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“No, madam,” he said, “you shall not return as long as there is a British bayonet in Boston.”

Quick came the characteristic reply: “Recollect, Mr. Hancock, I am not under your control yet! I shall go to my father to-morrow.”

Her determination matched his own, and Hancock saw no way to achieve his end, yet he had not thought of yielding. As usual, he turned to Aunt Lydia for advice. She wisely suggested retiring, without settling the mooted question, as they were all too tired for sensible reflection on any subject. Then, after defiant Dorothy had gone to her room, the older woman stole to the girl’s bedside, not to advise,–oh no!–merely to suggest that there was more than one girl waiting to step into Dorothy’s place should she flout the handsome young patriot. Also, she suggested, how terrible it would be if Hancock should be killed, or even captured while the girl he worshiped was away from his side! There was no reply, and the older woman stole from the room without any evidence that she had succeeded in her mission. But she smiled to herself the next morning when Dorothy announced that she had never had any real intention of leaving for Boston, and gracefully acknowledged to an entranced lover that he had been right, after all!

The next question was, where should the women take refuge until the cloud of war should have passed over sufficiently to make it safe for them to return to their homes? Hancock advised Fairfield, Connecticut, a beautiful town where there would be small chance of any danger or discomfort. His suggestion met with approval, and Mrs. Hancock and her pretty ward at once set off for the Connecticut town, while Adams and Hancock journeyed cautiously toward Worcester, where they were to meet and go with other delegates to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia. They were detained at Worcester three days, which gave Hancock a chance to see his Dorothy again on her way to the new place of refuge. Theirs was a rapturous though a brief visit together; then the patriots went on toward New York, and Dorothy and Aunt Lydia proceeded to Fairfield, where they were received in the home of Mr. Thaddeus Burr, an intimate friend of the Hancocks, and a leading citizen, whose fine colonial house was a landmark in the village.

Judge Quincy, meanwhile, had at last been able to take flight from Boston, and after a long, uncomfortable trip, had arrived at his daughter’s home in Lancaster, where he heard that “Daughter Dolly and Hancock had taken dinner ten days before, having driven over from Shirley for the purpose.” He writes to his son Henry of this, and adds, “As I hear, she proceeded with Mrs. Hancock to Fairfield; I don’t expect to see her till peaceable times are restored.”

The two patriots reached New York safely, and Hancock at once wrote to Dorothy:

NEW YORK,
Sabbath Even’g, May 7, 1775

.

MY DEAR DOLLY:–

I Arrived well, tho’ fatigued, at King’s Bridge at Fifty Minute after Two o’clock yesterday, where I found the Delegates of Massachusetts and Connect’ with a number of Gentlemen from New York, and a Guard of the Troop. I dined and then set out in the Procession for New York,–the Carriage of your Humble servant being first in the procession (of course). When we Arrived within three Miles of the City, we were Met by the Grenadier Company and Regiment of the City Militia under Arms,–Gentlemen in Carriages and on Horseback, and many thousand of Persons on foot, the roads fill’d with people, and the greatest cloud of dust I ever saw. In this Situation we Entered the City, and passing thro’ the Principal Streets of New York amidst the Acclamations of Thousands were set down at Mr. Francis’s. After Entering the House three Huzzas were Given, and the people by degrees dispersed.