“Grand! Magnificent!!” exclaimed Andre. “We need a stroke like this to arouse the nation, and counteract the French coalition with America. I am devoted to your plan. I believe patents of nobility and grants of land are the only means that will subdue the Americans. Of course, results must first be brought about by the judicious use of gold to gain the leaders. “However, Mr. Barclugh,” continued Andre gaily. “How is my friend, Mrs. Arnold? We used to have such gay times while in Philadelphia. Does she not sympathize with our social life? I have heard that after our evacuation of Philadelphia, the event was celebrated by a grand ball given by the Whig element, but, when it came to a list of those who should be invited, enough belles could not be found unless the Tories were included. So the whole list of ladies that attended our grand heraldic pageant, the Mischianza, had to be invited to be present to have a success. The Shippens, the Chews, the Bonds, the Redmans, the Willings and the whole list of our friends were there. Any of the ladies of the first circles who will not stand for the principles of aristocracy is a _rara avis_.” “But you forget, Major Andre,” argued Barclugh, “that when you do find such a lady, you will have a gem of the finest brilliancy. Such a one will be a Whig out of principle, whereas a woman becomes a Tory out of sentiment,” as he recalled the argument between Mollie Greydon and Mrs. Arnold at the dinner party at Robert FitzMaurice’s. Andre’s quarters were reached after the exchange of many pleasantries, and the soldier showed the financier a room and bed and gave the key to Barclugh to guard himself against any intrusion. Barclugh was now safely quartered where he could carry out his business with the utmost secrecy. The remainder of that night and the next day were spent in bed by Barclugh. He was suffering severely from the fall off of his horse, the night before his arrival. Major Andre had meals brought to his own room, and then quietly carried the meals to Barclugh himself. After two days and two nights of rest and nursing and a supply of clean linen, Barclugh was sufficiently recovered to be escorted, in the dead of the night,--when nothing was astir in the old Dutch town but the solitary sentinel--to the Beekman mansion, the present location of 52nd Street and Broadway. Here were the quarters of General Clinton. Major Andre had his permanent quarters at No. 1 Broadway, and when he and Barclugh walked out of the rear of these quarters a chaise and postillion were ready for the financier and his escort to be driven in haste to General Clinton. Sir Henry Clinton, the Commander of the British forces in North America, spent much of his time at his country house, the former mansion of Dr. Beekman, and on the night in question he was anxiously waiting to greet Roderick Barclugh.