hey
learned that the trains were running as usual, although somewhat
irregular as to the hours at which they came along or as to the time
they took upon their journey. The contents of the cart had been left at
the farm at which they stopped the night before, and Vincent had now no
difficulty in disposing of the horse and cart, as he did not stand out
for price, but took the first offer made. Two hours later a train came
along, and the party were soon on their way to Rome in Georgia; after
their arrival there they went to Macon, at which place they alighted and
hired a conveyance to take them to Antioch, near which place Lucy's
relatives resided.

The latter part of the journey by rail had been a silent one. Lucy felt
none of the pleasure that she had expected at finding herself safely
through her dangers and upon the point of joining relations who would be
delighted to see her, and she sat looking blankly out of the window at
the surrounding country. At last Vincent, who had been half an hour
without speaking said:

"Are you sorry our journey is just over, Lucy?"

The girl's lip quivered, but she did not speak for a moment. "Of course
it is unpleasant saying good-by when people have been together for some
time," she said with an effort.

"I hope it will not be good-by for long," he said. "I shall be back here
as soon as this horrible war is over."

"What for?" the girl asked, looking round in surprise. "You live a long
way from here, and you told me you knew nobody in these parts."

"I know you," Vincent said, "and that is quite enough. Do you not know
that I love you?"

The girl gave a start of surprise, her cheek flushed but her eyes did
not drop as she looked frankly at him.

"No, Vincent," she said after a pause, "I never once thought you loved
me--never once. You have not been a bit like what I thought people were
when they felt like that."

"I hope not, Lucy. I was your protector then, I have tried my best to
be what people thought me--your brother; but now that you are just home
and among your own people, I think I may speak and tell you how I feel
toward you, and how I loved you since the moment I first saw you. And
you, Lucy, do you think you could care for me?"

"Not more than I do now, Vincent. I love you with all my heart. I have
been trying so hard to believe that I didn't because I thought you did
not care for me that way."

For some minutes no further word was spoken. Vincent was the first t