Cora looked at him with the deepest interest.

Rose thought now she might venture on a little civility without giving offense to her despotic lord.

“Have you had breakfast, you two?” she inquired.

“No, indeed.  We started immediately after receiving the orders,” said Sylvan.  “And we are as hungry as two bears.”

“Bring chairs to the table, Mark, for the gentlemen,” said young Mrs. Rockharrt, who then rang for two more covers and hot coffee.

“Cora,” whispered Sylvan, as soon as he got a chance to speak to his sister, “you can never get ready to go with me on so short a notice.  Women have so much to do.”

“Sylvan,” she replied, “I have been ready for a month.”

CHAPTER XXIV.

SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

The day succeeding that on which Sylvanus Haught had received his commission as second lieutenant in the 3d Regiment of Infantry, then on Governor’s Island, New York harbor, and under orders for Fort Farthermost, on the southwestern frontier, was a very busy one for Cora Rothsay; for, however well she had been prepared for a sudden journey, there were many little final details to be attended to which would require all the time she had left at her disposal.

A farewell visit must be paid to Violet Rockharrt, and—­worse than all—­an explanatory interview must be held with her grandfather in relation to her departure with Sylvanus Haught, and that interview must be held before the Iron King should leave Rockhold that morning for his daily visit to the works.

Cora had often, during the last year, and oftener since her grandfather’s second marriage, taken occasion to allude to her intention of accompanying her brother to his post of duty, however distant and dangerous that post might be.  She had done this with the fixed purpose of preparing this autocratic old gentleman’s mind for the event.

Now, the day of her intended departure had arrived; she was to leave Rockhold with her brother that afternoon to take the evening express to New York.  And as she could not go without taking leave of her grandfather, it was necessary that she should announce her intention to him before he should start on his daily visit to North End.

Therefore Cora had risen very early that morning and had gone down into the little office or library of the Iron King, that was situated at the rear of the middle hall, there to wait for him, as it was his custom to rise early and go into his study, to look over the papers before breakfast.  These papers were brought by a special messenger from North End, who started from the depot as soon as the earliest train arrived with the morning’s mail and reached Rockhold by seven o’clock.

She had not sat there many minutes before Mr. Rockharrt entered the study.

“I am going away with my brother,” Cora said, without any preface whatever, “to Fort Farthermost, on the southwestern Indian frontier.”