Adventure Magazine Cover — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

THE PENNSYLVANIA LINE “Arnold lies snug enough now,” com- mented Butler quietly. ‘“‘Safe, at last, in the British lines, beside his pretty Tory wife, his mind at ease regarding his debts— distrusted by his commander, despised by his brothers-in-arms, and a byword among his old comrades. Are you for changing places with him, Stewart?”’ “Nay, the soldier’s grave is goose-down compared with the bed that he’s made for himself,” admitted Stewart, and his lean frame seemed to shudder more cheerfully. ““Yes,’”’ said Wayne, ‘‘the price one pays for treason is so very high that it is a wonder that any should be tempted to the crime. Eh, and the snow lies soft this morn! Halt! Who goes there?” Silently as the shadow of a cloud the board of sergeants had marched upon their officers. Without a word, Macklin saluted and took his post with an air of relief, as if glad once more to feel the weight of responsible action shifted from his shoulders to those of a proper authority. He was of the sort that craves discipline, orders, and correction, and needs them least. Wayne returned the salutes, recognizing each man by name and regiment. Then he paused, looking at Barstow, who said as respectfully as if nothing out of the rou- tine had happened since New Year’s eve— “We be the deputation, sir, come accord- ing to your request.” “We being very anxious to avoid any more unpleasantness,” added Bannock. “?Ticularly after what Dave—Private Macklin—is a-telling us of Captain Tol- bert,” said Riddle. “And likewise wishful to hear this here piece of information he speaks of,” said Dockstader. “Ay, yes,” said Wayne, watching them speculatively through his _ eyelashes. “Why, ’tis just to the effect that the Con- necticuts are being sent to coerce you into the line of duty again—unless, of course, you have returned to it before they reach you.” He paused to regard the sullen faces closely, and then went on. ‘I have powers to halt them anywhere along their route, if I see reason to think they may not be needed.”’ This also was received in dogged silence, till Dockstader broke forth defiantly: “Let ’em coerce and be ——! We’re armed, and will give a good account of ourselves, whether them as come against us be friends or foes.”’ 27 “And if the commander-in-chief maun shoot down men who have done him good service in the past,” added Bannock dourly, “he'll rue it sore in the future, when they won’t be there to serve him, ’cause he’s laid em in their graves.’’ Wayne found no reply to this, and present- ly inquired in a markedly peaceable tone— “What is your destination, when you move from here?”’ “Our destination?” said Barstow in sur- prize. “Sure you know that already, sir. We? re for Philadelphia.”’ “You know that for a fact, Sergeant Bar- stow?” asked Wayne searchingly. ‘Why, certain sure, sir! That was our intention when we was a-leaving Morris- town, and we’ve changed neither our plans nor our route since then.” “True,” and Wayne paused for reflection, stamping his feet in the snow, “‘Where do you go from here?”’ ‘Tomorrow we march to Princeton,” replied Barstow, ‘‘and there we’ll wait till the dispatch bearers come back from Con- gress. We can’t decide on the next step till we hear what the honorable gentlemen are a-going to do for us—if anything.” There was a strained silence on the part of the officers. ““What’s the matter with that, sir?” asked Barstow, in a fresh surprize. “Princeton is just nineteen miles from Marbury,” said Wayne, a hand masking his too mobile mouth, ‘‘where Von Erkheim lies with twenty-five hundred Hessians.”’ “Oh, that’s nothing to lose your sleep over, sir!’’ Barstow spoke in evident relief. ‘‘Nineteen mile is as much as a hundred to Sluggard Erkheim.” “And if he should turn in his dream,” added Riddle, ‘‘and come after us, which ain’t nowise likely, he’d be so mortal weary—for them fat Dutchmen can’t march in winter, as ye know, sir—that we could deal with ’em easy, us being fresh.”’ “Ye need not fear for the safety of the Line, sir,’’ said Dockstader reassuringly. “Fallen is as crafty and bold as yourself in these here matters.” “‘Dot’s true, sir.” “Oh, he is, is he?’”’ said Wayne queerly. “Certainly, you seem to have a power of faith in him!” “And why not, sir?” demanded Barstow belligerently. “Ain't he a-running off this here mutiny like clockwork? Steering a COMmicCloo S CO