xistence could now be eked out
depended solely in the tillage of the land upon which he dwelled.
Nevertheless the Cadwaladers maintained their outward cheer and apparent
optimism throughout it all but still they yearned inwardly for the day
when strife would be no more.

"I can't see as t' how we're goin' to git off eny better when this here
whole thin's over. We're fightin' fur independence, but the peopul don't
want to change their guver'ment; Washington 'll be king when this is
over."

Jim was ruminating aloud, stripping with his thumb nail the bark from a
small branch which he had picked from the ground.

"'Twas the Quebec Act th' done it. It was supposed to reestablish Popery
in Canada, and did by right. But th' Americans, and mostly those in New
England who are the worst kind of Dissenters and Whigs got skeered
because they thought the Church o' England or the Church o' Rome 'd be
the next thing established in the Colonies. That's what brought on the
war."

"We all don't believe that. Some do; but I don't."

"You don't?" he asked, without lifting his eyes to look at her. "Well
you kin. Wasn't the first thing they did up in New England to rush t'
Canada t' capture the country or else t' form an alliance with it? And
didn't our own Arnold try t' git revenge on it fur not sidin' in with
him by plunderin' th' homes of th' peopul up there and sendin' the goods
back to Ticonderoga?"

She made no reply, but continued to peer into the distance.

"And didn't our Congress send a petition to King George t' have 'm
repeal the limits o' Quebec and to the peopul t' tell 'm the English
Guver'ment 'is not authorized to establish a religion fraught with
sanguary 'r impius tenets'? I know 'cause I read it."

"It makes no diff'rence now. It's over."

"Well it shows the kind o' peopul here. They're so afreed o' the Pope."

She waved her hand in a manner of greeting.

"Who's that?" asked Jim.

"Marjorie."

He turned sideways looking over his shoulder.

Then he stood up.

II

That there was more than a grain of truth in the assertion of Jim
Cadwalader that the war for Independence had, like the great rivers of
the country, many sources, cannot be gainsaid. There were oppressive tax
laws as well as restrictions on popular rights. There were odious
navigation acts together with a host of iniquitous, tyrannical measures
which were destined to arouse the ire of any people however loyal. But
there were religious prej