ations from the girls swept the room as he took Marion's hand, bowed
and kissed it. Her blue eyes danced and smiled on him with frank
admiration.

"Ben, you're the handsomest thing I've ever seen!" she said softly.

"Thanks. I thought you had a mirror. I'll send you one," he answered,
slipping his arm around her and gliding away to the strains of a waltz.
The girl's hand trembled as she placed it on his shoulder, her cheeks were
flushed, and her eyes had a wistful dreamy look in their depths.

When Ben rejoined Elsie and they strolled on the lawn, the military
commandant suddenly confronted them with a squad of soldiers.

"I'll trouble you for those buttons and shoulder straps," said the
Captain.

Elsie's amber eyes began to spit fire. Ben stood still and smiled.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"That I will not be insulted by the wearing of this uniform to-day."

"I dare you to touch it, coward, poltroon!" cried the girl, her plump
little figure bristling in front of her lover.

Ben laid his hand on her arm and gently drew her back to his side: "He has
the power to do this. It is a technical violation of law to wear them. I
have surrendered. I am a gentleman and I have been a soldier. He can have
his tribute. I've promised my father to offer no violence to the military
authority of the United States."

He stepped forward, and the officer cut the buttons from his coat and
ripped the straps from his shoulders.

While the performance was going on, Ben quietly said:

"General Grant at Appomattox, with the instincts of a great soldier, gave
our men his spare horses and ordered that Confederate officers retain
their side-arms. The General is evidently not in touch with this force."

"No: I'm in command in this county," said the Captain.

"Evidently."

When he had gone, Elsie's eyes were dim. They strolled under the shadow of
the great oak and stood in silence, listening to the music within and the
distant murmur of the falls.

"Why is it, sweetheart, that a girl will persist in admiring brass
buttons?" Ben asked softly.

She raised her lips to his for a kiss and answered:

"Because a soldier's business is to die for his country."

As Ben led her back into the ballroom and surrendered her to a friend for
a dance, the first gun pealed its note of victory from the square in the
celebration of the triumph of the African slave over his white master.

Ben strolled out in the street to hear the news.

The C