h, as it gave her freedom for
her own dreams, and prohibited any occasion for an expression of
feelings or opinions of her own as to the captain. But Miss Sally's
symptoms were observed by old Mr. Valentine, who, inferring their
cause, underwent much unrest on account of them, became snappish and
sarcastic towards the lady, watchful both of her and of Peyton, and
moody towards the others in the house. It was the old man's
disquietude regarding the state of Miss Sally's affections that
brought him to the house every day. For one brief while he considered
the advisability of transferring his attentions back from Miss Sally
to the widow Babcock, who had possessed them first, but, when he
tarried in the parsonage, his fears as to what might be going on in
the manor-house made his stay in the former intolerable, and led him
irresistibly to the latter.

Meanwhile the wounded guest, so unconscious of the states of mind
caused by him in the household, was the evoker of flutters in yet
another female breast. The girl, Molly, had read toilsomely through
"Pamela," and saw no reason why an equally attractive housemaid should
not aspire to an equally high destiny on this side of the ocean. But,
often as she artfully contrived that the black boy should forget some
part of the guest's dinner, and timely as she planned her own visits
with the missing portion, she found the officer heedless of her
smiles, engrossed sometimes in his meal, sometimes in his book,
sometimes in both. She conceived a loathing for that book, more than
once resisted a temptation to make way with it, and, having one day
stolen a look into it, thenceforth abominated the poor young lady of
it, with all the undying bitterness of an unpreferred rival.

Though Elizabeth and her aunt found each other reticent, they yet
passed their time together, breakfasting early, then visiting the
widow Babcock or some tenant, dining at noon, spending the early
afternoon, the one at her book or embroidery, the other in a siesta
before the fireplace, supping early, then preparing for the night by a
brisk walk in the garden, or on the terrace, or to the orchard and
back. Elizabeth had Williams provided with instructions as to his
conduct in the event of a visit from King's troops, and, to make
Peyton's security still less uncertain, she confined her walks to the
immediate vicinity. The house itself was kept in a pretence of being
closed, the shutters of the parlor being skilfully a