"Thomas is not as rough as he looks. He is one of the ablest young men in the settlement. He may lack the veneer of an officer, but you will find as the years go on that there is no discount on Thomas." So saying, he arose from the table, and, taking his hat from the rack, said: "Come, let us walk out and see something of the city." They were coming up St. Peter Street. Abbie was laughing and jesting with Bearie, when they came face to face with Lieutenant Randall. "Let me introduce you to my brother, Lieutenant Randall," said Abbie. "And this is my father," she said, mischievously. "Aw, I am awfully pleased to meet you, sir," he said, with a perplexed and bewildered expression on his face. He then turned to Bearie and said: "It is difficult to determine sometimes when Miss Onodis is in jest and when in earnest. She led me to believe that she was the daughter of an Indian chief, and the truth is only now beginning to dawn upon me." "You have not been misinformed," said Bearie. "My father has the honor to be Chief of one of the Algonquin tribes of the Utawas, but why do you not call my sister by her right name?" "Aw, pardon me--pardon me! I did not understand, of course. I am to address your sister in future as---- "Miss Wright," said Bearie. The young lieutenant became a frequent visitor at the hotel while the Chief was negotiating sales of lumber, and had kindly undertaken to assist him in securing an Englishman qualified to fill the position of bookkeeper and tutor to the younger children. Several weeks passed. All business arrangements having been concluded, Abbie was taken from the convent preparatory to leaving for home, when the young officer approached the Chief and said: "I have been earnestly hoping for an opportunity of seeing you privately, sir, with reference to your daughter, whose hand I desire to seek in marriage." "My daughter is not eligible for marriage," replied the Chief, with a twinkle in his eye, "as she is pledged, provisionally, to one of the chiefs of our tribe." "I cannot think that Ab---- Miss Wright has led me on only to disappoint me at last. Have you any reason to believe that her engagement with the Chief is an affair of the heart?" The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Bearie, who proposed that they should walk out to the square and watch the setting sun. Abbie and Bearie tried to outrival each other in relating anecdotes and incidents of interest which had taken place during the interval of absence from each other, in the vain hope of arousing the interest of their military friend, who sat on the end of a bench twirling his swagger stick nervously.