we-dem has had!"




CHAPTER II.

THE ATTACK.


That summer day was so holy in its beauty, so bright, so clear, so cool;
that rural scene was so soothing in its influences, so calm, so fresh,
so harmonious; it was almost impossible to associate with that lovely
day and scene thoughts of wrong and violence and cruelty. So felt Edith
as she sometimes lifted her eyes from her work to the beauty and glory
of nature around her. And if now her heart ached it was more with grief
for Fanny's fate than dread of her own. There comes, borne upon the
breeze that lifts her dark tresses, and fans her pearly cheeks, the
music of many rural voices--of rippling streams and rustling leaves and
twittering birds and humming bees.

But mingled with these, at length, there comes to her attentive ear a
sound, or the suspicion of a sound, of distant horse hoofs falling upon
the forest leaves--it draws nearer--it becomes distinct--she knows it
now--it is--it is a troop of British soldiers approaching the house!

They rode in a totally undisciplined and disorderly manner; reeling in
their saddles, drunken with debauchery, red-hot, reeking from some scene
of fire and blood!