“It would be best for both of you, for your own safety, to remain in the house and keep the windows closed,” I said.
“So I think,” she replied.
I turned away, for I wished to think further what disposition to make of Kate Van Auken and her mother. It seemed that they should remain no longer at such a critical point of our line, where in an unwatched moment they might do us a great evil. Moreover, I was much inflamed against Kate because of the treacherous shot which had come so near to ending Whitestone’s career. But even then I sought for some mitigating circumstance, some excuse for her. Perhaps her family had so long worked upon her that her own natural and patriotic feelings had become perverted to such an extent that she looked upon the shot as a righteous deed. Cases like it were not new.
I thought it best to take Whitestone into my confidence.
“We can not do anything to-day,” he said, “for none of us can leave here; but it would be well to keep a good watch upon that house again to-night.”
This advice seemed good, for like as not Kate Van Auken, not at all daunted by her failure, would make another attempt to escape southward.
Therefore with much interest I waited the coming of our second night there, which was but a brief time away.