R J Reynolds High School - Black and Gold Yearbook (Winston Salem, NC)

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THE BLACK AND GOLD 9 distress stayed her, so cautiously stepping a few paces in the direction of the sound, she cautiously parted the bushes and looked around. There on the ground, lying full length among the leaves, lay a young man. He lay motionless, his face as white as death except for a small stream of blood which liowed from a gash on his head, matting his brown hair and stain- ing it a dark red color. Janice lost all fear now and coming nearer she knelt down by the wounded man and with her handkerchief tried to stop the flow of blood. After bathing his face with a handkerchief which she dipped in the brook near by, she rubbed his wrists and hands to start the circulation of blood. In a few moments his eyelids fluttered and opened. He smiled gratefully and tried to speak, but Janice placed her iinger on her lips and shook her head so he would not exert his strength by talking. He obeyed her unspoken command and closed his eyes again. She continued to work with him until he turned rest- lessly and tried to sit up, but only succeeded in hurting himself more, for he sank back with a groan. '4Oh, please, do lie still,7' Janice said despairingly. Wait, and I will get help from my home. 4'You musn't, said the wounded man, catching Janice's hand as she started to rise, so as to detain her. HYou would only make matters worse-for I am a spy, carrying papers to his Excellency, George VVashington, which contain matters of the greatest importance. The general must have them before nightfall. Can you engage someone secretly to carry them? His Excellency is about five miles south of this place, and a rider could reach him before nightfall. Just let the General know that I met with an accident, that I was thrown from my horse and sus-

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8 THE BL.-LCE AKD GOLD They broke into Granger's mill last night and stole the supplies of the Continental Army, and father said that from all appearances, they will be overrunning this part of the country very soon, said a third. In the excitement of the moment, Janice forgot her wrongs of the morning and entered eagerly in the discus- sion. 1 To Janice it seemed that the lesssons would never end that day, and it must have seemed the same to all the rest. for everybody was restless and inattentive, and the excite- ment was intenseg for though the war between Great Brit- ain and America had been going on for several months. the armies had not yet come down into Xew Jersey. the place in which this story takes place. The scenes of activity had most all been up around Boston. - It was enough to excite them, for they had heard accounts of the sufferings of people at the hands of the Hessian soldiers. and the foraging of the armies on both sides. ' The session finally dragged to a close and the children were dismissed for the day. Janice snatched up her books and hurried towards homeg wishing to get home as quick as she could to tell the news she had heard, she decided to take a short cut through the woods which bordered their pasture lot, to crawl through the fence and then to cut across the pasture to the house. She started to follow out this course and was well through the dark woods with the pasture in sight. when she was attracted by the sound of a low moan. She stopped, her hands upon her wildly beating heart, and listened. After an interval of what seemed hours to the waiting girl, but which really was only a few minutes, the sound was repeated. For some reason she seemed unable to run: besides she was a brave girl and the thought of some one in

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10 THE BLACK AND GOLD tained a few injuries. My leg is broken, I am sure. That is what made me groan so when I tried to rise. There is no time to lose, can you get some one to take this? he said, handing her a paper. y But I must get some one to help you first, and- began Janice, springing to her feet. No, don't. I can wait, he said anxiously, while a troubled look came into his face. 4'It's letter that one should suffer and perhaps die than a Whole regiment. Do get some one to take that paper. My horse is about here somewhere, and I am sure he was not hurt when he stumbled and threw me. He is saddled and bridled and all he needs is a rider. UI will lose no time, Janice said as she took the paper and started away, and had the wounded spy noticed more closely he would have seen a sudden gleam in her black eyes. If he could have known Janice's thoughts, they would have been- Hlf he will risk his life for the cause of our country, then why shouldn't I be of some use to it, too? She hesitated though, at the thought of the worry she would cause her father and mother, but upon remembering her wrongs of the morning, she stubbornly persisted in easing her conscience by telling herself that her mother would not care. Despite the fact she could not help but know that her parents would be almost frantic at her not appearing at home after school, she determined she would carry out her plan. As these thoughts were passing through her mind, she suddenly came upon the horse. Breaking a switch from a bush, she went up to the horse, fixed the stirrups the right length, and then swung herself into the saddle. She was a good rider, for she had a saddle horse for her own use, and she was not afraid. The road to the south led past Granger's mill. Janice