[Footnote 2: His words]

Stuart's head sank, and he uttered a weary sigh.

"They will not let me alone," he muttered, "and yet I am here fighting
for my country. But I defy them to take my good name away from me,
Surry!"

And he rose to his feet.

"General Lee knows me! Jackson knew me! I have the regard of the one,
and I had the love of the other. What do I care? If my children only
will not hear these ignoble charges! _One_ can never hear them, Surry--
my beloved little Flora! She died while I was fighting near Middleburg
in the fall of '62--that nearly broke me down--"

And Stuart paused and covered his eyes with his hand. Between the
fingers I saw a tear.

For a moment his breast heaved--something like a sob issued from the
brave lip, whereon the heavy mustache trembled.

"I think of her often--I shall never get over her death, Surry!"[1] he
murmured. "They think me hard and cold, and bad perhaps--it is nothing.
Since she died I care less for men's opinion, and only try to do my
duty, till the ball comes that will end me."

[Footnote 1: His words.]

And dashing a tear from his eyes, Stuart walked to the door of his