d with his
usual frank imperturbability and quiet tact, and claimed Jim as his
friend and honored guest.

It then came out with that unostentatious simplicity which
characterized the brother and sister, and was their secure claim to
perfect equality with their entertainers, that Jim, on discovering his
sister's absence, and fearing that she might be carried by the current
towards the bar, had actually SWUM THE ESTUARY to Indian Island, and in
an ordinary Indian canoe had braved the same tempestuous passage she
had taken a few hours before. Cicely, listening to this recital with
rapt attention, nevertheless managed to convey the impression of having
fully expected it from the first. "Of course he'd have come here; if
she'd only waited," she said, sotto voce, to her sister Emily.

"He's certainly the handsomer of the two," responded that young lady.

"Of course," returned Cicely, with a superior air, "don't you see she
COPIES him."

Not that this private criticism prevented either from vying with the
younger officers in their attentions to Maggie, with perhaps the
addition of an open eulogy of her handsome brother, more or less
invidious in comparison to the officers. "I suppose it's an active
out-of-door life gives him that perfect grace and freedom," said Emily,
with a slight sneer at the smartly belted Calvert. "Yes; and he don't
drink or keep late hours," responded Cicely significantly. "His sister
says they always retire before ten o'clock, and that although his
father left him some valuable whiskey he seldom takes a drop of it."
"Therein," gravely concluded Captain Kirby, "lies OUR salvation. If,
after such a confession, Calvert doesn't make the most of his
acquaintance with young Culpepper to remove that whiskey from his path
and bring it here, he's not the man I take him for."

Indeed, for the moment it seemed as if he was not. During the next
three or four days, in which Colonel Preston had insisted upon
detaining his guests, Calvert touched no liquor, evaded the evening
poker parties at quarters, and even prevailed upon some of his brother
officers to give them up for the more general entertainment of the
ladies. Colonel Preston was politician enough to avail himself of the
popularity of Maggie's adventure to invite some of the Logport people
to assist him in honoring their neighbor. Not only was the old feud
between the Fort and the people thus bridged over, but there was no
doubt that the discipl