t, pray?"

"Your country."

"Yes," he replied proudly, taking off his laced hat, "and liberty; but
you go together in my heart now, Kate,--you and country."

"Don't say that, John--well, Seymour, then--say 'country and you.' I
would give you up for that, but only for that."

"You would do well, Katharine; our country first. Since we have
engaged in this war, we must succeed. I fancy that more depends, and I
only agree with your father there, upon the issue of this war than men
dream of, and that the battle of liberty for the future man is being
fought right here and now. Unless our people are willing to sacrifice
everything, we cannot maintain that glorious independence which has
been so brilliantly declared." He said this with all the boldness of
the Declaration itself; but she, being yet a woman, asked him
wistfully,--

"Would you give me up, sacrifice me for country, then?"

"Not for the whole wide--" She laid a finger upon his lips.

"Hush, hush! Do not even speak treason to the creed. I am a daughter
of Virginia. My father, my brother, my friends, my people, and, yes, I
will say it, my lover are perilling their lives and have engaged their
honor in this contest for the independence of these colonies, for the
cause of this people, and the safeguarding of their liberties; and if I
stood in the pathway of liberty for a single instant, I should despise
the man who would not sweep me aside without a moment's hesitation."
She spoke with a pride and spirit which equalled his own, her head high
in the air, and her eyes flashing.

She had released her hands and had suited the gesture to the word,
throwing out her hand and arm with a movement of splendid freedom and
defiance. She was a woman of many moods and "infinite variety." Each
moment showed him something new to love. He caught the outstretched
hand,--the loose sleeve had fallen back from the wrist,--he pressed his
lips to the white arm, and said with all his soul in his voice,--

"May God prevent me from ever facing the necessity of a choice like
that, Katharine! But indeed it is spirit like yours which makes men
believe the cause is not wholly desperate. When our women can so speak
and feel, we may confidently expect the blessing of God upon our
efforts."

"Father says that it is because General Washington knows the spirit of
the people, because he feels that even the youths and maidens, the
little children, cherish this feeling, he takes he