Lord! How sick am I of saddle and nag and the open road.

Your kindly hospitality, Major, has already softened me so that I scarce know how to face the wilderness again." And at supper, that evening, Boyd frankly bemoaned his lot, and Mrs.
Lockwood condoled with him; but Betsy Hunt turned up her pretty nose, declaring that young men were best off in the woods, which kept them out o' mischief.

She did not know the woods.
And after supper, as she and my deceitful but handsome lieutenant lingered by the stairs, I heard her repeat it again, utterly refusing to say she was sorry or that she commiserated his desperate lot.

But on her lips hovered a slight and provoking smile, and her eyes were very brilliant under her powdered hair.
All women liked Boyd; none was insensible to his charm.

Handsome, gay, amusing--and tender, alas!--too often--few remained indifferent to this young man, and many there were who found him difficult to forget after he had gone his careless way.