On they drove into the city streets until the dark bulk of the Court House loomed in front of them, and Ned drew rein at the little stairway which led to the Judge’s rooms.  Virginia, leaping out of the carriage, flew up the steps and into the outer office, and landed in the Colonel’s arms.

“Jinny!”

“Oh, Pa!” she cried.  “Why do you risk your life in this way?  If the Yankees catch you—­”

“They won’t catch me, honey,” he answered, kissing her.  Then he held her out at arm’s length and gazed earnestly into her face.  Trembling, she searched his own.  “Pa, how old you look!”

“I’m not precisely young, my dear,” he said, smiling.  His hair was nearly white, and his face scared.  But he was a fine erect figure of a man, despite the shabby clothes he wore, and the mud-bespattered boots.

“Pa,” she whispered, “it was foolhardy to come here.  Why did you come to St. Louis at all?”

“I came to see you, Jinny, I reckon.  And when I got home to-night and heard Silas was dying, I just couldn’t resist.  He’s the oldest friend I’ve got in St. Louis, honey and now—­now—­”

“Pa, you’ve been in battle?”

“Yes,” he said.

“And you weren’t hurt; I thank God for that,” she whispered.  After a while:  “Is Uncle Silas dying?”

“Yes, Jinny; Dr. Polk is in there now, and says that he can’t last through the night.  Silas has been asking for you, honey, over and over.  He says you were very good to him,—­that you and Mrs. Brice gave up everything to nurse him.”

“She did,” Virginia faltered.  “She was here night and day until her son came home.  She is a noble woman—­”

“Her son?” repeated the Colonel.  “Stephen Brice?  Silas has done nothing the last half-hour but call his name.  He says he must see the boy before he dies.  Polk says he is not strong enough to come.”

“Oh, no, he is not strong enough,” cried Virginia.  The Colonel looked down at her queerly.  “Where is Clarence?” he asked.

She had not thought of Clarence.  She turned hurriedly, glanced around the room, and then peered down the dark stairway.

“Why, he came in with me.  I wonder why he did not follow me up?”

“Virginia.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Virginia, are you happy?”

“Why, yes, Pa.”

“Are you going to marry Clarence?” he asked.

“I have promised,” she said simply.

Then after a long pause, seeing her father said nothing, she added, “Perhaps he was waiting for you to see me alone.  I will go down to see if he is in the carriage.”

The Colonel started with her, but she pulled him back in alarm.

“You will be seen, Pa,” she cried.  “How can you be so reckless?”

He stayed at the top of the passage, holding open the door that she might have light.  When she reached the sidewalk, there was Ned standing beside the horses, and the carriage empty.