furnishing Cecile
with information of the fight. Thereupon the colonel launched out into a
panegyric of the dominie's noble qualities, imputing to him all that
Coristine had done on his behalf, and a chivalrous Southern exaggeration
of the school-master's learning and expressions of sympathy. "Marjorie
appears to think more highly of the other pedestrian," remarked Mrs. Du
Plessis, to which Colonel Morton replied that Mr. Coristine was indeed a
handsome and excellent young man, but lacked the correct bearing and
dignified courtesy of his friend, and, he should judge, was much his
inferior in point of education. When the tide of battle rolled away to
the right, altogether out of sight and almost out of hearing, the double
sentries were still at their posts, no doubt conversing with all
propriety, but of what, they only individually knew. Even Miss Halbert
did not confide to others the substance of a favourable criticism on Mr.
Perrowne to which she treated her worthy father.

It was between one and two in the morning when the victorious army
returned, and was received with open arms, literally in the case of the
Squire and the veteran, and of Mr. Hill and Rufus in the kitchen,
metaphorically in that of the remaining combatants. Mr. Carruthers
released the doctor, and took him to visit the wounded at the post
office. The minister and the dominie were also relieved, and Mr. Hill
and the Sesayder, at their own request, put in their vacant places;
while Maguffin dismounted, and, being armed with a gun and set in the
doctor's post, constituted a guardian trio with his late captors. Of
course, the warriors and past sentries had to eat and drink in guard
room and kitchen, the latter apartment being more hilarious than it
would have been had the seniors on duty formed part of its company.
There was no old Bourbon for the colonel, but he managed to find a fair
substitute for it, and informed Coristine, in answer to that gentleman's
enquiry, how he happened to arrive so speedily at Bridesdale.

"It was Satuhday, suh, when my sehvant and I ahhived in Tohonto, and I
met my deah sisteh in-law. At once, I sent Maguffin back by rail with
the hohses to Collingwood, giving them Sunday to recoveh from the
effects of the jouhney, tyavel by rail being vehy hahd on hohses. This
mohning, or, ratheh I should say yestehday mohning, Madame Du Plessis
and I went to Collingwood by rail, where my sehvant had secuhed her two
places in the mail cah