tish line of retreat. Maxwell's brigade, with which I was
connected, even crossed the river in advance, cooeperating with General
Dickinson and his New Jersey militia. All was excitement, commotion,
apparently disorder, yet, even amid that turmoil of approaching battle,
Hamilton recalled my request, and granted me two days' leave. His brief
note reached me at Coryell's Ferry, and, an hour later, I was riding
swiftly across the country to where Lee had headquarters.

Not once during all those days and nights had the memory of Claire left
me. Over and over in my mind I had reviewed all that had ever occurred
between us, striving in vain to guess the riddle. Now I would see and
talk with her brother, and perhaps obtain the explanation needed. Yet I
have gone into battle with less trepidation than when I rode into Lee's
headquarters, and asked his chief-of-staff for Eric Mortimer. He looked
at me strangely, as I put the question.

"I should be very glad to oblige you, Major Lawrence," he replied
gravely, "but unfortunately I have no present knowledge of the young
man."

"But he was attached to General Lee's staff?"

"Only in a way--he was useful to us as a scout because of his intimate
knowledge of the Jerseys. His home, I understand, was near Mount Holly."

"What has become of him?"

"All I know is, he was sent out on a special mission, by Washington's own
orders, nearly a month ago. We have not directly heard from him since. An
Indian brought us a partial report of his operations up to that time;
since then we have received nothing."

"An Indian!" I exclaimed. "The same who brought in my notes?"

"I believe so; yes, now that I recall the matter. I had no opportunity to
question the fellow; he simply left the papers with the orderly, and
disappeared."

"And you have heard nothing from young Mortimer since?"

"Not a word."

"He must be dead, or a prisoner."

The chief smiled rather grimly.

"Or deserted," he added sharply. "I am more inclined toward that theory.
He was a reckless young devil, attracted to our service more, it seemed
to me, by a spirit of dare-deviltry than patriotism. Lee thought well of
him, but I was always suspicious. He belonged to a family of loyalists,
his father a Colonel of Queen's Rangers. Did you know him, Lawrence?"

"The father, not the son. But I am not willing to believe evil of the
boy. I cannot conceive that treachery is in the Mortimer blood, sir, and
shall have to be convi