D'Ri and I

t first many moved out of the village, but the mill was kept running, and after a little they began to come back. The farms on each side of the river looked as peaceful a

ng bell and timbers with a crash into somebody's dooryard. Then all over the village hens began to cackle and children to wail. People came running out of doors half dressed. A woman, gathering chips in her dooryard, dropped them, lifted her dress above her head, and ran for the house. Unable to see her way, she went around in a wide circle for a minute or two, while the soldiers were laughing. Another ball hit a big water-tank on top of the lead-works. It hurled broken staves and a big slop of water up

hers gave way there on the edge of the river, and we had to follow. We knew when it was time to run; we were never in the rear rank even then. We made off with the others, although a sabre's point had raked me in the temple, and the blood had frozen on me, and I was a sight to

our first fighting at Ogdensburg, camping well back in the woods. It was the evening of the 27th of June that the general sent for me. He was at the mansion of Mr. Parish, whe

go along the river to Morristown, then cut over into the Black River country and deliver this letter to the Comte de Chaumont, at the Chateau Le Ray, in Leraysville. If you see any signs of the ene

forest from Albany to Sackett's Harbor, and was the best hunter that ever trod a trail in my time. The night was dark, but we rode at a gallop until we had left the town far behin

ng quiet?

yesterday. Folks go back 'n' forth 'bout the sam

p the hill, with a store, a smithy, and a few houses grouped about it, We came up at a silent walk on a road cushioned with sawdust. D'ri rapped on the door until I thought he had roused the whol

new?" I

us," said he, "with a big tribe of Injuns. Some of their cavalry

set out a ro

ye hev?" h

ruin int' me," said D'ri, wit

called fo

the landlord, tu

I hoped t' drop dead 'fore I see myself tek another drink. I 'm jest goin' t' shet my ey

nd the probable location of the British. He stopped suddenly, peered over my

t. "Ain' much idee who 't is," he added, peering out of the window. "By gosh! mo

door. From the yard a light flashed up. They were evidently buil

use afire," sai

hose that ran up to a t

water?" D'r

ed with the reservoir o' the lead-works on the hil

ri, quickly, "an' let

. The jet leaped quickly from one to another, roaring on man and beast. There was a mighty scurry. Horses went headlong down the hill, some dragging their riders. In the silence of the night, bedlam had broken loose. The shouting men, the plunging

er hosses,

d our horses with all speed, leaped upon them, and went rushing down the steep road, our swords in hand, like an avalanche. They tried to stop us at the f

said D'ri, with a shout that turned into

ier than theirs, and for a time we raked the road with our bullets. What be

owly for half a mile or so into the woods. There we built a fire, and gave t

as he sat down, laughing, and shook his head. "Jerushy Jane! Did

vil they did n't dast

ur

ig sabres, tew," D'ri went on. "Hed a purty middlin' sha

as he sang the chorus o

oorul I ooru

Having eaten, I wrote a despatch to be taken back by Thurst as soon as we reached the pike. Past

onting a fair stretch of wooded lawn, cut by a brook that went splashing over rocks near by, and sent its velvet voice through wood and field. A road of fine gravel led through groves of beech and oak and pine to a grassy ter

ith a marked accent, as he came to me, his hand extended

I, handing hi

seal and read

you!" said he, laying his hands upon my

way with D'ri and S

t, as he led the way. "You a

A great stairway filled the point of the triangle. I was shown to my room, which was as big as a ball-room, it seemed to me, and grandly furnished; no castle of my dreams had been quite so fine. The va

n their youth, and I had heard much of it. I should have been glad of a new uniform; but after I had had my bath and put

he celebrated French astronomer, Moss Kent, brother of the since famous chancellor, the Sieur Michel, and the Baroness de Ferre, with her two wards, the Misses Louise and Louison de Lambert, were also at dinner. These young ladies were the most remarkable of the company; their beauty was so brilliant, so fascinating, it kindled a great fire in me the moment I saw it. They said little, but seemed to have much interest in all the talk of the table. I looked at them more than was polite, I am sure, but they looked at me quite as often. They had big, beautiful brown eyes, and dark hair fastened high with jewelled pins, and profiles like those of th

happy to say it did seem to hit the mark, for I was no sooner done with our adventure than the ladies began to cla

our navy in '76. Like others I had met under his roof, the count had seen the coming of the Reign of Terror in France, and had fled with his great fortune. He had invested much of it there in the wild country. He loved America, and

tell me," I said at

de La

ysician. He wishes not for them to marry until they are twenty-one.

utiful!"

ight; they have the horse; they have boats; they amuse themselves ver' much. But they are impatient; they long for Paris-the salon, the theatre, the opera. They are like prisoners: they cannot make themselves to be contented. The baroness she has her villa on a lake ba

rs with a gesture of both hands. Then

tell how many, but, Dieu! it is enough. The army should inform itself immediately. I think it is better that you penetrate to the river to-morrow, if you

?" I in

if you desire to sta

n at their absence and went to my room shortly to get my rest, for I had to be off early in the morning. Before going to bed, however, I sat down to think and do some writing. But I could not for the life of me put away the thought of the young ladies. Th

id one. (It must be understood these words are m

severe to-nigh

love a monkey and had better luck. The colonel keeps all the men to herself. Whom have I s

he other, "there are many

ld like to know what they a

and evil," said the oth

"I had rather elope with a one-legged h

to cross yourself an

dear sister, don't you ever long for the love of a man-a big, handsome, hear

her, with a sigh, "I s

are to thi

ermitted to-to speak to him! Think of it! A young and handsome man-t

as the colonel. She is under his

nrages me! I could re

re their confidence any further, so I went to one of the windows and closed a shu

le," said one of them, and then the

ut with hard travel, I fell into bed shortly, and lay a long time thinking of those young ladies,