stening to Dan and Harry as they planned for the future, and recalled
to each other and to him the incidents of their boyhood. Harry meant to
study law, he said, and practise in Lexington; Dan would stay at home
and run the farm. Neither brother mentioned that the old place was
heavily mortgaged, but Chad guessed the fact and it made him heartsick
to think of the struggle that was before them and of the privations yet
in store for Mrs. Dean and Margaret.

"Why don't you, Chad?"

"Do what?"

"Stay here and study law," Harry smiled. "We'll go into partnership."

Chad shook his head. "No," he said, decisively. "I've already made up
my mind. I'm going West."

"I'm sorry," said Harry, and no more; he had learned long ago how
useless it was to combat any purpose of Chadwick Buford.

General Hunt and Margaret were still away when they got back to the
house. In fact, the sun was sinking when they came in from the woods,
still walking slowly, General Hunt talking earnestly and Margaret with
her hands clasped before her and her eyes on the path. The faces of
both looked pale, even that far away, but when they neared the porch,
the General was joking and Margaret was smiling, nor was anything
perceptible to Chad when he said good-by, except a certain tenderness
in his tone and manner toward Margaret, and one fleeting look of
distress in her clear eyes. He was on his horse now, and was lifting
his cap.

"Good-by, Major," he said. "I'm glad you got through the war alive.
Perhaps I'll tell you some day why I didn't shoot you that morning."
And then he rode away, a gallant, knightly figure, across the pasture.
At the gate he waved his cap and at a gallop was gone.

After supper, a heaven-born chance led Mrs. Dean to stroll out into the
lovely night. Margaret rose to go too, and Chad followed. The same
chance, perhaps, led old Mammy to come out on the porch and call Mrs.
Dean back. Chad and Margaret walked on toward the stiles where still
hung Margaret's weather-beaten Stars and Bars. The girl smiled and
touched the flag.

"That was very nice of you to salute me that morning. I never felt so
bitter against Yankees after that day. I'll take it down now," and she
detached it and rolled it tenderly about the slender staff.

"That was not my doing," said Chad, "though if I had been Grant, and
there with the whole Union army, I would have had it salute you. I was
under orders, but I went back for help. May I carry it for you?"