“Your Excellency is very kind,” stammered Harriet while Peggy murmured a “Thank thee, sir.” “Mr. Hamilton, will you kindly place chairs for the ladies?” spoke the general to a slight young man who came forward from the fireplace near which he had been standing. “Nay,” in response to an inquiring glance, “you are not to stay, sir. Mrs. Washington will gladden you later by an introduction.” Then as the young man left the room he added with a slight smile, “I have to be stern with the blades when there are ladies about, else they would have time for no other engagements. And now tell me, I beg, all about this affair. How came it that ye were riding upon that road?” “I asked Peggy to go there,” spoke Harriet quickly; “you see, sir,” with charming candor, “Governor Livingston is a great friend of Cousin David’s, and came to see him but the other day. He told us a great deal of Liberty Hall, and how he had planted hundreds of trees which he had imported from France and England, until I was curious anent the place. Cousin David, or Ensign Drayton, usually rides with us, but Wednesday both were on duty; so, as Cousin David said that there was no danger so long as we kept within the lines, Peggy and I went for our ride alone. I know not how it came about; but perhaps ’twas because the governor had talked about his home, but we found ourselves all at once upon the turnpike going toward Elizabethtown. Presently Fleetwood, being a swifter nag than Star, became restive at our slow pace and to take the edge off him I dashed ahead for a little canter. While I was gone Peggy found the letter and when I came back there she was reading it. It did not take us long to decide what to do, and—but the rest you know, sir,” she ended abruptly. “Yes; I know the rest,” he said musingly. “And so you were not there when Miss Peggy found the note?” “No,” she answered him. “I must have been a mile away. Don’t you think so, Peggy?” “I do not know how far it was,” replied Peggy thoughtfully, “but thee was not with me, Harriet.” “Where did you find it, Miss Peggy?” asked the general turning to her. “You must see that it proves that there is a spy amongst us, and the place where ’twas found may aid somewhat to his capture. Tell me as nearly as possible where you found it.” “Does thee remember where three pines stand together at a bend in the pike about ten miles from Elizabethtown?” she asked. Then as he nodded assent she continued: “It was just in front of those pines, Friend Washington, that it was lying. I caught sight of it and thought some one had lost a letter, and so dismounted and picked it up. Then Harriet returned and—and we had some talk.” Peggy was so candid that she found it hard to gloss over the conversation with her cousin, but she went on after a pause so slight as not to be noticeable. “’Twas deemed best to ride direct to the governor’s house, and Harriet’s Fleetwood being swifter than my Star, reached the Hall first.”