Cardigan

eat horse, Warlock, who plunged and danced at the slap of my sw

William, standing up in the broad hay-wagon to observe

neck and pricking forward two wise ears. After this the horse and I understood each other, he being s

quills, and bob-floats; Silver Heels, in flowered cotton damask and hair rolled up under a small hat of straw, always observing me with lowered, uncertain eye

May

ayi

ackthorn a

imrose are

ilpin rode young Bareshanks the Scot, all a-grin; while upon either side o

ed, for in the Indian language it means "Snake-with-its-tail-in-its-mouth," and, although it flows for forty miles, the so

, who stood behind the nursery curtains and kissed her fingers to him. And, as the

doth oft in

res oft both

ames, may

ut who fal

in fond Cu

eeds me no

and Mr. Duncan

en that our

to wait upo

ishers

then were hushed as Silver Heels's dainty so

s are full

oo oft be

full of w

be full

care

along w

ong the stones to ford some ice-clear brook, and away again across the rolling country, followed by Gillie Bareshanks, st

rtial severity; and I doubt not that, seeing me in full uniform and armed, my countenance filled them with misgivings; indeed, some cal

. "Gad! Michael, your desperate deportment is scaring my tenants along the way! Sm

aughter, I trotted on in silence, returning m

eaning land not yet cleared of woods. The sweet, moist shadow of the forest coole

s of deep forests. Slow hawks sailed along the edge of the woods; out in the clearing a few finches twittere

the husky quhit! quhit! of that ashy partridge whose eye is surmounted by a scarlet patch, and whose flesh is bitter as hemlock. Solitude! Nay, for the quick furry creatures that haunt water-ways live here, slipping among bowlders, cree

this be solitude, with the shy deer staring and the tiny wood-mouse in the windfall scraping busily;

Saratoga which he loved, twenty-eight miles northeast of us. But this route had never been continued east of Fonda's Bush, partly because the winding Kennyetto interfered too often, demanding to be bridged a dozen times in a

o; and here, in a sunny clearing which was a sugar-bush lately in use, the wagon and

illiam to young Bareshanks, who came bumping up with h

with a thump upon the moss, locked in conflict. Whereupon Sir William fetched them a clip

sently Sir William joined him, where they consulted seriously concerning the proper ground, and to

t and pushed them noiselessly down into the bank, while Sir William removed his

nd you, Felicity, you, too, Mr. Duncan, and Michael, also, come and

and groped in the hat until her fingers clu

x!" she sa

nnounced Sir William. "Wh

sk, charging at the hat and t

drew, and then I

am, fumbling with his fish-rod.

d. Furthermore, he must fish courteously and with due regard for his neighbour's rights, employing no unfair means to attract fish to his own bait or to drive them from his neighbour's. The contestant se

. Silver Heels was on the extreme left, I next, then Sir W

d from the wrist, sending a green and gray

bit of eel's skin and red flannel. My own line I baited with an

ome heedless splashing, which was the occasion of m

all Indians. However, it was but a spiny sun-fish with blue

up her nose. "See! Peter hath another one-a s

am, laughing, and drawing his fly over

jerked a fourth from the water, secured his prize with a scowl a

fast that the water dimpled all around and the little rings, spreading, s

flapped and squeaked, now on its white belly, now on its back, grinning with its gummy, whi

I, politely; "you a

and silver frost-fish to the surface, only to l

a new and humble tone in her voice, delicate and grateful flattery to me, due, as I knew perfectly well,

ever; and she knew, too, which I did not, that she also was climbing the ladder very swiftly, a li

pink and white Mohawk chub, which had risen silently

he unhooked the fish, which at once slowly sank back into the black channel.

May

ayi

noise, sir," spoke

and never a trout budges. Stamp thy feet-ay, brush but a stone in

e the fat little Mohawk dragging a trout from the water and up the bank

ing, and my arm its strength. So passes the generation

dy to weep. So I laid my rod on the bank, leaving the baited hook in the water, a

nd of the line. "You can't do that, Michael

y enough he did, for, before I was seated, Peter jumped up, struggling w

it with a long silvery strip of skin and pin-feathers from a pullet's neck. "Now do

I saw the nose of a great gold

whispered.

re twitches, but so gentle you would have vowed

" I muttered;

felt the rod stagger when the hook, d

reat fish shot into the air, and lay a

. "Do you net him, Michael, else Felicity

legs could move to Silver Heels, who had dropped the rod and now, sprawling

alously. "Let her bag her own gam

netted the floundering pike and flung it among the bus

d, marked with the devil's chain pattern;

d a little nearer to the fish, plucking up her skirts with her fingers

it!" she whispered, tak

erly. But she shook her head and turned

st fish any have yet caught. You will gain second prize, sill

me to kill. I shall fish no more. Ugh-the blood!-and how it quivered when t

ease her. I drew my sleeve from her fingers, but she o

poor brave fish! I hurt it!

your fingers, too, where the line cu

m out to me so pitifully that I could do no less than wipe them clean and bind

the water; "you told me that when you

in sooth, to this day I never draw trigger o

like a pointer's when I chase wild things-what savage craving drives me on, on, on!

it were vainer to argue with a hound on a runway

d an eel fast to the bait, yet not hooked, so summoned Bareshanks to

st fish taken; so, the match being ended, and luncheon served under the pines, Sil

or the first prize, which was a Barlow-knife like the one Silver Heels had gained in the foot-race a yea

a gold guinea; and she placed it in he

kiss your cousin yonder, who saved you

er lips. I kissed her maliciously and praised her skill, vowing that she was

roast capon, and a dish of apples and gingerbread. Ale, too, and punch chilled in the bro

I munched and drank and rallied Silver Heels because of her pity for the pike; b

od and flies, and he and Mr. Duncan lighted their pipes and strolled off along the st

ed and licked his gingercake, lamenting because he could not contain it. So I grasped his heels and

eels and I withdrew to play at stick-knife and watch Esk that he

for plaguing her concerning the pike, she granting pardon and praising my skill in taking such a monster fish. That glow of amiability which suffuses ma

sh, waddled to the wagon, and rolling himself into a

at cards; the horses, tethered near, snorted in their feed

es overhead made low, melodious love; far in the forest dusk the hermit-bird sang, but so f

an to be appointed cornet of horse," said Silv

e almost a woman." But I said it from

differently, "maids ma

eated, laugh

was a bride

the frail yet full arm, half bared, the slender neck, the round, clear hazel eyes, the faintly smiling

uite a woman. Perhaps in a year you will be one! Who kno

long time,"

ne must be quit

she conceded, relucta

he said, "Michael

roduced a complicated sensation in my breast. I was conscious of a sudden and wholly involunt

ver to tell?" she asked, ra

osity prevailed, and I promised, with pretended in

ng her voice, "I am sure that

ngry derision. "Why, he's an ol

ing at Silver Heels and striving to reconcil

loud," she said, "I shall

ed at her sincerity, I expre

imes speaks of the future, and certainly does conduct in most romantic manners, vowing he will wait for me, dec

on?" I said, my face col

said Silver Heels, w

you never

her head

d, and you could not u

my vexation. What! I too young to be told the secrets of t

serenely, "I thought to tell you of this, because it

ol in his dotage to make love to a baby. I told her it did sicken me to hear of it; that there was no truth in it but vain i

ing and digging up

thirty years is but a youth's prime,

hed me. I could find neither tong

primly. "If he chooses to protest his solicitous re

g my teeth. "I will teach this fellow B

ot to reveal this," sa

partly promised me a meeting, I caught Silver

aid I. "Promise me silenc

e asked, a

ret. Promise.

e," she w

re to her that I would kill him, eye to eye and hilt to hilt; not alone for his contempt and i

me! Do you swear to me upon your oath and honour never to stay again after school, never to listen to another word from this sneaking fellow until you are

u saying? Sir Willi

her hands, but in a m

her hands. "I don't care wha

, faintly. "You are

he fishing-line had cut a single drop

she said, without resentment. "It is like

I never had conceived could be cherished towards any living thing. My right hand itched for a sword-hilt; I longed to se

de, we were moving slowly along the stream, saying n

fidence that all would come right. Such passions are too powerful for young

ivalry, latent in the roughest of us, and which, in extreme youth, first manifests as patronage. Thus, walking with Silver Heels I unburdened my heart, telling her that I too had been in love, that the object of my respectful pa

e portrait I had painted for her; that she found a likeness between that portrait and h

the traits I had painted for her so carefully, and presently

t was quite true that I did resemble her ideal, and only lacked year

Molly means that we marry. Betty says

e can't marry, can

simply; "there's all

h you lack," said I, sharp

than I!" cried

I lack come with y

e suitable for me excepting your year

osed. "If I wed not Marie Livings

ew very angry and vowed she would

, and was even willing to do so myself to save you from Captain Butler. An

ill blind you! And I shall wed a gallant gentleman of years, Michael, and scarred with battles-not so to disfigure a pleasing countenance, but under his clothes whe

d mocked me in a curtsey, then marched off, nose in the wind, to join Sir Will

re prepared to depart. Bareshanks brought around m

ich all joined, the soldiers and young Bareshanks also singin

y, with the sun a red ball sinking through saffr

ing woods; the crickets began from every tuft, and far away

he hill-side where, on the hillock called Mount Johnson, the can

William, thinking not less of him for riding with his flock in the straw-lined wagon, and on t

in the fire-glow, stroking Warlock's velvet nose, and

ow on Mr. Butler, came one a-swaggering by th

diddle d

son

ed with o

off and o

diddle

on J

at fellow, six feet two at least, all buckskin and swagger and raccoon cap, with tail bobbing to his neck, a true coureur-de-bois, which is the ter

en to either ignore or resent. "A fine horse, sir, and, by your leave, worthy of his master!" And he sto

"I've not sniffed priest or Jesuit these six m

inst the window of a bake-shop crossed the street and joined

was also drunk, yet his mouth was honest, and I judge not from such things, nor yet

the lighted windows. There were soldiers strolling, two by two, lingering at bake-shops to sniff the ovens; there were traders, come to town to solicit permits from Sir William for the Canadas. At times the tall, blank

en for French trappers by half a dozen soldiers of the Royal Americans, who were squ

o and the little Parleyvoos? What's the price of cat-st

em a drunken stare, th

d red-bellies! They're going to give another tea-

-party, you damned Yankee!" cried the soldiers,

you!" shouted the little ranger, planting his legs w

up, threatening to sound his call. A group of towns-peopl

I did not understand at the time, such as: "How's Bully Tryon and his blood-pudding?" "I

y-backs," "cow-rumps," and "scratch-wigs," advised them all to pickle their he

ll show you what pickling is," s

you something to beat pickled pig!" r

ut into the street. I paid him; he held my stirrup, and I mounted, walk

s no place for brawls. Let it end here-do you

ughed scornfully, flung their rifles over their shoulders, and

ut disorder, far down the dim street I heard

comes

enad

d'ye

t o'

s your

org

ne, you re

these fellows disturbed me. What had they meant by "lobster-back" and "Tommy Gage" and "Bully Tryon?" Surely they could not have referred to General Gage of Boston or to our Governor! Did the

he crowd, sometimes mocking the bare shanks of a Highlander, sometimes hustling an Indian, or tweaking the beard of a Jew peddler, now doffing their

hose who came to the Hall. However, I now saw that I could not with dignity notice either the

ence, and, loosening bridle, s

e Hall broke out in the blue night. Yet the scene I had witnessed was my first view of the unrest whic