She was aroused from her solitude and made radiant on the instant at sight of the Military Governor, limping his way across the hall in her direction. He had seen her seated alone, and his heart urged him to her side. With the lowest bow of which he was then capable, he sought the pleasure of her company. Her color heightened, she smiled graciously with her gray-blue eyes, and accepted his hand. He led the way to the banquet room and thence to the balcony, where they might hear the music and view the dancing, for his lameness made dancing impossible. "I hesitate to condemn a young lady to a prison seat, when the stately minuet sends a summons," he said as he led her to a chair a little to one side of the balcony. "You should have thought of that before you made us cast lots," she replied quickly. "I was wearying of the rounds of pleasure." "Is the company, then, all too gay?" "No, rather extravagant." "You insisted on the Mischienza ladies being present." "And can you not distinguish them? Do they not appear to better advantage than the others? Their gowns are superior, they give evidence of more usage in society, their head-dress is higher and of the latest fashion." "And their hearts, their hopes, their sympathies! Where are they?" "You know where mine lay," she adroitly replied. "True, you did wear a French cockade," he laughed. "Please do not call it 'French.' I scorn all things 'French.'" "They are our allies now, you must know." "For which I am most sorry. I expect no mercy from that scheming Papist country," she replied bitterly. "But they have lent us much money at a time when our paper currency is practically worthless, and the assistance of their fleet is now momentarily expected," the General went on to explain. "And to what purpose? Lord North has proposed to meet our demands most liberally and with our constitutional liberties secured, I fail to see why further strife is necessary." "But our independence is not yet secure." "It was secure after your brilliant victory at Saratoga. With the collapse of Burgoyne, England saw that further campaigning in a country so far removed from home was disastrous. It only remained to formulate some mutual agreement. We have triumphed. Why not be magnanimous? Why subject the country to a terrible strain for years for a result neither adequate nor secure?" She talked rapidly, passionately. It was evident from the manner of her address that the subject was no new one to her. "You can be court-martialed for treason?" he remarked with a slight smile playing about the heavy lines of his mouth. "Is it treason to talk of the welfare of the country? I look upon the alliance with this Catholic and despotic power as more of an act of treason than the total surrender of our armies to King George. To lose our independence is one thing; but to subject our fair land to the tyranny of the Pope and his emissary, the King of France, is a total collapse. Our hopes lie in England alone."