THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES HOW HE WON HER, SEQUEL TO "FAIR PUT." BY MRS. EMMA D. E. JS T , SOUTHWORTH. AUTHOR OF "FAIR PLAT/ 1 " THE WIDOW'S SON," "THE BRIDE OF LLEWELT.YI "HAUNTED HOMESTEAD," "RETRIBUTION," "THE DISCARDED DAUOHTER,' LAW," "INDIA," "THE DESERTED WIFE," "LOVE'S LABOR WON," "FALLEN PRIOR," "THE CHANGED BRIDES," "THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS," ETC., ETC. "She loved him for the dangers he had passed." SHAKSPEARB. " None but the brave deserve the fair." COLLINS. PHILADELPHIA: T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS; 306 CHESTNUT STREET. Entered according to Act , f C ;. :e . in i;. L . J-JK T. B. PETERSON & BROTHEKS, of the District Court of the United States, iu and for tho Eastern District of-Pennsylvania. MRS. EMMA D, E. K SOUTHWORTH'S WORKS. Each Work is complete in one largo duodecimo volume. FAIR PLAY; OR, THE TEST OF THE LONE ISLE. HOW HE WON HER. A SEQUEL TO FAIR PLAY. THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS. THE CHANGED BRIDES. THE THREE BEAUTIES. THE WIFE'S VICTORY. THE MOTHER-IN-LAW. FALLEN PRIDE; OR, THE .MOUNTAIN GIRL'S LOVE. THE BRIDE OF LLEWELLYN. THE GIPSY'S PROPHECY. THE FORTUNE- SEEKER. THE DESERTED WIFE. THE LOST HEIRESS. RETRIBUTION. INDIA ; OR, THE PEARL OF PEARL RIVER. THE FATAL MARRIAGE. THE HAUNTED HOMESTEAD. LOVE'S LABOR WON. THE MISSING BRIDE. LADY OF THE ISLE. THE TWO SISTERS. VIVIA; OR, THE SECRET OF POWER. THE CURSE OF CLIFTON. THE DISCARDED DA UGHTER. THE WIDOWS SON. ALLWORTH ABBEY. THE BRIDAL EVE. Price of each, $1.75 in Cloth; or $1.50 in Paper Cover. Above books are for sale by all Booksellers. Copies of any or all of the above books will be sent to any one, to any place, postnge pre-paid, on receipt of their price by the Publishers, T. B. PETEESOK & BllOTHEKS, 306 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA. ?s TO MRS, FRANCES HENSHAW BADEN, OF WASHINGTON CITY; IN COMMEMORATION OF HER ENTIRE DEVOTION) FOR THE PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS, TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS, IN THE HOSPITALS, THIS STORY OF THE WAR IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, BY HER SISTER. PROSPECT COTTAGE, GEORGETOWN, D. C. FEBRUARY, 18691 CONTENTS. Chapter y a g I. EEMINIE'S STOET. 25 n. THE VETEBAN'S BETUEN 34 in. JUSTIN ENLISTS. ELFIE DBILLS 45 rv. THE SOLDIEB'S LOVE 54 V. THE LOVEES' PABTING 68 VI. THE GUEBBILLA'S WIFE 80 VII. ABOUT ALBEETA 92 VEIL ABOUT BEITOMAETE 103 IX. AN UNEXPECTED GUEST AT A PICNIC 115 X .AS THE LION WOOS HIS BEIDE 130 XL A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT 143 xii. THE OUTLAW'S LOVE 155 Xin. THE ALAEM 168 XIV. THE FLIGHT 178 XV. COLONEL BOSENTHAL 193 XVI. THE MEETING 208 XVII. THE GUEEEILLA'S ENCAMPMENT 216 XVIII. MONCK 224 XIX. A COLD-BLOODED SENTENCE 232 1 24 CONTENTS. Chapter Page XX. THE WHISPER 244 XXI. THE MOUNTAIN CAMP 256 XXII. THE MARCH 269 XXIII. THE BATTLE 278 XXIV. THE FATE OF THE FEEE SWORD 283 XXV. AFTER THE BATTLE 287 XXVI. ELFIE IN THE GROVE 290 XXVII. REQUIESCAT IN PACE 300 xxviii. ELFIE'S RETURN 304 xxix. ELFIK'S VISIT TO LITTLE MIM 315 XXX. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL.. 323 xxxi. POOR ELFIE'S HONEYMOON 334 XXXII. THE REBEL RIDES ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE 345 XXXIH. AT PEACE 356 xxxiv. WING'S GALLANT CHARGE 366 XXXV. DEATH LIGHTS 374 XXXVI. THE DEATH WATCH 385 XXXVII. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR 397 xxxviii. ELFIE'S VISION 408 xxxix. BOB'S SPECTRE 422 XL. ON THE BATTLE FIELD 432 XLI. THE SURPRISE 444 XLII. " THE BEGINNING OF THE END." 460 XLIII. DELIVERANCE AT LAST 469 XLIV. AFTER A WHILE 480 XL v. THE WOMAN'S DEAREST EIGHT 497 HOW HE WON HER. CHAPTEE I. ERMINIB'S STORY. How sleep the brave, who sink to rostt By all their country's wishes blest! When spring with dewy finders cold Returns to deck their hallowed mould, She there shall dress a sweeter sod Than fancy's feet have ever trod. By fairy hands their knell is rung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung. There honor comes, a pilgrim gray, To bless the turf that wraps their clay And freedom shall awhile repair To dwell, a weeping hermit, there. COLLINS.' IT was not until the morning succeeding his arrival, after breakfast, when they found themselves alone together in the drawing-room, that Justin told Erminie the story of his voyage and shipwreck, his preservation and residence on the Desert Island, and his rescue and return home. She listened with breathless interest to his narrative, and when it was finished she earnestly thanked Heaven for his restoration to his home and friends. And then, in return, she gave him the history of all that had occurred to her since he had first sailed. She told him of those gathering clouds of disaffection in the South that no one could be made to believe would ever break in a storm of Civil War. She spoke of that solemn day in the Senate when the Southern senators withdrew. She whispered of the shameful, sorrowful day when Fort Sumter was taken, and, in the language of the man who commanded the assault, " The proud flag that had never (25) 26 HOW HE WON HER. been humbled before the star-spangled banner was hum- bled to the dust." She told how these words had burned in the hearts of all true patriots until they lighted a flame of love of country, hate of traitors, never to be quenched ; how, at the President's call for seventy-five thousand men, four times that number started to arms ; how even across the broad Atlantic, in Ireland, the warm-hearted lovers of the Union had banded together and offered their services to the Federal Government through our ministers and consuls abroad ; how these had been declined en masse, as un- needed then. Here the Lutheran minister's orphan child paused to gather strength ; for she had next to speak of the fatal fields of Bethel and Ball's Bluif ; and of Bull Eun, where her brave father fell. She told the awful history amidst sobs and tears that she could not restrain. " He died where he fell, before his men, in front of the enemy. He lies buried near the spot, his grave marked by the care of a brother officer, his honored remains waiting only the return of peace to be removed." " They shall not-await the return of peace, they shall be brought home immediately," answered Justin. Then Erminie spoke of opening her father's will, and seeing there that he had left his property to his two children, to be divided between them, share and share alike. " Then my dear father did not believe me to be lost ? " said Justin. " Then we none of us did ; there had not been time enough for us to grow anxious. We had got two letters from you, one mailed from Porto Praya, and one from the Cape of Good Hope. When my dear father died we were looking daily for a letter from you from Calcutta." " I am glad that he had suffered no anxiety on my ac- count. Go on, sweet sister." ERMINIE'B STORY. 27 " Oh, my brother ! after that public and private woea came thick and fast. Defeat after defeat discouraged our army, until at length came the crushing shame and sorrow of the last battle of Manassas. Blow upon blow fell upon my own heart, until I thought that the Lord had forgotten to take care of me. I was still weeping, weeping day and night over the death of my dear father, when there came news of the wreck of the Sultana. It came through the officers of that Dutch merchantman who picked up the life-boat with the missionary party on board ; and it came in the form of a narrative written by the Reverend Mr. Ely. It was published in all the papers. It contained a list of the names of those whose lives were lost. And, Jus- tin, your name was among them ! " Poor sister ! " " I laid down to die. I did so wish for death ! But I suppose youth and life were too strong within me and I lived and suffered. Ah, Justin ! I was a very self-occupied woman up to that time. I thought ' no sorrow was like unto my sorrow.' In the midst of that great bitterness of grief I received a telegram from New York calling me to the death-bed of our dear Uncle Friedrich." " Yes, I know." " I went on immediately and remained with him until he died. Ah, Justin ! The scene of that good man's peaceful departure went far to heal my spirit. He talked to me when he was able ; his words were few, but very precious. He told me, in this great crisis of the country's history, when for the high and holy cause of union and liberty hundreds were suffering more than I, and thousands quite as much ; I must not sit down in selfish sorrow, I must get up and min- ister to those whose sorrows were as great as mine, and whose necessities were so much greater." "He was right, Erminie." " I know it. and I knew it then. He told me to go among 28 HOW HEWON HER. the wounded soldiers in the numerous hospitals, and with hand and purse minister to them and relieve their wants, He told me to seek out the hereaved widows and orphans, and mothers of those who had fallen in the holy war ; and to serve all as far as they should have need and I have power ; hut especially oh ! especially to minister to the mourning mothers. ' Widows/ he said, ' may be consoled by second husbands ; orphans grow up and forget their fathers; but the mother whose boy has fallen in battle is in- consolable and unforgetting forever. Therefore especially, motherless girl, comfort the childless mothers.' And kneel- ing by his bed I kissed his hands and promised to obey hia words. And that same day, as the sun went down, he died. But it was not until some days had passed that I knew he had left me all his wealth. Justin, I came home, and I have religiously obeyed his dying instructions, and in comforting others I have found comfort." " As all mourners may, if they will, my sweet sister," re- plied her brother. He fell into deep thought for a few- minutes, and then, looking earnestly at his sister, he said : " But, Erminie, in all this long story you have never once mentioned the name of Colonel Eastworth. Where is he ? What is he doing ? Why are you not married ? " Erminie grew even paler than she had before been; she compressed her lips until they too faded, and then slowly and steadily answered : " ' Where is he ? ' In South Carolina. ' What is he do- ing? ' Warring upon his native land. 'Why are we not married ? ' Because the child of Ernest Rosenthal can never be the wife of a man in arms against his country. Never mention his name to me again, Justin. For he was the very caitiff who so gloried in his shame as to boast that he had humbled the proud flag that had never been humbled be- fore ! " And the beautiful eyes of this "falcon-hearted dove" flashed as she spoke. ERMINIE'S STORY. 29 Justin put out his arms an'd drew her to his breast ; for he saw that those flashing eyes were about to be drowned in tears. " My dear sister ! my dear, dear sister, blow upon blow baa indeed fallen fast upon your heart. How much you have suffered ! " he said, as he tenderly soothed her. She wept upon his bosom for a little while, and then lift- ing her head and wiping her eyes, she smiled and said: "But I have been comforted, Justin. In comforting others I have been comforted. And now I am more than comforted I am rejoiced. Now all is changed, in public and in private, from grief to joy. And oh ! how suddenly changed, brother ! In a day ! Almost in an hour ! Yester- day morning came the glorious news of the victory of Get- tysburg, and I knew that the tide of war had turned. Soon after very soon after came a messenger of joy to me. The minister that brought me the news of your safe return from the grave ! It was like a miraculous resurrection. Coming directly upon the news of the great victory, it was almost overwhelming. There seemed too much joy for one day!" " I entreated Dr. Sales to break the matter to you very cautiously," said Justin. " Ah ! do you think that could be broken to me cautious- ly ? " inquired Erminie, with a smile. " Why, Justin, as soon as he came into the room and I saw his face, I knew that he brought me ' glad tidings.' I naturally thought it was of the victory of Gettysburg, so I told him I bad heard of it that very morning. But when he drew your name into the conversation, I knew in an instant that you were saved. Oh, Justin, it was such a shock of joy ! But it did not kill me, as it might have done." " Yes, it might, my sweet sister, for you look very pale, and thin, and fragile not well able to bear a shock of any sort," said Justin tenderly. 30 HOW HE WON HER. "Ah, but all is well now. I am happy, so happy, although I weep. You must not mind my weeping, dear. We wo- men often weep most when we are happiest, and ah, yes ! Heaven knows, smile most when we are most wretched ! " " ' Smile most when you are most wretched ! ' Where have you learned that bitter lesson, my sister ? " Justin gravely questioned. " In the hospital, where I have seen the heart-broken mother smiling on her mutilated or dying boy to keep his spirits up, as long as he should live." " You seem to be very familiar with the wards of the hos- pitals, my sister." " It is the business, the blessing of my life to be so. But, Justin, dear, I wish to ask you about Britomarte. You took care of her on the Desert Island. She saved your life in the sea fight. Ah, how my heart thrilled to the touch of that story. Now you are betrothed, I hope, and soon to marry? Oh, Justin, how cordially I would welcome her here as my sister, and how wittingly resign my position as mistress of the house, in her favor. For the house is yours, you know, Justin, and as your wife it would be her right." Justin slowly shook his head, compressed his lips, and frowned. " What do you mean by that, my brother ? " " There is no possibility of a marriage between Miss Conyers and myself," he said. " JUSTIN ! "You know what were Britomarte's sentiments on the subject of marriage, or rather of the position of a woman in marriage. And now I have only to add that all which has happened to us has not been able to work a change in them." " Oh, Justin ! I am so sorry ! " " So you see, my dear, there is no chance of your being superseded on the household throne, for since Britomarte will not be uiy wife, no other woman shall.'* ERMINIE'S STORY. 31 " Oh Justin, what a pity. But if she will not be you* wife, she shall be your sister and mine. She shall oome here, and share my home and means." " She would never do that ; she is much too proud to be dependent, even on those who love and honor her most." " Then what will become of her ? for oh, Justin, it ia whispered that that " " What ? " inquired the young man, seeing his sister grow pale and large-eyed as she paused. " That oh, it is too horrible to breathe that " " For Heaven's sake, speak, Erminie ! " " The house is the resort of conspirators, who plan pkin no less a crime than than " Her voice gradually sank to a whisper, and then stopped altogether. " Than what ? Speak, my sister ; take courage and speak ! * " Oh, I cannot ! I cannot ! Spare me ! it is too hor- rible ! " " But what house is it to which you allude ? " " Witch Elms." " And it is said to be the resort of conspirators, who plan wha-t ? " persisted Justin. " I cannot say it. I hope it is all a mere canard. Cer- tainly the civil and the military authorities have both visited and ransacked the house, but they have discovered nothing there but what they call ' the fossil remains of an old lady and two negroes,' meaning Miss Pole, the centena- rian aunt of Britomarte, and the two servants." " Then the horrible story, whatever it may be, is proba- bly a mere canard, not worth our attention." " But Britomarte ! She cannot go there, even if her old relative would receive her. What will become of her? What can we do for her ? " " We can do many things in this world, but we can do nothing with the will of a woman like Miss Conyers. We 32 HOW HE WON HER. must leave her to the Lord and herself. And have you lived here quite alone all this time, my poor Erminie ? " said Justin, pityingly. " Oh, no. I should have told you before, only there was so much to tell and to hear. Elfrida Fielding is with me. She is a refugee from Virginia. Her father is with General Meade at Gettysburg. We had a telegram from him yesterday. He is wounded but not dangerously, and is coming home on leave." " Then they are on the right side." " Thank Heaven, yes ! But they have suffered very much for their devotion to the Union; they have had their house burned over their heads by the Secessionists, and they escaped the flames only through the fidelity of an old family servant. They have been here ever since. At least this is Elfie's home always, and her father's whenever he comes to see her." " That is right, my sister. Let the home of our heroic father be the refuge of all whom the war has made home- less, and who seek its threshold. But where is my little friend now ? I should be glad to see her." " Immediately on receiving the telegram yesterday, she prepared to go to Gettysburg to bring her father home. I also was ready to go with her, when the visit of Mr. Sales with the joyful news of your return stopped my journey. And so Elfie, after kissing and congratulating, and laugh- ing and weeping over me, and sending what she called 'lots of love ' to you, left in the three o'clock train alone." While the sister and brother conversed, the time, un- heeded, passed away, and now it was nearly noon, when the door-bell rang. " Oh, I hope that is Britomarte. Did she say she would come early ? " inquired Erminie. " She said she would come this morning she did not specify the hour," answered Justin, rising to open the drawing-room door. ERMINIE'S STORY. 33 Britomarte it was, for Justin met her on the threshold, in the act of being ushered in by Uncle Bob, the old ser- vant of Elfie, who also found a home at the parsonage. Justin warmly welcomed Miss Conyers, but was cut short in his demonstrations by Erminie, who flew to meet her friend, and fell weeping for joy on Britomarte's bosom. "How pale you are, my darling. You have suffered much since I saw you last," said Miss Conyers, tenderly caressing Erminie. " Oh, much ! much ! How much you do not know or guess. But it is all over now, dear Britomarte, quite over, now that I see you and Justin safe, and all is well, now, very well, since the tide of war has turned, and the invaders are flying before our victorious army," she answered, smil- ing through her tears. " And do you know what they are saying outside, my dar- ling?" inquired Miss Conyers, brightly ^glancing back her smile. " No ! what ? " eagerly demanded Erminie. " Haven't you been out this morning, Justin ? " inquired Miss Conyers, turning to Mr. Rosenthal. No why ? " " Nor received a visitor ? " " No visitor except yourself." " Then I have the happiness to be the first to announce the news to you. Vicksburg has capitulated ! " " Vicksburg capitulated ! " echoed both Justin and Er- minie, in a breath. " The words are in everybody's mouth. The stars and stripes are waving from half the windows on the avenue." " Oh, Justin, go ! go out and learn the particulars, but don't stay long. I cannot bear you out of my sight long, lest I should wake up and find your return all a dream," urged Erminie. And Justin, snatching up his hat and gloves, departed. 2 34 HOW HE WON HER. And Britomarte and Erminie were left together for a long tete-a-tete. Erniinie took Britomarte up into her own bed- chamber, and they sat down to talk. What need to relate their conversation ? To do it would be to repeat all that is already known to the reader of what happened to each dur- ing their long separation. To Britomarte Erminie told the same story that she had told to Justin, and by her was com- forted with the same tender sympathy she had received from him. And Britomarte answered all Erminie's questions concerning the voyage, the wreck, the rescue, the life on the Desert Island, the deliverance from the place, the cruise of the Xyphias, the sea fight, the capture of the privateer, and the voyage home. CHAPTER II. THE VETEKAK'S RETURN. BrwARD Had he his hurts before? Ros3B Aye, in the front. SIWABD Why, then, God's soldier be he ! SHAKBPEAEE. WHILE Erminie and Britomarte talked together, there came a rush of feet upon the stairs, followed by the flinging open of the chamber door, and the sudden appearance of Elfie. She sprang at once towards Britomarte, threw her- self upon her bosom, and hugged and kissed her, and laughed and cried over her. " But, dear Elfie, how soon you have returned. la twenty-four hours. Why, you could scarcely have reached your journey's end. And how did you find your father ? Doing well, I hope, from your joyous looks," said Er- minie, as soon as she could put in a word. " Oh ! yes, the old boy's all right ! He's got his right arm in a sling, and a plaster on both cheeks, and a patch THE VETERAN'S RETURN. 35 over his left eye that's all. He's not fit for duty, hut he needn't go to hed hefore a healthy Christian's usual hour of retiring," answered Elfie, as she recovered hei breath, and threw herself into a chair. " But how soon you have got back ; I don't understand it," said Erminie, returning to the ' previous question.' " Don't you? Well neither do I. All I know is that I came very near passing my awful old responsibility on the road. When the train stopped at the Relay House which you know used to be a comfortable hotel, but is now turned into something between military head-quarters and a bear garden I looked out of the window, and there, as sure as you live, stood my pap, with a lot of dilapidated heroes of the rank and file, on the platform. I had just time to jump off the car before the train started again." " Oh ! Elfie, dear, how rash to jump off the cars just as the train was about to start ! " exclaimed Erminie. " < Eash ! } Well, I like that. How could it have been rash?" " You might have been killed." " But I wasn't, so it couldn't have been rash. If I had been hurt, then you might have called it rash ; but as I wasn't, you can only call it fearless. But I don't want to talk of myself, but of my ferocious old governor, who stood there on the platform, bloody, dusty, smoky, bound, band- aged and plastered, and looking, for all the world, like a dis- reputable old prize-fighter that had been considerably dam- aged in the ring." " But you met him oh, you met him as the daughter of a hero should meet her wounded father ! " exclaimed Erminie with enthusiasm. " Which means that I wept over the old boy, and set him to weeping, and made a melting scene among all those Boldiers. Not much I didn't. I took him by his whole arm, and turned him round and round until I had inspected him well, and then I said : 36 HOWHEWONHER. " Oh, you miserable looking old pap. I don't believe you came from Gettysburg or any other gallant battle-field. I believe you are fresh from a fireman's free fight, or an elec- tion riot, where the pretensions of rival candidates are can- vassed with cudgels. Where have you been, and what doing, to get yourself so dirty, and knocked into such an old cocked hat ? " " And my old governor laughed, and said that he had been in a dusty place ; that it was very dusty at Gettys- burg ; and that shot and shell were flying thick and fast. " I begged him to have the largest bath-tub in the house filled with hot water, and to rub himself down from head to foot with soft soap and hard towels, and put himself in soak for three hours ; and I gave him the suit of clean under-clothes that I had brought along in my carpet bag. "And though in general paps are very disobedient persons, yet he promised to obey me, and he kept his word so far as to take a good bath, while I got up a good dinner for him ; and I must confess that he didn't look half so badly when he joined me at the dinner-table, freshly washed and newly clothed, with all the smuts and stains I had taken for bruises and gashes cleansed away. But if all heroes have such heroic appetites as my heroic pap, I.-don't wonder famine so often follows war." Britomarte laughed, but Erminie said : " Men who are fighting cannot stop to feed. He must have fasted long." " Long ! I should think he had fasted forty days and nights. I told him so ; and he answered that he felt ' hol- low.' And I couldn't help saying as I carved the second fowl for him : " ' Pap, I know next to nothing about anatomy and physiology, but from certain indications I should judge you to be hollow all the way down to the soles of your boots." " Oh, Elfie ! how could you ? " exclaimed Erminie. " Have you no veneration at all ? " THE VETERAN'S RETURN. 37 " Not much. I'm afraid there's a hole where that bump ought to be. But, as I said before, I don't want to talk of myself, but of my glorious old governor. Well, at that dinner we had a sort of explanation ; for you may be sure, not knowing that I was going on to fetch him, he was as much astonished at seeing me there as I was at seeing him. So in answer to his questions, I told him that, knowing very well he wasn't able to take care of himself even in the best of times, I had started out with the intention of bringing him home. And then I demanded to know how it hap- pened that he should be loafing about the Relay House in such a disrespectable way ; and he told me that, feeling stiff and sore, and hungry and tired, he had got off at the Relay House with the intention of resting for the night before going on to Washington. And then the old fellow got sentimental, and called me his darling child and his brave girl ; but I stopped all that by firing off at him the news of Britonia-rte's and Justin's resurrection from a ' watery grave.' Girls, it did him more good than all the surgeon's plasters, and even the bath and dinner. He felt better immediately, and proposed that we should start for Washington by the evening train to welcome you back. But of course I wouldn't allow that. Instead of letting him go to Washington, I made him go to bed, and carried him a cup of tea, aii^J. read to him all the evening. It was the full account of the battle of Gettysburg in the morning paper." "But he must have know all about that," put in Er- minie. " Must he, then ? I tell you he was in the thick of the fighting, and yet he knew nothing or next to nothing of it; at least not one-tenth part as much as we know, who were not there, yet who read the papers. ' It was a dusty place. It was a noisy place. Shot and shell were a flying thick and fast. I was struck several times, but we *.^ 38 HOW HE WON HER. whipped the rebels ! ' That was the sum and substance of all the information I could gain from my warlike pap about the battle ; but he listened to the Republican's long account of it with the deepest interest, and fell asleep in the midst of it. I let him sleep, seeing that he was tired out, and knowing that we would have to continue our journey in the morning." " But, Elfie, dear, what have you done with your rather now ? Let me go to him ; he must feel neglected." " Oh, no, he don't. I took him at once to his bed-room and made him lie down and rest ; and I asked Catherine to take him up a glass of wine and some biscuits. He's all right, and will join us at dinner. And now, with your good leave, I will go to my room and get a little of this dust and smoke out of my eyes and nose before presenting my- self to the Reverend Justin Rosenthal," said Elfie, rising. " Then come to us in the drawing-room, for we are going down there," said Erminie. Elfie nodded assent, and^then flew out of the room, sing- ing : " We are coming, Father Abraham, Three hundred thousand more." And Erminie and Britomarte went down stairs to the drawing-room, where, in the course of an hour, they were joined by Elfie, who had renovated Jierself with a fresh toilet. When the three friends were seated together, Britomarte said: " Here are three of our school quartette ; but where is the fourth ? Where is Alberta Goldsborough ? " " Alberta Corsoni, you mean ; for she has changed her- self from a planter's daughter into a bandit's bride, or a guerrilla's bride, which amounts to the same thing," said Elfie. " She made her escape from the convent, and eloped with THE VETERAN'S RETURN 39 Vittorio Corsoni, who married her the same n:'ght," said Erminie. " Yes ; and he was a good fellow enough until he mar- ried her. He had embraced the cause of the Union against the rebels. Some people said, however, that he did so only in opposition to old Mr. Goldsborongh, who had opposed his union with Alberta. However that may be, he certainly was a Unionist before his marriage. But it seems that Alberta is one of the most determined female rebels that ever lived ; and possessing immense influence over her love-sick young husband, she won him to the cause of re- bellion ; so that now he is one of the most formidable of those brigand leaders who ravage with fire and sword" the shores of the Potomac and its tributaries," said Elfie. " His Italian nature took readily to guerrilla warfare," sighed Erminie. "And now he and my traitor are brother bandits, and the best friends in the world. When either has made a successful raid, he divides the spoils with the other," laughed Elfie. " But what a condition to come back and find my native country in ! It seems to me as if in dream or trance I had lost my footing in the nineteenth century, and slipped down into the tenth ; or as if I had died, and my spirit had passed into another state of existence. This Change has come gradually upon you, but upon me it has burst like a thunderbolt. I left the country in smiling peace; I return to find it groaning under all the horrors of civil war," said Britomarte, bowing her head upon her hand in deep thought. " Britty, stop that ! If people go to musing^now, they go mad ! It is a time to act, not think ! " said Elfie, sharply. " I know it I know it and I shall act ! " exclaimed the beautiful amazon. 40 HOW HE WON HER. " Britty, there is one piece of forbearance for which I thank you," said Elfie, by way of changing the subject." "What is that ?" inquired Miss Conyers. "Well, although three years ago you warned Erminie and myself that if we should have anything to do with the 1 natural enemy ' we should inevitably come to grief, and al- though you see that through disregarding your warning we have come to grief, you magnanimously forbear to say ' I told you so ! ' " " I do not think that you have. I call the treason that divided your betrothed lovers from your side a very provi- dential thing, so far as you are concerned. I can mourn over their sins, but not over your escape," said the man- hater, firmly. " Yet it hurt some, at the time," said Elfie, raising her eyebrows ; " though I wouldn't admit that to anybody else but yourself, Britty, it did hurt, didn't it, Minie ? " Erminie covered her face with her hands, and wept softly. " It hurts still, you see," whispered Elfie. " Oh, I hope I do hope the next shell that flies into Charleston will cut that fellow in two ! As for my traitor, being a guerrilla, I trust that neither shell nor shot will cheat the gallows of its dues." And Elfie indignantly dashed away the tears that dared to sparkle in her own eyes. " I am a very weak woman. I must get up and go to the hospital. I should have gone an hour ago. Brito- marte, will you come with me ? " said Erminie, rising, and wiping her eyes. " Yes, with pleasure," said Miss Conyers. " Do you go every day ? " " Twice every day, in order to visit as many as I can. I go in the forenoon, return to dinner, and then go again in the afternoon. And, after all, so many are the hospitals, and so thickly are they crowded, that I can only visit each THE VETERAN'S RETURN. 41 patient about twice a week, and then how I wish I could be in twenty wards at the same time. You must help me in the hospitals, Britomarte dear. There is so much to do. And when one has devoted all her time and strength and means to the work, and happily eased the sufferings of some scores, there are hundreds of others needing the same help." " I hope all our women are doing their duty in this crisis," said Miss Conyers. " They are doing what they can ; but wives and mothers have very little time, and very little means either, in these war days, to bestow upon the poor soldiers ; and young girls are generally inadmissible to the hospitals except at certain stated hours. Me for some reason or other, per- haps for my respectable black dress and sedate aspect the surgeons admit at any hour. And heaven has blessed me with ample means and ample leisure to devote to the sick and wounded soldiers." "Yours is an angel's mission, my Minie ; and you are worthy to be entrusted with it. You have been weighed in the balance, and not found wanting; you have passed through the fiery furnace of affliction, and come forth pure gold ; you have been tried and found faithful ; and you have been called to a much higher and holier destiny than would have been yours as the wife of " " Oh, don't ! don't, Britomarte ! " exclaimed Erminie, shrinking even from this light touch upon her unhealed wound. Then reverting to the subject which they had first spoken, she said : " It is a great school for the spirit this to which I go. Volumes, libraries could not contain its lessons. Let one give all her time, strength and means to the sufferers there, and she will still receive more infinitely more than she gives." 42 HOW HE WON HER. "In -" " In the examples of almost superhuman patience, cheer- fulness and fortitude among those brave men, who, wounded, mutilated, agonized, will never utter a complaint, will give you smile for smile, and receive with thankfulness any little gift the surgeons will allow you to offer them. Oh ! how light seem my own troubles when I look upon theirs ! " " We may judge what their courage in the fields must have been by their fortitude in the hospital," said Miss Con- yers. " Oh, Britomarte, yes ! Ah ! if you were to go with me on my rounds among these true heroes, from a man-hater you would become a man- worshipper, Britomarte. And then the extremes of youth and age that we find there ! The law has limited compulsory military service to the men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five ; but tree patriotism draws no such line. My dear father was sixty-one years ol I when he fell in front of his men on the field of Manassas. In one regiment that I know of there was a grandfather of sixty-three, his two sons of forty and forty-two, and four grandsons between the ages of thirteen and seventeen." " That was glorious ! " exclaimed Miss Conyers, with en- thusiasm. " And Britomarte, as I live, I found in the Water's Ware- House Hospital of Georgetown, a boy about twelve years old, who had been brought in among the last lot of wounded from the battle-field of Manassas ! When 1 expressed astonishment and pity, I was told that there were boys of twelve who were soldiers of the line ! And since then I have learned beyond all question that such is the fact ! " " Oh, Erminie ! if what you tell me is true, as I have no doubt that it is, what a race of heroes the women of America have brought forth ! " exclaimed Miss Conyers, with all the enthusiasm of her soul shining in her eyes. " I thought you would grow into a man- worshipper, Bri- tomarte," said Erminie, smiling. THE VETERAN'S RETURN. 43 " And / thought she would contrive to turn over all the glory to ths women, where, of course, it justly belongs, as she has done ! " exclaimed Elfie, saucily, quoting " What a race of heroes the women of America have brought fortli ! " " Come, let us put on our bonnets and go to the Douglas Hospital," said Erminie. But just at that moment the bell rang, and the next in- stant the door opened and Justin entered the drawing-room, accompanied by Lieutenant Ethel. Elfie sprang up to greet her old acquaintance, but dropped into her seat again on seeing a stranger. Justin advanced and warmly shook hands with his little friend, and with Britomarte, and then he brought up Lieu- tenant Ethel and presented him to the party. " I am very glad to see you, sir ; and I have to thank you very earnestly for your great kindness to my brother and friends in their extremity," said Erminie. The young officer bowed lowly before the beautiful, pale girl, who thus addressed him, and he replied : " It will now be a much greater pleasure to me than ever, to remember that I was able to be of some slight service to your friends, Miss Rosenthal." " I trust that you will give us some opportunity of prov- ing our gratitude to you, Mr. Ethel. My brother informs me that your duties will detain you here in Washington for some days or weeks. I hope that you will gratify us by making our quiet house your home during the period of your stay," said Erminie. " A thousand thanks, Miss Rosenthal ! But my domes- tication in this lovely home would be much too great a tax upon your ki ndness, and very much too great a happiness for my merits," said the young officer. " I assure you it would give us sincere pleasure to have you," urged Erminie. " Ethel shall stay just where he is, Erminie. Give your- 44 HOWHEWONHER. self no further trouble to press him. I was his guest for many weeks, and he shall be mine for many days, at least. Oh, I haven't consulted him on the subject. I knew it would be useless. I ordered his man Martin to pack up his effects and bring them over here this afternoon. So, sister, you may have a room made ready for the lieutenant, and a ham- mock swung somewhere for the seaman or lacking a ham- mock, an ordinary cot and mattress will do," said Justin. " Oh, Rosenthal," began the young officer. " Hold your tongue, Ethel ! You're not on your quarter- deck now ! I'm commander of this ship, and I mean to be obeyed ! " exclaimed Justin. " But you will allow me to say " "Not a syllable against dropping your anchor in this harbor." " Well, I won't ! I was only about to observe that I used to hear Judith threaten her ' gay Tom ' to make him do as he liked ! You are only making me do as I like," said the young lieutenant, with a bow to Erminie. " And now let us talk about something else ! Young la- dies, this is a great holiday ! To-night there is to be a bril- liant illumination, in honor of the two great victories of Get- tysburg and Vicksburg. I have ordered in several pounds of wax-candles, which, when they come, you will have cut into the proper lengths. I have also spoken to a carpenter to come and fix holders for the lights at the windows. You can send a servant with him through the rooms," said Justin. JUSTIN ENLISTS. ELF IE DRILLS. 45 CHAPTEE III. JUSTIN ENLISTS. ELFIE DRILLS. Sound, sound the clarion fill, fill the fife I To all the sensual world proclaim, One crowded hour of glorious strife Is worth an age without a name ! 'Twas bustle in the street below "Forward! march ! " and forth they go. Steeds neigh and trample all around Steel rings, spears glitter, trumpets sound ! SCOTT. YOUNG Ethel remained the honored guest of the old par- sonage. He had been relieved of the command of the Sea Scourge and promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and he was now waiting orders. Major Maiding also, while recovering from his wounds, made the parsonage his home. But neither arguments nor entreaties could induce Miss Conyers to profit by the large-hearted hospitality of the Rosenthals, and take up even a temporary residence under their roof. She found cheap board in a respectable private family, on the suburbs, near the parsonage, and she visited her friends very often, and went every day with Erminie to the hospitals. Justin, very soon after his return home, made known his intention of enlisting as a private soldier in the army. This announcement filled the heart of his sister with dis- may. All the latent pride in the gentle bosom of the Lu- theran minister's meek child arose in arms. In her own person, so deep was her humility of love, she would have stooped to the most menial office by which she could serve her country, or one of its lowliest defenders ; but for her idolized brother she was more ambitious, and she could not endure the thought of the hardships, privations and humil- iations he would have to suffer as a soldier in the ranks. " Do try to get a captain's commission in one of the new regiments now being filled up. You and your friends have 46 HOW HE WON HE It. influence enough to secure one ; you know it, Justin," she urged. " But, my Minie, I know no more of the science of mili- tary tactics than I do of the art of alchemy," laughed Jus- tin. " What of that ? Are not lawyers' clerks, doctors' hoys, counter-jumpers, barhers, har-tenders, penny-a-liners, and all sorts of men, who know no more of the science of war than you do, daily turned into commissioned officers captains, majors, colonels, and even brigadier- generals ? " rather im- patiently demanded Erminie. "And hence the defeats that attended our arms during the first two years of the war. No, Erminie ; I am not so presumptuous as to apply for even a second lieutenancy, while conscious that I know nothing of tactics," said Justin, seriously. " Oh, hut you can learn. There are no end to the works on military tactics. You meet them staring you in the face from every bookseller's window, and find them lumber- ing up every counter where the new novels used to be dis- played." " I don't doubt it." " I could not begin to tell you how many there are ; but two of them I remember Casey's Infantry Tactics and Hardee's ditto ; each in three pretty volumes, that look for all the world like song-books little mites of volumes, that a hard student like you could master in a week." " I dare say," said Justin, smiling ; " and at the end v of a week I should be very competent to drill a company, manoeuvre a regiment, or fight a battle on paper ! " " Oh, nonsense, brother ! don't be sarcastic. I tell you it is all easy enough. I began reading the first volume of Hardee myself, and I assure you I feel equal to the simple regimental drill. Now do, Justin, study tactics for an ex- amination for a ( aptain's commission in one of the new regi- ments." JUSTIN ENLISTS . E LFIE DRILLS. 47 " My good little sister, tactics cannot be learned from books comfortably conned in the chimney corner. They must be learned on the parade ground and on the battle- field." " But I cannot bear that you, with your scholarly intellect and refined habits should be a common soldier, Justin ! I cannot bear it ! " said Erminie, almost ready to cry. " My Minie ! for ages to/come the children of the ' ccmmon soldiers ' who fight in this war for the Union will look back upon their forefathers with more just pride than ever did the sons of kings upon their royal ancestry." " I know it, Justin ! But, in the meantime, the associa- tion ! Why, the rank and file of our army are made up of all sorts of men ! " pleaded Erniinie. " My sister, your experience among the wounded soldiers in the hospitals must have taught you that there are as noble men and true gentlemen in the rank and file of our army as any that ever wore the stars of a major-general," said Jus- tin, very gravely. " I know it ! oh, I know it ! Heaven forgive me for my pride ; for while you spoke I thought of Grandison, a French- man, who died after many months of suffering in the Trinity Church hospital in Georgetown. He was one of the most accomplished scholars and polished gentlemen I ever met anywhere, not even excepting his countrymen the Orleans princes whom I met at the President's reception. Heaven forgive me for saying anything in disparagement of the common soldier ! " said Erminie, meekly, as her brown eyes filled with tears at the remembrance of the dying soldier whose death-bed she had smoothed. " And you will oppose my plan no longer, my sister ? " inquired Justin, caressing her. " No longer," she murmured in reply. So Justin went and enlisted in a new regiment that was being formed to go into active service. 48 HOWHEWONHER. And his sister saw no more of him for a week, at the end of which he re-appeared at the parsonage with his fine auburn hair cropped close to his head and surmounted by the soldier's cap, and his athletic form displayed to the very best advantage in the round blue jacket and trowsers of the private's uniform. The three young ladies were alone in the drawing-room when he was ushered in in this dress. Half laughing and half crying, Erminie sprang to wel- come him. With visible emotion Britomarte also offered him her hand. And Elfie openly expressed her opinion : " Justin, you were cut out for a common soldier ! I never saw you look so well in my life. But then the close- fitting ^miform of a private certainly does show off ' a fine figure oPa man/ as no other dress in the world could. Somehow or other, I think of a gladiator, and of an Apollo, and the Colossus of Rhodes, when I look at you in that tight fit, Mr. Rosenthal." " Miss Fielding, I am your slave and your knight. Were it permitted in the ranks, I would pin your glove upon my cap for a feather and bear it through the battle- field to certain victory ! " said Justin, laughing and bow- ing. " No, don't ! Britomarte would put a spider in my dumplin ! " " ELFIE ! " indignantly exclaimed Miss Conyers. " You know you'd poison me if I should dare to hem be a friend of Justin's ! Oh, I know ! I've read the story of the dog in the manger ! how the dog couldn't eat the hay and wouldn't let the heifer eat it ! " laughed the girl. "You are privileged to jest roughly, I suppose," said Miss Conyers, coldly. "I know I am," admitted Elfie " privileged to do JUSTIN ENLIST S. E L F I E DRILLS. 49 everything but flirt with Justin. If I was to dare to do that hush, girls ! you know how Britty can hate men, but you will never know how she can hate women until some unlucky woman gives Justin her glove to wear in bis cap ! Mercy ! there, I've done ! " exclaimed Elfie, shrinking from Britomarte's flashing eyes. " And now we'll change the subject. Justin, mon brave ! you look very clean and very nice ; your tight suit is such a clear bright blue, and your shirt-collar is as white as the driven snow ; but, Justin, mon ami, can you keep clean over there in camp ? that is the question ! or, when you come to see us, shall we have to put you in soak over night before we can breakfast with you next morning ? " " The river flows below our fort, and ihe sutlers keep a good supply of brown soap and crash towels, so I have hopes to be able to keep out of the category ofihe ( un- washed ! ' " said the volunteer. " I am very glad to hear it. For as far as my observa- tion goes, there seems to be the most intimate relationship, and an inevitable connection, between dirt and glory. Why, even my pap, in speaking of the victorious field of Gettysburg, could only describe it as a 'very dusty' place." As Justin was obliged to be back at his camp before the hour of " tattoo," he could stay but a few minutes with his friends. He soon arose, took an affectionate leave of them, and went away. After this they saw but little of him at the parsonage. And when Erminie wished to see her brother, she had to get a pass from the provost marshal's office, and cross the river, and visit him in camp, in one of the forts of the lines forming the southern defences of Washington. All this time Major Fielding passed his days reclining in an easy chair under the shade of the vine-wreathed porch, reading, smoking, and recruiting his strength. a 50 HO WHEW ON HER. Young Ethel went every day to the Navy Department, with which he seemed to have a great deal of business. Britomarte and Erminie went daily to the hospitals, with kind words and good gifts to the soldiers. And what was Elfie doing ? For one thing, she was making great havoc in the heart of the young lieutenant, who had been, from the first, fascinated by her elfin charms, and for another thing, by the mysteriousness and eccen- tricity of her appearance and deportment, she was exciting all manner of disagreeable conjectures concerning herself among her surrounding friends. She was not encouraging her young adorer ; far from it, she Was snubbing him in the most contemptuous manner possible, by either ignoring his offered attentions entirely, or else repelling them carelessly, as she would have brushed off a troublesome fly. She grew moody, silent and unsocial. She studied Casey's Tactics all day long, except for an hour in the morning, which she spent in drilling. She borrowed her father's rifle, and went through the exercises with it, while the quiet drawing-room of the parsonage echoed with " the accents of an unknown tongue." " Shoale-dore HUMS ! Pre-sent HUMS ! Shoale-dore HUMS !" "For you see, Britty, I notice that the drill officer on pa- rade don't say ' shoulder,' but l shoale-dore ! ' nor ' arms,' but ' hums ! ' and I want to be right by drill and not dic- tionary," Elfie explained to Miss Conyers, who sat watching her performance in amazement. " But Elfie, my dear, why do you go through all this ! " she inquired. "Don't you wish I'd tell you?" mocked Elfie, trailing arms and panting for breath. " Yes, I do ! " said Miss Conyers, gravely. "But I won't. Dear me, this rifle is very heavy," said JUSTIN ENLISTS. EL FIE DRILLS. 51 Elfie, as she set the arms up in a corner, and threw herself into an easy chair to recover her breath ; " I do wonder why the government don't have lighter ones made, such as might be handled easily by a boy of fifteen " "Or a girl of twenty," murmured Britomarte, looking wistfully at Major Fielding's daughter. " I am sure they have enough of such boys in the army " " And a few of such girls," murmured Miss Conyers thoughtfully. " And I don't wonder the poor lads drop exhausted on the inarch, carrying such heavy rifles." " Or that the poor lasses sometimes break down and get found out." " I wish to goodness they would make lighter ones ; I'm sure it would pay to do it." " So do I ; I think so, too," murmured Miss Conyers. " Britomarte, why do you sit there whispering to yourself like a wicked enchantress muttering her incantations? What are you saying or thinking ? " irritably questioned Elfie. " I am thinking, Elfie, from what I see, that you are con- templating enlistment ; and Elfie, I will not be the one to discourage you provided you have your father's consent," said Miss Conyers, earnestly. " Yes ; but I haven't got it, and I couldn't get it. At the mere mention of the thing the dear old boy raised such a row as never was. Blest if I didn't think he'd raise the other Old Boy from the place below, you know. No, Britty, I am not dreaming of enlisting." "Well, then, what are you dreaming of?" " Ah, wouldn't you like to know ? " " Indeed I should. What is it, Elfie ? " " Why, that's the mystery ; but it may come out in a few days, as the doctor said of the measles, or the cat of the mouse, I forget which." 52 HOWHEWONHER. "Elfie, what are you talking of, love? Mystery, measles, mouse what do you mean ? " "When does the draft come off?" inquired Elfie, with- out answering Britomarte's question. " Next week." " Then next week you will find out what I mean." "How?" " That's all." And that was all, for not another word of explanation could Britomarte get from Elfie. The next morning after this conversation, Justin paid one of his rare visits to the parsonage. He informed his sister that he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and laughingly pointed to the chevrons on his Major Fielding, who was much hetter, and was expecting to he ordered to his regiment, chuckled as he congratulated Corporal Rosenthal. " Your promotion is the second step up the ladder of military fame, on which your enlistment was the first step. And let me remind you, my hoy, that half the greatest generals the world has ever known were men who rose from the ranks. Why, Lord hless my soul, hoy, I myself en- listed as a private soldier, and see where I am now," said the major, with a little pardonable egotism. " Good gracious, pap, that was two years ago ! If Justin rises no faster than you did, the war will he over hefore he is a drill sergeant," said Elfie. " Yes ; but he will rise faster, daught'. Young men can rise faster, as well as run faster, than old ones. You see with me there were drawbacks, daught'. For one thing, I wasn't tip-top at the double-quick ! " " Except in retreat, pap ! " " Hush, you saucy imp ! " "But, in any case," sighed Erminie, "Justin's promo- tion must be very tedious." JUSTIN ENLISTS. ELFIE DRILLS. 53 "Not at all," said the major. " He will rise as fast as he learns. A young man like our volunteer here is not going to be overlooked in the lines. He will be promoted as fast as possible. The regiment is not filled up yet, you know. New companies are being formed. And I will guarantee, before the regiment marches, Justin will have received his captain's commission." " Heaven send it ! " aspirated Erminie. "Dear sister, and good friends," said Justin, earnestly, " I beg you to understand that I did not enter the army to seek my own advancement, but to do my duty to my country." " I know that, Justin," said Erminie " know it well ; but " " Advancement will be your destiny whether you seek it or not," said the major. As time was up, and Justin had to be back in camp by the evening roll call, he took leave of his sister and friends and departed. The prophecies of Major Fielding were fulfilled. Justin rose rapidly from the ranks. The next ti'me he visited his sister, he wore the badge of a sergeant upon his sleeves. And he delighted Erminie with the announcement that the colonel of his regiment had notified him that he should have a lieutenant's commission in a company that was then being formed of new recruits, and had also hinted at still further advancement. 54 HOW HEWON HER CHAPTER IV. THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. "Tis often in the parting hour, Victorious love asserts his power O'er coldness and disdain ; For flinty is her heart can view To battle march her lover true. Can hear perchance his last adieu, Nor own her share of pain WALTBB SCOTT. AT length the draft commenced, and the city was in a pretty state of excitement. There were hundreds of youths who had been withheld by the authority of parents or the persuasions of friends from volunteering, but who were now in great hopes of being drafted and " made to do as they liked." And there were hundreds of men whose health had never been known to suffer before, but who now sud- denly fell ill of grievous disorders. Never no, never since the cholera of '32, had the city been so sickly. Never were so many people at one time affected with so many aches and pains. It was as if Pandora's box had been then and there opened for the first time, and all the maladies to which flesh is heir had been sown broadcast over the dis- trict. And never had there been such deplorable destitu- tion ; never so many only grandmothers, widowed mothers, orphaned sisters and motherless children dependent upon men for support. But what else could be expected ? All, or nearly all, the heroes had volunteered long before the enrollment ; and the men who did not were either serv- ing humanity in some other way, or else lacked the power or the will to serve their country. But in all the excited multitude not one was more ex- cited than our Elfie. Every morning when the paper came, she was the first to seize it ; and she would let her coffee grow cold while she THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. 55 read out the list of drafted men to the company at the Lreakfast table. And 011 the day on which the draft for her sub-district was to come off, Elfie was very nearly beside herself. She could not be easy for one moment. She rambled all over the house and grounds in the most restless manner. She drilled a little while, and then she threw aside her rifle and rc-coinmenced her rambles. She bought every edition of the evening papers, extras and all, and read the list of the drafted men ; but at the very latest issue the list was in- complete, and Elfie was discontented. In the morning she was the first one down stairs, watch- ing for the early paper. It came, and the list was complete. But on this occasion, for the first time, Elfie omitted to read it aloud, and apparently no one had interest enough in the subject to try their eyes over the diamond type. But Elfie, who had been insane herself with anxiety on the pre- ceding day, seemed mad with exultation on this. She laughed at every tiling and at nothing. She sang and danced all over the house, and drilled more than ever. " Really, Elfie," said Erminie, " one would think that yesterday you had been in an agony of suspense lest some favorite brother or friend should be drafted, and that to-day you are in an ecstacy of joy on perceiving -that he has escaped. What ails you dear ? " " Never mind, you'll soon see. ' We are coming, Father Abraham, Five hundred thousand more,' " replied Elfie, singing and dancing out of the room. In two or three days they did know. It was one morning after breakfast. Major Fielding had walked out for the first time since he was wounded. Miss Conyers had just dropped in for a morning call. Erminie, Elfie, Britomarte and Lieutenant Ethel were 56 HOW HE WON HER. assembled in the drawing-room, discussing the one great topic of the day, the very last battle, when there came a ring at the bell, followed by the entrance of Uncle Bob, bringing a large, formidable-looking letter, and gazing around in per- plexity, as doubting to whom to deliver it. " Penny pos', Miss," he said at length, appealing to the young mistress of the house. But Elfie sprang up and darted past everyone, and seized the letter, exclaiming : " It is for me ! " " For you, Elfie ? That letter !" said Erminie, in incred- ulous surprise. " Yes ; if you doubt it look at it ! " replied Elfie, triumph- antly, turning the back of the letter to the whole group, so that each one could read its superscription. It was a long, large, yellow envelope, bearing on its upper- right-hand corner the words : PKOVOST MARSHAL'S OF- FICE. Official Business. Directed to Sydney Fielding. And exclamations of wonder broke from all present. " It cannot be for you, Elfie. It is from the Provost Mar- shal's office, and on official business. You can have no official business with the Provost Marshal, my dear," said Erminie. "Can'tl?" mocked Elfie. " But what business can you have ? " " You'll hear presently We are coming! we are coming' our Union to restore >" "Elfie, dear, do stop singing, and be reasonable. This letter is directed to Sydney Fielding. There must be a mis- take. Sydney Fielding ! " " Well, what is my name ? Isn't it Elfrida Sydney Field- ing !" "Yes; but " " Just so. The Elfrida's left out. I had it left out on THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. 57 purpose. Not that I intend to claim exemption on that ac- count, like the poltroon Jonson, who tried to get off on the ground that the enrolling officer had spelt his name wrong? naturally writing it 'Johnson.' This summons is directed to Sydney Fielding, which means me, Elfrida Sydney Fielding, since there is no other Sydney Fielding in existence, and I shall respond to it." " Summons ! Enrolling officer ! Whatever do you mean, Elfie ? " inquired Erminie, in growing amazement, which was fully shared by young Ethel. As for Britomarte, she seemed to know, or guess, the meaning of the whole affair. " Wait a minute ! " said Elfie, breaking the broad seal, and reading the letter, which was half print and half manu- script. Her companions watched her impatiently. " I knew it ! " she exclaimed, jumping up and singing : " ' We are coming, we are coming, our Union to restore ! ' " " Oh, Elfie ! Elfie ! are you quite distracted ? " exclaimed Erminie, in distress. " No, my dear, I am not ' distracted ; ' I am only draft- ed!" said Elfie. " Drafted ! " exclaimed all, in a breath. " Yes, drafted, friends and fellow citizens I " " Elfie, you are crazed," said Erminie. " No, not ' crazed ' conscripted ! You always hit upon the right initial, but not on the right word ! " replied Elfie. " You do not mean to say, in sober earnest, that you are drafted, Miss Fielding ? Such a thing was never heard of! Women have enlisted, and have served ; but always when disguised as men. I never in my life heard of a woman be- ing drafted. Such an event would be impossible," said Lieu- tenant Ethel. " ' Impossible ! ' Lor ! " mocked Elfie. " Are you so young and green as not to know impossible things constant- ly happen ? And here is the proof in black and white." 58 HOWHEWONHER. " If that document is the official summons of a drafted man, it proves beyond a doubt that it was never intended for you," urged the young officer. " For whom then ? " mockingly inquired Elfie. "Why, of course, for some individual who was enrolled under that name." " All right I I was the individual enrolled under that name." " You, Elfie ! " exclaimed all her companions, in a breath. "Yes I, Elfie. Now, if you will all stop exclaiming and gesticulating, I'll explain." "Do so, then." " Well, you know, last June, when the enrolling officers were going round ? " "Yes," said Erminie. " The day they came here no one was at home but myself and the servants. You, Erminie, were at the hospitals, and my pap was with General Hooker. So I was keeping house that morning, when there came a peremptory ring at the bell. Old Bob, as usual, answered it, and then came to me with a scared face, saying there were two ' ossifer gemmen' at the door, asking for the head of the family." " Well ? " " I was the vice-head, and so I went out to see what was wanted. There stood the two enrolling officers, with the big books and stumpy pens. I knew what they were at a glance. They looked tired and heated that warm summer day, so I invited them to sit down and rest in that cool, shady porch, which they did ; when this sort of talk came off : " ' How many male adults are there belonging to this house ? ' inquired the spokesman. " ' Three or four in all,' I said. " ' Name them if you please.' " ' First, then, there is the Reverend Justin Eosenthal.' " He began to take that name down. THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. 59 " ' But then he sailed for India two years ago, and it is feared he is lost at sea/ I went on. " He staj^ed his hand, and looked annoyed, but then said: " < Go on. Who else ? ' ' Well, then there is Benoni Fielding.' " Away he went scribbling at that name. " ' He is with General Hooker's army/ I continued. " He snatched up his hand impatiently, exclaiming : " ' Then of course we don't want his name. Who else ? ' " ' Eobert Snowflake,' I answered. " Off he started scribbling again. " ' He is an African gentleman, aged seventy, the same old man who opened the door for you, I added. "Again his hand was arrested, and he inquired, half angrily : " ' Well, is there any one else in the house ? ' " ' Yes,' I said ' there is Sydney Fielding.' " ( Well, before I take that name down I must be sure that he is not lost at sea.' " ' No,' I answered. " ' Nor serving with General Hooker ? ' "'No.' " ' Nor yet an African gentleman aged seventy ? ' " ' No,' I assured him ; ( Sydney Fielding is at present at home, and not in the service, is white, is twenty years old, and sound in mind and body. " ' He'll do, then, beyond the least doubt ! ' exclaimed the enrolling officer, entering the name of Sydney Fielding on his list. Then he inquired : " ' Is there any other male adult in the house ? ' " I answered, ' No not one.' " And he shut up his book, and asked me the favor of a cool drink of water, which Uncle Bob brought him. When he and his companion had drank their fill, they thanked 60 HOW HE WON HER. me and went away. And that's all," said Elfie, with, a sigh of relief. " Well, I declare I never heard such a story in my life ! " exclaimed Erminie, while Lieutenant Ethel looked grave, and Britomarte seemed amused. "Now see here, friends," said Elfie, as if she were upon her defence, " I told no fibs to the enrolling officer not one. If he enrolled me it was all his doings, not mine. You know they are a very suspicious set, those enrollers. They are always suspecting us of suppressing the name of some favorite friend or relative, to keep him from catching cold in the draft." " They have often just cause for suspicion," said young Ethel. " Be that as it may, these officers must have suspected me of suppressing some name. For when I had cited every male creature belonging to the premises, he persisted in in- quiring if there was ' any one else ? ' Mind, he didn't say any man, but any ' one.' So I was able to answer, ' Yes, there was Sydney Fielding.' And thinking only of men, he took it for granted that Sydney Fielding was the name of a man, and enrolled it accordingly." " It was a practical joke on your part, of course, Elfie, but you can carry it no farther. You will either take no notice of this summons, or you will get your father to take it up to the Provost Marshal's office and explain," said Er- minie, gravely. "Indeed I shall do neither one nor the other. I shall just obey the summons by walking up to the Provost Mar- shal's office and reporting myself." "Oh, Elfie! Elfie! But your father will never pern.a you to take such an extraordinary step," exclaimed Errniniu in dismay. " I shan't stop to consult him. I shall promptly obey peremptory orders. I shall go up and report for duty. I THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. 61 have been regularly enrolled, regularly drafted, and I shall regularly report." " Oh, Elfie ! Elfie ! how shocking ! " " Why, see here. I must. I don't come under any one of the heads of exemption. I know that much. I am not an alien, nor an invalid, nor an idiot. I am not under eighteen or over forty-five. I am neither the only son of my grandmother, nor am I the father of fourteen small mother- less children, and one at the breast. In short, I cannot put in even the smallest of the numerous pleas by which the cowards cry off from serving their country. I am a native born citizen of the United States, aged twenty years, sound in mind and body, wind and limb, single, and with no one but my country depending on me for support." And so saying, Elfie jumped up and danced out of the room to the tune of " Kally round the flag, boys ! rally once again ! " " Will she be so mad as to act upon that summons ? " in- quired young Ethel, in consternation. Britomarte laughed. Erminie sighed. Neither could answer his question. To the confusion of all her friends, Elfie did act npon. that summons. When Erminie went in search of her to try to persuade her to abandon her wild project, Elfie was no where to be found. Britomarte and Erminie went their morning rounds of the hospitals, and returned home to dinner. But Elfie did not appear. Neither, luckily, did her father. The two friends went out again on their afternoon rounds, and re- turned to tea. They found Major Fielding walking up and down on the porch. He greeted the young ladies cordially, and apologized for his \mexpected absence from the dinner table by explaining that he had met a brother officer, who Inul carried him off to dine at Willard's. Then he in- quired : 62 HOWHEWONHER. "Where is my girl? I haven't seen her since I came home." " She is in her room, perhaps," answered Ermmie, un- easily, but hoping earnestly that Elfie might he found there. Erminie hurried into the house, and up stairs to Elfie's chamber, where, sure enough, she found the girl, with her bonnet and shawl thrown carelessly upon the floor, and her- self sitting down on the sofa, sulking. " Oh, Elfie, dearest, I am so glad to see you back again. We have been so anxious about you all day. Where have you been, darling ? " exclaimed Erminie, going towards her. " Where have I been ? To the Provost Marshal's office, of course." "Oh, my dear!" " Yes, I have. But would you believe it, Erminie ? they wouldn't accept me. No, they wouldn't, although I told them all that I told you, and proved to them that I didn't come under any one of the heads of exemption, and that I was both willing and able to serve my country. No ; for all I could say they wouldn't accept me." " My dear, did you really expect that they would ? " in- quired Erminie in astonishment. " I don't see why they shouldn't. It's all bosh about my being a woman. I tell you, Erminie, a healthy young woman is quite as well able to perform military duty as most men are, and much more able than the mere boys they are constantly mustering into the ranks. I put that all to them. But they laughed at me they did, the narrow- minded old fogies ! " " My dear, it was the most indulgent manner in which they could have treated your bad joke," gravely replied Er- minie. " Joke ? I never was more in earnest in my life. I did my duty. But they didn't do theirs. And mind, Erminie, THE SOLDIER'S LOVE. 63 I didn't abandon my point very easily. I didn't until they sent me away from the office." " Well, I hope here is an end of the whole absurd affair, my dear Elfie. And I am very glad that your good father has not been vexed by hearing of it." " But here is not an end of it. Erminie, I mean either to serve in the army, as some women are doing a-t this present moment, or I will furnish a substitute in some able bodied alien." " Then, darling, as your father is well off in means, not- withstanding his great losses, I see no objection to your fur- nishing a substitute, though you are not obliged to do so. I myself have a representative in the field." " You, Erminie ! " " Yes, dear, and I think it the duty of every wealthy and independent woman in the country to have a representative in the army. But come, your father is waiting for you, Elfie. And tea is ready. Let us go to it." The two girls rose to leave the room. " Dear Elfie, pray do not speak of this vexatious subject before your father this evening. This, you know, is his first day out. He has made a long one of it, and he looks tired ; so let him have his tea in peace," said Erminie, as they went down stairs. " All right. I'll not say anything to spoil the dear old boy's digestion or disturb his night's rest." " ' Old boy ! ' Oh, Elfie ! to speak of your father so ! How I wish you had a little more veneration ! " " So do I ; but as I haven't, what's the use of talking ? May be though honest affection isn't a bad substitute." "And you have that, Elfie dear, certainly. Here we are," said Erminie, opening the back hall door leading out on the lawn, where, under the shade of a spreading horse chestnut tree, tbe neat tea table was set. Britomarte, Major Fielding and Lieutenant Ethel were al- ready out there. 64 HOWHEWONHER. Young Ethel started with delight on seeing Elfie ; but Erminie raised her finger in a warning manner, and he sub- sided into quietness. Not a word was said about Elfie's ad- venture. They sat down at the table. Erminie poured out the tea. The major gave a description of the friends he had met at an early dinner at Willard's. And he spoke of his approaching departure to join his regi- ment. Lieutenant Ethel announced his own appointment to the command of the gun-boat " Thunderbolt/' then lying off the Navy Yard. While they were still at the table the garden gate opened and Justin entered, smiling. They all arose eagerly to welcome him. He shook hands with Britomarte and Elfie, and with the two gentlemen, and kissed his sister, and then drew a chair to the table, where room was speedily made for him. " Why, he wears the captain's straps ! " exclaimed Elfie, in delight. "Yes," smiled Justin, "I have my company at last, Elfie." " But you said nothing about it ! " "I wanted to see whether you would notice the straps without my pointing them out." " Well, I declare ! Ladies and gentlemen I have the honor to present to you Captain Eosenthal ! " said Elfie, solemnly. "I saw your new straps, Justin dear I saw them at once. What change could take place in you that I should not see ? " said Erminie, in a low voice. " I understood you, my sister," murmured Justin. Then he turned his eyes on Britomarte. She met the glance and answered gravely : "When you are promoted for services rendered on the battle-field, Justin, then I will congratulate you." THE SOLDIER'S LOVE.. 65 Captain Bosenthal bowed in silence. " Certainly; what have we all been thinking of? He has risen from the ranks without ever having been under fire ; he has been advanced upon the small merits of keeping himself clean and minding his drill. Bosh ! When you have seen twenty well-fought fields and come to us with one arm and both legs off and the stars of a major-general on, then we'll make much of you," said Elfie. " Oh, how cruel ! " murmured Erminie. "No, they are not cruel, my sister. They are right," said Justin. "Promotion is best earned in the battle- field, where I shall soon seek it. Though I hope to bring back a limb or two more than Elfie would leave me." " Yes I hope so too ; for she would literally leave you not a leg to stand upon ! " exclaimed Major Fielding heartily. Justin then announced that the brigade to which hia regiment belonged was now ready for service, and was hourly expecting marching orders. And when tea was over he took leave and departed. It was not until the next morning, at the breakfast table, that Major Fielding discovered his daughter's esca- pade. Now that the draft was over, Elfie no longer read the papers aloud while others breakfasted. So Major Fielding had the morning paper in his hand, leisurely looking over it while he sipped his coffee. Suddenly he set down his cup with emphasis, and nearly let out an oath. Erminie, Elfie and Ethel looked up to see what was the matter. " What the is this ? How is it ? Why wasn't I told about it ? Answer, Miss ! " exclaimed the angry old soldier, turning upon his daughter. " Now here's a row ! Answer what ? Now don't ob- 4 66 HOWHEWONHER. streperate, but explain, pap," coolly replied Elfie, as she daintily ate her egg from its shell. " This, Miss ! THIS ! " exclaimed the almost infuriated old man, holding up the paper with one hand and rapping upon it with the fist of the other. " Don't make a noise over the breakfast table, you dear old boy it is impolite ; and don't destroy the paper be- fore other people have read it, it is selfish. But tell me like a good boy, what's the row ? " " She is half right. Erminie, my dear, I beg your par- dan ; but that girl of mine is enough to drive any sane man mad ! Ethel, take that and read it," said the major, extend- ing the paper to the lieutenant and pointing out the offensive paragraph. It was headed A GIRL DRAFTED BY MISTAKE AND INSISTING ON SERVING. And it was a full account of Elfie's visit to the Provost Marshal's office and all that took place in her interview with the officers there. " There ! " said the major, when Ethel had finished read- ing '' what do you think of that ? Oh, I'll take her across to St. Elizabeth's and shut her up in the lunatic asylum ! " "No you won't, pap! People can't do that with sane women in this country ! Now do be jus-t ! that's a nice old boy ! Could I help being drafted ? " " It was some infernal mistake ! I beg your pardon, Er- minie, my dear. It was some mistake. But you could have helped reporting, you exasperating " " As if I would have helped reporting, pap ? No ! I leave that sort of poltroonry to the men ! " said Elfie. The major fairly shook with wrath. "Be consoled, pap, they wouldn't have me, you know. They said I didn't belong to a good fighting family ! " said Elfie. THE SOLDIEK'S LOVE. 67 The major started up from the breakfast table, and left the room in hot anger. The breakfast party looked dismayed. Erminie arose and threw her arms around the perverse girl's neck, and pleaded with her. " Elfie ! dear Elfie, go after him. Ask his forgiveness. Make friends with your father ! " " Leave me alone, Minie ! I know my dear, old governor ; he'll soon be all right ! " said Elfie. But the dear, old governor did not get over his vexa- tion as soon as Elfie expected. He kept his little daugh- ter at a distance for some days. "Come, pap," she said to him one morning, "let's compromise ! I will promise you ' never to do so more/ if you will buy me a substitute ! " But the indignant major made her no reply. Elfie persisted in her proposal with all the perseverance of the Beast, who daily for a year asked Beauty to marry him. " Come, pap ! buy me a substitute and I'll promise you not to run away in boy's clothes, and 'list ! " Bu-t still the old man did not deign to answer. All this time, also, Elfie was, as she always had been, in all substan- tial services a most devoted daughter to her father. She attended to his room, to put all those little finishing touches to its comfort that no one but herself could effect. She kept his clothes in perfect order. She had one of his half-dozen pairs of slippers always just where he wanted them. His pipe was always at hand. His pitcher of iced lemonade was never empty. Nothing that tended to his comfort was wanting." But still the major was inexorable. " Just look at my pap ! " Elfie would sometimes say, " sit- ting there sulking and distilling bile ! If "he goes on this way much longer, he'll make himself so sick I shall have to 68 HOW HE WON HER. give him a dose of calomel and jalap ! Pap ! you may sulk as long as you please, and make yourself as yellow as saffron, but if you don't buy me a substitute I'll 'list ! I will, as gure as I'm the daughter of a hero ! " So at length by coaxing, threatening, wheedling, and bantering, Elfie brought her indulgent old father out of his anger, and so far into her way of thinking that he actually did buy her a substitute. He gave five hundred dollars to a fine young foreigner to represent Elfie in the field. CHAPTER V. THE LOVERS' PARTING. She weeps the weary day, The war upon her native soil, Her lover's risk in battle broil. SCOTT. BRITOMARTE boarded with a widow of the name of Bur- ton, who had three grown daughters. They lived in a small white cottage, in a large, shady garden, in the north- eastern suburbs of the city, and not very far from the par- sonage. The mother and daughters supported themselves by taking in plain sewing from the quartermaster's depart- ment. As Britoniarte was their only boarder, and was con- tented to share their own simple and frugal meals, her living was inexpensive, and she paid for it by needle work. Every hour of the day that she did not devote to visiting the hospitals with Erminie, was employed in this work, and the stroke of midnight often found her still at her needle. And yet, with all this industry, Britomarte could scarcely make enough to pay her small expenses. Justin and Erminie guessed all this, and felt great but vain regret ; for so long as Miss Conyers remained so obsti- * H E LOVER'S PARTING. 69 nately proud and independent, they could do nothing on earth to assist her. " It seems to me," complained Erminie, " that if I were in Britomarte's place, I would allow those who love me to improve my condition." " You cannot understand her, and I do not blame her," answered Justin. Once, while the two girls were on their way to the Doug- lass Hospital, Erminie said: " Britomarte, dearest, if you will he so independent, why can you not be so in a more agreeable way agreeable to yourself, I mean? Instead of delving over those coarse garments for the quartermaster's department, why do you not give music lessons ? " " Because, my dear, I only want transient work, some- thing that I can give up at any moment without wronging any one." " But what do you mean by that, Britomarte ? " " My stay in Washington is short and uncertain." " Oh, pray don't say that. Where will you go ? " " I do not know, dear," answered Miss Conyers, in that grave tone that forbade farther cross-questioning. So Erminie sighed a-nd fell into silence. Britomarte was now so closely engaged that she seldom got time to spend an evening at the parsonage. Something like a fortnight had elapsed since that evening when she had taken tea with Erminie, and laughed at Justin for his mere camp promotions ; and since then she had not visited their house. One afternoon she sat diligently sewing on a coarse blue jacket, when Mrs. Burton came up to her room and told her that there was an old colored man below asking to speak to her. She went down stairs and found Uncle Bob, who handed her a note from Erminie. 70 * HOW HE WON HER. It was very short, and ran thus : "Dear Britomarte, please come to me at once, for lam in great distress. ERMINIE" What is the matter, Uncle Bob ? " she inquired. Ma'am ? " " Is there anything amiss at your house ? " "No, ma'am, not as I knows of. Miss Erminie is crying, hut I aint heern no had news." Britomarte ran up to her room, and put on her honnet and shawl, and came down and joined the old servant, and started for the parsonage. But her fleet steps soon dis- tanced his feeble ones, and she arrived at the house first, and hurried immediately to the library, where she found Erminie in tears. " What is it all, my dearest ? " inquired Miss Conyers, throwing off her bonnet and shawl, and taking Erminie in her arms. " Oh, Britomarte, I have no courage at all when the test comes," sobbed Erminie, dropping her head upon the bosom of her friend. '.' But what is it, dearest ? " again inquired Miss Conyers, with a misgiving heart. " Oh, can't you imagine ? Oh, Britomarte, the brigade has marching orders at last. It is to leave in the boats this evening." Even Britomarte for an instant reeled under the blow, but in another she rallied and replied : " That is well. We don't want any more camp heroes, Ermiuie." " But it is so sudden. True, we were expecting this, or rather hearing of it, every day. But it had got to be an old story. I began to think that the brigade would remain in the forts, when about an hour ago came an orderly ser- geant with this note from Justin listen to it," said Erminie, unfolding a little note and reading : THE LOVER'S PARTING. 71 Head Quarters of the Fort " MY DEAREST SISTER : We have received our march- ing orders. We go by the six o'clock boats this afternoon. I will try to see 3 T ou before we leave. If I cannot get to the house, will you be at the wharf? And as you love me, send for Britomarte, and prevail on her to remain with you at the house, or accompany you to the wharf, as the case may require. Heaven bless you both. JUSTIN." " It is now two o'clock. Shall you stay here or go to the wharf? " inquired Britomarte, in a tremulous tone. " I shall temain here until five o'clock. If he does not come before that hour, I shall know that he will not come at all, and that the only chance we shall have of taking leave of him, will be at the wharf," replied Erminie. " My darling, if he is not here within a very few moments, he will not be here at all ; for you know he must leave himself time enough after visiting you to get back to camp to march his company." "That is true. Still, it is not worth while for us to leave the house before five o'clock, as they will not be at the boats before half-past five," said Erminie. " You are right," agreed Britomarte. " And oh ! I still hope that he may come here. It will be dreadful to have to bid him good-bye at the wharf, in the multitude of men. But if I do have to go to the wharf, you will go with me, Britomarte ? " pleaded Er- minie. " Certainly," replied Miss Conyers. " And oh ! Britty, Britty, if you would only give him a little hope a little hope to cheer him on his way." " Don't speak of it, Erminie. I would die for your brother rather than sacrifice my principles so far." Erminie sighed and forbore to reply. "2 HOWHEWONHER. " Where is Elfie ? " inquired Miss Conyers, to change the conversation. "She is packing her father's portmanteau. He, too, leaves us to join his regiment to-morrow ; and Ethel goes the day after. We shall have a lonely house here, Brito- marte." "You will fill it with .refugees from the South, never fear," said Miss Conyers, cheerfully. Even while she spoke, the door bell rang sharply. " That is Justin ! " she exclaimed, springing to her feet and running out to meet him. Britomarte remained pale and breathless where Erminie had left her. There was a sound of meeting, and of sobbing, and of cheering words, and then the brother and sister entered the library. Britomarte arose and gave her hand to Justin. He pressed it in silence. They could not trust themselves to speak just then. " How long can you stay with us, my brother ? " said Erminie, striving hard to control her emotion and to speak with composure. "I may remain with you until five o'clock, dear. My first lieutenant will march my company to the boat, and I have leave to join it there." " Thank Heaven for so much grace ! " replied Erminie, as she turned and left the room. She went out from a two-fold motive to order a dainty dinner prepared, so that they all might partake of one more meal together, and also to give her brother the oppor- tunity of making one more last appeal to his obdurate love. When they were left alone together, Justin and Brito- marte remained for a few moments silent and motionless. Both were too full of suppressed emotion to trust them- selves to move or speak. THE LOVER'S PARTING. 78 Justin was the first to master himself. When he had done so, he approached Britomarte, stood before her a moment, and then taking her hand, said, in a tone thrilled with passion : " I promised you never again to speak of the subject nearest my heart." " Then keep your promise, Justin," she said, in a gentle, solemn voice. " You will not free me from it ? " I cannot." Britomarte ! " "Well?" " Do you know why, after so long a delay, we have at length received such sudden marching orders ? " " I do not." " Nor yet where we are going ? " "No." " I will tell you. We are ordered to C , to reinforce General M , who is hourly expecting a battle." Britomarte started as if she had suddenly received a stab ; but quickly recovered herself, and firmly replied : " Then I congratulate you, Justin. I would to Heaven I could stand at your side your brother-in-arms on tho day of battle ! " " So would not I," said Justin, gravely " so would not I. But, Britomarte, you have it in your power to give my arm great strength, if you please to do so." " Love of your country should be all sufficient to nerve your arm, Justin," she answered, earnestly. He took her hand, and sought to read her face ; but she turned away her head to conceal the emotion she could not quite control. They were interrupted : 'Malbrook is bound to the wars I Malbrook is bound to the wars ! 74 HOW HE WON HER. Malbrook is bound to the wars ! And I hope he'll never return!'" sang Elfie, dancing into the room. " So you are really off, are you, Justin ? " she inquired, giving him her hand. " Yes, Elfie really, off at last," replied Justin, smiling. " Well, so is my governor, and so is my substitute ! And I wish with all my heart and soul that I was going too ! But, you see, I have given my pap my sacred word not to enlist, unless my substitute jumps the bounty, or gets himself killed or taken prisoner ! " said Elfie. Erminie hearing the voices in the library, thought it would be of no use for her to remain out any longer, depriv- ing herself of her brother's society. So she came in. And after that the conversation, under the auspices of Elfie, became general and cheerful. A very nice dinner was served at four o'clock. And Jus- tin and the three young ladies sat down to it together. Major Fielding and Lieutenant Ethel were not at home, and not expected before six o'clock. After dinner Erminie sent out for a carriage. " You must let us ride down to the wharf witn you, Justin, and se^e you off," said his sister. " Yes, yes it is just what I wish," he answered. " Britomarte, dear Britomarte, you, too, will go with us," pleaded Erminie. " Of course I shall, love," murmured Miss Conyers, in reply. " Elfie dear, I know that you must stay here to receive your father when he comes in to dinner, else I would ask you also to go with us," said Erminie. "Thanks for nothing!" laughed Elfie. "I can't go, and I don't want to go; and as Captain Eosenthal is neither my brother nor my lover, there is no necessity for me to go." THE LOVER'S PARTING. 75 The carriage was at the door at five o'clock. Justin took leave of Elfie, left his regards for Major Fielding and Lieutenant Ethel, and then entered the car- riage where Britomarte and Erminie were already seated. A half hour's rapid driving brought them to the steam- boat wharf, which was now a scene of great excitement. The troops were embarking ; and a great number of people relatives, friends and even mere acquaintances were assembled to see them off. The regiments were embarked by companies. And while one company would be passing on to the boat in files, those remaining on the wharf were "at rest." Some were devouring fruit and cakes at the stands on the grounds ; some buying papers of the news-boys, who were crying the last victory ; some were shaking hands with friends ; and others, many others, were bidding good- bye to mothers, wives, sisters, or sweethearts, assembled there, " to see the last of them." In the crowd one boy attracted Britomarte's attention. Though he wore the uniform of a soldier, he did not seem to be more than fifteen years of ad from shore to shore. The boat stopped there. The military officer in charge of the commissary depot ca ne down from the block-house to see the visitors. After bowing to the ladies, and shaking hands with Mr. A] '.ison, who was his old acquaintance, and learning that th3 visitors were a company of picnickers on a party of pleasure, he courteously invited them all to come on shore, and accept such hospitality as h'is quarters were able to aFord. But, knowing from personal experience that the accom- modations of the block-house were not of the most tempt- ing description, Allison, on the part of the company, thanked the captain, declined the invitation, and pressed him, instead, to Join them at their lunch, and accompany them afterwards as guide in their rambles through the magnificent scenery of the place. The captain readily agreed to this proposition, and then eagerly inquired if they had brought the morning papers along. " Lots of them," answered Allison, laughing. " I thought of that before I came away. I knew that the most acceptable offering I could bring to men stationed at these sequestered outposts would be the daily papers. I knew it would be too early for the newsboys; so before reporting myself at the parsonage, where our party assembled to start, I went the rounds of the printing-offices and astonished the printers by buying up the morning papers by hundreds. And we have been distributing them to the picket guards all along our way. And groat gifts our boys thought them, I assure you. However, don't be alarmed ; we have saved enough for you." 124 HOW HE WON HER. And so saying, Allison handed over a packet of news- papers, that was as welcome to the officer in command of this outpost, as ever was news from home to an exile ahroad. Meanwhile, with laughing and jesting, and much merri- ment, the picnickers were leaving the hoat. The hampers were brought on shore ; a nice, high spot, a natural opening in the forest, was selected ; the cloth was kid on the dry, burnished grass, and the feast was spread a light repast of fruits, cakes and wines, for it was yet too early to think of dinner. " But how about the guerrillas ? Heard or seen anything of Monck and his band of brigands, lately ? " inquired Mr. Allison of the captain, as they all gathered around the luncheon, and sat down upon t-he grass. " Not a breath, not a sign of them for many weeks past," answered the officer. " That's good. I'm glad to hear that. I shouldn't like to have a raid made upon our party to-day." This was said jestingly, and the captain laughed as he replied : " Oh, no fear of that. The guerrillas keep far enough away from our neighborhood. ; A11 quiet along the Potomac,' I do assure you." So in the evergreen wood they chatted, and jested, and laughed over the prolonged luncheon. At length they all a-rose from the grass, and began to prepare for their ramble. The ladies hoisted their parasols, the gentlemen put on their wide-awakes, and everybody asked everybody else " Where shall we go first ? " " Have you ever seen the Lady's Leap ? " inquired the captain. " No never," answered a score of voices. "Nor the Devil's Dripping Pan ? " UNEXPECTED GUEST AT A PICNIC. 125 "No." " Nor the Eagle's Eyrie ? " " No, for no one but myself of this company has ever been here before," answered Allison for all his party. " Then we had better visit them in turn," counselled the captain. And everybody answered "Yes." And the whole party, led on by the captain and Mr. Allison, set out on their excursion. They went first to the Lady's Leap, a lofty rock over- looking the Falls, where a lovesick girl was reputed to have taken a fatal leap into the river below. Next they visited the Devil's Dripping Pan, a great basin of rock nearly circular in form. Finally they took a look at the Eagle's Eyrie, the highest point of land within many miles of the place. And then, fatigued with their long ramble, they returned to their boat to rest.' Now, had the programme of the excursion been carried out to the letter, a great mischance might have been averted. But it was not. Elfie, at least, seemed possessed by the evil one, who inspired her with a love of adventure. She would not hear of terminating the excursion at the Great Falls. It was a glorious afternoon, and having visited the most striking scenes around the Falls, she wished to go farther up the river. The captain, who had returned with them on the boat, sided with Elfie. " It would be a pity," he said, " to turn back without having seen the fine scenery above. Why, you might even run up as high as the Point of Kocks a magnificent view." " To be sure we might," said Elfie j " and even if we 126 HOW HE WON HER. should be late in returning, there will be moonlight'to come home by. It will be perfectly delightful." " And we have everything along to make us comfortable," said Allison. In fact, when the extension of their expedition was once fairly and broadly proposed and discussed, it was unani- mously agreed upon. And it was decided that they should immediately start for the upper river, should stop and dine at the Point of Hocks, and then return home by moonlight. To be sure Elfie felt a few twinges of conscience when she thought how great would be Erminie's anxiety at her prolonged absence, but Elfie, with a mental jerk, exclaimed to herself: 11 Bother ! if she shouldn't be worrying about me, she would be worrying about somebody else some dying sol- dier in the hospital, some starving refugee from the South, or some condemned criminal in his cell. It's all the same to her." And so the picnickers bade adieu to their new friend, the commander of the blockhouse, and their boat steamed away up the canal for the Point of Rocks. Above the Falls the scenery was much finer than it was below. The river was narrower, and higher ; and the huge frowning precipices on each shore darker and loftier. The company, with their lately exuberant spirits some- what toned down by the fatigues of the day, no longer sang jubilant Union songs with uproarious choruses; but sat silently enjoying the beauty of the scene, or quietly conversing with each other, or listening to Mr. Billingcoo, who, with his guitar in his hands and his eyes turned up, reclined on the deck and sung lispingly to his own accom- paniment one of Thomas Moore's sentimental songs : UNEXPECTED GUEST AT A PICNIC. 127 " Kow gently here, ray gondolier, Tho thoftly wake the tide, That not an ear, on earth, thall hear But herth to whom we glide. Ah, did we take for Heaven above But half the painth that we Take day and night for woraan'th lore, What angelth we thould be ! " So he sang the whole song through, dwelling upon the last word and lingering on the last note with his fingers on the chords of the instrument and his eyes fixed on the clouds in the sky, like one possessed ; until Elfie awoke him with this criticism : " It is very fine indeed, Mr. Billingcoo, only it would take a very powerful effort of imagination to transform this matter-of-fact steam-packet to a Venetian gondola. How- ever, I really think we have the advantage of your gondo- lier. For we are gliding by the most beautiful scenery in the whole world, and he appears to have had nothing better in that way than narrow canals and high stone walls." " Mith Fielding, have you no thentiment at all ? " pathetically inquired the injured minstrel. " None whatever. Nature seems to have been out of the article when she formed me," answered Elfie. " Oh, do, Mr. Billingcoo, sing another sweet thing like that ! " pleaded a poetical young lady. "And do, Mr. Billingcoo !" chimed in a chorus of others. And the troubadour suffered himself to be entreated and sang lispingly several other " sweet things," to the accom- paniment of his guitar all of which the young ladies wafmly applauded. So glided away the glorious Indian Summer afternoon ; and as the sun was sinking to his splendid setting, the steamer neared the Point of Rocks. " We had better stop here. This is a more convenient place to land and dine than we could find without going on 128 HOW HE WON HER. some distance above the Point. And besides it is really growing late," said Mr. Allison. The company eagerly assented to the plan, and the boat was stopped where the canal passed under the shadow of a great precipice crowned with pine woods. " If we can get to the top of this rock, there is a fine table land well protected from the wind, which I find is rising, and well shaded from the sun by pine trees, and also commanding one of the most magnificent panoramic pros- pects in the country. That table land will be an excellent place to dine," exclaimed Mr. Allison, while he and his friends were getting ready to leave the boat. They found a way to the top of the steep ; and the gentlemen climbed carefully, helping the ladies up along with them. Their attendant's followed with the hampers of provis- ions. When the whole party arrived at the summit they found a level piece of ground covered with dry grass, and encircled except upon the river side, with a girdle of pine trees. " It seems made for the very purpose we are about to put it to," said the lively old lady, as she sank panting, but joyous upon the ground. " Oh, what a stupendous what an overpowering breadth of view ! " exclaimed Elfie, in honest wonder and admira- tion, as she reached the summit and looked around, letting her eyes rove from East to West and from North to South. " I feel now for the first time in my life that I actually live on the outside of the earth's surface ; and I see for myself that it is really round ; and I even begin to realize that it is a vast globe rolling through the immensity of space ! " " It looks dreadfully lonely though," observed a young lady, with a shudder. " Yes what a solitude ! Far as the eye can reach on every side a forest of autumn foliage, with only here and UNEXPECTED GUEST AT A PICNIC. 129 there a grey rock looming up, and the river rolling deeply through it all. Not a house, not a chimney, nor even smoke, to indicate human habitations near ! " While the company were gazing upon the vast panorama around them, and descanting upon its beauties, some of the attendants were building fires on the ground, hanging kettles over the blaze, and putting the hares, quails and patridges, which were already dressed for the gridiron, upon the coals ; others were laying the table-cloth and arranging the dinner service. Mr. Allison having seen to the careful transportation of his costly wines, now joined the group on the edge of the precipice. Looking down upon the chaos of grey rock below them he smiled and quoted : " ' The ragged rascals rage round rugged rocks.' Now, I wonder what on earth put that choice specimen of ingenious alliteration into my head ? " he laughingly inquired. " The ' wugged wockth ' of courthe," lisped Mr. Bil- lingcoo. " Yes ; but where are the ' ragged rascals ? ' " laughed Allison. " Vewy twue ! Here are the ' wugged wockth,' but where are the ' wagged wathcalth ? ' " repeated the dandy. The question was answered by a yell more terrible and ferocious than ever startled a sleeping backwoods settle- ment when a tribe of ruthless savages woke it up to slaughter. And forth from the cover of the pine woods leaped a band of fierce brigands, brandishing their bayonets. 8 130 HOW HE WON HER. CHAPTER X. AS THE LION WO OS HIS BRIDE. So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung. So light to the saddle before her, he sprung. SCOTT. OXE amazed and startled look assured the party that the guerrillas were upon them. Some of the young ladies fell upon their faces, screaming with terror. Others turned to fly, but were met and opposed by the bayonets of the guerrillas, who fenced them on all sides. Only Elfie stood her ground. She placed her back against the bole of a pine tree and called those frantic girls around her, saying : " Stand fast ! Stand firm ! it is the best way it is the only way ! " " To arms ! gentlemen all ! Let us die in defence of the ladies ! " shouted valiant little Mr. Mim, drawing his slender sword from his cane and throwing himself before the group of young ladies who had now gathered, frightened and trembling, around Elfie as their queen. Not another man followed his example. " Surrender, you blasted Yankees, before we make crows' meat of you ! " shouted a gigantic guerrilla, who seemed to be the leader of the band, leaping into the centre of the area, followed by many of his men. Elfie stooped and whispered to her chivalric little champion. " Mr. Mim, resistance is quite vain ! You will only get yourself cut to pieces by these wretches ! Throw down your sword ! " " Miss Fielding, I will be cut into ten thousand flinders before they shall come at you and the other ladies ! " cried the little hero. AS THE LIOH WOOS HIS BRIDE. 131 " These are Goldsborough's guerrillas ; and the giant who is leading them is the savage Mutchison, his second in command. I know him by his picture in the illustrated papers. Give me your dirk to defend myself, and then surrender, Mr. Mim." " My dirk ! Certainly, if you want it, Miss Fielding ; but I will never surrender ! " said the little knight, begin- ning to disengage the required weapon from its resting-place. Then he had to let it go in a hurry, and throw himself upon his guard ; for the colossus whom Elfie had called Mutchison was leaping towards him, brandishing his sabre. Little Mim met and parried the stroke that was aimed at him. And then followed several rapid passes. But the combat was very unequal. Mim and Mutchison, as to their respec- tive sizes, were like David and Goliath. And poor tiny Mim had no miraculous sling ! When they had crossed swords several times, Mutchison sang out : '< Yield, you little fool ! " "Never!" shouted Mim, parrying the strokes as well as he could, and watching for a chance to run his gigantic antagonist through the body. " Surrender, you blamed idiot ! I don't want to kill such a midge as you ! " cried the guerrilla, without ceasing to lay on. " Then you needn't ; but take care of yourself, for I want to kill you \ Ah, ha ! " exclaimed Mim, as he found his opportunity and ran his rapier an inch or two into the guer- rilla's flesh. " Here goes then, blame you ! I was only playing at first ; I am fighting now ! " exclaimed the angry guerrilla. There were a few more rapid passes, and then Mutchison sent the rapier flying from Mim's hand, and with a sweep- ing back stroke struck him under the knees, and brought him suddenly to the ground. 132 HOW HE WON HER. For the first time Elfie screamed, and covered her eyes. "Now beg for quarter, you cursed little idiot ! " roared the guerrilla, with his foot upon the small hero's chest. " Never ! I'll die before I'll ask my life from you ! " an- swered Mira, defiantly. " Well, you're a spirited little gnat, that's certain ! And I'll give you your life. Get up ! " laughed Hutchison, re- moving his foot from Mini's chest, and turning away to look after his men. Elfie stooped to raise her fallen champion. " Oh Mim ! Mim, dear, are you hurt ? " she said, giving him her hand to assist him in rising. c No I- m furious ! Let me up and at him ! " exclaimed the mite, struggling to his feet and looking about for his rapier. " But, dear Mim, you can't you mustn't ! You stand in the position of a paroled prisoner now. The man spared your life ! " " I didn't ask him ! and I'll cut off his head ! " " So you shall the minute you are at liberty to do so ; but now you must keep your implied parole," said Elfie, holding him fast ; for she was really fond of the brave little fellow, in a sisterly sort of fashion, and she could not bear that he should recklessly and uselessly fling away his life. Meanwhile Mutchinson turned to his band, who now filled the whole area. " Hoi, my men ! No bloodshed ! Disarm these dainty gentlemen without hurting them ! afterwards we will know what to do with them ! " roared the guerrilla leader. No need to caution the men against bloodshed ! There was nothing to provoke the most wanton to it ! Little Mim, to his everlasting honor and glory, had been the only man to show fight. The others had not even made a pre- tence of resistance. Where would have been the use ? " What could they 'gainst the shock of hell? " AS THE LION WOOS HIS BRIDE. 133 The picnic party numbered about thirty-five persons, of whom eighteen were ladies. There were, then, but seven- teen gentlemen ; and against them two hundred fierce guer- rillas ! Successful resistance was clearly impossible, and the pic- nickers yielded without a blow ! " Come ! " said Mutchison, striding into the midst of the area and gazing around upon his "ragged rascals." " Come ! I think the first thing to be done is to exchange clothing with these well-dressed gentlemen, as far as they will go ; and those among you, my brave boys, who don't get a nice garment, shall have its equivalent in money or jewelry, of which I suppose there is no lack among the company present." A shout of approbation from the band responded to this speech. " I think I see a gentleman there whose elegant holiday attire seems to have been made especially for me ! " said Mutchison, indicating the tall, athletic form of Mr. Mont- gomery Fitz Smithers, who, not feeling elated by this dis- tinguished notice, retired behind his companions and squatted down out of sight. "But the ladies must withdraw while we make our toilet. Here, Carter, you and Gates march these girls to the other end of the woods and guard them; and, hark you ! if any man of you attempts to kiss one of them until I give the word dash him ! I'll hang him as high as Haman ! " Two guerrillas stepped out from the crowd, and, with fixed bayonets drove the young ladies, like a flock of sheep, to the opposite edge of the pine woods. No one resisted, not even Elfie ; for she had no desire to remain and witness the interchange of good offices between the guerrillas and the gentlemen of her party. " And now to business ! I don't like to inconvenience 134 HOW HE WON HER. you, my young friends, but necessity has no law ! and really our necessities are very great none of us having had a change of linen for two months past ! " said Hutchison. Again I say that successful resistance was clearly im- possible. The guerrillas began to strip and throw their foul rags in a nauseous heap in the middle of the ring. And the unlucky young men had to divest themselves of their elegant festive dresses. Their fine black broadcloth coats and trousers, their glossy satin vests, their pure white linen shirts, their hats, shoes, socks, neckties, pocket- handkerchiefs, gloves, scarf pins, studs, watches, chains and purses were all taken from them and distributed among the guerrillas. And then they were ordered to clothe themselves with the wretched slough just cast by these bandits. And it was at once ludicrous and lamentable to see these unhappy youths poking and picking about with sticks in the heap of rank rags, in search of the least objectionable, where, upon examination, every one seemed worse than the others. " Come, come, don't be so hard to please or you will take cold ! These clothes were worn by us long enough without complaint ! Thunderation ! why don't you make haste and dress yourselves ? " roared Mutchison. And the miserable young men had no alternative but to obey, and clothe themselves from the odoriferous mound before them. The greater number of the poor fellows submitted ruefully enough to this degrading transformation. Only Mr. Allison bore the mischance with philosophy. " There are worse misfortunes at sea ! " he said, as he invested himself in a nondescript garment of which it was almost impossible to tell the original form or material, and which now hung about him like sea-weed. " ; A little water AS THE LION WOOS HIS BRIDE. 135 clears us from this deed ! ' In other words, when we get back ome, a warm bath and a change of dress will make us all right ! " he added. " Come you ! brother giant, I'm waiting for you ! " impa- tiently cried Hutchison to Fitz Smithers, who, with Billingcoo \vas putting off the evil hour of undressing as long as possible. "Come ! Blazes, men ! will you make haste, or shall I holp you ? " Fitz Smithers sprang a yard from the ground in his fright, and then began nervously to strip himself. " And you, sir ! what are you about ? Here are several of my poor fellows waiting for your clothes ! Off with them instantly ! " thundered Hutchison, addressing himself to the afflicted dandy, who would rather have died than dis- robe. "Oh lor! oh dear! I can't indeed I can't! I " whimpered Billingcoo. " Oh ! you can't, can't you ? Here, Covington here's a young gentleman not used to waiting on himself wants his valet. Come and help him to undress," shouted Hutchison. A short, stout, bull-necked, black-muzzled guerrilla came forward to execute the order, and looked around for the victim. " There, that dainty darling with the rose stuck in his button-hole," said the leader. " Oh, don't! Oh, pleathe don't ! I'll pay for them. I'll ranthom them. Iwill indeed. My monthly pay will be due in two or three dayth, and when I get it, I will thend you the money from Wathington. Indeed I will, general. I'm a man of honor," pleaded Billingcoo. " Take off his coat ! " roared Hutchison. "Oh, don't touch me with thuch thocking dirty handth ; I'll let you have my coat," said the poor fellow, carefully removing the tea rose from his button-hole, and handing 136 HOW HE WON HER over the garment, " but leave me the retht of my clotheth, do, now, general, and I'll thend you lotht of money from Wathington." " Take off his trousers ! You see he can't do it for him- self ! " thundered Mutchison. The black-muzzled approached to obey. "No, don't! don't come too near me! You are thuch a thocking nuithanth ! " cried the exquisite, shrinking in dis- gust. " I will give you my 'panth, and they are quite new bought for thith occathon. But leave me my under gar- menth. Do, general. Do leave me my under garmenth. For dethenthy's sake, you know. Do, now, general ! " pleaded the poor fellow, with tears in his eyes. " I am no more a general than you are a man, you nincompoop. I am one of Colonel Goldsborough's captains, that's all. Here, Covington, peel him peel him ? " " Oh, no, no, no ! don't touch me with thothe awful handth ! Take all take everything, mitherable man that I am!" wept the dandy, throwing off one garment after another, to the great amusement of his companions, who, having completed their exchange of dress, now forgot their own miseries in watching the ludicrous distress of Bil- lingcoo. When, with shivering frame and chattering teeth, he at length approached the mound of rags to clothe himself, and began to poke about in it with a stick to find something possible to put on, suddenly burst into a flood of tears, exclaiming: " I wouldn't mind their being tho wagged, but they are tho thockingly unclean, and tbo tho inthecty ! " " Never mind their being insecty, Billingcoo. There are worse misfortunes at sea," repeated Allison. While the miserable youth was investing his dainty person in these revolting garments, there was a shout among the guerrillas near, and one of them exclaimed : AS THE LION WOOS HIS BRIDE. 137 " There is another fellow who hasn't peeled himself, Captain ! " Mutchison turned and saw little Mim standing at the foot of the great pine tree where Elfie had ordered him to remain, for this champion would no more have disobeyed his queen than would the renewed Knight of La Mancha the fair lady of Toboso. " Oh, my plucky pigmy ! Let him alone, I say ! I won't have him touched ! He deserves to keep his clean clothes for showing so much spirit. And dash me if I don't hang the first man that lays a finger on him ! " roared the giant. Then turning about, he shouted, until his voice reached the other end of the wood : " Hoi ! Carter ! Gates ! march the ladies back again ! We're dressed to receive them ! " And as the young ladies, driven before the fixed bayonets of the two guerrillas, approached the scene, they gazed upon their late companions with ludicrous consternation. Scarcely a gentleman of the party was recognizable. All ' were in rags that hung about them in shreds like strings, fringes, tags anything but clothes. Some had hats with a rim, but no crown, others crowns, but no rim ; no one had a whole tile, and even those who were favored with half a one had no shoes, and those who had shoes had no hats. Some had trousers whose ragged legs dangled just below their knees, but no coats ; others had apologies for coats, but nether garments of which the less said the better. And all pervaded with an atmosphere that would have driven away any set of ladies not marched in at the point of the bayonet. Some of these victims shrunk out of sight in the crowd, as their fair friends drew near; others turned the mischance into a joke. Poor Billingcoo, who was in the worst plight of all, because he had hud the last pickings of the rags, tried to hide himself from Eliie's laughing eyes, but oould not succeed. 138 HOW HE WON. HER. " Oh, Mith Fielding," he cried, with the tears running down his face, " don't look at me ! Turn away your eyeth, for they break my heart ! " At this Elfie burst into an irrepressible fit of laughter, in which she was joined by all her companions, whose sense of the ludicrous, for the time being, overcame their terrors. " Oh, grandma ! thee how they laugh at me ! And who can blame them? for only thee what a guy fox the wretcheth have made of me ! " wept Billingcoo. " Don't be a simpleton, Lew. And don't call bad names. Thank Providence that you've saved your life with the loss of your clothes," said the old lad} 7 . Here the voice of Mutchison roared above all other noises : ""Hoi! Grinnel! Have the dinner dished up ! we'll dine sumptuously on the fare provided by our entertainers, the picnic party ! And afterwards we'll have a dance, for I see they've got a band here. Hoi ! you nigger minstrels ! Tune up your instruments. We'll march to our meals to the sound of music ! Come ! strike up ! " The terrified darkies, either knowing no better or forget- ting in their fright all they ought to have remembered, struck up " Hail Columbia/' " Not that ! Not that ! dash you ! What do you mean, burn you ? < Dixie ! ' play < Dixie ! ' " thundered Mutch- ison. The panic-stricken musicians obeyed as well as they could, and struck up "Dixie," though in rather a quavering and uncertain style. " Come, gentlemen and ladies, now to dinner, and after- wards to the dance. Boys, you who are in evening dresses, each select the lady of his choice and lead her gallantly. And that reminds me ! My brave little knight of the pig- mies, take the lady you would have died to defend you see uo harm has happened to her and conduct her to dinner I AS THE LION WO OS HIS BRIDE. 139 ' None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the BKAVE deserve the fair ! ' " Before Mini could reply, Elfie, to keep him out of mis- chief and also to escape the escort of any of the guerrilla hand, seized his hand firmly and drew it through her arm. "Age before beauty ! And I would not be remiss in courtesy. I have a grandmamma of my own somewhere down in Dixie!" exclaimed Mutchison, dancing up to the old lady, tucking her under his arm and leading the way to the dinner table, followed by Elfie and Mim, and members of the guerrilla band leading young ladies, who were too much frightened to offer any sort of opposition. " Now don't be scared, girls. Take it coolly as you can. Bless your hearts, these men aint agoing to hurt a hair of your heads. And this adventure with guerrillas will be something for you to talk about to your grandchildren when your hair is as gray as mine is now," said the lively old lady, as she settled herself comfortably upon a little hillock of dry grass that Mutchison had found for her, near the table cloth where the feast was spread. And such a feast ! There were oysters, fish and game; baked and boiled meats ; poultry ; pastry ; canned fruits ; confectionary ; ale, wine and brandy. Such " gentlemen" as had ladies on their arms gathered around the outer edge of the " spread " a gentleman and lady sitting alternately. Before seating himself, Mutchison looked about and thought he saw great discontent among the famished mem- bers of his band who were left outside of this favored circle around the tablecloth, and so he sang out: " Boys ! there are provisions enough in the hampers, boxes and barrels over there around the cooking fires, to feed the whole band. Away with you and help your- selves!" 140 * HOW HE WON HER. The starved ragamuffins needed no second bidding, but started off en masse for the reserved stores. The dinner at which Mutchison presided, went off very merrily for the guerrillas; not so very much so for the picnickers. Hutchison drank a great deal more of Allison's choice brandy than was good for him ; and towards the last of the feast he lost his temper, and began to swear at the waiters and bully the musicians ; and then he apologized to the ladies for forgetting their presence, laying the blame on his camp life, deprived of their refining influence. The feast was very prolonged, and Mutchison and his boon companions chose to linger still longer over their wine ; but he would on no account permit the ladies to retire. Ho had been too long debarred from their delightful society to give it up easily, he said. Meanwhile the sun had set ; and Mntchison ordered some of his men to light pine knots and hold them aloft, to illuminate the scene. And a score or two of these primitive torches made the whole area sufficiently light. When at length the feast came to an end, Mutchison rose from his seat, crying out ; " A dance ! a dance ! Strike up the Virginia reel, 'darkies ! That is the figure that will take in an unlimited number of performers. And here is a natural hall large enough to allow a reel a quarter of a mile long. And dash me to dust if every man-jack sha'ii't join ! Take your partners, gentlemen ; I've got mine ! " And instigated by the very spirit of mischief, he seized the lively old lady, who was too wise to resist, and trotted her off to the head of the reel to open the ball. " Come, my little miniature hero ; don't be backward ! Bring the lady of your worship along ! " cried Mutchison. And Elfie, to keep her little champion out of trouble, drew him into the reel. AS THE LION WOOS HIS BRIDE. 141 The guerrillas, with their unwilling partners, followed. And even the wretched youth of the picnic party were compelled to join the orgies. And a reel commenced, wild as the dance of witches in Kirk Alloway, where old Nick was piper. " The mirth and fun grew fast and furious! The piper loud and louder blew! The dancers fast and faster flew ! They reeled, they set, they crossed, they " Suddenly, in the midst of these orgies, a cheer was heard from the men in the back ground. And an officer, mounted, and attended by his staff, galloped up in the midst of the area. " My traitor ! " exclaimed Elfie, under her breath, as she recognized Albert Goldsborough. A very handsome man was this guerrilla chief this licensed brigand, who bore a colonel's commission. He was taller and stouter than when first presented to the reader; his hair and beard were of a darker and richer auburn ; his face and figure more martial and dignified than heretofore. So Elfie thought as she covertly watched him. He dashed into the midst of his band and raised his hand, exclaiming : " Break up your bivouac ! Boots and saddles ! A squadron of the enemy's cavalry are out in search of us : and they have struck our trail ! " A yell of defiance responded to this announcement, as the men all started to go in search of their horses, which were left tied in the pine woods. A few men, however, remained, guarding the prisoners. " Leave these people to find their way home as they can ! We cannot be encumbered with them ! And Mutchison ! seize that girl and bring her along after me ! that girl in the claret-colored dress ! " cried Goldsborough. " Claret ? " repeated Mutchison, looking around in per- plexity ; for he was very considerably " fuddled." 142 HOW HE WON HER. " Seize the girl in the red stuff gown, and bring her after me ! " cried Goldsborough, as he turned and rode off. " Oh ! " exclaimed Mutchison. And without more ado he pounced upon Elfie, threw her over his great shoulders and bore her off, she screaming and struggling violently, in the direction taken by Golds- borough. Little Mim sprang instantly to the rescue, gave chase, overtook the giant, and attempted to stop him by seizing his leg. The act nearly threw the guerrilla down, but he quickly recovered himself, whirled around, and with the iron handle of his sword aimed a blow on the head of Mim, which struck the little hero, bleeding and senseless, to the ground. " Oh, you villain ! I'll have you hanged for that ! " screamed Elfie. " Oh no, you won't ! I'll give you a better sweetheart than that little fellow ! " laughed Mutchison, and he contin- ued his flight, no one else daring to stop him, until he reached a clearing in the pines' where the whole cavalry force of Goldsborough's guerrillas were preparing to mount. i Colonel Goldsborough was in the midst, s "Mutchison, set that girl on the horse behind me, and secure her to my waist with these two straps ! " said Golds- borough. And Mutchison prepared to obey. Now had Elfie been a very dignified young lady she would have been too proud to resist where resistance was vain. But Elfie had more temper than dignity. And so she fought and kicked and scratched and bit and screamed and scolded with all her might and main, and left upon the face of Mutchison marks of her teeth and nails that he would be likely to carry to his grave. " Thunderation ! what a little tiger-cat! Look here, girl ! if you leave the prints of your fingers on my face in A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT. 143 that style, the men will be taking me for your lusband, and the colonel wouldn't like that ! " laughed Mutchison. After much difficulty Elfie was conquered, and bound upon her seat behind her captor, who put spurs to liis horse and bore her off in triumph ! CHAPTER XL A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT. " She is won ! we are gone over bank, bush and scaur ; They'll have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar, So daring in love and so dauntless in war. Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar? SCOTT. HAVING left orders for his men to scatter and spread themselves through the forest and take different roads to their secret rendezvous, the guerrilla colonel took the moun- tain path and flew over it at a reckless rate, with as little regard to his captive's cries* as to his own neck. Elfie was seated on the horse behind him and securely bound by a strong leathern girdle that passed around her waist arid was clasped in front of his. Elfie never ceased to struggle and to scold. Her arms were free and she could reach hie head, so she cuffed his cheeks and pulled his hair with all her might and main. And she poured out scorn like lava on him. But Goldsborough treated the pummelling and pulling as caresses, and the scolding as compliments ; indeed, he scarcely noticed the one or replied to the other ; until, after having reached the top of the mountain, they began to descend into a deep wooded dell, by a path so narrow and difficult that it was necessary to slacken speed. " Unbind me ! Put me down ! Shame of manhood ! how dare you treat me so ? " cried Elfie, furiously, seizing his ears and making her nails almost meet through them. 144 HOW HE WON HER. " Blazes ! what a little tigress she is, to be sure ! I shall have to cut her claws/' laughed Albert Goldsborough. " I'll cut your throat ! " cried Elfie. " Oh, no you won't, my dear ! You will love me too well. You'll love me as well as the Sabine girls loved the Eoman youths who carried them off against their wills, just as I am carrying you ! " laughed Albert. " I'll see you hanged first ! " fired Elfie. t " Of course you will, my dear ! around your neck ! Come, come, Elfie ! Stop trying to tear my ears out by the roots, for I don't think you'll succeed. And do be reasona- ble ! You don't know what a gay life we are going to lead here in the green wood. Your most romantic dreams will be realized. You'll think that you have slipped out of the nineteenth century and slid down into the twelfth. You'll fancy yourself in Epping forest, living with Eobin Hood and his merry men except that we don't wear Lincoln green, Elfie ; but Confederate gray. Come ! shall I be your Robin Hood ? And will you be my maid Marion ? " "I'll be your death ! " blazed Elfie. " Oh, no you won't, my dear. You'll do as I said before." " What are you going to do with me, you demon ? " " Marry you, my angel ! " " Marry me !" cried Elfie, nearly choking with rage. " Yes, my dear. We have a ' Friar Tuck ' in our band, who will gladly solemnize the nuptial rites and dispense with the formality of a license or a wedding ring." " And do you think do you think, you matchless vil- lain ! " cried Elfie, again seizing his ears with her nails and wringing them with all her strength, " do you really think that I will consent to such an outrage ? " " Friar Tuck will dispense with the bride's^ consent as well as with the license, and the wedding ring ! " answered Goldsborough, coolly. A MOONLIGHT PLIGHT. 145 " Oh, villain ! I hope I do hope that neither steel nor ball may ever save you from the halter ! " gasped Elfie, giving his ears a most vicious wring. " See here, my girl, we are coming to the ford ! and we must be careful ! Just give my ears a holiday for a few minutes, will you, while you draw u-p your feet and fold your skirts up over your lap to keep them from getting we^" said Albert, as they emerged from the wooded gorge of the mountain and descended to the banks of the river, now shining like a stream of fluid silver, in the broad moonlight. " I won't ! I don't care if I do get wet, or drown either ! I'd be glad to drown, if I thought I could drown you with me ! " exclaimed Elfie. " See how she loves me ! she is willing to meet death itself if shared with me," mocked Albert. So here we go." And he plunged into the river. Splash ! splash ! splash ! they went through the water, making the foam fly in every direction. The gallant horse, heavily laden as he was, bravely breasted the current, and reached the opposite shore in safety. " Elfie, my darling, do you know why I made this last raid into Maryland ? " inquired the guerrilla, as they strug- gled up the slippery bank. " No, nor care, you miscreant ! " snapped Elfie. " Can't you guess ? " " To burn barns, and steal cattle, and rob hen-roosts, I suppose," sneered Elfie. "No. I went simply to fetch you, and for no other reason in the world," answered Albert. " Me ! How on earth did you know I was there ? " in- quired Elfie, thrown off her guard by unbounded astonish- ment. " By the same means through which I become acquainted 9 146 HOW HE WON HER. with most events that pass in Washington by my spies. I learned that you were getting up a picnic to go to the Great Falls. And I determined to intercept your return." " Oh, the traitress ! It was Alberta. It was no one but Alberta that informed you. For I remember I mentioned to her at breakfast that morning, that I wanted to get up a picnic to go up the river ! " indignantly exclaimed Elfie. " Well, yes, it was Alberta who first told me of the in- tended excursion. But she did not tell me the day it was to come off." " ~No, for the day was not fixed when she ran away, the ingrate, so she could not have told you." " But one of my other spies, who was a member of your picnic party could." " A spy in our picnic party ! That is false, you villain ! Albert Goldsborough, have you become mendacious as well as thievish ? The members of our picnic party were loyal. We would have taken no others," angrily cried Elfie. "As far as you know," laughed Goldsborough ; adding : " Now, mv dear, I don't mind telling you, because I never intend to let you go back to report it, that there are no people in the world so profuse in their expressions of loyalty as my spies in Washington ! " They were now ascending a steep and narrow path, leading from the river banks up to the rocks above, and slippery and dangerous from the many fallen leaves. Albert Golds- borough was riding very cautiously, leaning forward over his horse's neck to preserve the equilibrium of weight, and guiding him carefully. Once or twice the horse slipped and stumbled, but recovered himself immediately. Elfie saw all this, and enraged by Goldsborough's boast that he never intended to let her go back, she recklessly set herself to overturn horse and riders together. She was securely bound, you already know, with a broad leathern girdle to Albert's waist ; but her limbs were all free. So A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT. 147 she raised herself as well as she could from her seat, and laying hold of Goldsborough's shoulders, pulled and hung back with all her might to bring the weight behind, while she pummelled the horse's flanks to make him rear and lose his balance. " What are you about, Elfie ? Do you wish to make the horse fall ! " exclaimed Albert. " That is just what I am trying to do, you villain ! I don't care if the horse rolls over backwards, on to us, and we all go rolling over and over each other, till we fall to the bottom of the precipice, a ball of crushed bones ! " screamed Elfie, pulling and tugging and kicking, and doing all she could to effect her purpose ; but in vain. She made the horse slip and stumble, and shake his head impatiently when he recovered himself; but that was all. At last, breathless and exhausted, she ceased her efforts. Albert turned his head and laughed at her. " Why, my dear, this old horse is a veteran ! He has been in too many pitched battles, and in too many neck or nothing hunts he has forded too many rivers, climbed too many mountains, faced too many batteries, and ridden down too many fixed bayonets to be disturbed by trifles ! And here we are at the top of the mountain ; so you needn't resume your efforts to pitch us down," he added, as they reached the summit, and entered a thick copse wood of cedars, where here and there grew gigantic forest trees. "I'll make him dash your brains out against some of these trees ! " cried Elfie. And she tried another experi- ment. She raised herself in her seat, screamed, halloed, shouted, and made the most unearthly noises to frighten the horse and make him run away ; but all to no purpose ; and once more she ceased for want of breath. " How well you'll sleep to-night, after all these violent exertions ! " laughed Albert Goldsborough ; " and the good night's rest will be about all the good that you will obtaui bv the stupendous efforts. Blesa you, my dear, the old 148 HOW HE WON HER. horse is used to the roar of hattle and the thunder of can- non ! It isn't likely that he is going to suffer himself to be annoyed by your little two-penny trumpet ! " " I'll take out every pin I have about me, and stick them up to their heads-,- in his hide ! " screamed Elfie, beginning to do as she threatened. "Try it. They'll rus-t there before he takes any notice. Lord love you, girl, what are pins to bayonets ! He is used to having bayonets stuck into him ! " mocked the colonel. " Albert Goldsborough ! you basest of all base mis- creants ! where are you daring to take me ? " demanded Elfie, beginning to shake with her increasing sense of shame and rage and terror. " To the green wood, you fairest of all beauties ! To the green wood, though it would not be so very green at this season of the year if it were not for the pines and cedars ! To the green wood, to be married to Eobin Hood, by his chaplain Friar Tuck, and to be Robin's Maid Marion, and live among his merry men forever ! " " If I cannot succeed in killing you before I leave this seat, I'll do it afterwards ! I will, as surely as I am my mother's daughter ! " fiercely exclaimed Elfie, springing once more up from her seat, and seizing her captor's ears, and trying her very utmost to wring and tear them off. At that moment the clatter of horse's feet was heard behind, and the next the huge form of Mutchison appeared, galloping rapidly after his chief. Goldsborough halted until his officer came up. " What news ? " demanded the colonel. " Good ! Our scouts come in and report that the enemy's cavalry, out in search of us, have gone off on a false scent, that I took care to have laid for them. Our men have divided themselves in small parties and taken separate roads, and will rendezvous at the Black Bear's Pass, as you ordered. But, good gracious, Colonel, now I look at you, have you been in a battle ? " A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT. 149 "No except with this little wildcat here in which she has done all the fighting ! " laughed Goldsborough. " Your ears are each one clot of gore ! " "I dare say, though they feel to me as if they were each one hall of fire ! See here, Mutchison much as I dislike to restrain a young lady, we shall have to confine her hands, or I shall not- have an ear, or a lock of hair left on my head ! Take this pocket-handkerchief and tie her hands." " Pity it hadn't heen done first, colonel ! It would have saved your beauty from being spoiled, and mine too. Tliunderation ! I would as leave try to tie a catamount, with a thousand claws ! " exclaimed Mutchison, as he sought to secure the hands of Elfie, who fought, scratched, and bit with so much effect that the guerrilla's face and eyes came to great grief before he succeeded in binding her. After that they rode on more quietly through the woods, though Elfie did not cease to use her tongue, even if she could not use her hands. " Yes, you murderer ! don't think but what I'll have you hanged for killing Mim, for I'm sure you have killed him ! " Elfie exclaimed, for the first time bursting into tears of passionate sorrow as well as of rage. " That little tiny fellow ! What if I did ? You didn't call him a man, did you ? " chuckled Mutchison. " Yes, you monster ! a thousand times more of a man than you and your master either, ever was ! " sobbed Elfie. " Why, he wasn't bigger than one of my legs ! " " Don't sneer at his size, you coarse brute ! He had more spirit than all your cut-throat, chicken-stealing tribe put to- gether. You huge brutes, if you have any soul at all, have it diluted with too much body to make it worth anything ! " cried Elfie, with hot scorn. " Oh, come, now. Don't be vindictive. If I did 150 HOW HE WON HER. knock the little fellow on the head, I promised you a bigger sweetheart, and you've got him," chuckled the guerilla. " Mutchison, let this cease. I desire that Miss Fielding may be treated with all the consideration possible under the circumstances," said Colonel Goldsborough, sternly. " Oh, that's it, is it ? Then I must order myself accord- ingly," muttered the guerrilla to himself, but he raised his hat to his colonel in token of obedience. They rode on silently through the woods a little while longer, and then Goldsborough said: "We bivouac with the Tree Sword' to-night, and to- morrow, if the road should be clear, go on to our rendezvous at the Black Bear's Pass. I think that we are not very far from Corson's encampment now, are we ? " " It is in a clearing in this forest somewhere, and I think that this path leads to it, Colonel. We shall see in a little while," answered Mutchison. " So we stop with the Free Sword, do we, to-night ? And we shall see Alberta ! And if we do " exclaimed Elfie, setting her teeth and drawing in her breath. " You'll tear her eyes out if we leave your hands free," laughed the huge guerrilla. " Mutchison ! " exclaimed Colonel Goldsborough. " I beg your pardon, Colonel. I will say no more," re- plied the man. And they pursued their way in silence, until the forest grew thinner, and they seemed to be approaching a clear- ing. " I see lights gleaming through the distance. Can they be the campfires of the Free Sword ! " inquired Golds- borough. "Yes, Colonel, I think so," answered Mutchison, as they emerged from the thicket into a small, open space. The next moment they came upon a picket guard, and were challenged. A MOONLIGHT PLIGHT. 151 Who goes there ? " " Friends ! " answered the colonel. "Advance, friends, and give the countersign." " I don't know your countersign, but you know me well enough, Robinson. I am Colonel Goldsborough." "Very sorry, Colonel, but I can't let you pass without the countersign." " I am on a visit to your chief, in answer to his repeated invitations." "Very sorry, Colonel, but it is as much as my life is worth to let you pass." " Call the corporal of the guard, then, blame you." The word was passed for the corporal of the guard, who presently appeared upon the scene. " Here is Colonel Goldsborough wants to pass and doesn't know the countersign," explained the picket. "You know me well enough, Jenkins," said Goldsbor- ough, addressing the petty officer. " Yes, sir but I dare not pass you without my colonel's orders, though. If you will wait, I will send a messenger up to his quarters," said the corporal. "Do, then, and be quick about it," exclaimed Goldsbor- ough, impatiently. While waiting for the return of the messenger, Golds- borough looked about with some curiosity, for this was a new encampment of the Free Sword, to which his brother- in-arms had never been before. He saw that they were in a very small clearing, where the trees had been cut down to make room and furnish ma- terial for a picket's hut, that stood in the very midst of the small, open space. Before this hut was burning a fire of brushwood, and around it were three or four guerrillas at rest, beside the sentry on duty. Presently the messenger returned in attendance upon the Free Sword, who came in person to receive his brother-in- arms. 152 HOW HE WON HER. Vittorio Corsoni was not much changed in personal appearance since we saw him last. Originally very dark in complexion, exposure to the sun, wind and weather could not make him much darker, and he had the same long, black curls, small, white teeth, and large, melancholy eyes eyes that had so mesmerized every woman that had ever come under their influence, and so he witched Alberta Goldsborough to her destruction, and he had the same slight, agile and graceful figure that so reminded the beholder of a tiger. He wore a uniform of black cloth, with a crimson sash around his waist, a sword by his side, and a black wide-awake hat, with a black feather, fastened with a great fiery carbuncle. He walked briskly up to Goldsborough to embrace him after the Italian fashion, and in doing so noticed the young lady on the horse behind him, and he raised his cap to the lady before he offered to greet her cavalier. Albert bent low from his saddle to meet the advance of his friend, who, after kissing him on both cheeks, started back, exclaiming: " But, good Heavens, Goldsborough ! what has happened to your ears ? Have they been torn off ? " "No," laughed Albert; "they have been clawed off, chawed off by this little catamount on the horse behind me ! " "Vittorio Corsoni, don't you know me? I am Elfrida Yielding, your old pupil." " Know you, fair lady ? Perhaps not at first. I am glad to do so now. Welcome to my poor camp," said the Free Sword, removing his hat and holding it in his hand. " Colonel Corsoni, you used to be a gentleman. You will protect me, I hope, from this miscreant who has torn me away from my friends and brought me here." " Fair lady, we brothers-in-arms support each other in love as in war," said Yittorio gently. " But he brought me here against my will ! " cried Elfie, indignantly. A MOONLIGHT FLIGHT. 153 11 Sweet lady, stratagem is as fair in love as in war " "But there was no stratagem. He brought me here by violence ! " " It was the violence of passion inspired by your too de- lightful beauty. Gentle lady, you ' must forgive him," answered Vittorio. And then, with a deep bow, he turned away from Elfie, and, addressing Albert, inquired : " Shall we move forward ? " " If you please, Corsoni," answered Colonel Goldsborough. And the party started Albert Goldsborough letting his horse pace slowly while Vittorio Corsoni walked by his side. " I would dismount and walk with you willingly if I were not so burdened and hampered." laughed Albert. " Burdened with beauty, hampered with happiness," murmured Vittorio gallantly. But at the last words of his colonel, Mutchison had jumped oif his horse, the use of which he now respectfully pressed upon the Free Sword. Vittorio laughed and accepted it, saying that it would enable him the better to keep up with his companions. " I might have come on horseback if I had thought of it; but the distance was so short, and I was so eager to relieve you from the embarrassment of being stopped by the guard, that it never occurred to me to get into the the saddle," said the Free Sword, as he rode on beside his brother-in- arms. Their way lay again through the forest, until they came to another little clearing, with another hut and another guard, at which the Free SAVord gave the countersign, and passed with his party. Then they rode slowly on through the bushes while the two guerrilfa leaders conversed in a low tone about the plans of their next campaigns, until they came to a grass- grown old road, on the other side of which was a low stone wall and a rusty iron gate guarded by a small porter's lodge. 154 HOW HE WON HER. Before the gate paced a sentinel, and from the porter's lodge, which was turned into a guard house, gleamed a dim light. Corsoni gave the countersign and passed his party into an area that seemed once to have been the ornamented grounds of some magnificent country seat. A fine old avenue of elm trees led from the lodge to the distant mansion, from the upper and lower windows of which gleamed dim lights. All over the lawn, among dilapidated arbors, and dried-up fish ponds, and dead flower beds, were scattered the rude, hastily constructed huts of the guerrillas. Here and there groups of horses, already saddled and bridled, were tied, as if kept for use at an instant's warning. Passing all these, Corsoni led his party up to the man- sion, a large, two-story, double-fronted, white stone house, with basement and attic, and with a porch running its whole width in front, supported by huge stone pillars. A flight of stone steps led up to this porch, and to the double hall doors. A sentinel paced to and fro before the house.- Corsoni dismounted and called a guerrilla to take his horse. Goldsborough unbuckled the belt that held Elfie to him, and beckoned Mutchison to come and lift her off. Elfie, who had not spoken since her vain appeal to Cor- soni, suffered herself to be removed in silence. Goldsborough alighted and immediately unbound Elfie's hand, saying : " I beg your pardon for having ordered this, my darling, but if I had not done so, I should have lost my scalp and my ears." The first use Elfie made of her freed hands was to dash her fists, one after the other, into Goklsborough's face. He laughed and dodged the blows, and then took one of Elfie's hands to draw in his arm and lead her on. THE OUTLAWS LOVE. 155 But the enraged girl snatched her hand away, exclaim- ing: " Go on ! I will follow, since I must. And if I seem to yield now to circumstances, it is only as the tiger crouches for a surer spring ! Albert Goldsborough, I will have your life for this ! " "The devotion of my whole life, Elfie," he answered gravely. Corsoni was standing at the foot of the stone steps waiv- ing his hands for them to come on. CHAPTEE XII. THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. I know not. I ask not if guilt's in that heart; But I know that I love thee, whatever thou art. MOOBE. THEY followed him up into the porch and through the double doors to a broad, unfurnished central hall, where several guerrillas were on guard. Four doors on the right hand and four on the left opened into rooms on each side of this hall. Corsoni led the way to the third door on the right hand, saying : " My dear wife is in there. Had we not better consign Miss Fielding to her care ? " " Thanks, yes ! My fair travelling companion has been on horseback, riding hard and exerting herself in other violent exercises for about six hours ; and must be greatly in need of aid and comfort just now," answered Golds- borough. Corsoni opened the door and holding it open, bowed and said : 156 HOW HE WON HER. "Miss Fielding, my dear wife is in there. Will you enter ? " But before Elfie could answer, and indeed wh.le Vittorio was still speaking, Alberta herself came out, and taking Elfie in her arms, kissed her on both cheeks, saying : " Welcome to the greenwood, Elfie ! " and drew her into the room. It was a spacious apartment, with a wide fireplace. Over the fireplace was a richly-carved mantel-shelf. In the wall above there was an old fresco painting. A wood fire burned on the hearth. Each side the chimney were tall windows, reaching from floor to ceiling. Every part of the room was dilapidated, and not by the gentle action of time but by the- merciless desecration of war. The beautiful figures in the carved marble mantel- piece were chipped and broken off. The fresco painting was scraped until its subject could not even be guessed at. The glass in the windows was in many places broken and replaced by pasteboard. The gorgeous historical paper that had once covered the walls now hung in strips. And the room was almost entirely unfurnished ; floor and windows were bare of covering. In one corner stood a rude, temporary bedstead, the work of some guerrilla car- penter ; and on it was laid a mattress and pillows, with the redeeming accessories of clean sheets and blankets. There was a rough table, supporting a tin basin and a stone pitcher of water ; with a clean towel laid over them. One low chair and two or three rude three-legged stools com- pleted the " conveniences " of the room. Alberta led Elfie into this room, took the pillows off her bed, and put them on the chair, one on the seat and the other against the back, and made Elfie sit down and rest her bruised and tired frame. " Alberta, had you any hand in this ? " said Elfie, bursting into tears. THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. 157 " In what, dear ? " inquired the guerrilla's wife, who was now stooping over the fire, bringing the brands together with her naked hands, because she had no tongs. "With this outrageous act of bringing me off? " Alberta made the fire blaze up cheerfully, and then answered : "When I made my escape from Washington, I fell in with some of Albert's men, who guided me to their colonel. I found that he had been instrumental in the deliverance of my dear Vittorio, who was then with him. When Albert heard where I had been and whom I had seen, he had a thousand questions to ask about you, all of which I an- swered as well as I could. Among the rest I told him that you were planning a picnic to the Great Falls. That was all I had to do with your abduction, Elfie." " Was that, really, all ? Did you not encourage him in it?" "No ! At the time I spoke of the proposed picnic I had no idea that he would dream of such a desperate deed as to cross the river and seize you, as it were, from between the very teeth of the Federal forces ! It was a mad act ; but he loves you madly, Elfie ! " said the guerrilla's wife. She then passed to the door and called one of her husband's men, and in a low tone gave him an order, and then she drew a stool to the side of Elfie and sat down, saying : " I am the only woman in the encampment, and I have to wait upon myself or be waited on by men. I generally prefer the former. You will sup and sleep alone with me to-night, Elfie, and I will keep you with me, and guard you from annoyance until a chaplain can be found to marry you to Albert, and give him the legal right to protect you." " Marry me to that guerrilla ! Never ! Never ! It can- not be done legally without my consent, and that they shall never have ! The villain threatened to find a minister who 158 HOW HE WON H J 7 R . would dispense with the bride's consent, as well as with the marriage license and the wedding ring ! But oh, Alberta, you will not permit this outrage to be perpetrated under your roof ! You are a lady, or you were one once at least, the daughter of a gentleman. You will protect me ! " ex- claimed Elfie, losing, in the failure of her physical strength, half her courage. " I will protect you so far as I am able to do so. Be sure of that, Elfie. But you do surprise me beyond measure, Elfie. I thought you loved Albert Goldsborough," said the guerrilla's wife in amazement. " Love that horse-stealing, house-firing vagrant ! " indig- nantly exclaimed Elfie. Alberta passed coolly over these injurious epithets, which were certainly as applicable to Vittorio Corsoni as they were to Albert Goldsborough, and she answered calmly : " You certainly loved him once, when he had done noth- ing to distinguish himself, and if you truly loved him then, you love him still, for true love knows no ' shadow of turn- ing."' " He whom I loved then was a gentleman, or I thought him such, not a barn burner, not a hen-roost robber ! " an- swered Elfie, contemptuously. Again Alberta ignored the degrading terms that were applied to the guerrilla chief; for in truth nothing on earth had power to move her impassive nature, unless it were something nearly concerning Vittorio Corsoni, her idolized lover-husband, and she said : " Albert Goldsborough was destined by his parents and by mine to marry me, and you knew it from the first, yet you saw him and loved him, and won his love. Not that I regretted your success. I was very glad to be well rid of my cousin, for I was fully determined to marry Vittorio Corsoni, my beloved. But you took him away from me, THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. 159 only, it seems, to cast him off from yourself. In truth, I cannot understand such inconstancy," she gravely added. " Yon cannot ! Do you suppose, then, that my love can survive esteem, and walk hand in hand with contempt ? " said Elfie, scornfully. " No, I do not. Nor has Albert Goldsborough done any- thing worthy of contempt, but everything worthy of ad- miration." " Pouncing upon me, and carrying me off by main force against my will, was among the rest of his admirable achievements, I suppose you think," sneered Elfie. " Yes, for it was a brave deed." " Very brave, to kidnap a weak girl." " Yes, it was, for he seized that girl, as I s'aid before, from between the teeth of the enemy. Elfie, have you any idea what he risked when he crossed the river for your sake?" gravely inquired Alberta. " He risked the halter, I suppose, and I wish to goodness he had got it," answered Elfie, bitterly. " Yes, he did, heartless girl. He risked capture and an ignominious death for your sake. He risked all knowingly and willingly, for when, for love of you, he crossed the Potomac, he knew that Scott's Nine Hundred and they are your guerrillas, Elfie were on the north side of the river below the Monooacy, and that Rosenthal's cavalry were on the same side above the Monocacy, and f hat the scouts of one or the other force would be sure to strike his trail." " Rosenthal's cavalry! " echoed Elfie, passing over every- thing else in her surprise at hearing this phrase. "Yes, Rosenthal's cavalry. You didn't know that Major Rosenthal is in command of the regiment in which he first enlisted as a private soldier, did you ? " "Major Rosenthal! No." " That proves how much earlier and more accurate our information is than vours." 160 HOW H F WON H E K . " Or how much better the devil is served than the Lord ! " muttered Elfie. " But our information is obtained for nothing from devoted friends, who risk their lives to keep us posted as to the movements of the enemy, and yours, when you get any, is purchased at high prices from mercenaries, who sleep when they should watch, and invent fictions when they should chronicle truths." " But Major Rosenthal ! Did you say Major Rosen- thai ? " pursued Elfie, still harping on Justin. " Yes. He was promoted to a majority for gallantry in the field." " And he is in command of his regiment ? " " I told you so." " But how is that ? " " In the very last battle in which his regiment was engaged the colonel was dangerously wounded, the lieuten- ant colonel was taken prisoner, and the senior major killed ; so that the command of the regiment devolved on Major Rosenthal. His regiment was soon after ordered to W. And he is now crossing the valley. Observe how early and how accurate is our information. Now to get back to Albert Goldsborough. With Scott's Nine Hundred in Montgomery and Rosenthal's cavalry in Frederick, your lover, when he crossed the river for your sake rushed recklessly between two fires." " I wish to Heaven the fires had closed upon him and made an end of him and his horse-thieves then and there ! " bitterly exclaimed Elfie. " You don't ! If you ever loved him, you love him still. If you ever loved him, you love him more than ever for the perils he has braved for your sake," said Alberta, posi- tively. " I tell you" passionately began Elfie ; but she was in- terrupted by a low rap at the door. THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. 161 Come in," said Alberta. And the door opened and a young guerrilla entered, bring- ing in one hand a kettle of hot water, which he sat down on the hearth before the fire, and holding in the other hand a paper parcel. " That is my good boy," said Alberta, as she stirred the fire to make it burn and keep the kettle hot " that is my good boy ! But, Gill, what shall we do for tea ? Use saffron root again ? " " No, ma'am ! See here. Captain Mutchison sent you this with his compliments," said the young man whom Al- berta called Gill, handing over the paper parcel that he had held in his hand " Tea ! real tea ! " said Alberta, holding the parcel up to her face and gratefully inhaling its fragrance. " Oh, tell the captain I am ever so much obliged to him. Elfie, child, I have not had a cup of tea since I took one with Erminie at the parsonage. But I am very glad to have some now, for your sake as well as mine." " I suspect that tea is a part of the spoils of our picnic," replied Elfie. " Nothing in life more likely. Now do you know that circumstance actually adds piquancy to its flavor ! " ex- claimed Alberta, as she went to an .old glass cupboard in a corner of the room and took from it a small tin tea pot, in which she poured a portion of the tea, and afterwards filled it up with boiling water and set it on the hearth to draw. Meanwhile the young guerrilla, who had left the room, returned, bearing a small rude pine table and a coarse crash table cloth, which he arranged for supper. Alberta took from her corner cupboard a few cracked cups, saucers and plates, and set them upon the table, while her guerrilla waiter went out and brought in a loaf of bread, a plate of broiled chicken and a paper of loaf sugar. " Gill, my boy, you are the prince of purveyors ! " said 10 162 HOW HE \VON HEK. Alberta, as she received the good things and arranged them to her liking. "All these with the compliments of Captain Mutohison," said Gill, as he delivered them over. " Of course ! spoils of our picnic," exclaimed Elfie. " And this," said Gill, who had again flitted out empty- handed and now flitted in with a canteen of fresh milk, " this with Abershaw's compliments." " Eich new milk for our tea ! This is indeed a luxury. Where did it come from, Gill ? " "Abershaw drove in a herd of cows this evening," answered the boy. " One would really think that we were living the border life of Scotland in the olden time, when cow-stealing was the most pdpular profession among the landed gentry and their retainers," mused Elfie. " Never mind. Don't quarrel with your supper, my dear. When you have led a guerrilla life as long as I have, you will learn to take what is set before you and be thankful. Gill ! is that thunder ? " inquired Alberta, as a low muttering sound was heard in the air outside. "Yes, ma'am, there is an awful black cloud rising. The men think there will be a storm a great storm." " It is very late in the season for a thunder-storm. But then it has been so unusally warm. Gill ! " " Yes, ma'am." " Are all our men on this side the river ? " " Yes, ma'am." " And havg all Colonel Goldsborough's force re-crossed?" " All ma'am." " Then I am glad the storm is coming up ! The river will rise and the fords be impassable, and so pursuit will be cut off, even if the enemy should be so mad as to wish to ' beard the lion in his den.' You can retire now, Gill." The young guerrilla pulled his forelock by way of making a bow, and then left the room. THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. 163 " Come, Elfie, draw up your chair," said Alberta, as she set the tea-pot on the table. " I would like to wash iny hands first," said Elfie, hold- ing up her fingers. " Good HEAVENS ! " exclaimed Alberta, in real, down- right consternation. " What have you been about, Elfie ? Who have you been butchering ? I am accustomed to the sight of blood, but I never saw such a pair of hands in all my life ! What ever have you been doing with them ? " " I have been proving how well I love Guerrilla Golds- borough, and how willing I was to be carried off by him. I have heard that it is considered an ignominy for a man to lose his ears, and I knew that Guerrilla Goldsborough deserved such ignominy ; and I have been doing my best to inflict it upon him ! " replied Elfie, as she went to the wash basin which Alberta had filled with water for her. " You do not mean to say that you tried to tear his ears off with your nails ! " exclaimed Alberta, in amazement. " If he has got any ears left it isn't my fault," replied Elfie, defiantly, as she wiped her hands and sat down to the tea-table. " Well," said Alberta, " I have sometimes had to look on while hamlets were burning and spies hanging, but I could not have done anything like that." Notwithstanding that Elfie had been seized and carried off by guerrillas, and ought to have been in despair, she was not. On the contrary, she was hungry ; and so she made a very good supper, and with very little asistance from Alberta, she cleared the table of everything eatable on it. Meanwhile outside the thunder rolled, the lightning flashed, and the rain poured. It was not a storm to alarm any one who was not exposed to its fury; for at that season of the year thunder and lightning could not be very violent or dangerous. But the rain ! Surely, since the deluge never had rain fallen in such torrents. 164 HOW HE WON HER. " The fords will be impassable for a week," said Alberta, exultingly, as she went to the window and looked out and listened to the pouring, dashing, lashing rain. Elfie sighed deeply, thinking that the rise in the river would make rescue for her all the more unlikely. Alberta went to the door of her room and called Gill, who seemed to be on duty in the hall outside. " Take away this service, Gill," she said. And the youth, to make short work, stretched the door wide open and lifted the table, with all upon it, and carried it bodily out of the room. Alberta and Elfie drew in their chairs to the fire. "You do not know, Elfie, what a respite from anxiety it is to me to be sure of one night's undisturbed rest ! This storm that is raging outside will lull me to repose as the sweetest music in the world would fail to do," said Alberta, with a sigh of intense relief. " But how and why ? " inquired Elfie. " Oh, because I know while the storm is raging and the rain is pouring the river is also rising, and the fords will be impassable, and our camp will be safe from attack for one night, and we may sleep in peace ! Oh, Elfie ! unless you had lived as I have lived for the last three years, in the midst of ' war's alarms,' you could never realize what a blessed relief there is in the feeling sure that we may sleep in peace for one night ! " " Oh ! Alberta, what a life for you for you, a daughter of the house of Goldsborough reared in luxury and refine- ment ! How can you bear it ? Why do you bear it ? Why do you not accept Erminie's offer, and seek refuge with her ? " earnestly inquired Elfie. "Why? Do you ask me why?" exclaimed Alberta, and her cold eyes, fixed upon the fire before her, dilated and burned, and her impassive face glowed as she replied: * My lot is cast with his and with his cause ! " THE OUTLAW'S LOVE. 165 " Oh, Alberta ! when you were in Washington, you told us that you had taken the oath of allegiance, in good faith, and that you meant to keep it! And here I find you among the guerrillas again ! sympathizing with them, aid- ing and comforting them in every way ! Have you no respect for your oath, no regard for yourself, no fear even of your God ? " inquired Elfie. A strange smile passed over the face of the guerrilla's wife ; still gazing straight before her into the fire, she an- swered, slowly : " I have one idol, one religion, one rule of action ! Elfrida, nearly four years have passed since I left all, to share the fortunes of Vittorio Corsoni, my beloved ! Dark enough those fortunes have been, Heaven knows ! But I have never repented becoming his wife never, Elfie ! Neither of us have known a shadow of turning in our at- tachment to each other. And now I would not exchange my condition as the outlaw's wife to be the most honored lady in the land ! Nor would he part with me for a kingdom ! We are all in all to each other. He is more to me than ever lover or husband was to woman before ! I am more to him than ever was sweetheart or wife to man ! We are one ; we can never be divided. Nothing no, nothing shall ever part us ! not life, not death, not eternity ! In all the gloom and horror of our downward course and downward it is, Elfie downward even to the depths of hell ! we have the one, great, deep joy of knowing that we go on together, inseparable forever ! Yes, on earth or in hades, inseparable forever! I will never again leave him, or be left by him, for a single day. On the only one occasion when we parted since our marriage, he was captured, tried and condemned to die. I found my way to Washington, determined to deliver him or to die with him. Yes, if I could not procure his release, I was determined to do that which should place me by his side in the prison, or send me swiftly after him to the scaffold ! " 166 HOW HE WON HEB. " Oh, Alberta ! you mako my blood run cold ! " exclaimed Elfie. "In such a pursuit, what were oaths to me ? I had one iy his side, in the fiercest of the fight, rode his devoted wife ! Why she was there why he permitted her to be there no one could tell. Whether he had no wish or no power to with- stand the force and fire of her will that clung to him so desperately for life or death, or whether they had been sur- prised too suddenly to be separated, is not known. All that is certainly known is that she was with him throughout that bloody day. She seemed to ride scathless through that scene of slaughter, unharming and unharmed ! Who, in- deed, would have willingly hurt her ? At the moment that Goldsborough with his band rode up, the Free Sword and his two hundred faithful followers were fighting desperately against an overwhelming force. Goldsborough brought to his relief nearly two hundred more men. Yet still the united forces of the two leaders numbered less than four hundred ill-armed and ill-disciplined guerrillas ; and these were opposed to the whole regiment, of Rosenthal's well-trained veteran cavalry, armed with their death-dealing Henry rifles those sixteen shooters, that augmented their fighting powers more than ten-fold. The guerrillas fought well, fearlessly, recklessly. But who could doubt the issue ? Again and again the voice of the young Federal com- mander was heard above the din of battle, calling upon those brave, misguided men to surrender and save them- selves. 282 HOW HE WON HER. In vain ! He might as well have roared to the roaring winds ! The hattle raged with increasing fury. The waves of war rolled east, rolled west, as the hard-pressed guerrillas' fell hack, or rallying for a space, pushed forward. At length, towards sunset, the guerrillas began to scatter and fly. Colonel Goldshorongh tried to rally them, hut in vain. Their desperate courage had suddenly failed. Goldshorongh looked around for the cause of this panic ; and he discovered it in the absence of their idolized leader! It was true. Neither the brave Free Sword nor his heroic wife could anywhere be seen on the field. The fiery spirit that had animated and inspired the whole hand was gone. And fear had fallen upon his followers. And all who were not dead, wounded or prisoners, were flying in all directions hotly pursued by the Federals. Colonel Goldsborough, seeing that the day was lost, wheeled around, put spurs to his horse, and dashed down the hill-side, in the direction of the grove where he had left Elfie and the parson under guard. THE FATE OF THE FREE SWORD. 283 CHAPTER XXIV. THE FATE OF THE FREE SWOBD. "No more, there is no more," he said, " To lift the sword for now ! For thee my fields were won, And thou hast perished." They might have chained him as before That stony form he stood. For the power was stricken from his arm, As from his lips the blood. KEHANS. RIDING recklessly over the dead and dying, Albert Goldsborough rushed onward, until at the entrance of an old turnpike road he was arrested by a sight that might have stopped an army in its flight. In the dust, on the ground, knelt Vittorio Corsoni, the terrible Free Sword, supporting in his arms the pale form of his beloved wife, and gazing down on her still face in unutterable anguish and despair. Beside him lay his hat and plume and his sword, cast off as though useless to him evermore. " Dead ! " exclaimed Albert Goldsborough, in horror and amazement. The Free Sword did not reply or look up ; he did not even seem to see or hear the man who addressed him. The sound of approaching horses' feet startled Colonel Goldsborough from his trance of amazement. " Corsoni ! It is no use to sit there and be captured ! Up and fly ! all is lost ! " he exclaimed, putting spurs to his horse and speeding away. " Yes, all is lost ! " murmured the Free Sword, without removing his eyes from the dead face over which he bent. Another horseman came thundering up in a cloud of dust. It was Mutchison. " Fly ! fly, Colonel Corsoni ! Rosenthal is within a hundred yards of you ! And all is over ! " shouted the giant, as he rushed past without drawing rein. 284 HOW HE WON HER. "Yes, all is over," muttered the Free Sword, dropping his face down to the cold face beneath him. " Up and away ! We are dead beat ! " shouted another equestrian whirlwind that rushed past him. "Dead beat ! " echoed the Free Sword, mechanically. Abershaw was the next who came. He hurriedly dashed up, threw himself from his saddle, and led his horse up to his chief, hastily exclaiming : ".Colonel Corsoni ! For heaven's sake, fly ! There is not a moment to be lost ! Rosenthal is a few yards behind ! Here ! I have brought you a fresh horse ! Mount and away ! Save yourself ! " The Free Sword lifted his despairing eyes to the face of his faithful follower and pointed in silence to the still form in his arms. " Madam Corsoni fainted ! ISTo wonder, poor lady ! Well, I will stay and take care of her. It does not matter so much if I am captured ; I shall be treated as a prisoner of war. But you, Colonel ! oh, you know the doom that awaits you if you are taken ! Mount my horse ! Fly and save yourself!" "Save myself! From what ? The worst has happened that could possibly befall me. Oh, Abershaw, look here ! and tell me if my life is worth the saving now ! " cried Corsoni, in a heart-broken voice, as he pointed to the dead face of his wife. " Dead ! killed ! Oh, Heaven, how did that happen ? " exclaimed Abershaw, overwhelmed by the sight. "A Minie ball. She saw the murderous rifle aimed, and threw herself before me, and received in her heart the shot that was intended for my bosom ! " said Corsoni, in a voice of such deep despair that his follower groaned aloud. But time pressed, pressed fearfully ; a life hung on every minute ! And Abershaw could not leave his chief to in- dulge in sorrow. THE FATE OF THE FTCEE SWORD. 285 " My Colonel my brave Free Sword ! " he exclaimed, " rouse yourself ! A soldier should not yield to grief any more than to fear." Corsoni sadly shook his head. " Corne, coine, my chief, look up. Think of all your glorious achievements in the cause of the young Confed- eracy " " It was for her for her, and she is gone," moaned Corsoni. " Then up and avenge her ! Think of all that you have already done, of all that you may still do for the cause. Think what a career opens before you. When the Confed- eracy triumphs-^" Corsoni impatiently waved his hand and shook his head. " The Confederacy," said the Free Sword, bitterly. " What do you suppose I really cared for the Confederacy ? I am a foreigner. What are your civil wars to me ? It was for her I drew my sword. She bade me draw it in the cause of the Confederacy, and I did it, as, if she had bid me draw it in the cause of the Union, or of the Lord, or of the Devil, I would have done it. It was for her ! for her ! and now she is gone ! oh, my pale love ! This was not what I took you from your convent for," he added, gazing with infinite sorrow on the still face. Then he turned to his follower, saying : " But go and save yourself, Abershaw. You have yet something to live for." " No ; I shall stay with you and her," firmly replied the man. Even as Abershaw spoke their pursuers dashed up. " Ah, here you are, you demon. Yield ! " thundered the foremost soldier, dismounting. " I yield," gently replied the Free Sword. Colonel Kosenthal rode up, attended by his staff, among whom was Wing Wing, his adjutant, with the first lieu- tenant's straps upon his shoulders. 286 HOW HE WON HER. " You are a prisoner, Colonel Corsoni. Deliver up your sword," said Justin, gravely, as he dismounted. My God!" This last exclamation was struck from his lips by the sight of Alberta's dead body in the arms of her heart-broken husband. And the most inveterate pursuers of the Free Sword were now gathered around him with looks of pity in their war- worn faces. Colonel Eosenthal lifted his hand, and silently waved these men away. And all retired except Adjutant Wing. " I am very sorry for this, Corsoni, very, very sorry," said Justin compassionately. The Free Sword looked up. His youthful face seemed suddenly to have grown old and haggard with unutterable woe. Then he gently laid down the form of his wife, and struggled to his feet, and put his hand to his side for the sword that was no longer there. He looked about to find and deliver it to his captor. As he did so, the blood sud- denly gushed in torrents from an unsuspected wound in his breast, and his face became livid. " You are hurt, Corsoni," said Justin, in a pitiful voice. " Am I ? I didn't know," answered the Free Sword, as he reeled and fell beside the body of his wife DEAD. AFTER THE BATTLE. 287 CHAPTER XXV. AFTER THE BATTLE. Oh, womanly she prayed in tent, When none beside did wake ! Oh, womanly she paled in flght For one beloved's sake ! And her little hand defiled with blood, Her tender tears of womanhood Most woman-pure did make. E. B. BROWNING. ADJUTANT WING knelt down beside the dead and took two fresh white pocket-handkerchiefs from his hosom Adjutant Wing was rather dainty for a soldier, in some of his habits, and constantly exposed himself to the raillery of his companions by his weakness for clean linen. He now covered with the handkerchiefs the poor dead faces, and, still kneeling, gazed upon the two bodies, while great tears rolled slowly down his cheeks. " You are weeping, Wing," said Colonel Eosenthal, kindly. " I cannot cannot help it," said the boy, sobbing aloud. " When I look at these two, and remember that they were kind to me, and that I betrayed them to this death, I cannot help it. Oh, my Colonel, I have shed some bitter tears in my life. But these are the bitterest that ever fell from my eyes ! " " Wing, what you did was done as a sacred duty in the service of your country." " Yes, I know ; but the duty was very revolting to me. Once I said that nothing on earth could ever induce me to become a spy ; but that was before the war, and I was in no condition to judge of the matter." As Wing sobbed forth these words Colonel Eosenthal started and looked at him wistfully for a minute ; then, seemingly satisfied by the scrutiny, he said : " Our military duties are often revolting to us, my boy ; ogg HOW HE WON HER. but still they are duties sacred duties and must be per- formed. I suppose the judge who pronounces a sentence of death, and the sheriff who executes it, both feel their duty to be a painful one ; but they do it. I am sorry for these people, Wing very, very sorry for them ; but they were traitors." " Oh, call them no hard names over their still, cold bodies, my Colonel. Their lips are mute and cannot reply. They thought they were right, and so thinking, they were true to themselves, and true, oh heaven, how true to each other! Theirs was a rare love, my Colonel ; stronger than life and death ! " wept Wing. " Perhaps the fate that they have just met was, under all the circumstances, the best for them," said Justin. "Oh! how much the best! Poor lady!" said Wing, uncovering the face of Alberta and gazing tenderly upon it. " Poor, poor lady ! She had but one great dread in all her dreadful life to be separated from her beloved. She had but one earnest prayer to be with him always, forever and ever. Her prayer is granted. As she clung to him through all his desperate life, so he would not desert her even in. death ! no, not even to save himself from certain capture and from the shameful scaffold. Call them traitors, if you must ; but they were true as truth to each other true in life and in death ! And they are inseparable for all eternity. Poor girl ! I remember her words once when speaking of Dante's story of Franceses and Paulo in Hell : ' It might have been worse,' she said. ' One might have been in Heaven!' And I knew that she was thinking of herself and her 'Free Sword.' " As Wing spoke, he reverently covered the faces of the dead and arose from his knees. Oh, my Colonel," he next said, " after all, I think that those who have fallen in this war may be happier than those who survive, burdened with the memory of its horrors ! " AFTER THE BATTLE. 289 At that moment the sound of many horses' feet was heard approaching, and presently a squad of Union cavalry rode up, having Albert Goldsborough, Abershaw, Haddycraff, and other guerrilla officers as prisoners. " We cut off their retreat, sir," reported the officer in command of the party. Colonel Kosenthal advanced to receive the sword of the guerrilla leader. Goldsborough handed it over in perfect silence. There was not a word spoken between the two. Then Colonel Eosenthal ordered the prisoners taken to the rear and guarded. Next he beckoned an officer, and directed him to take charge of the remains of the Free Sword and his unfortu- nate wife, and to see to their removal, and their preparation for decent interment. Finally, he called Wing and Hay (who had succeeded in making his escape from Monck's camp) to attend him, and rode off to inspect in person a certain locality in the neigh- borhood, where he proposed that his regiment should bivouac for the night. They followed the old turnpike road down the hill, until they came to the open plain, across which Goldsborough's men had marched that day. Straight before them, under the dark eastern horizon, was dimly seen a grove, or piece of woods. " There is the place where we shall halt to-night, Wing. As we have no tents, the trees must give us shelter. And I am told that there is a fine spring of water. Our tired and hungry men will be comfortable there," said Colonel Eosen- thal, pointing to the grove. " And the wounded, my Colonel ? " inquired Wing, gently. " You always remember the wounded, my boy. Well, they will be taken care of. Captain Hopkins and Surgeon 18 290 HOW HE WON HER. Sharpe are in charge of the wounded. And lest you should also think the dead may be neglected, I will inform you that Lieutenant Barnwell and Chaplain Jones are intrusted with the arrangements for their Christian burial. Are you satis- fied now, Wing ? " " Thanks, my Colonel, for your information, and also for your kind indulgence of what might be called impertinence in me," said Wing, respectfully raising his cap. Colonel Rosenthal smiled wistfully, but uid not reply. The sun had long set, and the moon had not yet risen. But it was a clear, bright, starlight night, and they continued their way across the plain, strangely soothed by the sweet stillness and peacefulness of the scene. They rode along, drawing nearer and nearer to the grove j until at length, when they were within a few hundred yards of it, they were startled by screams issuing from its shadows, a woman's piercing screams, mingled with cries of "Murder! Murder! Help! Help!" CHAPTER XXVI. ELFIE IN THE GROVE. Ask me not what the maiden foels. Left in that dreadful hour alone ; Perchance her reason stoops or reels Perchance a courage not her own, Braces her mind to desperate tone. SCOTT. " QUICK, boys ! There is something dreadful going on in that grove ! Some woman in extreme peril ! " hastily ex- claimed Justin Rosenthal, as he put spurs to his horse, and galloped forward, hotly followed by Wing and Hay. The grove, at the point at which they approached it, was too thickly grown to admit the entrance of their horses. ELFIE IN THE GROVE. 291 So Colonel Kosenthal threw himself from his saddle, fas- tened his horse to a tree, drew his sword and plunged into the thicket. This example was quickly followed by his companions. The cries of distress had ceased ; and the silence and the darkness of the place rendered it rather difficult for our Don Quixote to decide where to turn his steps and the point of his sword for the delivery of the distressed damsel. " We must scatter ourselves, boys ! Each must take a different direction and beat about the woods until we dis- cover the cause of those cries ! And he who first comes upon the scene of violence must shout for the others ! Now go ! And may Heaven grant that we may be in time ! " hastily exclaimed Justin, waving his sword in the directions he wished the others to take, and then turning and striking deeper into the shadows of the grove. It was very still and dark. Nothing could be seen but the occasional glance of a star, peeping down between the upper branches of the trees ; and nothing could be heard but the ripple of a stream, hidden somewhere in the deep, dry undergrowth of the thicket. Justin was completely bewildered, knowing not which way to turn. " The unfortunate woman, whoever she is, must be murdered or worse before this! At all events, she is silenced," he said to himself. At that moment another cry arose ; but this time it was a man's voice weak, quavering, cracked but unmistakably a man's voice, crying : "Help! Murder! Help! Oh, all good Christians, help ! " " Gracious Heavens ! has the woman got the better now, and is she killing the man ; or what is the meaning of this second outcry ? " exclaimed the colonel, in droll perplexity. And guided by the cries, he clutched his sword with a 292 HOW HE WON HER. firmer clasp, and strode on in the direction from which they came. He had not gone many yards before the cries arose for the third time ; and now, as in the first instance, it was the woman's voice, screaming : "Murder! Murder! Help! Help!" " This is very perplexing. Apparently there are two of them in distress, and they take turns in yelling," said Jus- tin, as he rushed on towards the scene of action. Suddenly he came upon it. Striking through the thicket, he entered an opening in the grove where the clear bright starlight shone down upon a strange picture a man, and a woman, each bound to a tree, only a few yards from each other. " Help ! Murder ! Help ! " shrieked the man. "Don't come near me, you monster! I have a revolver concealed in my bosom and I will shoot you as soon as I would a mad dog ! " screamed the woman. . " ELFIE ! " exclaimed Justin Kosenthal, in astonishment, advancing towards her. " Oh, Justin dear ! Justin, is it you ? Thank Heaven ! But I took you for a prowling guerrilla ! " cried Elfie, strug- gling to free herself enough to welcome him. " I was drawn here by your cries for help, Elfie. But who had the insolence and barbarity to treat you in this manner ? " demanded Colonel Eosenthal, as with his sword he severed the cords that bound the girl and set her free. " Let me sit down and breathe, and then I'll tell you all about it," said Elfie, with a sigh of relief, as she sank down on a heap of dry leaves at the foot of the tree. Justin stood looking at her with eyes full of doubt, pity and anxiety. " Don't stand staring at me as if I had two heads, man ! Go and set the parson free. He is a Christian hero, he is ! and by that time I shall recover my breath and be able to talk to you," said Elfie, with something of her old snappish- ELFIE IN THE GROVE. 293 ness. And truly the poor girl had had enough to make her feel cross and nervous. " I beg your pardon, Elfie," said Justin, smiling, as he turned to obey her. He cut the cords that bound the minister, who immedi- ately stretched his arms, and then dropped upon the ground with a fervent : " Thank goodness ! " At that moment Wing and Hay came up from different points On seeing Elfie, Wing started and withdrew a little into the shade. Justin went up to him said : " I suppose you were led here by the cries, as I was ? " " Yes, sir, they resounded through every part of the grove, I assure you." " Well, I hope there has been no great harm done. We found a parson and the young lady whom you met as a cap- tive among the guerrillas, bound here to a couple of trees. I do not quite understand the affair yet ; but they are apparently uninjured. Now go, Wing take Hay with you, and ride back to the field. Tell Lieutenant-Colonel Wedge- wood that we shall encamp in and around this grove to- night. Tell him to send all the men here who are riot engaged in looking after the wounded and the dead, or in guarding the prisoners." Wing bowed, beckoned Hay to follow him and left the scene. Justin turned and seated himself on a fragment of rock near the bank of leaves on which Elfie rested. " I am very glad, Elfie, to find you safe at last/' he said, a little dubiously. " Yes, thank Heaven, I have passed safely through the terrible days of my captivity," said Elfie. "I can answer for that. The men of Belial, bad as they were, didn't dare to harm a hair of her head. From their 294 HOW HE WON HER. chief downward, they all treated her with respect," said the preacher. " Hold your tongue, Mr. Simmons. I don't need that you should endorse me. I have little reason to be grateful to you, goodness knows, for saving your life at the expense of my liberty," snapped Elfie. The preacher bowed his head under this rebuke. And Justin Eosenthal looked from one to the other in per- plexity. " I will explain, Justin ; but it-is a long story, I can tell you. I have been through a campaign since I saw you last," said Elfie. " But before you begin, my dear young lady, let me ask the captain here a question. Sir, might you have a morsel to eat or drink about you ? " piteously inquired the poor consumptive preacher. " No, I mightn't, I am sorry to say," smiled Justin. "You see we haven't broken our fast since the morning. And I feel a sort of inward sinking. And if you had a scrap of hard tack or a drop of old rye " " I regret very much that I have nothing of the sort. You know that we cavalry rangers, out after guerrillas, carry no provisions. We look to live on the country," said Col- onel Eosenthal. The poor preacher laid his thin hands over his empty bread-basket, and groaned aloud. Even Elfie pitied him. " Never mind, Mr. Simmons," she said, " you heard the order given by Colonel Eosenthal. The men will be here presently, and you may depend they will not come empty- handed. We shall have a sumptuous supper presently." With this piece of comfort the preacher tried to content himself. " And now, Elfie," said Justin Eosenthal. " Well, I suppose you heard that our picnic party was surprised by the guerrillas, and that I was carried off? " L F I E IN THE GROVE. 295 " Yes, I heard of that, Elfie, through a spy I sent into the camp of the Free Sword. Tell me, my dear little friend, what happened after the spy had left," said Justin. And Elfie began and related in detail all her adventures while a captive among the guerrillas. She told the story with firmness, and even with humor, until she came to describe her forced marriage, when she suddenly burst into tears of rage and shame, and wept and sobbed as if her heart would break. When Justin had heard the whole story of the marriage, he laid his hand upon Elfie's bowed black head in a protect- ing and reassuring manner, and laughed as he said : " Why, Elfie, the marriage is not binding upon you, unless you choose to make it so by yourself acknowledging its vali- dity. If you protest against it as a forced marriage, and bring this clergyman here as your witness, it cannot hold good." " But there was a li license ! and a ring ring ! and an ordain dained minister ! and even a man man to give me away ! and all was reg reg reg regular ! " answered Elfie, scarcely able to articulate through her gasping sobs. "Nonsense, my dear girl ! The vital, valid, lawful part of the affair, without which all the rest was all invalid, null and void, was wanting," laughed Justin. " And what was that at ? " sobbed Elfie. " The consent of the woman, of course ! " " Oh, but they had that ! " ELFIE ! " " They took it by force, as they took me. That man an who acted as my pap pap papa, took me by my neck and hair and bobbed my head down three or four times in the most positive manner, as if he meant me to say, 'Yes, yes, YES ! ' and the ceremony went on." " The villain ! But, Elfie, my dear, that was no consent. Nonsense, my child ! You are no more bound in law or 296 HOW HE WON HER. gospel to your guerrilla abductor than you are to any other savage you can think of. Give yourself no uneasiness on that subject, Miss Fielding" said Justin, with an inten- tional emphasis on Elfie's maiden name. Apparently Elfie was not grateful for the consideration. " Justin Rosenthal, I'll thank you not to call me ' Miss Fielding ! ' How do I know but what I am Mrs. Golds- borough ? I hate to be placed in an equivocal position ; and I won't be neither, there ! Call me Elfie. The name given me in baptism is the only one either you or I can feel dead sure I am entitled to bear ! " exclaimed the girl, passion- ately. " Very well, my child. Just as you please ! " laughed Justin, with a shrug of his shoulders. Elfie pouted so long in silence that Justin found it neces- sary to recall her to her narrative. " Come, Elfie," he said, "tell me how you and your com- panion in captivity happened to be bound to these trees ? " " You know," answered Elfie, " I told you how when Albert Goldsborough found that a battle was in progress on the hill, he made us dismount, and took away our horses, and set a mounted guard of six guerrillas to watch us." Yes." " Well, they watched us closely enough for a while. I couldn't stir, even to walk about and stretch my cramped limbs, without being threatened with a rifle levelled at me ! " " The wretches ! " " And all that time we heard the firing in the distance, and knew that a great battle was going on between the guerrillas and our own troops. And we prayed heartily for the success of our men." " Your prayers were heard, El He." " Of course we could not guess which way the tide of victory would turn. We could only see the clouds upon ELFIE IN THE GROVE. 297 clouds of black and sulphurous smoke rolling over the hill, and hear the continual firing, and smell the suffocating fumes of gunpowder that were overpowering even at this distance." " That was because the wind blew straight from the hill in this direction." " In this way several hours passed, and then we began to hear the thunder of flying horsemen crossing the plain. And one of our guard rode out to reconnoitre, and came back in a hurry, exclaiming : " ' By the devil ! if the clock peddlers haven't beaten us ! Our men are flj'ing as fast as their horses can carry them before the Yankee cavalry ! I am not agoing to stay here guarding a girl and a parson, until I am captured ! What do you say, boys ? ' " Apparently the e boys ' agreed with their companion. They rode together and consulted in a low voice and in great excitement, while we still felt, as it seemed, the very earth shake with the thunder of the flying and chasing horsemen. Meanwhile I felt great hopes of being allowed to escape. My hopes were soon destroyed, however, by the words of the corporal, who had command of the guard. " ' It will never do to let them get off, blast them ! any more than it will do for us to stay here and be captured by the Yankees ! I'll tell you what, boys ! we will tie them to trees, so that if the colonel does come back to look for them which I doubt very much if he will, even if he should have escaped being killed or wounded, or taken prisoner he will find them ; that's all ! Now what do you say to that!' " The corporal's proposal was adopted by acclamation. And the wretches .immediately seized us and bound us, each to a tree, as you found us, Justin. And then they mounted their horses anVON HER. Old Bob, with a hamper of lint under each arm, followed the two young ladies. Erminie led the way up the first flight of stairs to the first floor, and turned at once to the clothing room attached to that ward, and under the charge of a Sister of Mercy. It was a room furnished all around with shelves and drawers like a dry goods store, and filled with ready made under clothing, dressing gowns, hed linen and nappery. A mild-eyed, hlack-robed young sister arose to receive the visitor. "I have brought you a fresh supply of lint, Sister Agnes," said Erminie. " Ah, yes ; we are very glad to have it ; it is very much wanted. "VVe had not near enough fcr the fresh cases we have received to-day." "From what battle-field do these come, Sister, do you know?" "I don't. Some of them came up by the steamboats. So I suppose there has been another battle somewhere down the river. And some of them, I know, came by railroad from the valley, where there has been a fight with the guerrillas." " Oh ! " said Erminie. And then as time was too precious to be spent in talking, she took up the large basket of oranges she had brought, and bowing adieu to this " mistress of the robes," she passed down the corridor, attended by Erminie, and followed by Bob, who had been back to the carriage, and had returned with a large basket of jellies and fruits. " I visited one-half the wards this morning, and I must look into the others this afternoon," said Erminie, as she turned to the right and opened a door leading into a long room, furnished with a double row of little white beds, on most of which lay wounded men. Smiles of glad welcome greeted this young angel visitant as soon as she appeared. MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL. 327 "Here, Elfie. You take this basket of oranges, dear, and go down one row of beds wbile I go down tbe other. And give each man one. Sister Frances says that the men in this ward may all eat fruit," said Erminie. Elfie took the basket of oranges, and went down the row of beds as she was bid, pausing at each to speak a kind and cheering word, and to give an orange. At length she reached the very last little bed in the corner, and without looking at its occupant, she said : " Well, you are the last, but you will not be the worst served, soldier. Here is the very finest orange in the whole lot. Just as if I had saved it on purpose for you. I hope it will refresh you. And I hope you are not badly wounded." " Elfie ! " in a feeble voice exclaimed the wounded man. " Great Heaven ! " cried the girl, starting, and nearly dropping her basket of oranges. She stood beside the bed of Albert Goldsborough. " Elfie, didn't you know me ? " he sadly and faintly in- quired. "No. I was picking out tne biggest orange for the man who had to wait the longest, and so I didn't look at you, and didn't know you. You might have been sure of that. And now that I do know you, 1 take back all I said and all I gave. Hand me that orange. I have nothing for you." "Not even forgiveness, Elfie?" he sighed, as he restored the fruit. "Nothing," she answered grimly, turning from him and walking back. The hospital beds were very narrow and very near together. The wounded soldier that occupied the one next to Albert Goldsborough, heard and saw all that had parsed between him and Elfie. Now turning painfully on his side, he stretched out his hand towards Goldsborough and said : 328 HOW HE WON HER. "Here, Eeb., take half my orange. Do now you're welcome to it. A Eeb. boy gave me half his bread and water while we lay together on the battle field before I was brought here; and I haven't forgot that yet! Take half tny orange, Eeb., or if you're thirsty take the whole." Albert Goldsborough smiled and shook his head, saying : " I thank you, but cannot take it. The lady who gave it would not like the transfer." Elfie heard all this and felt ashamed. She stopped short and burst into tears. She was almost hysterical with con- tradictory emotions. But she knew it would never do to make a scene in the ward of a hospital. " The noble soldiers ! they cherish no feelings of bitter malignity against our brave foes. It is only we, miserable, mean, little non-combatants, who never risked our lives in the cause, who are as venemous an reptiles ! I will follow the example of our dear Union boy there," thought Elfie, as she hurried to the side of the young soldier of whom she Lad spoken, and said, with emotion : ' You are better than I am ! You are a brave, good, generous fellow, and I hope I shall know more of you.'' The young soldier smiled and said, a little obscurely : " You see, Miss, we must save the Union at any cost ; but we don't all hate each other for all that." "3STo," replied. Elfie, humbly. And she passed on to Goldsborough's bed and said : " Albert, I didn't mean it indeed I didn't ! Take the orange again, dear do ! It isn't you that I am angry with. It is treason. And my feelings are so contradictory pull so violently opposite ways that I feel as if my very- soul was being drawn asunder by wild horses ! Oh, if you had been true to your country! Oh, if you had only been true!" she exclaimed, dropping on her knees and hiding her face on the edge of his bed while she sobbed convul- sively MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL. 329 She felt his hand laid softly on her head, and presently afterwards she heard him groan a low, deep, irrepressible groan, that seemed to have heen wrung from him hy extreme agony. Elfie lifted her tearful face and took his hand in hers. That hand was burning with fever. " Are you wounded, Albert ? Are you wounded badly ? Tell me, dear." Yes, Elfie, badly." " I knew that you were taken prisoner ; but I had no idea that you were hurt until I saw you here. How did it happen ? Tell me all about it, dear, unless it troubles you to talk. If it does, don't speak." " It relieves me to talk to you, Elfie. When I turned from the lost battle field, it was to hurry to the spot where I left you to provide for your safety. But I was pursued ; and when I was about half way across the plain, between the hill and the grove, a minie ball from a sharpshooter struck my leg above the knee and shattered the bone " Oh ! my dear" " Almost at the same time I saw a troop of horse gal- loping from the opposite direction. In a moment, Elfie, I was surrounded and captured. And they took me at once to Colonel Rosenthal. But, Elfie, as I sat there in my sad- dle before him, my limb hung, a shattered, useless, helpless mass beside my horse's flank. I did not speak as I handed him my sword. I was very glad not to be spoken to ; for if I had been obliged to open my compressed lips to answer I should have groaned in agony. And I didn't want my enemy to hear me do that." " Oh, Albert, I am sorry ! I am so sorry ! Is it very painful now, dear ? Have they dressed it well ? " " They have dressed it very well, Elfie ; and they are trying to save it ; but it is so very painful now that I doubt if they can do so." 330 HOW HE WON HER. "Oh, Albert, there is no danger of your losing youi limb!" " We shall know by to-morrow morning whether we can save it or not. But, Elfie, I am not so anxious to save my limb as I am to obtain your forgiveness for the great wrong that I did you," he said. "Oh! Albert, dear, don't talk of that. It is past; and don't you see, dear, that I am friends with you ? " " Thanks, Elfie thanks ! You should understand, Elfie, that farce of a marriage, with the license, and ring, and parson, and prayer book, all regular, was yet of no sort of value in law, unless it should be ratified by your consent/' he said. "I know I know, Albert. But do not let us talk of such exciting things. Your fever is rising, and here comes Erminie." Miss Eosenthal had not passed down her side of the ward as quickly as Elfie had passed down hers. Erminie's walk was more like that of a physician in charge. She was familiar there. She had to stop by the side of every bed> and hold a conversation with the patient or a consultation with the nurse. And so her progress was slow. "Now, however, having got to the end of her row of beds, she approached her friend, and saw the new patient. " Albert Goldsborough ! is it possible ! " she exclaimed, in surprise surprise immediately suppressed by her habitual caution as a hospital visitor. " Yes, Miss Kosenthal, I am here," he answered. " I am very, very sorry to see you lying thus," said Er- minie, taking his hand, and laying her finger upon his pulse. "You are feverish, and must not give me a word of explan- ation yet. Elfie, my dear, your presence is no sedative just now," she added, turning to the weeping girl ; " so you may go down. Inquire your way to the office of the surgeon in charge, and ask him, in my name, to send one of his assist- MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL. 331 ants here ; for here is a patient who needs immediate atten- tion." Elfie arose ; but, before leaving the spot, stooped over the wounded man and kissed his forehead, murmuring : " Good-bye, Albert. If you ever doubted my reconcilia- tion to you, believe it now." " Thanks, dear Elfie ! You will come again ? " he said, holding her hand and detaining her. " Yes, I will come as often and stay as long as they will let me," she sobbed. " Now go, Elfie dear. Go at once. He }s suffering ex- tremely for want of attention; and his wound must be looked to immediately," urged Erminie. Elfie sat her basket of oranges within Goldsborough's reach and pointed imploringly to it, and she had the comfort of seeing him smile, and take one and put it to his lips, before she left the ward. In a very few minutes one of the young assistant surgeons came up in answer to Miss Rosenthal's summons, and stood beside the bed of the intensely suffering man. " Yes, Miss Kosenthal, his wound must be looked to im- mediately," said the young man. And Erminie got up to go. " Good-bye, Colonel Goldsborough. I will see you again to-morrow, when I hope you will be better," she said, gently. "Good-bye, Miss Rosenthal; and a thousand earnest thanks." When Erminie had entered the carriage, and had given her order to the coachman to drive to the Emory Hospital, and when they were once more on their way, she turned to her silent companion and said : " Elfie, my dear, you must be very careful what you do, unless you would fetter your whole life with that forced marriage. As it stands now, without your consent it 832 HOW HE WON HER. is not binding on you. With your consent it becomes indi* soluble." " I have not consented," said Elfie. " My dear, not in words, perhaps ; but actions speak louder than words. There is such a thing as constructive consent. Your manner may be so construed, Elfie, as to forge you fetters that you cannot break in all your life. I speak in warning, to save your future from misery, my dear." " Oh, Erminie ! would you have had me act otherwise than I did to the wounded, perhaps dying man ? Oh, Erminie ! I tried I did indeed I tried to be firm and hard and cruel, but I could not ! I could not ! And when I saw his face blanched, and his eyes drawn in, and his lips wrung with the agony he was trying to bear in silence, I I could couldn't be unkind to him ! " wept Elfie, burying her face in Enninie's mantle. "Nor would I have you be unkind, Elfie, my dear," said Miss E/osenthal, caressing her. " Be as kind as you please. Do everything for him that Christian love inspires. Only take care that you give him no hold upon your future life." " Oh, Erminie ! Erminie ! I never had much self-control ! And since my soul has been so torn between my old love and my hatred of treason, I have less! Oh, Erminie, I cannot say to myself that I will go 'thus far and no farther ! ' " " Then I do not understand you, love. I only wished to caution you, that you should not, through inadvertence, forge chains for yourself that it would gall you to wear." " Oh, Erminie ! no ! you don't understand me ! How should you, when I don't understand myself? When I saw him at the head of his band ; strong, rampant, insolent ; in arms against the government ; doing his arrogant will with everybody, and with myself among the rest. I hated him, or I thought I did ! And I prayed that he might come to MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL. 333 this, and come to worse! And now, when I see him stretched, broken, helpless, and writhing in agony in that bed, as if it was a rack, I feel as if my cruel prayers had been granted, and I had brought him to it ! " she wept. "That is morbid, Elfie. Whatever brought Colonel Goldsborough a wounded prisoner to our hospital it was not your prayers ! For we know that heaven never hears the praj^ers for vengeance. But one word, Elfie. If Colonel Goldsborough rises from his bed again, do you mean to ratify with your consent that forced marriage ? " " If he rises ! Oh, Erminie ! you have looked upon too many wounded men not to know when you see the face of a dying one ! Oh, Erminie ! you must see that he will never, never rise from that bed ! " said Elfie, breaking into fresh sobs. "No, no, Elfie, I see no such thing ; that ghastly look of agony is by no means the look of death, which is usually very peaceful. No, Elfie, Colonel Goldsborough may possi- bly lose his leg ; but he has a very fine constitution. And I see no earthly reason why he should lose his life. It is in anticipation of his recovery that I warn you not to allow your compassion for him in his present condition to com- promise your future relations with him. But here we are at the Emory," said Miss Kosenthal, as the carriage drew up before the gates of the hospital. 334 HOW HE WON HER. CHAPTER XXXI. POOR ELFIE'S HONEYMOON. Can this be death ? Then what is life, or death ? Speak ! " But he spoke not. "Wake ! " But still he slept ; But yesterday and who had mightier breath ? A thousand warriors by his word were kept In awe. He said, as the centurian saith "Go," and he goeth ; " Come," and he steppeth forth. The trump and bugle till he spake were dumb, And now naught left him but the muffled drum. BYBON. THE next morning it was Elfie who was all impatience to get off to the hospitals. On nearly all former occasions when Elfie was to be her companion in her rounds among the sick and wounded soldiers, Erminie had been very much " tried " by her friend's dilatory habits. But this morning Elfie was dressed and had the carriage at the door long before Erminie had got through her domestic duties of the forenoon. And so Elfie spent the time in walking impatiently up and down the hall, until at length Erminie made her appearance in bonnet and shawl. " You will go to the hospital first ? " inquired Elfie, anxiously, thinking and speaking as if the hospital in which Albert Goldsborough lay were the only one in the city. " Yes, dear ; for your sake I will go to ' the' hospital first. After which we will visit the others. But, Elfie, dear, excuse me if I repeat my warning of yesterday. Be as kind as you please ; but take care not to compromise your- self." " Now, Erminie, when did I ever take care of myself, in any way ? You might as well ask a fish to fly. I cannot say to my heart, 'thus far no farther.' I never could. Besides, Erminie, his livid, agonized face has haunted me all the night through. Don't say any more to me, please. I don't want to lose my self-possession again this morning. I don't want to go to the hospital with red eyes," said Elfie. POOR EL TIE'S HONEYMOON. 335 " Well, my dear, I will say no more but this : Since you cannot take care of yourself, I pray Heaven to take care of you," said Miss Rosenthal. They entered the carriage and were rapidly driven to the hospital. Arrived there, they found all signs of yesterday's horrors effaced. The wounded had been all properly cared for, and the halls, stairs and lobbies had been washed. Erminie had her usual short interview with the surgeon in charge, and then passed up, accompanied by Elfie, to the wards on the second floor. Elfie went at once to the ward in which Albert Goldsborough had been placed. She passed hastily between the two long lines of little beds, until she came to the end, when she stopped and uttered a half-suppressed cry. Albert Goldsborough's bed was empty. She turned her wild dilated eyes, full of the question her lips could not utter, towards the Union soldier who occupied the next bed. " Yes, poor fellow ! " said the soldier, " they've taken him to the operating room." " l The operating room ! ' " gasped Elfie, with suspended breath. "Yes, Miss." " But why have they taken him there ? " she found power at last to ask. " To amputate his leg, poor fellow ! " " ' To amputate his leg ! ' " exclaimed Elfie, again echo- ing the soldier's words. " Yes, Miss, it was the only way of saving his life, it seems. This morning when the assistant-surgeon looked at his wound, he sent immediately for the surgeon in charge, and they both examined it together and decided that the leg must be taken off at once, if the man's life was to be saved. 336 HOW HE WON HER. Elfie, unable to stand, sank pale and trembling down upon Albert Goldsborough's empty bed, and sitting there, with clasped hands and strained eyes, waited for the soldier's farther words. " The poor fellow objected very much ; said that his leg had ceased to give any pain at all ; that it was quite easy ; and, except for weakness, he never felt better in his life ; he had had the best night's rest he had ever enjoyed ; his leg hadn't troubled him once ; and he had waked up this morning quite refreshed though rather feeble." " Then why did they persist in the operation ? " cried Elfie. " To save his life, Miss, as they explained to him. His freedom from pain was, under the circumstances, the worst possible symptom. Mortification had commenced in the wound and was rapidly extending upward, and it became necessary to amputate the limb without delay." " And then he consented ? " wept Elfie. "Yes, Miss." " How long was that ago ? " "They removed him about ten minutes before you en- tered the ward, Miss." " So they are even now at their dreadful work ! They have him even now stretched upon the ghastly operating board, and are torturing his nerves and flesh with knife and saw!" shuddered Elfie. "Oh, Albert! oh, my love, my love, if I could bear it for you ! " And the loyal Union girl, who had discarded and defied her rebel lover in the days of his pride and his power, and who had believed her own words when she told him that the one burning aspiration of her he"art was to see him hanged for his treason, now burst into a convulsion of sob>, and wept over his sufferings the sorest tears she had ever shed in her life. "Don't distress yourself so much, Miss. He will not POOR ELFIE'S HONEYMOON. 337 feel it. He will know nothing after he is stretched upon the operating board until it is all over. They are going to give him chloroform," said the young soldier, trying to comfort the weeping woman. Elfie struggled to regain her self-command. She recol- lected with compunction that the hospital ward was not the place to indulge in the exhibition of strong emotions. " Listen, Miss," said the soldier boy " I know he will not feel it. See, Miss I had my leg taken off two weeks ago, and I never felt it ; and just look how well I'm getting over it." There was an instantaneous sympathy in all the words and looks and actions of the impulsive girl. " You had your leg taken off! And you are so quiet and patient and cheerful under it all ! Oh, my poor boy, I didn't know it ! I didn't, indeed, my poor child, or I wouldn't have been so indifferent to you ! " she said, speak- ing to this young soldier, near her own age, as if he had been her son, or her little brother; and kneeling down by his bed to bring her compassionate face closer to his own. " It is nothing near so bad as you seem to think, Miss. Bless you ! see how many have lost both legs, or both arms, or one of each. And see how many have lost their lives ! I consider myself one of the lucky ones, Miss. Only I don't dare to write and tell mother yet. I don't know that I shall ever tell her. What would be the use ? I think I shall wait and not go home until I get the bran new patent leg Uncle Sam is going to give me ; and then I shall walk in on mother, in a new pair of boots, and she will never know what is in them, or that one of my limbs has gone to the grave before me." " Are you your mother's only son ? " inquired Elfie, still kneeling by the bed. " Oh, no, Miss," answered the boy, smiling ; " and neither is she a widow. Mother has a husband and seven 21 338 HOW HE WON HER. sons in the war. I am only her youngest. But, bless you, Miss, she loves us all as if each was her only one." "But if her husband and all her sons are in the war, who is at home with her ? " inquired Elfie, not, however, forget- ting the man on the table in the operating room, even while feeling much interest in the new object of her sympathy. "Our sister is at home with mother. And I really do believe," added the boy, smiling archly, " that nothing but their crinoline keeps them out of the army ! " " Nothing but our crinoline, if that is to stand for our sex, keeps thousands of us out of the army ! " said Elfie. At that moment the door at this end of the ward opened, and a litle bustle ensued. Elfie arose from her position, and held her breath in awe. Through the door a small procession like a funeral train entered the ward. Four men bore between them a bier on which was spread a narrow mattress, with the motionless form of a man extended at full length on it, and covered with a white sheet, and altogether looking like a dead body. Behind the bier walked the assistant-surgeon. This procession was simply that of the hospital nurses bringing in the mutilated man, still in the deep swoon of chloroform, and under the personal direction of the doctor. But as they approached, Elfie turned deadly pale and faint, and gasped forth the inquiry : " Is he gone ? Oh, is he gone ? Has he died under that dreadful operation ? " " Oh, no, Miss," said the young soldier, kindly ; " he is only unconscious. They will recover him as soon as they get him on the cot again." Elfie caught her breath and clasped her hands, and strug- gled for composure. The soldier nurses lifted the mattress, with its nearly lifeless burden, and laid it on the cot, and then turned down POOR ELFIE'S HONEYMOON. 339 the sheet, and revealed the face of Albert Goldsborough, livid, but quiet, like the faces of those who have recently fallen asleep in death. Elfie, holding her hands upon her heart, drew near, and took courage to ask the assistant surgeon : "Doctor, oh, Doctor, how did he bear the operation? Will he survive it ? Oh, will he ? " The surgeon turned, and seeing the anxious and pleading face, guessed at once that the inquirer was " something " to the sufferer, and answered perhaps more kindly than truly : " Yes, Miss, we hope he will do well. You are a friend or relative of this man ? " " Dear me, Doctor, if you were not a very recent arrival here, you would know me as well as you know the dis- pensary. I have been in the habit of coming here daily, with little intermission, for the last three years," said Elfie, rather impatiently evading the doctor's question. " I have been here only for the last fortnight," he re- plied. " Oh, I was away during that time. But I was here yesterday with Miss Eosenthal, and I brought you her message to come to this very patient." " Oh, yes, I remember. But now my dear young lady," said the surgeon, who had not once taken his finger from the pulse of the man on the cot, since he had been laid there, " now my patient shows signs of recovery, and he must positively see no one near him but his physician and nurse. I must beg you to retire." " But, Doctor, I I am his friend," said Elfie, at length driven to this confession. " If you were his mother or his sister, his wife or his sweetheart, I could not let you see him, or rather, I could not let him see you, when he wakes," said the surgeon, firmly, though kindly. " Yes, Elfie, dear, you must let me take you away. Any 840 HOW HE WON HER. sudden shock might be fatal to him when he wakes," said Erminie, who had come unperceived to her side. Elfie turned away, with difficulty restraining her sohs. She paused a moment by the side of her new acquaintance on the next cot. " Good bve, young soldier," she said. " I shall see you again to-morrow. And I hope we shall know you better. You are one of the heroes of this war. And I feel sure that your past courage in the field equalled your present fortitude in the hospital." The boy blushed and smiled to hear such warm praises from such pretty lips, and he watched Elfie as long as she remained visible in the ward. As soon as the two girls were in the little carriage again, Elfie suddenly seized Erminie and hysterically exclaimed : " Oh, Erminie ! Oh, Erminie ! You saw him ! You saw how livid and sunken he looked ! " " Yes, dear, I saw him." " Oh, Erminie ! you have been tending the sick and wounded in the hospitals for nearly four years, and you have had a great deal of experience. You know almost as much as the head surgeon himself, and a great deal more than these young under graduates, who take off a man's limb so deftly. And you saw how he looked. Will he live ? Will he live ? " "I hope and trust so, my dear," said Miss Eosenthal gently. When people say they hope and trust, they always mean they don't believe," cried Elfie, wringing her hands. Miss Eosenthal tried to turn the conversation. " You forgot to keep your appointment with your little champion yesterday, Elfie." " I had forgotten the very existence of little Mim," sobbed Elfie. " Shall I tell the coachman to set you down there ? It is directly on our way to the Emory Hospital." POOR ELFIE'S HONEYMOON. 341 " No, tell him to drive me first to the nearest bookseller's, and then to the next fruit shop. I mustn't go empty- handed when I do go," said Elfie, remorsefully. Miss Rosenthal gave the proper directions, the coachman drove to the designated places, and Elfie made her pur- chases, and in due time was set down at the gate of little Mim's cottage. " Call and pick me up as you come hack from the Emory, Erminie," said Elfie, as she passed through the gate. "Certainly," smiled Miss Rosenthal as she entered the carriage, which immediately drove off. Elfie was well received by the little old Misses Mini all the better received because she had missed her appointment with them on the day before. It argued well for them they thought that she was not so over fond of Jim's society, and perhaps she was not so over anxious to marry him after all, they said, nodding their heads together. Little Mim himself welcomed his visitor with an effusion .of gratitude. He stopped her apologies with his thanks, and accepted her books, and her fruit, and her company with delight. Elfie sat two hours with him ; but she refrained from men- tioning the presence of Albert Goldsborough in the hospital. She refrained from two reasons : the fear of exciting the injured man, and the dread of hearing him abuse one who was now only the object of her compassion, her anxiety, and her affection. It was late in the afternoon when Miss Eosenthal called in the carriage, paid little Mim a short visit, and then took Elfie home. The next morning Elfie was all feverish impatience to get to the hospital where Goldsborough lay. And Erminie so strongly sympathized with her in her anxiety that she despatched her domestic affairs in great haste, and was seated beside Elfie in the little carriage an hour earlier than usual. 342 HOW HE WON HER. They drove rapidly to the hospital, and while Miss Ros- enthal was holding a consultation with the sister in charge of the clothing room, Elfie hurried to the second floor and entered the ward where her patient lay. Merely bowing to the nurses in attendance, she passed swiftly up hetween the rows of beds, but paused suddenly beside that which sustained the wasted form of her lover, who seemed to be sleeping, or swooning ; she could not tell which. A great change had passed over the face and form of Albert Goldsborough since the day before. His face was more livid and sunken then ever ; black shadows had gath- ered in the hollows of his eyes, and temples, and cheeks, and around his pallid lips, which, drawn tightly apart showed the dry, glistening teeth between them. His eyes were half open and half opaque like the eyes of the dying. His shrunken form beneath the closely clinging counterpane, revealed the rapid wasting of flesh and muscle that had gone on even in the last few hours. As soon as Elfie's eyes fell upon him she suppressed the scream that rose to her mouth, and turned in agonized inquiry to her friend on the next cot. "Oh, what has happened since last night?" she fal- tered. " I am very sorry to tell you, Miss, but for some reason or other the stump broke out bleeding in the night, and there was a very exhausting hemmorrhage before it could be stopped again." " And is there great danger ? " faintly inquired Elfie, sinking upon the chair that stood between the two beds. " Well no, Miss, we all hope not, if it doesn't break out again," answered the young soldier, hesitatingly. " But can it break out again ? Is it likely *-*;do so ? " anxiously inquired Elfie, now gazing in distress upon the ghastly face of her lover, and now turning appealingly to her new friend. POOR EL FIB'S HONEYMOON. 343 " Well perhaps not, Miss," said the young soldier, pain- fully suppressing the truth to avoid wounding her. Again Elfie's gaze was fixed upon the fallen face of her lover, who opened his eyes and recognized her with a wan smile. "Thank you for coming, my love. I knew you would come to me. They told me, when I asked for you, that you came yesterday, but that they could not let you stay to see me. I knew that you would come again to-day, Elfie," he said, feebly holding out his hand to her. " Oh ! Albert, dear, my heart bleeds for you," she cried, trying to keep back her rising tears. You know my fate, Elfie ? " " Oh no, dear ; none but the Omniscient can know that. But I feel sure, if you will only keep quiet and not let that happen again, you will get well. Come, Albert, I will not excite myself or you either. But I will not leave you again, dear. I will stay with you until until you get well. See ! " she said, drawing from her pocket the wedding-ring that she had once indignantly torn from her finger, but still refrained from destroying. " See, I put on your ring I put it on ^ now of my own accord, willingly, gladly, so that I may stay and nurse you ! See ! " "Elfie darling! stop! mind what you are about! Do not compromise yourself ! I may live ! " said the almost dying man, laying his feeble hand on hers." " Heaven grant that you may ! But now see ! " she said, slipping the ring firmly upon her finger, and adding " I will never leave you more, Albert, never, never." " Ah, my poor girl ! I alwaj^s knew you loved your 'traitor/ although you hated his treason!" exclaimed Goldsborough, feebly raising the ringed hand, and pressing it to his, lips. At that moment the surgeon, in making his rounds, came up to Go isborough's bed. At a short distance he was fol- 344 HOW HE WON HER. lowed by Miss Eosenthal and one of the nurses in close consultation. While the surgeon was feeling the pulse of his patient, Elfie was straining her ears to catch the words of the con- versation between Miss Rosenthal and the nurse. At length, as they drew nearer, she heard the latter say : "No, Miss, the surgeon seems to think there is no hope in the world for his life ! His death is but the question of a few days or hours." Elfie knew that the hospital nurse was speaking of Albert Goldsborough, and though, from his appearance, she might have been prepared, and perhaps was prepared, to hear such a sentence, yet for an instant her senses reeled and she caught the back of the cbair for support. Then with an effort she recovered her self-control, and turned her eyes on the face of the assistant surgeon, who was still examining his patient, and tried to read in its ex- pression some reversal of the nurse's sentence. But the surgeon's face was quite impassible. Presently, however, he looked up and addressed Elfie. " Young lady, I do not wish to be discourteous," he said, very gentty, "but my patient's condition demands the strictest quiet, and will not admit of his seeing visitors. Therefore, I must request you to retire." For all answer, Elfie deliberately arose and took off her gloves, mantle, and bonnet, and laid them on the empty chair. And then, while the surgeon was staring at her as if to see what she would do next, she answered firmly : "No, doctor, I cannot leave him. I must remain with him until until he leaves the hospital." " But, my dear young lady " " Say no more, doctor. I will not leave him. My place is by his side. I am his wife." And so saying, she came to the side of the cot and placed her hanc in that of the dying man, who closed his wan THE REBEL ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 345 fingers over it, and raised his eyes, full of unspeakable love, to her pitying face. In the utmost perplexity, the surgeon turned towards Miss Kosenthal for an explanation. " Yes, doctor," said Erminie, gravely and sweetly, " she has a right to stay with him. She is his wife." CHAPTEE XXXII. "THE REBEL RIDES ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE." Do not cheat her heart and tell her, " Grief will pass away, Hope for fairer times in future, And forget to-day " Tell her, if you will, that sorrow Tell her that the lesson taught her Far outweighs the pain. A. A. PROOTOK. So Elfie was permitted to remain in the ward and nurse her hushand. There was no provision in the hospital for extra nurses, and every woman who came to attend the sick bed of husband, son or brother, had to take the chance of catching a wink of sleep or a mite of food or drop of drink as best she could. As Erminie was about to take leave of her friend, she stooped and whispered : " You do well to remain, dear Elfie, but there are no ac- commodations for you here, so I will send Bob back with such comforts as I think you will be most likely to need, and I will also speak to Sister Agnes to let you have the use of her dormitory sometimes, and I hope your health will not suffer." " Thanks ! a thousand heartfelt thanks, dear Erminie, for all your kindness, and above all, for the greatest kind- ness of not blaming me for this," said Elfie. " My poor girl, I never shall dream of blaming you now," 346 HOW HE WON HEE. murmured Miss Rosenthal, turning away to conceal her emotion. While they had been speaking, Albert Goldsborough, with his hand clasped in Elfie's, had dropped into one of those light and fitful slumbers that attend the dying. When Erminie had left her, Elfie remained holding the hand of the sinking man until he awoke with a start, and looking up at her with a smile, murmured faintly : " Yes, you are there. It is no dream. You are there." " Yes, I am here, never to leave you again, Albert." " But let me keep hold of your hand, so that if I drop asleep again, I may know, even in my dreams, that I have you." She gave him both her hands, caressing his, and looking on him with unspeakable tenderness. " Elfie, my darling," he murmured, " when I look at you so, and think how I wronged you, it almost breaks my heart ! I am sorry ! I am sorry ! " " Albert, dear, don't look so ! don't speak so ! You have done me no wrong at all none, none, I say. But if if " If what, Elfie ? " . " Oh ! if I could only hear you say say " " Say what, my darling girl ? " " Say that that you are sorry sorry for taking up arms against your native land ! " sobbed Elfie. With a spasm of pain Goldsborough turned his face to the wall. " Oh, Albert ! I would give my life this day to hear you say that, and say it truly! Heaven knows I would! I would ! my own love ! " cried Elfie, sobbing as if her heart would burst ; yet knowing that such indulgence of emotion was wrong in herself and injurious to the wounded man, and trying hard to compose herself. With difficulty Goldsborough turned his head and THE KE15KL OX HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 347 shoulders, the half of his hody that he could move, around towards her and faced her again. "Elfie," he said, sadly and frankly, "if I were conscious of having done wrong, I should be sorry for it now, or never. ' A death-bed 's a detector of the heart,' 'tis said. If the course you blame so bitterly had been a career of crime, I should know it now, if ever, and I should atone for it by a death-bed repentance. And you, and all who think with you, would unite in approving and consoling the peni- tent. But when I speak my next words, Elfie, you and yours may harden your hearts against me. I cannot help tii at. For, Elfie, not to secure the good will of the people around me not even to secure your sweet presence, which is the only earthly consolation I have now left in life will I deceive myself, or you, or them. Listen, Elfie, and then leave me if you must. Here lying in the hospital, wounded and dying, and surrounded by the enemies of my country, and in danger of losing your love, I tell you I am not sorry for what I have done. I do not repent the course I have pursued. I know now, -as I knew then, that I was and am right. There, Elfie ! That is the faith in which I shall live and die. You, Elfie, think differently. And I do not blame you. The freedom of opinion that I claim for my- self I give to all others. Now then, my dearest, if your conscience commands you to leave me, leave me. And if you go, I shall not reproach you, even in my thoughts. I shall thank you from the bottom of my heart for all past kindness ; I shall love you as long as I live, and I shall bless you with my dying breath. Now go, my beloved, if indeed you must." " Oh, Albert ! " exclaimed Elfie, struggling to suppress her tears, " you know I will never leave you while you live ! never, Albert, never ! I cannot convert you, but I cannot help loving you ! " she added, stooping and pressing her lips to his. 348 HOW HE WON HER. " My poor, dear girl, I wish we could think alike ! " lie murmured, feebly caressing her head, that lay so near his "And now let us talk no more of this horrible war. Let us forget for a while the madness of the rebellion," said Elfie. " Not just yet, my Elfie. I must justify myself in your eyes, for your sake, if possible," he murmured. " Oh ! do not do not ! Oh ! say no more. You are already too much excited. I was very wrong to have started the subject. I have raised your fever; and the doctor would serve me right to turn me out of the hospital," said Elfie. " My dear girl, you have not excited -me. Don't you see that I am past all that. Elfie ? Besides, I must say more in self-justification. Only to you, Elfie. I would not stoop to justify myself to another," he proudly added. " Go on, then, but don't don't fatigue yourself:" "Listen, then, my darling girl: You and I are diamet- rically opposed to each other on the subject of this civil war, are we not ? " "Yes, yes; more's the pity." "So say I, 'More's the pity.' And yet, diametrically opposed as we are, we are each of us true to our firmest convictions of duty, are we not ? " " I truly believe so," admitted Elfie. " And so far each of us is right. We are both right in adhering to what we conscientiously believe to be our duty." Elfie was puzzled and silenced. Goldsborough went on. " We should either of us be very wrong to give up our honest convictions of duty merely to please the other." Elfie was still perplexed and dumb-foundered. " Listen, my darling. In the old days of intolerance, religious persecution was the great madness. The one THE REBEL ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 349 Christian sect that happened to "be dominant persecuted all other Christian sects, and for the glory of God, roasted them alive ; and the other Christian sects, still for the glory of God submitted to be roasted, and hoped for the crown of martyrdom. But by and by the tables would be turned, and the dominant sect would be down find some other sect would be up and the persecutors would become the persecuted, and the roasters the roasted. And again, whatever was done or suffered on either hand was for the sake of conscience and for the glory of God. Now, Elfie, in the face of such facts as history gives, when men so honestly differed in such mighty issues that they were ready to sacrifice each other and to yield up their own lives, each in defence of his own peculiar convic- tions, what have you to say ? " " Why, that there are many wrong ways and but one right one, if we could only find it," said Elfie. " Yes, if we could only find it," smiled Goldsborough ; " but in the difficulty each must take the way he thinks to be the right way; and to him it will be the right way. Elfie, my darling, the days of intolerance are passing away. Keligious intolerance is a thing of the past. Political in- tolerance and social intolerance will follow it into oblivion. Meanwhile " " Meanwhile, dear Albert, you are talking too much. Do not think it necessary to justify yourself to me. Let me stop all with this " she said, stooping and pressing her lips to his. " I love you, Albert, I love you I love you ; that is the one thing I am surest of now. There, close your eyes and try to sleep, with my hand in yours, and my face near yours," she murmured, dropping her head on the edge of his pillow. He smiled, and with one hand clasped in hers, and the other laid lightly among the black tresses of her bended head, he closed his eyes, and tried to rest. 350 H O r/ HE WON HER. v He was in that state of physical decline when conversa- tion is not exciting but exhausting. He was very much exhausted, and he slept. Even in that crowded ward they were, from their position, nearly isolated. The cot was in the corner, with a window at each angle ; and their nearest neighbor was the young Union soldier who had lost his leg. The boy, from a sense of politeness, had turned his back upon them, and was occupying his attention with a newspaper. Elfie's patient slept, and Elfie never moved and scarcely breathed, lest she should disturb him. How long the days in the hospital seemed. People came and went. A low hum of conversation prevailed. Once Elfie was conscious that a consultation was going on by the bedside of a patient half way down the row of beds on the opposite side of the ward. And soon after she heard a little bustle of preparation, and she saw a proces- sion like a funeral train bearing that patient on his mat- tress on a bier from the ward to the operating room. The procession had to pass her to go out by the door at her end of the ward. And as it went by, she knew that another victim was about to lose a limb and, perhaps, his life also. This victim never came back. In an hour afterwards Elfie learned from the nurses that he had died under the knife, and had been taken to the dead house. The dinner hour for the patients came. And the beef tea, wine whey, chicken broth, milk punch, boiled rice, calf s foot jelly, and whatever else had been ordered, or provided, was served around. It was sometime before Albert Goldsborough awoke ; but \vhen he did a choice was given him among all the delicacies furnished to the sick. He had no appetite, but was con- sumed by a great thirst. So he asked only for iced lemon- ade, and got it. THE REBEL ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 351 Elfie raised his head while he drank it. " That will do, my dearest," he said, drawing a deep breath of relief when he had drained the glass. " Only keep me in a plenty of this, and I shall do well. Cooling drink is the only material want I have left me," he added, smiling. " You shall have a water cooler full of it set by the bed, so that I can draw it ice cold from the spigot whenever you like," said Elfie, as she laid his head back on the pillow. " But you, my darling ! What provision is there here for your comfort ? How will you eat and drink ? Where will you sleep ? " he anxiously inquired. " All right. Don't distress yourself, Albert, Erminie will send me my meals. And Sister Agnes will give me the use of her room, when I require it," answered Elfie. Albert Goldsborough seemed very much refreshed by his long sleep and his cool drink, and now he was inclined to talk a little more. " Elfie," he said, " if I die, my widow will be one of the wealthiest women in Virginia." " Dear Albert, you are a great deal better. You are not going to die. And if you were, I know very well that wealth would never console your widow for your loss. But you will live, Albert. You will get over this and live ! " " If I do live, Elfie, I will atone to you for all I have made you suffer. If I die, I have the comfort of knowing that yon will be very rich in this world's goods." " Pray pray don't talk so, dear." " I must, Elfie ! I must explain, while I can, my worldly position, that you may understand it and know how to pro- ceed in the- event of my death. Elfie, my uncle and aunt Goldsborough, and their unhappy daughter, being all dead, and there being no other heirs, all the vast estates appertain- ing to the elder branch of the Goldsborough family fall to me, as heir-at-law. The mansion in Eichmond, the villa on the sea-side, and the plantation in the valley are all mine. The 352 HOW HE WON HER. plantation-house is in ruins, I believe ; but tbe land is there, of course. And the rest of the property everywhere is intact; and, united to my own hereditary acres, makes a vast estate." " As if I cared for that ! Oh, Albert, I only care to see you get well," she murmured. " And I will get well, to please you, if I can, Elfie. And as I said before, if I live, I will devote my life to your hap- piness. If I die, I will leave you the wealthiest widow in Virginia. For, Elfie, listen, my dear whichever party conquers, you will be all right. If the Confederacy triumphs, as the widow of a Confederate officer, you will succeed to the half of my estate. If the Union triumphs, as the daughter of a Union officer, and as an unquestionably loyal woman, you will still be allowed your widow's rights to the one-half of my estates, although the other half may be confiscated by the conquerors." " Albert ! Albert ! if you will talk so, I cannot help it, of course ! but you distress me very much," wept Elfie. " I have done, tny dear girl. I will say no more. And although you could not bear to hear my words just now, you will think of them in calmer moments, and act on them in after days or your father or friends will for you. Give me your hand once more, beloved, and I will try to sleep Elfie gave him her hand and dropped her head on the pillow beside him, and again his exhausted frame sunk to rest. On this occasion he slept longer than on the former one. And Elfie never moved and scarcely breathed, until she felt a hand laid lightly on her shoulder, and looking up saw Sister Agnes standing by her. " Miss Kosenthal has sent your dinner, and also a box of necessaries, which I have placed in my room. Will you come now ?" whispered the sister. THE REBEL ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 353 Elfie shook her head and pointed to the sleeping man, whose hand still firmly clasped her own. And just at that moment, as if the sleeper dreamed or divined that she was asked to leave him, he started and closed his fingers upon hers with a convulsive grip. " You see ? " whispered Elfie. " I see. I will keep jour dinner warm and come again after a while," said the sister, stealing softly away. The hours crept slowly by and the afternoon waned towards evening. At four o'clock the patients had their tea, but Albert did not awake. At six o'clock the assistant-surgeons in charge of the wards made their rounds. These rounds were always attended with some little bustle, and the bustle always awoke nervous sleepers. It awoke Goldsborough. " Here still, my guardian angel," he said, smiling grate- fully on his watcher. " Here always, Albert. What will you have now ? The others had their tea two hours ago. You can have yours now, if you like." " No, nothing so warm as tea. A draught of that deli- rious lemonade. I am so thirsty." Elfie filled a glass from a pitcher of iced lemonade that she kept at hand, and then she lifted his head while he drank it. "Ah, that is so refreshing," he said, with a sigh of pleasure, as she laid him gently back on his pillow. At that moment the surgeon in charge and Sister Agnes came up together. "Well, you are looking much better this afternoon. I think the presence of this lady is a great restorative," said the doctor, cheerfully addressing Goldsborough. " So great a restorative that it will save me if anything can," smiled Albert. 22 854 HOW HE WON HER. "Well, now, we must look at your leg. And we must ask the lady to retire while we do so." Elfie hesitated, until Albert turned to her and said : "Yes, darling, go. You need to be relieved from duty here for a little while, and now is your best opportunity. You shall return when they have done." " Come with me," said Sister Agnes. And Elfie stooped and kissed her husband, and then arose and followed the nurse. "Oh, Sister Agnes," said Elfie, when they had left the ward, "you have experience; you can tell me; don't you think he is much better ? " " Yes, I certainly do," replied the Sister of Mercy, glad to be able to give the anxious young questioner some real encouragement. "And don't you think he will get well?" eagerly inquired Elfie. " I think there are good grounds to hope so," answered the sister : " there is certainly a great change for the better in him since this morning." " Sister Agnes, is there any particular danger that may threate'n him, and can I guard against it in any way ? " " My dear, I will be frank with you. There is a possi- bility of another hemorrhage from his wound. You can guard against that by keeping him quiet and following the doctor's directions in all matters." " Oh, I will be so careful," said Elfie. And by this time they had reached the little refectory used by Sister Agnes and her companions, and where Elfie's dinner awaited her. A simple dinner of boiled chicken and mashed potatoes, rice pudding and green tea. " I added the green tea, my dear, to keep you awake. I suppose you will want to watch to-night ? " " O D > J es > y es ! Many thanks for your kind thoughtful* ness," said Elfie, earnestly. THE EEBEL ON HIS RAIDS NO MORE. 355 When Elfie had finished her light repast, Sister Agnes took her to a small sleeping room in the third story, con- taining two little white beds, two little wash-stands and two chairs and having no other furniture. " Sister Mary-Joseph and myself sleep here. That is my bed by the window. I advise you to lie down on it and rest for an hour or two before you return to your patient. He will be well taken care of during your absence, never fear," said Sister Agnes. " You are very good, but I would rather go back, when I have bathed my face and arranged my dress. Where is the box Miss Eosenthal sent me, please ? " "Here it is," said the sister, drawing a medium sized trunk from under the bed. The key was tied to one of the handles, and Elfie untied it and opened the trunk. Erminie had sent her a soft gray merino wrapper, suitable for nursing, a soft pair of cloth slippers, a change of clothing and a great plenty of fresh pocket-handerchiefs and towels. Elfie dressed herself in these comfortable habiliments, and then requested her guide to show her back to her ward. "For I never could find the right way by myself, I am sure," she said. The sister complied with her request and attended her to the door of the ward, where she left her. A few steps within the room Elfie met the assistant surgeon, and stopped him to put the same questions she had already put to the sister. " He is much better, doctor, isn't he ? He will recover, won't he ? " "We have good reason to hope so, Madam," answered the surgeon. " But I cannot get him to take any nourishment. He has no appetite ; only a great thirst, and he will take noth- ing except lemonade," complained Elfie, 366 HOW HE WON HER. " Then do not force nourishment upon him. Give him the drink he craves," said the surgeon hurrying past her to attend to his other business. Elfie went down between the two rows of little white beds until she came to the corner where Albert Golds- borough lay. He was wide awake, and waiting for her. He seemed refreshed, and cheerful. " I have been looking for you, my darling. The doctor has given me an opiate, and ordered me to go to sleep, as if one could go to sleep to order ! I could not do so with- out your hand in mine. Sit by my bed, dear Elfie, and let me feel that you are there while I sink to rest," he said. And Elfie took up her old position, with her hand clasped in his, and her cheek on the edge of his pillow. CHAPTER XXXIII. AT PEACE. Here lurks no treason here no envy swells, Here grows no damned grudges ; here are no storms, l and as he 374 HOW HE WON HER. had so recently rendered a distinguished service, it was promptly granted him. And the next morning Wing also left for Washington. CHAPTER XXXV, DEATH LIGHTS. Thy cheek too quickly flushes, o'er thine eye The shadows come and go too fast ; Thy tears gush forth too soon, and in thy voice Are sounds of tenderness too passionate ?or peace on earth ! Oh, therefore, child of song, 'Tis well thou should' st depart. II KM AN s. IN the months that had elapsed since Albert Golds- borough's death, and in the steady performance of every duty, Elfie had recovered her serenity and cheerfulness. The idea of atonement was very strong in Elfie, and under its influence, she devoted herself to the service of the sick and wounded soldiers in the hospitals with a zeal equal to that of Erminie. " I know," she said, " that only our Saviour can atone to God for our sins. But sometimes we may atone to man. I will do all I can for the suffering soldiers until the war is over. And then if I really do come into the widow's share of poor Albert's fortune, I will not appropriate one dollar's worth of it to myself. I will give it all to the orphans of the war, to the orphans of both sides, for the children are not accountable for the actions of their fathers, and far be from us the presumption of arrogating to ourselves the divine prerogative of visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children," she would add. And Erminie always approved her plans, and encouraged her to hope for their successful operation. So the winter and the spring months had passed, and the DEATH LIGHTS. 375 early summer found the youthful widow serene and cheerful in the discharge of her duties. There was very little to vary the monotony of this domestic life. Major Fielding had not been home since the notable occasion upon which his daughter had given him such a surprise. Justin was with his regiment at C. Captain Ethel was in command of the gunboat Fire-King, on the Potomac. And Britomarte was in parts unknown. Yet letters from every one" of these came very often. On one especial morning a whole budget of news arrived. There was one from Major Fielding to his daugher, announ- cing his speedy arrival on a short leave. There was one from Justin to his sister, filled with good news of his mili- tary success and his personal well-being. There was one from Lieutenant Ethel, promising a short visit to the city, and a call upon his fair friends at the parsonage. And lastly there was one from Britomarte, postmarked Baltimore, and filled with the warmest expressions of affection for Erminie, and the most satisfactory statements concerning her own health and success. But where she was living, or what she was doing, remained unrevealed secrets. Elfie, to whom Erminie read the letter, screwed up her mouth, and looked like "she could an' if she would" "a tale unfold," but she didn't. And besides, Elfie was interested in the other letters, and preferred to talk of them and their subjects her father's promised visit, Justin's encouraging successes, and even 3 T oung Ethel's prospective call. " It is likely that pap and Etjiel will both be here to-day or to-morro\v, Erminie, don't you think ? " she inquired. Erminie coincided with her in opinion. That morning the young ladies lingered so long over their 376 HOW HE WON HER. breakfast table and their delightful letters, that it was rather later than usual when they set off for the hospitals. " The morning is so delicious that we will walk, I think, Elfie," said Miss Rosenthal, as they emerged from the front door. " All right. I would rather walk," agreed Elfie. And they set out at a brisk pace. "Erminie, I always knew you had a very light, elastic step, but indeed, to-day you seem to walk with ' winged feet,' as Homer has it. And now I look at you, your cheeks are flushed, and your eyes are dancing. It is all of a piece, and all equally the effect of those delightful letters, I do suppose," said Elfie. " I do suppose it is. And yet I do not know. But cer- tainly, though I have always been in good health, I never felt so well in my life as I do now. I feel as if some strong, divine elixir in my brains gave me a new sense of life. But I am talking too much of myself and my own sensations. What nonsense. Let us speak of something else. Young Ethel. I have a great respect for that gallant young officer, Elfie. And if your father comes to make us any sort of a long visit, I shall invite Ethel to stop at the parsonage, as he did during his last sojourn in Washington," said Miss Eosenthal. " That will be very agreeable only it will curtail us of our liberties. No more sailing all over the house, at al' hours of the day and night, in our white wrappers and slip- pers," replied Elfie. And so chatting, the young ladies went on their way, that bright summer morning, towards the hospital. From ward to ward Erminie went, carrying everywhere the same bright smile that shoue with such strange, supernal beauty that morning. And the soldiers whom she cheered and comforted said to each other, when she had passed by, how she looked like DEATH LIGHTS. 377 an angel from Heaven, with the celestial light still around her. They walked the rounds of three other hospitals, and then Erminie spoke of turning their steps homeward. But Elfie remonstrated. " I'll tell you what, Miss Rosenthal, you may be exhila- rated by some divine elixir, or you may be borne on by in- visible wings, but as for me, I have nothing but my mortal flesh and blood and bones to uphold me, and I am just so tired that my limbs are ready to bend under me, and my back aches as if I were a hundred years old," she said. " Under these circumstances we must take a carriage, I suppose," smiled Erminie. And the carriage was called, and they drove home. Erminie did not go out again to the hospitals that after- noon. She was expecting a small party of friends to take tea and spend the evening, and it was necessary to make some pre- parations for them. So after an early luncheon Erminie and Elfie began to gather flowers to decorate the drawing-room, and the dining room and library. " My pap is very fond of company. I hope he will arrive this evening. It would be such a pleasant surprise for him to meet a party of his friends here," said Elfie, as she arranged a large bush of odorous magnolia-grandiflora to sit on the drawing-room hearth. " I think it quite likely that your hopes will be realized, Elfie," answered Erminie, who was delicately placing a bou- quet of lilies and roses in a vase for the centre table. When their preparations were completed, Elfie saun- tered up to her room to lie down and indulge in her usual afternoon nap. But Erminie went to inspect the condition of her pastry, and to order certain fresh delicacies prepared for the evening 378 HOW HE WON HER. feast. And then she called her housemaid, and went up stairs, and had the rooms she intended to assign to Major Fielding and Captain Ethel arranged under her own eyes for the reception of their inmates. When Elfie awoke from her sleep she found Erminie still actively engaged. "'My heyes ! ' as the cockneys say, what has come to you, Ermiuie ? You have heen on your feet the whole day. You have walked twenty miles at least, if the ground you've gone over was all stretched out in a line ; and you have heen hard at work ever since you got home, and you look as fresh and brilliant as a blush rose with the morning dew upon it. Really, now, aint you tired ? " inquired Elfie, as she entered the dining-room where Erminie was decorating the tea-table. "Not in the least," said Miss Rosenthal, smiling brightly. " But now, my dear Elfie, it is time for us to dress ourselves. Our friends will come early because the summer evenings are so short." Elfie yawned dismally. " Now I haven't been half so hard at work as you have, and I have had a good nap besides, and yet I feel more like lolling in a rocking chair than putting myself into an even- ing dress," she said, as she sauntered away to make her toilet. An hour later, just as the sun set, leaving a clear, beauti- ful twilight, Ermiuie and Elfie met in the drawing-room to wait for the coming of their company. Elfie looked very pretty in her thin, black grenadine dress, with jet jewelry, and the little cap of white illusion that contrasted so well with her raven hair. But Erminie looked dazzlingly beautiful not from the effect of her toilet, for nothing could be cooler or quieter than her dress a pure white grenadine, embroidered' in sprigs of black silk, and trimmed with white lace and black DEATH LIGHTS. 379 ribbon. It was her face, her countenance, that was so radi- ant. Her cheeks and lips were flushed with a bright carna- tion color ; her eyes were sparkling with animation ; even her auburn hair seemed to glitter with a sort of electric splendor. Elfie gazed on her in wonder and admiration. " Well, Erminie, you were always indisputably beautiful ; but now Well, there ! You almost alarm me ! You look as if there was some inward glory shining through you and making your earthly beauty heavenly ! " she said. " Nonsense, love ! Don't you turn flatterer, or I shall lose my respect for you," laughed Erminie. "Flatterer ! There ! look in the glass and see for yourself whether I have flattered you! Come, it is still light enough for you to see, or if it is not, you will make the light ! " said Elfie, turning her friend forcibly around to face the tall pier glass that stood between the two back windows. " Absurd ! I am in good health and good spirits that is the whole secret," said Miss Rosenthal, laughing and blushing, and breaking away from the too ardent admiration of Elfie. And at that moment the first bevy of visitors arrived, and little Mini and his four little maiden aunts were shown into the drawing-room. Erminie received her visitors with courtesy, but Elfie welcomed them with effusion. Erminie entertained Mr. Mim in the drawing-room, while Elfie took the four Misses Mim up stairs to lay off their bonnets and put on their head dresses. The next party that arrived consisted of Mr. Billingcoo, his grandmother, and his guitar. And the old lady was shown up stairs to the dressing- room where she found the Misses Mini with Elfie. After them came other friends of the family ; and by seven o'clock the whole company was assembled, and enjoy- 380 HOW HE WON HER. ing themselves by sauntering through the moonlit walks of the beautiful grounds in the rear of the house. " I am expecting Major Fielding this evening," said Erminie to little Mim, who was walking by her side. " I am so glad to hear that. I always had the greatest respect for Major Fielding, as well as for for his daughter and for all the ladies ! " Little Mim, whenever he was betrayed into any expres- sion of admiration or regard for EJfie, invariably added " all the ladies " as a saving clause. Now, however, though he walked and talked with Erminie, his eyes and his thoughts followed Elfie as she sauntered on in front of them by the side of Dr. Sales. " They both reciprocate your regard, I am very sure," said Erminie, kindly. " Miss Kosenthal," said the little fellow solemnly, " when I learned all in a moment that she was married and widowed, you might have floored me with a feather. I beg your pardon for using a slang phrase, but there is nothing that can so well express the effect the news had upon me. And even now I can't seem to get over it. And when I think of what she used to be, and look at her now in her widow's dress, it seems as if I could not recognize her for herself. It is just as if some splendid oriole was suddenly changed into a blackbird," he said, with a profound sigh. "The mere effect of her dress, Mr. Mim. Elfie is still herself. Naturally, she grieved over the tragic death of Albert Goldsborough, yet not so bitterly as she had grieved over the treason that separated them as lovers three years ago. It was then that the iron entered the soul of Elfie. But she bas been stronger ever since." "She is a heroic girl ! And so are all the ladies!" answered little Mim, tempering enthusiasm with prudence. " Well ! Well ! Where are you all ? And who is com- ing to welcome me ? " called out the cheery voice of Majo* Fielding, issuing from the back porch of the house. DEATH LIGHTS. 381 With a cry of joy, Elfie dropped the arm of Dr. Sales, turned and sprang past all her friends, and darted up the gravel walk to meet her fti'her, and threw herself into his arms. Erminie followed her to welcome the veteran. " And here is a stranger I have brought with me ! Cap- tain Ethel! Bless you, I found him on the wharf! con- scripted him, and made him come," heartily exclaimed the major, doing three or four things at the same time kissing his daughter, shaking hands with his hostess, and present- ing his friend. "I am delighted to see you, Major Fielding, and I thank you cordially for bringing our frjphd with you ! Captain Ethel, I congratulate you on your new promotion/' said Miss Rosenthal, warmly welcoming her guest. Young Ethel bowed low in acknowledgment of those courteous words; and then he offered Erminie his arm; and they followed Major Fielding and his daughter, who had preceded them, down the garden walk. Major Fielding was surprised and pleased to meet so many of his old friends, and he insisted on believing that they had come purposely to meet him. Captain Ethel was duly presented to such of the company as were not personally known to him. And then, as the evening air was growing damp, the company adjourned form the garden to the house, where tea was soon served. After tea they went into the lighted drawing-room, where Mr. Billingcoo entertained the ladies with some of his best songs, accompanying himself upon his guitar. And when he had tired himself and his audience, Erminie delighted her friends with some of her finest music on the pianoforte. But Erminie's radiant and dazzling beauty was the one theme of wonder and admiration among her guests. The 382 HOW HE WON HER. almost divine splendor of that beauty had escaped their observation in the moonlit garden ; but now in the lighted drawing-room it struck them with something like amaze- ment. "How lovely Miss Rosenthal looks this evening! I never in my life saw, or even imagined anything so bril- liantly beautiful as her face," said sober Dr. Sales to old Major Fielding. " Yes ! I have been watching her. She always was a perfect beauty, you know ! but now she's a perfect angel ! " answered the major. And unconscious of the admiration she was exciting, Erminie played and sang unweariedly. When she arose from the piano, old Mrs. Billingcoo went to her side, and looking at her attentively, said : " Your cheeks and lips are like scarlet roses, my love ! and your eyes are like diamonds ! Are you sure you are quite well?" Erminie's silvery laugh rang out clearly and joyously, and almost startlingly, from her who was always so quiet. " My dear Mrs. Billingcoo, I never felt so well in my life ! Like Wordsworth's little maid, I feel my ' life in every limb ' ! " she said. And she immediately left the room to order ice cream and strawberries, for the refreshment of her guests. A little later in the evening, when the company was thinking of breaking up, Miss Susy Mini, watching Erminie, said: " I am sure Miss Eosenthal is keeping up by great effort ! I wonder if she hasn't been taking ammonia or some- thing ! " " Ammonia ! " indignantly exclaimed Elfie. " Erminie never takes anything of that sort ! " " Then what makes her looks so ? And what makes her act so ? Her cheeks are blooming like roses, and her eyea DEATH LIGHTS. 383 are sparkling like gems ! And her spirits are running away with her ! It ain't natural, say what you will ! And if she hasn't been taking ammonia, or if she isn't putting all this on, she's in danger." " In danger ! " echoed Eifie, in alarm. " Yes, child ! " " Of what ? " " Fever ! " " Nonsense, Miss Susy, you are always trying to frighten one ! Danger ? Fever ? Why, Erminie has been looking and acting just this way all day ! Only growing more bril- liant and beautiful every hour," said Elfie, angrily and all the more so because she seeretty shared Miss Susy's fears. " Well, my dear, I hope I'm wrong. But at any rate, I think that we had all better go home, especially as it is nearly midnight. And when we are gone you had better get Miss Biosenthal to bed as soon as possible." And so saying, Miss Susy proceeded to act upon her own words, by setting the example of departure. The other guests followed in turn. And at a few minutes after twelve the company had all gone, with the exception, of course, of Major Fielding, who was to remain ; and Cap- tian Ethel, who Erminie insisted should stay. At a hint dropped by Elfie, these two gentlemen soon took the bed-room candles that were ready for them, and bade good night to^ their hostess. , " Are you tired, Erminie ? " anxiously inquired Elfie, as she paused for a moment at the bed-room door of her friend. " Tired ? No ! not in the least," laughed Erminie. " Are you sure ? " persisted Elfie. " Why, of course I am ! I tell you I never felt so well in my life." " I am glad to hear it ; and I wont detain you. Good night," said Elfie, kissing her friend and noticing with wonder the still undimmed splendor of her beauty. 384 HOW HE WON HER. " Good night," smiled Ermiuic, vanishing through the door. Elfie went on to her own chamber, and as soon as her head touched the pillow fell fast asleep. Elfie slept late the next morning, so late, in fact, that she was at last awakened by Catherine, who came to her with a scared face, roused her and said : " If you please, ma'am, I wish you would come to Miss Rosen thai ! " " Erminie ! what's the matter with her ? " exclaimed Elfie, starting up in -alarm. " Indeed I don't know, ma'am ; but she is very ill ; and seems to be raving mad." Elfie sprang out of bed, threw on a dressing-gown, thrust her naked feet into slippers, and ran at once to the chamber of Erminie. There upon the bed lay the good and beautiful girl, un- conscious of all that was passing around her, and rolling and raving with fever and delirium. In the extremity of terror, Elfie ran down just as she was, to the library, where her father was sitting alone waiting for his breakfast. Breathlessly she told him what had happened, and dis- patched him to get a physician, saying that he could get one more quickly than a servant could. Then she hurried back to her tossing and raving friend. In half an hour the family physician arrived. After making a careful examination of his patient, he came out of the room and sought Major Fielding. " What do you think of her ? " anxiously inquired the major. " Telegraph for her brother immediately," answered the doctor. His orders were obeyed, and the same morning the mes- sage was flashed along the wires that was to bring Justin to the bedside of his beloved sister. THE DEATH WATCH. 385 CHAPTER XXXVI. THE DEATH WATCH. He came, with that disheartening fear, Which all who love beneath the sky Feel when they gux.e on what is clear The dreadful thought that it must die ! That desolating thought which comes Into men's happiest hours and homes, Whose melancholy boding flings Death's shadow o'er the brightest things, Sicklies the maiden's bloom, and spreads The grave beneath young lovers' heads ! MOORE. BY the agency of the powerful medicines administered, Erminie's high excitement was calmed. The beautiful, tossing arms were stilled, and lay lightly resting on the coverlet. The fiery flush died out of her cheeks, the terri- ble light softened in her eyes, and her lovely face, now white and motionless as marble, lay reposing in perfect peace upon her pillow. Elfie watched on one side of her bed, and Catherine on the other. Major Fielding and Captain Ethel forbore to go out, even for a walk. In their keen anxiety for the patient, and their earnest desire to render assistance should their services be required, they remained in the library, reading or pre- tending to read, but really listening and watching for every sound and sight that could suggest anything relative to the condition of Erminie. Dr. Burney came three times in the course of that day. Major Fielding and his daughter asked the physician many questions concerning the nature of the sufferer's ill- ness, and the chances of her recovery, and they received answers from him which were intended to be encouraging, but which were really depressing. Miss Eosenthal's brain and nervous system were very much affected, he said. The disease was paroxysmal in its 24 886 HOW HE WON HER,, tendency. She was now composed, and if a reaction into fever and delirium could be prevented, she would do well. This was all the satisfaction they could get from her medical attendant. Ah, "if." Every means, short of drugging her into the sleep of death with sedatives and opiates, were taken to prevent a relapse into her fearful frenzy. Elfie sat by the bed all night, and administered all the medicines with her own hands, and kept ice to the head and mustard to the feet and wrists of her patient. But all this was in vain, or attended with only a partial Towards midnight Erminie's cheeks and lips began to flush ; she moved restlessly, and muttered in her sleep. Elfie renewed the medicine, the ice and the mustard, but with little effect. The evil symptoms increased rapidly, and before morning Erminie was again, with blazing eyes and burning cheeks, raving and tossing in an agony of fever and frenzy. In the extremity of terror Elfie dispatched first her father and then Captain Ethel, who were both watching the night out in the library, to fetch the physician. But Dr. Burney happened to be with a lady patient whom he could not leave abruptly, and so it followed that the sun rose before he made his appearance by Erminie's bedside. A fearful, a terrible vision, met him there. The beautiful and angelic girl seemed to be turned into a raging and foaming demoniac; and it required the united efforts of Elfie and Catharine to hold her down on her bed. Violent remedies had to be resorted to now to allay the frightful cerebral excitement cupping, leeching and bleed- ing were tried in turn; and in reducing the sufferer to calmness, they almost reduced her to death. And her medical attendant knew, and her anxious friend THE DEATH WATCH. 387 feared, that as the second attack of frenzy had heen more violent than the first, so the third attack must be the most violent, and would prohably end in death. Thus the approaching night was anticipated in horrible dread. Meanwhile Erminie lay in the collapse of exhaustion pale and faded as a broken lily without motion, speech, or color, almost without blood, breath, or life. From time to time Elfie, weeping and watching, moistened the poor girl's lips with a little melted ice. Towards evening there seemed to be a change. Erminie moved and sighed. And then opened her eyes and breathed. Elfie bent over her. " Why " began Erminie, and then she ceased. Elfie bent lower, and softly inquired : " What is that you say, dear ? " " Why am I " again commenced Erminie, with an effort ; but again her voice failed for weakness. " Why are you here in bed, do you mean to ask, dear ? " suggested Elfie. . Erminie nodded. " You over-exerted yourself and have had an attack of illness ; but you are better now much better, thank Heaven," answered Elfie, cheerfully. " How bloodless they " panted Erminie, looking with surprise at her pale fingers, and speaking in the feeble and pointless way common with persons affected as she was, and breaking down before she finished her sentence. " They were always very white, you know, dear, those fair fingers," said Elfie, encouragingly. " No rosy rosy-tipped " murmured Erminie, who, when she had been well in mind and body, had been with^ out the least vanity. " So they will be again, dear. Never mind your fingers. Will you try to swallow a teaspoonful of this arrow -root ? " coaxed Elfie. 388 HOW HE WON HER. Erminie, apparently only to please her nurse, nodded assent and opened her mouth like a bird to receive the atom of nourishment. But the effort was too much for her weak- ness, and when she had swallowed it she gulped, shuddered and shook her head in refusal of anything more. After a little while she raised her eyes so wistfully to her nurse that Elfie bent down over her to hear what she might have to say. "How long have " breathed Erminie, faintly, breaking off. " How long have you been ill, do you mean, dear ? Only since the day before yesterday," replied Elfie. "What makes so weak ? " panted Erminie. " Only your illness ; but you are better now, and you will soon be strong again." You think so ? " " I know so, dearest. But you must not fatigue yourself by talking so much. Try to sleep." And before Elfie had well spoken this advice, Erminie had dropped as suddenly into sleep as a stone falls into a well. But this sleep was not quiet like the preceding one. As evening approached the sleeper became restless : toss- ing her limbs about, rolling her head, and rolling her eyes, and muttering in approaching delirium. But why should I repeat the horrors of that second night ? It was but a reproduction of those of the first one. , Again desperate remedies were applied to meet violent symptoms. And again the frenzy was subdued to quiet- ness, but the sufferer meanwhile brought nearly to dissolu- tion. And her medical attendant might well have said, with the conqueror of old : " Another such a victory and I am ruined." By noon next day Erminie lay in sleep or stupor, with THE DEATH WATCH. 389 scarcely a sign of life in her aspect, with scarcely a hope of life in prospect. Elfie was forced to leave her for a few hours, that she Elfie might recruit herself with a bath and a nap. But early in the afternoon the faithful girl was again by the bedside of her friend. To her surprise she thought she saw symptoms of a favorable change. Erminie was breathing softly. She opened her eyes, and seeing Elfie, tried to put out her hand. Elfie took that pale hand and kissed it, and then stooped and kissed the still paler brow. Elfie ! " breathed the sick girl. " What is it, dearest ? " "Must I die?" "Nonsense, no, my dear, you are in no sort of danger." Erminie smiled sadly and turned away her eyes. Presently her lips moved as if she would have spoken, and Elfie stooped to hear. I W ant " " What, dear Erminie ? " " My pastor please." " I will send for him, dear Erminie." " Soon now ! " panted the sinking girl. " Yes, now, dearest, you shall have him," said Elfie, who beckoned to Catherine to take her place at the bedside ; and then left the room to have the wish of her friend gratified. Dr. Sales, the beloved and venerated pastor of the Rosenthal family had, since her father's death, stood in a father's position towards Erminie. With the deepest distress he had heard of that good girl's illness. He had called every day to sfttf 3r or to aak after her. He had not yet been permitted to make his presence known to her. But once or twice, while she lay in stupor, 390 HOW HE WON HEK. he had stood over her unconscious form, gazing anxiously down on her death-like face ; or he had knelt beside her bed, praying silently for her recovery. It was, therefore, without surprise that Elfie, when she went down stairs, found the pastor waiting in the hall. " Oh, Dr. Sales, I am so glad to see you ! I had just come down to send for you," she eagerly exclaimed. " How is our dear child this morning ? " anxiously in- quired the pastor. Elfie burst into tears. " Worse ? " breathlessly demanded the old man. " Oh, how can I tell you ? Heaven only knows ! Her last paroxysm of fever and delirium was less violent ; but then such powerful depletives have been used ; and it has left her weak almost unto death. But she is conscious now, and has asked for you." " Can you show me at once into her room ? " " Oh yes, come," said Elfie, softly leading the way up- stairs and into Erminie's chamber. Catherine still sat beside the bed fanning the sinking girl, who had again suddenly dropped into sleep or stupor ; it was impossible to say which. " You will not disturb her ? " whispered Elfie, anxiously. " Certainly not. I will sit here quietly until she awakens or returns to consciousness," replied the pastor, in a low tone. At a sign from Elfie the girl Catherine arose and left the room. And the pastor seated himself in the vacant chair, and took the palm leaf and fanned Erminie, while he watched for her awakening. And the room Was very cool, shady, and quiet, and so the sleeper lay calmly Deposing for nearly an hour, and then she softly opened her eyes and looked with a gentle, bewildered gaze upon the figure of the preacher seated by her bed. " Do you know me, my child ? " whispered the pastor. THE DEATH WATCH. 391 She feebly moved her hand and smiled. " You sent for me, dear child," went on Dr. Sales. She nodded, and then turned her eyes anxiously towards Elfie, who came and bent down to hear what Erminie should have to say. " Something to give me " Erminie panted and stopped. " Strength, do you mean, my dear ? " inquired Elfie. Erminie nodded. Elfie poured out some liquid from a vial into a spoon and put it to her lips. Erminie swallowed with difficulty, but seemed to be revived by the dose. " Now, dear, go and leave me with my pastor please," she murmured. And Elfie gave the purport of these words to the pastor, and then left the room. Erminie turned her fading eyes upon the anxious face of her old friend. He stooped over her to hear what she might wish to say. " Dear friend, must I die ? " she whispered. " I pray not I earnestly pray not, my child," answered the pastor, with ill-suppressed emotion. " But you believe that I must." No, no" " Don't try to deceive y/mrself or me, dear friend. You believe that I must die. All the others seem to know that I must. I see it in every face." " My child, my child, the Lord of Heaven and earth is also the Lord of life and death. He is able to save to the uttermost the body as well as the soul. Pray and believe and live," said the pastor, trying to control his agitation. " I would rather submit myself to His will. I do not fear death. But " Erminie paused, her strength failed, her senses wandered for a moment, her eyes filmed over, and her chin dropped. 392 HOW HE WON HER. Was it a swoon ? Or was it death ? In great disturbance Dr. Sales poured some Cologne watei upon a fresh handkerchief, and bathed her head and face, and held it to her nose, that she might inhale the reviving And in a few moments he had the comfort of seeing her draw a deep breath and open her eyes. She did not know that she had fainted, for she took up the sentence just where she had left it off. " For the sake of others, I ought to know my condition, so as to arrange my affairs." " My child, you are fatiguing yourself too much. Let me entreat you to be quiet." " No ; I must speak while I can. I feel I have no strength to make any but a verbal will. And Justin is not here. And so you will listen to me." " Speak on, then, dear child, but take your time do not weary yourself." And with many pauses and rests between her words, Er- minie spoke. " You know, dear friend, the large property left me by my uncles ? " " Yes." " Well, if I die without a will, Justin, as my heir-at-law, will come into possession of the whole." " Certainly." " And I cannot make a will, but I know that I can trust my dear brother to execute my wishes as conscientiously as if they were expressed in the most legally drawn up testa- ment that ever was framed." " Indeed you may, my dear," replied the pastor, as he once more bathed her face and head in the reviving Cologne water. "Well, please tell Justin, then, my last dying wishes." The doctor took out his note-book and pencil to assist hia memory, if future need should be. THE DEATH WATCH. 393 u I wish Justin to take one-third of the whole of my property for himself, and to give a second third to Brito- inarte Conyers, whom I feel sure that he will eventually marry, and to give the remaining third " Dr. Sales wrote all this down in his note-hook, and then looked up to see why Erminie did not continue. And he saw that she had again grown deadly faint. " Oh, Father in Heaven ! she is hastening her own death hy all this effort," cried the pastor, in deep distress, as he threw down his note-book and caught up a bottle of Cologne water and freely bathed her face, head and hands. Again she rallied, smiled, and pointed to the note book, mutely begging him to take it up and proceed with his work. " My child, my child, you are too feeble for all this exer- tion. I must insist upon your resting for awhile," said Dr. Sales. "Kest long rest will come very soon. But now I must go on," persisted the sinking girl, pointing to the note book. Dr. Sales shook his head. Erminie turned on him an imploring look, and her eyes filled with tears. " You cannot resist the prayer of the dying, and the most important part of my bequest is behind. The remain- ing third " Here, with a sigh, Dr. Sales took up his note book. " The remaining third of my property I wish Justin to devote to the relief of the aged and indigent mothers left destitute by the death of their soldier sons." The pastor wrote this down and then looked up for further instructions. " That is all," said Erminie, simply. Dr. Sales would willingly have inquired her reasons for making this bequest to the mothers rather than to the widows and orphans of the war ; but he refrained from taxing her strength with an explanation. 394 HOW HE WON HER. She, however, saw the question in his face, and freely answered it. "Every one thinks of the widows and orphans of the war. All the concerts and fairs got up for the sufferers hy the war are for the widows and orphans. And this is right so far as it goes, for the widows and orphans must be cared for. But no one thinks of the aged and indigent mothers whose sons have fallen in battle. And this is all wrong ; for these old mothers are perhaps the greatest suf- ferers of all. The widow may find another husband, and the orphan another father, but the desolate mother who has lost her son in battle finds never another to fill his place in the ' aching void ' of her heart. Therefore will I try to relieve the wants, if I cannot comfort the hearts, of the mothers." These last words were almost inaudible, and before they were well uttered, the fair young saint had fainted quite away. In the utmost distress Dr. Sales rang the bell, which brought Catherine and Elfie to the room. All the three used their best efforts to restore the swooning girl. And after some time these efforts were rewarded with success. The excitement of her interview with Dr. Sales had been far too great for the strength of the sinking girl. She recovered from her swoon of exhaustion, but it was only to pass into a state of nervous restlessness, that speedily progressed into feverish delirium and arose to raging frenzy. Another awful night with the sufferer tried all the endur- ance of her attendants. It was late in the morning before the raving madness subsided and the patient sank into a fatal coma. The visit of the physician in the forenoon left not a hope in the world for her life. THE DEATH WATCH. S95 The minister came and prayed by her bedside, but she heard him not. She lay in a stupor that every one felt must end in death. "And her brother has not arrived!" exclamed Elfie, wringing her hands. " But she has left her last words for him with me," said Dr. Sales. The physician went away, feeling certain that at his next visit he should see the white crape badge upon the door that should warn him a bright young life had left the earth. The minister remained in the room, watching with Elfie beside the death-bed, and praying God for strength for all to bear the approaching, overwhelming bereavement. The house was kept very quiet very unreasonably so, since nothing on earth could now disturb the calm dreamer on the bed. But nevertheless it was kept so very quiet. Straw was laid before the line of garden wall fencing the road, tp deaden even at that distance the sound of passing vehicles. The door-knocker was muffled and the wires of the bells were cut. Locks and hinges were oiled. And every man and woman in the place wore list slippers, and moved in silence and murmured in whispers. Very, very still was the place. So that there was no warning of the approaching traveller, until the door of the sick room softly opened and Catherine crept in and whis- pered to Elfie : " Mr. Justin has come." With the old familiar household servants Colonel Kosen- thal was still Mr. Justin. Elfie started up, and signing to Catherine to take her place, slipped out of the room and down stairs and passed into the library, where she naturally expected to find Justin. He was pacing silently up and down the floor. On her entrance he turned quickly and demanded eagerly : 896 HOW HE WON HER. How is she ? How is she ? " "Oh, Justin!" exclaimed Elfie, dropping into a chair and bursting into tears. "Dead? dead?" cried Justin, breathlessly, starting towards her and seizing her hand. " Not yet ! not yet ! Oh, Justin ! " But dying ? " Elfie nodded her head and burst into heavier sobs. Justin threw himself into a chair, covered his face with his hands and groaned in anguish. And so they remained a few moments Elfie sobbing heavily, Justin struggling for composure. At length Elfie arose and with a still heaving bosom went to her companion and said : " You had better see her now while while she while she still lives." " Is she conscious ? " groaned Justin. Elfie shook her head. " Oh, how how did she take this fatal fever ? " inquired Justin, as he arose to follow his conductor. " How ? Can you doubt ? By her unremitted devotion to the soldiers in the hospitals. Oh, Justin, Justin ! If ever yet a young saint won a crown of martyrdom, your sister will. She visited the fever wards that every one else except surgeons and nurses avoided. She ministered to scores of the fever-stricken, and comforted and saved many. But now, you will see the end." As Elfie murmured these last words they reached the door of Erminie's chamber, which had been left standing open for the freer ventilation of the room. " Come in," said Elfie, leading the way. Justin, with a depressed and reverend bearing, followed Elfie up to the bedside of his sister. Dr. Sales and Catherine were in attendance, but both silently made way for the afflicted brother, who now stood gazing upon the wreck of his beautiful only slate.-. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 397 There she lay, still, white, cold and almost lifeless as marble. Justin's great frame shook with the terrible storm of sorrow that he could not wholly repress. For a few moments the venerable pastor held back in respect to the sacredness of the brother's grief. Then he went slowly to the side of Justin, took his hand, and said : " You know how much I feel with you. My grief and sense of loss is scarcely less than your own. But we know also where to look for strength to endure." Justin wrung the pastor's hand in silence, and then sunk down in the chair that some friendly hand had placed for him. Leaving the three faithful guardians by the bedside of the sinking girl, Elfie went down to have all manner of com- forts and refreshments prepared for the new!} 7 arrived brother. And then, when she had made everything ready, she returned to the chamber of Erminie, and whispered to Justin that his dressing-room was prepared, and that his luncheon would be put upon the table as soon as he should be ready to eat it. More for the purpose of getting away to indulge his sor- row in solitude than for any other reason, Justin arose and left the chamber. CHAPTER XXXVII. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. Hushed wore his angel's lips, but still their bland And beautiful expressiou seemed to melt With love that could not die. CAMPBELL. " You should lie down and try to get some rest, my poor child. You look quite worn out/' whispered Dr. Sales, 398 HOW HE WON HER. looking compassionately on Elfie's thin, white face, and tremulous frame. " I will, when Justin returns to the room. I must sleep an hour or two this afternoon, so as to be able to watch with her through the night, if indeed she should live so long," assented Elfie. And when Justin resumed his place by the bedside, Elfie retired to seek her much needed sleep, warning them all to have her called if any change should take place in Errninie. It was as well Elfie went away when she did, for if she had remained in the sick room five minutes longer, no one would have been able to persuade her to go to rest. For scarcely was the tired girl safe within her sanctuary, before old Frederica came hobbling up stairs, and put her head into the door of the sick-room. Justin arose softly and went to her. " What is it, Frederica ? " he asked. " I want Miss Elfie." "She has gone to lie down. She must not be disturbed on any account. Can I supply her place ? " "Well, she asked for Miss Elfie, sir. But if Miss Elfie can't see her, I suppose you can." See who ? " " Miss Conyers, sir." "Miss CONYERS !" exclaimed Justin. And all the joy his sorrow could admit for companionship rushed into his heart. But then came wonder and perplex- ity, and he repeated slowly " Miss Conyers ? " " Yes, sir, Miss Conyers, and she's just offen a long jour- ney, and she looks completely wored out." " I will see her immediately," said Justin. And he stole to the bedside, whispered the news of the arrival to Dr. Sales, and then he followed old Frederica from the room, and down the stairs. He opened the library door. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 399 There stood Britomarte, sun-burned, dusty, travel-stained, almost unrecognizable, but undoubtedly Britomarte. l ' Britomarte ! Miss Conyers ! " exclaimed Justin, going towards her with both hands stretched forth. She met him and seized his hands as she exclaimed : " How is your sister ? How is my dear Erminie ? " " Oh, Britomarte ! Oh, my friend, in what an hour of sorrow we meet ! " " She is not gone ? " hurriedly breathed Miss Conyers. " No, not gone, but she is an angel prepared for Heaven, and she is going," groaned Justin. " Oh, what is it ? What is it that is killing her ? " wept Britomarte. Justin told her, as Elfie had told him : " A malignant fever, caught in the hospital during her attendance upon the sick soldiers." Elfie ? where is she ? How is she ? " " Well, except that she is very much fatigued with inces- sant watching. She is gone to lie down for a few hours." " And when can I see my dear Erminie ? " "At any time. Nothing disturbs her now. Would to Heaven it could. But I warn you, dear Britomarte, that the sight will almost break your heart." " Take me to her, please," said Miss Conyers, rising and taking off her dusty bonnet and shawl. Justin led the way up stairs to the chamber of death, and Britomarte went up to the bedside and stood gazing upon the ruins of her beautiful friend as Justin had gazed before ; and the watchers now made way for her as they had once made way for him; and after a few minutes Britomarte sank, sobbing, upon her knees, and buried her head in the bed- clothes. They let her weep on undisturbed until the storm of grief had exhausted its violence and left her quiet, and then Jus- tin and Dr. Sales approached, and each took a hand of hers, 400 HOW HE WON HEE. and they raised her from the floor and placed her on the chair. "Your grief is one that is shared by us all. All who knew and loved her will be awfully bereaved. Only God can comfort us," said the pastor, gravely, as he pressed the hand of Miss Conyers. At that moment old Frederica again appeared at the door, ushering in the medical attendant. The physician in solemn silence shook hands with Dr. Sales, Justin and Britomarte, and then proceeded to examine his patient. He lingered some fifteen or twenty minutes at the bedside with his finger on her pulse, his eyes on her countenance, or his ear near her lips counting, watching, or listening for the ebb, or flow, or pause of the currents of life. At length he made his report : no change in the patient for better or worse. He gave his prescriptions, certain draughts and powders, to be administered under certain con- tingencies ; and he issued his orders to be summoned imme- diately should any change take place in her, and then he took leave and went away. The afternoon passed off and no change took place in Er- minie. She lay on her bed, like a dead girl on her bier, or like a stone effigy on a tomb, and her watchers sat around her motionless as statues. As for Elfie, shut away in her distant room, she slept the deep sleep of weariness until after sunset, when she awoke with a start, feeling guilty that she had slept so long. Be- fore even hurrying on her clothes, she threw a large shawl around her and slipped down the back stairs to inquire of Frederica about Erin in ie. " She is still the same no better, but no worse," replied the housekeeper. " And now, Miss Elfie, you had better go back to your room and take a 'freshing bath ; and by the time you are dressed, I will bring you a cup of tea and a THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 401 round of toast," added old Frederica, wisely suppressing the fact of Miss Conyers' arrival, lest Elfie, in her impatience to meet her friend, should deprive herself of the comfort and refreshment so much needed. So Elfie, ignorant of Britomarte's presence in the house, took her bath and afterwards her tea, and feeling refreshed and strengthened, went immediately to the sick room, and walked directly to the bed where Erminie still lay, a beauti- ful, white, motionless form, and where the watchers still sat like statues. In the absorption of all her thoughts with the subject of the sick girl, Elfie had not noticed that there was a stranger present. She looked down upon the marble face, pressed her lips to the cold mouth and the colder brow, laid her hand upon the faintly beating heart, dropped fast tears upon the quiescent form, and murmured : "No change! no change! Oh, Heaven, will she pass away in this manner, without recognizing any of her friends ? What does the doctor say, Justin ? " "He can give no decided opinion," sighed the brother. Then, seeing that Elfie's attention continued to be so fixed upon the patient that she entirely overlooked the visitor, he added : " Elfie, do you see Miss Conyers ? " And Britomarte arose and held out her hand. Elfie gave a start and uttered a cry that must have aroused any patient not in a state of coma. " You you here ! Where did you drop from ? When did you come ? Oh ! but I am so glad to see you ; or I should be so, if I could feel glad of anything now," eagerly yet cautiously exclaimed Elfie, in half suppressed excitement and a half smothered voice. " I came last from Baltimore. I got here at two o'clock this afternoon," whispered Miss Conyers. 25 402 HOW HE WON HER. " At two o'clock ! That was just when I laid down* Why didn't they call me ? " " We would not permit you to be disturbed," said Brito- marte. " My dear Elfie," said Justin, " Miss Conyers has arrived off a long and dusty journey, and needs hospitable atten- tions of all sorts. May I ask you to take my dear sister's place as hostess, and do the honors of the house to her ? " " Of course, of course," hurriedly whispered Elfie ; and she beckoned Britomarte, who followed her from the room. First Elfie gave orders to old Frederica to prepare a light repast for the guest. And then she led Britomarte to a chamber up stairs, where she supplied her with water, towels, and a complete change of clothes. And afterwards, while Miss Conyers sat drinking tea, she poured into her ear the history of her strange meeting with Goldsborough in the hospital, and his tragic death. Much of this Britomarte had heard before, by letters from Erminie ; but now she heard for the first time the full particulars of the affair. Elfie then talked of Erminie and her fatal devotion to the sufferers in the fever wards of the hospital, and the martyrdom in which that devotion was about to end. And at that point she burst into tears. " Take comfort," said Miss Conyers. " I have watched her attentively for the last five or six hours. And friends and physicians may all be mistaken at last ; and youth and constitution may eventually triumph." " Well, 1 hope so ; or rather I would hope if I could," sighed Elfie, despondently. And then they talked of other matters. Elfie had her own theory, true or false, of Britomarte's hidden life ; and so she forbore to ask Miss Conyers any questions about her manner of existence. And indeed in a little while they returned to the sick THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 403 room, where the beautiful Erininie still lay on her bed like a dead girl on her bier. The gentlemen went down stairs to their late and com- fortless dinner; for meals were now very irregular in this house of woe. After dinner Dr. Sales went away. And that evening the watch for the night was arranged in this manner: "Elfie, having been refreshed by her long afternoon's nap, was to sit up from eight o'clock until two, and then she was to be relieved by Britomarte. Miss Conyers, being fatigued by her long journey, was to go to bed at eight o'clock, and rest until two, when she was to rise and relieve Elfie. Accordingly, at eight o'clock Britomarte retired ; and Elfie having drank several large cups of strong green tea to keep herself wide awake, took her seat in the big easy chair near the head of Erminie's bed. She had nothing to do but to think. She could neither read nor sew ; for there was no light in the room but the dim taper that burnt upon the hearth. The whole house was very silent. The three gentlemen, Justin, Major Fielding, Captain Ethel, were reading, or trying to read, in the library below. The two servants, old Frederica and Catherine, her niece, were seated in their kitchen. And the one man servant, old Bob, was dozing in a sort of porter's chair in the hall near the front door, to be easily within call. Elfie looked forward wearily, drearily to her six hours of lonely vigilance. Nothing but her love for Erminie could have borne through its solitude and tediousness. Even the first two hours, between eight and ten, when she had waking company in the house, seemed awful in solitude and interminable in tediousness. 404 HOW HE WON HER. All was so silent that she heard the sound of the very first footfalls of the family preparing to retire, and it filled her with a strange, nervous Sense of desolation and dread. First came the echo of the distant steps of the women servants going by the hack stairs to their rooms in the attic. Next came the three gentlemen np the front stairs. They all paused at the door of the sick room, to hear the last report of Erminie's condition before taking a final leave for the night. Elfie went to meet them and gave her cheerless bulletin No change." Justin came in on tip-toes and gazed mournfully on his sister for a few moments, and then kissed her pallid brow and stole away. And the three gentlemen went up another flight of stairs, separated to their several apartments and retired to bed. Lastly Elfie heard Old Bob drag his mattress up the kitchen stairs and along the hall to the front door, across which he laid it down ; for there, like a big watch-dog, he slept all night to guard the door, and also to be at hand to let the doctor in should he call during the night or very early in the morning. The tumbling rather than the laying down of Old Bob on his mattress was the last social sound that Elfie heard to keep her company. After that all about the house was as still as the tomb. Though Elfie hated snorers, now. so nervous and excitable did she feel, that she would have been glad to hear Old Bob snore most sonorously. But apparently the porter was a deep and silent sleeper. Every five or ten minutes Elfie stooped over her patient ; but the still white face, so like the face of the dead, filled her with terror. She could sometimes scarcely forbear screaming and running from the room. But she controlled herself and watched on. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 405 " What has come over me ? " she asked of herself. " I am naturally no coward ; and yet here I am listening and watching and starting as if expected to hear, or see, or suffer something hideous. Is it that I am out of sorts through broken rest and irregular meals fatigue of body and anxiety of mind ? Or is it the effect of the green tea ? Or is it the near proximity of death that gives all my sur- roundings a supernatural aspect and throws over my spirit an atmosphere of awe and dread ? I will walk awhile." And so saying, Elfie arose and paced up and down the floor. Her feet, cased in velvet slippers and walking over a soft carpet, made no noise. So Elfie paced back and forth many times, until she had walked a mile or two, if the dis- tance had all been stretched out in a line. Then when she had thoroughly fatigued herself, she sat down again in her easy chair. Her act had been a very imprudent one ; it had tired her and made her sleepy. Indeed, she was just dropping off to sleep when the striking of the clock aroused her. It was a very softly, silvery sounding clock ; but it was enough to startle an irritable napper; and Elfie awoke with a spring, thinking that she had very nearly fallen asleep j but having no idea that she really had done so. The clock chimed twelve. And Elfie, to occupy her mind and keep herself awake, commenced quoting poetry ; another imprudent act, for how- ever appropriate were the lines to the time and scene, they were ill chosen for the occasion, because they made her the more nervous, though not the less sleepy. The lines she quoted were these : " "Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion on the world." And so on to the end. Before Elfie got to the end she had dropped asleep again, 406 HOW HE WON HER. and she slept on until she was once more aroused by the silvery striking of the clock. It chimed "one," and she sprang up with a guilty pang. " Goodness ! I had nearly been asleep again. One o'clock ! well, the time does pass. Only one hour more of this dread- ful watch. I must try to keep awake somehow. It will never do to let Britomarte catch me, a sentinel, sleeping on my post. She is used to military discipline, and might take it into her head that I ought to be shot. And indeed I think she would be right. What a brute I am, even to feel like going to sleep beside this dying angel ! " exclaimed Elfie, rising and looking over her charge. " No change oh, no change, my poor, sweet martyr," she said, as she kissed the pale brow and then resumed her seat. " Yes, I must keep awake somehow. Let me try more poetry, though nothing but the horrible recurs to my memory to-night," said Elfie, yawning. " Now o'er the one-half world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreaius abuse x The curtained sleep ; now witchcraft " Elfie lost herself, nodded forward, caught herself up and began again, "Now witchcraft," and nodded, and then re- sumed, " Witchcraft," and then she fell fast asleep. Now what followed Elfie could never exactly account for, could never even understand whether it were reality or " witchcraft," indeed. ' But this was what took place, or seemed to do so. Elfie thought that she was again on the point of dropping to sleep, when she became conscious that a tall, handsome, black-haired and black-dressed man stood beside her. She seemed only half awake, and took the man for Justin, and was about to speak to him, when she suddenly recognized the Eebel General Eastworth, supposed to be then in the entrenched lines of Charleston, helping to defend the city, but also reported to have been killed in the last assault by the Union forces. THE GHOSTLY VISITOR. 407 Before Elfie recovered from her astonishment so as to be able to call out, the man, or the ghost, whichever it was, stretched forth his arm, and placed a moist sponge, envel- oped in a white handkerchief, to her nose. And Elfie was at once exhilarated and overwhelmed by a strange, de- licious odor, that intoxicated her with a wild yet sweet delirium, and deprived her of both the will and the power to change her position. Sitting there, perfectly powerless, yet perfectly conscious, unable to move or to speak, she yet heard and saw all that The tall man pinned the sponge in the handkerchief to her boddice directly under her nose, so that, with her head rest- ing on her breast, she must continue to breathe the fumes. Then he turned and dropped on his knees by the bed so as to bring his dark, agonized brow nearer to the level of the beautiful pale face pillowed there, and he kissed the cold lips passionately and wept. " Oh ! my dearest, my dearest, is it even so ? I am here at the risk of my life, of my honor, only to look upon your sweet eyes once more before they are hidden forever in the grave, only to hear your gentle voice speak forgiveness before it is hushed forever in death ! But your eyes are closed your lips are mute and your wings are already spread for Heaven ! Oh, Erminie ! Erminie ! how could I ever have weighed my mad ambition against your holy love ! Oh, my darling ! my darling ! that I could offer up my life in ransom for yours ! I would give my life to restore you, my love ! nay, I would give my life merely to hoar those sweet silent lips speak one word forgiveness ! " And here the strong man bowed his head upon the sides of the bed and wept convulsively. And now came the strangest part of the strange vision. Elfie, witnessing all that occurred, as in a nightmare dream from which she sought in vain to wake, saw also this strange phenomenon. 408 HOW HE WON HER. The white-robed form of Erminie slowly arose to a sitting posture ; the golden glory of her auburn hair fell around her like a halo ; her face shone " as the face of an angel ; " she stretched forth her fair arms and let her fair hands fall softly and slowly as snow-flakes upon the bowed black head beneath them ; and she murmured, in a grave, sweet, silvery cadence : " 'Tis not for me to say the Heavenly word. But you sought me and I love you. You saved my dear father from a dreadful doom, aud I bless you. May the Lord speak forgiveness to your soul, my love." Yes, to Elfie's incredulous amazement, she who, for twenty-four hours, had lain on her bed " like a marble girl on a marble slab," incapable of being moved to conscious- ness by the gentle words and caresses of her only brother, or by the tender tears and kisses of her bosom friend, had been stirred to life and roused to response by the passionate appeal of her ghostly lover ! Simultaneously with this strange discovery, there was a ringing as of many bells in Elfie's ears, a dancing as of many lights in Elfie's eyes, and the whole vision was whirled away from her in a delirious carnival of glory. CHAPTER XXXVIII. ELFIE'S VISION. Say from whence You owe this strange intelligence Speak, I charge ye ! SHAKSPEABK. " ELFIE ! why, Elfie, wake up." It was the voice of Britomarte, speaking in a low but eager tone as she gently shook the girl to rouse her. ELFIE'S VISION. 409 Elfie yawned, stretched her arms, and gazed around in perplexity. "Elfie ! what, Elfie ! asleep on your post ! In the army we I mean they shoot sentinels for such derelictions from duty," said Miss Conyers. Qw ow ow ! " gaped Elfie, " is he gone ? " " Gone ! Who gone ? " " General Eastworth, or his fetch ! " " General Eastworth ! You are dreaming, Elfie. Wake up ! I wonder that you should have allowed yourself to go to sleep." " I have not been asleep for one minute not for one minute during my whole six hours' watch, though I have been near dropping off several times ; but I managed to keep wide awake," said Elfie, with the usual self-delusion of such drowsy delinquents. " Why, Elfie, I found you sleeping so soundly that I could scarcely wake you." " Ow ow ow ! " yawned the culprit. " I tell you I have not been asleep one instant. I have been chlo ro formed by General Eastworth. That's what's the matter." < Chloroformed by General Eastworth ! ' Why, Elfie, you are not even yet awake. You are still dreaming and talking in your sleep. House yourself, girl ! " " Rouse myself, indeed. I never was so broad awake in the whole course of my life as I have been within the last hour. My eyes have been stretched so wide open with astonishment that I don't believe I shall ever be able to close them again. General Eastworth, or his fetch, has been here, and Erminie has spoken with him. There what do you think of that ? " " I think you are talking at random. I think you are still under the influence of your dream. You must have been very far gone in the ' land of Nod ' to be so long in getting back again. It is well that your patient has lain so 410 HOW HE WON HEK. quietly all this while as not to need your attentions," said Miss Conyers, in a rebuking manner. " I wonder how long you slept. Can you remember what hour the clock struck last ? " she inquired. " I should think I could," replied Elfie, crossly, for she was irritated at the incredulity of her friend " I should just think I could ! I was broad awake, repeating a passage of Shakspeare to myself, suitable to the time and circum- stances, when I heard the clock strike ' one/ and at the same time I saw standing by me a man." Nonsense, Elfie ! " " No, it was a man. First I thought it was Justin come in to ask after his sister. And I looked up to speak to him, and then I recognized General Eastworth. The sight of him here, and at this hour, took away my breath, and before I could recover it he chloroformed me not at first to insensibility, but to powerlessness. I could neither move nor speak, but I saw and heard all that went on. The Eebel General Eastworth has been here in this room within the last hour. And Erminie has spoken with him." " Elfie, this is moonstruck madness." " No, it isn't ; it is truth and soberness. He bent over her, wept over her, knelt by her bed and apostrophized her as one does the dead. And she rose up and laid her hands upon his head, and blessed him and forgave him. And then the whole scene passed from my senses to the ringing of sil- very bells and the flashing of Drummond lights. I suppose the chloroform he had pinned under my nose produced its full effect, and throw me into unconsciousness. But I have a v y clear recollection of what happened before. And I am willing to make an affidavit that General Eastworth has been here, and that Erminie has spoken to him." " Good Heavens, Elfie, how can you be so utterly irrational ? General Eastworth is in the besieged city of Charleston, helping to defend it, if he is not in his grave, ELFIE 's VISION. 411 as is reported. So it is clearly impossible he could be here. And, Erminie, see for yourself. She is prostrate, as she has been for many hours, without sense or motion." " So I hear you say. But I must believe the evidence of my own eyes and ears for all that," pouted Elfie. " I think I can explain this, my dear. You say you heard the clock strike ' one,' and immediately saw the man at your side, and the strange play began. Now I will tell you what probably happened. As the clock struck 'one,' you fell asleep. In the meantime, our doctor, returning from some late professional visit, and knowing that old Bob was sleeping at the hall door, called to see our patient. He was admitted, and came up into the room, and you, half awakened by his entrance, and oppressed with indigestion and nightmare you would eat new cheese for supper, Elfie, though I warned you not to do it you imagined the harm- less medical attendant to be the Rebel General, and you dreamed the rest." " Well, if I did ! But what is the use of talking to you matter-of-fact folks ? You believe nothing that isn't evident to your own senses. I wonder you believe in the Christian Eevelation ! " angrily exclaimed Elfie. " Go to bed, my dear, and when you have had a good wholesome sleep, you will rise in a better and more reasona- ble mood. And to-morrow we can easily find out from old Bob if the doctor or any one else called during the night. Come, Elfie, take my advice and retire," recommended Miss Conyers. " ' Retire ' indeed ! Do you think, after the supernatural horrors of this night, I can retire and compose myself to sleep ? No indeed ! " " Then if yon remain here you must compose yourself to silence, my love. I think 1 see a change coming over our patient and our talk may disturb her." " Pray Heaven she may not be rising into another parox- 412 HOW HE WON HER. ysm of fever and delirium. She could not outlive anothe* attack," said Elfie, quick to take alarm. "Be quiet, please," whispered Miss Conyers. And Elfie sat down on a low stool at the foot of the bed and said not another word. Miss Conyers took her place in the large easy chair beside the head of the bed, from which position she could easily watch the countenance of Erminie. The clock struck three and the morning was coming on apace. All was cool and quiet in the room ; and another hour passed slowly by ; arid in the sweet light of the early dawn the night taper on the hearth burned dimly. Miss Conyers arose and put it out. And then she went to the windows and opened them all to let in the light and air of the lovely summer morning. Then she -went to the bedside to examine the condition of her charge. And she saw a change that caused her heart to leap for joy ! a change for the better, slight, but so decided that she knew the crisis had passed favorably that physi- cians and friends had all really been mistaken that youth and constitution had conquered, and that she, whom they had all called the " dying girl," was about to recover. True, Ermiaie lay as still- as she had lain for twenty-four hours ; but not as cold or death-like. Her face was calm ; her flesh was soft, warm and moist ; and her breathing was low, gentle and regular. " Thank God, thank God ! " breathed Britomarte, sink- ing on her knees to offer up this ovation of gratitude. " What is it ? " murmured Elfie. " SHE WILL LIVE ! " joyfully exclaimed Britomarte, rising from her knees. " Oh, thank Heaven ! Oh, what a happiness for Justin and for us all ! " exclaimed Elfie, in full sympathy. " But now, my dear," said Miss Conyers, " I must retire ELFIE'S VISION. 413 a little from the bedside. Her coma has passed into health- ful sleep, from which she will presently awake. And when she does awake, she must not, just at first, see me, whom she is not prepared to see by her bedside. The surprise might hurt her." " Certainly, I will take your place here," answered Elfie. And they were about to effect the change, when a sweet, low voice stole on their ears : " Britomarte, dear Britomarte, is that you, love ? When did you arrive ? " And calmly, sweetly, naturally, Erminie turned her gentle eyes and held out her thin hand to welcome her friend. " My own best loved, my darling, my angel, T am so happy to see you better," murmured Miss Conyers, with tremulous tones and tearful eyes. " And I I am so very glad to see you, too. Have the servants attended to your wants and made you comfort- able ? Is your room arranged to your liking ? " affection- ately inquired Erminie, whose first thoughts on recovering her consciousness were for the welfare of others. Her voice was faint, but clear and calm and well sustained as she spoke. " They have made me very comfortable, dear girl. Don't disquiet yourself," replied Miss Conyers, tenderly stroking Erminie's hair. " I know the best regulated households will get out of order when the mistress is ill. And I have been very ill ; but, thank Heaven, I am better now." " Yes, thank Heaven, you are better now, sweet friend." " And you are sure you have not been neglected ? " Quite sure, dear. You know that Elfie has been ' act- ing ' mistress during your illness." " Yes, 'but I know that dear Elfie has been with me all the time in this room. Whenever I have had a glimpse of con- sciousness I have seen her by my bed. Dear Elfie ! " con- 414 HOW HE WON HER. tinned Erminie, turning to her nurse " dear, dear Elfie, how shall I ever be grateful enough to you ? " There shall he no such word as grateful ' between you and me, Erminie. Or, if there must be, it is I who must be grateful first to the Lord for giving me so dear a friend and continuing her to me ; and next to you for your love since childhood, and your protection since the war." " Don't say that, Elfie," said Erminie. "Oh, my darling, I am so rejoiced that you are bet- ter!" exclaimed Elfie. " So am I," said Erminie, frankly. " I have something to live for now. And I had rather live, if it please the Lord. My father is living" As Erminie spoke these last four inexplicable words, Elfie started violently, and even Britomarte changed countenance. They were both alarmed. They both thought that Erminie had been talking too much and had become dangerously excited, and that another paroxysm of fever and delirium was imminent. But this was not so. With Erminie convalescence had set in strongly and decidedly, supported by her young and vigorous constitution. And when the two girls looked again at Erminie they were reassured by lier perfect ease and quietness. " Did you hear me say, girls, that my dear father is liv- ing ? " she calmly inquired. " Yes," said Miss Conyers, speaking with an apparent composure that was very far from her real condition " yes ; but why do you think so ? I mean, how do you know it ? " " I will tell you, dear, some other time. Now I do not feel equal to the theme. And besides Elfie, dear," she said, turning to her nurse, " I am so hungry." It was a "word and a blow," for before Erminie had finished speaking Elfie had whisked from the room. And in ten minutes she returned with a little tray cov- ELF IE 'S VISION. 415 ered with a white napkin, and a cup of weak green tea, and a round of delicate brown toast. Erminie drank the tea with a great enjoyment, and even ate a morsel of the toast. " I could drink another, only I do not think it would he prudent, and so I will refrain," she said, as she gently pushed away the tray." "No, it would not he prudent, dear. When the doctor comes, we will ask what you may take, and how much of it. And I only hope he may say you may eat and drink as much as ever you like of whatever you fancy," said Elfie, as she removed the little service. "Elfie, darling, did I dream I saw, or did I really see my dear brother Justin by my bed ? " inquired Erminie, with an effort at recollection. " You really saw him, love. He is in the house," replied Elfie, very much relieved to find the way opened so easily for introducing Justin, without too greatly surprising Erminie in her weak condition. " I thought so. I had glimpses of consciousness when I saw you by my bed, and that did not perplex me, because I knew, of course, that you were always here. But some- times, in those same glimpses, I seemed to see Justin, and before I could confirm the impression, I was snatched away again from all knowledge of surrounding things. When did he come?" " Yesterday, a few hours before Britomarte's arrival," said Elfie. " It is very early in the morning now ? " inquired Erminie. " The sun is just rising." "And Justin is not up yet. When he rises, let him know that I want to see him. And now I must rest, please," said Erminie. Britomarte and Elfie between them raised her up. Bri- 416 HOW HE WON HER. tomarte supported her, while Elfie turned and beat up the pillows, and straightened the sheet. And then they laid her comfortably down, and made all tidy around her while she fell asleep. Then Catherine was called to watch the sleeper, while Britomarte and Elfie went to make their morning toilets, and to take the early breakfast of which they stood so much in need. Meanwhile the news of Erminie's convalescence spread through the house, filling every heart with surprise and joy, for every member of the household dearly loved the amiable young mistress. Old Bob, taking up " Mr. Justin's " hot water, gladdened the brother's heart with the intelligence of his sister's rescue from the grave. And Colonel Rosenthal hastened through his morning exercises, and hurried down into the library, where he found Britomarte and Elfie at breakfast. " Is it true ? " he eagerly inquired, as he joined them, and before even tendering the conventional " Good morning." " Thank Heaven, yes. All danger is past," replied Bri- tomarte. " Has the doctor said so ? " "The doctor has not been here this morning. But it needs no doctor to tell that Erminie is raised from death," said Elfie. " Can I see her now ? " inquired Justin. " She knows you are here. She has asked to see you as soon as you should be up and dressed. But she is sleeping now, and so you must wait until she wakes. Meanwhile, you had better draw up your chair and take breakfast with us." Justin followed this advice and seated himself at the table. Domestic affairs were administered in a very easy, not to say loose manner, since the illness of Erminie. ELFIE'S VISION. 417 The members of the family and the guests came down to breakfast when they were ready, and ate it when it was prepared, without waiting for others. Thus it happened that our family party were half through with the morning meal before Major Fielding and Captaia Ethel made their appearance. Hot coffee and hot chops were ordered for the new comers, who, after the morning greetings, took their places at the table, and the meal progressed. Major Fielding and Captain Ethel were then made happy with the news of Erminie's convalescence. " And the doctor is sure that all danger is past ? " in- quired Major Fielding. " We are sure that all danger is past, but the doctor has not seen her this morning," said Miss Conyers. " I humbly beg your pardon, Miss," said old Bob, who was waiting on the table. " I humbly beg your pardon, Miss, but the doctor have seen her this morning. He have been here airly, very airly indeed, Miss in fact, before day." " Indeed ! " exclaimed Miss Conyers, whose memory im- mediately reverted to Elfie's dream, or vision, and her own Britomarte's version of it. " Yes, indeed, Miss. He rousened me up outen my sleep to let him in." Miss Conyers here looked archly at Elfie, whose face ex- hibited a curiously blended expression of mirth, relief and mortification ; for she was struck with the ludicrous aspect the affair now assumed, and she was glad to have a super- natural mystery cleared up ; but she was also ashamed of the part she had played in the farce. " Do you know at what precise hour the doctor came ? " inquired Miss Conyers. " Yes, Miss. It must abeen 'bout 'tween one and two o'clock. Way I know it is this : Just arter he came down 26 418 HOW HE WON HER. stairs, and I let him out ag'in, I heerd the hall clock strike two." " How long do you suppose he was up stairs ? " inquired Miss Conyers. " Well, nigh upon an hour I should say, Miss. You see I kept awake to let him out." Britomarte looked at Elfie and burst into an irrepressible fit of laughter. Elfie pouted, sulked, and finally caught the infection and laughed heartily for company. " There seems to be some joke here that we of the mas- culine persuasion are shut out from enjoying. Pray, may I, without indiscretion, inquire into its nature ? " asked Major Fielding. And Justin and Ethel, by their looks at least, seconded the motion. "It. is Elfie's secret," laughed Miss Conyers. " Well, you may tell it, Britomarte," laughed also Elfie. " It seems, then," said Miss Conyers, " that this young lady had the watch ; that, wearied out with many days of lost rest, she fell asleep at her post ; and, having indulged in new cheese for supper, she had the nightmare ; and so, when the doctor paid his nocturnal visit, she took him for the Rebel General Eastworth, and because she couldn't wake, imagined that he had chloroformed her to prevent her giving the alarm." And here Major Fielding burst into a laugh, in which he was joined by Justin, Ethel, Britomarte and even Elfie. But then their hearts were lightened of so gi^at a load that it was easy to rouse them to laughter. After breakfast, Major Fielding and Captain Ethel, knowing that they, in any case, would not be permitted to see Miss Eosenthal that day, and feeling relieved of all anxiety on her account, went out to take a walk, and trans- act some business that had been neglected during Ermmie'a illnesr ELFIE'S VISION. 419 As soon as Erminie was awake, and had been refreshed by ablutions and a change of dress, Justin was summoned to her room. He found her lying on her bed, with her head raised by many pillows, looking wan, fair and transparent, and yet so much better than she had seemed the day before. Repressing his strong feelings he advanced to her bed- side, stooped over her and kissed her gently, saying softly : " My dear Erminie ! my dear, dear sister ! how thankful to Heaven I am to find you so much improved." She put her arms around his neck, and drew him closer to her heart, and returned his fond kiss ; but all in silence. Very quiet was the interview between this devoted brother and sister. " I am so happy having you here, sitting by me and hold- ing my hand," whispered Erminie, with her fingers clasped in his. "And I am so happy to be here, and to see you so much better," murmured Justin. " When you left us you wore a captain's straps ; now you wear the colonel's eagle," said Erminie, proudly. " Yes, dear sister ; and my greatest pride in wearing them is that they give you pleasure." " You will have a general's star before long. " I will try to earn them for your sake, sweet sister." " Have you seen much of Britomarte ? " "Yes, dear." " Do you know where she lives, what she does ? " " She has told me nothing, dear, of her residence or oc- cupation. She keeps her secret," answered Justin, rather evasively. But Erminie was not extreme to mark the flaws in his reply. She started another subject. " Justin," she said, " I am sure our dear father lives." "Heaven grant that he may, my dear," said Justin, 420 HOW HE WON HER. humoring what he supposed to be the fancy of a weak invalid, but recollecting with a pang the body removed from its humble grave on the battle field of Bull Eun, and interred in the family burial lot in the cemetery at Wash- ington. I am not strong enough now to tell you how I know this ; but I will explain it in a day or two." " You shall take your own time, love," said Justin. So quietly they conversed together until the entrance of the doctor. He had been received by poor, old, stupid Frederica, who had omitted to tell him the good news about his patient, probably under the impression that he was fully aware of Erminie's condition. And he had not made the usual in- quiry of " How is Miss Kosenthal this morning ? " because he shrunk from asking the question until he should reach the sick room. He had not seen the other members of the family, and so he came into Erminie's presence all unen- lightened as to the favorable change in her condition. And the first thing he saw was Erminie, propped up on pillows, conversing cheerfully with her brother. " Bless *is ! here is a change ! " he exclaimed, with a smile, as he walked up to the bedside. " How are we this morning ? " he asked, taking the chair vacated for him by Justin, and feeling the pulse of his patient. " Getting well as fast as possible, Doctor," smiled Er- minie. " Yes, yes, we are getting well fast ! "We can relish a little chicken broth this morning, can we not ? " " I think we can," she answered. " And a half a glass of port wine. And to-morrow it may be a whole glass." Erminie nodded. " She will require no more medicine, only careful nursittg and dieting," said the doctor, turning to Justin. ELF IE' s VISION. 421 * I am very glad to hear you say so, Doctor Burney. Bid you see indications of this favorable change when you visited her early this morning ? " "Early this morning? I have not been here before this morning," said the doctor, in some surprise. " Well, then, in the night, perhaps, I should rather say ; as it was but a little past one o'clock when you called," said Justin, correcting himself. " I called ! " repeated the doctor. " Between one and two in the night," explained Justin. " My dear sir, you are mistaken ! I have not been here since six last evening," said the doctor. " Indeed ! Then who " began Justin ; but he imme- diately caught up his words. Here was a mystery ; but it would never do to worry Erminie's mind with it. So he "Whatever could have made you think I was here in the night ? " inquired the doctor. " It was a mistake, either of mine or somebody else's," evasively replied Justin. " But who said I was here ? " persisted the doctor. " One of the servants, I believe, fancied that you had called." " Which one ? " " Old Bob." " Oh, ah, he dreamed it ! I was six miles from here be- tween one and two o'clock. I was out at a diabolical old place called Witch Elms, attending the death-bed of an an- tediluvian old woman, named Miss Pole." While Colonel Rosenthal and Doctor Burney conversed together, Erminie listened attentively, turning towards each as he spoke. Occasionally an arch smile played over her expressive features, as though she thought she could, if she pleased, explain the mystery that so puzzled her physician and her brother. But when she heard the name of the old lady at Witch Elms, she said : 422 HOW HE WON HER. "I knew Miss Pole slightly. She was the great grand- aunt of my dear friend, Miss Conyers. I called at Witch Elms once. The reminiscence is not a pleasant one. Still I hope the old lady was well prepared for the last great change." " I doubt it," said the doctor. " She died very much as I imagine she had lived. And she left me two very strange commissions. The first was to deliver into the hands of Britomarte Conyers a certain packet not to be opened until after her funeral. The second was to forbid Miss Conyers from attending that funeral. I shall discharge both, before leaving the house this morning." " Strange commissions, indeed. But then Miss Pole was a very strange woman." " Yes. And now, my dear Miss Kosenthal, I think you have talked long enough. A new convalescent, like a new- born babe, has but two great duties to perform to eat and sleep alternately. Here comes our good Catherine with your chicken broth. So we will now leave you to discuss that, the most wholesome subject that can occupy your thoughts just now. And so saying, the doctor smiled and bowed and walked out of the room, accompanied by Justin. CHAPTER XXXIX. BOB'S SPECTRE. It was about to speak when the cook crew, And then it started like a guilty thing Upon a fearful summons. SHAKSPEAEE. " COME into the library, if you please, Dr. Burney. I wish to send for old Bob, and confront him with you, and clear up this mystery of the midnight visitor," said Justin, leading the way to the favorite room. BOB'S SPECTRE. 423 " Nonsense, my young friend. There is no mystery in the matter. Our honest old Bob supped off pork chops and had the nightmare and dreamed of a visitor/' laughed the doctor, as he followed the colonel. " These two persons of very opposite characters and posi- tions must have had the nightmare at the same time and dreamed the same dream/' said Justin, as he opened the li- brary door. When the two gentlemen entered this favorite room, they found Britomarte and Elfie, waiting for the termination of the doctor's visit to Erminie before they should return to her side. They now arose and received the doctor's greetings and congratulations upon the convalescence of their friend, and then they were about to withdraw, when Justin stopped them. " Remain, if you please, for a few moments, young ladies. I am about to call up old Robert and confront him with Dr. Burney and investigate this affair of the nocturnal visitor," he said. " But I thought that was already settled. It was the doctor who came in the night, was it not ? " inquired Bri- tomarte. "No, my dear Miss Conyers, whoever it was, it was not the doctor," replied the gentleman in question. Justin rang the bell, and old Bob answered it. " Sit down, doctor. Young ladies, pray resume your seats," said Justin, as he set the example by placing himself in a chair. Bob stood in the door, waiting orders. " Come here," said Colonel Rosenthal. The man obeyed, looking puzzled and frightened and very much like a prisoner who was arraigned and who expected to be found guilty. " Now tell us who it was that you let in last night." 424 HOW HE WON HER. " The doctor there, sar," answered Bob, without a mo- ment's hesitation. " My good friend, you never were more mistaken in your life. I can prove an alibi. I was six miles from the spot at the hour you admitted the visitor," said Dr. Burney. Old Bob's jaws dropped and his eyes opened. " Is that so, sar ? " he asked, in a piteous tone. " Yes, that is so. Now try to recollect yourself and re- flect whether you did not fall asleep and dream the whole thing." " No, marser ! no, sar ! it might a been de debbil, or it might a been a ghost, or it might a been a token of my death, but it warn't no dream. Dis chile war too wide awake for dat ! " exclaimed Bob, as his hair seemed to straighten dut with a retrospective terror. " Now see you here, Bob. Look at me, and tell me really whether the person you admitted, or think you admitted, resembled me," said Dr. Burney. " Lor 5 forgive me, Marse Doctor, now I does look at you, sar, and calls up my memorandum, it seems to me as the the other one was more taller and more darker com- plected than you is, sar. It must a been a spirit, sar, come to warn me as my days war numbered/' shuddered the old man. "Fudge, old fellow ! All our days are numbered, for that matter. Colonel " and here the doctor turned to address Justin " you said that there was another witness in this case who was it ? " "Elfie," said Justin, "have I your permission to speak?" " Yes, certainly," replied the young lady addressed. " Well, then, Mrs. Goldsborough was the other witness. At the same hour at which old Bob admitted the mysterious visitor, Mrs. Goldsborough was watching by the bed of my sister, when she was suddenly aware of the presence of a BOB'S SPECTRE. 425 man by her side. Taking him at first to be myself, she was about to speak, when, on looking closer, she recognized, or thinks she recognized, the Rebel General Eastworth, sup- posed to have been killed at Charleston." " I am quite certain I recognized him," put in Elfie. " Well, then, she is quite certain she recognized him. She was at first so stupefied with astonishment that she could not call out. And before she could recover her self- possession and give the alarm, he applied chloroform to her nostrils, and deprived her of the power of moving and speaking, although not of hearing and seeing." " I heard and saw everything that occurred in the first few minutes of his presence there," added Elfie. " She asserts that he spoke to my sister, succeeded even in arousing her attention, and calling her back to full, though transient consciousness, and gaining her forgiveness and her blessing." " And by that time," added Elfie, the chloroform that he had secured under my nostrils so completely overcame me, that I knew nothing more until Britomarte aroused me." " And is that all ? " inquired the doctor. " Yes, and enough, too, I should think," answered Elfie. " And what is your opinion of all this, Colonel ? " inquired the doctor. " I am perplexed beyond measure, and as yet can form no possible opinion. General Eastworth has been in Charleston, South Carolina, for the last twelve months. He is reported to have been killed within the last week. I can make nothing of it." " / am not perplexed. / can make something of it. I believe that General Eastworth is in Washington city in disguise, that he has become acquainted with the notorious fact of Erminie's illness, and also with the less well known facts of the doctor's frequent night calls, and old Bob's position in the front hall, to open the front door at all hours, 426 HOW HE WON HE R,. and I believe that he boldly ventured in to see his once betrothed. Bosh ! who do you think is a fool ? Didn't I see and hear him with my own eyes and ears ? True, I was staggered in my conviction of identity when old Bob insisted that it was the doctor he let in ; but now that the doctor says it was not he, I am convinced it was General Eastworth, and that General Eastworth is now in Washing- ton city, as a spy, most likely," said Elfie, with great posi- tiveness. " Pray, have you read the morning papers, Miss I beg your pardon Mrs. Goldsborough ? " emphatically inquired the doctor. I have not," said Elfie ; why ? " " Nor you, colonel ? " he next asked of Justin. " I have glanced over them only. We have all been too much occupied with my sister to read them with much attention or interest," replied Justin. "Then probably this little paragraph, concerning the gentleman we have been discussing, has escaped your atten- tion." " What is it ? " inquired Elfie. " Bead it," said Justin. The doctor opened the paper he held in his hand and read: "THE EEBEL GENERAL EASTWORTH. The report of the death of this notorious leader is undoubtedly well founded. The Reverend Doctor Kobinson, returned from Charleston under a flag of truce, confirms the tale. On the morning of the twelfth instant General Eastworth, while riding along the eastern defences of the city, was instantly killed by a shell from one of our gun-boats." " There," said the doctor, folding up the paper " what do you think of that ? " No one answered. Every one seemed dumb-foundered. Old Bob was the first to break the silence. Seeing amazement on every face, he gasped out : BOB'S SPECTRE. 427 " Wha wha wha wha what does all dat mean ?" "It means that you let in a ghost, Uncle Bob!" ex- claimed Elfie, mischievously. "Wha wha wha what ghost?" stammered the old man, with chattering teeth, starting eyes, and ashen cheeks. "The ghost of the Eebel General Eastworth, who was killed in Charleston," said Elfie. " Oh, my Lor' ! my Lor' ! my Lor' ! I'm a dead nigger I" exclaimed old Boh, with all the superstitious terrors of his race strong upon him. " You may leave the room, Boh," said Colonel Eosenthal. And the old man hurried away to tell the wonderful story in the kitchen, and then to hetake himself to his prayers. " Now, then, Mrs. Goldshorough, what do you say ? " inquired the doctor. "I say that I am of the same opinion still. I helieve that story of General Eastworth's death to be a mere canard, or more than that, a stratagem to cover his surreptitious visit to Washington. I tell you I saw and heard him with my own eyes and ears ; and I am willing to go before the provost marshal and l6dge the information under oath, that the great Eebel general was in Washington city, and in this house, last night between the hours of one and two ! If you think my story wants confirmation, let Justin ques- tion his sister as to who her visitor last night was. I was strongly tempted to do so myself; but I refrained from con- sideration for Erminie's weak state. But let Justin ques- tion her now." " Thanks no, if you please," said the doctor, emphati- cally " not with my sanction. Colonel Eosenthal and ladies, I must earnestly request you not even to allude to this strange event in my patient's hearing. In every point of view, the subject would be a dangerously exciting one to her. But I strongly advise you to have the cash-box and 428 HOW HE WON HER. plate chest examined, and a detective policeman sent for. With all respect for your opinion, Mrs. Goldsborough, I must believe that an accomplished burglar has found his way into the house, and probably effected a robbery." And with these words the doctor turned to Miss Conyers, silently placed a packet and letter in her hands, took up his hat, shook hands with his friends, and went away. " It will do no harm to follow his advice, Elfie," said Justin, touching the bell once more. " We will see if there is anything missing. If there has been a robbery, it will be clear that the strange visitor was a burglar. If there has been no robbery, there will be no harm in your going to the provost marshal and giving the information as you suggest." Old Frederica answered the bell, and apologized for pre- senting herself by saying : " If you please, sir, black Bob, he's not in a fit state to come ; he's perfectly glowered with the fright." " Never mind, Frederica ; you'll do. We have reason to suspect that a robber got into the house last night. Have you missed anything ? " " Lor', sir, no not a thing." " Make a thorough search ; and especially make a careful examination of the plate chest ; and then come and report to me." Frederica left the room to obey. And then the group broke up. Justin went to look to the iron chest where money and documents were kept. Britomarte, with a face paler than usual, withdrew to examine the letter and parcel placed in her hands by the doctor. Elfie went back to the chamber of Erminie. Meanwhile a thorough search was made of the premises. Not an article was missing. No robbery had been perpe- BOB'S SPECTRE. 429 trated. No vestige of a robber was to be found. And the mystery thickened. When Elfie came out of Erminie's room, she found Justin on the watch for her. " Come here, my dear girl," he whispered, withdrawing her out of earshot of Erminie's attendants. " I am inclined to be of your opinion in this matter. The result of our investigation is that no trace of a burglar can be found. Therefore I think your conjecture as to the presence of General Eastworth in the city, and his identity with the mysterious visitor of last night, may be founded in truth. His intimate knowledge of the interior arrangements of our house would certainly favor his visiting it in that secret manner. " When I discovered that the visitor was not the doctor, I was convinced that it was Eastworth who came. I have not had a doubt about fye matter since," said Elfie. " Then you had better come with me and give informa- tion at the provost marshal's office directly." " Bless my soul and body ! Well, I said I was willing to go, and I'll go ; but now it comes to the point I don't like the office at all," said Elfie, as she hurried off to get her bonnet and mantle. In a few minutes Justin took her out in a carriage to do the disagreeable duty he had recommended. They were gone but an hour, at the end of which Elfie returned in rather a bad humor, and Justin with a very grave face. They had both been subjected to a close cross examina- tion. Elfie threw off her bonnet and mantle, and hurried into the room of Erminie, whom 1 she found quietly sleeping. Catherine had the watch. " Where is Miss Conyers ? " inquired Elfie. " I don't know, ma'am. She hasn't been in this room since breakfast." 430 HOW HE WON HER. Strange ! I'll go and look for her," said Elfie, risk g. to leave the chamber. But at the door she met Britomarte, in a travelling dress, and looking very pale and haggard. " For Heaven's sake, what is the matter ? " exclaimed Elfie, starting back. " Is Erminie awake ? " inquired Miss Conyers, disregard- ing her friend's question. " No ; but what is the matter with you, Britomarte ? " " I have had news that will compel me to leave you to- day." " To leave us to-day ! " " Yes ; but I must wait until Erminie awakes to take leave of her." " Woman of mystery ! what is your news and where are you going? " exclaimed Elfie, half in pity half in mirth. " You must excuse me from explaining, Elfie. You know, for I have told you, that there is a secret in my life. You must respect it," said Britomarte, gravely. "There is more than one secret, I imagine. Well, I will respect them all, Britomarte," said her companion. While they spoke, Erminie awoke, very much refreshed by her nap. " How do you feel, dearest ? " inquired Miss Conyers. "Very well full of returning life. But you you look pale and sad, Britomarte. What troubles you ? " anxiously inquired Erminie. " The duty of leaving you immediately, my darling. No, do not say a word to hinder me, love. You know that nothing but the most absolute necessity could induce me to go now; and that I must go," -said Miss Conyers, seeing that her friend was about to expostulate. " Well, well, I must submit, I suppose ! but you will come back soon ?" sighed Erminie. " As soon as possible, love ! And now God bless you, BOB'S SPECTRE. 481 darling, and send you a full and speedy recovery ! " said Miss Conyers, stooping and kissing her friend. " And God keep you in all your ways, my best beloved," breathed Erminie, returning the caress. " Good bye, Elfie ! " said Britomarte, as she wrung Elfrida's hand and left the room. On her way to the library to seek Justin, she met him in the hall. " Good-bye, Justin ! " she exclaimed, holding out her hand. " What ! " he cried. " Good-bye ! " " You don't mean it ! " " Yes, I do ! " "Where are you going? " "About my business, Justin," sadly smiled Miss Con- yers. " But excuse me ! What business ? " " That is my secret, if you please, Justin." " Pardon my impertinence," said Colonel Rosenthal, with. a mortified air ; " but I hoped to speak to you, Britomarte, on that one subject which day and night has occupied my thoughts since I first met you!" he said, taking her hand and seeking to detain her. " Let that subject rest, if not forever, at least till after the war is over." " And then ? "' " Then we may neither of us wish to resume it." " Britomarte, are you not wantonly trifling with my happiness and yours ? " "I have no time for 'trifling' of any sort. It would be well, besides, if we thought a little less of ' happiness,' and a little more of duty. Justin, my carriage is waiting to take me to the station, where I must not miss the train. Good- bye!" said Britomarte, withdrawing her hand from his clasp. 432 H O W HE \V O X HER. "No, let me see you to the station, at least," said Justin, taking his hat, opening the hall-door, and escorting her to the carriage, into which he followed her. They caught the train just hefore it started. Miss Conyers had no luggage but a hand-bag, and there- fore she was the more easily enabled to get into her seat in the ladies' car in time. Justin bade her a hasty adieu, and returned home. ****** As soon as Erminie was convalescent Justin took leave of her and returned to his regiment. And in the course of a few weeks, two or more of our young friends went to the front little Mim as a volunteer, and Mr. Billingcoo as a drafted man. CHAPTER XL. ON THE BATTLE FfELD. TWHS the battle field, and the starless night Hiftig dark o'er tho dead and the dying, And the wind passed by, with a dirge and a moan, Where the youug and the brave were lying. L. E. L. IT was the night after the terrible battle of Cold Harbor. Both armies had fallen back. The dead and wounded lay where they had dropped. Among the latter was Colonel Rosenthal, who had been struck down while charging in front of his regiment. Young Wing, at the hazard of life and even of dearer honor, went in search of his colonel. Wandering in the darkness over that field of blood, he came suddenly upon a fallen horse and rider, and knew by the instinct of affection that he had found whom he sought. " Is that you, Wing ? " hoarsely whispered a feeble voice, as the young officer threw himself down on the ground. ON THE BATTLE FIELD. 433 " Yes, yes, my colonel, it is I," sobbed Wing. " How did you find me, my boy, on this cbaotic field, tinder this dark sky ? " " How ? Oh, how does the faithful dog find his fallen master amid such confusion ? I saw you when you fell. I noticed where you lay. I could not come to you in the hurly-burly of that charge " " Ah ! a gallant charge, Wing ! a glorious charge ! It was fine to fall in such a charge as that ! " " Yes, my Colonel. But I have come to help you now. How can I do so ? Where are you hurt ? " said Wing, groping about, and feeling man and horse under his hands. "I do not know where I am hurt, Wing. But the horsa has fallen on me, partly," groaned the colonel. " Stay ! if I can find a musket or a carbine and there must be many scattered over this field I can use it as a lever and raise the weight from you, my Colonel," said Wing, moving about in search of the instruments required. In his motions he touched with his feet what he supposed to be the dead body of a soldier. And he elicited a deep prolonged groan. " Ah ! I am so sorry ! did I hurt you ? " tenderly inquired Wing, stooping to address this new claimant of his sym- pathy. " Oh, no only roused me," moaned the wounded boy.