ia
wave back a dozen importunate gallants, then throw a knot of blue ribbon
into their midst, laugh with glee at the scramble that ensued, and
finally march off with the wearer of the favor. I saw a neighbor of
mine, tall Jack Pride, who lived twelve miles above me, blush and
stammer, and bow again and again to a milliner's apprentice of a girl,
not five feet high and all eyes, who dropped a curtsy at each bow. When
I had passed them fifty yards or more, and looked back, they were still
bobbing and bowing. And I heard a dialogue between Phyllis and Corydon.
Says Phyllis, "Any poultry?"

Corydon. "A matter of twalve hens and twa cocks."

Phyllis. "A cow?"

Corydon. "Twa."

Phyllis. "How much tobacco?"

Corydon. "Three acres, hinny, though I dinna drink the weed mysel'. I'm
a Stewart, woman, an' the King's puir cousin."

Phyllis. "What household plenishing?"

Corydon. "Ane large bed, ane flock bed, ane trundle bed, ane chest, ane
trunk, ane leather cairpet, sax cawfskin chairs an' twa-three rush, five
pair o' sheets an' auchteen dowlas napkins, sax alchemy spunes"--

Phyllis. "I'll take you."

At the far end of the meadow, near to the fort, I met young Hamor,
alone, flushed, and hurrying back to the more populous part of the
field.

"Not yet mated?" I asked. "Where are the maids' eyes?"

"By--!" he answered, with an angry laugh. "If they're all like the
sample I've just left, I'll buy me a squaw from the Paspaheghs!"

I smiled. "So your wooing has not prospered?"

His vanity took fire. "I have not wooed in earnest," he said carelessly,
and hitched forward his cloak of sky-blue tuftaffeta with an air. "I
sheered off quickly enough, I warrant you, when I found the nature of
the commodity I had to deal with."

"Ah!" I said. "When I left the crowd they were going very fast. You had
best hurry, if you wish to secure a bargain."

"I'm off," he answered; then, jerking his thumb over his shoulder,
"If you keep on to the river and that clump of cedars, you will find
Termagaunt in ruff and farthingale."

When he was gone, I stood still for a while and watched the slow sweep
of a buzzard high in the blue, after which I unsheathed my dagger, and
with it tried to scrape the dried mud from my boots. Succeeding but
indifferently, I put the blade up, stared again at the sky, drew a long
breath, and marched upon the covert of cedars indicated by Hamor.

As I neared it, I heard at first only the wash of the river; but