most heroic thing I ever did in my life. Very likely
you don't think so, but it was. For, never for one instant were my real
feelings altered, my real beliefs changed--I couldn't have changed them
if I had tried. And I could have died for them at any moment, if I had
been called upon to do so, though I _was_ playing such a part. But I
wasn't called upon, and so I made them stay down; I covered every inch
of myself with a southern skin. But if any one thinks that it was easy
or pleasant, let him try it--that's all!"

"When the war began," she went on, "I remember how much more clearly
reasoned out were _my_ views of the southern side of the question than
were those of the southerners themselves about here. They were as warm
as possible in their feelings, of course, but they hadn't studied the
subject as I had, got their reasons into shape; so it ended in their
borrowing my reasons! But every night through all that time, Margaret,
on my knees I prayed for my own people, and I used to read the accounts
of the northern victories--when I could get them--with an inward shout;
never once, never once, had I a doubt of the final success."

"It's a curious story, isn't it?" Margaret said to Winthrop, when she
repeated to him some of these confidences. "She wished me to tell you,
she asked me to do so; she said she should like to have _you_ understand
her life."

"Does she expect me to admire it?" said Winthrop, rather surprised
himself to feel how quickly the old heat could rise in his throat again
when confronted with a tale like this. For the southern women, who had
everywhere suffered so much, given so much, and lost their all, he had
nothing but the tenderest pity. But a northern woman who had joined
their cause--that seemed to him apostasy. That the apostasy had been but
pretence only made it worse.

"She expects you to remember her motive for it, after she is gone,"
Margaret answered.

"Her motive can't make me like it. Even in the midst of her mistakes,
however, she has been a wonderful little creature. But you say 'after
she is gone'--do you think her worse, then? I thought she was so much
better."

"So she is better. But she will fail again; at least that is what she
thinks herself, and I cannot help fearing she is right."

"I am very sorry to hear it." He seemed to have the idea that she would
say more; and he waited. But she did not speak.

"I suppose, then, you have had some further talk about Garda?" he sai