ight, 1898
By L. C. Page and Company
(Incorporated)

Entered at Stationer's Hall, London

FIFTH THOUSAND

Colonial Press:
Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.
Boston, U. S. A.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Page
I. The Riders 11
II. The Manor-house 32
III. The Sound of Galloping 50
IV. The Continental Dragoon 65
V. The Black Horse 87
VI. The One Chance 116
VII. The Flight of the Minutes 140
VIII. The Secret Passage 156
IX. The Confession 180
X. The Plan of Retaliation 197
XI. The Conquest 214
XII. The Challenge 236
XIII. The Unexpected 252
XIV. The Broken Sword 267

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

"'Take that rebel alive!' ordered Colden." Frontispiece

"'Give it to the Colonel.'" 82
"Leaned forward on the horse's neck." 111
"'You are too late, Jack!'" 154
"'Go, I say!'" 196
"'I take my leave of this house!'" 248

CHAPTER I.

THE RIDERS.

"I dare say 'tis a wild, foolish, dangerous thing; but I do it,
nevertheless! As for my reasons, they are the strongest. First, I wish
to do it. Second, you've all opposed my doing it. So there's an end of
the matter!"

It was, of course, a woman that spoke,--moreover, a young one.

And she added:

"Drat the wind! Can't we ride faster? 'Twill be dark before we reach
the manor-house. Get along, Cato!"

She was one of three on horseback, who went northward on the Albany
post-road late in the afternoon of a gray, chill, blowy day in
November, in the war-scourged year 1778. Beside the girl rode a young
gentleman, wrapped in a dark cloak. The third horse, which plodded a
sho