"But there can be no obstacle between us," I said to myself, "which reason and love cannot overcome." In about ten minutes, Bessy joined the rest of the party, and was certainly more cheerful than she had been the night before. The evening passed heavily enough, however; and about half-past nine she retired to rest. Half an hour after, the whole party separated, and I proceeded to my own room, not to sleep, but to meditate. I was anxious to think of every possible obstacle which could lie between Bessy and myself; and, as we are often inclined to do, to lay out plans for removing that of which I had no means of ascertaining the weight or the nature. When I entered the room, I found the candles lighted, and Zed, in one corner, upon his knees, very busy over something lying on a chair. He did not hear me enter; and, while throwing off my coat and waistcoat, I asked him a little sharply,--
"What are you about there, Zed?"
"Only looking up your pistols, master," said Zed, raising his head.
"Why, you seem to be loading them," I exclaimed.
"Just loaded the little ones, master; will load the big ones in a minute."
"Stay, stay. Why are you loading them?" I demanded, "I don't want them loaded."
"Oh, always better to have pistols loaded in troublesome times, master," answered the man earnestly. "Better let me load them." There was something in his manner which struck me as strange: and I replied,--
"Come here, and speak to me." The man hobbled up to the chair where I was sitting, and I fixed my eyes inquiringly on his face.
"Do you know anything," I said sternly, "which makes you judge that it would be better for me to have my pistols loaded this night, after they have been so long unloaded?"
"No," replied the man firmly.