t it from us."

"I don't wonder at your feelings, Cousin David," she said. "'Tis only,
being English, that it seems to me a mistake to give these colonies
up."

"We have demonstrated by force of arms that we are no longer colonies,
Harriet," he reminded her quietly.

"Oh, I know, Cousin David," she replied gaily. "But, until peace is
declared, I cannot but regard you as belonging to us."

At this David Owen laughed heartily, but his daughter's cheeks
flushed, and her eyes sparkled.

"Thee amuses me, lass. Thy attitude is England's precisely. The king
and his counselors know that they are beaten, but are loath to sign
articles of peace, acknowledging our independence, because by so doing
they surrender their last hold upon what they are pleased to still
term 'colonies.' But it must come."

"A truce, a truce," she cried laughing. "How can we acknowledge that
we are beaten? When did England ever confess such a thing? At any rate
you never could have been victorious had you not been English
yourselves."

Peggy joined her father's laughter, and Harriet too was merry.

"Get all the consolation thou canst out that fact, Harriet," said Mr.
Owen. "So long as independence is acknowledged we care not what sop
England throws to her pride. But," he added with a deep sigh, "I do
wish most earnestly that peace would come."

And so, in such frame of mind, for Harriet's confidence was so great
that it could not but infect them, Dobbs Ferry was reached. The girl
waved them a lively farewell as she stepped aboard the barge which was
to take her across the river.

"It won't be a week ere I shall be back, Peggy," she cried. "I don't
mind saying now that I have reason for my belief that Sir Guy will do
as I wish in this. A week, my cousin, and you, and Clifford, and I
will start again for Lancaster." She secreted her passport as she
waved again to them.

"I pray so, Harriet," returned Peggy.

"She builds too strongly upon the belief that the British commander
will help her, I fear me," remarked Mr. Owen as the ferry pushed away
for the far shore. Peggy turned to him quickly.

"Has thee no hope, father?"

"Very little, lass. General Washington warned Sir Henry Clinton what
the consequences would be if he did not give up the perpetrators of
the murder of Captain Johnson. Sir Henry responded by ordering a
court-martial. When Sir Guy came he communicated the findings of the
court, and seemed to feel bound by the fact that it r