a week, hardly coming down to his meals. It was a terrible week
for him, for every waking hour of it he walked through the valley of
humiliation, and drank the bitter waters of shame. The joints of his
hitherto impenetrable armor of self-conceit had been so pierced by the
fine rapier thrusts of Rachel's scorn that it fell from him under
the coarse pounding of the village loungers and left him naked and
defenseless to their blows. Every nerve and sense ached with acute pain.
He now felt all of his father's humiliation, all his mother's querulous
sorrow, all his betrothed's anguish and abasement.

Thoughts of suicide, and of flying to some part of the country where
he was entirely unknown, crowded upon him incessantly. But with that
perversity that nature seemingly delights in, there had arisen in his
heart since he had lost her, such a love for Rachel Bond as made life
without her, or without her esteem even, seem valueless. To go into a
strange part of the country and begin life anew would be to give her up
forever, and this he could not do. It would be much preferable to die
demonstrating that he was in some degree worthy of her. And a latent
manly pride awakened and came to his assistance. He could not be the
son of his proud, iron-willed father without some transmission of that
sire's courageous qualities. He formed his resolution: He would stay in
Sardis, and recover his honor where he had lost it.

At the end of the week he heard the drums beat, the cannon fire, and the
people cheer. The company had come home, and was marching proudly down
the street to a welcome as enthusiastic as if its members were bronzed
veterans returning victoriously from a campaign that had lasted for
years.

His mother told him the next day that the company had decided to
re-enlist for three years or duration of the war, and that a meeting
would be held that evening to carry the intention into execution. When
the evening came Harry walked into the town hall, dressed as carefully
as he had prepared himself for his visit with Rachel. He found the
whole company assembled there, the members smoking, chatting with their
friends, and recounting to admiring hearers the wonderful experiences
they had gone through. The enlistment papers were being prepared,
and some of the boys who had not been examined during the day were
undergoing the surgeon's inspection in an adjoining room.

Harry was coldly received by everybody, and winced a little unde