ped!"

Harry's pain and consequent weakness, added to his consciousness of
the rapidly approaching enemy, who had already turned in from the main
road, gave him a pallor that would have claimed the attention of a
less compassionate woman even than Elizabeth.

"No matter!" he murmured, feebly. Then, as if about to swoon, he threw
his head back, lost his hold of the chair-back, and staggered to the
spinet. Leaning on this, he gasped, "My cravat! I feel as if I were
choking!" and made some futile effort with his hand to unfasten the
neck-cloth. "Would you," he panted, "may I beg--loosen it?"

She went to his side, undid the cravat, and otherwise relieved his
neck of its confinement. She could not but meet his gaze as she did
so. It was a gaze of eager, adoring eyes. He feebly smiled his
thanks, and spoke, between short breaths, the words, "The hour--I
love you--yes, the troops!"

The horses were clattering up towards the house.

A voice of command was heard through the window.

"Halt! Guard the windows and the rear, you four!"

"Colden's voice!" exclaimed Peyton.

Elizabeth was somewhat startled. "He must have been still at King's
Bridge when Sam arrived," said she.

"He must be a close friend," said Peyton.

"He is my affianced husband."

Peyton staggered, as if shot, around the projection of the spinet, and
came to a rest in the small space between that projection and the west
wall of the room. "Her affianced! Then it's all up with me!"

The outside door was heard to open. Elizabeth turned her back towards
the spinet and Peyton, and faced the door to the hall. That, too, was
flung wide. Peyton dropped on his right knee, behind the spinet,
leaning forward and stretching his wounded leg out behind him, just as
Colden rushed in at the head of six of the Queen's Rangers, who were
armed with short muskets. The major stopped short at sight of
Elizabeth, and the rangers stood behind him, just within the door.
Peyton was hidden by the spinet.

"Where is the rebel, Elizabeth?" cried Colden.

She met his gaze straight, and spoke calmly, with a barely perceptible
tremor.

"You are too late, Jack! The prisoner has eluded me. Look for him on
the road to Tarrytown,--and be quick about it, for God's sake!"

Colden drew back aghast, thrown from the height of triumph to the
depth of chagrin. Peyton, fearing lest the one joyous bound of his
heart might have betrayed him, remained perfectly still, knowing that
if any m