thanked Effie for her hospitality and was about to depart,
when he happened to notice the scarlet dye.
"That is in truth a bright red, mistress" lie said. "Do
yon care for so high a color?"
"And why should I not?" returned Effie. "Should not
all loyal subjects of our king show their loyalty by wearing
his color? Now, don't you think it pretty'?"
should have poor taste if I did not," said I►e. "I3ut it is
not more pretty than the pink of your cheeks."
"Nay, nay, keep your flattery to yourself; I will have
none of it. Besides, why con►pare tl►e color of my cheeks to
our beautiful British scarlet? The lapse of years will fade
the cheek, but the emblem of our royalty will last forever."
"That I doubt," said Clell. "Th►e American sun will
fade it very soon, or I am a false prophet." Just then a
party of horsemen drew up in front of tl►e house, and dis
mounted. Clell, seeing at once that they were of the British
army, looked for some ►neans of escape, but could see none.
Eflie, noticing how anxious I►e was to avoid the new-comers,
knew not what to do. On tl►e one hand, duly to her princi
ples demanded that she give I►er guest up to I►is enemies,
while on the other hand, her newly-awakened sympathies
for the handsome stranger pleaded for I►er assistance in his
behalf.
While she was hesitating, one of the horsemen had come
up the walk and knocked loudly on the door.
"Open to us, Effie. It is I, your cousin Jack, and some
of our soldiers. We are looking for a rebel, and are author
ized to search every house along this road."
"Well, just wait one minute till I finish drying this dish,
and I will let you in, although I can't see why you expect to
find a rebel hiding in our house."
Her mind was made up, and hastily unlocking a door,
she opened it and disclosed a small room in which was a
writin(r desk, a few chairs and a case full of books. "Hide