e progressive spirit of the pioneer settlements, and so rife then and
later, was, she knew, inimical to content. The disaffection of those who
remained to complain wrought more evil against the permanence of the
settlements than the desertion of the few who quitted the frontier to
return to the towns of the provinces. She welcomed, therefore, with
ardor the reappearance of Sandy and Hamish from their tour of
investigation of the site of their new home, and her eyes sparkled
responsively as she noted their enthusiasm. She was glad to be again
hanging on Sandy's right arm, while Hamish hung on his left, and Fifine,
with her _fillette toute cherie_, toddled on in front.

Very cheerful the fort looked to Odalie as they approached. The
afternoon dress-parade was on. The men were once more in full uniform,
instead of the pioneer garb of buckskin shirt and leggings and moccasons
which had won such universal approval, and was so appropriate to general
use that it was almost recognized as a fatigue uniform. The sun was
reddening upon the still redder ranks of scarlet coats that took even a
higher grade of color from the effect of the white belts and the
burnished metallic glitter of the gun-barrels. A different effect was
afforded by the dress of a small body of militia from the provinces that
had recently reinforced the garrison, whose dark blue had a rich but
subsidiary tone and abated the glare of the ranks of scarlet, even while
heightening the contrast. The Indians, always gathering from their towns
up the river to revel in this feast of color and spectacle of military
pomp, so calculated to impress them with the superior capacity and
knowledge of the arts of warfare possessed by the white race, had
mustered in stronger numbers than usual and stood in rows about the
walls of the block-houses or along the interior slopes of the rampart.

In groups near the gate were some of the Cherokee women, huddled in
blankets, although one wore a civilized "short gown" that had a
curiously unrelated look to her physiognomy and form. Their countenances
were dull and lack-luster, and the elder hag-like and hideous, but as
the new settlers passed the group of squaws a broadside of bright black
eyes, a fresh, richly tinted, expressionless, young face, and a string
of red beads above a buckskin garb that was a sort of tunic, half shirt,
half skirt, only partly revealed by the strait folds of a red blanket
girt about a slender, erect figure, r