such as the marshals of France used in my youth. We are at
Washington's headquarters on the Hudson, fifty years ago.'"

"A great deal must have happened in this region during the
Revolution," remarked Mrs. Leland. "Haven't you another little story
for us, mother?"

"Yes; I was just thinking that the taking of a spy occurred not far
from here. At the time that Washington's headquarters were at
Newburgh, Generals Greene and Knox had theirs in a house on the New
Windsor Road about three miles west from Plum Point; and about a mile
farther west was the house of Mrs. Falls. There Governor Clinton had
his headquarters. He and his brother were in command of Forts Clinton
and Montgomery, among the Hudson Highlands, when the British succeeded
in taking them in spite of the desperate defence of the American
patriots. It was then General Clinton established his headquarters at
the house of Mrs. Falls and collected his dispersed troops preparatory
to marching to the defence of Kingston. About noon on the 10th of
October a horseman came riding up into the camp in great haste. The
sentinel challenged him.

"He replied, 'I am a friend and wish to see General Clinton.'

"The man was a Tory, bearing a message from Sir Henry Clinton to
Burgoyne, who was at that time hedged up in Saratoga. This messenger
supposed the American forces on the Hudson to be utterly broken and
destroyed; and, as the British never gave our officers their titles in
speaking of or to them, he thought General Clinton must belong to the
British Army, so believed himself among his friends.

"He was taken to Clinton's quarters, and when he was ushered into that
officer's presence he perceived his mistake. 'I am lost!' he exclaimed
to himself in a low but audible tone, and hastily taking something
from his pocket, swallowed it, evidently with some difficulty. This
aroused the suspicions of those about him; a physician was summoned,
and gave the prisoner a powerful dose of tartar emetic."

"Why, grandma, what a foolish fellow he was to take it!" exclaimed
Eric Leland.

"I think it was administered surreptitiously," she replied, "in a
glass of wine or beer probably, without letting him know their
suspicions or intentions. I have been giving you Lossing's version of
the affair, but years ago I read another, going rather more into
detail. It said the patriots did not let the Tory know their
suspicions of him, but, acting as if they thought him all right,
invited