Chapter 31 - Page 2

of these officers as Capt. Warley, while the other was alluded
to as Mr., which was equivalent to Ensign Thornton. The former it
will at once be seen was the officer who had been named with so
much feeling in the parting dialogue between Judith and Hurry. He
was, in truth, the very individual with whom the scandal of the
garrisons had most freely connected the name of this beautiful but
indiscreet girl. He was a hard featured, red faced man of about five
and thirty; but of a military carriage, and with an air of fashion
that might easily impose on the imagination of one as ignorant of
the world as Judith.

"Craig is covering us with benedictions," observed this person
to his young ensign, with an air of indifference, as he shut the
glass and handed it to his servant; "to say the truth, not without
reason; it is certainly more agreeable to be here in attendance on
Miss Judith Hutter, than to be burying Indians on a point of the
lake, however romantic the position, or brilliant the victory. By
the way, Wright - is Davis still living?"

"He died about ten minutes since, your honor," returned the sergeant
to whom this question was addressed. "I knew how it would be, as
soon as I found the bullet had touched the stomach. I never knew
a man who could hold out long, if he had a hole in his stomach."

"No; it is rather inconvenient for carrying away any thing very
nourishing," observed Warley, gaping. "This being up two nights
de suite, Arthur, plays the devil with a man's faculties! I'm as
stupid as one of those Dutch parsons on the Mohawk - I hope your
arm is not painful, my dear boy?"

"It draws a few grimaces from me, sir, as I suppose you see,"
answered the youth, laughing at the very moment his countenance was
a little awry with pain. "But it may be borne. I suppose Graham
can spare a few minutes, soon, to look at my hurt."

"She is a lovely creature, this Judith Hutter, after all, Thornton;
and it shall not be my fault if she is not seen and admired in
the Parks!" resumed Warley, who thought little of his companion's
wound - "your arm, eh! Quite True - Go into the ark, sergeant, and
tell Dr. Graham I desire he would look at Mr. Thornton's injury,
as soon as he has done with the poor fellow with the broken leg.
A lovely creature! and she looked like a queen in that brocade
dress in which we met her. I find all changed here; father and
mother both gone, the sister dying, if not dead, and none of the
family left, but the beauty! This has been a lucky expedition all
round, and promises to terminate better than Indian skirmishes in
general."

"Am I to suppose, sir, that