w doffed his cap, and stood with it
in his hand, with an expression of respect in his manner far different
from the hostile air he had at first assumed.

"But, why not, my friend, come before us?" asked Mrs. Sackville. "I
trust she has nothing to be ashamed of."

"Ashamed! no, thank God--it would be hard indeed if she had to bear the
burthen of shame with her other misfortunes; but though a soldier's
wife, she has an English spirit, and a proud one; and she says, while
she has her health and her hands, she will never be seen asking charity;
and that destitute is her condition, that as she said to-day, to make
her case known to christian people, is asking charity of them."

"Do, mother, let us go now and see her," again interposed Julia.

"Stop, a moment, my love," replied Mrs. Sackville; and then turning
again to the soldier--"You say she is utterly destitute; but when she
left us, she said she had a considerable sum of money."

"And she spake the truth, ma'am--or, what is the same, she thought she
did; but a little limb of the old one, saving your presence, my lady,
had fingered all the poor cratur had been earning in three years, in as
many minutes, and was off to the States with it."

"Ah," exclaimed Mr. Morris, who had been intently listening--"the son of
Belial--I told you so--I knew the rascal had it."

"So dame Barton said one of the gentlemen told her; but the bundle was
all tight and snug, for the little devil had sewed it up again, and
she did not examine it till she come to look for the money to pay the
captain of a schooner, who had agreed to take her down the lakes: and
just think, my lady, at that moment what an overcast it was."

"That mischief was done," said Edward, as soon as he had an opportunity
of speaking, "when you and I, Julia, left that little wretch Tristy in
the wood. I shall always think we were to blame for leaving him."

"Does the poor woman," asked Mrs. Sackville, "still think of returning
to Quebec?"

"To Quebec! ah, madam, and to the world's end, but she'll find her
husband if he is above ground. She is that resolute, that neither wind
nor tide can turn her. If she was left on a naked island in mid ocean,
she would contrive to get off from it."

"Come, children," said Mrs. Sackville, "we will just leave your father
and uncle to finish their survey here, while we look in upon our poor
friend."

"Well, go on mother," said Edward, "I will overtake you; first I must
run up to t