orable than
thine."

"'He who praises thee to the face is a false friend; the true one
reproveth thee,'" quoted Standish with his peculiar grim smile.

"And am not I reproving thee for thy selfish disregard of the common
weal?" persisted Winslow, his own smile a little forced. "Nay, then,
must I bewray confidence and tell thee that one who knows assures me
that Priscilla Molines would not say thee nay wert thou to ask her?"

"Pst! What folly art thou at now, Master Winslow? This is no more than
woman's gossip. Some of thy new love's havers, I'll be bound."

"Did not William Molines send to seek speech with thee the night he
died?" asked Winslow fixing his keen eyes upon the soldier's perturbed
face.

"Ay, but it was he and I alone."

"Well, then, he had taken counsel first with a godly matron, in whose
judgment he trusted."

"Mistress White?"

"Ay."

"I would I had known it that day." And with no farther good-by the
Captain turned and strode down the hill ill pleased.

The next day rose warm and misty. The veiled sun seemed smiling behind
the soft vapors, and the earth throbbing with the sweet hopes of spring
smiled back at him. The leaves of willow, and alder, and birch, and
maple, and elm, uncurled their delicate fronds and shyly held out hands
of welcome to the south wind; the birds sang clear and sweet in the
woods, and the delicate springs of sweet water answered back with
rippling laughter and joyous dance.

"A goodly scene, a veritable garden of the Lord," said William Bradford
standing outside the elder's door, and gazing down upon the valley of
Town Brook, and across at the wood-covered hillside beyond. Standish,
whom he addressed, was just coming out of the house, after his
breakfast, and without reply laid his hand upon the younger man's arm
and led him up the hill.

"Whither bound this fair morning my Captain?" asked Bradford, in whose
blood the brave morning air worked like wine.

"First to fetch my snaphance, and then I will have thee into the wood
for a stroll to enjoy thy fine day, and to hold counsel with thy
friend."

"And that is ever to mine own advantage," replied Bradford with
affectionate honesty. Standish glanced at him with the rare sweetness
sometimes lighting the rigor of his soldierly face, and as they had
reached the door of the cabin nestled beneath the Fort, where John Alden
and his friend abode, Standish entered, leaving the future governor to
feast his eyes upon the w