Adventure Magazine Cover — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

nm - i RX at -." find her and protect her,” he Bushfighters is more at home in the forest than she was in the tap-rooms. She is not the first Albany “woman to go unafraid among the heathens. More than once a vroww has gone to the Iroquois to barter and drive sharp bargains. They have a knack of picking up the lingo, too. “This girl had the ranger’s dress for a. pur- pose, just as she wore breeches in New York for a purpose. She turns ranger to get more information across the line. “Scout the outskirts while I call some men. She is out of the town by this time and we must take her trail at once. Meet me on the road to Van Woert’s farm.” “But so young! So helpless! God help us prayed Willis. “Amen,” heartily cried Putnam. “My temper was to put you under arrest for a bab- bling fool. But now I think you'll be very _ valuable; very keen to catch the lass. Fear nothing as to her getting lost. She’s played ranger before. I’m afraid she knows the way to Montreal better than we do.” IN A frenzy of alternating hope and fear Willis made for the foot of the hill, pursuing footsteps through the dark- ness, Beeuptly halting various dim figures and with muttered excuse speeding away again. He prayed he might find her, and yet he was afraid to do so. Did he balk her sontghtt she would never think of him again except with hatred. But if he did not stop her flight this night she might become a captive to Johnson’s Mohawks, who still smarted for revenge over the death of old ~ Hendrick and other chiefs. Or worse, she might wander into the clutches of the ferocious Western savages, who would tear off her fair hair and learn afterward that she was an ally to their great, good master Marquis. de Vaudreuil. For Willis did not share Putnam’s belief that the girl was safe among the red men. “Failed, of course,” was Putnam’s greetings as he led a squad of rangers along the river road and came upon Willis. ‘‘You’re to stick with me. These are to scout up the Mohawk. -She’s either making up the Mohawk, intending to cut through over the mountains to the Richelieu, or else she is striking direct for Ticonderoga. Not suspecting we know she is playing at being a ranger, she is likely to take the military road until near Fort William Henry. Then she’ll round the lake on foot, or steal a canoe and make it at night.” “Tt’s a horrible ‘thing she is domg—if she is a spy. But God help me, I love her!” moaned Willis. “You're a big calf,” growled Putnam; and yet his voice was not overharsh. “As for the merits of the vixen’s case perhaps we're too prejudiced to judge. Her mother was French; 13 her father had no love for the English. But | if Lidindick sent the information that led to the capture | of Oswego he canceled lots of old scores.’ “Oswego! ies?” “Ruin us? Nothing can ruin us except we ruin ourselves. But it gives the French both ends of the rope and a cursedly strong grip on the middle. But you and this girl—I don’t know about having a love-sick ranger-with me. Especially when it’s his sweetheart we follow.” “V’m fool, a calf, as you said,” was the dis- mal rejoinder. except to laugh at me. ‘Secs it mean ruin to the elon As to following her, there isn’t any one so keen to stop her mad: errand.” “That will hardly do,” mused Putnam. “I’ve been thinking. The minx will carry some news unless she’s locked up. I guess we’re best off to have her carry some false news. “She goes to tell Vaudreuil that Lord Lou- doun will attack Ticonderoga in force. A few hours ago I would have stopped her at all cost. But now with Loudoun sitting tight, “She has no thought for me determined to make no move, it’s for the best | that she gets through. The French will at least think we’re about to attack, and that may spare us an attack in force from them. “Ves, we'll follow her. We'll see she takes her. budget through. So far as we’re concerned the campaign is ended for this year. Best to have Montcalm marking time.” “T can’t bear to think of her going to Mon- treal,” protested Willis. “Rither that, or under lock and key. Small love she'll prow for you if she’s locked up. This is the time she must run the lines. An- other time and it might mean another Oswego. Now best foot forward. We may learn some- thing at Van Woert’s farm.” - CHAPTER III THE MESSENGER WHO FAILED. PUINAM'S small band of rangers ascended the Mohawk with instructions to turn north after passing Schenectady. The cap- tain and Willis. held on through Stillwater, Saratoga and Upper Falls without finding a trace of the girl. “T’ve either guessed wrong or the girl is good enough ranger to serve with Rogers,” fumed Putnam as inquiry after inquiry ae to bring them any information. “She must have gone up the Mohawk?’ i sighed Willis. “Then my men will find her trail and keep tabs on her. But reason tells me she must have come the most direct way. She didn’t know she was suspected and would be trailed. She would try to run the lines before the forts 0)(0)(6) (EOLA A (E “Si (EO) ~