ptain Wharton had seen his family, and
now, having impatiently adopted the disguise mentioned, he had
unfortunately arrived on the evening that an unknown and rather
suspicious guest was an inmate of the house.

"Do you think he suspects me?" asked the captain.

"How should he?" cried Sarah, his elder sister, "when your sisters and
father could not penetrate your disguise."

"There is something mysterious in his manner; his looks are too prying
for an indifferent observer," continued young Wharton thoughtfully, "and
his face seems familiar to me. The recent fate of Andre has created much
irritation on both sides. The rebels would think me a fit subject for
their plans should I be so unlucky as to fall into their hands. My visit
to you would seem to them a cloak to other designs."

_II.--The Disguise That Failed_

The morning still forbade the idea of exposing either man or beast to
the tempest. Harper was the last to appear, and Henry Wharton had
resumed his disguise with a reluctance amounting to disgust, but in
obedience to the commands of his parent.

While the company were yet seated at breakfast, Caesar, the black,
entered and laid a small parcel in silence by his master.

"What is this, Caesar?" inquired Mr. Wharton, eyeing the bundle
suspiciously.

"The baccy, sir; Harvey Birch, he got home, and he bring you a little
good baccy."

To Sarah Wharton this intelligence gave unexpected pleasure, and, rising
from her seat, she bade the black show Birch into the apartment, adding
suddenly, with an apologising look, "If Mr. Harper will excuse the
presence of a pedlar."

The stranger bowed a silent acquiescence, while Captain Wharton placed
himself in a window recess, and drew the curtain before him in such a
manner as to conceal most of his person from observation.

Harvey Birch had been a pedlar from his youth, and was in no way
distinguished from men of his class but by his acuteness and the mystery
which enveloped his movements. Those movements were so suspicious that
his imprisonments had been frequent.

The pedlar soon disposed of a considerable part of the contents of his
pack to the ladies, telling the news while he displayed his goods.

"Have you any other news, friend?" asked Captain Wharton, in a pause,
venturing to thrust his head without the curtains.

"Have you heard that Major Andre has been hanged?" was the reply.

"Is there any probability of movements below that will make travelling