west!"

"It is a shame--a disgrace!" exclaimed Jack hotly, and then he
turned his glance upon the two other men who were seated at the
table, taking in the whole scene in silence.

Both wore the look of travellers; both were tanned by exposure, and
were clad in stained and curious garments, such as betokened the
life of the wilderness. Jack was instantly and keenly interested.
He himself would willingly have been a backwoodsman had he been
able to adopt that adventurous life.

Ashley saw the look he bent upon the travellers, and he made them
known to one another.

"These friends have travelled far from the lands of the south, and
have been friends in need to our kinsmen yonder. Fritz Neville and
Julian Dautray are their names.

"Susanna, set food before them. Your mother will not be able to
think of aught just now. We must let her have her cry out before we
trouble her."

The rest of the party seated themselves, whilst in the recess by
the window Hannah stood between the brothers she had parted from
ten years ago, listening to their tale, and weeping as she
listened.

Ashley turned to his two guests, who were eating with appetite from
the well-filled platters placed before them, and he began to speak