“He said that his mother was alone in town, and needed him.”

Virginia got up without a word, and went into Judge Whipple’s room.  And there the Colonel found her some hours later, reading aloud from a scrap-book certain speeches of Mr. Lincoln’s which Judge Whipple had cut from newspapers.  And the Judge, lying back with his eyes half closed, was listening in pure delight.  Little did he guess at Virginia’s penance!