ndeed it does many
good people who are so sure of heaven and so fond of it. He had been
reassured but a short time, when he had new cause for terror. Again a
horse was heard galloping up to the house. It stopped before the door
and gave a loud whinny.

[Illustration: "LEANED FORWARD ON THE HORSE'S NECK."]

Molly exchanged with Cuff a look of mingled wonder, delight, and
doubt; then ran and opened the front door.

"Yes!" she cried. "It is! It's Miss Elizabeth's horse! It's Cato!"

Cuff ran to the threshold in great joy, but suddenly stopped short.

"Dey's a soldier on hees back," he whispered.

So Molly had noticed,--but a soldier who made no demonstration, a
soldier who leaned forward on the horse's neck and clutched its mane,
holding at the same time in one hand a broken sword, and who tried to
sit up, but only emitted a groan of pain.

"He's wounded, that's it," said Molly. "Go and help the poor soldier
in, Cuff. Don't you see he's injured? He can't hurt you."

Molly enforced her commands with such physical persuasions that Cuff,
ere he well knew what he was about, was helping Peyton from the horse.
The captain, revived by a supreme effort, leaned on the boy's shoulder
and came limping and lurching across the porch into the hall. Molly
then went to his assistance, and with this additional aid he reached
the settle, on which he dropped, weak, pale, and panting. He took a
sitting posture, gasped his thanks to Molly, and, noticing the blood
from his leg wound, called damnation on the Hessian officer's sword.
Presently he asked for a drink of water.

At Molly's bidding the negro boy hastened for water, and also to
inform his mistress of the arrival. Elizabeth, hearing the news, rose
with an exclamation; but, taking thought, sat down again, and, with a
pretence of composure, finished her cup of tea. Cuff returned with a
glass of water to the hall, where Molly was listening to Peyton's
objurgations on his condition. The captain took the glass eagerly, and
was about to drink, when a footstep was heard on the stairs. He turned
his head and saw Elizabeth.

"Here's my respects, madam," quoth he, and drank off the water.

Elizabeth came down-stairs and took a position where she could look
Peyton well over. He watched her with some wonderment. When she was
quite ready she spoke:

"So, it is, indeed, the man who stole my horse."

"Pardon. I think your horse has stolen _me_! It made me an intruder
here quite against