"Then _you_ were at the front."
"Did you think I was at the rear?"
I fear I answered evasively. I added that I must go to Lieutenant Ferry,
and started toward the door, but she touched my arm. "Oh, Dick, you
should have heard him praise you to her!--and when he said you had
chased Captain Jewett and was missing, she cried; but now I'll tell her
you're here." She started away but returned. "Oh, Dick, isn't it
wonderful how we're always victorious! why don't those poor Yankees give
up the struggle? they must see that God is on our side!"
As she left me, Ned Ferry came out with a sad face, but smiled gladly on
me and caught me fondly by the arm. On hearing my brief report he
saddened more than ever, and when I said I had promised Jewett he should
hand his sword to none but him, "Oh!"--he smiled tenderly--"I don't want
to refuse it; go in and hang it at the head of his bed as he would do in
his own tent; I'll wait here."
I pointed to the door he had softly closed behind him: "How is it in
there?"
"Ah, Richard, in there the war is all over."
"Dead?"
"So called."