few days. His stay there was marked by a fierceblizzard and the royal guest
passed most of his time at Colonel Zane's fireside. Musing by those roaring

logs perhaps he saw the radiant star of the Man of Destiny rise to its
magnificent zenith.

One cold, raw night in early spring the Colonel had just returned from one of
his hunting trips and the tramping of horses mingled with the rough voices of

the negro slaves sounded without. When Colonel Zane entered the house he was
greeted affectionately by his wife and sister. The latter, at the death of her

aunt in Philadelphia, had come west to live with her brother, and had been
there since late in the preceding autumn. It was a welcome sight for the eyes

of a tired and weary hunter. The tender kiss of his comely wife, the cries of
the delighted children, and the crackling of the fire warmed his heart and

made him feel how good it was to be home again after a three days' march in
the woods. Placing his rifle in a corner and throwing aside his wet hunting

coat, he turned and stood with his back to the bright blaze. Still young and
vigorous, Colonel Zane was a handsome man. Tall, though not heavy, his frame

denoted great strength and endurance. His face was smooth, his heavy eyebrows
met in a straight line; his eyes were dark and now beamed with a kindly light;

his jaw was square and massive; his mouth resolute; in fact, his whole face
was strikingly expressive of courage and geniality. A great wolf dog had

followed him in and, tired from travel, had stretched himself out before the
fireplace, laying his noble head on the paws he had extended toward the warm

blaze.
"Well! Well! I am nearly starved and mighty glad to get back," said the

Colonel, with a smile of satisfaction at the steaming dishes a negro servant
was bringing from the kitchen.

"We are glad you have returned," answered his wife, whose glowing face
testified to the pleasure she felt. "Supper is ready--Annie, bring in some

cream--yes, indeed, I am happy that you are home. I never have a moment's
peace when you are away, especially when you are accompanied by Lewis Wetzel."

"Our hunt was a failure," said the Colonel, after he had helped himself to a
plate full of roast wild turkey. "The bears have just come out of their

winter's sleep and are unusually" target="_blank" title="ad.异常地；非常">unusually wary at this time. We saw many signs of their
work, tearing rotten logs to pieces in search of grubs and bees' nests. Wetzel

killed a deer and we baited a likely place where we had discovered many bear
tracks. We stayed up all night in a drizzling rain, hoping to get a shot. I am

tired out. So is Tige. Wetzel did not mind the weather or the ill luck, and
when we ran across some Indian sign he went off on one of his lonely tramps,

leaving me to come home alone."
"He is such a reckless man," remarked Mrs. Zane.

"Wetzel is reckless, or rather, daring. His incomparable nerve carries him
safely through many dangers, where an ordinary man would have no show

whatever. Well, Betty, how are you?"
"Quite well," said the slender, dark-eyed girl who had just taken the seat

opposite the Colonel.
"Bessie, has my sister indulged in any shocking escapade in my absence? I

think that last trick of hers, when she gave a bucket of hard cider to that
poor tame bear, should last her a spell."

"No, for a wonder Elizabeth has been very good. However, I do not attribute it
to any unusual change of temperament" target="_blank" title="n.气质；性格">temperament; simply the cold, wet weather. I

anticipate a catastrophe very shortly if she is kept indoors much longer."
"I have not had much opportunity to be anything but well behaved. If it rains

a few days more I shall become desperate. I want to ride my pony, roam the
woods, paddle my canoe, and enjoy myself," said Elizabeth.

"Well! Well! Betts, I knew it would be dull here for you, but you must not get
discouraged. You know you got here late last fall, and have not had any

pleasant weather yet. It is perfectlydelightful in May and June. I can take
you to fields of wild white honeysuckle and May flowers and wild roses. I know

you love the woods, so be patient a little longer."
Elizabeth had been spoiled by her brothers--what girl would not have been by

five great big worshippers?--and any trivial thing gone wrong with her was a
serious matter to them. They were proud of her, and of her beauty and

accomplishments were never tired of talking. She had the dark hair and eyes so
characteristic of the Zanes; the same oval face and fine features: and added

to this was a certain softness of contour and a sweetness of expression which
made her face bewitching. But, in spite of that demure and innocent face, she

possessed a decided will of her own, and one very apt to be asserted; she was
mischievous; inclined to coquettishness, and more terrible than all she had a

fiery temper which could be aroused with the most surprising ease.
Colonel Zane was wont to say that his sister's accomplishments were

innumerable. After only a few months on the border she could prepare the flax
and weave a linsey dresscloth with admirable skill. Sometimes to humor Betty

the Colonel's wife would allow her to get the dinner, and she would do it in a
manner that pleased her brothers, and called forth golden praises from the

cook, old Sam's wife who had beer with the family twenty years. Betty sang in
the little church on Sundays; she organized and taught a Sunday school class;

she often beat Colonel Zane and Major McColloch at their favorite game of
checkers, which they had played together since they were knee high; in fact,

Betty did nearly everything well, from baking pies to painting the birch bark
walls of her room. But these things were insignificant in Colonel Zane's eyes.

If the Colonel were ever guilty of bragging it was about his sister's ability
in those acquirements demanding a true eye, a fleet foot, a strong arm and a

daring spirit. He had told all the people in the settlement, to many of whom
Betty was unknown, that she could ride like an Indian and shoot with undoubted

skill; that she had a generous share of the Zanes' fleetness of foot, and that
she would send a canoe over as bad a place as she could find. The boasts of

the Colonel remained as yet unproven, but, be that as it may, Betty had,
notwithstanding her many faults, endeared herself to all. She made sunshine

and happiness everywhere; the old people loved her; the children adored her,
and the broad shouldered, heavy footed young settlers were shy and silent, yet

blissfully happy in her presence.
"Betty, will you fill my pipe?" asked the Colonel, when he had finished his

supper and had pulled his big chair nearer the fire. His oldest child, Noah, a
sturdy lad of six, climbed upon his knee and plied him with questions.

"Did you see any bars and bufflers?" he asked, his eyes large and round.
"No, my lad, not one."

"How long will it be until I am big enough to go?"
"Not for a very long time, Noah."

"But I am not afraid of Betty's bar. He growls at me when I throw sticks at
him, and snaps his teeth. Can I go with you next time?"

"My brother came over from Short Creek to-day. He has been to Fort Pitt,"
interposed Mrs. Zane. As she was speaking a tap sounded on the door, which,

being opened by Betty, disclosed Captain Boggs his daughter Lydia, and Major
Samuel McColloch, the brother of Mrs. Zane.

"Ah, Colonel! I expected to find you at home to-night. The weather has been
miserable for hunting and it is not getting any better. The wind is blowing

from the northwest and a storm is coming," said Captain Boggs, a fine,
soldierly looking man.

"Hello, Captain! How are you? Sam, I have not had the pleasure of seeing you
for a long time," replied Colonel Zane, as he shook hands with his guests.

Major McColloch was the eldest of the brothers of that name. As an Indian
killer he ranked next to the intrepid Wetzel; but while Wetzel preferred to

take his chances alone and track the Indians through the untrodden wilds,
McColloch was a leader of expeditions against the savages. A giant in stature,

massive in build, bronzed and bearded, he looked the typical frontiersman. His
blue eyes were like those of his sister and his voice had the same pleasant

ring.
"Major McColloch, do you remember me?" asked Betty.

"Indeed I do," he answered, with a smile. "You were a little girl, running
wild, on the Potomac when I last saw you!"

"Do you remember when you used to lift me on your horse and give me lessons in
riding?"

"I remember better than you. How you used to stick on the back of that horse
was a mystery to me."

"Well, I shall be ready soon to go on with those lessons in riding. I have
heard of your wonderful leap over the hill and I should like to have you tell

me all about it. Of all the stories I have heard since I arrived at Fort
Henry, the one of your ride and leap for life is the most wonderful."

"Yes, Sam, she will bother you to death about that ride, and will try to give
you lessons in leaping down precipices. I should not be at all surprised to

find her trying to duplicate your feat. You know the Indian pony I got from