is no time for me to seek for either ease or pleasure."

"Your country! Louis," said Miriam, her face paling and flushing by
turns. "Where is your country?"

"Here," said he, somewhat angrily, "in Louisiana."

"My country," said Camilla,[7] "is the whole Union. Yes, Louis," said
she, "your country is in danger, but not from the Abolitionists in the
North, but from the rebels and traitors in the South."

"Rebels and traitors!" said Louis, in a tone like one who felt the harsh
grating of the words.

"Whom do you mean?"

"I mean," said she, "the ambitious, reckless men who have brought about
this state of things. The men who are stabbing their country in their
madness and folly; who are crowding our graves and darkening our homes;
who are dragging our young men, men like you, who should be the pride
and hope of our country, into the jaws of ruin and death."

Louis looked surprised and angry; he had never seen Camilla under such
deep excitement. Her words had touched his pride and roused his anger;
but suppressing his feelings he answered her coolly, "Camilla, I am old
enough to do my own thinking. We had better drop this subject; it is not
pleasant to either of us."

"Louis," said she, her whole manner changing from deep excitement to
profound grief, "Oh, Louis, it will never do for you to go! Oh, no, you