a worse villain never fell."

"And our people, colonel, where are all of them?"

"Most of the soldiers have gone on, but the members of our own immediate
group are scattered about the valley, engaged chiefly in agricultural or
other homely pursuits, while they await your recovery, and incidentally
earn their bread. Sergeant Whitley, Captain St. Clair and Captain Mason
are putting a new roof on the barn, and, as I inspected it myself,
I can certify that they are performing the task in a most workmanlike
manner. Captain Thomas Langdon is ploughing in the far field, by the
side of that stalwart youth, Isaac Simmons, and each is striving in a
spirit of great friendliness to surpass the other. My associate and
second in command, Lieutenant Colonel Hector St. Hilaire, has gone
down the creek fishing, a pursuit in which he has had much success,
contributing greatly to the larder of our hostess, Mrs. Simmons."

"And where is Sam Jarvis?"

The colonel raised the window.

"Listen!" he said:

Up from the valley floated the far mellow notes:

I'm dreaming now of Hallie, sweet Hallie,
For the thought of her is one that never dies.
She's sleeping in the valley
And the mocking bird is singing where she lies.
Listen to the mocking bird singing o'er her grave,
Listen to the mocking bird, where the weeping willows wave.

"The words of the song are sad," said Colonel Talbot, "but sad music
does not necessarily make one feel sad. On the contrary we are all very
cheerful here, and Mr. Jarvis is the happiest man I have ever known.
I think it's because his nature is so kindly. A heart of gold, pure gold,
Harry, and that extraordinary old woman, Aunt Suse, insists that you are
your own greatgrandfather, the famous governor of Kentucky."

"I was here before in the first year of the war, colonel, and she
foretold that I would return just as I did. How do you account for that,
sir?"

"I don't try to account for it. A great deal of energy is wasted in
trying to account for the unknowable. I shall take it as it is."

"What has become of Colonel Winchester, sir?"

"He rode yesterday to a tiny hamlet about twenty miles away. We had
heard from a mountaineer that an officer returning from the war was there,
and since we old soldiers like to foregather, we decided to have him come
and join our party. They are due here, and unless my eyes deceive me--
and I know they don't--they're at the bead of the valley now, r