CHAPTER II

The bridle was lying slack upon the neck of the horse, who picked his

way carefully along the road, his hoofs now clicking over the stony

highway, now falling noiselessly upon the brown pine needles. And the

occasional clatter of his shoes, or the busy chatter of a squirrel high

up in a tree, were the only sounds to interrupt the musings of the

stalwart rider, whose head was bowed, and whose eyes strayed moodily

about.

He was dark and tall, well knit, and of powerful build, yet lithe and

graceful. The wandering breeze whipped out stray curling locks about

his ears and temples from the mass of dark hair done up in a queue.

The broad-brimmed riding-hat was pulled well down over his strongly

marked brows, and the smooth-shaven face betrayed the compressed lips

of the large but finely formed mouth.

A flash of something white speeding across the road a few yards in

front of him caused the dark eyes to open wide, and brought his musings

to a sudden end.

Across the marshes to the left he caught a glimpse of twinkling feet,

encased in low steel-buckled shoes that seemed to be bearing away from

him a fleeting cloud of white drapery.

It was a female, with her so-called "cut" (a dress-skirt so narrow and

straight as to make rapid movement very difficult) thrown up over her

head and shoulders, as she went over the grass toward the beach at the

side of the road facing the Neck.

Recognizing her at once, the horseman called out, "Dorothy!" and

spurred his horse out of the road and across the marsh.

As though hearing him, she paused, and without lowering the "cut,"

turned to look over her shoulder.

The wind, catching her dress, blew the white folds aside, showing a

roguish face, and one bearing a strong family resemblance to the man in

pursuit. But her features were small and delicate, while his, although

not lacking in refinement, were far bolder in strength of outline.

She had the same dark eyes, set far apart under delicate but firmly

marked brows,--the same swart curling lashes, and riotous locks.

But here the likeness ceased; for while his face was grave, and full of

a set purpose and resolution, hers was almost babyish, and full of

witchery, with a peachy bloom coming and going in the rounded cheeks.

She was panting a little from her running, and now stood, waiting for

him to speak, her red lips parted in a mocking smile that showed two

rows of little teeth, white as the meat of a hazel-nut.

"What mischief have you been up to, you little rogue, and why are you

running away from me?" he asked. He spoke with quiet good nature, but

looked down at her with an elder brother's reproof showing in his face.

She did not answer, but only glanced up at him from the sheltering

folds of the skirt, billowing about her face like a cloud, while the

horse, recognizing a loved playmate, whinnied, and bowed his head to

her shoulder as if mutely begging a caress.

"You have been to see Moll Pitcher again," the young man asserted; "and

you know our father would be angry that you should do it. And 't is

very wrong, Dorothy, in these times, that you should be over in this

part of the town alone."

Her brother called her so rarely by her full name that a change from

the caressing "Dot" to the solemn-sounding "Dorothy" was a sure mark of

his displeasure.

The smile died from her face, and her eyes fell. But she looked

mutinous, as she raised a small hand to stroke the horse's nose.

"I did not come alone, Jack," she explained. "Leet rowed me over, and

Pashar came with us; and I had little 'Bitha, too."

"An old darkey, who sits dozing in the boat, half a mile away from you,

with his twelve-year-old grandson, and little Tabitha! These make a

fine protection, truly, had you met with soldiers or other troublesome

people," he said with some sarcasm. "Do you not know there was a new

vessel, filled with British soldiers, went into Salem harbor

yesterday--and belike they are roaming about the country to-day?" He

switched his riding-boot as he spoke, scowling as though the mention of

the matter had awakened vengeful thoughts.

"Hugh Knollys has but just ridden over from Salem; and he said they

were all housed there, along with the Governor," the girl said eagerly,

glad to find something to say in her defence, as well as to turn the

current of her brother's thoughts.

"Hugh Knollys!" he repeated. "Has he been at our house this day?"

"No-o," she answered hesitatingly. "We met him just now as we came out

of Moll's. He is at the Fountain Inn."

"We," he said, a smile showing about the corners of his lips. "Are you

His Gracious Majesty, Dot, that you speak of yourself as 'We'?"

At the sound of her baby name, all the brightness returned to her face,

and glancing up at him, she whispered mischievously, "Look in the

thicket behind you."

He turned to send a keen glance into the clump of bushes and vines

growing some dozen yards closer to the road he had just left; and there

he caught a glimpse of pale blue--like female raiment--showing amid the

foliage.

Wheeling his horse quickly, he rode toward it; and what he now saw was

a tall, blonde girl of eighteen or thereabouts, who arose slowly from

where she had been hiding, and came forward with a dignity that savored

of defiance, although there seemed to be a smile lurking in the corners

of her mouth.

Her gypsy hat hung by its blue ribbons on one white rounded arm, bared

to the elbow, as the fashion of her sleeve left it. The neck of her

pale blue gown was low cut; but a small cape of the same material was

over it,--crossed, fichu-wise, on her bosom, and then carried under the

arms, to be knotted at the back.

Her round white throat rose out of the sheer blue drapery in fine,

strong lines, to support a regal head, crowned with a glory of pale

brown hair, now bared to the sun, and glinting as though golden

sparkles were caught in its silky meshes.

As she approached, the rider held up his horse, and sat motionless,

staring at her, while a merry peal of laughter, silvery as chiming

bells, broke from sixteen-year-old Dorothy.

"Mary Broughton!" the young man exclaimed at length, as he looked

wonderingly at the fair-haired girl.

She paused a yard away and swept him a mocking courtesy as she

said,--and her musical voice was of the quality we are told is "good in

woman,"--"Aye; at your service, Master John Devereux."

"Then you have been with our madcap here?" he asked, now finding his

tongue more readily.

"All the afternoon--an it please you, sir," she replied in the same

tone of playful irony.

"It does please me," he said, now with a smile, "for it was much better

than had Dot been alone, as I supposed at first. But think you it is

safe for you two girls to come wandering over here by yourselves?" And

in the look of his dark eyes, in the very tone of his voice, there was

something different,--more caressing than had been found even for his

small sister, who had now drawn close to them.

Mary Broughton slipped her arm through Dorothy's, and the mockery left

her face.

"I suppose not," she answered frankly. "But, to tell the truth, I had

not thought of such a thing until you mentioned it. We've not met a

soul, save Hugh Knollys, who was riding into the inn yard as we came

from Moll Pitcher's."

"And so you have been to consult Moll's oracle?" the young man said

banteringly.

The white lids fell over the honest blue eyes that had been looking

straight up into his own. The girl seemed greatly embarrassed, and her

color deepened, while Dorothy only giggled, and slyly pinched the arm

upon which her slender fingers were resting.

Mary gave her a quick glance of reproof. Then she raised her eyes and

said hesitatingly, "We heard she was down from Lynn, on a visit to her

father."

"You girls are bewitched with Moll Pitcher and her prophecies," he

exclaimed with a laugh.

"Ah--but she tells such wonderful things," began Dorothy, impetuously.

But Mary Broughton laid a small white hand over the red lips and

glanced warningly at her companion.

"What did she tell?" the young man asked. But now Dorothy only smiled,

and shook her head.

"Come, Dorothy," Mary said, "we had best get back to the boat." And

she turned to go; but the younger girl hung back.

"Are you going to a meeting at the inn, Jack?" she inquired, looking at

her brother.

"Little girls must not ask questions," he answered, yet smiling at her

lovingly. "But do you hasten to the boat, and get home, Dot, you and

Mary. It troubles me that you should be about here. Hurry home,

now,--there's a good little girl." But he looked at both of them as he

spoke.

"Shall you be home by evening?" his sister asked, keeping her face

toward him as she backed away, obliged to move in the direction of the

beach; for Mary, still holding her arm, was walking along.

He nodded and smiled; then riding back to the highway, wheeled his

horse and stopped to watch the two figures making their hurried way

across the marsh. But his eyes rested longest upon one of them, tall

and regal, her blonde head showing golden in the waning light, the

vivid green of the marshes and the deep purple of the sea making a

defining background for the beauty of the woman to whom John Devereux

had given his lifelong love.