The Youth's Realm

VOL. IX. BOSTON, MASS., JANUARY, £903 NO. 1. AAA&AAAAAAA inade fools of us for dot surbrise. I harbor no spies, and I will not insult dink she send vord to de enemy.” my people by any hint of treason.” Sir Williams who watched all thisty She arose. “Is that all, gentlemen ?” with excited interest, struck a silver^ “Ven you got leaf to ride out off our bell sharply and an orderly entered lines afder de gouncil of var belt here from the hall and saluted. on de second, dit you go to de mill or America’s Greatest “Light the candles and beg Mrs. to Vhitemarsh?” asked Knyphausen. Darrah, with my compliments, to favor “The mill Is in Whitemarsh,” she us with a visit.” said calmly and then added warmly: * A light step sounded in the hall and “You know, general, that my husband there was a knock on the door. Sir was a loyalist and was killed in the New Year’s Day William arose and opened it. A tall, king’s cause. If he were alive, he slender, handsome woman of forty, would not suffer me to be insulted W By J. M. HARLESTON dark complexioned, with features She began to weep. “Besides,” she rather long to be called beautiful, but went on, “the rebels have not the price Copyright, 1901, by Frederick R. Toombs with a gait and mien that were queen¬ to pay for spies even if I were merce¬ AA/WWi ly, entered and eourtesied to both. nary.” “Mrs. Darrah, may we ask that you Stung to the quick by the last word, CHAPTER I. surprise Washington at Whitemarsh. will give especial orders to your house¬ .which she had emphasized, Knyphau¬ TJRDER General Washing¬ Burgoyne sent one of his Indian run¬ hold to cease spying on us?” warmly ners to say that he had crossed the sen angrily retorted: ton?” asked the British commander. “No, but lof of de handsome cheneral Hudson and was face to face with the “You may, Sir William, but" I will is¬ Perhaps the sentry did dot gafe de great pall here in Phila¬ rebels at Saratoga. That was on Sept. sue no such order.” not hear it right. Perhaps delphia”— it was the soughing wind. 14, and the Indian did not reach here “And why not, pray?” until Dec. 3.” “Because my household, to the new¬ “Stop!” thundered Howe. Mrs. Dar- It was the night of Dec. 31, rah fiusO^i-e^fUgd^wss about.to. leave 17TT, and snowing hard. “I dink dis voman, Mrs. Darrah, est servant,.,is loyal and .to., be trusted. Before the roomy two story house of Lydia Darrah in Philadelphia paced a red coated, Shivering sentry with mtis- on shoulder, occasionally stopping to shake snow from his cocked hat. Through the space between the shut¬ ters of Mrs. Darrah’s parlor the man could see as he passed and repassed the glow qf the big open fire within and could catch the glint of it on the gold shoulder knots of the two officers sitting beside it and on the bottle and glasses on the table near by. The fire was the only light in the room. He knew that one of these was Sir Wil¬ liam Howe, for Mrs. Darrah’s house was general headquarters, and he tried to make the time pass quicker by guessing who the other was. He did not once guess aright. It was General Knyphausen, the Hessian commander. “Py himmel, mein cheneral, I shtop dis var so qvick I make all de vorld chump!” cried Knyphausen. “How could you do it?” Knyphausen bent forward and mur¬ mured a word or two. Howe recoiled sharply. “Assassination!” he said in a tone of deep disgust. “Murder General Wash¬ r.-; ington!” he cried in louder tones. The sharp ears of the Hessian caught the pause in the soft footfall of the sen¬ try on the carpet of snow, and he raised a warning finger to his lips. “No need of such dishonorable means, baron,” said Sir William. “Without a commissary, without money, with lit¬ tle ammunition, he cannot hold out in Valley Forge. Listen to the storm. The elements favor us. Besides, Bur- goyne must have taken Albany and New York by this time. When I get word from him, I’ll send the dispatches to General Washington by way of showing him that .further resistance is useless, especially as. the rebel con¬ gress’ embassy to France appears to have failed.” “ ’Tis so long since ve hear from dot Purgoyne.” “’Twft.s before .we, tried to mm #.-ryvv,y»» ^ > >v». THE'R EALA\ 'TBraBoensiLWCTgBas i*:w ■%« .T.%1*-*> 3*i>*S# >tl« the room when the British commander with a sigh. •’Take the Frenchman to stantly suffice you are to enlist in his was sitting up to welcome the new said to her: the barracks,” he ordered. “And this army and find opportunity to assas¬ year. The man tugged at a strap Which “Mrs. Darrah, I crave your pardon. Indian—what’s your name?” he in¬ sinate him. And it is to be all done to¬ held a gunnysack on the saddlebow to’ I had no notion when I sent for you quired of the1 red man. morrow, the first day of 1778, for the make sure that it was all fast, and 'that anything like that was to be said. “Wild Eagle, me,” grunted the In¬ greater effect on the people.” then, tying the horse to a stake under I will make amends for this unfortu¬ dian, tapping his breast. While she spoke the young man one of the side windows, he ran up the nate affair in any way that lies in my “I’ll send him to the kitchen to be looked at her in open mouthed wonder. steps and plied the knocker on the power. Any favor you ask is yours.” fed,” said Mrs. Darrah, moving to the “I don’t know how you know all hall door. A servant opened it, and he i She paused, greatly agitated, with eyes door, followed by the giant of the for¬ this,” he said, “but it’s all as true as was soon in the parlor clasping both mast down. Suddenly her face lighted est. gospel. And 1 promised Knyphausen hands of lovely Edith Smith. »up with eagerness, and she spoke: “Very good. Elijah, remain here. to do it, for the money was so very “Pardon me while I look out to see “I have a nephew,” she said, “whom Good night, Mrs. Darrah. Knyphau¬ tempting. But who is going to give if my horse is all right.” He walked *1 would like to see win honors in this sen, I’ll leave you to question this me as much for pretending to do it?” to the window. “Now, Edith,” said he, jwar which would bring him to the fa¬ young man and determine whether or “I will.” returning and this time taking one of vorable notice of his king.” not there is anything in him.” With “You will! What interest has it for her hands, “you know what I told you “Send for him, please.” that General Howe left the room. you, aunt?” last year. Well, it’s still true; it will The bell was touched again. The “Good!” muttered Knyphausen to She arose, weni^to the door, peered sentry got his instructions, and in a himself. “Now, if I am mistaken not, always be true. You said that the into the hall and, then sitting close to few minutes a heavy footfall was I vill end dis var mit der assistance man for you was a man who would her nephew, again whispered: not idle at home while patriots were heard on the stairs, and a tall, broad off der young man Elijah.” “You love Edith Smith. You know miouiaerea, blond young man with The two were in close consultation fighting for their country. That gave small eyes and thin lips entered. He for more than an hour. what love Is. Hush! Not a word now. me some hope. I spoke to your father, wore a homespun suit of gray. His You would say that I am an old woman and he told me that when I should who ought to know better. Let us to have £5,000 pounds I might ask him «tge was about twenty-one; his manner CHAPTER II. the point. I will give you £5,000 if you for you. Now I’m going to fight for was shy and very nervous. Mrs. Dar¬ In a cozy upstairs parlor lighted by will deliver from me to General Wash¬ my country and to make my £5,000 all rah introduced him to Sir William as an oil lamp sat Mrs. Lydia Darrah, her nephew, Elijah Strong. ington with the false dispatches a note at once, and, Edith, I’ve come to—to with her workbasket in her lap. The ask what you will say in a few days Hardly had she spoken his name telling him the truth and a bag of Indian stood before her. money as a New Year’s gift.” when I come home with the money when the orderly knocked on the door. “If I had known that you were com¬ “A bag of money?” after serving my country well.” Elijah wheeled around and opened it. ing, I would never have made this “Yes; £17,500 subscribed by a society “Sit down,” she said, “and tell me all “Prisoner with dispatches, sir,” said desperate plan,” she was saying.

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