, and biting her lips to keep from laughing
outright. Then coming down into the garden, she asked:

"Is the parade in sight yet?"

Turning, they rushed at her.

"_Marian!_ When did you get home? How did you get in without our seeing
you?"

Her parasol fell to the ground before their onslaught of affectionate
greetings, as they held her off, only to draw her close to them.

"Why," she laughed, somewhat out of breath, "the front door was open--as
usual; so I came on through--as usual--looking for you!"

"_When_ did you get home?" they insisted. "Is it really you?"

"You little dears," she cried. "Oh, but it's good to see you!"

"But _when_ did you come?"

"Last night!"

"And you're going to stay?"

"Hm-hm," she laughed, kissing them upon the cheeks. "I suppose I'll have
to, unless Daddy has a change of heart and lets me go to France."

"France, nonsense! Stand off, and let's see you," Miss Sallie commanded.
"My! My! And you're really a trained nurse?"

"Really a trained nurse," she answered enthusiastically.

"I could never understand why you wanted to be," Miss Veemie faltered,
looking at her as though she were convinced that contact with the big
cities and hospitals and surgical cases must surely have left an
unfavorable impress. "But you haven't changed--I do believe! Why, child,
you're even prettier! Is that taffeta, my dear? How much did you pay for
it?"

"Sister Veemie," Miss Sallie interrupted with a shade of annoyance,
"for pity sake don't begin to talk dresses--though it _is_ becoming, my
dear," she turned to Marian. "Have you seen Jeb?"

The girl hesitated, yet not exactly in embarrassment, and answered
slowly:

"No. Is he well?"

"More than well--and simply daft with his preparations for the war!"

"Preparations for the war?" she asked, not understanding.

"Why, my child, he goes into the country every day to shoot his rifle,
he's so in earnest! I do believe that if Congress could hear half he
thinks about the insults we are forced to swallow, they'd declare war
to-morrow!"

"Sister Sallie thinks he should have been named Patrick Henry," Miss
Veemie sighed, "but I'm sure I can't imagine why! Jebediah is much
prettier."

Miss Sallie ignored this, and in a more confidential tone continued:

"When he was a little boy, a fortune teller said----"

"Oh, I know," Marian laughed, "--said he might be President some day!"

"Well, my dear, I really shouldn't wonder! But, oh, why have you st