"I reckon that your knowledge of Southern ladies is, for certain
reasons, not very extensive."

"Pardon me; I have had the honor of marrying one."

Apparently more exasperated than before, she turned upon him abruptly.

"You say my pass is all right. Then I presume I may attend to the
business that brought me here."

"Certainly; but you will forgive me if I imagined that an expression of
contempt for your hosts was a part of it."

He rang a bell on the table. It was responded to by an orderly.

"Send all the household servants here."

The room was presently filled with the dusky faces of the negro
retainers. Here and there was the gleaming of white teeth, but a
majority of the assembly wore the true negro serious acceptance of the
importance of "an occasion." One or two even affected an official and
soldierly bearing. And, as he fully expected, there were several glances
of significant recognition of the stranger.

"You will give," said Brant sternly, "every aid and attention to the
wants of this young lady, who is here to represent the interests of your
old master. As she will be entirely dependent upon you in all things
connected with her visit here, see to it that she does not have to
complain to me of any inattention,--or be obliged to ask for other
assistance."

As Miss Faulkner, albeit a trifle paler in the cheek, but as scornful as
ever, was about to follow the servants from the room, Brant stopped her,
with a coldly courteous gesture.

"You will understand, therefore, Miss Faulkner, that you have your wish,
and that you will not be exposed to any contact with the members of my
military family, nor they with you."

"Am I then to be a prisoner in this house--and under a free pass of
your--President?" she said indignantly.

"By no means! You are free to come and go, and see whom you please. I
have no power to control your actions. But I have the power to control
theirs."

She swept furiously from the room.

"That is quite enough to fill her with a desire to flirt with every man
here," said Brant to himself, with a faint smile; "but I fancy they have
had a taste enough of her quality."

Nevertheless he sat down and wrote a few lines to the division
commander, pointing out that he had already placed the owner's private
property under strict surveillance, that it was cared for and perfectly
preserved by the household servants, and that the pass was evidently
obtained as a subterfuge.

To this he