drew back into the corridor. She had spied the Duncans and the
Worthingtons making merry by themselves at a corner table, and it was
Somers's laugh that she heard. Bob, too, sitting next to Miss Duncan,
was much amused about something. Suddenly Cynthia's exaltation over the
incident of the morning seemed to leave her, and Bob Worthington's words
which she had pondered over in the night came back to her with renewed
force. He did not find it necessary to steal away to see Miss Duncan.
Why should he have "stolen away" to see her? Was it because she was a
country girl, and poor? That was true; but on the other hand, did she
not live in the sunlight, as it were, of Uncle Jethro's greatness, and
was it not an honor to come to his house and see any one? And why had
Mr. Worthington turned hid back on Jethro, and sent for Bob when he
was talking to them? Cynthia could not understand these things, and her
pride was sorely wounded by them.

"Perhaps Jethro's in his room," suggested Ephraim.

And indeed they found him there seated on the bed, poring over some
newspapers, and both in a breath demanded where he had been. Ephraim did
not wait for an answer.

"We seen General Grant, Jethro," he cried; "while we was waitin' for
you under the tree he come up and stood talkin' to us half an hour. Full
half an hour, wahn't it, Cynthy?"

"Oh, yes," answered Cynthia, forgetting her own grievance at the
recollection; "only it didn't seem nearly that long."

"W-want to know!" exclaimed Jethro, in astonishment, putting down his
paper. "H-how did it happen?"

"Come right up and spoke to us," said Ephraim, in a tone he might have
used to describe a miracle, "jest as if he was common folk. Never had
a more sociable talk with anybody. Why, there was times when I clean
forgot he was President of the United States. The boys won't believe it
when we git back at Coniston."

And Ephraim, full of his subject, began to recount from the beginning
the marvellous affair, occasionally appealing to Cynthia for
confirmation. How he had lived over again the Wilderness and Five Forks;
how the General had changed since he had seen him whittling under a
tree; how the General had asked about his pension.

"D-didn't mention the post-office, did you, Ephraim?"

"Why, no," replied Ephraim, "I didn't like to exactly. You see, we was
havin' such a good time I didn't want to spoil it, but Cynthy--"

"I told the President about it, Uncle Jethro; I told him how