unhappy?"

"Not she! I should say that she is the most happily constituted human
being I ever saw. She has the soundest health, the finest appetite, the
keenest senses and the dullest sensibilities that I ever heard of. She has
no more sentiment than if she ran upon four feet, instead of two! Give her
full bodily comforts and pleasures, which she can feel and enjoy, and she
will be perfectly happy."

"Oh, mamma, what a character!"

"But that she is very--what shall I say of her that will not seem harsh or
uncharitable?"

"Very unsophisticated and very unconventional, mamma?" suggested Odalite.

"Yes, dear, that will do. But for those drawbacks, you may find her
amusing."

"But perhaps she is more amusing on account of those drawbacks, mamma,"
suggested Odalite.

But her mother shuddered.

There was a little bustle at the chamber door, which opened suddenly.

Mrs. Force turned around, and exclaimed:

"Here comes Wynnette, delighted to see you up! And now, dear, I will leave
you with your sister, and return to our visitors. You will be down to
dinner, you say?"

"Oh, yes, mamma--certainly," said Odalite.

Mrs. Force kissed her daughter, and left the room.

"Mrs. Colonel is a whole regiment, I tell you, Odalite!" she heard
Wynnette say, as she closed the door.

Odalite kept her word, and joined her family and friends in the drawing
room just before dinner.

Her father met her halfway across the room, kissed her, and led her to a
chair by the fire.

The rector came and gravely congratulated her.

Joshua, the bulldog, who had followed her from the hall, came and laid his
honest head on her lap.

Lastly, Mrs. Col. Anglesea drew a chair to her side, sat down in it, took
her hand, looked tenderly in her eyes, and said:

"You're not mad 'long o' me, are you, honey, for coming and raising a big
rumpus in the church and stopping of the marriage, are you, now?"

"Angry with you? No, indeed! I am more grateful to you than words can
express!" impulsively exclaimed Odalite.

"That's right! That's the proper sperrit, that is! Why, Lord, he ain't
much, if he is a colonel into the army! It's only the Injun Army, anyways!
And we know what the Injuns is! Leastways, we know what the Injuns is
here, and I don't reckon they're any better out yonder, t'other side of
the world! No, honey, he ain't much! Why, Lord, there are heaps of fine
young fellows would be glad enough to get you! Why, there is that fine
young fel