ceedings. Two of the judges sat in grave
reserve, fixing their eyes on the object of their investigation; but
the president continued gazing round with uneasy, convulsive motions
of the muscles of the face, that indicated a restlessness foreign to
his years and duty. The silence, and the expectation in every eye, at
length struck him, and making an effort to collect himself, he spoke,
in the tone of one used to authority.

"Bring forth the prisoner," he said, with a wave of the hand.

Frances turned for a moment, in grateful emotion, as the deep and
perturbed breathings of Dunwoodie reached her ears; but her brother
again concentrated all her interest in one feeling of intense care. In
the background were arranged the inmates of the family who owned the
dwelling, and behind them, again, was a row of shining faces of
ebony, glistening with pleased wonder. Among these was the faded
lustre of Caesar Thompson's countenance.

"You are said," continued the president, "to be Henry Wharton, a
captain in his Britannic Majesty's Sixtieth regiment of foot."

"I am."

"It is an accusation against you, that, being an officer of the enemy,
you passed the pickets of the American army at the White Plains, in
disguise, on the 29th of October last, whereby you are suspected of
views hostile to the interests of America, and have subjected yourself
to the punishment of a spy."

The mild but steady tones of the speaker, as he slowly repeated the
substance of this charge, were full of authority. The accusation was
so plain, the facts so limited, the proof so obvious, and the penalty
so well established, that escape seemed impossible. But Henry replied
with earnest grace:

"That I passed your pickets in disguise is true; but----"

"Peace!" interrupted the president; "the usages of war are stern
enough in themselves; you need not aid them in your own condemnation."

"The prisoner can retract that declaration, if he please," remarked
another judge. "His confession, if taken, goes fully to prove the
charge."

"I retract nothing that is true," said Henry, proudly.

"You are at liberty to explain what your motives were in entering the
ground held by our army, in disguise," said the other judge, with a
slight movement of the muscles of his face.

"I am the son of this aged man before you," continued Henry. "It was
to visit him that I encountered the danger. Besides, the country below
is seldom held by your troops, and its very name i