Bagby had the grace to grow a brick red at this revelation and home thrust, and he began an attempted explanation. But Brereton, who had helped both his charges to the ground, did not let them give ear to it. "I will bide at the tavern, and we'll start to-morrow as soon after daybreak as we can," he said, as he escorted them to the door, then turned back to the two assemblymen, who were busy expressing frank opinions of each other. "Quarrel as you like," he broke in, "but understand one thing now. That bill must never be introduced, or the pair of you shall hear from me. I warn you both that I have in my possession your signed oaths of allegiance to King George, and if you dare to push your persecution of the Merediths I'll ride from one end of Middlesex County to t' other, and prove to your constituents what kind of Whigs you are, over your own hands and seals." He took the two bridles and walked toward the tavern. "Thet 'ere is a lie!" cried Hennion, yet following the officer. "It is, if you never signed such a paper," remarked Jack, drily. "I defy yer ter show it." challenged Hennion. "If you want sight of it, introduce the bill," retorted the aide. "Say, colonel," said Bagby, with a decided cringe, "you won't use those documents against your old friends, will you?" "'T ain't fer a Continental officer ter injure them cairn ginooine Whigs," chimed in Hennion, "an' only swore an oath cuz it seemed bestest jest then." "If you don't want those papers known, stop persecuting the Merediths." "So thet gal 's caught yer, too, hez she? Look aout fer them. They'll use yer ter save theer lands, an' then they'll send yer ter right-abaout, like they done with my Phil. I warns yer agin 'em, an' ef yer don't listen ter me, the day'll come when yer'll rue it." Meanwhile the Drinkers had made the new arrivals most welcome; and the two girls, with so much to tell each other, found it difficult to know where to begin. They had not talked long, however, when Janice became conscious that there was a rift in the lute. "My letter," she said, "would have told you better than ever I now can all about the routs and the plays, and everything else; but, alas! some one broke into our house the night the British left Philadelphia, and search as I would the next day, I could not find what I had written you." "I should think thee 'd be glad," replied Tibbie; "for surely thou 'rt ashamed of having been so Toryish." "Not I," denied Janice. "And why should I be?" "Shame upon thee, Janice Meredith, for liking the enemies of thy country!" "And pray, madam," questioned Janice, "what has caused this sudden fervour of Whigism in you?" "I never was unfaithful to my country, nor smiled on its persecutors." "Humph!" sniffed Janice. "One would think, to hear you talk, that you have given those smiles to some rebel lover." "Better a Whig lover than one of your popinjay British officers," retorted Tibbie, crimsoning.