Col. Hamilton, with a manifest consciousness of another hearer than
Mistress Blossom and his general, read the paper. It was couched
in phrases of military and legal precision, and related briefly,
that upon the certain and personal knowledge of the writer, Abner
Blossom of the "Blossom Farm" was in the habit of entertaining two
gentlemen, namely, the "Count Ferdinand" and the "Baron Pomposo,"
suspected enemies of the cause, and possible traitors to the
Continental army. It was signed by Allan Brewster, late captain in
the Connecticut Contingent.

As Col. Hamilton exhibited the signature, Thankful Blossom had no
difficulty in recognizing the familiar bad hand and equally
familiar mis-spelling of her lover.

She rose to her feet. With eyes that showed her present trouble
and perplexity as frankly as they had a moment before blazed with
her indignation, she met, one by one, the glances of the group who
now seemed to be closing round her. Yet with a woman's instinct
she felt, I am constrained to say, more unfriendliness in the
silent presence of the two women than in the possible outspoken
criticism of our much-abused sex.

"Of course," said a voice which Thankful at once, by a woman's
unerring instinct, recognized as the elder of the two ladies, and
the legitimate keeper of the conscience of some one of the men who
were present,--"of course Mistress Thankful will be able to elect
which of her lovers among her country's enemies she will be able to
cling to for support in her present emergency. She does not seem
to have been so special in her favors as to have positively
excluded any one."