ly's doing to get that
appointment for Barry. I was not surprised that he declined it, but then
you see I know Barry. He is at the place where I would want him to be."

Barry kept his eyes steadily upon the words until he should be sure of
his voice. His heart was thrilling with pride in the girl who had given
herself to him. As the moments passed, he there and then vowed that by
God's grace, he would not shame her nor belie her trust in him.

"Thank you, sir," he said quietly, handing the letter back.

"Helps a bit, eh, what?" said the general. "We can't let our women down,
can we?"

"No, sir," said Barry. "Is there nothing I can do?" His voice was as
steady and quiet as the general's.

"Oh, thank you, just the C. C. S., I fancy, at present."

At that point the door opened, and the corps commander came in, wearing
a very tired and anxious face.

"Bad business, general," he said, with a single word of greeting and
ignoring Barry.

"Yes, a very bad business, sir," said the divisional commander, and
Barry fancied he caught a new note in his voice, a note of sternness,
almost of challenge.

"Seems that we missed that wire, eh, along here?" said the corps
commander, putting his finger upon a map which lay on the table.

"We must have that patrolled very carefully, you know." There was a note
of criticism in his voice.

"Yes, sir," replied the corps commander courteously. "I wasn't at all
sure that the wire was cut, and so reported."

"Ah!"

"This strong point should have been removed," continued the divisional
commander, putting his finger upon a point of junction. "That I asked to
be done, but McDowell seems to have missed it."

"Ah!"

"The enfilade got us from that point, of course." There was no mistaking
the implication in the general's words.

"Ah! You reported that, eh?"

"You will find it in my report, sir. My division has suffered very
heavily from that strong point."

The corps commander turned, and apparently observing Barry for the first
time started and said,

"You are--"

"My friend, Captain Dunbar," said the general.

"Ah, Captain Dunbar," said the corps commander, obviously annoyed at his
presence at the interview. "I trust Captain Dunbar is quite--"

"Captain Dunbar's reticence," said the general with quiet courtesy, "can
be entirely trusted. He has just been doing some fine work at the C. C.
S."

"Ah, yes. You are a padre, Dunbar? Oh, I remember to have heard about
you. Very