boy's his father all over again. Well, Dick," he said mildly, "we
older men of the South feel a little differently about this War; but,
my boy, these post-bellum disputes don't pay, particularly when one
participant was born long after the guns were quiet. In my opinion you
didn't know enough about the War to quarrel over it. Great Scott,
quarreling over the War! Dick, you deserved to be spanked."

The jingle of sleigh-bells rang blithely through the silence that
followed, and the Major sprang to his feet. "Merciful Heavens!" he
exclaimed, staring at his watch, "it's twelve o'clock. That must be
Uncle Neb still waiting, and Grandmother Verney's probably standing on
the church porch yet, mad as a hornet." He was at the door now,
calling wildly to the negro: "Uncle Neb, why under the canopy didn't
you call me?"

The darky scratched his head. "Massa Edward," he confessed, "I ain't
been yere. I jus' druv Missy Ruth over to Brierwood with Uncle Noah to
see Colonel Fairfax."

The Major summoned Dick in great excitement. "Dick," he exclaimed,
"get into your overcoat as fast as you can and drive over to Brierwood
with Uncle Neb. Ruth's gone ahead of you, and you couldn't have a
better deputy short of an angel."

Dick wrung the Major's hand and fled to the waiting sleigh, the color
flooding his face.

"And, Uncle Neb," called the Major frantically, "hurry back, or
Grandmother Verney will be tramping home in the snow, rheumatism or no
rheumatism."