Once,
when she had mounted the wall to gather a magnolia blossom, the chair by
which she had ascended rolled over, leaving her on the wall. At a
signal from the guard-room, two sappers and miners appeared carrying
a scaling-ladder, which they placed silently against the wall, and as
silently withdrew. On another occasion, the same spirited young lady,
whom Brant was satisfied would have probably imperiled her life under
fire in devotion to her cause, was brought ignominiously to bay in the
field by that most appalling of domestic animals, the wandering and
untrammeled cow! Brant could not help smiling as he heard the quick,
harsh call to "Turn out, guard," saw the men march stolidly with fixed
bayonets to the vicinity of the affrighted animal, who fled, leaving
the fair stranger to walk shamefacedly to the house. He was surprised,
however, that she should have halted before his door, and with tremulous
indignation, said,--
"I thank you, sir, for your chivalrousness in turning a defenseless
woman into ridicule."
"I regret, Miss Faulkner," began Brant gravely, "that you should believe
that I am able to control the advances of farmyard cattle as easily
as"--But he stopped, as he saw that the angry flash of her blue eyes,
as she darted past him, was set in tears.
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