Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/67

56 light of the candle appeared in the doorway as a mild voice said slowly:

"I had no idea that by trying to save my life from the howling mob I was like to frighten two children so terribly. Bless your sweet hearts, I have three little girls in my home over the sea, and would as soon think of harming them, as of touching even a hair of your dear heads."

This speech was so unlike what a bloody-minded murderer would have made that Dorothy was emboldened to look up, and she saw in the faint light the man who was in the best room when they unintentionally opened the door.

She noted in that quick glance his kindly face, pale and drawn though it was, and straightway her courage came back in some slight degree, although not to such an extent that she dared venture out from the fireplace.

"If you please, sir, where is Scip?" she asked timidly.

"And who may he be, my dear?"

"Our servant, who was sent to take care of us; but who went out to learn the meaning of the hue and cry."

"That I cannot tell you, my poor, little frightened baby. It saved my life for the moment that he left the door open, and I darted inside just in time to put the mob off the scent. Although death was at my heels, I would have