make talk that
a self-respecting man should not."

"That sounds well, but it means treason; and I for one will not
harbour or support traitors," was the angry response.

"And I," replied Allison, with dignity, "will permit no man to control
my thoughts or call me a traitor to the country for which I fought."

Thus the kindly relations between the two men, who in their hearts
held warm regard, each for the other, were abruptly ended in mutual
ill will. At a window looking out stood Henry Mogridge, with the same
disagreeable smile his face had worn the previous evening.

How like a chill fog stealing in and shutting down, shrouding a place,
is trouble in a household!

The squire was uneasy all the morning and then, calling for his horse,
mounted him and rode away. Elizabeth eluded her cousin, who, left to
amuse himself, heartily wished himself back in London.

At the home of the Allisons the trouble was of a very serious nature.
David's intention to keep from his wife and family what had occurred
that morning, failed. Mrs. Allison knew that something serious had
happened and, in her quiet way, finally learned what it was. Rodney,
too, learned of it and that night went to his bed feeling that other
boys fared better than he. There was his cousin, Dick Tawbee, with
horses and dogs and servants to care for them, while he--well, there
was no lad he knew who had so much of trouble.

It might have contributed to Rodney's peace of mind that evening could
he have seen the predicament of a boy, about his own age, who, to
escape abuse, had run from his cabin home and huddled down behind a
stump in the clearing around the cabin. He lived on the frontier of
the colony of Pennsylvania, and, though a rather uninteresting little
fellow, had troubles of his own and was bearing them without a murmur,
and, instead of thinking about them, was considering the pleasures
the day had afforded him.

The Vuysens with whom he lived, because after the death of his parents
he could not find a better home, had been abusing him for running away
in the morning, leaving his duties because he had wished to see a
beaver colony at work. He had not intended to do anything wrong, but
the temptation had been too great. That morning the world seemed
overflowing with the alluring promises of spring, and the birds were
singing in the forest. He thought of the beaver colony he had
discovered the winter before when it was locked in ice. The ice would
now