und body before
the fire, braced himself with his plump legs well apart, as if he were
preparing to sustain the shock of a blow, and taking a deep inspiration,
gave a loud and prolonged "Whew!"
This was too much for her.
Margaret rose, and, going up to him, took his arm and looked into his
face cajolingly.
"Uncle, I was bound to have Rose, and Miss Jemima would not have let her
come alone."
The tone was the low, almost plaintive key, the effectiveness of which
Margaret knew so well.
"'Not let her!'" The Major faced her quickly. "Margaret, she is one of
those _strong-minded_ women!"
Margaret nodded brightly.
"I bet my horse she wears iron-gray curls, caught on the side of her
head with tucking combs!"
"She does," declared Margaret, her eyes dancing.
"And has a long nose--red at the end."
"Uncle, you have seen her. I _know_ you have seen her," asserted
Margaret, laughing up at him. "You have her very picture.-
"
The Major groaned, and vowed that he would never survive it, and that
Margaret would go down to history as the slayer of her uncle.
"I have selected my place in the graveyard," he said, with a mournful
shake of the head. "Put me close to the fence behind the raspberry
thicket, where I shall be secure. Tell her there are snakes there."
"But, uncle, she is as good as gold," declared Margaret; "she is always
doing good,--I believe she thinks it her mission to save the world."
The Major burst out, "That's part of this modern devilment of
substituting humanitarianism for Christianity. Next thing they'll be
wanting to abolish hell!"
The Major was so impressed with his peril that when Jeff, who had
galloped over "for a little while," entered, announced with great
ceremony by George Washington, he poured out all his apprehensions into
his sympathetic ear, and it was only when he began to rally Jeff on the
chance of hi-