tress here. This is your home."

"If it comes to the worst? To what?"

"Well, if I should be found guilty ... and ... sentenced."

"I should not stay here a minute," she cried, stamping her foot. "Not
one minute after the trial! In this town? With that element? Not for an
hour!"

"Well!" he exclaimed, making a gesture with both hands, together with a
slight shrug of the shoulders.

"Where is Anderson?" she asked quickly.

"In New York, I presume, ere this. I have not seen him."

"Fled?"

"The only proper thing. It's a great wonder to me that he escaped at
all. I should have expected him torn to pieces by that mob."

"A bungled piece of business. I imagined that he was assured of success.
A sorry spectacle to allow them to slip from his grasp so easily."

"Margaret, you do not understand a mob. They are as fickle as a
weather-cock. The least attraction sways them."

"Who did it? Have you yet learned?"

"No. A bedraggled loafer, gifted with more talk than occupation. He was
acquainted with the whole scheme from beginning to end, and worked upon
their feelings with evidences of treason. The sudden mention of my name
in connection with the plot threw cold water on the whole business. They
were on their feet in an instant."

"You are quite popular," was the taunt.

"Evidently. The pass inspired them. It would defeat any purpose, and
Anderson must have sensed it and taken his hurried departure. No one has
since heard or seen aught of him."

"He was a fool to drag you into this, and you were as great a fool to
allow it."

"Margaret, don't chide me in that manner. I did what I thought best. But
I'm through now with these cursed Catholics and with France."

"You are a free man now," she murmured.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that this court-martial relieves you of any further obligation
to the colonies," was the answer.

"But I may still be Second in command."

She paused to regard him. Did he continue to cherish ambitions of this
nature; or was he attempting to jest with her?

"You seem to forget Gates and the Congress," she said with manifest
derision.

"No. In spite of them."

She lost all patience.

"Listen! Don't flatter yourself any longer. Your cause is hopeless, as
hopeless as the cause for which the stupid colonists are contending. You
are now free to put an end to this strife. Go over to the enemy and
persuade Washington and the leaders of the revolt to discuss terms."

"Impossible!"