"Your horse looked very tired. You must have ridden him a long distance.
"I rode fast," said Emily. "But still, I have not been able to reach the place for which I started this morning."
"It's hardly safe for a young girl like you to take such a long journey alone, in these troublesome times."
"I'm not afraid. No one will harm me," said Emily, forcing a smile.
"I'm not so certain of that, child. It's only a day or two since Greene passed here in full retreat, and no doubt, there are many straggling vagabonds from his army roaming around, whom it would not be safe for one like you to meet."
As the woman said this, a chill went over the frame of the young girl, for, in the tone of her voice and expression of her face, she read an unfriendliness to the cause that was so dear to her heart. She did not venture a reply.
"Might I ask your name?" said the woman, breaking in upon the anxious thoughts that were beginning to pass through her mind.
Emily reflected hurriedly, before replying, and then answered, "Gieger."
The quick conclusion to which she came was, that, in all probability, the woman did not know any thing about her father as favouring the whig cause; but, even if she did, a suspicion of the errand upon which she was going was not likely to cross either her own mind or that of her husband.
"Not John Geiger's daughter!" exclaimed the woman.