Year: 1867

dations, in which it was surmised they bore part
At all events they were not likely to be deferred by
conscientious scruples from any scheme that prom
ised to put money into their pockets. To these
men Major Amory determined to make application
for assistance in executing his plans.
He found no difficulty in masking his design to
Mr.. Westvelt by saying the next morning, that it
was his custom to ride out every forenoon, and
requesting that his horse might be brought to the
door for that purpose.


can excellent practice for the health" said Mr..
Westvelt, complaisantly. "My niece also has
horse appropriated to her especial use, on which
she not unfrequenty rides out Perhaps she may
be disposed to accompany you this morning"


''That would dish my purpose completely"
thought Major Amory, with dismay, but he mad
selfcommand enough to say IN his usual gallant
manner, II should indeed be very happy if Miss
Elinor will condescend to accept my poor services
as her escort.


II am sorry to deny you," said Elinor, 'sbut 1
have some duties to attend to this morning. which
[ should hardly feel satisfied in emitting"


''Thank fortune!" thought the Englishman.


Mr. Westvelt, who felt that he was thereby doing
his guest service was not inclined to give up the
matter so easily.


"Nay Einor," since our guest can spare us but
short visit, it would scarcely be more than cour-
teous to defer part Of your duties, which am
sure cannot be very pressing, to accompany him.


'My dear, sr," said the Major, hastily, fearing
that his persuasion might prove efectual. 81 beg
you not to urge Miss Elinor. She may be assured
that shall take her refusal in good part, and shall
indeed be fattered to feel that she so far considers
me friend as to abstain from ceremony in my case.
So, though should enjoy her presence, willing
ly release her from accompanying me this morning,
hoping that she may be prevailed upon to do so
at another, and more convenient time"


He bowed gracefully, as he said this, and our
heroine was disposed to think more favorably Of
him than she had hitherto done, and admitted to
herself that he was quite gentlemanly man.


"How long will you be gone?'' inquired Mr..
Westvelt.


"Not above two or three hours, sir; think it
will depend q little on how agreeable find the
country, of which know comparatively little


Leaving Major Amory to proceed on his way,
we will precede him to the little hut which was
tenanted by the brothers Gregson.


1t was rude enough in its construction, being
built of logs filed in with clay. 1t comprised but
two rooms on the lower floor separated by parti-
ton, and loft above. It's interior accommoda-
tons were of the humblest, and indicated poverty,
or at any rate improvidence on the part ofits own
er. Here and there an old hat, or other article Of
raiment, was stuffed into the place where pane
of glass should have been. The chimney had partly
fallen The fence was in poor repair, and all the
surroundings were in keeping with the interior Of
the cabin.


The Gregsonfamily consisted of the two brothers,
Richard and Robert, as aforesaid, and the wife Of
the former This wife was the only one in the
cabin at the time The poor woman had led buta
sorry time of it since her illstarred marriage with
Dick Gregson At the time, he was considered
comparatively respectable, and was the owner Of
farm, which he had inherited from his father
But already he had formed taste for drink, which
only strengthened with time. So his farm slipped
out of his hands, and since then, he had lived
lawess life on the outskirts of the settlement, liv
ing ostensibly by hunting and trapping, but, as
many of the neighbors could testify, in great part,
by more questionable means.


Mrs. Gregson had resisted, to some extent, the
corrupting influence of her husband and brother
in-law She was naturally woman of strong reli-
gous feelings, and sighed, many times, for the re-
spectacle position which her husband had so long
since lost.


At the time of her introduction to the reader,
she was occupied in repairing coarse green jacket
belonging to her husband. She sighed from time
to time, and looked out of the window, as if ex-
pecting some one Neither Richard nor Robert
Gregson had been in since the night before She
had good reason to suspect from what she knew
of them, that they had been engaged in some pred
atory expedition, of not the most creditable char
acter, such as they were wont to indulge in This
was not, by any means, the first time they had been
out all night. Usually, however, they returned in
time for breakfast. Now it was at least ten o'clock
she knew it by the sun, for she had no other way
of measuring time.


"Where can they be" she thought. 81 don't
know when they have made it so late before. "


She shuddercd as she thought that it was posi-
bic that they had fallen not into the hands of the
law for in that unsettled time the law was little to
be feared, but had fallen victims to private ven
geance 1t was only wonder that this had not
happened before.


1t might have been supposed that this would
scarcely have proved loss to her, but, singular as
it may seem, in spite of the wickedness which her
husband had developed she still loved him with
the strong and enduring love Of woman "a love
which not even ill-treatment had been able to
quench.


Mrs Gregson had set out a frugal meal, the best,
and indeed, all that the house afforded in antici-
patton of her husband arrival They were in the
habit of living from hand to mouth, and seldom
had any large store of provisions ahead


While sitting at her employment, she heard the
tramp of horse, and moment afterwards step
upon the threshold


Suppossing it to be her husband, she exclaimed,
"Why, Dick, where have you been so long? l
had about given you up


care YOU not q little mistaken in the person"
asked, courteously, voice. which she did not re-
cognze.


Lookingup, startled and little alarmed, she per-
ceived a man of gentlemanly appearance, clad in
the dress of soldier 1t was, as the reader will
at once surmise Major Amory.


'I thought it was my husband she said, with
confusion.


'Then he is not at home?'


'No, sir.


"When do you expect him."


The woman hesitated.