at her fixedly, as was sometimes
his habit. Grave tenderness was in his tone.

"Jinny," he said slowly, "Jinny, do you mean to marry Clarence?"

The suddenness of the question took her breath. But she answered
steadily:

"Yes."

"Do you love him?

"Yes," she answered. But her lashes fell.

Still he stood, and it seemed to her that her father's gaze pierced to
her secret soul.

"Come here, my dear," he said.

He held out his arms, and she fluttered into them. The tears were come at
last. It was not the first time she had cried out her troubles against
that great heart which had ever been her strong refuge. From childhood
she had been comforted there. Had she broken her doll, had Mammy Easter
been cross, had lessons gone wrong at school, was she ill, or weary with
that heaviness of spirit which is woman's inevitable lot,--this was her
sanctuary. But now! This burden God Himself had sent, and none save her
Heavenly Father might cure it. Through his great love for her it was
given to Colonel Carvel to divine it--only vaguely.

Many times he strove to speak, and could not. But presently, as if
ashamed of her tears, she drew back from him and took her old seat on the
arm of his chair.

By the light of his intuition, the Colonel chose tins words well. What he
had to speak of was another sorrow, yet a healing one.

"You must not think of marriage now, my dear, when the bread we eat may
fail us. Jinny, we are not as rich as we used to be. Our trade was in the
South and West, and now the South and West cannot pay. I had a conference
with Mr. Hopper yesterday, and he tells me that we must be prepared."

She laid her hand upon his.

"And did you think I would care, dear?" she asked gently. "I can bear
with poverty and rags, to win this war."

"His own eyes were dim, but pride shone in them. Jackson came in on
tiptoe, and hesitated. At the Colonel's motion he took away the china and
the silver, and removed the white cloth, and turned low the lights in the
chandelier. He went out softly, and closed the door.

"Pa," said Virginia, presently, "do you trust Mr. Hopper?"

The Colonel gave a start.

"Why, yes, Jinny. He improved the business greatly before this trouble
came. And even now we are not in such straits as some other houses."

"Captain Lige doesn't like him."

"Lige has prejudices."

"So have I," said Virginia. "Eliphalet Hopper will serve you so long as
he serves himself. No longer."

"I think you