"Oh! how pleasant it must be," said the thoughtless Sarah, in reply; "I
am told there are many charming women with that army; as you say, it
will make us all life and gayety."

Frances shook back the abundance of her golden hair, and raised her
eyes, dancing with the ardor of national feeling; then laughing, with a
concealed humor, she asked,--

"Is it so certain that General Burgoyne will be permitted to reach the
city?"

"Permitted!" echoed the colonel. "Who is there to prevent it, my pretty
Miss Fanny?"

Frances was precisely at that age when young people are most jealous of
their station in society; neither quite a woman, nor yet a child. The
"pretty Miss Fanny" was too familiar to be relished, and she dropped her
eyes on her work again with cheeks that glowed like crimson.

"General Stark took the Germans into custody," she answered, compressing
her lip; "may not General Gates think the British too dangerous to go
at large?"

"Oh! they were Germans, as you say," cried the colonel, excessively
vexed at the necessity of explaining at all; "mere mercenary troops; but
when the really British regiments come in question, you will see a very
different result."

"Of that there is no doubt," cried Sarah, without in the least partaking