misjudge him. He is at least brave and honest, two great things in a
commander. As for the rest, it is yet too soon to judge. But you have
told me nothing about your affairs. How did you leave them all at
Riverview?"

"I left them well enough," I answered shortly.

Washington glanced keenly at my downcast face, for indeed the memory of
what had occurred at Riverview was not pleasant to me.

"Did you quarrel with your aunt before you came away?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," I said, and stopped. How could I say more?

"I feared it might come to that," he said gravely. "Your position there
has been a false one from the start. And yet I see no way to amend it."

We walked on in silence for some time, each busy with his own thoughts,
and mine at least were not pleasant ones.

"Tom," said Washington suddenly, "what was the quarrel about? Was it
about the estate?"

"Oh, no," I answered. "We shall never quarrel about the estate. We have
already settled all that. It was something quite different."

I could not tell him what it was; the secret was not my own.

He looked at me again for a moment, and then, stopping suddenly, wheeled
me around to face him, and caught my hand.