blazing wood fire, that shone so bright where he sat. It awakened emotions in her bosom which can better be imagined than described. Depeyster had sent Pompey to summon two of the nearest neighbors to his house immediately, as he had some business of importance with them, while Katrina and Dinah set about getting supper. The subaltern at length became more calm and collected, and partially recovering from his melancholy condition, he for the first time surveyed the room. He was struck with the splendor that he saw around him, for the house was most gorgeously furnished for those times. Splendid mirrors and paintings were suspended upon the walls, carpets of burning crimson, a massive mahogany side board in the corner of the parlor, loaded with plate and inlaid with rose wood, and tables of the same material. The windows, covered with costly hangings, greeted his eye, whilst Katrina and Dinah were busily engaged in preparing for supper. Soon everything was ready, and Depeyster politely invited the subaltern to partake with them. Soon they were all seated around the table, Katrina presiding, and ordering Dinah to attend to the wants of the subaltern, who was well cared for also by Depeyster, who bountifully supplied him with everything the table afforded.

Katrina then was only about nineteen years of age, and her person was peculiarly attractive; her countenance was always radiant with smiles, and down a finely curved neck fell her dark auburn ringlets in graceful disorder. Her well developed forehead, almost concealed by the rich tresses, portrayed a mind well stored with knowledge. She knew nothing of the false

coquetry of the city belles, who pay their devotion to the shrine of fashion, and sport with the most sacred feelings of the human heart. She was open, frank, candid; her lips knew no guile, her heart whispered no deceit, she was the lovely Katrina. Her filial affection was unbounded, and when the British fleet sailed up the river and was expected to land at Fishkill Landing, and a battle was expected to be fought in the vicinity, and her mother, sisters, and brother fled, she could not think of leaving her father alone and unprotected; she would share with him all the privations and dangers that might occur.

After supper, the subaltern, wishing to retire for the night, for he was much fatigued and downcast on account of the misfortunes which had befallen him, Depeyster conducted him to a bedroom in the upper story, close to the roof, where he thought it was the safest place to prevent him from making his escape, and shutting the door and turning the key in the lock, securely locking the door, he left the subaltern alone. In the meantime Pompey had returned, accompanied by two neighbors that Depeyster had sent for, and whom he informed of the whole transaction; the manner that the subaltern came to his house and the account that he gave of himself. How the British fleet had left him in the heart of an enemy's country, and the anguish of mind he was now suffering, fearing when tried he might be found guilty and be imprisoned, or perhaps lose his life. Depeyster thought it would be necessary for each to take his turn and watch till morning, for the subaltern might make an effort to This was acceded to, and each man stood

escape.

sentinel in turn while the night lasted. But the subaltern had no disposition to flee; he lay quiet till morning, but his mind was restless. If he could be released on parole, he would be willing to accept the proposition, for he had no disposition to fight against the Colonies any more. He loved his country, it was

true, but the kind treatment he had received softened his heart towards a people which his country branded as rebels, and now he was willing, if he could get his discharge, not to fight against the Colonies any more. Katrina he could not dismiss from his mind, and for one so young he had seen no one in all his intercourse with the world so interesting, and the tender assiduities he had received from her poured into his afflicted breast the healing balm of forgiving consolation. But the night wore away, and the rays of the king of day gilded the tops of the Highlands, and throwing his forked arrows through the glens and valleys that lay around the Depeyster mansion, summoning the subaltern to arise, that another day had dawned and ere its close a more terrible fate than he yet had experienced might be his. He had been up, and was walking to and fro across his room, when the noise of footsteps arrested his attention, and his bedroom door was unlocked and opened by Depeyster, who informed him that breakfast was waiting him, and at the same time the subaltern followed him to the breakfast room, where Katrina and Dinah had everything prepared. Soon they were all seated at the table, and before they had finished, the two neighbors who had remained with Depeyster through the night, drove in front of his mansion with a conveyance, which had been pre

viously arranged to take him to Fishkill. Having finished breakfast, Depeyster informed the subaltern that it would be necessary for them to take him to headquarters, and there he would be examined before a military tribunal, and if nothing appeared against him, he felt assured that he would be discharged on parole. There was then but two roads that led to Fishkill Village from the river. One went about north as it passed the Depeyster mansion, and when the conveyance left there with the subaltern carefully guarded by Depeyster and his two neighbors, Katrina from the porch gazed at him until they disappeared from view. She hoped that he would at least be set at liberty, for she believed that he had given a true account of himself, and she felt an intense interest in his welfare, and her father had promised to exert all his influence in his behalf. Depeyster, with his prisoner, jogged along towards Fishkill.

The country then wore a different aspect from the present day. No smiling villages greeted the eye; only now and then a solitary farm house was seen, and large tracts of primeval forest skirted the valleys and covered the mountain sides, in some places extending up to the highway and looming up in all their grandeur where now is a busy thoroughfare, where the snort of the iron horse is heard almost every hour, with villages, country seats, and opulent farm houses interspersed. But their journey was soon terminated, and Depeyster, with his prisoner, was soon at the headquarters of Washington, and an interview was had with him. After hearing all the circumstances from Depeyster respecting him; how he came to his house

and surrendered himself, and now was safely handed over to his charge to be disposed of, Washington ordered the subaltern to be remanded to prison until he could summon a court martial to try him, which would take place in a few days.

The Reformed Dutch Church was then used as a prison, and it was a different structure from the present one. The building was four square, with a roof coming up from all sides to the center. From the apex of the roof ascended the cupola where the bell was suspended, and the Dutch coat of arms surmounted the top. The window lights were very small, set in iron sash frames, with port holes above for a place of defense against Indian incursions, which the early settlers were exposed to when the country was first settled. In front of the church was a large oak tree, whose giant arms extended over the street. One large limb came in close proximity to a window in the upper story. Among the prisoners confined in this church with the subaltern, was the celebrated spy, Enoch Crosby, who figured in Cooper's writings as Harvey Burch, who one dark stormy night crawled through one of the port holes and ventured to leap to a limb of this tree, which he succeeded in catching, and then softly letting himself down till he reached terra firma, when he was but a few feet from the sentinel, but the howling of the tempest drowned the noise that was occasioned by his descent, and he made his escape. Four years after the revolution this edifice was demolished, and the present church erected, which, for the want of funds, was not completed until 1794.

In the time of the revolution, there were two fami