ink of."

"It was an awful moment, as you may imagine," Vincent replied. "I shall
never forget the scene, or Lucy's steadfast face as she faced that man;
and you see at that time I was a perfect stranger to her--only a
fugitive Confederate officer whom she shielded from his pursuers."

"Go on, Vincent; please go on," Annie said. "Tell us what happened
next."

Vincent continued his narrative to the end, with, however, many
interruptions and questions on the part of the girls. His mother said
little, but sat holding his hand in hers.

"It has been a wonderful escape, Vincent," she said when he had
finished. "Bring your Lucy here when you like and I shall be ready to
receive her as my daughter, and to love her for her own sake as well as
yours. She must be not only a brave girl but a noble girl, and you did
perfectly right to lose not a single day after you had taken her safely
home in asking her to be your wife. I am glad to think that some day the
Orangery will have so worthy a mistress. I will write to her at once.
You have not yet told us what she is like, Vincent."

"I am not good at descriptions, but you shall see her photograph, when I
get it."

"What, haven't you got one now?"

"She had not one to give me. You see, when the troubles began she was
little more than a child, and since that time she has scarcely left
home, but she promised to have one taken at once and send it to me, and
then, if it is a good likeness, you will know all about it."

"Mother, when you write to-night," Rosie said, "please send her your
photograph and ours, and say we all want one of our new relative that is
to be."

"I think, my dear, you can leave that until we have exchanged a letter
or two. You will see Vincent's copy, and can then wait patiently for
your own."

"And now, mother, I have told you all of my news; let us hear about
everyone here. How are all the old house hands, and how is Dinah? Tony
is at Washington, I know, because I saw in the paper that he had made a
sudden attack upon Jackson."

Mrs. Wingfield's face fell.

"That is my one piece of bad news, Vincent. I wish you hadn't asked the
question until to-morrow, for I am sorry that anything should disturb
the pleasure of this first meeting; still, as you have asked the
question, I must answer it. About ten days ago a negro came, as I
afterward heard from Chloe, to the back entrance and asked for Dinah. He
said he had a message for her. She went and spoke to h