He soon had the whole flock about him, telling them stories and singing them songs, and they were having a merry time when Aunt Nell came to the door to say that it was their bed time and Maria was waiting.
Daylight had quite faded out of the sky and the air grown so chill that the warmth of the blazing wood fire in the parlor was far from unpleasant to Lyttleton as he followed the children into the house.
Begging the guest to excuse her for a moment, and to make himself entirely at home, Nell went away with Maria and the children.
Lyttleton stood by the fire musing.
"What a handsome girl! and her manners would not disgrace a court. She's some years older, and more formed than Clendenin's sister; quite as fine looking too, though an entirely different style of beauty; not over twenty I should say. The other I take to be fifteen. Clendenin admires her vastly; I saw that in his glance, and that he saw in me a possible rival. Well, I shall enjoy getting into her good graces none the less for that."
Two candles were burning on the table, and beside them a piece of delicate embroidery which Nell took up on her return to the room.
Lyttleton drew a chair to her side and exerted his conversational powers to the utmost for her entertainment; evidently not without success; her low musical laugh rang out again and again, she gave him many a bright glance from her liquid eyes, and many a quick word of repartee.
He grew more and more interested in her and congratulated himself on his good fortune in having come upon such a gem "here in the wilderness."
Suddenly he started, turned pale, and half rose from his chair with a low exclamation of fear or dismay. His eyes seemed fixed upon some object behind Nell, whose back was toward the hall door, and she turned her head hastily to see what it was.
A tall Indian, dressed in native costume, tomahawk and scalping knife in his belt, and feathers in his hair, stood there regarding the Englishman with a contemptuous smile.