s little puncture in his right arm. The seconds declared
enough. Then we fell into the arms of each other and became friends for
life. A year later I went back to New Orleans, and I was the best man
at the wedding of Gerard and Flora, one of the happiest and handsomest
pairs I ever saw, God bless 'em. Their third son, Julien, is in a
regiment in the command of Longstreet, and when I look at him I see both
his father and his mother, at whose wedding I danced again for a whole
day and night. But now, Leonidas, I fear that my knees are growing a
little stiff, and think of our age, Leonidas!"

"Age! age! Hector Lucien Philip Etienne St. Hilaire, how dare you talk
of age! Your years are exactly the same as mine, and I can outride,
outwalk, outdance, and, if need be, make love better than any of these
young cubs who are with us. I am astonished at you, Hector! Why,
it's been only a few years since you and I were boys. We've scarcely
entered the prime of life, and we'll show 'em at Jeb Stuart's ball!"

"That's so, Leonidas, and you do well to rebuke me," and
Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire puffed out his chest--he was, in
fact, a fine figure of a man. "We'll go to Jeb Stuart's ball, as you
say, and in the presence of the Virginia fair show everybody what real
men are."

"And we'll be glad to see you do it, Colonel," said Sherburne.

The dancing had not yet begun, but as they entered the grounds the
Acadian band swung into the air of the Marseillaise, playing the grand
old Revolutionary tune with all the spirit and fervor with which
Frenchmen must have first played and sung it. Then it swung into
the soul-stirring march of Dixie, and a wild shout, which was partly
feminine, came from the house.

The two colonels had walked on ahead, leaving the young officers
together. Langdon caught sight of a figure standing before an open door,
with a fire blazing in a large fireplace serving as a red background.
That background was indeed so brilliant that every external detail of
the figure could be seen. Langdon, stopping, pulled hard on the arms
of Harry and Sherburne.

"Halt all!" he said, "and tell me if in very truth I see what I see!"

"Go on!" said St. Clair.

"Item No. one, a pink dress of some gauzy, filmy stuff, with ruffle
after ruffle around the skirt."

"Correct."

"Item No. two, a pink slipper made of silk, perchance, with the toe of
it just showing beyond the hem of the skirt."

"You observe