t the pair anxiously. Madame Vance was holding a
paper before the boy pleadingly, while Dick was regarding it with a look
of indifference.

"You will, my beautiful boy. You will, I know. You cannot refuse a
mother's prayer. Oh, I know that you will not refuse me."

"But I do," said Dick who showed signs that the interview was taxing his
strength to the utmost. "I will die before I sign that paper."

"You refuse?" cried Madame, losing control of herself. "Then hear me,
Richard Vance. You shall not thwart me in my purpose. You shall sign that
paper. I am stronger than you, and I say that you shall do it."

She seized the lad's hand and tried to force a pen into it. Dick struggled
feebly. With a bound Jeanne was by his side, all her fear of the woman
gone in the menace to her brother.

"What are you doing here, Jeanne Vance?" cried Madame starting back at
sight of the girl. "How came you here?"

"I wanted to see my brother," answered Jeanne, throwing her arms about
him protectingly. "Have you no heart, no feeling, that you would take
advantage of his weakness?"

"I am not so weak that she could make me sign that paper," cried Dick,
his pale face and shaking hands belying his assertion.

"We shall see," cried Madame threateningly. "He shall sign it before you,
my little Yankee."

Jeanne watched her opportunity as her aunt tried to push her aside, and
snatched the paper from her hand.

"There!" she cried as she tore it into shreds. "There, Aunt Clarisse! He
cannot sign it now."

"How dare you?" cried Madame, stamping her foot. "I will have you whipped."

But as she started to call the servants a sharp peal of the door bell
rang through the house. Instantly a most remarkable transformation took
place in the lady. Her rage disappeared as if by magic, and, as one of
the darkies opened the door to announce. "Colonel Peyton," she presented
a serene and smiling countenance to the gentleman.

"Colonel Peyton," she exclaimed, sweeping forward gracefully, "this is
indeed an honor. To what good fortune am I indebted for such a favor?"

"The exigencies of war, Madame," answered the Colonel, bowing over her
hand with courtly grace. "I am accompanied by some of my men. May I ask
that they be permitted to enter?"

"Certainly," assented Madame sweetly, but there was a trace of uneasiness
in her manner.

Into the room filed a squad of soldiers and with them, Jeanne could
scarcely repress a cry of joy at sight of him, came