Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 176: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

160 Tom ANDERSON, DaRE-DEVIL “You bring news?”’ said Mrs. Anderson steadily, when John Pratt and Thomas Jefferson entered the Oxheart drawing-room an hour later. “Would I could say we bring good news, my friend!” And now Dr. Pratt told his extraordinary story, including all that related to Tom. He had forborne to broach the matter the previous day, that Troupe might be the bearer of the joyful tidings: “Tom is alive and well!” When he added the events of the day, — the search for the three boys, a search without results, — his voice failed. Mrs. Anderson’s lips moved in silent prayer. Dare and Mimi sobbed brokenly. Said Mr. Jefferson: “I waited until Dr. Pratt should return from the mountain, to bring you, Mrs. Anderson, a communication which reached me this morning. It from Captain Anderson.”’ : Dr. Pratt was on his legs, his excitement uncontrollable. “In God’s name, Thomas!” “Who could foresee what news you might bring, Doc- tor? In the nature of things, your story came first. The message sent me Is the latest revelation in a succession of astounding events. Troupe sends me his official report of the terms of surrender offered by him to the nineteen armed Tories he captured yesterday. These bloodthirsty criminals should be hanged. But the action of one intrepid boy saves them from the gallows.” He read the dispatch aloud. Setting the dog’s skull down between the wax- lights on the spinnet, he exclaimed: “This report was writ- ten under the eyes of his captors. It is undated. There’s no word of explanation! He’s a prisoner in the hands of the Tories!” . “Tf they’ve spared his life!”’ cried out Mrs. Anderson. ‘Be comforted, madam. Think of the splendid heroism of this boy! Rejoice that you have mothered such sons. The country that can breed such men need never fear decadence!” Gomicbooks (E(0) m