bardy as you like. Na, I thocht that the gude man himself was a wee bit bewitched, else he would na been sae easily bamboozled wi' the pawky quean." This was said by a brawny Scotchman, who held in his hand a pewter cup filled with the strongest kind of cider-brandy, which he sucked up with a zest that showed his experience. "Such stuff as that is gude enough to wet one's wizzan in this country, where you canna get better; but, man, if I had but a coggie of Glenlivat, how it would mak' me fidge wi' fainness. But anent, that action o' the minister's, he should hae sent the jade to Albany." "Donald Grant, you are always finding fault with the powers that be; and even the Dominie cannot escape your rasping tongue." This was said sharply by a small man dressed in silver-gray that fitted close to his body, and, though worn bare, was carefully brushed. His look and his manners bore evidence of his New England origin, and his pedantic speech spoke him to be of the pedagogue order, a class of men that have done much to leaven the west side of the Hudson with the love of learning, and who had, notwithstanding the repugnance of the Dutch to all the Yankee brood, found their way among them as peddlers, pedagogues and singing-masters. "Noo, maister," said Donald, "you would tell me that men in authority should be respected, and my mither aye said that ministers were black craws to shoot at; and there's yoursel', for instance, in your schule, have a gude right to use the taws in makin' your words be enforced, but if you wranged my callant there, I would lick your hide out here till you were black and blue. Noo, as the Dominie himsel' says, you can mak' the application of this discourse at your leisure." "I am not going to contend with you, Grant, when club-law is the rule; but law is laav, and must be obeyed. The men that administer the law must be sustained, else where are we going to but down-stream? And for my part I do not value a man more than a tenpenny whittler who does not stand by the law. There, now, something is going on among that black generation. I must look after these imps of Satan." "Dat's true, Grant," said a rough-looking native, with as many capes on his coat as there are plies on a tulip, and whose whole exterior was homespun in a figurative and literal sense; "but de same ting cannot pe said ov de Dominie, who is a great man every place he goes." "Oh, you need na mak' the man mair than mortel, Myndert Overpaugh. Sit him down on a rock, with a spoon in his han', and he will find as little to sup as the smallest o' us all. Grant was determined to find fault, and his spirit was up after he had drank a second cup of the ciderbrandy. "That's a fact, Grant, the Dominie can brag well enough on the bench yonder, when he has got all the congregation to carry out his will; but I would like to see him in the woods alone, and see if he would be so strong as he pretends." "Now," said Grant, "I will not let any man say a word against the gude man in his absence, mair especially against his courage. He is a stoure bodie, and there, nae later than last Saturday nicht, that ne'er-do-well Bob Eltinge and his crony the smith were determined to shoot the gude man between this and Coxsackie. They hid themselves behind a tree in the woods, and lay wi' their guns ready primed; but the minute that they saw the white o' the Dominie's een, they fell down like shot doves and let him pass. That proves, Bromie, whatever you may say to the contraer, that nae man should lift his han' against the Lord's anointed." By this time the party had entered the mill, and were mounting to the loft, to which Clarance had ascended by the rear unquestioned. Sacks of grain lay around the large apartment, and on these sat a crowd of different kind of people who were enjoy ing greatly some sport going on at the upper end of the gallery. Bags of the wheat had been thrown together so as to form a platform above the main floor. On these were nine other sacks, which served as seats, where were sitting as many blacks dressed in their master's clothes, which they had borrowed without leave. The middle seat had on it one dressed in the true outer garb of the Dominie. His cocked hat, but crushed in at the sides, his coat, but rusty, and a large towel tied around the neck fell down over his breast in square ends, to imitate the Geneva bands. Four on the right hand, and as many on the left, represented the deacons and elders, while in the front stood a young negro dressed in woman's clothes. A faded silk gown, with a high bonnet held up, so as to -look like the high knots of hair fashionable among high-born ladies. "The black devils that they are," said the man of books. "What a faculty they have for imitation. Making fun they are of serious things. I must teach them Connecticut manners ;" and here he was about to act the part of select man, when Grant spoke out: "You'll do nae sic thing as stop the masqueraud. Let them get their sport out. My certie, but they play it weel. Noo be quiet." The mock Dominie called out in tones meant as imitation of the real yoice: that happens in the court of justices, or it would not be a secret very long after he got it." "What do you mean with your jibs and your hints?" said Grant. "If you don't tell me all you ken about that business, I'll serve you as I did that black dog there a minute since." And with that the rough Scotchman was about taking the cross-grip, when the man of letters sputtered out, "Let me alone, and I'll tell you all I know; and listen yourself for the conclusion of the whole matter." Here a full account was given in loud whispers of the appearance Clarence had made that morning, and of the trial that was to come off that afternoon. "See that Tom there, the Dominie's chief man, sitting in the middle. "Dis Consist'ry come to order. Squia per- He has access to all his master's secret drawers, ceed." The man called the "Squia had on spectacles like his model, and pen and ink before him, as if prepared to take notes. "That's intended for mockery of the Consistory," said the teacher, "and shows how the public mind is exercised upon that trial of the woman. Hear the sham Squire, how he questions the female lady, that had the cup in her sack." "Ha! but see how the black gipsy tosses her head there, imitating the white limmer in the kirk, that we saw. Her curls swing finely. See how thae blackamoors jump at the sicht. It's perfect pleasure to them. But, man, what a noise they mak'. I could hear it frae Cladich to Loch Awe on a Halloween nicht." Here Grant was getting disgusted with the capers, and stepping forward himself into the midst of the den, he lifted up a stout fellow by the nape of the neck and the seat of his tubbs, and gave him a few slaps with his big hand, that made music of a kind that brought order out of confusion, as he said, "If we are to hae sport, let us have it, and na mair o' deviltry." Here the president called out at the top of his voice, "Silends! perceed to furder bis'ness." "Call in de oder prisoner," said the mock Squire. A young, lithe negro was here brought forward, charged with stealing a horse from Nellius Wyncoop, being a spy, and as guilty of for gery. "What can be the meaning o' that?" said Grant. "Naithing o' sic kind has come up that the public kens about." and generally can tell beforehand what disposal the reverend man intends to make of his cases." Clarence, who heard all the account given to Grant, looked to the prisoner, and saw a fac-simile of himself in size and dress, to the very patch on the knee, pointed out before. There was no more fun in the play to him. A strange confusion of ideas was curdling up in his brain, like what he had often experienced in a dream. He took hold of his own arm, to be certain of his own identity. It seemed like phantasmagoria. He was recalled to his case by the mock Dominie crying out: "My freen and Bruder Doll nebber steal Nellius Wynkoop's horse. Me know nothink of dis letter; youd a spy, to be hanged at te cart tail." Here the masque at the bar, cried out, "me no spy, but true man, seeking my sistern." Here was such a clapping of hands and screeching that it seemed Bedlam let loose. All the dominoes on the sacks joined in the fun, forgetful of their mock dignity. Quiet being restored, the call was given to bring in the witnesses. When Caese, the old fiddler, stepped forward, and gave a rambling account of the frolic at Phoebe's Hotel, and of de man who came and spoiled de dance, in de middle of de fine tune, by de niggering of Nelly Wynkoop's horse. "Wat says de prisoner to dat ?" was the presi dent's demand. "O your reberance, me on de way to de mountains to seek ma sistern." These words became the password to sport, all through the proceedings, and never failed to make the rafters ring with the echoes of uproarious That is, you have not heard about it, you mean. Everything is not told to Donald Grant | laughter. "Please zur," said the black squire, in mock gravity, "vats dat in de breast pocket? Constavel, help de prisoner to take out dose putty tings." Here a stout fellow put his hand into the bosom of the accused, who screamed cut, "Don't take dese tings away frob me, dey are for ma sistern!" "Treason! treason!" was shrieked out as a pair of large horse pistols were laid upon the table. Those who did not know were actually taken by surprise, at the sight and sound, while those who did know, believed that the case which this foreshadowed was more serious than it had hitherto seemed; and the cry of "treason! treason! to the gallows with the spy," rang longer and louder than mere sport called for in a masquerade trial. Had Clarence been seized at that instant, he would have felt less surprise than he did at the farce itself. Indeed, he half expected something to happen, and was preparing his thoughts for the worst. Here was an evident thrust at him. His object was known. He was regarded by the lowest grade here as either knave or fool. An attempt was making to excite public opinion against him. "Let me try and escape," he inwardly said to himself. up in a full suit of the 'Yfvrow's own wardrobe, curls, high-heeled shoes and all, he roared out in loud laughter, that shook his big sides and stopped his whip hand. The couple that stood beside Clarence had found their way out first, being close by the door. Grant coming up at the back of Clarence, gave him a hard clap with his open hand on the back, thinking that he was one of themselves, and saying: "Frein, what do you think o' that kind of play actoring? I beg your paurdon, I thought it was our neighbor Charlie Forbes, the English officer. I never saw twa back sae like. But nae offence I hope," said the garrulous Scot, putting his arm into that of Clarence, as if he had known him all the days of his life. "Maister," continued the talking man, "I was just speerin at our frein' here, what he thought o' that fun in the loft there." "There is something about to go on here at the parsonage, that will explain all we have seen in that darkness there," was the knowing reply o the pedagogue, who prided himself on being ac quainted with everything before it took place. "Oh, aye," said Grant. "You mean that we have been looking on the shadow, and the substance is not far off." "Or, to speak more classically, we have been observing comedy, and now for tragedy," was the pedantic language of the man of letters. "As to its being mair classical," said Grant, "I'm thinkin' Norman McKenzie, the schoolmaster of Aberfeldy, would say the scriptural figures were the maist classical of the two; but that's neither here nor there, at present. I am ready to argue that question wi you next Sabbath day, atween preaching; in the meantime, see if you can get me in to hear that tragedy you speak of, since I have seen the comedy up in the loft yonder." The farce was about to proceed, when who should stalk in but the great man himself, with a long whip, that he could use at ten yards distance. Making it crack at the snapper like a pistol, there was such a scampering among white and black, as might well have employed the pencil of Hogarth, who has given us the Village School in an uproar. Loud natural squeals came from all sides, as the scourge took effect upon the hips of the retreating crew, who crowded out like a drove of hogs through a narrow gate, making the hindermost suffer for the sins of the foremost, while the Dominie sung out: "I'll learn you to make the venerable Consistorial Court of the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church of Holland, in these United States of America, now independent, the subject of fun. You blasphemous crew that you are! I never knew where Pandemonium was before now. You black imps, to mount up to the clouds playing your cantraps. Take that." And here another and another full swing of the stout pastor's arm made the court and the audience tumble out in mixed confusion, that soon exhausted the wrath of the avenger. Coming upon the fellow that had played the part of the female spy, all dressed | best for him to do, surrounded as he was by sus Here the two followed the stream of persons who were making their way to the parsonage, with an evident earnestness, that showed their interest in what was about to take place. CHAPTER XXVII. A WHEEL WITHIN A WHEEL. CLARENCE, in no better mood of mind after what he had witnessed, wandered away out of hearing, so that he might consider what would be picion. The chief man here had his eye upon him, the clowns squinted at him, and the common blacks were making him their jest. Were he only certain of getting away, he would run all risks of escaping to the mountains. Where were these king's officers? Their parole did not prevent them from helping others, though it bound them by their honor to remain here till exchanged: "I shall seek them out," said the almost desperate young man; "I have just come from seeing my own shadow on the gallows-tree; I would be a fool to run my neck into the noose after the plain warnings given in some mysterious way." Continuing these reveries, his eye rested on the same strange dwarf that he had followed into the loft. This time the singular creature made more attempts at arresting the notice of the stranger youth, who now became interested in the motions made to him. They had both got on the same bridge, when the call "Captain Clinton," coming from the right, drew Clarence there to look with haste, and with some perturbation. Seeing no one, he still remained intently fixed, with his head bent over, when the voice was on the other side, calling" Captain Clinton, follow." Clarence, thinking that some mischief was intended, hastily ran forward seizing the dwarf, who merely looked up in the face of the captain with a dull smile, that meant nothing, good or evil. Clarence was ashamed of himself when he saw that he had been rough to a poor deformed negro, whose face showed him to be an idiot. Dropping the arm he held, he merely said to himself, “I wish I knew who calls me," when the same voice on both sides called out : "Follow him as a brave man may." Seeing that something was meant, he pointed to the dwarf, who went on, Clarence in his wake. Turning suddenly around as if going down to the creek to fish, for the dwarf carried a hickory pole, which might serve him either for a fishing-rod or a staff of defence, he led the way as Clarence followed. After walking, and sometimes crawling through a low piece of ground covered with hazel bushes, they reached a hut built of mud, and thatched with straw, entirely different from anything that Clarence had ever seen on this continent. The walls stood nearly four square, and rose a foot higher than a common man's height, with here and there a stick of timber set in to prevent the clay from settling. The roof rose slanting to the ridge-pole, and after having been wattled with willows was stuffed with oat straw, over which was laid a covering of grassy turf, cut in squares from the meadow. Clarence thought upon the clachen of Cladich, in the Scottish highlands, where he had been with a detachment of his regiment, keeping the old adherents of the gallant Pretender in check. There was the same "midden" before the door, the kailyard at the end of the house, with the place for the crummy cow at the back window. "This," said the English youth to himself, "looks like the Scottish Highlands indeed." But his surprise was still greater, when, after his guide pointed to the low door, which stood open, he was met by an old man in the very "garb of the Gael." The kilt coming down to the knee, met below by the cross-striped hose, tight to the leg above the brawn, having round tufts which covered the buckles of the garters. The shoes were of the kind called brogues, wooden soles, and vamps of untanned leather. The upper part of the man's dress had a mixture of the Scottish and Dutch in them. The cloth of the coat was woven loose like a coarse blanket, and stained with the juice of the butternut, abundant in the region. An old soldier's stock was round the grim wearer's neck, and it only required the eye of a soldier to observe, in the upright form, the respectful bearing and the firm footing of the stranger, one who had marched through many countries, and was not to be startled, even now, by the sound of a trumpet. He stood over five feet ten; but, from his strength of limb and width of chest, he seemed to be of shorter stature; and though he evidently had put on his best attire, there was a roughness in his appearance, which would have made the tame citizen give him the path without further dispute. On the entrance of Clarence, he put one hand by his side, and the other to his cap, which the young officer understood at once. Returning the salutation with evident pleasure, as he looked on the face of the stout old man, smiling, as he said with surprise when he saw on the breast of him before him a silver medal bearing the name of the wearer, and of "PLASSY" and of PLAINS." "ABRAHAM "Sergeant McDonald, Seventy-first Regiment, Glasgow Highlanders! How is this that I meet one of the brave heroes who fought and conquered with Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham ?" was the but he had hardly uttered the exclamation before eager inquiry of. Clarence. "I am still a true subject of his Britannic Majesty, and will continue to wear his colors while this head stands higher than the earth; and when in my grave, I have sworn my auld son Oscar to come every Sunday morning, when he must lay this medal aboon my heart, where it hangs now. On the fourth of June, his Majesty's birthday, they will fire a feu-de-joie near my auld ear." "Whist! whist!" was whispered from a corner on the other side of the room, where sat an old woman who was busily engaged twisting a thread by a spindle, that hung between her finger and her thumb, though evidently ill at ease, as she listened to the outpouring of her husband's loyalty. "Janet," continued the old soldier, "is wearing her life out, 'feared lest thae Whigs come in some day and put a string round my neck; and sorry am I to say, there are some of the ance gallant Seventy-first that would help them. But, sit down, till we hear the word, advance. Clarence took a seat on a stool which stood on three feet, cut out of a rough block, which was the pattern of all the stools in the place. The visitor had time to examine the hut, and mark its resemblance to what he supposed had never crossed the Atlantic. The floor was the bare earth, hardened by the feet of the tenants. Round the centre was all the rude furniture, for there was the fireplace, built of rough stones, like an ancient altar for sacrifice. It stood about three feet high, and measured double that in breadth. On the sides were the vessels for cooking, while over the centre, where the fire burned, hung from a long chain the pot in which the dinner for that day was simmering, and sending out an agreeable flavor. Clarence looked for the chimney, but saw none. The smoke found its way upward, seeking the open air through those crevices which were left by chance in the simple roof. "Come this way, he calls;" were the words of the old Highlander, and Clarence was pointed to a steep ladder in the rear of the hut. The adventurer had gone too far to hesitate, so, mounting up, he found a door which opened at his touch, swinging back again, so that he was shut completely in. "By George, I'm caught again," were his first words, when he looked round him, seeing no one; another person entered from the opening below, who sprung forward seizing the hand already stretched out, while both were speaking at once"Clinton! Crawford!" looking into each other's faces to be sure of not being mistaken. Clarence, the most surprised, from being wholly ignorant of the other being near, stood dumb, while the other said: "I knew you at a glance, whenever I set my eyes upon you. My fear was that you, on recog nizing my face, would betray yourself and me at one and the same time." "Where did you see me to-day? I have been but in one place all this morning, and there you could not be without my discovering your fair skin among a thousand of these yellow boors." "By George, as you said, Clinton, it was my fair skin and sweet voice that have carried me through that ordeal. I must be a good-looking lass when I could deceive that shrewd parson, with his black keen eye, and yourself." "Is it possible, Crawford, that you acted the lady in that mongrel court, just now? Well, you have had a near escape with your head in the lion's mouth, and still on your own shoulders. We always in fun called you Lady Crawford, but " "No more of that, Clinton; you know well that it does not sound too pleasantly to my ears. Nothing but the desperate condition of Burgoyne and his brave fellows, could have tempted me to this, and now that it has failed in part, we must try and remedy the evil in the best way we can. We want your counsel." "My counsel," was the desponding reply of Clarence, "may be of some good to others, as theirs may be to me; but the desperate state of my own affairs engrosses my soul so much, that you could not get two connected ideas from me, though this part of the globe were to sink and Burgoyne with it." 66 You astonish me," said Crawford, who was one of those men of deep enthusiasm, whose countenance spoke more of levity than of earnestness; "I supposed that honor and glory, connected with your country, sat highest on the throne of your breast." "These sentiments," said Clarence, in more haste than he intended, "are the supreme influences of my life; but after passing through the scenes of this week already past, they have been |