onfess," pinching Peggy's cheek playfully, "you did not
dream that I was aught other than Truelove Davis; did you?"

"N-no; and yet thee puzzled me," said Peggy. "Oh, Harriet, thee should
turn play actress."

"Well, there are times when I think of it, cousin mine. 'Tis rare
sport to make others believe that I am that which I am not."

"But why did thee do it, Harriet? And to be here alone on the
highway!"

"I wanted to see Clifford, Peggy. Neither father nor I had heard aught
from him since the misfortune at Yorktown, save that he was at
Lancaster. We knew not whether he was ill or in health, or whether he
was meeting with kindness or not. As your Congress permits supplies to
be sent to the captured British it occurred to me that I might come
along with them and find out about my brother. Of course, as the Most
Honorable Council of Pennsylvania had banished me from the state, I
dared not come openly, so I slipped in by the back door, as it were.

"Father would not hear of my coming at first. Then I dressed up in
this garb, and went in to where he sat talking with the new commander,
Sir Guy Carleton, who hath come to take Sir Henry Clinton's place, and
neither one of them knew me. Sir Guy declared that there would be no
danger, as a Quakeress would meet with respectful treatment anywhere.
He gave me a pass which would further insure my well being, and so,
when a boat load of stores was shipped to Head of Elk the first of
this week, I came with it. Everything hath gone off well until this
breakdown, and I do not regret that, since it hath brought us
together. So you see, Peggy, the matter is very simple after all."

"Yes," said Peggy. "Harriet, thy brother was at our house in Third
Month."

"He was?" exclaimed Harriet. "Tell me about it, Peggy."

And Peggy told her all that had happened on that memorable first of
March, with its consequences.

"So the Council hauled you and Sally up before it, did it?" cried
Harriet. "Oh, dear, Peggy! you are always getting into trouble over
us, aren't you? And Sally, and Robert, and Fairfax, all helped you in
the affair. That makes me feel sorry about Fairfax Johnson. Do you
know, Peggy, that matter hath created quite a stir in New York? There
were many who wanted Sir Henry to turn over Captain Lippencott to the
rebel general, but the court-martial found that he was acting under
verbal orders from the Honorable Board of Associated Loyalists, and so
should not be punished for o