form the circle who
surrounded her of all the incidents that had fallen under her
observation at Adair's.

Her father listened with deep emotion to the tale, and during its
relation clenched his teeth with anger, as he walked, to and fro,
through the apartment. There was an earnest struggle in his feelings to
withhold the expression of the strong execration, which the narrative
brought almost to his lips, against the perfidy of his wife's kinsman.
But the habitual control of his temper, which his religious habits
inculcated, kept him silent; and considerations of prudence again swayed
him from surrendering to the impulse, which would have led him to
declare himself openly against the cause of the royal government and its
supporters in the district where he lived. He cross-questioned his
daughter as to many minute points of her story, but her answers were
uniform and consistent, and were stamped with the most unequivocal
proofs of her strict veracity. Indeed, the collateral evidences
furnished by Robinson, left no doubt on the miller's mind that the whole
of Mary's disclosures were the testimony of a witness whose senses could
not have been disturbed by illusions, nor distempered by fear.

"It is a dreadful tale," he said, "and we must think over it more
maturely. Be of good heart, my daughter, you have acted well and wisely;
God will protect us from harm."

"And so it was no ghost, nor spirit," said Horse Shoe, "that the major
saw in the night? But I wonder you didn't think of waking me. A word to
me in the night--seeing I have sarved a good deal on outposts, and have
got used to being called up--would have had me stirring in a wink. But
that's part of Wat's luck for I should most ondoubtedly have strangled
the snake in his bed."

"I called you," said Mary, "as loudly as I durst, and more than once,
but you slept so hard!"

"That's like me too," replied Horse Shoe. "I'm both sleepy and watchful,
according as I think there is need of my sarvices."

"Now to bed, my child," said Musgrove. "Your bed is the fittest place
for your wearied body. God bless you, daughter!"

Once more the family broke up, and as Robinson left the room Mary
followed him to the foot of the little stair that wound up into an attic
chamber; here she detained him one moment, while she communicated to him
in a half whisper,

"I have a friend, Mr. Robinson, that might help you to do something for
Major Butler. His name is John Ramsay: he belon