moment," continued Captain Passford, still retaining the hand of
his nephew. "I understood that you were a soldier in the Confederate
army."

"I was a soldier; but I am not one just now," replied the visitor, with
some embarrassment in his manner, though the circumstances were strange
enough to account for it.

"How are your father and mother and Miss Gerty, Corny?" asked the uncle
of the visitor, giving the young man the name by which he was generally
called both at home and in the family of his uncle.

"They were all very well when I left them," replied Corny, looking on
the floor, as though he was not altogether satisfied with himself.

"Of course, you brought letters from your father and Gerty?"

"No, sir; I brought no letters," replied Corny, and, more than before,
he looked as though he was not enjoying his present visit.

"No letters!" exclaimed Captain Passford, evidently surprised beyond
measure at the apparent want of kindly feeling on the part of members
of his brother's family in the South.

"Not a letter, Uncle Horatio," answered Corny, bracing himself up, as
though he realized that he was not presenting a demeanor such as he
thought the occasion required of him.

"This is very strange," added Captain Passford, with a cloud playing on
his fine features.

"It is war between the North and the South, Uncle Horatio, and I suppose
my father did not feel like writing any letters. Gerty never writes any
letters if she can help it," Corny explained.

"But Gerty used to write to Florry about once a week."

"Did she? I didn't know it. She never would write to me when I was
away from home," said Corny, who seemed to be very anxious not to say
anything that was not consistent with the present situation, whatever
it was.

"When I parted with my brother on board of the Bellevite, both of us
shed tears as we realized that war made enemies of us; but each of us
promised to do all he could for the other in case of need. I am very
sure that there was not the slightest unkind feeling between us. Of
course, I did not expect him to write me the war news, but I think he
could have written a few lines without any allusion to the war," said
Captain Passford, pained at this want of filial affection on the part
of his brother.

At that moment the bell for tea rang, and the captain invited his nephew
to the table with him. The host was saddened by the absence of news from
his brother, of any kindly expression from on