ogether, and he does
not care for me, nor I for him, however much he is admired in the family.
But, you see, 'tis the law of honour, my Harry. I must go. Had fate given
you the benefit of that extra half hour of life which I have had before
you, it would have been your lot, and you would have claimed your right
to go first, you know you would."

"Yes, George," said poor Harry; "I own I should."

"You will stay at home, and take care of Castlewood and our mother. If
anything happens to me, you are here to fill my place. I should like to
give way, my dear, as you, I know, would lay down your life to serve me.
But each of us must do his duty. What would our grandfather say if he
were here?"

The mother looked proudly at her two sons. "My papa would say that his
boys were gentlemen," faltered Madame Esmond, and left the young men, not
choosing perhaps to show the emotion which was filling her heart. It was
speedily known amongst the servants that Mr. George was going on the
campaign. Dinah, George's foster-mother, was loud in her lamentations at
losing him; Phillis, Harry's old nurse, was as noisy, because Master
George, as usual, was preferred over Master Harry. Sady, George's
servant, made preparations to follow his master, bragging incessantly of
the deeds which he would do; while Gumbo, Harry's boy, pretended to
whimper at being left behind, though at home Gumbo was anything but a
fire-eater.

But of all in the house Mrs. Mountain was the most angry at George's
determination to go on the campaign. She begged, implored, insisted that
he should alter his determination; voted that nothing but mischief would
come from his departure; and finally suggested that it was his duty to
remain at home to protect his mother from the advances of Colonel
Washington, whom she assured him she believed to desire a rich wife, and
that if George would go away he would come back to find George Washington
master of Castlewood. As a proof of what she said she produced part of a
letter written by Colonel Washington to his brother, in which his words
seemed to the romantic Mrs. Mountain to bear out her belief. This
fragment, which she had found in the Colonel's room and with none too
much honesty appropriated, she now showed to George, who after gazing at
the document gave her a frightful look, saying, "I--I will return this
paper to Mr. Washington." Mrs. Mountain was thoroughly scared then at
what she had done and said, but it could not be