you're old enough to know better; don't expose yourself before
stranngers. Thar they come now; thar's Cunnel Bruce that is, talking to
Captain Forrester that is, and a right-down soldier-looking captain he
is, too. I wonder whar's his cocked hat, and feather, and goold epaulets?
Thar's his big broad-sword, and--but, Lord above us, ar'nt his sister a
beauty! Any man in Kentucky will be proud of her; but, I warrant me,
she'll take to nothing under a cunnel!"

The young misses ceased their sport to stare at the strangers, and even
Telie Doe, pattern of propriety as she was, had no sooner recovered her
equanimity than she turned her eyes from the loom and bent them eagerly
upon the train now entering through the main gate, gazing long and
earnestly upon the young captain and the fair Edith, who with the colonel
of militia, and a fourth individual, parted from it, and rode up to the
porch. The fourth person, a sober, and substantial-looking borderer, in a
huge blanket-coat and slouched hat, the latter stuck round with buck's
tails, was the nominal captain of the party. He conversed a moment with
Forrester and the commandant, and then, being given in charge by the
latter to his son Tom, who was hallooed from the crowd for this purpose,
he rode away, leaving the colonel to do the honours to his second in
command. These the colonel executed with much courtesy and gallantry, if
not with grace, leaping from his horse with unexpected activity, and
assisting Edith to dismount, which he effected by taking her in his arms
and whisking her from the saddle with as little apparent effort as though
he were handling an infant.

"Welcome, my beautiful young lady," said he, giving her another hearty
shake of the hand: "H'yar's a house that shall shelter you; though thar's
not much can be said of it, except that it is safe and wholesome. H'yar's
my old lady too, and my daughters, that will make much of you; and as for