was quite another matter when we would go
out. It seems as if there must have been some sudden change in the
situation, that Lord Cornwallis should decide not only to prevent
visitors from arriving; but also from departing when they desired to go
home."

"And what have you lads been doing since the time when you found it
impossible to pass the sentinels?" Abel Hunt asked suspiciously, still
holding me by the arm, while the fact that I continued to answer him in
a friendly manner must have been proof that I was afraid of him, and he
so understood it, as I fancied from the tone in which he spoke.

Never before had he dared to accost me other than in the most civil
manner, with his hat in his hand. Now he demanded an answer as if he was
my superior.

"We have done the best we might," Pierre answered, most like fearing I
would make an intemperate reply. "It is not easy to find food among
strangers, and as for a shelter, we long since gave up all hope of that,
therefore are spending the night on our feet, as you see."

"Do you count on walking around till morning?" Hunt demanded.

"What else can we do?" I asked laughingly.

"Have you no friends here in the village?"

"None who can give us shelter," I replied, whereupon the fellow fell
silent for an instant, and then suddenly wheeling me about with a force
that caused me to wince with pain, asked abruptly:

"When last did you see Horry Sims?"

I know full well that a gentleman should never tell a lie, and have ever
contended that under ordinary circumstances it is not only wicked, but
vile to do so. In this case, however, I knew it would cost Pierre and me
our liberty, perhaps our lives, if we held only to the truth, therefore
I replied as if striving to awaken memories:

"I believe it was on the morning the Britishers seized the horses of the
Hamilton plantation. I saw him on the road at that time."

"And you can make no guess as to where he may be now?"

"Why should we waste our time making such foolish guesses as that?"
Pierre demanded as if suddenly grown angry. "Horry Sims, as you well
know, is no friend either to Fitz Hamilton or me, although so far as I
am concerned he has no reason to be an enemy; but because he and Fitz
are at swords' points over politics, do I believe I should side with him
whom I call my friend."

"Meaning that you deny knowing about where Horry may be now?" Abel Hunt
cried in a threatening tone, and Pierre, straightening himself up