he American camp by taking a roundabout way through the
concessions.

"That must have increased your distance."

"It did at least by four leagues, but I didn't mind that so long as we
were free from danger."

"You do not like these soldiers?"

"I dislike them all, except, perhaps, one."

Zulma looked up in surprise.

"And pray who may that one be?"

"Don't you remember the bearer of the flag?"

"Oh!" was the only exclamation that Zulma uttered, while cheeks were fit
to burst with the rush of conscious blood.

"Roderick has spoken to me of him in the highest terms of admiration,"
continued Pauline quietly.

"He will doubtless be flattered to hear of this," said Zulma, with just
a touch of sarcasm in her tone.

But it was lost upon the gentle, unsuspicious Pauline, and Zulma,
regretting the remark, immediately said:

"If you had met him on your passage, he would have treated you kindly,
depend upon it," and she proceeded to relate the incident of the covered
bridge. One detail brought on another, and the two friends, sat for two
hours talking together, and much of the conversation turned on the
American officer. What two young women can tell each other in the course
of two hours is something stupendous, and he would be presumptuous,
indeed, who would venture upon the enumeration of even the topics of
converse. One thing, however, may be taken for granted--that when they
were called to supper, they kissed each other with a smack and trotted
down stairs in jolly good humor.

After supper the table was cleared, a large basin of maple syrup was
produced, and after it was sufficiently boiled, the two friends began
drawing the coils of taffy, with the assistance of Eugene, and under the
eyes of Sieur Sarpy, who sat at the table sipping his wine and enjoying
the amusement of the young people. Zulma's spirits had completely
revived; and she was in high feather, enlivening the occasion by songs,
and anecdote and banter, while she bustled around the table playing
tricks upon her brother, and teasing the gentle Pauline. Now and then
she would stop suddenly as if to listen, and her face would assume an
expression of disappointed expectancy, but the shadow would disappear as
rapidly as it came. Pauline was less boisterous and talkative. She was,
however, in the pleasantest state of mind, as if for this one evening,
at least, she had unburdened herself of the cares which had weighed her
down during the past eventful da