e hovering on the
verge of dissolution: a hollow cheek, a sunken, moist eye, and a
tremulous palsied motion of the head denoted the melancholy period of
dotage; and it was apparent at a glance that this unfortunate being had
far outlived both her capacity for enjoyment and the sympathy of her
kindred. She now sat in a low elbow-chair, with her head almost in
contact with her knees, upon the stone hearth, bending over a small fire
of brushwood which had been kindled as well for the purpose of preparing
the evening meal as for the comfort of the ancient dame herself--the
chilliness of night-fall rendering this additional warmth by no means
unpleasant. The beldam silently smoked a short pipe, unmoved by anything
that occurred in the apartment, and apparently engrossed with the
trivial care of directing the smoke, as she puffed it from her lips,
into a current that should take it up the chimney.

Michael Lynch, who acted as landlord in the casual absence of Wat Adair,
had no other connexion with the family than that of being joint owner,
with the lord of this wild domain, of a small saw-mill in the vicinity,
the particular superintendence of which was his especial province. He
was, therefore, at particular seasons of the year, an in-dweller at the
homestead, and sufficiently in authority to assume a partial direction
in the affairs of the house. This man now replaced his rifle upon the
pegs appropriated to receive it, and then offered Butler and Robinson
chairs, as he said to the mistress of the family:--

"Here's Horse Shoe Robinson, Mrs. Adair; and this other man I think they
call Mr. Butler. They've come for a night's lodging. I believe Wat will
be right glad to see them."

"You are not often visited with travellers in this part of the country,"
said Butler, addressing the matron as he drew his chair near to the fire
to dry his clothes.

"We have enough of them, such as they are," replied the woman; "and it's
a dangerous thing, when there's so many helpless women at home, to be
opening the door to all sorts of persons."

"You, at least, run no risk in offering shelter to us this evening,"
returned Butler; "we are strangers to the quarrel that prevails in your
district."

"People puts on so many pretences," said the woman, "that there's no
knowing them."

"You have a fine troop of boys and girls," continued Butler, patting the
head of one of the boys who had summoned courage to approach him, after
various shy rec