e best I knew," said Elmore.

"Why, of course you did," cried Hoskins, "and she sees that as well as
you or I do, and she stands by you accordingly. I tell you, that girl's
got a cool head."

In his soul Elmore ungratefully and inconsistently wished that her heart
were not equally cool; but he only said, "Yes, she is a good and
sensible girl. I hope the--the--other one is equally resigned."

"Oh, _he_'ll get along," answered Hoskins, with the indifference of one
man for the sufferings of another in such matters. We are able to offer
a brother very little comfort and scarcely any sympathy in those unhappy
affairs of the heart which move women to a pretty compassion for a
disappointed sister. A man in love is in no wise interesting to us for
that reason; and if he is unfortunate, we hope at the farthest that he
will have better luck next time. It is only here and there that a
sentimentalist like Elmore stops to pity him; and it is not certain that
even he would have sighed over Captain Ehrhardt if he had not been the
means of his disappointment. As it was, he came away, feeling that
doubtless Ehrhardt had "got along," and resolved at least to spend no
more unavailing regrets upon him.

The time passed very quietly now, and if it had not been for Hoskins,
the ladies must have found it dull. He had nothing to do, except as he
made himself occupation with his art, and he willingly bestowed on them
the leisure which Elmore could not find. They went everywhere with him,
and saw the city to advantage through his efforts. Doors, closed to
ordinary curiosity, opened to the magic of his card, and he showed a
pleasure in using such little privileges as his position gave him for
their amusement. He went upon errands for them; he was like a brother,
with something more than a brother's pliability; he came half the time
to breakfast with them, and was always welcome to all. He had the gift
of extracting comfort from the darkest news about the war; he was a
prophet of unfailing good to the Union cause, and in many hours of
despondency they willingly submitted to the authority of his greater
experience, and took heart again.

"I like your indomitable hopefulness, Hoskins," said Elmore, on one of
those occasions when the consul was turning defeat into victory.
"There's a streak of unconscious poetry in it, just as there is in your
taking up the subjects you do. I imagine that, so far as the judgment of
the world goes, our fortunes a