"I like not to see you in that dress, Ann," said she. "'Tis bad enough for the men to be at these tricks; but 'tis worse in a woman!"
"You be grown mighty moral, Miss Joan!"
"Let me come in," said her visitor, shortly. "I have something to say to you."
And as she spoke, Joan made fast the horse's bridle to an iron staple in the wall of the porch, and entered the great kitchen.
"You have no one here?" she asked, as she glanced around the big room, and peered into the dim corners where the kegs were piled high.
"You see I have no one, Miss Joan," answered Ann, in a somewhat constrained tone. "But you had better hasten, if you would not meet some of our rough folks; they'll be in here ere long."
"I know," said Joan. And she turned abruptly to meet Ann's eyes, with a face full of anxiety. "They're outside, searching the neighborhood on all sides; and I can conjecture for whom they search."
Ann looked down on the floor.
"Come, Ann, I can trust you to tell me what I would fain know," went on Joan, quickly. "Lieutenant Tregenna—know you aught of
