Chapter 7 - Page 2

manner so long subdued,
enabled him to conceal his disgust. For the first two days after the
alarm, the deportment of his guests was unexceptionable. All their
faculties appeared to be engrossed with keen and anxious watchings of the
forest, out of which it would seem they expected momentarily to see issue
a band of ferocious and ruthless savages: but symptoms of returning levity
began to be apparent, as confidence and a feeling of security increased,
with the quiet passage of the hours.

It was on the evening of the third day from that on which they had made
their appearance in the settlement, that the man called Hallam was seen
strolling, for the first time, through the postern so often named, and
taking a direction which led towards the out-buildings. His air was less
distrustful than it had been for many a weary hour, and his step
proportionably confident and assuming. Instead of wearing, as he had been
wont, a pair of heavy horseman's pistols at his girdle, he had even laid
aside his broadsword, and appeared more in the guise of one who sought his
personal ease, than in that cumbersome and martial attire which all of his
party, until now, had deemed it prudent to maintain. He cast his glance
cursorily over the fields of the Heathcotes, as they glowed under the soft
light of a setting sun; nor did his eye even refuse to wander vacantly
along the outline of that forest, which his imagination had so lately been
peopling with beings of a fierce and ruthless nature.

The hour was one when rustic economy brings the labors of the day to a
close. Among those who were more than usually active at that busy moment,
was a handmaiden of Ruth, whose clear sweet voice was heard, in one of the
inclosures, occasionally rising on the notes of a spiritual song, and as
often sinking to a nearly inaudible hum, as she extracted from a favorite
animal liberal portions of its nightly tribute to the dairy of her
mistress. To that inclosure the stranger, as it were by accident, suffered
his sauntering footsteps to stroll, seemingly as much in admiration of the
sleek herd as of any other of its comely tenants.

"From what thrush hast taken lessons, my pretty maid, that I mistook thy
notes for one of the sweetest songsters of thy woods?" he asked, trusting
his person to the support of the pen in an attitude of easy superiority.
"One might fancy it a robin, or a wren, trolling out his evening song,
instead of human voice rising and falling in every-day psalmody."

"The birds of our forest rarely speak," returned the girl; "and the one
among them which has most to say, does it like those who are called
gentlemen, when they set wit to work to please the ear of simple
country maidens."