Mrs. Cary threw up her hands with a muffled cry of relief and laughter.
"Oh, Sally! Sally!" she exclaimed, "you'll be the death of me."

"But Lor! Miss Hallie," said Sally plaintively, "he _tole_ me fer to
tell him."

Cary, returning, waved Sally Ann back to her post. "That's right," he
laughed. "You're a good sentry, Sally Ann. Go back and watch again.
_Scoot_!"

"Herbert," and his wife stood before him. "Come into the house and let
me give you something to eat."

For answer Cary gently imprisoned her face in his hands. "Honey, I
can't," he said, his eyes grown sad again. "Just fix me up
something--anything you can find. I'll munch it in the saddle."

For a moment their lips clung and then she stepped back with a broken
sigh. "I'll do the best I can, but oh! how I wish it all were over and
that we had you home again."

A spasm crossed the man's face. "It soon _will_ be over, sweetheart. It
soon _will_ be."

His wife flung him a startled look. "You mean--Oh, Herbert! Isn't there
a single hope--even the tiniest ray?"

Cary took her hands in his, looked into her eyes and his answer breathed
the still unconquered spirit of the South. "There is always hope--as
long as we have a man." Mrs. Cary went into the house, slowly, wearily,