an instinctive cry to her brother inarticulate upon her lips. They
came nearer, they were opposite to her; her brother Jim keeping
step with the invader, and even conversing with him with an
animation she had seldom seen upon his face--they passed! She had
been unnoticed except by one. The roving eye of the deserter had
detected her handsome face among the leaves, slightly turned
towards it, and poured out his whole soul in a single swift wink of
eloquent but indescribable confidence.

When they had quite gone, she crept back to the house, a little
reassured, but still tremulous. When her brother returned at
nightfall, he found her brooding over the fire, in the same
attitude as on the previous night.

"I reckon ye might hev seen me go by with the sodgers," he said,
seating himself beside her, a little awkwardly, and with an unusual
assumption of carelessness.

Maggie, without looking up, was languidly surprised. He had been
with the soldiers--and where?

"About two hours ago I met this yer Leftenant Calvert," he went on
with increasing awkwardness, "and--oh, I say, Mag--he said he saw
you, and hoped he hadn't troubled ye, and--and--ye saw him, didn't
ye?"

Maggie, with all the red of the fire concentrated in her cheek as
she gazed at the flame, believed carelessly "that she had seen a
shrimp in uniform asking questions."