in, this time with pleasure, and I picked up my
scabbard and sent my blade home.

"I must beg you to excuse me, Lieutenant Allen," I said. "Colonel
Washington says right. My sword is not my own until we have met the
French. Then I shall be only too pleased to conclude the argument."

Allen's lips curved in a disdainful smile.

"I thought you would be somewhat less eager to vindicate the courage of
Virginia once you had pause for reflection," he sneered. "Provincials are
all of a kind, and the breed is not a choice one."

I bit my lips to keep back the angry retort which leaped to them, and I
saw Washington's hand trembling on his sword. It did me good to see that
even he maintained his calmness only by an effort.

"Oh, come, Allen," cried Pennington, "you go too far. There can be no
question of Lieutenant Stewart's courage. He was ready enough to meet
you, God knows! Colonel Washington is right, our swords belong to the
king while he has work for them," and the young fellow, with flushed
face, held out his hand to Washington, who grasped it warmly.

"I thank you," he said simply. "I should be sorry to believe that all the
king's officers could so far forget their duty. Come, lieutenant," he
added to me, and taking me by the arm, he walked me out of the group,
which opened before us, and I ventured to think that not all of the faces
were unfriendly. "I have a message for Sir Peter Halket," he said, when
we were out of earshot. "Show me his quarters, Tom, and so soon as I have
finished my business, we will talk over this unhappy affair."

I led the way toward the building where the commander of the Forty-Fourth
was quartered, too angry with myself and with the world to trust myself
to speak. Why should I, who came of as good family as any in Virginia, be
compelled to swallow insults as I had to-night? I almost regretted for
the moment that I was in the service.

"But the time will come," I said, speaking aloud before I thought.

"Yes, the time will come, Tom," and Washington looked at me with a grim
smile. "The time will come sooner than you think, perhaps, when these
braggarts will be taught a lesson which they greatly need. Pray heaven
the lesson be not so severe that it shake the king's empire on this
continent."

"Shake the king's empire?" I repeated, looking at him in amazement. "I
do not understand."

"No matter," he said shortly. "Here we are at headquarters. Do you wait
for me. I will be but a moment;"