There is scarcely need to dwell upon the events of a few subsequent weeks and the gradual changes that were taking place.  Life with its small vicissitudes rarely results from deliberate action.  Circumstances, from day to day, color and shape it; yet beneath the rippling, changing surface a great tide may be rising.  Strahan was succeeding fairly well in his recruiting service, and, making allowances for his previous history, was proving an efficient officer.  Marian was a loyal, steadfast friend, reprimanding with mirthful seriousness at times, and speaking earnest and encouraging words at others.  After all, the mercurial young fellow daily won her increased respect and esteem.  He had been promoted to a captaincy, and such was the response of the loyal North, during that dreary summer of disaster and confused counsels, that his company was nearly full, and he was daily expecting orders for departure.  His drill ground had become the occasional morning resort of his friends, and each day gave evidence of improved soldierly bearing in his men.

Merwyn thus far had characteristically carried out his plans to “kill time.”  Thoroughly convinced of his comparative superiority, he had been good-naturedly tolerant of the slow recognition accorded to it by Marian.  Yet he believed he was making progress, and the fact that her favor was hard to win was only the more incitement.  If she had shown early and decided preference his occupation would have been gone; for what could he have done in those initiatory weeks of their acquaintance if her eyes and tones had said, “I am ready to take you and your wealth”?  The attitude she maintained, although little understood, awakened a kind of respect, while the barriers she quietly interposed aroused a keener desire to surmount them.  By hauteur and reserve at times he had made those with whom he associated feel that his position in regard to the civil conflict was his own affair.  Even Marian avoided the subject when talking with him, and her mother never thought of mentioning it.  Indeed, that thrifty lady would have been rather too encouraging had not her daughter taken pains to check such a spirit.  At the same time the young girl made it emphatically understood that discussion of the events of the war should be just as free when he was present as when he was absent.

Yet in a certain sense he was making progress, in that he awakened anger on her part, rather than indifference.  If she was a new type to him so was he to her, and she found her thoughts reverting to him in hostile analysis of his motives and character.  She had received too much sincere homage and devotion not to detect something cynical and hollow in his earlier attentions.  She had seen glances toward her mother, and had caught in his tones an estimate which, however true, incensed her greatly.  Her old traits began to assert themselves, and gradually her will accorded with Strahan’s hope.  If, without compromising herself, she could humble this man, bringing him to her feet and dismissing him with a rather scornful refusal, such an exertion of power would give her much satisfaction.  Yet her pride, as well as her principle, led her to determine that he should sue without having received any misleading favor on her part.