r again
forget myself. In all love, Mildred, away."

Mildred left the room, and Lindsay, to restore the equanimity of his
temper, which had been so much overthrown by this interview, wandered
forth into the valley, whence it was some hours before he returned.

It was not long after the termination of this conference before Henry
rode up to the door. The clatter of his horse's hoofs brought Mildred
from her chamber into the parlor.

"What! sister, your eyes red with tears?" said Henry. "Who has
distressed you?"

"Ah, brother, I have had a weary time in your absence. Our poor father
is sadly displeased with me."

"Have you told him all?" asked Henry, with an expression of anxiety.

"He bade me," replied Mildred, "never mention Arthur's name again. He
would not hear me speak of Arthur. Have I not reason, dear brother, to
be miserable?"

"I love you, Mildred," said Henry, kissing his sister, "and what's more,
I love Arthur Butler, and will stand up for him against the world. And I
have a good mind to go to my father and tell him I am man enough to
think for myself--and more than that--that I, for one, believe these
rebels, as he calls them, have the right of it. Why shouldn't I? Can't I
shoot a rifle as well as the best of them, and stand by a friend in a
quarrel, and make good my words as well as many a man who writes twenty
years to his age? Tush! I am tired of this boy-play--shooting with
blunted arrows, and riding with my father's hand ever on the neck of my
horse, as if I could not hold the reins. Give me sharp steel, Mildred,
and throw me on the world, and I'll be bound I make my way as well as
another."

"We are surrounded with difficulties, brother," said Mildred, "and have
a hard part to perform. We must soothe our dear father's feelings, for
he loves us, Henry; and if he could but think as we do, how happy should
we be! But there is something fearful in his passions, and it makes me
tremble to see them roused."

"This all comes," replied Henry, "from that devil's imp Tyrrel. Oh, I
could find it in my heart to trounce that fellow, sister. But you
hav'n't asked me about my reconnoitring! I'll tell you. Tyrrel's man,
Curry, talked a great deal to old Tony and Mrs. Dimock both, about our
friends who went there last night, and found out their names and all
about them: and there was some fray between Horse Shoe and Curry, in
which, I'll warrant you, Horse Shoe gave him a drubbing; so Tony told
me. Well, Butl