will avail me after the termination of the war, which
will end with the winter at latest.'

'And father has accepted an office in the commissariat department!'
exclaimed Cora, from her letter.

'Yes,' answered Henry; 'he tells me that, pending more progression
here, it is wiser for us both to launch into the current of public
events, and be floated upwards by the stream.'

'Does he want you to come to him, Cora?' was all that Averil contrived
to say.

'Oh no, he will be in constant locomotion,' said Cora. 'I shall stay
to keep house for Rufus. And here are some directions for him that I
must carry home. Don't come, Dr. Warden; I shall never cure you of
thinking we cannot stir without an escort. You will want to put a
little public spirit into this dear Ave. That's her one defect; and
when you are one of us, she will be forced to give us her heart.'

And away ran the bright girl, giving her caresses to each sister as she
went.

The little ones broke out, 'O, Henry, Henry, you must not go away to
the wars!' and Averil's pleading eyes spoke the same.

Then Henry sat down and betook himself to argument. It would be folly
to lose the first opening to employment that had presented itself. He
grieved indeed to leave his sisters in this desolate, unhealthy place;
but they were as essentially safe as at Stoneborough; their living
alone for a few weeks, or at most months, would be far less remarkable
here than there; and he would be likely to be able to improve or to
alter their present situation, whereas they were now sinking deeper and
more hopelessly into poverty every day. Then, too, he read aloud
piteous accounts of the want of medical attendance, showing that it was
absolutely a cruelty to detain such assistance from the sick and
wounded. This argument was the one most appreciated by Averil and
Minna. The rest were but questions of prudence; this touched their
hearts. Men lying in close tents, or in crowded holds of ships, with
festering wounds and fevered lips, without a hand to help them--some,
too, whom they had seen at New York, and whose exulting departure they
had witnessed--sufferers among whom their own Cora's favourite brother
might at any moment be numbered--the thought brought a glow of
indignation against themselves for having wished to withhold him.

'Yes, go, Henry; it is right, and you shall hear not another word of
objection,' said Averil.

'You can write or telegraph the instant you wa