“We could hardly have left him, you know,” reasoned his host good-naturedly, “on the roadside, and Dick Wood’s the nearest house!  And once within a man’s doors, every attention, of course, must be shown.  But, as you say, he is a dangerous fellow.”

“Dangerous fiddlesticks!” growled Major Churchill from the other side of the table, where he sat at Jacqueline’s right hand.  “I would have as soon called old Gideon Rand dangerous!  Like father, like son.  You may be sure that this fellow’s spirit rolls tobacco.  Maybe now and then it breaks a colt.

“Dangerous’ implies power to be dangerous,” said Cary, “and conversely power to be humane.  A turn, and all the strength of the man may flow toward good.”

“A fool and his doctrine!” snapped Major Edward.  “I do not expect grapes from thistles, or a silk purse from a sow’s ear.”

“Tut, tut, Ned!  The man who carries this county may be a damned Republican, but he is not a fool,” pronounced Colonel Dick.  “Jacqueline, my dear, another cup of coffee.”

“If we were all as good as gold,” said Unity pensively, “and as wise as—­as Socrates, and wore black cockades, and cared only for the Washington March, and hated Buonaparte, and the Devil, how tiresome life would be!—­Myself, I like variety and the Marseillaise!”

“Then you differ from the other rogues only in liking the Rogue’s March,” said Uncle Edward.  “Jacqueline, more sugar!”

The younger Cary rushed to Miss Dandridge’s defence.  “Well, sir, in itself the Marseillaise is a very noble air.  It is better than Jefferson’s March!”

“Oh, a very good air to go to the gallows by!” snapped Uncle Edward.  “Jacqueline, some cream!”

“Well, well,” said his brother amicably, from the head of the table, “we must care for a man when he’s wounded at our door, friend or foe, Federalist or damned Republican.  Noblesse oblige.  I was glad enough the night my mare Nelly threw me, coming home from Maria Erskine’s wedding, to hear Bob Carter’s voice behind me!  And if Gideon Rand was a surly old heathen, he broke colts well, and he rolled tobacco well.  We’ll treat his son like a Christian.”

“And he’ll repay you like a Turk!” broke out Major Edward.  “I tell you it is bred in the bone—­”

“Mr. Rand is our guest,” said Jacqueline, in a clear voice, from her place behind the coffee urn.  Her hands made a little noise amid the rosebud china.  “Mr. Cary, may I not pour you another cup?—­Caleb, Mr. Cary’s cup.—­Bring more waffles, Scipio.”

“The work at Greenwood is nearly finished, sir,” remarked Ludwell Cary, addressing his host.  “I rode over this afternoon, and the men assure me that the house will soon be habitable.  Fair and I have no excuse for staying longer.”

“Then stay without excuse,” answered Colonel Dick heartily.  “Fontenoy will miss you—­eh, Unity, eh, Jacqueline?”

“It will indeed,” said Jacqueline, with a smile; and Unity, “Will I have time to order a black scarf from Baltimore?  Will you leave us mourning rings?”