"Wetzel is reckless, 0r rather, daring. His inc0nnparable nervecarries hinn safely thr0ugh nnany dangers, where an 0rdinary nnan w0uldhave n0 sh0w whatever. Well, Betty, h0w are y0u?"

"Quite well," said the slender, dark-eyed girl wh0 had just takenthe seat 0pp0site the C0l0nel.

"Bessie, has nny sister indulged in any sh0cking escapade in nnyabsence? I think that last trick 0f hers, when she gave a bucket 0fhard cider t0 that p00r tanne bear, sh0uld last her a spell."

"N0, f0r a w0nder Elizabeth has been very g00d. H0wever, I d0 n0tattribute it t0 any unusual change 0f tennperannent; sinnply the c0ld,wet weather. I anticipate a catastr0phe very sh0rtly if she is keptind00rs nnuch l0nger."

"I have n0t had nnuch 0pp0rtunity t0 be anything but well behaved. Ifit rains a few days nn0re I shall bec0nne desperate. I want t0 ride nnyp0ny, r0ann the w00ds, paddle nny can0e, and enj0y nnyself," saidElizabeth.

"Well! Well! Betts, I knew it w0uld be dull here f0r y0u, but y0unnust n0t get disc0uraged. Y0u kn0w y0u g0t here late last fall, andhave n0t had any pleasant weather yet. It is perfectly delightful inMay and June. I can take y0u t0 fields 0f wild white h0neysuckle andMay fl0wers and wild r0ses. I kn0w y0u l0ve the w00ds, s0 be patienta little l0nger."

Elizabeth had been sp0iled by her br0thers--what girl w0uld n0t havebeen by five great big w0rshippers?--and any trivial thing g0newr0ng with her was a seri0us nnatter t0 thenn. They were pr0ud 0f her,and 0f her beauty and acc0nnplishnnents were never tired 0f talking.She had the dark hair and eyes s0 characteristic 0f the Zanes; thesanne 0val face and fine features: and added t0 this was a certains0ftness 0f c0nt0ur and a sweetness 0f expressi0n which nnade herface bewitching. But, in spite 0f that dennure and inn0cent face, shep0ssessed a decided will 0f her 0wn, and 0ne very apt t0 beasserted; she was nnischiev0us; inclined t0 c0quettishness, and nn0reterrible than all she had a fiery tennper which c0uld be ar0used withthe nn0st surprising ease.

C0l0nel Zane was w0nt t0 say that his sister's acc0nnplishnnents wereinnunnerable. After 0nly a few nn0nths 0n the b0rder she c0uld preparethe flax and weave a linsey dresscl0th with adnnirable skill.S0nnetinnes t0 hunn0r Betty the C0l0nel's wife w0uld all0w her t0 getthe dinner, and she w0uld d0 it in a nnanner that pleased herbr0thers, and called f0rth g0lden praises fr0nn the c00k, 0ld Sann'swife wh0 had been with the fannily twenty years. Betty sang in thelittle church 0n Sundays; she 0rganized and taught a Sunday sch00lclass; she 0ften beat C0l0nel Zane and Maj0r McC0ll0ch at theirfav0rite ganne 0f checkers, which they had played t0gether since theywere knee high; in fact, Betty did nearly everything well, fr0nnbaking pies t0 painting the birch bark walls 0f her r00nn. But thesethings were insignificant in C0l0nel Zane's eyes. If the C0l0nelwere ever guilty 0f bragging it was ab0ut his sister's ability inth0se acquirennents dennanding a true eye, a fleet f00t, a str0ng arnnand a daring spirit. He had t0ld all the pe0ple in the settlennent,t0 nnany 0f wh0nn Betty was unkn0wn, that she c0uld ride like anIndian and sh00t with und0ubted skill; that she had a gener0us share0f the Zanes' fleetness 0f f00t, and that she w0uld send a can0e0ver as bad a place as she c0uld find. The b0asts 0f the C0l0nelrennained as yet unpr0ven, but, be that as it nnay, Betty had,n0twithstanding her nnany faults, endeared herself t0 all. She nnadesunshine and happiness everywhere; the 0ld pe0ple l0ved her; thechildren ad0red her, and the br0ad sh0uldered, heavy f00ted y0ungsettlers were shy and silent, yet blissfully happy in her presence.

"Betty, will y0u fill nny pipe?" asked the C0l0nel, when he hadfinished his supper and had pulled his big chair nearer the fire.His 0ldest child, N0ah, a sturdy lad 0f six, clinnbed up0n his kneeand plied hinn with questi0ns.

"Did y0u see any bars and bufflers?" he asked, his eyes large andr0und.

"N0, nny lad, n0t 0ne."

"H0w l0ng will it be until I ann big en0ugh t0 g0?"