ight! But to see my Curt go this way--and my only son
crazy to join him--Oh, it is ha'd, Honey-bee, ve'y, ve'y ha'd."

"Dearest!"

"O Honey-bud! Honey-bud!"

And the two women mourned, uncomforted.

Ailsa remained for three unhappy days in Fort Greene Place, then
fled to her own house. A light, amusing letter from Berkley
awaited her. It was so like him, gay, cynical, epigrammatic, and
inconsequent, that it cheered her. Besides, he subscribed himself
very obediently hers, but on re-examining the letter she noticed
that he had made no mention of coming to pay his respects to her.

So she lived her tranquil life for another week; and Colonel Arran
came every day and seemed always to be waiting for
something--always listening--gray face buried in his stock. And at
the week's end she answered Berkley's letter--although, in it, he
had asked no question.

"DEAR MR. BERKLEY:

"Such sad news from the Craigs. Estcourt has accepted the command
of one of the new zouave regiments--the 3d, in camp near Fort
Hamilton. But, being in his office, I suppose you have heard all
about it from Stephen. Poor Celia Craig! It is peculiarly
distressing in her case; all her sympathies are with her native
state, and to have her husband go under such unusually tragic
circumstances seems too dreadful. Celia is convinced that he will
never return; she reads some Southern paper which breathes awful
threats against the Zouaves in particular. Besides, Stephen is
perfectly determined to enlist in his father's regiment, and I can
see that they can't restrain him much longer. I have done my best;
I have had him here and talked to him and argued with him, but I
have made no headway. No appeal moves him; he says that the land
will need every man sooner or later, and that the quicker he begins
the sooner he will learn how to look out for himself in battle.

"The regiment is almost full; to-day, the first six companies are
to be mustered into the United States service for three years or
for the war. Captain Barris of the regular army is the mustering
officer. And on their departure I am to present a set of colours
to the regiment. It is to be quite solemn. I have already bought
the lances, and they are beautiful; the spears are silver gilt, the
rings gilded, too, and the flags are made of the most beautiful
silk with tassels and fringe of gold bullion. There are three
flags: the national colours, the state flag, and a purple