As Barclugh stepped into the dooryard, he drew a guinea from his pocket and placed it in the hand of Benjamin Andrews, remarking while he did so: “Mr. Andrews, you have been so kind and considerate of me, I wish to leave you my name and give you a small token of my appreciation of your generous and hearty hospitality. My name is Roderick Barclugh; I am on my way to General Washington’s headquarters, and I hope that I may see you again. If I can be of any service to you, I shall gladly be at your command.” “Wal, Mr. Barclugh, I thought mebbee you had some desire to not give your name, and I couldn’t be rude enough to ask you. But you have mistaken Benjamin Andrews, when you offer him gold for his simple services to a friend of General Washington. I could not and I would not be guilty of this kind er hospitality. You may need this money before the war is over. I can git along fust-rate without it,” were the words of Andrews, as he looked straight into Barclugh’s eyes and held out the coin for its return. Barclugh reluctantly took the piece of gold and being completely nonplussed at the sterling qualities of his backwoods host, he grasped him by the hand, and said with much earnestness: “Sir, I honor your courtesy and your sentiments. May we meet again so that I can return your kindness. I thank you.” At that the rider turned and rode toward the gate. But before Barclugh could reach the gate, little Sammy Andrews was on foot before him, and as the horse passed through the gate, already opened by Sammy, Barclugh beckoned the boy to come near him and pressed into his hand a small buckskin wallet containing two guineas, telling the boy at the same time: “Sammy, take this to your mother with the best wishes of Mr. Barclugh.” The boy flew toward the house, as Barclugh rode up the road, and soon disappeared over the hill, among the timber. CHAPTER XX Passing through scenes which impressed upon Barclugh the virtues and the hardihood of the Colonists, he rode the whole day wondering how such noble souls as Benjamin Andrews were to be conquered. They were resourceful, self-reliant, and the peer of any Englishman in gentlemanly virtues. So long as they had no need or desire for the artificial demands of society their character remained absolutely unassailable. But in the cities, where luxury and old-world customs were imbued, there the power of money would be felt, and only there. However, after six days of travel, the suborner of American character had had several good-sized shocks to his theories, and one of these was the fact that one hundred years ago or less, the ground over which he had travelled had been an unbroken wilderness, and now flourishing settlements and homes were met at every turn. What was Britain to do with four millions of earnest, fearless people launched in a war for independence? Oh, that the King’s advisers had known what he had seen! They would have paused and considered the demands of their people across the sea.