s waning and August was at hand this
unseen soldier, who had only shared her thoughts before, took complete
and utter control. Why tell the old, old story in its every stage? It
was with a new, wild fear at heart she heard of Stonewall Jackson's leap
for the Rapidan, of the grapple at Cedar Mountain where the
Massachusetts men fought sternly and met with cruel loss. Her father
raged with anxiety when the news came of the withdrawal from the
Peninsula, the triumphant rush of Lee and Longstreet on Jackson's trail,
of the ill-starred but heroic struggle made by Pope along the banks of
Bull Run. A few days and nights of dread suspense and then came tidings
that Lee was across the Potomac and McClellan marching to meet him. Two
more letters reached her from the marching--th Massachusetts, and a
telegram from Washington telling her where to write, and saying, "All
well so far as I am concerned," at which the doctor shook his head--it
sounded so selfish at such a time; it grated on his patriotic ear, and
it wasn't such as he thought an Abbot ought to telegraph. But then he
was hurried; they probably only let him fall out of ranks a moment as
they marched through Washington. And then the newspapers began to teem
with details of the fierce battles of the last three days of August, and
he forgave him and fathomed the secret in his daughter's breast as she
stood breathing very quickly, her cheek flushing, her eyes filling, and
listening while he read how Lieutenant Abbot had led the charge of
the--th Massachusetts and seized the battle-flag of one of Starke's
brigades at that bristling parapet--the old, unfinished railway grade to
the north of Groveton. Neither father nor daughter uttered a word upon
the subject. The old man simply opened his arms and took her to his
heart, where, overcome with emotion, mingling pride and grief and
anxiety and tender, budding love, she burst into tears and hid her
burning face.

[Illustration: "_The Virginians knew a brave man when they saw one._"]

Then came the news of fierce fighting at South Mountain, where the--th
Massachusetts was prominent; then of the Antietam, where twice it
charged through that fearful stretch of cornfield and had but a handful
left to guard the riddled colors when nightfall came, and then--silence
and suspense. No letters, no news--nothing.

Her white, wan face and pleading eyes were too much for the father to
see. Though no formal offer of marriage had been made, tho