. "It is
well. Some things should remain to be discovered, else the salt would
go out of life."

"That's sound philosophy," said Willet. "It's the mystery of things
that attracts us, and that race ended in the happiest manner
possible. Neither owner can be jealous or envious of the other;
instead they are feeling like brothers."

Then Robert's mind with a sudden rush, went back to St. Luc, and his
sense of duty tempted him to speak of his presence to Willet, but he
concluded to wait a little. He looked around for him again, but he did
not see him, and he thought it possible that he had now left the
dangerous neighborhood of Williamsburg.

As they walked back to their quarters at a tavern Willet informed them
that there was to be, two days later, a grand council of provincial
governors and high officers at Alexandria on the Potomac, where
General Braddock with his army already lay in camp, and he suggested
that they go too. As they were free lances with their authority
issuing from Governor Dinwiddie alone, they could do practically as
they pleased. Both Robert and Tayoga were all for it, but in the
afternoon they, as well as Willet, were invited to a race dinner to be
given at the tavern that evening by Stuart and Cabell in honor of the
great contest, in which neither had lost, but in which both had won.

"I suppose," said Willet, "that while here we might take our full
share of Virginia hospitality, which is equal to any on earth,
because, as I see it, before very long we will be in the woods where
so much to eat and drink will not be offered to us. March and battle
will train us down."

The dinner to thirty guests was spread in the great room of the tavern
and the black servants of Stuart and Cabell, well trained, dextrous
and clad in livery, helped those of the landlord to serve. The
abundance and quality of the food were amazing. Besides the resources
of civilization, air, wood and water were drawn upon for
game. Virginia, already renowned for hospitality, was resolved that
through her young sons, Stuart and Cabell, she should do her best that
night.

A dozen young British officers were present, and there was much
toasting and conviviality. The tie of kinship between the old country
and the new seemed stronger here than in New England, where the
England of Cromwell still prevailed, or in New York, where the Dutch
and other influences not English were so powerful. They had begun with
the best of feeling, and