n
her."

"I will win her," said the young man.

That night Judge Hampden thought deeply over the matter, and before
daylight he had despatched a note to Major Drayton making an apology for
the words he had used.

Both Judge Hampden and his son went into the army immediately on
the outbreak of hostilities. Major Drayton, who to the last opposed
Secession bitterly, did not volunteer until after the State had seceded;
but then he, also, went in, and later was desperately wounded.

A few nights before they went off to the war, Judge Hampden and his son
rode over together to Major Drayton's to offer the olive-branch of peace
in shape of young Oliver and all that he possessed.

Judge Hampden did not go all the way, for he had sworn never to put foot
again in Major Drayton's house so long as he lived, and, moreover, he
felt that his son would be the better ambassador alone. Accordingly, he
waited in the darkness at the front gate while his son presented himself
and laid at Lucy Drayton's feet what the Judge truly believed was more
than had ever been offered to any other woman. He, however, sent the
most conciliatory messages to Major Drayton.

"Tell him," he said, "that I will take down my fence and he shall run
the line to suit himself." He could not have gone further.

The time that passed appeared unending to the Judge waiting in the
darkness; but in truth it was not long, for the interview was brief. It
was with Major Drayton and not with his daughter.

Major Drayton declined, both on his daughter's part and on his own, the
honor which had been proposed.

At this moment the door opened and Lucy herself appeared. She was a
vision of loveliness. Her face was white, but her eyes were steady. If
she knew what had occurred, she gave no sign of it in words. She walked
straight to her father's side and took his hand.

"Lucy," he said, "Mr. Hampden has done us the honor to ask your hand and
I have declined it."

"Yes, papa." Her eyelids fluttered and her bosom heaved, but she did not
move, and Lucy was too much a Drayton to unsay what her father had said,
or to undo what he had done.

Oliver Hampden's eyes did not leave her face. For him the Major had
disappeared, and he saw only the girl who stood before him with a face
as white as the dress she wore.

"Lucy, I love you. Will you ever care for me? I am going--going away
to-morrow, and I shall not see you any more; but I would like to know if
there is any hope." T