t a
signal from the guard-room, two sappers and miners appeared carrying
a scaling-ladder, which they placed silently against the wall, and as
silently withdrew. On another occasion, the same spirited young lady,
whom Brant was satisfied would have probably imperiled her life under
fire in devotion to her cause, was brought ignominiously to bay in the
field by that most appalling of domestic animals, the wandering and
untrammeled cow! Brant could not help smiling as he heard the quick,
harsh call to "Turn out, guard," saw the men march stolidly with fixed
bayonets to the vicinity of the affrighted animal, who fled, leaving
the fair stranger to walk shamefacedly to the house. He was surprised,
however, that she should have halted before his door, and with tremulous
indignation, said,--

"I thank you, sir, for your chivalrousness in turning a defenseless
woman into ridicule."

"I regret, Miss Faulkner," began Brant gravely, "that you should believe
that I am able to control the advances of farmyard cattle as easily
as"--But he stopped, as he saw that the angry flash of her blue eyes,
as she darted past him, was set in tears. A little remorseful on the
following day, he added a word to his ordinary cap-lifting when she
went by, but she retained a reproachful silence. Later in the day, he
received from her servant a respectful request for an interview, and
was relieved to find that she entered his presence with no trace of her
former aggression, but rather with the resignation of a deeply injured,
yet not entirely unforgiving, woman.

"I thought," she began coldly, "that I ought to inform you that I
would probably be able to conclude my business here by the day after
to-morrow, and that you would then be relieved of my presence. I am
aware--indeed," she added, bitterly, "I could scarcely help perceiving,
that it has been an exceedingly irksome one."

"I trust," began Brant coldly, "that no gentleman of my command has"--

"No!"

She interrupted him quickly, with a return of her former manner, and a
passionate sweep of the hand.

"Do you suppose for a moment that I am speaking--that I am even
thinking--of them? What are they to me?"

"Thank you. I am glad to know that they are nothing; and that I may
now trust that you have consulted my wishes, and have reserved your
animosity solely for me," returned Brant quietly. "That being so, I see
no reason for your hurrying your departure in the least."

She rose instantly