dominated and controlled by a gentleman's breeding.

"I beg your pardon," he said, with a deep inclination of his
handsome head, "but I had no idea that there was any member of this
household at home--at least, a lady." He hesitated a moment,
catching in the raising of her brown-fringed lids a sudden
revelation of her beauty, and partly losing his composure. "I am
Major Van Zandt: I have the honor of addressing--"

"Thankful Blossom," said Thankful a little proudly, divining with a
woman's swift instinct the cause of the major's hesitation. But
her triumph was checked by a new embarrassment visible in the face
of the officer at the mention of her name.

"Thankful Blossom," repeated the officer quickly. "You are, then,
the daughter of Abner Blossom?"

"Certainly," said Thankful, turning her inquiring eyes upon him.
"He will be here betimes. He has gone only to Morristown." In a
new fear that had taken possession of her, her questioning eyes
asked, "Has he not?"

The officer, answering her eyes rather than her lips, came toward
her gravely. "He will not return to-day, Mistress Thankful, nor
perhaps even to-morrow. He is--a prisoner."

Thankful opened her brown eyes aggressively on the major. "A
prisoner--for what?"

"For aiding and giving comfort to the enemy, and for harboring