HEARTSEASE.  I was about to be exchanged at the time, and she requested me to bring this to her friends in Washington.  She had not intended to carry it away with her.  I was not exchanged, as we then expected, but I afterwards escaped from prison to General Sherman’s army.

BUCKTHORN.  I will carry this long-delayed message to the widowed young mother. [Exit.

JENNY.  I remember so well, when poor Lieutenant Haverill took out the note-book and asked Gertrude to write for him.  He—­he brought me a message at the same time. [Their eyes meet.  He puts up his glasses.  She turns away, touching her eyes.

HEARTSEASE.  I—­I remember the circumstances you probably allude to; that is—­when he left my side—­I—­I gave him my—­I mean your—­lace handkerchief.

JENNY.  It is sacred to me!

HEARTSEASE.  Y-e-s—­I would say—­is it?

JENNY. [Wiping her eyes.] It was stained with the life-blood of a hero!

HEARTSEASE.  I must apologize to you for its condition.  I hadn’t any chance to have it washed and ironed.

JENNY. [Looking around at him, suddenly; then, aside.] What could any girl do with a lover like that? [Turning up stage.

HEARTSEASE. [Aside.] She seems to remember that incident so tenderly!  My blood boils!

JENNY.  Didn’t you long to see your—­your friends at home—­when you were in prison, Captain?

HEARTSEASE.  Yes—­especially—­I longed especially, Miss Buckthorn, to see—­

JENNY. Yes!—­to see—­

HEARTSEASE.  But there were lots of jolly fellows in the prison. [JENNY turns away.] We had a dramatic society, and a glee club, and an orchestra.  I was one of the orchestra.  I had a banjo, with one string; I played one tune on it, that I used to play on the piano with one finger.  But, Miss Buckthorn, I am a prisoner again, to-night—­your prisoner.

JENNY. [Aside.] At last!

HEARTSEASE.  I’ll show you how that tune went. [Turns to piano; sits.

JENNY. [Aside.] Papa said I’d have to help him, but I don’t see an opening. [HEARTSEASE plays part of an air with one finger; strikes two or three wrong notes.

HEARTSEASE.  There are two notes down there, somewhere, that I never could get right.  The fellows in prison used to dance while I played—­[Playing.]—­that is, the lame ones did; those that weren’t lame couldn’t keep the time.

JENNY.  You must have been in great danger, Captain, when you escaped from prison.

HEARTSEASE.  Y-e-s.  I was badly frightened several times.  One night I came face to face, on the road, with a Confederate officer.  It was Captain Thornton.

JENNY.  Oh!  What did you do?

HEARTSEASE.  I killed him. [Very quietly, and trying the tune again at once.  Enter JANNETTE, from in hall; she glances into the room and goes up the stairs.] I used to skip those two notes on the banjo.  It’s very nice for a soldier to come home from the war, and meet those—­I mean the one particular person—­that he—­you see, when a soldier loves a woman, as—­as—­