CHAPTER XXIII.
"Of course we are anxious to hear all you dare tell us about thesuccess of your mission over there," said his mother, an hour later,when the riders had done justice to a delightful breakfast. "Are allthe arrangements made by our people entirely satisfactory?"
"Entirely, mother. This is the twenty-second of September, isn't it?Well, it is an open secret now. The vessel secured goes intocommission today, and will be called the Alabama."
"Hurrah for the Alabama!" cried Evilena, who was leaning on the backof her brother's chair. He put his arm around her and turned toJudithe.
"Have you become acquainted with the patriotic ardor of my littlesister?" he asked. "I assure you we have to fight these days if wewant to keep the affections of our Southern girls."
Gertrude smiled across the table at him.
"I can't fancy you having to fight very hard battles along that line,Monsieur," replied Judithe, in the cool, half mocking tone she hadadopted for all questions of sentiment with him; and Gertrude, who sawthe look exchanged between them, arose from the table.
"Uncle Matthew asked to see you when you have time, Kenneth."
"Thanks, yes; I'll go directly. Mother, why not ask the boys of theguard to stop over for your party? They are of Phil Masterson'scompany--all Carolina men."
"Of course, I shall invite them personally," and she left the room tospeak to the men who were just finishing breakfast under an arbor, andcongratulating themselves on the good luck of being travellingcompanions of Colonel McVeigh.
Evilena waltzed around the table in her delight at the entirearrangement; boys in uniform; the longed-for additions to thefestivities, and they would have to be a formidable lot if she couldnot find one of their number worth dancing with; she would show Dr.Delaven that other men did not think her only a baby to be teased!
"Now, Madame Caron, we can show you a regular plantation jubilee, forthe darkies shall have a dance at the quarters. You'll like that,won't you?"
"Anything that expresses the feminine homage to returning heroes,"replied Judithe, with a little bow of affected humility, at whichColonel McVeigh laughed as he returned it. She passed out of the doorwith his sister and he stood looking after her, puzzled, yet with hopein his eyes. His impetuousness in plunging into the very heart of thequestion at once had, at any rate, not angered her, which was a greatpoint gained. He muttered an oath when he realized that but for theCountess Biron's gossip they might never have been separated, for shedid love him then--he knew it. Even today, when she would have runaway from him again, she did not deny _that_! Forty-eight hours inwhich to win her--and his smile as he watched her disappear had acertain grim determination in it. He meant to do it. She had grownwhite when he quoted to her her own never forgotten words. Well, sheshould say them to him again! The hope of it sent the blood leaping tohis heart, and he turned away with a quick sigh.
Gertrude, who had only stepped out on the veranda when she left thetable, and stood still by the open glass door, saw the lingering,intense gaze with which he followed the woman she instinctivelydisliked--the woman who was now mistress of Loringwood, and had madethe purchase as carelessly as though it were a new ring to wear on herwhite hand--a new toy to amuse herself with in a new country; thewoman who threw money away on whims, had the manner of a princess, andwho had aroused in Gertrude Loring the first envy or jealousy she hadever been conscious of in her pleasant, well-ordered life. From theannouncement that Loringwood had passed into the stranger's possessionher heart had felt like lead in her bosom. She could not haveexplained why--it was more a presentiment of evil than aught else, andshe thought she knew the reason of it when she saw that look inKenneth McVeigh's eyes--a look she had never seen there before.
And the woman who had caused it all was walking the floor of her ownapartment in a fever of impatience. If the man she expected would onlycome--then she would have work to do--definite plans to follow; nowall was so vague, and those soldiers staying over, was it only achance invitation, or was there a hidden purpose in that retainedguard? Her messenger should have arrived within an hour of ColonelMcVeigh, and the hour was gone.
As she passed the mirror she caught sight of her anxious face in it,and halted, staring at the reflection critically.
"You are turning coward!" she said, between her closed teeth. "Youare afraid to be left to yourself an hour longer--afraid because ofthis man's voice and the touch of his hand. Aren't you proud ofyourself--you! He is the beast whose name you hated for years--the manfor whom that poor runaway was taught the graces and accomplishmentsof white women--in this house you heard Matthew Loring mention theprice of her and the portion to be forfeited to Kenneth McVeighbecause the girl was not to be found. Do you forget that? Do you thinkI shall let you forget it? I shan't. You are to do the work you camehere to do. You are to have no other interest in the people of thishouse."
She continued her nervous walk back and forth across the room. She putaside the grey habit and donned a soft, pretty house-gown of the samecolor. Her hands were trembling. She clasped and unclasped them with adespairing gesture.
"It is not love," she whispered, as though in wild argument againstthe fear of it. "Not love--some curse in the blood--that is what itis. And to think that after three years--three years!--it all comesback like this. Oh, you fool, you fool! Love," she continued, in moreclear, reasoning tones, speaking aloud slowly as though to impress iton her mind, as a child will repeat a lesson to be learned; "love mustbe based on respect--what respect can you have for this buyer of younggirls?--this ardent-eyed animal who has the good fortune, to beclassed as a gentleman. Love in a woman's heart should be herreligion; what religion could be centered on so vile a creature? Tolook up to such a man, how low a woman would have to sink."
Evilena knocked at the door to show some little gift brought by herbrother from across the ocean, and Judithe turned to her feverishly,glad of some companionship to drive away her dread and suspense untilthe expected messenger arrived--the minutes were as long as hours,now!
Colonel McVeigh had scarcely more than greeted Loring when Plutoannounced Captain Masterson and some other gentleman. Evilena saw themcoming from the window and reported there were two soldiers besidesCaptain Masterson, and a man in blue clothes, who aroused hercuriosity mightily. They were out of range before Judithe reached thewindow, but her heart almost stopped beating for an instant; the manshe expected wore a blue yachting suit, and this sudden gathering ofsoldiery at the Terrace?
Colonel McVeigh greeted Masterson cordially and turned to the others.Two were men in Confederate uniform, just outside the door, and thethird was a tall man in the uniform of a Federal Captain. His leftwrist was bandaged. He was smiling slightly as McVeigh's glance becameone of doubt for an instant, and then brightened into unmistakablerecognition.
"By Jove, this is a surprise!" and he shook hands cordially with thestranger. "Captain Monroe, I am delighted to see you in our home."
"Thank you; I'm glad to get here," replied Monroe, with a peculiarlook towards Masterson, who regarded the cordial greeting with evidentastonishment, "I had not expected to call on you this morning,but--Captain Masterson insisted."
He smiled as he spoke--a smile of amusement, coolly careless of theamazement of Masterson, and the inquiry in the glance of McVeigh.
"Colonel McVeigh, he is a prisoner," said Masterson, in reply to thatglance, and then, as the prisoner himself maintained an indifferentsilence, he explained further, "We caught sight of him galloping aheadof us through the pines, a few miles back. Realizing that we were nearenough to the coast for the Federals to send in men for specialservice, we challenged him, got no explanation except that he rode forhis own pleasure; so I put him under arrest."
"Well, well! Since luck has sent you into our lines I'm glad it hasdone us a good turn and sent you to our home," said McVeigh, though hestill looked mystified at the situation. "I've no doubt satisfactoryexplanations can be made, and a parole arranged."
"That's good of you, Colonel
," said the prisoner, appreciatively; "youare a good sort of friend to meet when in trouble--brother Fred usedto think so up at the Point; but in this case it really isn'tnecessary--as I have one parole."
He drew a paper from an inner pocket and passed it to McVeigh, wholooked relieved.
"Yes, certainly, this is all right," and he looked inquiringly atMasterson, "I don't understand--"
Neither did that officer, who turned in some chagrin to the prisoner,who glanced from one to the other in evident indifference.
"May I ask," said Masterson, with cold courtesy, "why you did notstate when taken prisoner that you were paroled?"
"Certainly," and the easy nonchalance of the other was almostinsolent; evidently Masterson had not picked up an affinity. "I wascoming your way; had been riding alone for several hours, and feared Ishould be deprived of the pleasure of your society if I allowed you toknow how harmless I was."
He paused for a moment--smiled in a quizzical way at McVeigh, andcontinued: "Then I heard your orderly mention Colonel McVeigh, whoseplace you were bound for, and I did not object in the least to beingbrought to him for judgment. But since you see I am paroled, as wellas crippled," and he motioned to the arm which he moved carefully,"incapable in any way of doing harm to your cause, I trust that a flagof truce will be recognized by you," and he extended his hand insmiling unconcern.
But to Captain Masterson there was something irritating in the smile,and he only bowed coldly, ignoring the flag of truce, upon whichCaptain Monroe seemed quietly amused as he turned to McVeigh andexplained that he was wounded and taken prisoner a month before overin Tennessee by Morgan's cavalry, who had gathered in Johnson'sbrigade so effectively that General Johnson, his staff, and somewherebetween two and three hundred others had been taken prisoners. He,Monroe, had found a Carolina relative badly wounded among Morgan'sboys, had secured a parole, and brought the young fellow home to die,and when his own wound was in a fair way to take care of itself he hadleft the place--a plantation south of Allendale, and headed for thecoast to connect with the blockading fleet instead of making thejourney north through Richmond.
It was a very clear statement, but Masterson listened to itsuspiciously, without appearing to listen at all. McVeigh, who hadknown both Monroe and his family in the North, and was also acquaintedwith the Carolina family mentioned, accepted the Federal's storywithout question, and invited him to remain at the Terrace so long asit suited him to be their guest.
"I have only two days at home until I leave for my regiment," heexplained; "but my mother has enough pleasant people here to make yourvisit interesting, I hope. She will be delighted to welcome you, andsome Beaufort acquaintances of yours are here--the Lorings."
Captain Monroe showed interest in this information, and declared itwould give him pleasure to stop over until McVeigh left for thefront.
"Good! and you, Captain Masterson?"
Masterson glanced coldly towards Monroe, evidently desirous of aprivate interview with McVeigh. But seeing little chance of it withouta pointed request, he took two packets from a case carefully fastenedin his pocket, and presented them.
"I am detailed to convey to you some important papers, and Icongratulate you on your promotion to Brigadier-General," he said,with a bow.
"Brigadier? Well, well; they are giving me a pleasant reception," andhis face showed his pleasure as he looked at the papers. "Thank you,Captain Masterson. By the way, how much time have you?"
"Until tomorrow night; I meant to ride over to the plantation afterdelivering this."
"The ladies won't hear to that when they get sight of you. They aregiving a party tonight and need all the uniforms we can muster; asquad of your men on their way to the forts below have stopped overfor breakfast, and they've even captured them, and you'll be welcomeas the flowers of May."
Masterson glanced at Monroe and hesitated. "Those men are needed atone of the fortifications," he said guardedly; "they had better takesome other time for a party. With your permission I'll send them on,and remain in their place with one orderly, if convenient."
"Certainly; glad to have you; give your own orders about the men. I donot know that they have accepted the invitation to linger, I only knowthat the ladies wanted them to."
He rang for Pluto, who was given orders concerning rooms for CaptainMonroe, and for Captain Masterson, who left to speak with the menwaiting orders without. He made a gesture towards the packet inMcVeigh's hand and remarked: "I have reason apart from the commissionto think the contents are important. Our regiment is to be merged inyour brigade, and all pressed to the front. Towards what point I couldnot learn at Columbia, but your information will doubtless cover allthat, General."
"Colonel will answer until I find my brigade," said McVeigh, with asmile. "You stay over until I learn, since we are to go together, andI will look them over soon as possible."
He himself showed Monroe the room he was to occupy, to the chagrin ofPluto, who was hanging about in a fever of curiosity and dread atsight of a Northern soldier--the first he had ever seen, and the rumorthat he was brought there a prisoner suggested calamities to the armythrough which, alone, his own race dared hope for freedom; and tohear the two men chat and laugh over West Point memories was anaggravation to him, listening, as he was, for the news of today, andthe serious questions involved. Only once had there been allusion tothe horrors of war--when McVeigh inquired concerning his formerclassmate, Monroe's brother, Fred, and was told he had been numberedwith the dead at Shiloh. The door was open and Pluto could hear allthat was said--could see the bronzed face of the Northerner, a face heliked instinctively though it was not exactly handsome--an older facethan McVeigh's. He was leaving West Point as the young Southernerentered--a man of thirty years, possibly--five of them, the hard yearsof the frontier range. A smile lit up his face, changing itwonderfully. His manner was neither diffident nor overconfident--therewas a certain admirable poise to it. His cool, irritating attitudetowards the zealous Masterson had been drawn out by the innateantagonism of the two natures, but with McVeigh only the cordial sidewas appealed to, and he responded with frank good will.
Pluto watched them leave the room and enter the apartments of Mr.Loring, where Mrs. McVeigh, Miss Gertrude and Delaven were at thattime, and the latter was entertained by seeing one of the Northernwolves welcomed most cordially by the Southern household. Fred Monroehad been Kenneth's alter-ego during the West Point days. Mrs. McVeighhad photographs of them together, which she brought out forinspection, and Kenneth had pleasant memories of the Monroe home wherehe had been a guest for a brief season after graduation; altogether itwas an interesting incident of the war to Delaven, who was the oneoutsider. He was sorry the Marquise was not there to observe.
The Marquise was, however, making observations on her own account,but not particularly to her satisfaction. She walked from one windowto another watching the road, and the only comforting view sheobtained was the departure of the squad of soldiers who hadbreakfasted in the arbor. They turned south along the river, and whenthey passed through the Terrace gates she drew a breath of relief atthe sight. They would not meet Pierson, who was to come over the roadto the east, and they would leave on the place only the orderlies ofColonel McVeigh and Captain Masterson, and the colored men whosequarters were almost a half mile in the rear of the Terrace. She wasglad they were at that distance, though she scarcely knew why.Pierson's delay made her fear all sorts of bungling and extrememeasures--men were such fools!
Evilena had flitted away again to look up a dress for the party, anddid not return, so she was left alone. She heard considerable walkingabout and talking in the rooms below and on the veranda. No one camealong her corridor, however, so she could ask no questions as to thelatest arrivals. For reasons of her own she had dispensed with apersonal attendant after the departure of Louise; there was no maid tomake inquiries of.
An hour passed in this feverish suspense, when she went to the mirrorwith an air of decision, arranged her hair becomingly, added a coralbrooch
to the lace at her throat, slipped some glimmering rings on herwhite fingers, and added those little exquisite touches to the toiletwhich certain women would naturally linger over though it be the lasthour on earth.
Then she opened the door and descended the stairs, a picture of beautyand serenity--a trifle of extra color in the cheeks, perhaps, but itwould be a captious critic who would object to the added lustre.
Captain Monroe certainly did not, as he halted in the library at sightof her, and waited to see if she passed out on the veranda, or--
She looked out on the veranda; no one was there; with an impatientsigh she turned, pushed the partly opened door of the library back,and was inside the room before she perceived him. Involuntarily sheshut the door back of her.
"Oh--h!" and she held out her hand with a quick, pretty gesture ofsurprise and pleasure--"well met, Captain Jack!"
He took the hand she offered and looked at her with a certainquestioning directness.
"I hope so, Madame Caron," and the gaze was so steady, his grasp sofirm, that she drew her hand away with a little laugh that was atrifle nervous.
"Your voice and face reassure me! I dare breathe again!" she said,with a mock sigh of relief; "my first glimpse of your uniform made mefear a descent of the enemy."
"Have you need to fear any special enemy here?" he asked, bluntly. Sheput her hand out with a little gesture of protest as she sank backinto the chair he offered.
"Why should you be so curious on a first meeting?" she asked, with aquizzical smile. "But I will tell you, Monsieur, for all that; I am,of course, very much afraid of the Northern armies. I left Orleansrather than live under the Federal government, if you please! I havebought a very handsome estate a few miles from here which, of course,binds my interests more closely to the South," and she flashed ameaning, mocking glance up at him. "Do not look so serious, my friend,it is all very beautifully arranged; I had my will made as soon as thedeed was signed, of course; no matter what accidents should happen tome, all my Southern properties will be held intact to carry on theplans for which they were purchased. I am already building mymonuments," and she unfurled a silken fan the color of her corals andsmiled across it at him.
Their backs were towards the window. She was seated in the deep chair,while he stood near her, leaning on the back of another one andlooking down in her face. Pluto, who was still hovering around withthe hope of getting speech with a "sure enough Lincum man," had comenoiselessly to the open window and only halted an instant when he sawthe stranger so pleasantly occupied, and heard the musical voice ofMadame Caron say "My friend." It was to him the sweetest voice in theworld now, and he would gladly have lingered while she spoke, but therest of the words were very soft and low, and Miss Loring was movingtowards him coming slowly up the steps, looking at him as though theveranda was no place for a nigger to lounge when unemployed--a fact hewas well enough aware of to walk briskly away around the corner of thehouse, when he found her eye on him.
She had reached the top of the steps and was thinking the coloredfolks at the Terrace were allowed a great many privileges, when sheheard the low tones of a man's voice. Supposing it was Kenneth andpossibly his mother, she stepped softly towards the window. Before shereached it she perceived her mistake--the man wore a blue uniform, andthough she could not see Madame Caron, she could see the soft folds ofher dress, and the white hand moving the coral fan.
Disappointed, and not being desirous of joining the woman whose charmevidently enthralled every one but herself, she stepped quietly backout of range, and passed on along the veranda to the sitting room,where Evilena was deeply engaged over the problem of a dress to bedraped and trimmed for the party. And the two talked on within theclosed doors of the library, the man's voice troubled, earnest; thewoman's, careless and amused.
"I shall tell you what I wish, Captain Jack," she said, tapping thefan slowly on the palm of her hand and looking up at him, "I am mostpleased to see you, but for all that I wish you had not come to thisparticular house, and I wish you would go away."
"Which means," he said, after a pause, "that you are in some danger?"
"Oh, no! if it were that," and her glance was almost coquettish, "Ishould ask you to remain as my champion."
"Pardon, Madame," and he shook his head, doubtfully, "but I rememberdays in New Orleans, and I know you better than that."
She only raised her brows and smiled. He watched her for a moment andthen said: "Colonel McVeigh is a friend; I should not like to thinkthat your presence means danger to him."
"What an idea!" and she laughed heartily; "am I grown such a thing ofterror that I dare not enter a door lest danger follow? Who could beoppressed with political schemes in this delightful life of theplantation? It is really Eden-like; that is why I have purchased oneof the places for my own; it is worth seeing. If you remain I shallinvite you over; shall you?"
"For some reason you wish I would not; if I only knew what the reasonis!"
"A few months ago you did not question my motives," she said,reprovingly; then in a lower tone, "Your commander has neverquestioned, why should you? Your President has sent me messages ofcommendation for my independent work. One, received before I leftMobile, I should like you to see," and she rose from the chair. Heput out his hand to stop her.
"Not if it has connection with any plot or plan of work against thepeople on this side of the line; remember, I am on parole."
"Oh, I shall respect your scruples," she said, lightly. "But you needhave no dread of that sort. I would not keep by me anything dangerous;it is not compromising to the Marquise de Caron in any way." Shehalted at the door and added, "Will you wait?"
"Yes, I will wait," he said; "but I can't approve, and I don't needthe evidence of any one else in order to appreciate your value," headded, grimly; "but be careful, remember where you are."
"I could not forget it if I tried, Captain Jack," she declared, with apeculiar smile, of which the meaning escaped him until long after.
That ride from Loringwood in the morning, and the nervous expectancyafter, had evidently tended to undermine her own self-confidence andusual power of resource, for when she returned to the room a fewminutes later, and found Gertrude and her uncle there, she halted inabsolute confusion--could not collect her thoughts quickly enough forthe emergency, and glanced inquiringly towards Monroe, as one looks ata stranger, while he, after one look as she entered, continued someremark to Mr. Loring.
For an instant Gertrude's eyes grew narrow as she glanced from one tothe other; then she recovered her usual sweet manner, as she turned toJudithe:
"Pardon me, I fancied you two had met. Madame Caron, permit me topresent Captain Monroe, one of our recent acquisitions."
Both bowed; neither spoke. Colonel McVeigh entered at that moment. Hehad changed the grey travelling suit in which he arrived, for the greyuniform of his regiment, and Judithe, however critical she tried tobe, could not but acknowledge that he was magnificent; mentally sheadded, "Magnificent animal; but what of the soul, the soul?"
There was no lack of soul in his eyes as he looked at her and crossedthe room, as though drawn by an invisible chain, and noted, as a loverever notes, that the dress she wore had in its soft, silvery folds, asuggestion of sentiment for the cause he championed.
But when he murmured something of his appreciation, she dropped hereyes to the fan she held, and when she glanced slowly up it was in amanner outlawing the tete-a-tete.
"I realize now, Colonel McVeigh, that you are really a part of thearmy," she remarked in the tone of one who makes the conversationgeneral. "You were a very civilian-looking person this morning. Ihave, like your Southern ladies, acquired a taste for warliketrappings; the uniform is very handsome."
"Thanks; I hope you will find my next one more becoming, since it isto be that of Brigadier-General."
Although Matthew Loring's sight was impaired, his locomotion slow, andhis left hand and arm yet helpless, his sense of hearing was acuteenough to hear the words even across Monroe's co
nversation, for hissunken eyes lit up as he twisted his head towards the speaker:
"What's that, Kenneth? You to command a brigade?"
"So they tell me," assented McVeigh. "The commission just reachedme."
"Good enough! Do you hear that, Gertrude? A Brigadier-General attwenty-five. Well, I don't see what more a man could want."
"I do," he said, softly, to Judithe, so softly that she felt ratherthan heard the words, to which his eyes bore witness. Then he turnedto reply to Mr. Loring's questions of military movements.
"No, I can't give you much special information today," and he smiledacross at Monroe, when Loring found fault with the governmentofficials who veiled their plans and prospects from the taxpayers--thecapitalists of the South who made the war possible. "But theinstructions received lead me to believe a general movement of muchimportance is about to be made in our department, and my opportunitieswill be all a soldier could wish."
"So you have become a Brigadier-General instead of the Lieutenant weknew only three years ago," and Judithe's eyes rested on himgraciously for an instant, as Monroe and Gertrude helped Loring out tothe wheeled chair on the lawn. "You travel fast--you Americans! Icongratulate you."
She had arisen and crossed the room to the little writing desk in thecorner. He followed with his eyes her graceful walk and the prettyfluttering movements of her hands as she drew out note paper andbusied herself rather ostentatiously. He smiled as he noticed it; shewas afraid of a tete-a-tete; she was trying to run away, if only tothe farther side of the room.
"I shall consider myself a more fit subject for congratulation if youprove more kind to the General than you were to the Lieutenant."
"People usually are," she returned lightly. "I do not fancy you willhave much of unkindness to combat, except from the enemy."
Evilena entered the room humming an air, and her brother remarkedcarelessly that the first of the enemy to invade their domain was notvery formidable at present, though Captain Jack Monroe had made afighting record for himself in the western campaign. Judithe did notappear particularly interested in the record of the Northern campaign,but Evilena, who had been too much absorbed in the question ofwardrobe to keep informed of the late arrivals, fairly gasped at thename.
"Really and truly, is that Yankee here?" she demanded, "right here inthe house? Caroline said it wasn't a Yankee--just some friend ofyours."
"So he is."
"And--a--_Yankee_?"
He nodded his head and smiled at her. Judithe had picked up a pen andwas writing. Evilena glanced towards her for assistance in thisastonishing state of affairs, but no one appeared to be shocked butherself.
"Well!" she said, at last, resignedly, "since we are to have anyYankee here, I'm glad it's the one Gertrude met at Beaufort. I've beenconjuring up romances about them ever since, and I am curious to seeif he looks like the Jack Monroe in the song."
"Not likely," said her brother, discouragingly, "he is the leastromantic hero for a song you can imagine; but if you put on yourprettiest dress and promise not to fight all the battles of the warover with him, I'll manage that you sit beside him at dinner and makeromances about him at closer range, if you can find the material."
"To think of _me_ dressing my prettiest for a Yankee! and oh, Ken, Ican't dress so astonishingly pretty, either. I'm really," and shesighed dejectedly, "down to my last party dress."
"Well, that's better than none."
"None!" she endeavored to freeze him with a look, but his smileforbade it, and she left the room, singing
"Just as she stepped on ship board, 'Your name I'd like to know?' And with a smile she answered, 'My name is Jack Monroe.'"
"Thanks; glad to find so charming a namesake," said a deep voice, andshe looked up to see a tall man gazing down at her with a smile sokindly she should never have guessed he was a Yankee but for the blueuniform.
"Oh!" she blushed deliciously, and then laughed. There really was nouse trying to be dignified with a stranger after such a meeting asthat.
"I never did mean to steal your name, Captain Monroe," she explained,"for you are Captain Monroe?"
"Yes, except when I am Jack," and then they both smiled.
"Oh, I've known Jack was your name, too, for this long time," shesaid, with a little air of impressing him with her knowledge; "but Icouldn't call you that, except in the song."
"May I express the hope that you sing the song often?" he asked, withan attempt at gravity not entirely successful.
"But you don't know who I am, do you?" and when he shook his headsadly she added, "but of course you've heard of me; I'm Evilena."
"Evilena?"
"Evilena McVeigh," she said, with a trifle of emphasis.
"Oh, Kenneth's sister?" and he held out his hand. "I'm delighted toknow you."
"Thank you." She let her hand rest in his an instant, and then drew itaway, with a little gasp.
"There! I've done it after all."
"Anything serious?" he inquired.
She nodded her head; "I've broken a promise."
"Not past repair, I hope."
"Oh, it's only a joke to you, but it really is serious to me. When theboys I know all started North with the army I promised I'd never shakehands with a Yankee."
"Promised them all?" he asked, and without waiting for a reply, hecontinued: "Now, that's a really extraordinary coincidence; Ientertained the same idea about Johnnie Rebs."
"Really?" and she looked quite relieved at finding a companion ininiquity; "but you did shake hands?"
"Yes."
"Are you sorry?"
"No; are you?"
"N--no."
And when Delaven went to look for Evilena to tell her they were tohave lunch on the lawn (Mrs. McVeigh had installed him as master ofceremonies for the day), he found her in the coziest, shadiest nook onthe veranda, entertaining a sample copy of the enemy, and assuring himthat the grey uniforms would be so much more becoming than the blue.
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