"'God forbid! But should it even be the case, Gilbert, I should know no friend among my country's enemies. Farewell--you will think better of this subject; and remember, that no one but a _Republican_ will ever win Jane Hatfield,' said Murray. "The young men wrung each other's hands, and each went his way." "Murray thought he would put in the last remark by way of strengthening the effect of the vision in the clouds, I suppose," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Yes; the promise of the hand of a lovely girl has a great influence on the opinions of a young man," replied Morton. "But in this case, if you will wait till my story is through, you will see that Jane Hatfield had but little to do with Lester's conversion. The next morning after the occurrence of the wonderful phantom in the clouds, Murray left his home, and soon after enlisted in the army under General Montgomery. He was in the unlucky expedition against Québec. "After the death of Montgomery, and the uniting of the different detachments under Arnold, as their head, Murray, to his marvellous astonishment, encountered his friend Gilbert Lester among the Pennsylvania riflemen, under Captain Morgan. By some strange accident, and each being ignorant of the proximity of the other, they had not met before the attack on Québec. Great, therefore, was Murray's surprise and pleasure; for, since the evening of their last conversation on the banks of the Lehigh, he had no opportunity of learning whether there had been any change in the political sentiments of his friend. With the utmost fervor of delight he grasped his hand as he exclaimed: "'I rejoice to see you,--but, my dear friend, what is the meaning of this meeting? And how, in the name of wonder, came you here?' "'Why, it is truly a wonder to myself, Murray,' replied Lester, 'that I ever got here; or that any of us, who passed through that frightful wilderness, are now alive to tell the story.' "'The wilderness! I should like to know how you contrived to get into the wilderness from the place where I last saw you?' said Murray. "'I remember,' said Gilbert, laughing; 'you left me looking at the clouds on the banks of the Lehigh; and, perhaps, you imagine that I was taken up into them, and dropped down in that horrible place as a punishment for my _toryism!_' "'And if that was not the case, pray throw a little light on the mystery.' "'Have patience, then, and let me tell my story my own way. The getting into the labyrinth was a trifle in comparison to the getting out. Believe me, the tales of romance are nothing to the tremendous horrors of that march. Why do you look incredulous?' "'You know your love of the marvellous, Gilbert--but go on; only don't out-Herod Herod in your description.'