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Accompanied by the other gentlemen, and followed by the
messenger, Sir Henry Clinton led the way to the apartment he
had left; when closing the doors, and satisfying himself that he
was secure from interruption, he turned to the man and demanded
the letters of which he was the bearer. Unbuckling his belt
he touched a concealed spring in the empty scabbard, when the
steel dropped to the ground. Taking it up he drew from it three
rolls of thin Indian paper addressed to Sir Henry Clinton, and
gave them to him.

After rapidly glancing over the contents, the British General
energetically struck the table. “Gentlemen, it turns out as I anticipated.
My secret correspondent is —. You may leave
the room “trusty Jack Smithson,” as I see it is on the back of
the letters. Ho! without there. Markham, take Mr. Smithson
under your care till I want him again, and see that he neither
leaves the house nor has communication with any one.”

The captain of the guard received his charge and retired.

“It is as I thought,” continued Sir Henry Clinton, “General
Arnold is my correspondent.”

“Arnold!” exclaimed the others simultaneously.

“Arnold, and none other—and on this supposition have I so
long kept up the correspondence. We will now examine these
letters. Here is one endorsed “important and strictly private.”
Breaking the seal, he rapidly run his eyes over it; his features as
he read lighting up with animation. Suddenly rising, he said
with energy, “This affair has got to assume a magnitude and
importance I had not anticipated. This morning General Arnold
took the command at West Point.”

“At West Point,” repeated Rodney, with surprise.

“Then it is ours,” said General Knyphausen, shivering his
glass on the board in the animation of the moment.

“Listen to his proposal. He makes me a direct offer to surrender
himself, West Point, and its dependencies, with all the
military stores and provisions, cannon, vessels, and flotillas, in
such a manner as to contribute every advantage to His Majesty's

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arms, and the safety of our men. Now, gentlemen, are we in a
way to pluck the fruit so long ripening.”

“There is, indeed, an opening for a successful operation that
claims our most assiduous care,” said Sir George Rodney. “West
Point appears to me an object of such vast importance that no
hazard or expense ought to be weighed against it. It will give
us control of the Hudson from the sea to its source, facilitate our
intercourse with the Northern army, and be a barrier to the intercourse
between New England and the States of Jersey, New
York, and Pennsylvania.”

“And alsho, vat is of equal importanshe,” said General Knyphausen;
“it vill terange the plan of te kombined armies ant
vleet of te Fransh ant te Americans in teir contemplate attack on
dis city of Neuve York.”

“West Point must be ours, gentleman,” said General Clinton
decidedly. “From its peculiar position and strength, it is the
Gibraltar of this rebel country, and must be taken before we can
get a permanent foot-hold in America. Its possession offers to us
all the advantages you have named. But on the ground alone of
defeating the projected attack on New York, it becomes us to
pursue any plan that will place it in our hands. Not only will
its capture serve to defeat the project of a combined attack, but,
by cutting off their supplies, produce disaffection, and ultimately
desertion in the ranks of the rebels, and excite discontent among
their French allies. It will be of incalculable advantage to the
service, and crown the campaign with triumphant success. Let
us now see what further this traitor-General has to say. He is no
stickler, but comes out with a clean breast. Ho! here is the
whole gist of the matter. Hear, gentleman!” continued he, reading
from the paper in his hand. `I wish you to send some one
in your confidence, (I should prefer Major Andre, and, indeed do
not desire to negotiate with any one else, as I deem him the most
befitting person) fully authorised by your house to confer with
me, that the risk and profits of the co-partnership may be fully
and clearly understood. A speculation might at this time be made
to some advantage with ready money.' “Bah! this then is the
way the wind blows.”

“Sent to him, Generale, von pag of monies to py Vest Poin.”

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“So Arnold has a mercenary, as well as a revengeful motive in
this treason,” said Rodney with some surprise.

“I am told his extravagant style of living has involved him in
irretrievable pecuniary embarrassments, that he has resorted to
shifts, as trustee of public funds, that have laid him open to suspicion
and lost him the confidence of Congress; the first intimation
of the displeasure of which, was conveyed to him by the promotion
of five Major-generals over his head. A brave officer he
certainly is; but no excess of physical courage can atone for the
want of moral principle, of which he seems entirely destitute.
He is proud, vain, and hasty of speech, with many private vices
which he has vainly hoped to gloss over by the brilliancy of his
military career. In this he has been unsuccessful, and his elevated
rank only makes more conspicuous the man's private actions.
Smarting under mortification, disgust, and the stings of wounded
self-love, he has determined to avenge his real or fancied wrongs
on his country, and has resolved to offer her up as a sacrifice to
his injured pride. He accordingly wrote to me, under the signature
of `Gustavus,' assuming, as you have just seen in the paragraph
I read to you, the character of a merchant. This was
eighteen months ago. The correspondence had continued for a
twelvemonth, before I could arrive at any probability as to who
he might be. At length, being confident, from the accuracy and
importance of his information, that he must be of high rank, and
a member of Washington's councils of war, I began to make myself
acquainted with the characters of the American Generals,
and investigate their histories, to discover what sufficient causes
of dissatisfaction existed, to induce any one of them to turn traitor
to his country. My suspicions, from obvious reasons, rested
on General Arnold, and we now see that they are confirmed. It
is gold the gentleman wants, and it must not be withheld, for it
is plain he will not stir a step without being paid for it. I must
send Andre to close the `bargain' with him, forthwith.”

“But” said Admiral Rodney, “how shall we be able to take
advantage of this man's treason? We cannot place an expedition
to take possession of West Point in secret, and Washington
will be prompt to defeat any scheme for which we make open
preparations.”

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“Every body knows, Sir George, that we have long contemplated,
with the aid of your fleet, an expedition to the Chesapeake
This will be a good mask to cover our real designs. Under this
feint we must prepare for a sudden movement up the Hudson.”

“Admiral. I second it with all my heart,” exclaimed Rodney.

“'Tish ver' exshellant. Ve vill take te repel vort now, Sir
Shorge ant Sir Henree.”

A little more conversation followed, in which the steps to be taken
for bringing the important affair to a crisis, were settled; the
messenger was called in and dismissed with letters to Arnold,
when the two gentlemen took their departure, to make preparations
for the contemplated movement against West Point, and
promptly second the treachery of its commander.