In spite of her apparent harshness, the young soldier was convinced that she was not so unfriendly as her words at first implied.
Taking him at his word, the woman advanced, and holding the candle above her head looked keenly at the intruder. "Yo' don't look so dreadful deceitful," she admitted, "but a body never can tell. Fine feathers sometimes make fine birds, and maybe yo' put on those clothes because yo' want to get into our house. Jim has the name of being a friend of the Union, but he's just about as lively as McClellan. I had to make him go out to see what was the matter with the cattle. They are all right, are they, Jim?" she demanded, turning once more to the man who plainly was her husband.
"Yas, Sairy Ann," he replied; "I reckon they got a bit restless endurin' the storm."
"Yo' didn't see any signs of men being around?"
"This is the only man I saw."
"Well, they will be here pretty quick, I reckon," she declared. "If the secesh find out that there is a cow left on the place they will come for it. I reckon they have been here already. Jim isn't much of a protection, except to look at," she added, turning again to her visitor.
Under other circumstances Noel would have laughed at her words, for the huge Jim plainly was in full subjection to the little woman who was talking so volubly.
"What did yo' stop here for?" she abruptly demanded.
"I have been running almost all night," explained Noel, "and I found a negro out here. He said that Mr. Hilton was a friend of the Union. I thought morning would be here pretty soon and I didn't know just where to go. I'm a stranger in this part of the country."
"Whare yo' from?" asked the woman.