ack traitor to sell a fellay Christian to a heretic?"

After that there was nothing to do but turn on my heel and leave the
virago. By one false move I had lost her friendship beyond recall.

For weeks I sought to trace the senorita and her uncle. All I could
discover was that the don had come from Philadelphia in his private
coach, called at the British Legation, and carried away his niece by a
route unknown.

Left with no more than that doubtful mention of New Orleans, I plunged
back into the social swim of the Federal City; not to forget her,--that
I could not have done had I wished,--but to wear away the months of
waiting and to perfect myself in the social graces so far as lay within
my capacity.

At the same time I did not forget to press my application with Secretary
Dearborn and other members of the Government, who, I found, were all too
ready to forget me. It was a hopeless quest, and I was well assured of
the fact before midwinter. Yet it served its part as a time-killer; and
the season being too far advanced for the descent of the Ohio by boat,
it was far more agreeable as well as advantageous for me to while away
my enforced holiday in Washington than needlessly to punish myself by
the long and wearisome horseback journey to the Mississippi.

So I lingered on, dancing attendance on officials who frowned, and
dancing the minuet with ladies who smiled. Each served its purpose in
carrying me over what would otherwise have been a most tedious winter.

March came and dragged along more than the due number of weeks of foul
weather. Yet with the approach of the vernal equinox I began to overhaul
my buckskins. Being well able to imagine the state of the roads, I had
started a chest with the bulk of my wardrobe by wagon to Pittsburg ten
days in advance, and all my preparations had been made to follow after,
when the post from Philadelphia brought me a letter which caused me to
change my plans in a twinkling. I should rather have termed the missive
a note. It was without date, and ran thus:

"If Dr. Robinson is interested in learning of a project
contemplated by two parties whom he met at dinner,--to wit, a
certain foreign gentleman and the writer,--he will, on his
return West, come by way of Philadelphia, and call upon the
writer.

"A. B."

Much as this language smacked of intrigue, I had no hesitancy in
changing my route to comply with the note. It was not that I felt any
int