Peggy tried to smile at her little sally, but with poor success. The pony trotted ahead as if she at least was not bewildered, and presently, to the girl’s amazement, of her own accord turned into a lane that would have escaped Peggy’s notice. To her further astonishment at a short distance from the highway stood a woodman’s hut, and the mare paused before the door. “Why, thou dear creature!” cried Peggy in delight. “It seems just as though thee knew the way.” She dismounted, and with the bridle over her arm approached the cabin almost gaily, so greatly relieved was she at finding a shelter. A woman came to the door in answer to her knock, and opened it part way. “What do you want?” she asked harshly. “A lodging for the night, friend,” answered the maiden, surprised by this reception, for the people were usually hospitable and friendly. “How many air you?” was the next question. “Myself alone, friend,” replied Peggy, more and more amazed. “I wish food and a stable for my pony also. I will pay thee for it,” she added with a sudden remembrance of the money that Henry Egan had given her. “Well, come in.” The door was opened, and the woman regarded her curiously as she entered. It was but a one-room hut, and a boy of twelve appeared to be its only occupant aside from the woman. He rose as the girl entered, and went out to attend the horse. “Do you want something to eat?” asked the woman ungraciously. “If thee pleases,” answered Peggy, ill at ease at so much surliness. The woman placed food before her, and watched her while she ate. “Where air you all going?” she asked presently. “To Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania,” explained Peggy, who had found that many of the women in the Carolinas were but ill-informed as to locations of places. “Is that off toward Virginia?” “I must go through Virginia to reach there,” said the girl. “You’re going wrong, then,” the woman informed her. “You air headed now for South Carolina.” The girl uttered a cry of dismay. At this moment the urchin reëntered the hut, and whispered a moment to his mother. Instantly a change came over her. She turned to Peggy with a glimmer of a smile. “Air you a friend?” she asked. “Why, yes,” answered Peggy, thinking naturally that she meant the sect of Quakers. “I should think thee would know that.” “You can’t always tell down here. Sam says that you air riding Cap’n Hazy’s horse. It used to stop here often last summer.” “Then that was why the pony brought me here,” cried the girl in surprise. “I was lost. How strange!” “Why, no. Horses always go where they are used to going,” said the woman, in a matter-of-fact tone. “That is, if you give ’em their head. When is the cap’n coming?” “How should I know?” asked Peggy, staring at her. “I don’t——” “We air friends, miss. You needn’t be afraid to say anything you like. But you air right. Keep a still tongue in these times. ’Tis safest. And now, I reckon you’d like to go to bed?”