Their father and mother went with them; but Vashti did not
go. She had "been out to look for the cow," and got in only just before
they left, still clad in her yesterday's finery; but it was wet and
bedraggled with the soaking dew. When they were gone she sat down in the
door, limp and dejected.

More than once during the morning the girl rose and started down the
path as if she would follow them and see the company set out on its
march, but each time she came back and sat down again in the door,
remaining there for a good while as if in thought.

Once she went over almost to Mrs. Stanley's, then turned back and sat
down again.

So the morning passed, and the first thing she knew, her father and
mother had returned. The company had started. They were to march to the
bridge that night. She heard them talking over the appearance that they
had made; the speech of the captain; the cheers that went up as they
marched off--the enthusiasm of the crowd. Her father was in much
excitement. Suddenly she seized her sun-bonnet and slipped out of the
house and across the clearing, and the next instant she was flying down
the path through the pines. She knew the road they had taken, and a path
that would strike it several miles lower down. She ran like a deer, up
hill and down, availing herself of every short cut, until, about an hour
after she started, she came out on the road. Fortunately for her, the
delays incident to getting any body of new troops on the march had
detained the company, and a moment's inspection of the road showed
her that they had not yet passed. Clambering up a bank, she concealed
herself and lay down. In a few moments she heard the noise they made in
the distance, and she was still panting from her haste when they came
along, the soldiers marching in order, as if still on parade, and a
considerable company of friends attending them. Not a man, however,
dreamed that, flat on her face in the bushes, lay a girl peering down
at them with her breath held, but with a heart which beat so loud to
her own ears that she felt they must hear it. Least of all did Darby
Stanley, marching erect and tall in front, for all the sore heart in his
bosom, know that her eyes were on him as long as she could see him.

When Vashti brought up the cow that night it was later than usual. It
perhaps was fortunate for her that the change made by the absence of the
boys prevented any questioning. After all the excitement her mother was