the two negromen, the only immediate
followers of her kinsmen, took from the back of a pack-horse. The mother
of the Bruces thought it advisable to follow them, to see, perhaps, in
person, that they conducted themselves towards their guest as a colonel's
daughter should.

None of the females remained on the porch save Telie, the girl of the
loom, who, too humble or too timid to seek the acquaintance of the
stranger lady, like the others, had been overlooked in the bustle, and
now pursued her labour with but little notice from those who remained.

"And now, Colonel," said the young officer, declining the offer of
refreshments made by his host, "allow me, like a true soldier, to proceed
to the business with which you heard our commander, Major Johnson, charge
me. To-morrow we resume our journey to the Falls. I should gladly myself,
for Miss Forrester's sake, consent to remain with you a few days, to
recruit our strength a little. But that cannot be. Our men are resolved
to push on without delay; and as I have no authority to restrain them, I
must e'en accompany them."

"Well," said Colonel Bruce, "if it must be, it must, and I'm not the
brute to say 'No' to you. But lord, Captain, I should be glad to have you
stay a month or two, war it only to have a long talk about my old friend,
the brave old major. And thar's your sister, Captain,--lord, sir, she
would be the pet of the family, and would help my wife teach the girls
manners. Lord!" he continued, laughing, "you've no idea what grand
notions have got into the old woman's head about the way of behaving,
ever since it war that the Governor of Virginnie sent me a cunnel's
commission. She thinks I ought to w'ar a cocked hat and goold swabs,
and put on a blue coat instead of a leather shirt; but I wonder how soon
I'd see the end of it, out h'yar in the bushes? And then, as for the
girls, why thar's no end of the lessons she gives them;--and thar's
my Jenny,--that's the youngest,--came blubbering up the other day,
saying, 'she believed mother intended even to stop their licking at
the sugar-troughs, she was getting so great and so proud!' Howsomever,
women will be women, and thar's the end of it."

To this philosophic remark the officer of inferior degree bowed
acquiescence, and recalling his host's attention to the subject of most
interest to himself, requested to be informed what difficulties or
dangers might be apprehended on the further route to the Falls of Ohio.