Two riders were walking their horses along the Beargrass Creek Road,
on the way to Colonel Taylor's farm. They drew rein at a bend, just
beyond which was a fringe of trees and a dried mudhole.
"I brought you to this road for a purpose, Kitty," said Norton
gravely. "Do you remember the spot?"
She looked at him and nodded, and her look sent a little flame of
happiness dancing into his brown eyes. He swung out of the saddle,
and she slipped down into his arms, the movement loosing her red-gold
hair until it flooded down about his hands.
"Oh, Kitty--Kitty!"
He looked into her eyes and could say no more for a moment. So they
stood together, gazing each at the other, while the two horses moved
away and began to crop the grass, unheeded.
Then Norton drew away from her, freed his hands, and soberly
unclasped a golden eagle from his coat. He looked at it, then held
it to her.
"Kitty--sweet Kitty--I brought you here away from your father and our
friends, here where we first met--there is something I must tell
you----"
He faltered, and with a quick laugh she flung back her hair.
"Mr. Norton"--and there was mimicry in her voice--"I--I too have
something to tell you!"
"Yes?" he said gravely, stiffening a little. "Yes?"
"Nay, but I would not take precedence of a soldier, sir!"
And she made him a laughing curtsy, perhaps to hide the great glory
of womanhood that shone in her face.
"Then, my news is this," said Norton, lifting a tress of her hair to
his lips. "A regiment of riflemen from Kentucky has been formed;
trouble is brewing with England; There is trouble on the frontier. I
have been offered the command of this regiment, Kitty. I ask
you--will you take this emblem of all that is dearest to me, and take
with it the heart of John Norton? A soldier's life and pay is not
much to share----"
"Soldiers do not serve for pay," she said very steadily, and put her
hand upon his, clutching the golden eagle of the Cincinnati between
them. "Nor do women serve that they may share--oh, my dear! You
have not yet told me the dearest thing of all----"
And so they told each other.
THE END
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GAINSBOROUGH PRESS, ST. ALBANS, AND HEATH PRESS, HARPENDEN