It was that of a slim, shapely, elegantly dressed young woman. A
scarlet-lined silken hood was half thrown back from the shining mass of
the black hair that covered her small head; from her pretty shoulders
dropped a fur cloak, only restrained by a cord and tassel in her small
gloved hand. Around her full throat was a double necklace of large white
beads, that by some cunning feminine trick relieved with its infantile
suggestion the strong decision of her lower face.
"Did you say yes? Ah, thank you. We may come in, Barker." (Here a shadow
in a blue army overcoat followed her into the cabin, touched its cap
respectfully, and then stood silent and erect against the wall.) "Don't
disturb yourself in the least, I beg. What a distressingly unpleasant
night! Is this your usual climate?"
Half graciously, half absently overlooking the still embarrassed silence
of the group, she went on: "We started from the fort over three hours
ago,--three hours ago, wasn't it, Barker?" (the erect Barker touched his
cap,)--"to go to Captain Emmons's quarters on Indian Island,--I think
you call it Indian Island, don't you?" (she was appealing to the
awe-stricken Princess,)--"and we got into the fog and lost our way; that
is, Barker lost his way," (Barker touched his cap deprecatingly,) "and
goodness knows where we didn't wander to until we mistook your light
for the lighthouse and pulled up here. No, no, pray keep your seat, do!
Really I must insist."
Nothing could exceed the languid grace of the latter part of this
speech,--nothing except the easy unconsciousness with which she glided
by the offered chair of her stammering, embarrassed host and stood
beside the open hearth.
"Barker will tell you," she continued, warming her feet by the fire,
"that I am Miss Portfire, daughter of Major Portfire, commanding the
post. Ah, excuse me, child!" (She had accidentally trodden upon the bare
yellow toes of the Princess.) "Really, I did not know you were there. I
am very near-sighted." (In confirmation of her statement, she put to
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