"He's jumped the _fence_," cried Virgie. "He's cutting across our
fields! He sees me! He's waving his hat to me!" With the last words the
child suddenly jumped down from the bench and ran through the opening in
the hedge, leaving her mother gazing after her in sudden consternation.

"Name we Gawd! Miss Hallie," gasped Uncle Billy. "You reckon she done
brought somebody, sho' 'nuff? Hi! Hi! _I_ hear sum'-pin. It's a horse.
Lan' er Glory! Hits, _him_!"




CHAPTER II


Round the corner of the hedge at a swift trot came a man in the uniform
of an officer in the Confederate Army,--and Virgie was in his arms.

Mrs. Cary gave him one look and threw out her arms.

"Herbert!"

The man on horseback let Virgie slide down and then dismounted like a
flash, coming to her across the little space of lawn with his whole soul
in his eyes. With his dear wife caught in his arms he could do nothing
but kiss her and hold her as if he would never again let her go.

"Hallie," he breathed, "but it's good to see you again. It's _good_."
And so they stood for a long moment, husband and wife united after