author - "Kirk Munroe"
's laughing face became gravewhenever the subject was mentioned, but the young man was not to bemoved from his resolve.
Mardi Gras came and passed, but Ridge, though escorting his sister andcousin to all the festivities, took only a slight interest in them. Hewas always slipping away to buy the latest papers or to read thebulletins from Washington.
"Would you go as a private, son?" asked his father one evening when thesituation was being discussed in the family circle.
"No, no! If he goes at all--which Heaven forbid--it must be as anofficer," interposed Mrs. Norris, who had overheard the question.
"Of course a gentleman would not think of going as anything else,"remarked Dulce, conclusively.
"I believe there were gentlemen privates on both sides during the CivilWar," said Spence Cuthbert, quietly.
"Of course," admitted Dulce, "but that was different. Then men foughtfor principles, but now they are going to fight for--for--"
"The love of it, perhaps," suggested the girl from K
ouse, where we will see what can be done for him. Now, my dear, the evening meal awaits us, and I for one shall partake of it with a keener relish that this unfortunate affair has terminated so happily."
"I pray God, Graham, that it may be terminated," replied Mrs. Hester, fervently, as she took the child from its father's arms and strained him to her bosom.
The whole of this dramatic scene had transpired within the space of a few minutes, and when the men approached to lift the prostrate Indian they found him so recovered from his exhaustion as to be able to stand, and walk feebly with the aid of some support.
Major Hester's first duty, after conveying his wife and child to the shelter of the blockhouse, was to visit the guest so strangely thrust upon his hospitality and inquire into his condition. He found him lying on a pallet of straw, over which a blanket had been thrown, and conversing with Truman Flagg in an Indian tongue unknown to the proprietor. The hunter was bathing the strang
's laughing face became gravewhenever the subject was mentioned, but the young man was not to bemoved from his resolve.
Mardi Gras came and passed, but Ridge, though escorting his sister andcousin to all the festivities, took only a slight interest in them. Hewas always slipping away to buy the latest papers or to read thebulletins from Washington.
"Would you go as a private, son?" asked his father one evening when thesituation was being discussed in the family circle.
"No, no! If he goes at all--which Heaven forbid--it must be as anofficer," interposed Mrs. Norris, who had overheard the question.
"Of course a gentleman would not think of going as anything else,"remarked Dulce, conclusively.
"I believe there were gentlemen privates on both sides during the CivilWar," said Spence Cuthbert, quietly.
"Of course," admitted Dulce, "but that was different. Then men foughtfor principles, but now they are going to fight for--for--"
"The love of it, perhaps," suggested the girl from K
ouse, where we will see what can be done for him. Now, my dear, the evening meal awaits us, and I for one shall partake of it with a keener relish that this unfortunate affair has terminated so happily."
"I pray God, Graham, that it may be terminated," replied Mrs. Hester, fervently, as she took the child from its father's arms and strained him to her bosom.
The whole of this dramatic scene had transpired within the space of a few minutes, and when the men approached to lift the prostrate Indian they found him so recovered from his exhaustion as to be able to stand, and walk feebly with the aid of some support.
Major Hester's first duty, after conveying his wife and child to the shelter of the blockhouse, was to visit the guest so strangely thrust upon his hospitality and inquire into his condition. He found him lying on a pallet of straw, over which a blanket had been thrown, and conversing with Truman Flagg in an Indian tongue unknown to the proprietor. The hunter was bathing the strang