your mind, I fear, while to mine it will
recall some of the pleasantest hours of my life."

"No; I, too, shall have pleasant recollections of these shores. The
memory of your noble kindness to me will not be effaced. But tell me,
where do we go then?" Millicent asked, rather seriously.

"It cannot matter to you where I and my men go; but you I hope to take
to your sister."

"To Martha, Captain Merwin? Is my dear sister then alive? Is there no
doubt of it?"

"None."

"Is it possible? What happiness!" breathed Millicent, with tears in her
eyes. "I cannot believe it. I cannot believe that I shall again see my
dear sister, whom I have so long supposed dead. How did you know she was
alive; and why have you not told me this before?"

"Because I wished to surprise you just before our departure. You will
not deprive me of that last pleasure, would you?" asked the captain in a
low voice, smiling faintly. "I made all possible inquiry when in Boston,
and, just as about to depart with the troops, received accurate news of
her whereabouts."

"I see; and so she is safe, and we shall meet before many days. Where is
she, please?" asked Millicent, smiling divinely upon Merwin.

Drinking in the sweetness of the smile the captain gave her an account
of her sister's fortune, and of her surroundings.

"The Stantons, with whom she is, are friends of mine," he observed,
rather gloomily.

"Ah, indeed; then it will be a pleasant meeting all around!" and she
clapped her hands with joy. Then, noticing the captain's gravity, she
said, "Why are you so sad, Captain Merwin?"

"Oh, I don't know. I did not mean to be," and he tried to smile. "Yes, I
think I do appear rather glum,--don't mind the word, it is so expressive
of my feelings. You see, this last week has been so pleasant, we have
become such good friends, and learned to know each other's tastes so
well, and I have enjoyed so intensely giving you your freedom and
sharing it with you, that the thought that it must all end, that I must
take you back to interests which I can know nothing of and have no share
in, is just a little hard to bear at present. You will think me selfish;
forgive me, I did not mean to mention it, but you asked me."

She held out her hand to him and said, "You are my trusted friend, and
will be my sister's when she knows what you have done for me; so do not
say you will have no share in our interests."

"You are very kind," he replied, pressing her hand tig