e he sipped at the grateful, cooling draught of water, when the
child asked suddenly:

"How is Gen'ral Lee?"

Down came the gourd upon the table. The Southerner was on his feet, with
a stiffened back; and his dusty slouch hat was in his hand.

"He's well; God bless him! Well!"

The tone was deep and tender, proud, but as reverent as the baby's
prayer for her father's immunity from harm; yet the man who spoke sank
back into his seat, closing his eyes and repeating slowly, sadly:

"He's well; God bless him! But he's tired, darling--mighty tired."

"Daddy," the soldier's daughter asked, "will you tell him
somethin'--from me?"

"Yes, dear. What?"

"Tell him," said the child, with a thoughtful glance at Miss Susan
Jemima across the table, "tell him, if he ever marches along this way,
I'll come over to his tent and rub his head, like I do yours--if he'll
let me--till he goes to sleep." She clasped her fingers and looked into
her father's eyes, hopefully, appealingly. "Do you think he would,
if--if I washed my hands--real clean?"

The Southerner bit his lip and tried to smile.

"Yes, honey, I know he would! And think! He sent a message--to _you_."

"Did he?" she asked, wide-eyed, flushed with happiness. "What did he
say, Daddy? What?"

"He said," her father answered, taking her hands in his: "'She's a brave
little soldier, to stay there all alone. Dixie and I are proud of her!'"

"Oh, Daddy, did he? Did he?"

"Yes, dear, yes," the soldier nodded; "his very words. And look!" From
his boot leg he took a folded paper and spread it on his knee. "He
wrote you a pass--to Richmond. Can you read it?"

Virgie leaned against her father's shoulder, studying the paper long and
earnestly; then, presently looked up, with a note of grave but courteous
hesitation in her tone:

"Well--he--well, the Gen'ral writes a awful bad hand, Daddy."

Her father laughed in genuine delight, vowing in his heart to tell his
general and friend of this crushing criticism, if ever the fates of war
permitted them to meet again.

"Dead right!" he agreed, with hearty promptness. "But come, I'll read it
for you. Now then. Listen:

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VA.

"_Pass Virginia Cary and escort through all Confederate lines and
give safe-conduct wherever possible._

"R.E. LEE, _General_."

There was silence for a moment, then Virgie looked up, with tears in her
eyes and voice.

"An' he did that--for little _me