answered
coldly, "and perhaps a moment ago I spoke more harshly than I intended.
Everything you need for the journey you will please ask for. I wish you
every success."

"Thank you," I said, and left the room. My pack was soon made, for I had
seen enough of frontier fighting to know no extra baggage would be
permitted, and then I roamed up and down the house in hope of seeing
Dorothy. But she was nowhere visible, and at last I gave up the search
and went to bed.

I was up long before daylight, donned my old uniform, saw my horse fed
and saddled, ate my breakfast, and was ready to go. I took a last look
around my room, picked up my pack, and started down the stairs.

"Tom," whispered a voice above me, and I looked up and saw her. "Quick,
quick," she whispered, "say good-by."

"Oh, my love!" I cried, and I drew her lips down to mine.

"And you will not forget me, Tom?" she said. "I shall pray for you every
night and morning till you come back to me. Good-by."

"Forget you, Dolly? Nay, that will never be." And as I rode away through
the bleak, gray morning, the mist rolling up from hill and river
disclosed a world of wondrous fairness.

Which brings me back again to the camp at Winchester,--but what a
journey it has been! As I look back, nothing strikes me so greatly as
the length of the way by which I have come. I had thought that some
dozen pages at the most would suffice for my introduction, but memory
has led my pen along many a by-path, and paused beside a score of
half-forgotten landmarks. Well, as it was written, so let it stand, for
my heart is in it.

CHAPTER XIII

LIEUTENANT ALLEN SHOWS HIS SKILL

The days dragged on at Winchester, as days in camp will, and I accepted
no more invitations to mess with the officers of the line. Indeed, I
received none, and we provincial officers kept to ourselves. Major
Washington had returned to Mount Vernon, but I found many of my old
friends with the troops, so had no lack of company. There was Captain
Waggoner, who had got his promotion eight months before, and Peyronie,
recovered of his wound and eager for another bout with the French. He
also had been promoted for his gallantry, and now had his own company of
rangers. There was Captain Polson, for whom a tragic fate was waiting,
and my old captain, Adam Stephen. And there was Carolus Spiltdorph,
advanced to a lieutenancy like myself, and by great good fortune in my
company. We began to chum together at on