aide, Major Franks, and he lifted his arm to
salute.

"Captain Meagher, I have orders for your arrest."

"Sir?" answered Stephen in alarm.

"On charges preferred by Colonel Forrest. You are to come with me at
once."

An embarrassing silence ensued.

Stephen then saluted, and handed over his side arms. He wheeled his
horse and set off in the direction indicated, his thoughts in a turmoil.

The Major fell in at the rear.

CHAPTER VII

I

"For still my mem'ry lingers on the scenes
And pleasures of the days beyond recall."

Peggy's voice, timid, soft though pretty, died away into an enraptured
silence which seemed to endure for the longest while before the room
burst into a generous measure of applause. She was very well accompanied
on the clavichord by Miss Rutteledge and on the harp by Monsieur Ottow,
Secretary to the French Minister. The evening had been delightful; the
assembly brilliant in quality, and unaffectedly congenial and diverting.
The music had contributed much to the pleasures of the function, for the
Shippens' was one of the few homes in the city where such a resource was
at all possible.

"Major! Major Franks! What do you think of my little girl? Do you think
'twould be well for her to cultivate such a voice?"

Mrs. Shippen turned sideways. There was gratification, genuine,
complacent gratification, visible in every line of her smiling face.

"Splendid! Splendid! Of course. Madame, she sings very prettily,"
replied the Major, gathering himself from the state of partial repose
into which he had fallen.

He sat up.

"And do you know, Major," went on the fond mother, "she never had a
tutor, except some of our dear friends who made this their home during
the winter."

"You mean the British?"

"Of course they did not make so free with everybody in the city, with
only a few, you know. It was for General Howe himself that Margaret
first made bold enough to sing."

"She does very well, I am sure," was the reply.

The little group again lapsed into silence as Peggy responded with an
encore, this selection being a patriotic air of a lighter vein. The
Major again lapsed into an easy attitude, but Mrs. Shippen was visibly
intent upon every motion of the singer and followed her every syllable.

"How much does music contribute to one's pleasure!" she remarked when
the conversation began to stir.

"It is charming," Mr. Anderson observed.

"And do you know that we inheri