“I am coming to that,” replied Morton.  “Vincent Murray and Mary Williams conversed together for some time.  He told her he was going to leave his friends and join the American army.  He said he thought the signs in the clouds were warning to all the friends of liberty to rush to the aid of our little struggling band; and that he intended to go to New York, and then seek out the best plan for enlistment.  Before he bade his sweetheart farewell, he also told her he was resolved to do his best to convert Gilbert Lester from his tory principles.  Now this was no easy task, as the two young men had often argued the question of rights, and Lester had shown that he was as firmly fixed to his creed as Murray was to his.  Mary told him that she thought that the frowns or the smiles of Jane Hatfield alone could change his way of thinking.  But, nevertheless, Murray resolved to try what he could do.

“The little group of dancers were all scattered in different directions.  Murray sought among the number for Gilbert Lester, and found him, at length, leaning in a thoughtful attitude against the trunk of a huge sycamore tree, whose broad shadow fell upon the waters of the Lehigh.  So profound was his reverie, that Murray touched his arm before he stirred from his position, or was aware of approaching footsteps.

“‘Gilbert, shall I divine your thoughts?’

“’You, perhaps, think you could do so, but I doubt whether you would guess right.’ “’Why, there can be but one subject, I should suppose, which could occupy the mind of any one who has seen what we have seen this evening.’

“’True; but there may be different interpretations put upon what is equally a mystery to us all.’

“’Well, I will not dispute that point with you,—­but there is a right and a wrong, notwithstanding.  Now, tell me, what is your opinion?’

“’It will hardly coincide with yours, Vincent; for I fear we shall never agree in our ideas of the propriety and expediency of taking up arms against our sovereign.  As to this pantomime of the clouds, I must confess it is beyond my comprehension; so, if your understanding has been enlightened by the exhibition, I beg you will have charity to extend the benefit.’

“’You are always for ridiculing my impressions, Gilbert; but you cannot change my belief that our cause is a rightful one, and that it will, with the help of the Almighty, ultimately prevail.’

“‘What, against such a host as we have just seen imaged out in the sky?’

“‘The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,’ replied Murray.

“‘But,’ continued his friend, ’if a real army, coming over the sea to do battle for the king, has been represented by that ghostly multitude which passed before our view, you will find the number too strong for this fanciful faith of yours, in the help of an invisible arm.’

“’It is a faith, however, which I am not yet disposed to yield,—­the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.’ “’I will acknowledge,’ said Lester, interrupting him, ’that you have the advantage of me in quoting Scripture—­but depend upon it, the practical advantages of the British over the rebel army will soon overturn your theory.’