mother. I observed that a shade of pain
passed over his countenance whenever I mentioned my sisters. I was
unwise in doing so, unless it could have had the effect of shaking his
resolution, and inducing him to send to Captain Staghorn, and to tell
him that of men the world might say what they chose, but that he would
not go forth to break the law of God, to take his life or to lose his
own. But why do I say that? I now know that nothing but the love of
God, and of God's law implanted in his heart, would have induced him
thus to act. Abstractedly he knew that he was about to do a wrong
thing, but had he been really making God's law the rule of his life, he
would not have hesitated one moment, but the moment Major O'Grady had
opened the subject, he would have told him plainly that he feared God
more than man; that if he wronged Captain Staghorn, even though
unintentionally, he would make him all the amends in his power, but that
fight he would not. His conduct, however, very clearly showed--brave,
and honest, and generous, and kind-hearted as he was, a man to be
esteemed and loved--that he feared man, and what man might say, more
than God, and how God would judge. Numbers act thus; but numbers perish
of a plague. That there are many, does not save them.

It must be understood that I did not think thus at the time. I was only
a little, less careless and thoughtless than those around me. I was
very sorry, though, that my cousin was going out to fight with a man who
was a dead shot, because I was afraid he would be killed, and that my
sister Bertha, whom I loved dearly, would be made miserable. It did
occur to me, as I looked at his open and intelligent countenance, his
broad chest and manly form, how sad it was that, by that time the next
day, he might be laid in the cold grave.

Dinner progressed slowly. Under other circumstances he would have
thought me especially stupid, for there was a feeling in my throat and a
weight at my heart which effectually stopped me from being lively.
After coffee had been taken, I mechanically rose with the rest, and went
on deck. I had not been there long, before it occurred to me that I
ought to have wished him goodbye, as a boat was alongside to carry some
liberty-men on board the Doris. I desired the sentry to ask if I might
see him, and was immediately admitted.

"I am glad that you are come, Marmaduke," he observed. "We cannot tell
what may happen to us in this climate