I drew those tears back into my heart and stepped
forward to the steps of the car from which I could see a very slight
and short but very distinguished looking Frenchman about to descend.

"I thank the good God I have never before encountered him," I said in
my heart as I stood in front of him.

"Lieutenant, the Count de Bourdon, I make you welcome to the State of
Harpeth, in the name of my Uncle, the Secretary of that State," I said
to him in the language of his own country as I clapped together my
heels and gave to him the bow from the waist of a French gentleman who
is not a soldier. "Will you permit that I lead you to that Uncle?"

"Many thanks, Monsieur, is it Carruthers I name you after your
distinguished relative?" he made answer to me as he returned my bow
with first one of its kind and then a military salute.

"Robert Carruthers, sir, and at your service," I made answer to him
with a great formality. And as I spoke I saw that he gave to me a
glance of great curiosity and would have asked a question but at that
moment my Uncle, the General Robert, stood beside us.

"I present to you the General Carruthers, Secretary of the State of
Harpeth, Monsieur the Lieutenant, the Count de Bourdon of the
forty-fourth Chasseurs of the Republique of France." I said with again
a great ceremony and a very deep bow.

"I'm mighty glad to welcome you to Old Harpeth, Count. How did you
make the trip down? said my Uncle, the General Robert, as he held out
his large and beautiful old hand and gave to the Count Edouard de
Bourdon such a clasp that must have been to him most painful. And as I
beheld that very tall grand old soldier of that Lost Cause look down
upon that very polished and small representative of the French army,
that American eagle began a flapping of his wings against the strings
of my heart where I had not before discovered him to reside.

"But he is not as my Capitaine, the Count de Lasselles," I said in
reproof to that eagle, which made a quiet in my heart so that I could
listen to the words returned by the man of France to the man of
America.

"I thank you, Monsieur the Secretary of Harpeth; my journey was of
great pleasure and comfort," were the words which he returned in very
nice English.

"Then we'll go right up and see Governor Faulkner at the Capitol
before lunch, Count, if that suits you," my Uncle, the General Robert,
said with a very evident relief at those words of English coming from
that Fre