The Ulster member, somewhat piqued, pulled out a roll on which were inscribed the names of a whole company, signed by themselves, and handing it to the man called Captain Whittesley, asked him to say if "that was the sign of ignorance."

"I declare," said the stranger, "this is all in good writing of hand and few proxies. You must draw back your insinuation, friend, and it is well. Their courage will be tried if I am not mistaken. These granaries placed here, in case Schuyler should be forced to fall back to Watervliet, must be greatly needed."

While the stranger said this, he looked full in the face of Jan Freer, so piercingly that that worthy's tongue failed him as he was about to ask him if he was not the man who sailed up to Saugerties with him in the middle of the night, three months since. But by the time the courage of Jan had returned, the conversation had taken an interesting turn.

"Do you apprehend," said Colonel Haasbrouk, "that the enemy may pay us a visit on his way up; I find on my dispatches, haste."

"There are many rumors abroad," was the reply, given too loosely for an orderly, "that the enemy has several points of attack in his mind. The chief object is to form a junction with the north; but General Vaughan is one of those soldiers who love to take responsibility, and may be tempted out of his way from the mere love of ad

A little sport with him is a great thing; and as the Provincial Congress now sitting here would afford him such an opportunity, it seems unlikely that he could resist the jest. Do you suppose that your Congress would sit on were he to land his men and a couple of guns?"

"What if he does see them running off? My men will be found here at their post," said the colonel; "and we hope to do our duty as good citizens and soldiers. The country will be here, though Van Cortlandt and his Congress do run, which I am sure they never will."

"Nor will the Classis run," said an old man in a clay-colored coat, which had seen some wear and tear, but was still becoming to the wearer. "The Dominies will be put to their trumps, and

VOL. VII.—14

"How does it happen, my good sir, that you have two Congresses sitting in this old town of yours-an ecclesiastical and a political? Surely you have not thought on uniting Church and State, as in the old time?" The New Englander sneered a little as he said these words, as if he meant to say: "You are behind the age.'

"We Hollanders," said Haasbrouk, "have skulls that are not so easily penetrated as a pump| kin"-here the colonel cast a side glance at his guest-" and consequently we neither give up our cherished notions so readily, nor receive new ones so easily, as you Eastern folks can."

"Ha! ha! excellent, my dear sir; the inference you draw then is, that our Yankee heads are soft. Ha! ha! That is good. We are even. But tell me what is all this commotion among your clergy? In every tavern and farmer's kitchen I could hear of nothing but the coetus and conferentia. Greek to me, indeed. Are these the passwords of a secret society ?"

"The words have a meaning to the men who use them, but, so far as I know, they who make the most use of them are neither better men nor better soldiers. A meaningless jargon. I pray the Lord to send us a real enemy, so that our pastors may become united about something. If Vaughan does nothing else, he may do that, and to some purpose. I see that my words are giving offence to my friend here."'

Things were taking too warm a turn, when the stranger adroitly proposed judging for himself by the assemblies called together. He did this with so much grace and dignity that he won the favorable opinion of all except the cautious and the experienced in men and things. It was evident that Jan Freer had not laid aside his suspicions; and notwithstanding that Colonel Haasbrouk had carefully perused his commission, a lurking doubt still lingered in his mind every time he looked at the stranger's face and heard his voice.

Strange as it may sound, our young friend, Teunis Roe, was one of the few who suspected the pretensions of the man called Whittesley; standing back in the crowd, he had time to observe all his motions and listen to his voice, and though the Kaatsberg youth had not exchanged a word with

any one there, he felt sure that he had seen this man before in a different character than he now assumed. His acquaintance with the underwork ings of society gave him opportunities of seeing much that durst not be spoken on the housetops. The man became a new object of interest to him, and for the moment he almost forgot the errand which had brought him hither.

To that he was soon recalled by one of the venerable men who was there offering his services to the stranger as his guide into the church where the reverend pastors were to meet, having adjourned since the last evening for the purpose of discussing the very point that Teunis was sent to hear and report upon.

The feeling of suspicion which was awakened in the minds of a few at the first, fell upon a larger number by degrees, until it spread among the more intelligent, so that by the time the Classis met for business there were no lack of watchers upon the stranger's steps. His move ments were not the least impeded by those nods and winks which were interchanged by the company, but they rather seemed to give him dignity of look and a defiance of danger which held every one in check. As his eye ran over the faces of the crowd, it fixed a moment longer on Teunis than he was able to bear comfortably. It was evident that, whoever he was, he recognized in the Kaatskillian's countenance something of an interesting nature to him, which he would have inquired after in another and quieter place.

At this time the signal for meeting was given, and, wending toward the temple of God, were seen the venerable men, whose life was one of self-denial and of honor. Their steadfast look and stately steppings impressed the spectators with awe, making even the frivolous Jan Freer to speak under his breath as they went past.

under whose care the stranger had been put, "l: us go, since you wish to compare our Domin-es with yours in the East. They say that you at greatly indebted to them for that spirit which Yankees show in the good cause."

"It is true, sir, that I have heard many a res ing discourse from them upon the rights of mu and the obligations of kings being nursing fathers to the Church instead of dashing her children against the stones; but a coward may be a black coat as well as a blue."

"And a hero in bands as well as wearing a saat his side," was Swart's quick retort, which brought the blood slightly to the cheek of the New Englander, who parried the thrust graceful's by saying: "It requires all the manly qualities of our common nature to gain the crown of honor or the crown of glory."

The assemblage soon dispersed, and as the form of the last Dominie in the procession disappeared within the church, Teunis determined to hear and see all he could; but his first object was to obtain a private interview with Dominie Schuneman, and fulfill his promise of warning.

Colonel Haasbrouk called an officer to him, when he saw no one watching near, and sød in a low voice: "See that you follow that rew comer everywhere through the whole day, and into every place. See that he leaves not till be has my pass."

"Colonel," said the astonished officer, " holds a permit from headquarters, and how coad that have been obtained unless he be true and on the right side ?"

"It matters not," said the Colonel; "if he has not worn a red coat in the regulars, I never saw a man step so like one in my life. Hade said, I am a deserter and on your side, I cousi have believed him sooner than his mimicking the

CHAPTER XV. BEATRIX ARRIVES AT INGLESIDE.

THE next few weeks passed happily enough. Dym no longer complained of the dullness of Ingleside; the squire's gun might be heard from morning till evening in the high lands behind the Great House, and the voices of the beaters as they struggled through the covers below. Kelpie accompanied his master; Humphrey lingered in vain beside the trysting stile. Dym had not ceased her visits to Woodside, but she preferred taking the lower road. Very often a tall figure that she knew was not Mr. Nethecote's came bursting through the dead bracken, and vaulted lightly over the five-barred gate. How Dym's foolish little heart would beat as the slouching felt hat and brown beard came in sight! What a king he looked striding through the dim aisles of the wood! Guy had the trick of holding himself grandly; some men, ennobled by nature, carry their heads as though they wore a crown. Guy Chichester was one of these. "Where are you going?-you look like a gray little sister of charity in that cloak," he would call out. Dym had a better companion than Humphrey for her homeward walk then.

The squire had resumed his old sociable habits, and every man, woman, and child about the place basked gladly in his sunny moods again. Mrs. Chichester had recovered her cheerfulness; the evenings hours flew by. Dym seldom read now. When the lamps were lighted Guy would come in and harangue them from the rug for hours, or at his mother's request place himself at the grand piano, and after preluding idly with one hand, burst forth with his glorious voice in chant or song. Dym learnt to accompany him, and after her first trial he made her sing with him, or practice the glees and choruses he was preparing for a grand musical entertainment to be given in his cousin's honor.

For as Dym phrased it in her letter to Will, "the Great House was to be delivered into the hands of the Philistines."

Beatrix was coming to Ingleside.

Poor Dym, her heart sank as the squire talked

over arrangements with his mother. Mrs. Delaire had fixed the latter part of January for her promised visit. She and her husband had just returned from Nice, and Beatrix had determined that her first London season as a married woman should be inaugurated by a series of visits, commencing with Ingleside; Mrs. Tressilian and Edith were to join the party. Charlie Tressilian could not get leave of absence, but Guy had asked some friends of his mother's, Colonel and Mrs. Lintot, with their son, just called to the bar and in ill health from over study, and a ward of Colonel Lintot's-a Miss Beauchamp, popularly reported to be an heiress.

Ingleside would be occupied from garret to basement. While Mrs. Chichester gave orders about the white-room, the damask-room, the redroom, and the oriel chamber, or consulted with her housekeeper as to the proper lodgment of Mrs. Delaire's, Mrs. Tressilian's and Miss Beauchamp's maids, Guy summoned his head keeper and counted probable head of game, and sent invitations out to the neighboring gentry for shooting parties, breakfasts, and luncheons ad libitum. There was to be a state-dinner party, which would include the grandees of Birst with and Ripley, and a musical entertainment which should be more general. By degrees this swelled into a dancing party, then into a ball. Dym wrote out the invitations, and then went with Mrs. Chichester to order a fitting dress for the occasion.

Mrs. Chichester had not forgotten her young dependent's comfort; a small room on the second story was fitted up for her and Edith; Mrs. Chichester had got rid of the obnoxious Mrs. Vivian by promising that Miss Elliott should resume her former charge for the time. Dym looked grateful when she heard of this arrangement. She felt she would be lost amongst the gay crowd below, she argued a little pitifully when the squire gave his orders that she was to accompany Edith every evening to the drawing-room; "no one will care to see me, and I shall only feel shy and uncomfortable," she pleaded with a shrinking memory of Beatrix and her cold gray eyes; the near approach

of her enemy saddened and oppressed her; "all my goodness will go when I hear her voice," thought the poor child to herself.

But the squire only laughed away her objections; while Mrs. Chichester, under the vague idea that her scruples arose in some degree from her wardrobe, procured her a pretty evening silk in addition to her white muslin. "She will not feel so unlike any one else; and there is the dinner party and the evening at the vicarage," she said, as though in apology for her extravagance. Dym gave an exclamation of delight when she saw Mrs. Chichester's choice, the very maize that the Harrogate shopman had selected as Dym's color. "You are spoiling me dreadfully," she cried, kissing her hand with a pretty mixture of affection and gratitude. She laid away the shimmering fold of silk with a curious wonder of what Will would think of her in such a dress, and then with renewed courage peeped at the several rooms as she passed. It was early afternoon, but bright fires already burnt in expectation of the various arrivals. Dym lingered longest in the dressing-room attached to the oriel chamber, where Edith was to sleep, but she passed the damask-room with a sort of shudder. "I wonder why some people are a kind of moral east wind to one," she said to herself with a little

shiver.

Guy Chichester in his black velvet coat passed her in the lobby with a nod and smile. "There is the wagonette coming back from the stationthe gentlemen are walking up, I hear. Just tell my mother our guests have arrived; she is in her room, I believe."

Dym peeped through the oaken balustrade, much as she had done at Lansdowne House; she could just catch a glimpse of Mrs. Tressilian's velvet. and sable, and a hat with a long ostrich plume, that could belong to no other than Beatrix.

"Mother, you must come and welcome the bride," called out the squire in cheery tones; "what have you done with Frank, Trichy."

"He is walking up with the others," returned young Mrs. Delaire composedly; "it was all Colonel Lintot's fault, he would have it that there was no room in the wagonette. Do you know, Guy, Ingleside looks smaller to me than it used in the old days. I could not understand Adelaide's fever of admiration as we drove up."

"Mrs. Delaire has such grand notions," returned a pleasant, laughing voice, evidently Miss Beauchamp's.

"She has come home fresh from Italian palaces," replied her cousin good naturedly. "We, what did you think of Rome, Trichy ?"

"Overrated as usual. Frank was enthusest: enough for both-he hired a carriage and cicerote for three days. I never was more tired in my life-I was thankful when we got to Nice. Whe do you say, child?" freeing her mantle im tiently from Edith's grasp; "where is M.» E ott? How should I know?" with the haug, turn of the head Dym remembered so well.

They were still standing in the little cors the others had passed on into the dining-room Mr. Chichester stooped and whispered a word into the child's ear, and she flew up stairs so quickly that Miss Elliott had scarcely time to r from her stooping posture before she found herself clasped in her little pupil's arms.

Edith's ecstasies lasted till tea-time. She wa overjoyed at seeing her governess again, and delighted with everything-with her httle be... with the rose-colored curtains, and especially with the tiny snuggery that Mrs. Chichester had fr up so prettily. Before Dym knew what she wa5 about she had dragged up her brother-in law to look at it.

Colonel Delaire was very good-natured. He looked at everything Edith pointed out, and mired the view extremely. He was evidentis surprised to recognize an old acquaintance in Miss Elliott, though he was far too well bred to show it. At the child's request he partook of a cup of tea, though he put it down rather hast when he heard Beatrix's voice in the comidor below.

"I asked Trichy to come up, but she said she was too tired. She has been around to the stables though with cousin Guy," blurted out Edith her usual thoughtless fashion.

Dym was sorry for the child's frankness when she saw Colonel Delaire bite his lip with an annoyed air. Edith crept on to her governess's lap when he had not gone, and shook her fr hair affectionately over her shoulder.

"Trichy was so cross when I asked her, and that made Frank come up instead. Don't you like Frank? he is always telling Trichy that she ought to be kinder to me. They had a quarrel once when Trichy behaved badly to mamma."

Dym tried to hush the child's confidence, bat she could not help thinking over her words There was a careworn look on Colonel Dela re

handsome face, as though matrimony had not perfectly agreed with him, and a restless, anxious expression in his blue eyes, when they rested on his beautiful wife, that told volumes.

Dym was in nervous trepidation at the thought of the evening; she deferred her entrance into the drawing-room so long that the ladies had already left the dining-room, and were gathered around the fire. Dym was stealing away into a corner by herself, but Mrs. Chichester took her hand kindly and drew her into the circle. Mrs. Lintot and Miss Beauchamp both addressed her pleasantly; but Beatrix, who was standing somewhat apart from the others, only raised her eyes for a second and bowed coldly.

In spite of her dislike Dym could not refuse a tribute to her loveliness. Mrs. Delaire looked even more beautiful than Beatrix Tressilian had done. She was a little paler; and to a close observer there was still the same dissatisfied expression and a quick lowering of the white brows when anything displeased her; but her beauty was magnificent; and though it needed nothing to set it off, she wore her white dress without jewel or ornament of any kind save the rich lace that adorned it.

She drew aside with a scornful air when Mrs. Tressilian beckoned Dym to a seat beside her. Dym, who was strangely ill at ease in her presence, was glad when the gentlemen came in, and she was at liberty to move to a distant table, where she turned over engravings with Edith or watched the various groups.

Colonel Lintot had a red face and a white mustache, and was a far more soldierly-looking man than Colonel Delaire. His wife was a brisk, cheerful little woman, prematurely faded by Indian suns, and looking far older than her husband. Their son was very unlike either-he was a tall, gentlemanly man; but an habitual stoop and a habit of wearing an eye-glass spoilt him.

Miss Beauchamp, who accompanied them, was very young, and not at all good-looking; but her sweet, retiring manners charmed Dym from the first. In spite of her wealth and the grand estate in Wales that the Linots were always talking about, she was very unaffected and natural, dressed simply, and seemed to study others' wishes before her own.

over a plain woman in the presence of striking beauty was discernible in her manner. Dym ceased to wonder over it; her shrewd eyes soon guessed the young lady's secret. Adelaide Beauchamp's mild blue eyes grew pathetic and then suffused with tears as evening after evening George Lintot lingered by Beatrix's side, as though fascinated in spite of himself.

It

If Beatrix guessed her pain she never spared her. She ruled over her cousin's drawing-room most despotically, to his infinite amusement. was not his way to pay court to any woman; but he was very indulgent to her caprices, and treated her with frank kindness-contriving little plans for her diversions, and installing himself as her cavalier on all occasions of ceremony.

Poor Dym that first evening would have been very dull but for Miss Beauchamp's kindness. Night after night she crept away to her distant corner, in spite of Mrs. Chichester's solicitations, fearing lest her presence should provoke a fresh sneer from Beatrix.

Beatrix was not actively unkind. She left Miss Elliott alone for the most part, but there was a suppressed scorn in her manner when she addressed her that aroused all the old bad feelings. While the other ladies took Mrs. Chichester's cue, and treated her with marked kindness, Beatrix would give her trifling commissions, not always civilly, in a way that brought her dependent position. more prominently into notice.

"Had you not better ring for Randall ?" Mr. Chichester said once in a tone of reproof when Beatrix had hunted Dym out from a distant corner to fetch her some article she had mislaid. Dym, who never dared to rebel in his presence, brought it with heightened color and laid it down.

room.

Beatrix said not a word of thanks, and as though to punish her for her incivility her cousin left her side abruptly and went to the other end of the There was certainly a little malice in Beatrix's treatment of Dym. She had always thoroughly disliked her; but Guy's chivalrous defence had deepened this into an active enmity. Beatrix had never forgiven her cousin for taking Miss Elliott to Ingleside; she had not forgotten his warm speeches on her behalf, and the anger with which he had rebuked her. He had parted from her with bitter words on both sides, and Beatrix was not likely to forgive the innocent cause of it all. Dym's presence at Ingleside was an affront to her