Aunt Clarissa had dropped her stocking and rushed into the next room. "God forgive me!" she had exclaimed, when she was alone, and she had reached her long arms up above her head. "Curse them and their tyrants to the bottom of the sea! How could I have been so blind—so stubborn?"
When she had come back, however, she kissed her nephew on the forehead.
The remembrance of the scene, and the picture of it which was going through his mind, had caused George to pause and sink back silently among the cushions. "I think I will rest a little," he said.
No one disturbed him, and for some time there was silence.
In a few minutes a loud, hearty voice was heard ringing through the hallway.
George smiled. "Colonel Hewes," he said. "Do ask him in."
The Colonel greeted his young friend with a subdued effusion, and, with the gentleness of a woman, spread out George's fingers in his palm.
"Just back from headquarters!" he said. "Lad, lad, I have had you on my mind, and when I heard of your escape, I grew quite young again. The Commander-in-Chief himself rejoiced to hear of it, for the officer with despatches from the north brought the news of your arrival. But when his Excellency heard for what you had gone to New York he grew quite angry. He laid aside my request for active service, though. Too bad the plan fell through! It was my idea.—I wrote and proposed it to the printer."
George smiled to himself. Perhaps Mr. Hewes's next venture would be an attempt to capture the King of England.
"Did you come along by the Tumble Ridge Road?" inquired the Colonel. He did not catch Aunt Clarissa's warning glance.