The foliage glittered
with the checkered beauties of the October leaf, reflecting back from
the moistened boughs the richest lustre of an American autumn. In an
instant, the piazza, which opened to the south, was thronged with the
inmates of the cottage. The air was mild, balmy, and refreshing; in
the east, clouds, which might be likened to the retreating masses of a
discomfited[30] army, hung around the horizon in awful and increasing
darkness. At a little elevation above the cottage, the thin vapor was
still rushing towards the east with amazing velocity; while in the
west the sun had broken forth and shed his parting radiance on the
scene below, aided by the fullest richness of a clear atmosphere and a
freshened herbage.

[Footnote 30: defeated.]

"What a magnificent scene!" said Harper, in a low tone; "how grand!
how awfully sublime! May such a quiet speedily await the struggle in
which my country is engaged, and such a glorious evening follow the
day of her adversity!"

"There can be no danger apprehended from such a man," thought Frances;
"such feelings belong only to the virtuous."

The musings of the party were now interrupted by the sudden appearance
of the peddler. "Fine evening," he said, saluting the party, without
raising his eyes; "quite warm and agreeable for the season."

Mr. Wharton assented to the remark, and inquired kindly after the
health of his father. Harvey answered with a slight tremor in his
voice:

"He fails fast; old age and hardships will do their work." The peddler
turned his face from the view of most of the family, but Frances
noticed his glistening eyes and quivering lips, and for the second
time Harvey rose in her estimation.

The valley in which the residence of Mr. Wharton stood ran in a
direction from northwest to southeast, and the house was placed on the
side of a wall which terminated[31] its length in the former
direction. A small opening, occasioned by the receding of the opposite
hill, and the fall of the land to the level of the tide water,
afforded a view of the Sound[32] over the tops of the distant woods on
its margin. The surface of the water, which had so recently been
lashing the shores with boisterous fury, was already losing its
ruffled darkness in the long and regular undulations[33] that succeed
a tempest, while the light air from the southwest was gently touching
their summits, lending its feeble aid in stilling the waters. Some
dark spots were now to