fluttered into them. The tears were
come at last. It was not the first time she had cried out her troubles
against that great heart which had ever been her strong refuge. From
childhood she had been comforted there. Had she broken her doll, had
Mammy Easter been cross, had lessons gone wrong at school, was she
ill, or weary with that heaviness of spirit which is woman's inevitable
lot,--this was her sanctuary. But now! This burden God Himself had sent,
and none save her Heavenly Father might cure it. Through his great love
for her it was given to Colonel Carvel to divine it--only vaguely.

Many times he strove to speak, and could not. But presently, as if
ashamed of her tears, she drew back from him and took her old seat on
the arm of his chair.

By the light of his intuition, the Colonel chose tins words well. What
he had to speak of was another sorrow, yet a healing one.

"You must not think of marriage now, my dear, when the bread we eat may
fail us. Jinny, we are not as rich as we used to be. Our trade was
in the South and West, and now the South and West cannot pay. I had a
conference with Mr. Hopper yesterday, and he tells me that we must be
prepared."

She laid her hand upon his.

"And did you think I would care, dear?" she asked gently. "I can bear
with poverty and rags, to win this war."

"His own eyes were dim, but pride shone in them. Jackson came in on
tiptoe, and hesitated. At the Colonel's motion he took away the china
and the silver, and removed the white cloth, and turned low the lights
in the chandelier. He went out softly, and closed the door.

"Pa," said Virginia, presently, "do you trust Mr. Hopper?"

The Colonel gave a start.

"Why, yes, Jinny. He improved the business greatly before this trouble
came. And even now we are not in such straits as some other houses."

"Captain Lige doesn't like him."

"Lige has prejudices."

"So have I," said Virginia. "Eliphalet Hopper will serve you so long as
he serves himself. No longer."

"I think you do him an injustice, my dear," answered the Colonel. But
uneasiness was in his voice. "Hopper is hard working, scrupulous to a
cent. He owns two slaves now who are running the river. He keeps out of
politics, and he has none of the Yankee faults."

"I wish he had," said Virginia.

The Colonel made no answer to this. Getting up, he went over to the
bell-cord at the door and pulled it. Jackson came in hurriedly.

"Is my bag packed?"

"Yes, Marsa."