ssages in
the life of Butler, which related to the perils he had heretofore
encountered, and from which he had extricated himself by his address and
soldiership; and Henry told these in such a way as to infer from them
arguments of comfort that suited the present state of his sister's
feelings. As was usual in most of the young cadet's discourses, he
glided into that half-boastful and half-waggish vein in which he
delighted to refer to his own pursuits and aspirations after military
glory.

"A man naturally, sister," he said, erecting himself in his stirrups,
and assuming the stiff carriage of a conceited young adjutant on parade,
"a man naturally feels proud on horseback. It is what I call
glorification, to have a noble beast under you, that you can turn and
wind and check and set forward as you please, as if his limbs were your
own. You feel stronger; and, in this world, I do believe a strong man is
always proud. Now, I should think that a woman would feel even more so
than a man; because, being weak by nature, she must grow happier to
think how much muscle she can put in motion by only pulling a rein."

"There is some philosophy in that, Henry," replied Mildred.

"So there is, sister; and I tell you more, that when a person has this
sort of glorification, as they call it, they always get more contented
with themselves. And that's the reason, as far as I am a judge, that you
always feel in better spirits when you are on horseback; and,
especially, if it should be in front of a troop. Hallo, Stephen!"
ejaculated Henry, taken by surprise, in the midst of his discourse, by
the sight of a flock of wild turkeys that ran across the road, some
hundred paces ahead. "Did you see that? Halt, man--here's game for us."
And, in an instant, he sprang from his horse, which he fastened to one
of the neighboring trees, and ran off with his rifle in his hand, in
pursuit of the flock.

Stephen, whose instincts were those of a keen sportsman, when game was
before him, did the same thing; and in a few moments Mildred found
herself left entirely alone in the road, half disposed to chide and
half to smile at the eager and ungallant desertion of her attendants,
who were now in quick but cautious pursuit of the brood of turkeys. The
speed with which these birds are accustomed to run through the woods,
allured their pursuers to some distance into the depths of the forest;
and Mildred patiently awaited the return of her companions on the gr