then the light was lit; and her father, a gray wrinkled
man of sixty, still holding her hand, stood before her.

"You have been out, mistress!"

"I have," said Thankful.

"And not alone," growled the old man angrily.

"No," said Mistress Thankful, with a smile that began in the corners of
her brown eyes, ran down into the dimpled curves of her mouth, and
finally ended in the sudden revelation of her white teeth,--"no, not
alone."

"With whom?" asked the old man, gradually weakening under her strong,
saucy presence.

"Well, father," said Thankful, taking a seat on a table, and swinging
her little feet somewhat ostentatiously toward him, "I was with Capt.
Allan Brewster of the Connecticut Contingent."

"That man?"

"That man!"

"I forbid you seeing him again."

Thankful gripped the table with a hand on each side of her, to
emphasize the statement, and swinging her feet replied,--

"I shall see him as often as I like, father."

"Thankful Blossom!"

"Abner Blossom!"

"I see you know not," said Mr. Blossom, abandoning the severely
paternal mandatory air for one of confidential disclosure, "I see you
know not his reputation. He is accused of inciting his regiment to
revolt,--of being a traitor to the cause."

"And since when, Abner Blossom, have YOU felt such concern for the
cause? Since you refused to sell supplies to the Continental
commissary, except at double profits? since you told me you were glad I
had not polities like Mistress Ford--"

"Hush!" said the father, motioning to the parlor.

"Hush," echoed Thankful indignantly. "I won't be hushed! Everybody
says 'Hush' to me. The count says 'Hush!' Allan says 'Hush!' You say
'Hush!' I'm a-weary of this hushing. Ah, if there was a man who
didn't say it to me!" and Mistress Thankful lifted her fine eyes to the
ceiling.

"You are unwise, Thankful,--foolish, indiscreet. That is why you
require much monition."

Thankful swung her feet in silence for a few moments, then suddenly
leaped from the table, and, seizing the old man by the lapels of his
coat, fixed her eyes upon him, and said suspiciously. "Why did you
keep me from going in the company-room? Why did you bring me in here?"

Blossom senior was staggered for a moment. "Because, you know, the
count--"

"And you were afraid the count should know I had a sweetheart? Well,
I'll go in and tell him now," she said, marching toward the door.

"Then, why did you not tell him when you sli