Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

100 THER FUGITIVES. Abingdon was mounted upon the horse with Mrs. Smithson ; Annie and her mother were placed upon their own animal, while Gershom took turns with the others in riding the third, and the little party set forth. ‘The men were now provided with rifles and well armed otherwise, so that they had good reason for confidence in themselves. Still, there were precious ones in charge, and the anxiety of all was to avoid any col- lision with any of the dusky denizens of the wood. | All night long the flight was continued. At daylight a short halt was made, and a hasty meal partaken, and when the snn was up they were fairly under way again. Our friends had the advantage of being in advance of that stream of terror-stricken fugitives that crowded the avenues of escape to Wind Gap and Stroudsburg, The latter place was reached in due time, and devout thanks were returned to God for the beneficent kind- ness he had shown in leading the little party safe away from the dreadful doom that settled down upon the Westmoreland, on that historical third of July, 1778, Every exertion was made by the officers and men to restrain the Indians, and many persons and buildings escaped destruc- tion. Among the latter was the Abingdon mansion. After the storm of war had passed, Major Abingdon and his son, the lieutenant, returned to their pleasant: home in the Valley. A short distance away was the residence of the young Quaker and his wife. The former had not lost caste among his creed by his brief but eventful part in the invasion of the Valley ; and to-day, among his descendants, no name is mentioned with more veneration than that of Stoddard Franklin, the Quaker Scout of Wyoming Valley. 70 THER END. commicloOolkks.conn