“Chatham?” she answered impatiently. “Clifford, don’t you understand? I could not come to Chatham, because I failed. Sir Guy will not give up that Captain Lippencott to the rebel general. Sir Guy! Poof! I weary of him!” She gave her foot an impatient stamp. “Why should he shield a refugee when an English officer’s life is at stake? And I have helped to further his plans too, my brother. I carried goods into Lancaster for him, contraband they were. ’Tis the plan now to subdue the Americans by their love of indulgences, and by so pampering them draw out the money from the country. When all is gone they must surrender. War cannot be carried on without money. I helped him in his plan, I say, and now he will not do this for me.”
“And that wagon with the false bottom was where those goods were?” he said. “Harriet, how could you do it? With Cousin David who hath been so kind to you in charge of that work of detection.”
“I did not know that he was there, Clifford. As for the false bottom in the wagon, I knew naught of that, as I said. I was not told of that. It was a——”
“A cask in a barrel of vinegar,” put in Peggy quietly. “John found it, Harriet, but he did not speak of it to father, or Robert, or thy brother here.”
“John Drayton found it?” she cried, amazed. “Why, how did he come to look in the vinegar?”
“I think ’twas something that thee said which caused him to be suspicious, Harriet. So thee sees that that part of thy general’s plan hath failed.”
“I am glad of it,” cried Harriet. “Glad! Glad! He would not help me. He will only investigate further. And General Washington will wait no longer when he has heard from him. Clifford, you need too much explanation. The time hath come to act.”
“Do I understand that you are responsible for having us brought to this place?” he asked.
“Yes, oh, yes,” she answered hastily. “Only Peggy was not to come in here. She was to be kept in another room, and after all was over she was to be returned to camp.”
“After what was over, my sister?” His voice was cold, but Harriet did not seem to notice it.