anxiety for their personal safety
and the strength of their cave homes.

The guns were still and peace for a time reigned over the troubled city.
The stars shone coldly down upon them, twinkling as brightly as though
no great strife was being waged beneath them.

Jeanne's tears were falling fast as she walked back by Dick's side in the
cool fresh air of the morning.

"Dick," she whispered, detaining him as the others entered the cave, "you
don't harbor any bitterness toward me, do you?"

"Toward you, Jeanne? No;" and Dick folded her in a close embrace. "Why
did you think so?"

"You have been so still, so quiet since Aunt Clarisse died that I feared
that you thought me to blame in some way."

"No, no, sister. I have been thinking of Cherie, and of what a mixture
she was of tenderness and vindictiveness. I thought once that I should
never forgive her for turning me against you, and for trying to wean me
from my country."

"But you do forgive her, don't you, Dick? She is dead now and can never
harm us any more."

"Yes; I forgave her when she was lying there in my arms," said Dick. "But
I will never forget how good you have been, Jeanne. You stood by me as
no sister ever stood by a brother before. Why, had it not been for you I
might have been made to sign that paper."

"I do not believe that you ever would," cried Jeanne.

"And you saved me," and Dick kissed her tenderly. "How proud father and
mother will be of you, Jeanne."

"Do you think that we shall ever see them again?" asked the girl
mournfully.

"Yes, I do," said Dick positively. "I feel sure that the city will be
taken soon. It cannot hold out much longer. The soldiers have only pea
soup to live on now, and men can't fight on a diet like that. Oh, if I
were only in it!" and the boy looked wistfully over at the Federal fleet
as it lay on the broad bosom of the river. "My place is there, and yet
here I am mewed up like a girl! If ever I do get out I'll pepper the rebs
for this."

"If the Federals take the city you will soon be free," comforted Jeanne.

"Come, you must go to your rest," said Dick. "Isn't it fine the way we
are giving it to them, Jeanne? I just stand and watch those shells in
wonder. General Grant has worked for months for this and now the end is
near."

"What makes you so positive, Dick?"

"Yesterday there were some people who tried to pass out," answered the
boy. "They sent a flag of truce to the Federals asking permission to
e