y jumped down from the bench and ran through the opening in
the hedge, leaving her mother gazing after her in sudden consternation.

"Name we Gawd! Miss Hallie," gasped Uncle Billy. "You reckon she done
brought somebody, sho' 'nuff? Hi! Hi! _I_ hear sum'-pin. It's a horse.
Lan' er Glory! Hits, _him_!"

CHAPTER II

Round the corner of the hedge at a swift trot came a man in the uniform
of an officer in the Confederate Army,--and Virgie was in his arms.

Mrs. Cary gave him one look and threw out her arms.

"Herbert!"

The man on horseback let Virgie slide down and then dismounted like a
flash, coming to her across the little space of lawn with his whole soul
in his eyes. With his dear wife caught in his arms he could do nothing
but kiss her and hold her as if he would never again let her go.

"Hallie," he breathed, "but it's good to see you again. It's _good_."
And so they stood for a long moment, husband and wife united after
months of separation, after dangers and terrors and privations which had
seemed as if they never would end.

Sally Ann was one of the first to interrupt, edging up at the earliest
opportunity with her beard in her hand. "How you does, Mars' Cary? How
you fine yo'sef, seh?"

"Why, hullo, Sally Ann!" said Cary, and put out his hand. "What on earth
is this thing?"

Virgie ran to his side and caught his hand in hers. "We were playing
'Blue Beard,' Daddy,--an' you came just like the brother."

"So you've been Blue Beard, have you, Sally Ann?--then I must have the
pleasure of cutting you into ribbons." Herbert Cary's shining saber
flashed half out of its scabbard and then, laughing, he slapped it back
with a clank.

"Sally Ann," he announced, "I'm going to turn you into Sister Anne for a
while. You run up to Miss Hallie's room and sit by the window where you
can watch the road and woods. If you see anything--soldiers, I mean--"

"Oh, Herbert!" cried his wife in anguish.

"S-s-sh!" he whispered. "Go along, Sally Ann. If you see anyone at all
report to me at once. Understand? Off with you!"

Uncle Billy now came forward in an effort to make his master's clothes
more presentable.

"Heh, Mars' Cary, lemme brush you off, seh. You's fyar kivered."

"Look out, you old rascal," Cary laughed, as his wife backed away
coughing before the cloud of fine white dust that rose under Uncle
Billy's vigorous hands. "You're choking your mistress to death. Never
mind the dust. I'll get it back in