e by occasional pools, as ever.

"You are wrong," he cried, checking his steed.

"This is the road, sir," said the girl, though in some trepidation.

"By no means," said Forrester, "that path leads to the Lower Ford; here
is the shivered beech, which the colonel described to me."

"Yes, sir," said Telie, hurriedly; "it is the mark; they call it the
Crooked Finger-post."

"And a crooked road it is like to lead us, if we follow it," said Roland.
"It leads to the Lower Ford, and is not therefore _our_ road. I remember
the Colonel's direction."

"Yes, sir," said Telie, anxiously,--"to take the beech on the right
shoulder, and then down four miles, to the water."

"Precisely so," said the soldier; "with only this difference (for, go
which way we will, the tree being on the right side of each path, we must
still keep it on the right shoulder), that the road to the Upper Ford,
which I am now travelling, is the one for our purposes. Of this I am
confident."

"And yet, Roland," said Edith, somewhat alarmed at this difference of
opinion, where unanimity was so much more desirable, "the young woman
should know best."

"Yes!" cried Telie, eagerly; "I have lived here almost seven years, and
been across the river more than as many times. This is the shortest and
safest way."

"It may be both the shortest and safest," said Forrester, whose respect
for the girl's knowledge of the woods and ability to guide him through
them, began to be vastly diminished; "but _this_ is the road Mr. Bruce
described. Of this I am positive; and to make the matter still more
certain, if need be, here are horse-tracks, fresh, numerous, scarcely
washed by the rain, and undoubtedly made by our old companions; whereas
_that_ path seems not to have been trodden for a twelve-month."

"I will guide you right," faltered Telie, with anxious voice.

"My good girl," said the soldier, kindly, but positively, "you must allow
me to doubt your ability to do that,--at least, on that path. Here is our
road; and we must follow it."

He resumed it, as he spoke, and Edith, conquered by his arguments, which
seemed decisive, followed him; but looking back, after having proceeded a
few steps, she saw the baffled guide still lingering on the rejected
path, and wringing her hands with grief and disappointment.

"You will not remain behind us?" said Edith, riding back to her: "You
see, my cousin is positive: you must surely be mistaken?"

"I am _not_ mistaken," sa