They settled back and signaled for me to resume my narrative. When I mentioned Crabtree and the other killers both the governor and the colonel expressed a wish that the Indians might catch them, or else scare them from the border. I closed my story by speaking of John Ward, the returned captive. The military instinct of both my hearers was instantly aroused; for here was a source of inside information our spies could not hope to provide. "Find that man and send him here," ordered the governor. "But before you go tell us something of conditions about Fort Dunmore. You seem to have skipped that." This was what I had expected, and I did not relish the task. Had I been talking alone with Colonel Lewis it would have been the first topic I had touched upon. "Your Excellency has Doctor Connolly's despatches. Doubtless they will give you much more than I can," I faltered. "There isn't any danger of your duplicating Doctor Connolly's information," said His Excellency sharply. "His Excellency desires to learn those odds and ends which wouldn't be included in an official report, but which may throw some light on the whole situation," added the colonel, his gaze resting on me very insistently. And somehow I knew he wanted me to talk, and to speak plainly. If I reported according to my sense of duty I feared I was in for an unpleasant experience with His Excellency. If I would ever receive any favors from him it would be because I kept my mouth shut and steered clear of dangerous ground. The situation at Pitt, however, had offended me; and now that I must speak I grew reckless and decided to speak frankly. "Arthur St. Clair, representing the Pennsylvania proprietors, together with other eminent men in that colony, publicly declared that Your Excellency is in partnership with Doctor Connolly in various land-deals," I began. "Doctor Connolly has acted as my agent, just as his uncle, Michael Croghan, has acted for Colonel George Washington," easily remarked His Excellency. "Croghan repudiates the acts of Connolly," I said. Dunmore frowned and spoke wide of the mark when he said: "What St. Clair and his friends see fit to believe scarcely constitutes facts. But go on." "They also say that this war with the Shawnees is being hurried on for the purpose of establishing our boundary-claims and making good our titles to grants under Virginia patents." "Scarcely news. They've been howling that ever since last April," growled Lewis. "I've been absent some months. I have no way of knowing what you've heard, or haven't heard. I'm afraid I have nothing new in the way of facts or gossip," I said, and my face flushed. Governor Dunmore laughed softly and good-naturedly nodded for me to continue. I said: