Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/222

---

it whenever I want it," he added, "but do not deliver it without a written order from me or brother Sam." He then threw the valise in at the door and rode on to the tavern at Peekskill, where he stopped to dine. A fortnight or so after this departure Mrs. Beekman saw an acquaintance named Smith, whose loyalty to the Whig cause had been suspected, ride rapidly up to the house. She heard him ask her husband for Lieutenant Jack's valise and Mr. Beekman was about to direct the servant to bring it. Mrs. Beekman, however, demanded whether the messenger had a written order from either of the brothers. Smith replied that he had no written order, the officer having had no time to write one. He added, "You know me, Mrs. Beekman, and when I assure you that Lieutenant Webb sent me for the valise you will not refuse to deliver it, as he is greatly in want of his uniform." Mrs. Beekman often said that she had an instinctive antipathy toward Smith, and by an intuition felt that he had not been authorized to call for the article she had in trust, so she answered, "I do know you very well; too well to give up to you the valise without a written order from the owner or the Colonel." Greatly angered at her statement he turned to her husband urging that the fact of his knowing that the valise was there and its contents should be sufficient evidence that he came by authority. His representations had no effect upon Mrs. Beekman's resolution. Although even her husband was displeased at this treatment of the messenger she remained firm in her denial and the disappointed horseman rode away as rapidly as he had come. Results proved that he had no authority to make the application, and it was subsequently ascertained that at the very time of this attempt Major Andre was in Smith's house, and had Smith obtained possession of the uniform Andre would have made his escape through the American lines. Lieutenant Webb confessed that while dining at the tavern that night he had