"Dorothy, speak,—what is it?" her brother demanded. "Hugh?" and he turned questioningly, as Dorothy threw herself into his arms.
"He called me a British spy," she sobbed, "and tried to shoot me!"
He held her closer, while he listened to Hugh and Captain Southorn as they told him of all that had passed.
It appeared that Hugh, returning through the woods from his mission to the outposts, had found a horse tied not far away from where they were now standing. This struck him as something unusual; and looking about, he noticed that the bushes were trampled and broken in a direction which seemed to lead toward Washington's headquarters.
Suspecting a possible spy, he had cautiously followed the plainly marked way, and soon caught sight of a man dodging about, as if not wishing to be seen, and so intent upon watching something in front of him as to be quite unconscious of Hugh's approach.
Stealing as close as possible, Hugh stood silent, now aware that the man's attention was centred upon the regular pathway through the wood.
Presently he saw him raise his gun, and feared it might be Washington himself at whom he was aiming; for he knew the Commander-in-Chief was to be abroad that morning, and he made no doubt that this was some emissary of the enemy bent upon murdering him.
Thinking only of this, Hugh had thrown himself upon the man, but too late to prevent the discharge of the gun, although he succeeded in diverting its aim.
"And saved her life!" exclaimed Captain Southorn and John Devereux together.
Hugh uttered no word until Dorothy turned to him suddenly and took his hand, while she looked up at him in a way that needed no speech.