He started at the sound of her voice, then looked full in her face with no sign of recognition. Beatrice met his eyes squarely until he turned on his heel and walked away, followed by a peal of light, mocking laughter that cut into his heart like a knife. "What's the matter between you and Rob?" asked the trader, curiously. "Nothing," answered the girl, shrugging her shoulders; "but I was amused a little while ago because he was so frightened--he was scared almost to death." Mackenzie's eyes glittered as he peered at her keenly from under his bushy brows. "Don't say that again, my girl," he said, huskily, "for fear doesn't run in the Forsyth blood. His grandfather was killed at Lexington." "A boat is coming," shouted a man from the blockhouse. Shortly afterward, the fishing party came in, tired but triumphant, with a long string of river fish. They had seen no Indians, and had not met Ronald. "Did you hear the gun?" asked the Captain. "Yes, sir," replied one of the soldiers. "We were up on the North Branch and thought it was a warning, so we laid low for a while. Then, as we didn't hear anything more, we came on down as quietly as we could." "Everything all right at Lee's?" asked Lieutenant Howard. "As far as we saw, sir." Still there was uneasiness regarding the Ensign. Katherine was pale, Mrs. Franklin was crying, and Beatrice had her small hands clenched tightly together. Suddenly they all knew how much they should miss him if---- Then there was a familiar whistle outside, the sentinel opened the gate, and Ronald came in with a big black and white dog in his arms. "I thought I heard him howling," he said, in answer to the torrent of questions, "so I went on up to Lee's to get him. The devils have been there all right,--the guns must have frightened them away. "Yes," he continued in a low tone, in answer to a whispered question from Howard; "White and Frenchy. White was shot and stabbed in the breast and poor Frenchy was scalped--the whole top of his head lifted off. The dog was guarding the body." "What's that?" asked Mrs. Franklin, from the edge of the group where all the women were standing together. "Speak louder--we can't hear." The deep-toned bell tolled taps, and there was a general movement toward quarters. "I was just talking about the dog," shouted Ronald to the women. "He fought me at first," he continued, addressing the Lieutenant and the Doctor; "but I soon won his heart. Poor old boy," he said, stroking the dog, "he didn't want to be made into a stew, did he?" "We must go up to-morrow," said the Lieutenant. "What are you going to call him?" asked the Doctor. "Major, I guess--we haven't a major here." Lieutenant Howard's white teeth showed in a sarcastic smile. "You might call him 'Captain,'" he said, twisting his mustache, "for the same good reason." CHAPTER VIII THOROUGHBREDS