onnoitrings of his person. "Your settlement will require
enlargement before long."

"There is more children than is needful," replied the hostess; "they are
troublesome brats; but poor people generally have the luck that way."

"Does your husband ever serve with the army, madam?" asked Butler.

The woman stopped spinning for a moment, and turning her face towards
Butler with a scowl, muttered,

"How does that matter concern you?"

"Pardon me," replied Butler; "I was recommended to Mr. Adair as a
friend, and supposed I might approach his house without suspicion."

"Wat Adair is a fool," said the wife; "who is never content but when he
has other people thrusting their spoons into his mess."

"Wat's a wiser man than his wife," interrupted Robinson bluntly, "and
takes good care that no man thrusts his spoon into his mess without
paying for it. You know Wat and me knows each other of old, Mrs. Adair;
and devil a ha'penny did Wat ever lose by good manners yet."

"And who are you to talk, forsooth, Horse Shoe Robinson!" exclaimed the
ill-favored dame, tartly. "Who are you to talk of Wat Adair? If he knows
you he knows no good of you, I'm sure? I warrant you have come here on
honest business now--you and your tramping friend. What do you do up
here in the woods, when there is work enough for hearty men below? No
good, I will undertake. It is such as you, Horse Shoe Robinson, and your
drinking, rioting, broadsword cronies that has given as all our troubles
here. You know Wat Adair!"

"A little consideration, good woman! Not so fast; you run yourself out
of breath," said Robinson mildly, interrupting this flood of
objurgation. "Why, you are as spiteful as a hen with a fresh brood!
Remember, Wat and me are old friends. Wat has been at my house both
before the war and since, and I have been here--all in friendship you
know. And many's the buck I have helped Wat to fetch down. What's the
use of tantrums? If we had been thieves, Mrs. Adair, you couldn't have
sarved us worse. Why, it's unreasonable in you to fly in a man's face
so."

"I'll vouch for Horse Shoe Robinson, Mrs. Peggy Adair," said Lynch. "You
oughtn't to think harm of him; and you know it isn't long since we heard
Wat talk of him, and say he would like to see him once more!"

"Well, it's my way," replied the hostess, soothed down into a placid
mood by this joint expostulation. "We have had cause to be suspicious,
and I own I am suspicious. But, Horse Shoe Robi