up of tea the
charms of your pretty rebel captain and his agreeable way of relieving
ladies of their favorite horses. I'll warrant he'll look handsomer
than ever, on the gallows, when our soldiers catch him."

And she went blithely up the stairs, which at the first landing turned
rightward to a second landing, and thence rightward again to the upper
hall. The darkness was interrupted by a narrow stream of light from a
slightly open doorway in the north side of this upper hall. This was
the doorway to her own room, and when she crossed the threshold she
saw a bright blaze in the fireplace, lights in a candelabrum, cups and
saucers on a table, and Molly bringing in a steaming teapot from the
next room, which, being northward, was nearer the kitchen stairs. This
next room, too, was lighted up. Solid wooden shutters, inside the
windows of both chambers, kept the light from being seen without, and
the wind from being felt within.

As Elizabeth was looking around her room, smiling affectionately on
its many well-remembered and long-neglected objects, there was a
sudden distant detonation. Molly looked up inquiringly, but Elizabeth
directed her to place the tea things, find fresh candles, if any were
left in the house, and help Cuff put them on the chandelier in the
lower hall, and then get supper. As Molly left the room, Miss Sally
entered it.

"Elizabeth! Oh, child! There's firing beyond Locust Hill. It's on the
Mile Square road, Mr. Valentine says,--cavalry pistols and rangers'
muskets."

"Mr. Valentine has a fine ear."

"He says the rebel light horse must have met the Hessians! There 'tis
again!"

"Sit down, aunt, and have a dish of tea. Ah-h! This is comfortable!
Delicious! Let them kill one another as they please, beyond Locust
Hill; let the wind race up the Hudson and the Albany road as it
likes,--we're snugly housed!"

Williams, who had, from the upper hall, safely overheard Captain
Peyton's intrusion, and had not seen occasion for his own interference,
now came in from the next room, which he had been making ready for Miss
Sally, and received Elizabeth's orders concerning the east parlor.

Meanwhile, what of Harry Peyton and his troop?

Riding up the little tree-lined road towards the highway, they saw
dark forms of other riders standing at the point of junction. These
were the men whom Peyton had directed to patrol the road. They now
told him that, by the account of a belated farmer whom they had
halted,