He said to Manduit, who attended him till he died, 'It is finishing a noble career early; but I die the victim of my ambition and the avarice of my sovereign.'" "His sovereign?
That was George the Third, papa ?" Grace said inquiringly.
"No, Donop was a Hessian, hired out to the British king by his sovereign," replied her father.
"And avarice means love of money ?" "Yes, daughter; and it was avarice on the part of both sovereigns that led to the hiring of the Hessians; the war was waged by the king of England because the Americans refused to be taxed by him at his pleasure and without their consent.

He wanted their money.
"Whitall's house, a two-story brick, built in 1748, stood close by the river," continued the captain, "and I suppose is still there; it was, in 1851, when Lossing visited the locality.
"The Whitalls were Quakers and took no part in the war.

When the fort was attacked Mrs.Whitall was urged to flee to some place of safety, but declined to do so, saying, 'God's arm is strong, and will protect me; I may do good by staying.' "She was left alone in the house, and, while the battle was raging, sat in a room in the second story busily at work at her spinning-wheel, while the shot came dashing like hail against the walls.

At length one, a twelve-pound ball from a British vessel in the river, just grazed the walnut tree at the fort, which the Americans used as a flag-staff, and crashed into her house through the heavy brick wall on the north gable, then through a partition at the head of the stairs, crossed a recess, and lodged in another partition near where she was sitting.
"At that she gathered up her work and went down to the cellar.
"At the close of the battle the wounded and dying were brought into her house and she left her work to wait upon them and do all in her power to relieve their sufferings.
"She attended to all, friend and foe, with equal kindness, but scolded the Hessians for coming to America to butcher the people." "I am sure she must have been a good woman," remarked Grace; "but, oh, I don't know how she could dare to stay in the house while those dreadful balls were flying about it." "No doubt she felt that she was in the way of her duty," replied the captain, "and the path of duty is the safe one.

She seems to have been a good Christian woman." "Yes, indeed!" said Evelyn.