"Did anybody ever find out who it was that killed her, papa?" asked
Grace.

"The murderer is said to have been a man from the north of Ireland,
named McDonald, who for some unknown reason had taken a violent dislike
to Mr. Caldwell.

"But little more than a year afterward Mr. Caldwell himself was slain,
in a very similar manner, but by an American soldier."

"An American, Brother Levis?" exclaimed Walter, in unfeigned surprise.
"Did he do it intentionally?"

"The shooting was intentional, but whether meant to kill I cannot say,"
replied the captain; "the fellow who did it is said to have been a
drunken Irishman. It happened at Elizabethtown, then in possession of
the Americans. A sloop made weekly trips between that place and New
York, where were the headquarters of the British army at that time--and
frequently carried passengers with a flag, and also parcels.

"The Americans had a strong guard at a tavern near the shore, and one or
two sentinels paced the causeway that extended across the marsh to the
wharf.

"One day in November, 1781, the vessel came in with a lady on board who
had permission to visit a sister at Elizabethtown, and Mr. Caldwell
drove down to the wharf in his chaise to receive her; then, not finding
her on the wharf, went aboard the sloop and presently returned, carrying
a small bundle.