hat the
style and tenor of her argument had been. And if Madam Esmond brought
Scripture to her aid, Mr. Hal, to my surprise, brought scores of texts
to bear upon her in reply, and addressed her in a very neat, temperate,
and even elegant composition, which I thought his wife herself was
scarcely capable of penning. Indeed, I found he had enlisted the
services of Mr. Belman, the New Richmond clergyman, who had taken up
strong opinions on the Whig side, and who preached and printed sermons
against Hagan (who, as I have said, was of our faction), in which I fear
Belman had the best of the dispute.

My exhortations to Hal had no more success than our mother's. He did
not answer my letters. Being still farther pressed by the friends of the
Government, I wrote over most imprudently to say I would visit him at
the end of the week at Fanny's Mount; but on arriving, I only found my
sister, who received me with perfect cordiality, but informed me that
Hal was gone into the country, ever so far towards the Blue Mountains
to look at some horses, and was to be away--she did not know how long he
was to be away!

I knew then there was no hope. "My dear," I said, "as far as I can judge
from the signs of the times, the train that has been laid these years
must have a match put to it before long. Harry is riding away. God knows
to what end."

"The Lord prosper the righteous cause, Sir George," says she.

"Amen, with all my heart. You and he speak as Americans; I as an
Englishman. Tell him from me, that when anything in the course of nature
shall happen to our mother, I have enough for me and mine in England,
and shall resign all our land here in Virginia to him."

"You don't mean that, George?" she cries, with brightening eyes. "Well,
to be sure, it is but right and fair," she presently added. "Why should
you, who are the eldest but by an hour, have everything? a palace and
lands in England--the plantation here--the title--and children--and
my poor Harry none? But 'tis generous of you all the same--leastways
handsome and proper, and I didn't expect it of you; and you don't take
after your mother in this, Sir George, that you don't, nohow. Give my
love to sister Theo!" And she offers me a cheek to kiss, ere I ride away
from her door. With such a woman as Fanny to guide him, how could I hope
to make a convert of my brother?

Having met with this poor success in my enterprise, I rode back to our
Governor, with whom I agreed that it w