with; humiliation he could not endure."

The little group presented a varied scene. The girl, young, tender, was
plainly animated with a strong undercurrent of excitement which thrilled
her entire frame, flushing her cheeks and sparkling in her eyes. Her
tender years, her inexperience with the world, her guileless mind and
frank open manner had not yet prepared her for the enormity of the crime
which had of a sudden been flashed full upon her. For the moment
realization had given way to wonder. She sensed only the magnitude of
the tragedy without its atrocious and more insidious details. On the
other hand there was the father, composed and imperturbable, to whom the
disclosure of this scheme of the blackest treason was but another
chapter added to the year of disasters which was just coming to a close.
His more astute mind, schooled by long experience with the world and its
artifices, had taught him to view the transit of events with a certain
philosophy, a sort of pragmatic philosophy, with reference to the causes
and the results of events and how they bore on the practical utility of
all concerned; and finally the mother, who in her devout and pious way,
saw only the Holy Will of God working in all things for His own praise
and glory.

"And they found the dispatches in his own writing?" the father asked
deliberately.

"In his stockings, beneath the soles of his feet."

Again there was silence.

"He is a prisoner?"

"Of course. He was arrested for a spy. They say he is an Adjutant in the
British army. He was in full disguise."

"Hm!"

Mr. Allison set his lips.

"I think," continued Marjorie, "that it was the effect of a stroke of
good fortune. He was taken by three men who were lying in wait for
robbers. Otherwise he might have continued his journey in safety and the
plot would have succeeded."

"Thank God and His Blessed Mother!" breathed Mrs. Allison as she clasped
her hands together before her in an attitude of prayer.

"And Arnold?" methodically asked Mr. Allison.

"He escaped to the British lines. I do not know how, but it seems that
he has departed. The one important item, which pleased and interested
the people, was the capture of the spy and the frustration of the plot."

The father left the chair and began to pace the room, his hands behind
him.

"It is a bad blow. Too bad! Too bad!" he repeated. "I do not like it,
for it will destroy the courage and confidence of our people. Arnold
was the