“Oh, Harriet, Harriet!” moaned Peggy bewildered by this maze of reasoning. “I would that thee had not done this, or that thou hadst returned to thy people long ago. Why did thee not go back the other day? ’Twas in the letter that thee should be near so as to be taken also.”
“I intended to,” answered Harriet. “That was why I wished to ride near to Liberty Hall, but when I found that I had lost the note, I came back for it, hoping that you had not seen it. You were determined to warn both the garrison and the governor, and that would render it impossible for me to get to our forces. I tried to slip away yesterday, but there was no chance. And now you will tell on me to-morrow, and I will be hanged.”
“Don’t, Harriet,” pleaded Peggy. “I am going right down to father, and see if he can tell us some way out of this. It may be that he can persuade General Washington to let thee go back to thy people.”
“Peggy,” cried Harriet laying a detaining hand upon the girl as she slipped from the bed. “You must not bring Cousin David into this. He is a soldier who stands high with the general. If he intercedes for me he will himself be under suspicion. You would not wish to get your father into trouble, would you? Beside, ’tis his duty, as a patriot, to give me up to punishment. Do you not see it? If I were not your cousin you would not hesitate in the matter.”
“True,” said Peggy pausing. Well she knew that her father was so loyal that the matter might appear to him in just that very way. “He loves thee well though, Harriet.”
“And for that reason he shall not be tempted,” cried Harriet. “No, Peggy; there is no help. I must pay the penalty. I knew the risk.”
She buried her face in the pillow, and, despite her brave words, sobs shook her form.
“Is there no way? No way?” cried Peggy frantically. “I cannot bear to think of thee being hang——” She paused, unable to finish the dreadful word.
“There is one way,” said Harriet suddenly sitting up. “If you would help me, Peggy, to get to Amboy I could get to New York from there.”
“There are always sloops that ply betwixt the two places,” said Harriet. “If I could but reach there I know that I could get one of them to take me to the city.”
“But how could thee reach Amboy?” asked Peggy.