Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/109

96 am guilty of doing this wicked thing!" the silversmith cried in tones of despair as he threw himself in the nearest chair, covering his face with his hands.

His words alarmed Sarah and Dorothy more than the most harsh epithets would have done, and, clasped in each other's arms, they gave way to loud and violent expressions of sorrow.

Such an uproar did the children make that the two ladies were forced to quiet them, in order that the situation might be rationally discussed by the gentlemen, and then Master Lamb said with an evident effort:

"We are equally concerned in this matter, friend Dean, for even though I did not say much to the citizens, I agreed with your angry remarks by remaining silent, and it would seem that my daughter has had nearly as much of a hand in this affair as yours. Let us consider it calmly."

"I am not in a proper frame of mind to consider anything in a quiet manner! I shall be hooted at as worse than a Tory, for the people will believe that while I apparently worked the hardest to arouse a spirit of patriotism among the citizens, I was secretly in sympathy and correspondence with the enemies of the colony, else why did the spy seek my house as a refuge?"

"He did not seek it; the people chased him, and most likely he ran at random, with no other