"I should like to," I replied, "if Mr. Crawford will let father know."
"Your obedient slave, Miss Nina; I will be sure to acquaint the Colonel, and now I must be going."
"Won't you come in, Mr. Crawford?" said Mrs. Ross.
"I fear I cannot," he replied. "I have to report myself at headquarters. I was on guard last night."
"Any fresh news?" asked Mrs. Ross.
"Nothing but the usual story of the last few days. They have been firing a lot more houses, and the visions and apparitions are as numerous as ever."
"And the Red Hand?" asked Mrs. Ross, shuddering.
"Oh, we have got quite accustomed to it by this time," he replied.
He spoke lightly to reassure us, but it was easy to detect a vein of apprehensiveness behind his light tone.
Mrs. Ross looked pensive, and this pensive look added to her beauty and made her entrancing.