we risk them, chiefly because so dear to those at home. Let the
thought cheer you in your work that you are keeping tears from eyes
as good and kind as your own. That's another reason why I showed you
the likenesses."

"It will be but another motive," she said. "A suffering man, whether
friend or enemy, is enough."

She smiled as she spoke, then picked her way across the wide barn
floor and disappeared. Every eye followed her, pain all forgotten
for the moment.

"By G--d!" exclaimed a rough fellow, drawing his sleeve across his
eyes, "I'm hard hit, but I'll crawl to and choke the first man who
says a word she oughtn't to hear when she's around."

"If you can keep your own tongue civil, Yarry, you'll have your
hands full," said a comrade.

"Well, I be blankety blank-blanked if that girl doesn't rout the
devil out of a fellow, hoof and horns."

"You're right, my man," said the Union captain, "and your feelings
do you credit. Now I have a suggestion to make. Not one of us is
capable of using a word before her that she shouldn't hear, if not
out of our heads. We can pay her a better tribute than that. Let us
decide to speak in her absence as if she were present. That's about
all we can do in return for her kindness. She won't know the cost to
us in breaking habits, but we will, and that's better. We all feel
that we'd like to spill some more of our blood for the girl who fed