me that Stephen told you he was very fond of
you?"

"Yes."

"And you told him the same."

"No, I didn't."

"But you will tell him."

A hush followed. She looked askance at him from the corner of her eye.

"And so after you two have told one another as much as that you may as
well decide upon the date."

"But ... I ... I am not sure that I want to marry him."

"Well, that is your privilege, you know."

"And.... And ... perhaps he will never ask me again."

"Just wait a bit."

"And would you marry him?"

"I told you that I would not. I already have one wife...."

"Oh! You make me lose all patience," she cried rising from the floor and
leaving him. "I shall confide in mother."

"Remember," he cautioned her in a somewhat serious strain. "Do not ask
her to marry him."

She was gone.

The following day a letter was dispatched to the Headquarters at
Morristown, New Jersey. In the meantime a very large doubt began to take
form in the mind of one little girl concerning the manner of its
reception. A thousand and one impossible situations were conceived, but
there seemed nothing to do; he must now do it all. The possibility
loomed ghost-like before her: he might never return. The wound which she
had caused still smarted and ached. He might never return. Her eyes
wandered and strayed among the multitude of objects before them; her
lips had forgotten their usual smile. He might fail to receive her note
and if he did he might disdain to acknowledge it. But no! He would not
do that. There was naught else to do but wait. Oh! if the moments would
only hurry!

CHAPTER IV

I

It was a great day for Philadelphia when the Continental Congress went
to Mass. It was Independence Day, too, but this was of lesser importance
in the estimation of the people, especially of the Catholic portion of
them. Fully a quarter before the hour, the bell began to sound and the
streets became like so many avenues of commerce with people standing in
doorways, or leaning from their windows, or hurrying with feverish haste
in the direction of the New Chapel of St. Mary's, the parish church of
the city. There a number of them congregated in twos or threes to await
the procession of notables, who would soon approach with great solemnity
and dignity from the opposite corner of the street.

The celebration came about in this manner:

It was the desire of M. Gerard, the Minister Plenipotentiary of France,
to commemorate the anniv