hen, 'tis no wonder the American colonists make war upon
the Indian race. Their wives and daughters urge 'em to it, out of
jealousy of the red men's daughters."

"Why, if they wished the red ladies exterminated, they couldn't do
better than send a number of king's officers among 'em--famous
lady-killers, I've heard."

"Madam, I know naught of that; nor of the art of lady-killing itself,
which I never desired to possess until this evening."

The captain's eyes, so languid with melancholy or ennui a short while
before, now had the glow of pre-determined conquest; his face shone
with that resolve; and by this transformation, as well as by the
inconsistency of his countenance with the soft tone and playful matter
of his words, which inconsistency betrayed the gentleness to be
assumed, I read the man through once for all: selfish, resolute,
facile, versatile, able to act any part thoroughly and in a moment,
constant to his object till it was won, then quick to leave it for
another; unscrupulous, usually invincible, confident of his proven
powers rather than vain of fancied ones; good-natured when not
crossed, and with an irresistible charm of person and manner. And
Margaret too--there was more and other meaning in her looks than in
her light, ironical speeches.

He led her through two minuets that night, and was her partner in the
Virginia reel (the name the Americans give the Sir Roger de Coverly);
and his was the last face we saw at our coach window as we started
homeward.

"You've made the rest of the army quite jealous of this new captain,"
growled Tom, as we rolled Southward over the stony Harlem road. "The
way Major Tarleton glared at him, would have set another man
trembling."

"Captain Falconer doesn't tremble so easily, I fancy," said Margaret.
"And yet he's no marvel of a man, as I can see."

Tom gave a sarcastic grunt. His manifestations regarding Margaret's
behaviour were the only exception to the kind, cheerful conduct of his
whole life. A younger brother is not ordinarily so watchful of a
sister's demeanour; he has the doings of other young ladies to concern
himself with. Tom did not lack these, but he was none the less keenly
sensitive upon the point of Margaret's propriety and good name. 'Twas
the extraordinary love and pride he had centred upon her, that made
him so observant and so touchy in the case. He brooded upon her
actions, worried himself with conjectures, underwent such torments as
jealous