Anne Carter held her off at arm’s length and surveyed her critically, from the two provoking little curls that wouldn’t lie smooth under the beautiful veil to the tiny satin slippers that restlessly slipped out now and then under the gown, and then she kissed her hastily. “I never knew before exactly how wickedly good-looking you were, Dorothy Trevillian—it’s a shame to be married with nobody but dear old Dr. Miles and his family, and old Mrs. Rutherfoord and her maidens three, and pious Mrs. Trent and that proper daughter of hers, to see you. Not a man down-stairs except the two fathers. Heigho! what’s that?” In a flash she was gone, and Dorothy, left standing at the open door, listened. The parlor doors were thrown wide open, and Sallie Tom rushed wildly in. “Gord A’mighty!” she cried hoarsely, clutching first at the Colonel and then at the Doctor, “Gord A’mighty, get out o’ heah, Mars’ Robert, and tek de Doctor wid you—dey done come. Peter Black seen six of ’em down de road whar he gone to look fur Mars’ Bobbie; dey on dere way heah—he heah’d dem talkin’ ’bout how to git heah. For Gord’s sake, hurry up in de loft, top o’ de garret, and I’ll manage so dey won’t fine you. Dey got orders to ’rest you all, and mos’ special Mars’ Bobbie, whar got some papers. Peter Black heah’d ’em say so. Move long, all o’ you, and help put out dese lights and shet dese rooms up, so dey won’t ketch on to nothin’ special. You mus’ tell ’em,” she said, turning to Mrs. Tayloe, who, white as a sheet, was sitting perfectly limp in her chair, “you mus’ tell ’em de parson is a goin’ to tek his Christmas supper wid you, and dese heah friends, too. Go ’long in de libr’y and shet up dis heah part de house.” Every hand was instantly at work, and in a minute or two only the smoldering fires gave evidence of the rooms having been used. Colonel Tayloe and the Doctor had exchanged a few hurried words. They mortally hated to hide in the loft, but it was their only resource. If found, it would mean new anxiety and disaster to the women. They must take Sallie Tom’s advice. It took but a minute to reach the garret, and there through an opening she thrust them into a side loft and closed the door, drawing a line filled with old and long-disused garments across it, so that, unless closely inspected, the door was not apt to be seen. Down-stairs the utmost confusion reigned supreme. Mrs. Tayloe’s chief thought was Bobbie, but by a superhuman effort she managed to conquer herself, and think what was best to be done. The Miles children were crying, but were ordered by Anne to keep quiet, and if they dared speak a word the soldiers would eat them alive. Quickly the dining room was dispossessed of all the wedding paraphernalia, and only the necessities of a ministerial tea remained.