The Washington times., 1902-07-06
CHAPTER XXI.
IN WHICH A WOMAN DENIES AND A MAN
DIES.

A LII the next day we must of neces-
| ~ sity lie close in the old rat
| 4 4 hole, with one of us al
ways on guard at a window
overlooking the street. l tried to for
get myself in planning for the coming
nights work, and all the time another
resolution was evolving in my head. We
laid the whole plan before Curtis and he
approved. Once or twice he recurred to
the episode of the evening before. but
could not discuss it with him. T was
/ not in me to believe that his course was
right, yet in the few weeks had known
him / had come TO believe in him and
| his strong nature. and ! could not but
respect his code, disastrous as 1t had
been to us.
Il cannot see the right of it, friend"
said ! to him do not try to show 1t
to me-
81 am sorry, Merton" he answered
with a serious lock. But a mans hon
or is greater than his military duty
LET us not talk of it, man." said
again. "'T is but a failure in my duty
to General Washington, and there's an
end of it
Would you not have done the same?"
Il cannot tell. Robert. / cannot Judge
you. God knowsi l can scarcely judge
myself in this hour"
And then we required to the coming
events.
/ But all the while my resolve was
growing in me. The entrance to Ar
nold's house was set for one, at night.
Then he would be sure TO be at home
and in bed. All the plans were arranged,
and hence 1 would go and see her again
before l left-as God lived. l would see
her again, There was to be a sort of
soiree 10 the Prince at the Walron
House. and he had bid me come. in his
onhand. friendly way. l would go.
! I dared not tell my friends. for they
would have held me by force, if neces-
sary, deeming II dangerous thing to
expose myself. But this was more to
me than my own life just now-aye,
more than the success of our mission,
though / knew they could carry that
out practically as well without me if
need came.
! Thus. at 10 of the evening, told them
/ would go to Low to see that the ar
rangements were completed, and despite
their advice to lie close, I went out
through Queen Street and so to the Wal
ten Mansion, having first stopped at
Mrs. Hodges and got my tawdry suit.
| There had been a rumpus indeed. The
maid, who was the only person / saw,
looked at me in terror, and ran away as
soon as she had let me in; and in our
room here might have passed a whirl
wind for the look of IT.
Everything We had, which was little
enough. was thrown about The furnI-
ture was broken. and all the signs of
what / rightly enough guessed must
have been a military search for our
selves and whatever papers we might
have had were evident. My fancy suit
was picked up here and there and
donned And so / en>Sred the Walton
Mansion at the front door.
Ii must have been II of the clock, and
the affair was at its height The beau
tiful rooms on either side the great hall
were crowded with guests, and / soon
found the Prince standing to receive
them. He looked at me and welcomed
me with a bow, but a surprised look. as
II to say. ''Ha, my man, and so you
will still be out in public." and then
passed on, searching always but for one.
NJ figure. my face. must have told some
strange story; for people who knew
nothing of me turned and looked after
me and spoke together softly. But /
only saw 1t as in a dream. On l went
through the rooms, looking for but one,
and not finding her.
Thus came to the banquet hall, and