e of a disabled chaplain
who had belonged to McVeigh's regiment--had known him from boyhood,
and was home now nursing a shattered arm, and was too well used to
these hurried unions of war times to wonder much at the Colonel's
request, and only slightly puzzled at the added one of secrecy.

At the Terrace no one was surprised at the early ride of the three,
even though the morning was not a bright one. Madame Caron had made
them accustomed to those jaunts in the dawn, and Mrs. McVeigh was
relieved to learn that Kenneth had accompanied her. Shocked as she was
to hear of Monroe's arrest, and the cause of it, she was comforted
somewhat that Kenneth did not find the affair serious enough to
interfere with a trifle of attention to her guest.

In fact the Colonel had not, in the note hastily scribbled to his
mother, given her anything like a serious account of the case. Captain
Monroe had for certain military reasons been placed under guard until
an escort could arrive and accompany him to Charleston for some
special investigations. She was not to be disturbed or alarmed because
of it; only, no one was to be allowed to see or speak with him without
a special permit. He would explain more fully on his return, and only
left the note to explain why Captain Monroe would breakfast alone.

Matthew Loring also breakfasted alone. He was in a most excitable
state over the occurrence of the night before, which Judge Clarkson
was called on to relate, and concerning which he made all the
reservations possible, all of them entirely acceptable to his
listeners with the exception of Miss Loring, who heard, and then sent
for Phil Masterson.

She was talking with him on the lawn when the three riders returned,
and when Kenneth McVeigh bent above Judithe with some laughing words
as he led her up the steps, the heart of his girl-playmate grew sick
within her. She had feared and dreaded this foreign exquisite from the
first; now, she knew why.

Evilena was also watching for their return and gave Delaven a cool
little nod in contrast to the warm greeting given her brother and
Madame Caron. But instead of being chilled he only watched his
opportunity to whisper:

"I wore the uniform!"

She tossed her head and found something interesting in the view on the
opposite side of the lawn. He waited meekly, plucked some roses, which
he presented in silence and she regarded with scorn. But as she did
not move away more than two feet he took heart o