d, and grew lively, like herself. With all that, through the
whole supper-time I had an odd feeling of her being on one side; it
seemed to be only Thorold and I really there; and in all Thorold was
doing and through all he was talking, I had a curious sense that he was
occupied only with me. It was not that he said so much directly to me or
looked so much at me; I do not know how I got the feeling. There was Miss
Cardigan at the head of the table busy and talking as usual, clever and
kind; yet the air seemed to be breathed only by Thorold and me.

"And how soon, lad," Miss Cardigan broke out suddenly, when a moment's
lull in the talk had given her a chance, "how soon will ye be off to
that region of disturbance whither ye are going?"

"Washington?" said Thorold. "Just as soon as our examination can be
pushed through; in a very few days now."

"You'll come to me by the way, for another look at you, in your
officer's uniform?"

"Uniform? nobody will have any uniform, I fancy," said Thorold;
"nobody has any time to think of that. No, Aunt Catherine, and I shall
not see you, either. I expect we shall rush through without the loss
of a train. I can't stop. I don't care what clothes I wear to get
there."

"How came you to be here now, if you are in such a hurry?"

"Nothing on earth would have brought me, but the thing that did bring
me," said Thorold. "I was subpoenaed down, to give my evidence in a
trial. I must get back again without loss of a minute; should have
gone to-night, if there had been a train that stopped. I am very glad
there was no train that stopped!"

We were all silent for a minute; till the door-bell rang, and the
servant came, announcing Mr. Bunsen, to see Miss Cardigan about the
tenant houses. Miss Cardigan went off through the open doors that led
to the front parlour; and standing by the fire, I watched her figure
diminishing in the long distance till it passed into Mr. Bunsen's
presence and disappeared. Mr. Thorold and I stood silently on either
side of the hearth, looking into the fire, while the servant was
clearing the table. The cheerful, hospitable little table, round which
we had been so cheerful at least for the moment, was dismantled
already, and the wonted cold gleam of the mahogany seemed to tell me
that cheer was all over. The talk of the uniform had overset me. All
sorts of visions of what it signified, what it portended, where it
would go, what it would be doing, were knocking at th