matter?" she cried, alarmed at his appearance;
"have the Indians--"

"No, dearest, the Indians are far away ere this. But alas! there are
other enemies to our peace than they."

"What do you mean?" she said, "speak! why do you thus agitate me by
withholding what you would say."

"My dear Virginia," replied her lover, "do you not remember that I told
you last night that I had something to communicate, which would surprise
and grieve you. I cannot expect you to understand or appreciate fully my
motives. But you can at least hear me patiently, and by the memory of
our love, by the sacred seal of our plighted troth, I beg you to hear me
with indulgence, if not forgiveness."

"There are but few things, Hansford, that you could do," said Virginia,
gravely, "that love would not teach me to forgive. Go on. I hear you
patiently."

"My story will be brief," said Hansford, "although it may involve sad
consequences to me. I need only say, that I have felt the oppressions of
the government, under which the colony is groaning; I have witnessed the
duplicity and perfidy of Sir William Berkeley, and I have determined
with the arm and heart of a man, to maintain the rights of a man."

"What oppressions, what perfidy, what rights, do you mean?" said
Virginia, turning pale with apprehension.

"You can scarcely understand those questions dearest. But do you not
know that the temporizing policy, the criminal delay of Berkeley, has
already made the blood of Englishmen flow by the hand of savages. Even
the agony which you this morning suffered, is due to the indirect
encouragement given to the Indians by his fatal indulgence."

"And you have proved false to your country," cried Virginia. "Oh!
Hansford, for the sake of your honour, for the sake of your love, unsay
the word which stains your soul with treason."

"Nay, my own Virginia, understand me. I may be a rebel to my king. I may
almost sacrifice my love, but I am true, ever true to my country. The
day has passed, Virginia, when that word was so restricted in its
meaning as to be confounded with the erring mortal, who should be its
minister and not its tyrant. The blood of Charles the First has mingled
with the blood of those brave martyrs who perished for liberty, and has
thus cemented the true union between a prince and his people. It has
given to the world, that useful lesson, that the sovereign is invested
with his power, to protect, and not to destroy the rights of his people