he miller reposing that much confidence in the proprietor of the
estate; but Joel was too conscious of dishonest intentions himself to
put any unnecessary faith in others.

All this time, the major kept so far aloof as not to be recognised,
though Joel, once or twice, betrayed symptoms of a desire to ascertain
who he was. Maud had awakened suspicions that now became active, in
both father and son, when circumstances so unexpectedly and
inconveniently threw the man in their way. It was consequently the wish
of the former to get rid of his overseer as soon as possible.
Previously to doing this, however, he saw fit to interrogate him a
little further.

"Have you seen anything of the Indians since you left the stockade,
Strides?" demanded the captain. "We can perceive no other traces of
their presence than yonder fires, though we think that some of them
must have passed this way, for Whiteback's udder is empty."

"To own the truth, captain, I haven't. I some think that they've left
the valley; though the Lord only can tell when they'll be back ag'in.
Such critturs be beyond calcilation! They outdo arithmetic, nohow. As
for the cow, I milked her myself; for being the crittur the captain has
given to Phoebe for her little dairy, I thought it might hurt her not
to be attended to. The pail stands yonder, under the fence, and the
women and children in the Hut may be glad enough to see it in the
morning."

This was very characteristic of Joel Strides. He did not hesitate about
disobeying orders, or even to risk his life, in order to secure his
money; but, determined to come out, he had the forethought and care to
bring a pail, in order to supply the wants of those who were now
crowded within the stockade, and who were too much accustomed to this
particular sort of food, not to suffer from its absence. If we add,
that, in the midst of all this prudent attention to the wants of his
companions, Joel had an eye to his personal popularity and what are
called "ulterior events", and that he selected his own cow for the
precise reason given, the reader has certain distinctive traits of the
man before him.

"This being the case," returned the captain, a good deal relieved at
finding that the savages had not been the agents in this milking
affair, since it left the probability of their remaining
stationary--"This being the case, Joel, you had better find the pail,
and go in. As soon as day dawns, however, I recommend that all the cow