master saw a young girl in black rising from a chair by the
center table; and he brought his spurred heels together and bowed his
very best bow.

"My brother," she said, "has been so anxious to bring one of our
officers here. Two weeks ago the Yan--the Federal cavalry passed
through, chasing Carrington's Horse out of Oxley Court House, but there
was no halt here." She resumed her seat with a gesture toward a chair
opposite; the bandmaster bowed again and seated himself, placing his
sabre between his knees.

"Our cavalry advance did not behave very well in Oxley," he said.

"They took a few chickens _en passant_," she said, smiling; "but had
they asked for them we would have been glad to give. We are loyal, you
know."

"Those gay jayhawkers were well disciplined for that business when
Stannard took them over," said the bandmaster grimly. "Had they behaved
themselves, we should have had ten friends here where we have one now."

The boy listened earnestly. "Would you please tell me," he asked,
"whether you have decided to have a battle pretty soon?"

"I don't decide such matters," said the bandmaster, laughing.

"Why, I thought a general could always have a battle when he wanted to!"
insisted the boy, surprised.

"But I'm not a general, Billy," replied the young fellow, coloring. "Did
you think I was?"

"My brother's ideas are very vague," said his sister quickly; "any
officer who fights is a general to him."

"I'm sorry," said the bandmaster, looking at the child, "but do you
know, I am not even a fighting officer? I am only the regimental
bandmaster, Billy--a noncombatant."

For an instant the boy's astonished disappointment crushed out his
inbred courtesy as host. His sister, mortified but self-possessed, broke
the strained silence with a quiet question or two concerning the newly
arrived troops; and the bandmaster replied, looking at the boy.

Billy, silent, immersed in reflection, sat with curly head bent and
hands folded on his knees. His sister glanced at him, looked furtively
at the bandmaster, and their eyes met. He smiled, and she returned the
smile; and he looked at Billy and smiled again.

"Billy," he said, "I've been sailing under false colors, it seems--but
you hoisted them. I think I ought to go."

The boy looked up at him, startled.

"Good night," said the bandmaster gravely, rising to his lean height
from the chair beside the table. The boy flushed to his hair.

"Don't go," he said; "I