“Come and walk a little in the lane.”

She put her arm in his, and answered quickly: 

“You’ve something to tell me:  I see it in your face.”

“Dear, I must go.”

“Yes, David.”

“And you?”

“I go too.”

“Yes, Christie.”

That was all:  she did not offer to detain him now; he did not deny her right to follow.  They looked each other bravely in the face a moment, seeing, acknowledging the duty and the danger, yet ready to do the one and dare the other, since they went together.  Then shoulder to shoulder, as if already mustered in, these faithful comrades marched to and fro, planning their campaign.

Next evening, as Mrs. Sterling sat alone in the twilight, a tall man in army blue entered quietly, stood watching the tranquil figure for a moment, then went and knelt down beside it, saying, with a most unsoldierly choke in the voice: 

“I’ve done it, mother:  tell me you’re not sorry.”

But the little Quaker cap went down on the broad shoulder, and the only answer he heard was a sob that stirred the soft folds over the tender old heart that clung so closely to the son who had lived for her so long.  What happened in the twilight no one ever knew; but David received promotion for bravery in a harder battle than any he was going to, and from his mother’s breast a decoration more precious to him than the cross of the Legion of Honor from a royal hand.

When Mr. Power presently came in, followed by the others, they found their soldier standing very erect in his old place on the rug, with the firelight gleaming on his bright buttons, and Bran staring at him with a perplexed aspect; for the uniform, shorn hair, trimmed beard, and a certain lofty carriage of the head so changed his master that the sagacious beast was disturbed.

Letty smiled at him approvingly, then went to comfort her mother who could not recover her tranquillity so soon.  But Christie stood aloof, looking at her lover with something more than admiration in the face that kindled beautifully as she exclaimed: 

“O David, you are splendid!  Once I was so blind I thought you plain; but now my ‘boy in blue’ is the noblest looking man I ever saw.  Yes, Mr. Power, I’ve found my hero at last!  Here he is, my knight without reproach or fear, going out to take his part in the grandest battle ever fought.  I wouldn’t keep him if I could; I’m glad and proud to have him go; and if he never should come back to me I can bear it better for knowing that he dutifully did his best, and left the consequences to the Lord.”

Then, having poured out the love and pride and confidence that enriched her sacrifice, she broke down and clung to him, weeping as so many clung and wept in those hard days when men and women gave their dearest, and those who prayed and waited suffered almost as much as those who fought and died.