at evening.

A group of horsemen appeared on the top of the hill above them, one in
front. "Genet, I suppose," said De Courval. A good-looking man, florid,
smiling, the tricolor on the hat in his hand, he bowed to right and
left, and honored with a special salute mademoiselle, near-by on the
bank. He had the triumphant air of a very self-conscious conqueror.
Cheers greeted him. "_Vive la republique!_ D----George Washington!
Hurrah for Citizen Genet!" with waving of French flags. He stopped below
them in the lane. A boy in the long pantaloons of protest, with the red
cap of the republic on his head, was lifted up to present a bouquet of
three colors made of paper flowers. Citizen Genet gave him the
fraternal kiss of liberty, and again the crowd cheered. "Are these
people crazy?" asked the Quaker maiden, used to Friends' control of
emotion.

"Mad? Yes, a little." Genet had paused at the bridge. Mr. Dallas was
making him welcome to the capital. David Rittenhouse stood by, silent in
adoration, his attention divided between Genet and a big bun, for he had
missed his dinner.

"It is all real," said the German. "The bun doth equally well convince.
Oh, David, didst thou but dream how comic thou art!" Meanwhile De
Courval by turns considered the fair face and the crowd, too tragically
reminded to be, like Schmidt, altogether amused.

But surely here indeed was comedy, and for many of this careless
multitude a sad ending of politics in the near summer months.

The crowd at the water's-edge closed around Genet, while the group of
four or five men on horseback who followed him came to a halt on the
roadway just below where were seated Schmidt and his companions. The
riders looked around them, laughing. Then one spoke to a young
secretary, and the man thus addressed, turning, took off his hat and
bowed low to the Quaker maid.

"_Mon Dieu!_" cried De Courval, springing up as the attaches moved on.
"_C'est Carteaux!_ It is he!"

Schmidt heard him; the girl to the left of Schmidt less plainly. "What
is it?" she cried to De Courval. His face as she saw it was of a sudden
white, the eyes wide open, staring, the jaw set, the hands half-open,
the figure as of a wild creature about to leap on its prey. "Take care!"
said Schmidt. "Take care! Keep quiet!" He laid a strong hand on De
Courval's shoulder. "Come away! People are looking at you."

"Yes, yes." He straightened, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Art thou ill?" asked M