“Peggy, I am unstrung,” answered Harriet. “And I am afraid that I have done wrong about—about many things. I wish, oh, Peggy, I wish I had not had you give that note to that soldier. I’m afraid that ’twill be found.”
“Well? And what if it is, Harriet? There is nought of harm in it?” Peggy spoke calmly hoping to soothe her cousin by her manner.
“Peggy!” Harriet clasped her arms about her convulsively. “Promise me that you will not tell that I asked you to give it to him!”
“But,” began Peggy.
“Promise, promise,” cried Harriet feverishly.
“I promise, Harriet,” said Peggy, hoping to quiet her.
“Peggy” called Mrs. Owen’s voice at this moment, “thee must make haste. The aide is waiting.”
“Yes, mother,” answered Peggy and there was no further opportunity for conversation. To her surprise Harriet recovered her spirits at once and when they reached headquarters was quite herself.
“’Twas most kind of you, Lady Washington, to have us again so soon,” she cried gaily as Mrs. Washington received them in the wide hall of the dwelling.
“It is we who are honored,” said the lady graciously. “I am quite cross with Mr. Washington because he insists that he must see you first. He wishes to have some talk with you before the dinner is served. No, Billy,” as William Lee, General Washington’s body-servant, came forward to show the maidens up-stairs. “It will give me great pleasure to help the young ladies myself with their wraps. We are all very proud of our English co-patriot. ’Twas a great thing for you to do, my dear,” she added leading the way up the winding staircase. “It must have taken an effort on your part to go against your own people, and shows very plainly that your sympathy with the cause is sincere.”