"Little did I think," mused the young officer, as, leaving
his party at the, gate, and hastening towards the cottage,
his eye fell upon those articles of dress--"little did
I imagine when I threw off these things a few hours since,
to obey a summons to the Fort, that on my return to them,
it would be with this heavy heart, and as the bearer of
these tidings--but I must be cautious in my disclosure.
Dear girl, here she is!"
"Why, Ronayne, what in the name of Heaven is the meaning
of all this? Are you here to take the castle by storm,
with all these armed warriors? A few hours since you were
a man of peace, and now I behold in you a most approved
and valiant knight of the true American school. Sword,
cap, feather, epaulet, blue broad-cloth, and silver. Well
it must be confessed that you are not a bad imitation of
a soldier, in that garb, and it is in pity to me, I
suppose, that you do not wear it oftener. But seriously,
Harry, do satisfy my curiosity, and tell me the reason
of this unusual--manner of visit!"
The question was asked playfully, but in tones replete
with sweetness, by a tall and elegantly-formed girl, who
on turning the further circle of the walk, in her approach
to her favorite flower-bed, had for the first time, beheld
the young officer, and the party stationed at the gate.
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