was almost
insolent; evidently Masterson had not picked up an affinity. "I was
coming your way; had been riding alone for several hours, and feared I
should be deprived of the pleasure of your society if I allowed you to
know how harmless I was."

He paused for a moment--smiled in a quizzical way at McVeigh, and
continued: "Then I heard your orderly mention Colonel McVeigh, whose
place you were bound for, and I did not object in the least to being
brought to him for judgment. But since you see I am paroled, as well
as crippled," and he motioned to the arm which he moved carefully,
"incapable in any way of doing harm to your cause, I trust that a flag
of truce will be recognized by you," and he extended his hand in
smiling unconcern.

But to Captain Masterson there was something irritating in the smile,
and he only bowed coldly, ignoring the flag of truce, upon which
Captain Monroe seemed quietly amused as he turned to McVeigh and
explained that he was wounded and taken prisoner a month before over
in Tennessee by Morgan's cavalry, who had gathered in Johnson's
brigade so effectively that General Johnson, his staff, and somewhere
between two and three hundred others had been taken prisoners. He,
Monroe, had found a Carolina relative badly wounded among Morgan's
boys, had secured a parole, and brought the young fellow home to die,
and when his own wound was in a fair way to take care of itself he had
left the place--a plantation south of Allendale, and headed for the
coast to connect with the blockading fleet instead of making the
journey north through Richmond.

It was a very clear statement, but Masterson listened to it
suspiciously, without appearing to listen at all. McVeigh, who had
known both Monroe and his family in the North, and was also acquainted
with the Carolina family mentioned, accepted the Federal's story
without question, and invited him to remain at the Terrace so long as
it suited him to be their guest.

"I have only two days at home until I leave for my regiment," he
explained; "but my mother has enough pleasant people here to make your
visit interesting, I hope. She will be delighted to welcome you, and
some Beaufort acquaintances of yours are here--the Lorings."

Captain Monroe showed interest in this information, and declared it
would give him pleasure to stop over until McVeigh left for the
front.

"Good! and you, Captain Masterson?"

Masterson glanced coldly towards Monroe, evidently des