dangerous?" asked Harper.

Birch answered slowly, "I saw some of De Lancey's men cleaning their
arms as I passed their quarters, for the Virginia Horse are now in the
county."

"You must be known by this time, Harvey, to the officers of the British
Army," cried Sarah, smiling at the pedlar.

"I know some of them by sight," said Birch, glancing his eyes round the
apartment, taking in their course Captain Wharton, and resting for an
instant on the countenance of Harper.

The party sat in silence for many minutes after the pedlar had
withdrawn, until at last Mr. Harper suddenly said, "If any apprehensions
of me induce Captain Wharton to maintain his disguise, I wish him to be
undeceived; had I motives for betraying him they could not operate under
present circumstances."

The sisters sat in speechless surprise, while Mr. Wharton was stupefied;
but the captain sprang into the middle of the room, and exclaimed, as he
tore off his disguise, "I believe you from my soul, and this tiresome
imposition shall continue no longer. You must be a close observer, sir."

"Necessity has made me one," said Harper, rising from his seat.

Frances, the younger sister, met him as he was about to withdraw, and,
taking his hand between both her own, said with earnestness, "You
cannot, you will not betray my brother!"

For an instant Harper paused, and then, folding her hands on his breast,
replied solemnly, "I cannot, and I will not!" and added, "If the
blessing of a stranger can profit you, receive it." And he retired, with
a delicacy that all felt, to his own apartment.

In the afternoon the sky cleared, and as the party assembled on the lawn
to admire the view which was now disclosed, the pedlar suddenly
appeared.

"The rig'lars must be out from below," he remarked, with great emphasis;
"horse are on the road; there will soon be fighting near us." And he
glanced his eye towards Harper with evident uneasiness.

As Birch concluded, Harper, who had been contemplating the view, turned
to his host and mentioned that his business would not admit of
unnecessary delay; he would therefore avail himself of the fine evening
to ride a few miles on his journey.

There was a mutual exchange of polite courtesy between the host and his
parting guest, and as Harper frankly offered his hand to Captain
Wharton, he remarked, "The step you have undertaken is one of much
danger, and disagreeable consequences to yourself may result from it. In
such