at this important
juncture. This blundering Congress would be overwhelmed by the part he
would play in his new career, and he would carry back in triumph his
country to its old allegiance.

Gradually his anger resolved itself into vindictive machination, which
grew in intensity as it occupied him the more. He might obtain the
command of the right wing of the American army, and at one stroke
accomplish what George Monk had achieved for Charles the Second. It was
not so heinous a crime to change sides in a civil war, and history has
been known to reward the memory of those who performed such daring and
desperate exploits. His country will have benefited by his signal
effort, and his enemies routed at the same time in the shame of their
own confusion. He would open negotiations with Sir Henry Clinton over an
assumed name to test the value of his proposals.

"They'll pay me before I am through. I shall endure in history, with the
Dukes of Albemarle and Marlborough."

As he mused over the condition of affairs and the possibilities of the
situation, he wandered into the great room, where he saw two letters
lying on the center table. Picking them up, he saw that one was
addressed to Mrs. Arnold, the other to himself. He tore open his letter
and read the signature. It bore the name of John Anderson.

II

The writer went on to say that he had arrived in safety in the city of
New York, after a hurried and forced departure from Philadelphia. The
meeting was terminated in a tumult because of the deliberate and
fortunate appeal of an awkward mountebank, who was possessed with a fund
of information which was fed to the crowd both skillfully and
methodically; and by the successful coupling of the name of General
Arnold with the proposed plot, had overwhelmed the minds of the assembly
completely.

He revealed the fact that the members of the court had already bound
themselves in honor to prefer charges against General Arnold in order
that the powerful Commonwealth of Pennsylvania might be placated. He did
not know the result of the trial, but predicted that there would be but
one verdict and that utterly regardless of the evidence.

"Hm!" muttered Arnold to himself.

The British Government, he added, was already in communication with the
American Generals, with the exception of Washington, and was desirous of
opening correspondence with General Arnold. Every one knew that he was
the bravest and the most deserving of the Am