“Faith, and there is no breakfast lost, that I can perceive,” chuckled the doctor, seating himself unceremoniously at the table, and commencing upon the remains of the bear ham, and prairie hen.

“I fear the tea and coffee are cold,” said Mrs. Elmsley; “let me get some hot for you?”

“By no means, my dear Mrs. Elmsley, I could not think of such slops with generous claret at my elbow.  Nay, do not look offended.  Your tea and coffee are always of the best, but they do not just now, suit my taste.  Miss Heywood, how do you do this morning?  How is your gentle mother?  I have called expressly to see her.  Elmsley, where is that runaway, Ronayne?”

And where indeed was he?  They had not walked more than three or four paces, when Mrs. Headley, after some little hesitation, addressed him thus:—­

“Mr. Ronayne, notwithstanding your evident desire to conceal the fact, I can plainly see that you were not within the Fort last night.  I can fully comprehend that your motive for absenting yourself, has been praiseworthy, but you must also admit that the reproof you met with this morning, was not altogether undeserved.  Pray do not start or look grave, for, believe me, I am speaking to you only as a friend—­indeed it was to have the opportunity of convincing you that I am such, that I asked you to escort me.”

“Really, Mrs. Headley,” interrupted the young officer, little divining to what all this was to tend, and feeling not altogether at his ease, from the abruptness with which the subject had been introduced, “I feel as I ought, the interest you profess to take in me, but how is that connected either with my asserted absence, or the reproof it entailed?”

“It is so far connected with it, that I wish to point out the means by which any unpleasant result may be avoided!”

“Unpleasant result!  Mrs. Headley?”

“Yes, unpleasant result, for I have too good an opinion of you not to believe that any thing tending to destroy the harmony of our very limited society, would be considered such by you.”

“I am all attention, Madam.  Pray, proceed.”

“The pithiness of your manner does not afford me much encouragement yet I will not be diverted from my purpose, even by that.  You have had the Commandant’s lecture,” she continued, with an attempt at pleasantry, “and now you must prepare yourself for (pardon the coinage of the term) that of the Commandantess.”

“The plot thickens,” said the ensign, somewhat sharply—­ “both the husband and the wife.  Jupiter Tonans and Juno the Superb in judgment upon poor me in succession.  Ah! that is too bad.  But seriously, Mrs. Headley, I shall receive with all due humility, whatever castigation you may choose to inflict.”

“No castigation I assure you, Ronayne, but wholesome advice from one, who, recollect, is nearly old enough to be your mother.  However, you shall hear and then decide for yourself.”