re on guard just a
day or two before."

"That is all right enough. It is about military things that you do not
understand. It is all right enough, except these confounded Yankees.
And Thorold is another."

"Who is _one_!" I said, laughing. "You say he is _another_."

"Blunt is one."

"I like Major Blunt."

"Daisy," said Preston, stopping short, "you ought to be with your
mother. There is nobody to take care of you here. How came you to know
that Thorold?"

"He was introduced to me. What is the matter with him?"

"You ought not to be going about with him. He is a regular Yankee, I
tell you."

"What does that mean?" I said. "You speak it as if you meant something
very objectionable."

"I do. They are a cowardly set of tailors. They have no idea what a
gentleman means, not one of them, unless they have caught the idea
from a Southerner. I don't want you to have anything to do with them,
Daisy. You _must_ not dance with them, and you must not be seen with
this Thorold. Promise me you will not."

"Dr. Sandford is another," I said.

"I can't help Dr. Sandford. He is your guardian. You must not go again
with Thorold!"

"Did you ever know _him_ cowardly?" I asked.

I was sure that Preston coloured; whether with any feeling beside
anger I could not make out; but the anger was certain.

"What do you know about it?" he asked.

"What do you?" I rejoined. But Preston changed more and more.

"Daisy, promise me you will not have anything to do with these
fellows. You are too good to dance with them. There are plenty of
Southern people here now, and lots of Southern cadets."

"Mr. Caxton is one," I said. "I don't like him."

"He is of an excellent Georgia family," said Preston.

"I cannot help that. He is neither gentlemanly in his habits nor true
in his speech."

Preston hereupon broke out into an untempered abuse of Northern things
in general, and Northern cadets in particular, mingled with a
repetition of his demands upon me. At length I turned from him.

"This is very tiresome, Preston," I said; "and this side of the house
is very warm. Of course, I must dance with whoever asks me."

"Well, I have asked you for this evening," he said, following me.

"You are not to go," I said. "I shall not dance with you once," and I
took my former place by Mrs. Sandford. Preston fumed; declared that I
was just like a piece of marble; and went away. I did not feel quite
so impassive as he said I looked.

"What are