Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/251

 forest opened to permit her. A farmhouse up a side lane showed yellow blots for windows, too.

"General Washington's headquarters at the Short Hills, I believe!" speculated the girl. Afterward she found her surmises to have been true.

At last they swung into the more traveled road leading straight to Morris Town, and there Mehitable headed west for a time.

"On, Dulcie, on!" came her monotonous cry, and the old horse responded gamely. "Poor lass!" Mehitable's throat ached at the awful limp the animal was displaying. "Poor lass, ye must be in pain! Amos will ne'er forgive me for this trip!"

They were ascending a rise of the road when Mehitable, peering sharply and watchfully to her left, suddenly pulled sharply in that direction and Dulcie bolted into a woodland trail leading to the ridge that was their destination. But suddenly there came a shout.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

"A messenger!" cried the girl, drawing rein.

"Advance, messenger, and give the countersign!" The sentry's voice came to her through profound darkness now, for the lightning had ceased.

"How can I when I don't know it!" retorted Mehitable impatiently. "Let me pass to see your officer in charge!"

"Nay!" The answer came sternly.