“Yes, I have,” with a tinge of sadness in her tone.

“Well, so have I. Think of thousands of fine young fellows lying stiff and stark in those accursed swamps!”

“Yes,” she cried, with a rush of tears, “I will think of them.  I will try to see them, horrible as the sight is, even in fancy.  When they died so heroically, shame on me if I turn away in weak, dainty disgust!  Oh, the burning shame that Northern girls don’t think more of such men and their self-sacrifice!”

“You’re a trump, Miss Marian; that’s evident.  Well, one little bit of gossip about myself, and then I must go.  I have another engagement this evening.  Old Lanniere was right.  I’m young, and I’ve been very young.  Of late I’ve made deliberate effort to remain a fool; but a man has got to be a fool or a coward down to the very hard-pan of his soul if the logic of recent events has no effect on him.  I don’t think I am exactly a coward, but the restraint of army-life, and especially roughing it, is very distasteful.  I kept thinking it would all soon be over, that more men were in now than were needed, and that it was a confounded disagreeable business, and all that.  But my mind wasn’t at rest; I wasn’t satisfied with the ambitions of my callow youth; and, as usual when one is in trouble and in doubt about a step, I exaggerated my old folly to disguise my feelings.  But this Richmond campaign, and the way Stonewall Jackson has been whacking our fellows in the Shenandoah, made me feel that I was standing back too long, and the battle described in to-day’s paper brought me to a decision.  I’m in for it, Miss Marian.  You may think I’m not worth the powder required to blow me up, but I’m going to Virginia as soon as I can learn enough not to be more dangerous to those around me than to the enemy.”

She darted to his side, and took his hand, exclaiming, “Mr. Strahan! forgive me; I’ve done you a hundred-fold more injustice than you have me!”

He was visibly embarrassed, a thing unusual with him, and he said, brusquely:  “Oh, come now, don’t let us have any pro patria exaltation.  I don’t resemble a hero any more than I do a doctor of divinity.  I’m just like lots of other young fellows who have gone, only I have been slower in going, and my ardor won’t set the river on fire.  But the times are waking up all who have any wake-up in them, and the exhibition of the latest English cut in coats and trousers is taking on a rather inglorious aspect.  How ridiculous it all seems in the light of the last battle!  Jove! but I have been young!”

He did look young indeed, with his blond mustache and flushed face, that was almost as fair as a girl’s.  She regarded him wonderingly, thinking how strangely events were applying the touchstone to one and another.  But the purpose of this boyish-appearing exquisite was the most unexpected thing in the era of change that had begun.  She could scarcely believe it, and exclaimed, “You face a cannon?”