He folded his arms and crossed his knee. An hour later she stood at the gate taking her leave of Jim and Nancy at the termination of a short but pleasant visit. "Keep a stout heart," she was saying to Jim, "for better days are coming." "I know 't, girl. Washington won't fail." "He is coming here shortly." "To Philadelphia?" asked Nancy. "Yes. So he instructed Captain Meagher." "I hope he removes Arnold." "Hardly. He is a sincere friend to him. He wishes to see Congress." "Has he been summon'd?" "No! Captain Meagher intimated to me that a letter had been sent to His Excellency from the former chaplain of Congress, the Rev. Mr. Duche, complaining that the most respectable characters had withdrawn and were being succeeded by a great majority of illiberal and violent men. He cited the fact that Maryland had sent the Catholic Charles Carroll of Carrollton instead of the Protestant Tilghman." "Who is this Duche?" "I do not know. But he has since fled to the British. He warmly counseled the abandonment of Independence." "If that's his style, he's no good. Will we see the Gin'ral?" "Perhaps. Then again he may come and go secretly." "God help the man," breathed Nancy. CHAPTER II I "Simply a written statement. A public utterance from you denouncing the Catholics would prove of incalculable value to us." John Anderson had been for an hour or more in the company of the Military Governor. Seemingly great progress had been made in the recruiting of the regiment, much of which had, of necessity, been effected in a secret manner, for now the city was under the domination of the Continental forces. Anderson had made the most of his time and was in a fair way to report progress for the past month. "Don't be a fool, Anderson. You know that it would be the height of folly for me to make any such statement. I can do no more than I am doing. How many have you?" "Nearly an hundred." "There are several miserable Papists in Congress. If they could be prevailed upon to resign, it would create a considerable impression upon the minds of the people." "I did see Carroll." "How did he receive you?" "He replied to me that he had entered zealously into the Revolution to obtain religious as well as civil liberty, and he hoped that God would grant that this religious liberty would be preserved in these states to the end of time." "Confound him! We cannot reach him, I suppose." "So it appears. He is intensely patriotic." "You have an hundred, you say? All common folk, I venture. We should have several influential men." "But they cannot be reached. I know well the need of a person of influence, which thought urged me to ask such a statement from you." He looked at him savagely. "Do you think I'm a fool?" "'The fool knows more in his own house than a wise man does in another's.' I merely suggest, that is all." "My answer is,--absolutely, No!" There was silence.