"I hoped to reach Elwood's to-night," replied Emily. "How far away is it?" "Over ten miles--and the road is bad and lonely," said the man, whose wife had by this time joined him. "You had better get down and stay with us 'till morning." "If you will give me that privilege," returned the maiden, "I shall feel greatly obliged." The man promptly offered his hand to assist Emily to dismount, and while he led her tired horse away, his wife invited her to enter the house. "Have you come far?" inquired the woman, as she untied Emily's bonnet strings, looking very earnestly in her face as she spoke. Emily knew not whether she were among the friends or the enemies of the American cause, and her answer was, therefore, brief and evasive. "Your horse looked very tired. You must have ridden him a long distance. "I rode fast," said Emily. "But still, I have not been able to reach the place for which I started this morning." "It's hardly safe for a young girl like you to take such a long journey alone, in these troublesome times." "I'm not afraid. No one will harm me," said Emily, forcing a smile. "I'm not so certain of that, child. It's only a day or two since Greene passed here in full retreat, and no doubt, there are many straggling vagabonds from his army roaming around, whom it would not be safe for one like you to meet." As the woman said this, a chill went over the frame of the young girl, for, in the tone of her voice and expression of her face, she read an unfriendliness to the cause that was so dear to her heart. She did not venture a reply. "Might I ask your name?" said the woman, breaking in upon the anxious thoughts that were beginning to pass through her mind. Emily reflected hurriedly, before replying, and then answered, "Gieger." The quick conclusion to which she came was, that, in all probability, the woman did not know any thing about her father as favouring the whig cause; but, even if she did, a suspicion of the errand upon which she was going was not likely to cross either her own mind or that of her husband. "Not John Geiger's daughter!" exclaimed the woman. Emily forced an indifferent smile and replied-- "Yes." "I've heard of him often enough as a bitter enemy to the royalists. Is it possible you have ridden all the way from home to-day?" Before Emily replied, the husband of the woman came in. "Would you think it," said the latter, "this is John's Geiger's daughter, of whom we have so often heard." "Indeed! Well, if she were the daughter of my bitterest enemy, she should have food and shelter to-night. No wonder your horse is tired," he added, addressing Emily, "if you have ridden from home to-day. And, no doubt, you are yourself hungry as well as tired; so wife, if it is all ready, suppose we have supper."