much better acquainted with the girl. At dinner he and Whately vied
in their gallantries, but she was too sad and weary to pay much
attention to either of them.

Mrs. Whately compelled her to lie down for a time during the heat of
the afternoon, but thoughts of the suffering all about her banished
power to rest. She went down and found the old colonel lying with
closed eyes, feebly trying to keep away the pestering flies.
Remembering the bunch of peacock feathers with which Zany, in old
monotonous days, had waved when waiting on the table, she obtained
it from the dining-room, and sitting down noiselessly by the
officer, gave him a respite from his tormentors. In his drowsiness
he did not open his eyes, but passed into quiet sleep. The girl
maintained her watch, putting her finger to her lips and making
signals for silence to all who came near. Other Confederate officers
observed her wistfully; Mad Whately, coming in, looked at her
frowningly. His desire and purpose toward his cousin had been that
of entire self-appropriation and now she was becoming the cynosure
of many eyes. Among them he saw those of Captain Maynard, who was
already an object of hate. Little recked the enamored captain of
this fact. To his ardent fancy the girl was rapidly becoming ideal
in goodness and beauty. With the ready egotism of the young he was
inclined to believe that fate had brought about the events which had
revealed to him the woman he should marry. A bombshell bursting
among them all would not have created a greater sensation than the
knowledge that the girl's thoughts were following a Yankee, one whom
she herself, by daring stratagem, had released from captivity.

A twinge of pain awakened the colonel and he looked up, dazed and
uncomprehending. Miss Lou bent over him and said gently, "Go to