"
"Life offers but little to tempt me with," said Harvey, slowly raising
his eyes, and gazing wildly at the strange faces in the apartment.
"Come, worthy children of America!" said Lawton, "follow, and receive
your reward."
The gang eagerly accepted the invitation, and followed the captain
towards the quarters assigned to his troop. Dunwoodie paused a moment,
from reluctance to triumph over a fallen foe, before he proceeded.
"You have already been tried, Harvey Birch; and the truth has proved you
to be an enemy too dangerous to the liberties of America to be
suffered to live."
"The truth!" echoed the peddler, starting, and raising himself in a
manner that disregarded the weight of his pack.
"Aye! the truth; you are charged with loitering near the continental
army, to gain intelligence of its movements, and, by communicating them
to the enemy, to enable him to frustrate the intentions of Washington."
"Will Washington say so, think you?"
"Doubtless he would; even the justice of Washington condemns you."
"No, no, no," cried the peddler, in a voice and with a manner that
startled Dunwoodie. "Washington can see beyond the hollow views of
pretended patriots. Has he not risked his all on the cast of a die? If a
gallows is ready for me, was there not one for him also? No, no, no,
no--Washington would never say, 'Lead him to a gallows.
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