Beadle's Dime Novels No. 127: Bald Eagle — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

98 BALD EAGLE. by which they had elevated the sentiment of patriotism toa sublimity second only to the greater one of religion; yet there stood the martyr men before him—scoffed, dishonored, helpless, strong only for the land to which each owed his allegiance. | A cold sweat started to his pores, and his arms fell to. hig side atthe greatness of the sacrifice, nor was eyen he aware how the kindling embers of love of country were burning within him as these fell images floated before him. Had not u price been set upon the head of Washington himself? Did not all the leaders of the Revolution act with this terrible alternative before them? ‘Capture or defeat, the failure of the cause, and the stout men who made-up the Congress of the people—Washington himself, the great, the revered—would each and all hang from the gallows-tree, as the bones of Coligny, Cromwell, and others of the truly great have done pefore them, making that hallowed which wag designed for a type of shame. As thus he stood, he was roused by the exclamation of Hamilton, who had approached unperceived ; “ My God, this must not be,” escaped from his lips as he marked the deadly paleness of his friend. ee : | Montagnie was instantly aroused. .““ have decided,” he said, laying bis hand in that of Hamilton, and they entered the presence of Washington. Here each seated himself si- lently before the table. At length Montagnie broke the silence by saying, “I am ready for whatever you may re- quire.” | | ads “To-morrow,” replied Washington, and his voice, though even in its firm tones, had a touch of huskiness unwonted to him, “I shall have a series of papers in readiness, which I desire to transmit to General Lee, by the way of Morris- town.” | Montagnie looked up with a smile of surprise, as if the torturing ordeal which he had just passed in his own mind, had been a weak and childish waste of power, and he simply asked, | “Am I to know the nature of these dispatches %” Washington’s eyes were fixed tpon the papers before him, as he replied,— ; connicloooks.com _ —————e< st