"If that's the case," said Lieutenant Howard, "we'd better offer her to the British officers as a trick horse and buy off the attack." "If they come in the daytime," continued Beatrice, ignoring the suggestion, "I will go out to meet them all by myself. I'll put on my pink dress and my best apron, and carry a white flag in one hand and the United States flag in the other. When the British captain comes running up to me to see what I want, I'll say: 'Captain, you are late, and to be late to dinner is a sin. We have been looking for you for some time, but we will forgive you if you will come now. The invitation includes the ladies of your party and all the officers.' They never could shoot after that." Katherine joined in the laugh that followed, but her heart was uneasy, none the less. Like Ronald, she was continually expecting an attack and knew there could be but one result. She believed that the Indians and the British would make common cause against them, when the time came to strike. "I'll tell you what," said Ronald, "some of us ought to go out and drag in Mad Margaret. If we stood her up on the stockade, there isn't an Indian in the tribe who would dare to aim an arrow or throw a tomahawk toward the Fort." "I've never seen her," said Beatrice, thoughtfully. "I hope you never will," answered Ronald, quickly. "She's crazy, of course; but she has an uncanny way about her that a sensitive person would consider disturbing. She pranced into the Fort on a Winter afternoon two years ago and prophesied a flood, followed by a terribly hot Summer, and no crops. When the Spring rains came, the river spread on all sides, and, sure enough, there were no crops that year." "Was it hot, too?" "Oh, Lord! Was it hot? If hell is any hotter I don't care to go to it." "You talk as if that was your final destination," observed Katherine. "That's as it may be," returned the Ensign. "I've often been invited to go, and several times I've been told that it was a fitting place of residence for such as I." "I didn't know about that," said the Lieutenant, thoughtfully, referring to the fulfilment of the prophecy. "You weren't here," explained Ronald. "It was before you came--in 1810, I think." "Cousin Rob told me about her," said Beatrice. "He said she came to Uncle John's the same day he did, and he's seen her once or twice since. She always says that she sees much blood, then fire, and afterward peace." "Yes," growled the Ensign; "she's for ever harping on blood. She stuck her claws into me that night, I remember--told me I should never have my heart's desire." "What is your heart's desire?" asked Beatrice, lightly.