henry’s innocence, und a strong reliance on Dunwoodie’s exertions in his behalf, and the latter, waiting with impatience the intelligence of a conflict, and their orders to depart. Captain Law-

ton, however, waited for both these events in vain. Letters from the major announc* ed that the enemy, finding that the party which was to co-operate with them bad been defeated and was withdrawn, had retired also behind the works of Fort Washington, where they continued inactive. The „ trooper was enjoined to vigilance, and the letter concluded with a compliment to his honor, zeal and undoubted' bravery. ——■ —-> “Extremely flattering. Major Dunwoodie,” muttered the dragoon, as he stalked across the floor to quiet his impatience. “A proper guard have you selected for this service; let me see—l have to watch over the interests of a crazy, irresolute old man, who does not know whether he belongs to us or to the enemy; four women, some two or three blacks, a talkative housekeeper and poor George Singleton. Well, a comrade in a claim on man —so I’ll make the best of it.” As he concluded this soliloquy, the trooper took a seat and began to jvhistle, to convince himself how little he cared about the matter, when, by throwing his booted leg careless round, he upset the canteen. The accident was soon repaised, but in replacing the wooden vessel, he observed a billet lying on the bench. It was soon opened, and he read: “The moon will not rise tin after midnight—a fit time for deeds of darkness.” There was no mistaking the hand; it was clearly the same which had given him the timely warning against assassination, and the trooper continued, for a long time, musing on the nature of these two notices, and the motives that could induce the peddler to favor an implacable enemy in the manner that he bad latterly done. That he was a spy of the enemy Lawton knew; for the fact of his conveying intelligence to the English commander-in-chief, of a party of Americans that were exposed to the enemy, was proved most clearly against him on the trial for his life. The consequences of his treason had been avoided, it is true, by a lucky order from Washington, which withdrew the regiment a short time before the British appeared to cut it off, but still the crime was the same.

Whether the danger, intimated In the present note, threatened the cottage or-his own party, the captain was uncertain, but he inclined to the latter opinion, and determined to beware how he rode abroad in the dark. TW arrival of the surgeon interrupted bis meditations. Sitgreaves brought an invitation from the mistress of the mansion to Captain Law ton, desiring that the cottage might be honored with his presence at an early hour that evening. “Ha;” cried the trooper; “then they have received a letter also.” “I think nothing more probable,” said the surgeon; “there is a chaplain at the cottage from the royal army, who has come to exchange the British wounded, and who has an order from Colonel Singleton for their delivery. “And does he stay the night?” “Certainly, he waits for his cartel; but hasten, John, we have but little tims to waste.” The gala suit of Captain Lawton was easily adjusted to his huge frame, and his companion being ready, they onc< more took their route toward the cottage. Miss Peyton accosted them with a smiling welcome. Frances glided about tearful and agitated, while Mr. Wharton stood ready to receive them, decked in a suit of velvet. Colonel Wellmere was in the uniform of an officer of the Household troops of his prince, and Isabella Singleton sat in the parlor, while her brother looked like anything but an invalid. As it was the third day that he had left his room, Dr. Sitgreaves forgot to reprove his patient for imprudence. Into this scene Captain Lawton moved with all the composure and gravity of a man whose nerves were not easily discomposed by novelties. “John,” whispered the surgeon, with awakened curiosity, “what means this festival? Observe, here comes the army chaplain in full robes. What can it mean?”

“An exchange,” said the trooper; “the wounded of Cupid are to meet and settle their accounts with the god, in the way of plighting faith to suffer from his archery no more. Is it not a crying shame, that a sunshine hero, and an enemy should thus be suffered to-steal away one of the fairest plants that grow on our soil?” “If he be not more accommodating as a husband than as a patient, John, I fear me that the lady will lead a troubled life.” “Let her,” said the trooper, indignantly ; “she has chosen from her country’s enemies, and may she meet with a foreigner's virtues in her choice.” (To be continued.)

“STOP, MY FRIEND, STOP.”