Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

be EY iD ihe ol lp ne Ss WE f4yl-3 The ‘White Dawn hk Four-Part Story Part 1 by e HUGH PENDEXTER > Author of ‘Gentlemen of the North,’ “Red Belis,” etc. The first part of the story briefly retold in story form. WE HAD been thoroughly licked the year before on Long Island, and the English had . taken New York. St. Leger with regulars and Indians was" getting ready to pour down the Mohawk, and Gen- eral Burgoyne’s army had already crossed the Cana- dian frontier intending to sweep across Lake Cham- plain and Lake George to Albany. The rest was easy to guess. General Howe, who held New York, would push up the Hudson to join Burgoyne. And, then—well then there would be an end to ‘‘American inde- pendence.”’ In the meantime there was I, Sergeant! Cleve Morgan, with my handful of men ‘sweating under a June sun that hung over the Jersey meadows, not knowing what it was all about except that we were responsible for holding the extreme point of the left flank of the rear guard. While I was questioning Miss Betsy Osmond, maid to Miss Audrey Betworth—who lived with her aunt in New York but had come to the Jerseys on a flying visit—the sound of musketry broke out in our rear. A few minutes later a carriage appeared, driven furiously. We captured it and found it con- tained Madame Betworth herself and her daughter, trying to escape from our lines. Captain Sant then came up and took the respon- sibility off my shoulders; but he was in turn fol- lowed by General Benedict Arnold, who comman- deered horses and carriage, and placed me and my men as a guard over the ladies in their own. home until they could be questioned further. General Arnold, who knew me by sight, and seemed to know something of my reputation, then -took me aside and told me a chance had presented itself that could not be overlooked. The Betworths had come into the country ostensibly to meet their cousin, Ambrose Kerry, a Tory, on his way north from Annapolis to seek a commission in Howe’s army. “Tt is a double opportunity,” said General Ar- nold; “first, to discover the methods used in keeping as Howe informed of our plans; second, to discover val- _uable information—especially whether Howe in- tends to sail for Philadelphia or ascend the Hudson.” I instantly caught his meaning. “Ts it an order?” I asked. “No,” he replied sternly. “Then,” said I, ‘T’ll volunteer.” And so I became a spy, taking on the character of Ambrose Kerry, while that young man’s relatives were detained within our lines. My first objects were to get in touch with Waldron, a ferryman, and Joseph Berce, a merchant, in New York City. Dis- guised as a gentleman, by a stratagem I got safely through the lines, and eventually reached Man- hattan. Though there was a noose around my neck [ now began to feel more at ease. I had already formed the acquaintance of Captain Saleby, a flippant young officer of the king, who might be of value to © me, and Paul Bowen, a sober-minded refugee. I was disturbed to find that Waldron, the ferry- man, had vanished. Immediately I sought out Berce, and found that he, too, had gone; but I learned from a suspicious old hag who kept follow- ing me that he was in one of the English prisons. A bit worried, I then went to Madame Bet- worth’s house, where I was received by the old black servant, Socrates, without any open suspicion, though his canny questions added considerably to my increasing anxiety. Later, from my window, I discovered a slim boyish figure stealing away through the bushes. Socrates soon betrayed him- self. He tiptoed to a closed room down-stairs, and presently the door opened again, and out stepped Betsy Osmond in boy’s clothing! Even now I did not quite feel I was discovered; for I didn’t believe Betsy could recognize me in wig and silk; but I determined to make a quick attempt to find Berce, and then clear out. First I looked up Saleby, and, making friends among his acquaintances, ‘finally got him to show me around the prisons. From them I also learned “The White Dawn," copyright, 1922, by Hugh Pendexter. QL GO choo (Ge) ~~ =