Page:The Partisan (revised).djvu/35

 ; and so, perhaps, he did. His attentions had given him a large degree of influence over her, and what with his big speech, swaggering carriage, and flashy uniform, poor Bella had long since been taught to acknowledge his power over her fancy. But the girl was coquettish, and her very position as maid of the inn had contributed to strengthen and confirm the natural predisposition. The kind words and innocent freedoms of the handsome stranger were not disagreeable to her, and she felt not that they interfered with the claims of the sergeant, or would be so disagreeable to him, until she beheld the scowling glance with which he surveyed them.

In the hall below, to which the landlord had now returned, Hastings gave utterance to the spleen this matter had occasioned.

"That's an impudent fellow&mdash;a very impudent fellow. I don't like him, at all!"

The landlord looked up timidly. "And what, sergeant&mdash;what!"

"I say, I don't like him. I suspect him!"

"Suspect! God ha' mercy; and who do you think&mdash;who do you think he is, sergeant?"

"How should I know? I asked you: you know every thing; at least, you pretend to. Why are you out here?  Who is he?"

"Bless me, I can't say; I don't know."

"What do you think he is?"

"Think! I think! oh! no! no! I don't think."

"He certainly is an impudent&mdash;a very suspicious person."

"Do you think so, sergeant?" asked one of the persons present, with an air of profound alarm.

"I do&mdash;a very suspicious person&mdash;one that should be watched narrowly."

"I see nothing suspicious about him," said another, the same individual who had placed himself beside the stranger when the wrath of the sergeant was expected to burst upon him, and when he had actually laid his hand upon his sword. "I see nothing suspicious about the stranger," said the speaker, boldly, "except that he doesn't like to be troubled with foolish questions."

"Foolish questions&mdash;foolish questions! Bless me, John Davis, do you know what you're a saying?" The landlord spoke in great