f the Broadway, he told his story, whereupon witnesses to his
identity were easily found, and, Captain Falconer having been brought
to confront him, he was released from bodily custody. He must have had
a private interview with Falconer, and, perhaps, obtained money from
him, before he came to the Faringfield house to vent his
disappointment upon Madge. Or else he had got money from some other
source; he may have gambled with what part of his pay he received in
the early campaigns. He may, on some occasion, have safely violated
Washington's orders against private robbery under the cover of war. He
may have had secret dealings with the "Skinners" or other unattached
marauders. In any case, his assured manner of offering Madge a passage
to England with him, showed that he possessed the necessary means.

He had instantly recognised a critical moment of Madge's life, the
moment when she found herself suddenly deprived of all resource but a
friendly hospitality which she was too proud to make long use of, as a
heaven-sent occasion for his ends. At another time, he would not have
thought of making Madge his partner in an enterprise like the
Irishman's--he feared her too much, and was too sensible of her
dislike and contempt.

He set forth his scheme to her the next day, taking her acquiescence
for granted. She listened quietly, without expressing her thoughts;
but she neither consented nor refused. Ned, however, made full
arrangements for their voyage; considering it the crowning godsend of
a providential situation, that a vessel was so soon to make the trip,
notwithstanding the unlikely time of year. When Margaret's things were
brought over to our house, he advised her to begin packing at once,
and he even busied himself in procuring additional trunks from his
mother and mine, that she might be able to take all her gowns to
London. The importance of this, and of leaving none of her jewelry
behind, he most earnestly impressed upon her.

Yet she did not immediately set about packing, Ned probably had
moments of misgiving, and of secret cursing, when he feared he might
be reckoning without his host. The rest of us, at the time, knew
nothing of what passed between the two: he pretended that the extra
trunks were for some mysterious baggage of his own: nor did we then
know what passed between her and Captain Falconer late in the day, and
upon which, indeed, her decision regarding Ned's offer depended.

She had watched at our