"Katharine, can't you do something with him ?" "Oh, father, you know that I have talked with him, pleaded with him, and begged him to follow his inclination; but he remains by his mother." "Nonsense, Katharine! Don't speak of him in that way; give him time.
It is a hard thing: he is her only son; she is a widow.

Let us hope that something will induce him to come over to us." He said this in gentle reproof of his spirited daughter; and then,-- "Permit me to offer you a glass of wine, Seymour,--you are not drinking anything; and to whom shall we drink ?" Seymour, who had been quaffing deep draughts of Katharine's beauty, replied promptly,-- "If I might suggest, sir, I should say Mistress Wilton." "No, no," said Katharine.

"Drink, first of all, to the success of our cause.

I will give you a toast, gentlemen: Before our sweethearts, our sisters, our wives, our mothers, let us place--our country," she exclaimed, lifting her own glass.
The colonel laughed as he drank his toast, saying, "Nothing comes before country with Katharine." And Seymour, while he appreciated the spirit of the maiden, felt a little pang of grief that even to a country he should be second,--an astonishing change from that spirit of humility which a moment since contented itself with metaphorically kissing the ground she walked upon.
"By the way, father, where is Philip ?" asked Katharine.
"He went up the branch fishing, with Bentley, I believe." "But is n't it time they returned?
Do you know, I feel nervous about them; suppose those raiders--" "Pshaw, child! Still harping on the raiders?
and nervous too! What ails you, daughter?
I thought you never were nervous.

We Wiltons are not accustomed to nervousness, you know, and what must our guest think ?" "Nothing but what is altogether agreeable," replied Seymour, a little too promptly; and then, to cover his confusion, he continued: "But I think Miss Wilton need feel under no apprehension.