"Well, Corbie, you had better go home, and try and get your Jamaica like an honest man. It won't do you any harm to try a little honest dealing, by the way of variety. Barnes," he said, turning to the guardsman -whose delight at this unexpected termination of his anticipated troubles could scarcely be concealed-" you acted perfectly right; but, I guess Corbie was not doing anything worse than that."

"On my honor, no, lieutenant," said the wily landlord, who saw that his wink had been rightly interpreted, laying his brawny hand over the place where the heart was supposed to be, and as he spoke, he made a low bow.

"You can go, then," said the officer, condescendingly.

"I told you so, you blasted fool," said Corbie, turning angrily to Barnes, but with a glance which seemed to say, "I told you I would save you from a flogging, and I have done it,"

"Well, you did," replied the traitor, glad enough at his relief from a flogging, to forget the means by which he had escaped from well-merited punishment.

"All right," said Corbie, barring and locking the door, as he reëntered his house, and was greeted by the impatient Forbes, with the emphatic inquiry: "Well!"

"There's another good one. We've got him as fast as oaths and fears can secure him; and a few more like him,

down there at old Putnam's, would make short work of the whole matter. Who the devil can I get at down The colonel says his excellency wants some

there?
one there, and he must be found."

CHAPTER IX.

MARGARET MONCRIEFFE AT HOME.

"You are wounded," said Margaret, rising from the arms of Major Burr, as she heard the sound of approaching horses' feet, and perceived the blood-stain on his leg.

66 Oh, it's nothing--a mere scratch! it does not even pain me; and if it did, I should forget the pain in my happiness at seeing you unharmed."

"Thanks to you, major," she said, smiling sweetly. “But come, let us proceed; who knows what we may meet next? One moment,” and she advanced toward Selim, who had remained standing still from the moment Margaret had been dragged from her seat. As she moved toward him, she was obliged to pass the body of the man who had met his death at her hands, as it lay weltering in a pool of blood; and as she did so, she stopped for an instant, and, gazing at the frightful wound made in his throat by her ball, turned with a triumphant expression to the major, and said: "It wasn't a bad shot for a frightened girl, was it, major ?"

"It was good for a brave man, Margaret. worthy of a better fate than I ”.

You are

"There, now—please don't," she interrupted; "you have said enough for to-day, and I have said much more than I ought. Let me load my pistol," she added, stopping to pick up the weapon which she had dropped when she had fired it, and, feeling in the pocket of her riding-dress, she drew forth a small flask of powder. The pistol was carefully loaded and primed, and, having placed it in the holster, she turned to the major, who had watched her movements with looks of affectionate interest, and said: "Come, help me to mount-I am ready."

While she had been thus engaged, the escort had rejoined their leader, and stood around watching the brave and beautiful girl with admiring eyes, commenting upon her courage and beauty in whispered tones.

"I am sure I am gratefully obliged to all of you," she said, looking around the group and smiling sweetly; "I did the best I could," and she pointed to the corpse lying in the road.

The men looked at her and each other in amazement, for until now, they knew not the part she had taken in the action, or, rather, skirmish; and from that moment they looked upon her almost with veneration.

She was assisted into the saddle by Major Burr. One of the two wounded men having been placed before, on a horse, in front of one of his comrades, and Hickey

declaring himself perfectly able to do more fighting for such a brave little woman, mounting his own horse, the party moved on in the same order as they had started, leaving the dead to take care of the dead, and the wounded to get along as they best could.

Paulus Hook was reached without any further adventure, and without a recurrence on the part of Major Burr or Margaret to the topic which most closely interested both; for her request was command to the young and enamored soldier.

Only once, and that was as he was handing her on board the bateau which was to convey the horses and their riders across the river, did he allude to the subject of their new-born love, and only then because he thought he perceived a shade of sadness on the beautiful face of his companion.

"You do not repent having said what you have, Margaret ?" he asked, tenderly, looking in her lustrous eyes, whose expression was now wonderfully softened.

"Oh, no, no!" she replied, with deep earnestness, "I am very, very happy, and you"

"I cannot describe my feelings. I can only from my heart say I thank and bless you, my own dear, best, and only beloved."

It was nearly dark when Major Burr, having dismissed his escort at the New York side of the ferry, conducted Margaret into the presence of General Putnam and his family, who had just risen from their