ine draught
horses, that stood waiting for him, and to the covered wagon, drawn by a
pair of stout mules, that was coming up behind.

"Oh! Ah! Yes, I see! You are traveling with your retinue. But is not
this a very sudden move on your part?" demanded the captain.

"So sudden in its impulse that it might be mistaken for the flight of a
criminal, had it not been so deliberate in its execution. The fact is,
sir, I am very much attached to my widowed niece, and not being able to
dissuade her from her purpose of going out into the Indian country, and
being her natural protector and an unincumbered bachelor, I decided to
follow her. And now I feel very happy to have overtaken her in the nick
of time."

"I see! I see!" said the captain with a laugh.

While this talk was still going on, Corona turned to take a better look
at the great, strong carriage in which her uncle had driven up from the
steamboat landing. There, to her surprise and delight, she saw young
Mark, from Rockhold, seated on the box. He was staring at her, trying to
catch her eye, and when he did so he grinned and bobbed, and bobbed and
grinned, half a dozen times, in as many half seconds.

"Why, Mark! I am so surprised!" said Corona, as she went toward him. "I
am so glad to see you!"

"Yes'm. Thanky'm. So is I. Yes'm, an'dar's mammy an' daddy an' Sister
Phebe 'hind dar in de wagon," jerking his head toward the rear.

Corona looked, and her heart leaped with joy to see the dear, familiar
faces of the colored servants who had been about her from her childhood.
For there on the front seat of the wagon sat old John, from Rockhold,
with the reins in his hands, drawing up the team of mules, while on one
side of him sat his middle-aged wife, Martha, the housekeeper, and on
the other his young daughter, Phebe, once lady's maid to Corona Rothsay.

Corona uttered a little cry of joy as she hastened toward the wagon. The
three colored people saw her at once, and, with the unconventionally of
their old servitude, shouted out in chorus:

"How do, Miss C'rona?"

"Sarvint, Miss C'rona!"

"Didn't 'spect to see we dem come trapesin' arter yer 'way out yere,
did yer now?"

And they also grinned and bobbed, and bobbed and grinned, between every
word, as they tumbled off their seats and ran to meet her.

Mr. Clarence hoisted the two women to their seats, one on each side of
the driver, and then turned to Corona.

"Come, my dear. Let me put you into our carriage,"