ickly past the soldier, who merely stared with dim eyes out
the door and saw nothing.

She stood for a moment with a look of helpless bewilderment. The vast area
of the second story of the great monolithic pile was crowded with rows of
sick, wounded, and dying men--a strange, solemn, and curious sight.
Against the walls were ponderous glass cases, filled with models of every
kind of invention the genius of man had dreamed. Between these cases were
deep lateral openings, eight feet wide, crowded with the sick, and long
rows of them were stretched through the centre of the hall. A gallery ran
around above the cases, and this was filled with cots. The clatter of the
feet of passing surgeons and nurses over the marble floor added to the
weird impression.

Elsie saw the look of helpless appeal in the mother's face and hurried
forward to meet her:

"Is this Mrs. Cameron, of South Carolina?"

The trembling figure in black grasped her hand eagerly:

"Yes, yes, my dear, and I'm looking for my boy, who is wounded unto death.
Can you help me?"

"I thought I recognized you from a miniature I've seen," she answered
softly. "I'll lead you direct to his cot."

"Thank you, thank you!" came the low reply.

In a moment she was beside him, and Elsie walked away to the open window
through which came the chirp of sparrows from the lilac bushes in full
bloom below.

The mother threw one look of infinite tenderness on the drawn face, and
her hands suddenly clasped in prayer:

"I thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for this hour! Thou hast heard the cry of my
soul and led my feet!" She gently knelt, kissed the hot lips, smoothed the
dark tangled hair back from his forehead, and her hand rested over his
eyes.

A faint flush tinged his face.

"It's you,
Mamma--I--know--you--that's--your--hand--or--else--it's--God's!"

She slipped her arms about him.

"My hero, my darling, my baby!"

"I'll get well now, Mamma, never fear. You see, I had whipped them
that day as I had many a time before. I don't know how it happened--my
men seemed all to go down at once. You know--I couldn't surrender in
that new uniform of a colonel you sent me--we made a gallant fight,
and--now--I'm--just--a--little--tired--but you are here, and it's all
right."

"Yes, yes, dear. It's all over now. General Lee has surrendered, and when
you are better I'll take you home, where the sunshine and flowers will
give you strength again."

"How's my little sis?"

"Hunting