Beadle's Dime Novels No. 13 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

A LEITER FROM SIMON. 39 the boy by the hand. . “ What-has brought you away out . here in such a hurry? Something important, I'll be bound.” Sinion nodded a recognition as he handed a letter to the cap- tain, saying: “I should think it must be important; for father told me to ride as though my life was on it. Sampson was _ down at our house this morning, and, after he had left, father Wrote this letter. I guess you'll have pretty hard work to read it, for he was in a hurry.” 3 “Follow me into the camp,” said Ernshaw; “but be sure you don’t turn aside on the way. The bog is deep enough to Swallow up a hundred as goed horses as that gallant roan of yours, and I should be sorry to see her floundering there after doing us such good service.” “ Never mind, Mister Nat. I guess I know the path nearly 48 well as you do. Refore father moved to Charleston we lived about three-quarters of a mile from here, and there’g Many a time that 1 went to gather berries in Cedar Swamp.” “Come on, then, for I am impatient to read this letter.” The letter, though hastily scrawled by one whose hands were stiffened with many a day’s hard labor, was sufficiently Jegible to be read by Nat. He found that it contained important news indeed. It ran_as follows: Frrenp NAt:—Keep your eyes open, for Clinton is going to give youa brush. Turner was over here yesterday, and the general has determined to send out a force of a hundred men for your capture. There’s to be a tory meeting on Black Run to-morrow evening, and there’ll be thirty-five of the traitors present. I guess you know what todo. They will be well armed, so you may expect some hard knocks. Ben Graham is at the bottom of it, and the meeting will be in his — barn. You know the spot. Success to, the good cause! lima . SIMON. For some minutes Nat did not speak. The distance from Cedar Swamp to the Black Run spoken of in the letter was but little, if any, over seven miles, and evéry man in the brigade was well acquainted with the road. There was no necessity for immediate action, as the distance could be got Over, on the following day, from sunset till ten o'clock. 4“ Ps : . . Well, Simon, yeu are our geod genius,” said Nat...“ 'Mhe ‘