They all stared at her in such frank amazement that she broke into a giggle.
"Perhaps you think that's rather astonishing, but I've something to say that's even more so. I told you I'd give you the surprise of your lives, and here it is: the exact spot where the Richmond Hill mansion stood was—just about where this house stands now!"
CHAPTER VIII
BAFFLED!
If Corinne thought to create a sensation by her last disclosure, she was gratified beyond her wildest expectations. It was not, however, what they all said (for they were rendered literally speechless by surprise), but the way they looked that caused her to go almost into hysterics of laughter. If she had informed them that there was a lighted bomb about to go off in the cellar, they could not have assumed more open-mouthed, startled expressions!
"Oh, don't look so stunned!" she panted, at length, weak with laughter. "It won't hurt you!"
"But—b-but—" stammered Margaret, and at last brought out the eternal question, "how—how do you know?"
"The way I know is this, and in order to explain it, I might as well tell you the whole history of the place. It won't take long, and it will make you understand better. We know how Richmond Hill began, so I won't go over that. After the battle of Long Island and Washington's retreat from New York, we don't hear a thing about it till the end of the war. About that time it was the headquarters of the British general, Sir Guy Carleton. After the war, when Washington became President and New York the capital, Richmond Hill was taken by Vice-President John Adams as his residence till the capital was removed to Washington.
"Then Aaron Burr took it, lived there a number of years, improved the place a lot, and made the grounds very beautiful. I must tell you right now that the place was a hill at that time, about a hundred feet high, and had a fine view over the Hudson. The river was nearer too, just a few feet beyond Greenwich Street. That hardly seems possible, for it's blocks farther off now. But in later years they filled it in and made a lot more space to build on, and that has moved the river banks farther away. Well, Burr lived here with his wife and a lovely little daughter, Theodosia, till after he killed Hamilton in the duel. Then he had to give the place up, and it was sold.