g prayers, kneeling there beside her brother; the red moons that
rose, enormous, menacing, behind the trees; and the widow bird calling,
calling to the dead that never answer more.

Her dead? Why _hers_? A chance regiment passing--cavalry wearing the
uniform and number of the Fourth Missouri. Ah! she could see them again,
sun-scorched, dusty, fours crowding on fours, trampling past. She could
see a young girl in white, fastening the long-hidden flag to its
halyards as the evening light faded on the treetops!... And then--and
then--_he_ came--into her life, into her house, into her heart,
alas!--tall, lean, calm-eyed, yellow-haired, wrapped in the folds of his
long, blue mantle!... And she saw him again--a few moments before his
regiment charged into that growling thunder beyond the hills somewhere.

And a third time, and the last, she saw him, deathly still, lying on her
own bed, and a medical officer pulling the sheet up over his bony face.

* * * * *

The colonel of the Fourth Missouri was looking curiously at her; she
started, cleared the dimness from her eyes, and steadied the trembling
underlip.

After a moment's silence the colonel said: "You undertake this duty
willingly?"

She nodded, quietly touching her eyes with her handkerchief.

"There is scarcely a chance for you," he observed with affected
carelessness.

She lifted her shoulders in weary disdain of that persistent shadow
called danger, which had long since become too familiar to count very
heavily.

"I am not afraid--if that is what you mean. Do you think you can get me
through?"

The colonel said coolly: "I expect to do my part. Have you a rebel
uniform?"

She nodded.

"Where is it?"

"On me--under this."

The colonel looked at her; a slight shudder passed over him.

"These orders suggest that I start before sunset," he said. "Meanwhile
this tent is yours. My orderly will serve you. The regiment will move
out about sunset with some six hundred sabres and Gray's Rhode Island
flying battery."

He walked to the tent door; she followed.

"Is that your horse?" he asked.

"Yes, Colonel."

"Fit for the work?" turning to look at her.

"Yes, sir."

"And _you_?"

She smiled; through the open tent a misty bar of sunshine fell across
her face, turning the smooth skin golden. Outside a dismounted trooper
on guard presented his carbine as the tall, young colonel strode out. An
orderly joined him;