is of Rome," he said,
"one Keating--a good man; the other a Lutheran."

"Strange fellowship!" thought De Courval.

They left them to this endless task, and went on, Daniel talking in his
oppressively loud voice of the number of the deaths. The imminence of
peril affected the spirits of most men, but not Offley. De Courval,
failing to answer a question, he said: "What troubles thee, young man?
Is thee afeared?"

"A man should be--and at first I was; but now I am thinking of the
Papist and Lutheran--working together. That gives one to think, as we
say in French."

"I see not why," said Offley. "But we must hasten, or the health
committee will be gone."

In a few minutes they were at the State House. Daniel led him through
the hall and up-stairs. In the council-room of Penn was seated a group
of notable men.

"Here," said Offley in his great voice, "is a young man of a will to
help us."

Girard rose. "This, gentlemen, is my countryman, the Vicomte de
Courval."

Matthew Clarkson, the mayor, made him welcome.

"Sit down," he said. "We shall presently be free to direct you."

De Courval took the offered seat and looked with interest at the men
before him.

There were Carey, the future historian of the plague; Samuel Wetherill,
the Free Quaker; Henry de Forrest, whom he had met; Thomas Savory;
Thomas Wistar; Thomas Scattergood; Jonathan Seargeant; and others. Most
of them, being Friends, sat wearing their white beaver hats. Tranquil
and fearless, they were quietly disposing of a task from which some of
the overseers of the poor had fled. Six of those present were very soon
to join the four thousand who died before November. When the meeting was
over Girard said to De Courval: "Peter Helm and I are to take charge of
the hospital on Bush Hill. Are you willing to help us? It is perilous; I
ought to tell you that."

"Yes, I will go," said Rene; "I have now time, and I want to be of some
use."

"We thank you," said Matthew Clarkson. "Help is sorely needed."

"Come with me," said Girard. "My chaise is here. Help is scarce. Too
many who should be of us have fled." As they went out, he added: "I owe
this city much, as some day it will know. You are going to a scene of
ungoverned riot, of drunken negro nurses; but it is to be changed, and
soon, too."

James Hamilton's former country seat on Bush Hill was crowded with the
dying and the dead; but there were two devoted doctors, and soon there
was better order and di