Page 19 (1/2)

But despite her stern resolution, she parked her car in the driveway at her house and then wandered the historic district, staying away fro her back to the Tarleton-Dandridge

Hovering near Independence Hall, staring up at the redbrick building that still brought her a little thrill every ti to another

"Me! I’d be Patrick Henry, if I was a founding father! He was cool He was so fierce He stood right in that building and said, ‘Giveif she should play the eternal teacher and tell the boy that Patrick Henry had indeed said those words but not at Independence Hall He’d spoken his fiery rhetoric to the Virginia Convention at St John’s Church in Richh he’d felt a sudden blast of cold air Then he turned and stared at Allison, not as if he’d known she was there, but as if he’d been searching for someone--anyone--to be near hie girls would definitely find appealing

"Hi," he said, frowning as he looked at her The brother or friend he ith seemed troubled, as well

"Hi Where are you frohed "What’s wrong with Indiana?"

"I live in a cornfield"

"Well, we need corn By the way, I was listening to you, and I’h I love Philly and I’d like to think most of our brilliant quotes coinia"

"Yeah?" The boy didn’t see corrected "Maybe that explains it"

"Explains what?"

"The cold"

"The cold?" she repeated

"Yeah, I felt so cold toucharound here!" he said happily "Maybe he’s a ghost, and he didn’t like that I’d made a mistake"

Allison shook her head "He’s buried at Red Hill, in Virginia, his family home, the last place he lived It’s beautiful there If I were Patrick Henry and still running around, I think I’d be there He really loved Virginia and, back then, they were ‘statesmen’ The events at Independence Hall turned the Colonies into states and the states into a nation"

"I heard about that," the other boy said "I heard the politicians fought back That Tho the Declaration of Independence and that he had to word it so all the representatives froine trying to do that today? Back then, there were only thirteen states Noe have fifty," Allison said She was surprised the boys were listening to her, and she was happy they were old enough to be exploring on their own--and that they seemed to care about history She also liked their companionship at the moment She found she could even s around here, it’s Gouverneur Morris"

"Governor who?" the younger one asked

"Not governor Gouverneur That was the man’s name," Allison said "He was born in New York City but he spent a lot of ti to for the Declaration of Independence, Morris was busy working on the Constitution He was an interestingfathers who isn’t as well known as Jefferson or Patrick Henry He lost out a few tiovern hts, Morris already saw that we needed to band together to really s work He was antislavery, as werefathers, but that was one issue they were afraid to touch just then In his later life, he was a peg-legged old curoverner boy said "First, I’d make a law that everybody has to be nice to everyone else, no matter where they came from Because the United States is ht?"

"Yes, and that’s very co whales and wolves and baby seals, and I’d !"

Allison started to laugh at that, but the laughter died in her throat She blinked So toward Independence Hall, wearing a period costume

It was Julian Mitchell She could see him plainly, just as she’d seen hie House

He stood behind the boys

"I really have to talk to you," he said "Please, Allison"

She felt herself growing dizzy, darkness encroaching She fought the feeling

"You’re not there," she whispered "You are a product of ht here I’m Toby Gray This is htened

Of course There was a deadbehind them

No, the kids were afraid of her!

"I’ to be polite "Nice to meet you"

She turned and hurried in the direction of her house

She felt the cold follow her