FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  
Guard." "Undoubtedly, sir. But I am glad he is not in the regular ranks." "Why?" "I should hate to fight against him, sir." "I see. Well, this war has brought brother against brother, and worse. To tell the truth, I heartily wish it was over, myself." In a few minutes more Mrs. Ruthven appeared, her face full of sorrow. As she approached Harry Powell, the tears stood in her eyes. "My dear aunt, how glad I am to see you, after this long separation!" cried the young man impulsively. "Oh, Harry! Harry! How can you come here in that uniform?" she returned. "Let us speak of that later, Aunt Alice. Allow me to introduce you to my superior, Colonel Stanton." Mrs. Ruthven looked at the colonel steadily, and he bowed gravely. Each saw that the other was of good blood and breeding. The lady of the plantation dropped her eyes. "Colonel Stanton, courtesy bids me say you are welcome, but--I beg you to consider that I am a Southern woman," she faltered. "I hope, Mrs. Ruthven, you will not look upon me as an enemy." "Are you not in arms against my country?" "Against your section, yes, but not against your country, madam. I fight under the flag which belongs alike to the South and the North." At this Mrs. Ruthven shook her head sadly. "I cannot agree with you, sir. But let that drop. May I ask the news? Have our troops been hopelessly defeated?" "I cannot answer you, Mrs. Ruthven. Our side has won a battle and the Confederate troops have taken to the mountain side. They may engage us again before long." "Your troops are encamped but a short distance from here, I believe?" "It is true." "Are we to consider ourselves as prisoners of war?" "By no means, Mrs. Ruthven. I am informed that your house is something of a hospital. Let it remain so." "Thank you." "You certainly did not expect ill treatment, did you?" went on the colonel curiously. "You seem to be a gentleman, I must admit, but I have heard such stories of violence and rapine that I have some reasons to be apprehensive." "The stories are in most cases baseless and without truth. I hope you are not prejudiced enough to think that Federal officers are destitute of honor and humanity. Every true soldier, no matter under what banner he draws his sword, respects a lady, and would be the last to injure or annoy her." "I can believe that of you, sir, but you are an exception." "I cannot accept the compliment. I know many of my br
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Ruthven

 

troops

 

stories

 
colonel
 
country
 

Stanton

 
Colonel
 

brother

 

distance

 

encamped


injure
 

prisoners

 

exception

 

hopelessly

 

defeated

 
answer
 

battle

 

accept

 

engage

 
respects

compliment

 
Confederate
 

mountain

 

informed

 

violence

 

rapine

 

humanity

 
gentleman
 

destitute

 

baseless


prejudiced

 

Federal

 

officers

 

reasons

 

apprehensive

 

soldier

 

remain

 

hospital

 

expect

 

curiously


matter

 

banner

 

treatment

 

sorrow

 

approached

 

Powell

 
separation
 

uniform

 

returned

 

impulsively