ling of the place and the hour."

"It is indeed a picture worth remembering," said Josephine, "and the
more so after you have so graphically described it." But suddenly, and
without any perceptible reason, at that moment the young girl pulled
away from his arm, on which she had been leaning, flung down the light
veil of her bonnet, stepped away a few paces, and turned her face
towards the river. Leslie looked around to see what could have caused
the movement, but saw nothing except a few of the last passengers
leaving the planks, and among them a military officer in full colonel's
uniform, whose face he did not recognize. He saw that the officer passed
on, farther up the railroad-track; and the moment after, slightly
turning her head, but very warily, the young girl appeared to be
beckoning to him. He stepped towards her at once, and turning her head
once more towards the river and the western skies, she said:

"Excuse my strange behaviour; I know that you will do so when you
understand my reasons--no, you cannot understand them all, at least just
now--but part of them. I dare not turn around my head, for fear of
being recognized. You saw an officer coming off the bridge just now. Did
you know him?"

"No, I did not," answered Leslie, and it must be confessed that he
wished to add, though he did not do so, "But what the deuce is the
mystery in _your_ young life, that you are obliged to shun recognition
in this manner?"

Josephine Harris, from the position in which she stood, could not
clearly see his face, and she was consequently spared his look of
surprise, almost of pain, which was momentary. The instant after, she
asked:

"Is he here still? Is he close by us?"

"No," said Leslie, looking around, "he has passed up the track some
distance. But tell me--what _can_ be the matter?"

"I know you must think it odd," said the young girl, turning her face
around towards Leslie, now that she knew the officer was not near them.
"Not only odd, but a little suspicious. But a few words will explain all
that it is either necessary or proper for me to say in this place. Keep
an eye on that man, please, and if you see him coming this way again,
let me know. That officer is Colonel Egbert Crawford, of whom you may
have heard."

"I think I have heard the name, through the newspapers. Getting up a
bogus regiment, or something of that kind, isn't he?" asked Leslie. "Any
relation to Miss Bell, who accompanied us the other day on