“Rhoda, dear Rhoda,” cried Lettice. “What a wicked girl I am! I did not mean to be cruel to you. I should have had more consideration for your feelings and have kept my fears to myself.” She essayed to rise, but Rhoda motioned her back. “Come here, then, and sit by me that I may know that you forgive me,” she begged, and Rhoda came. Lettice caressed and soothed her so that in a few minutes she had regained her composure. “You asked about Robert,” she said. “He has gone to Washington and vows he will never return. He left his address, should any one wish to know of his whereabouts.” “I am glad. I think that is best.” Rhoda in her turn began to catechize. “Do you love him, Lettice?” “No, I can say truthfully that I do not. I was beginning to, I think; but now, I am so racked by doubt and mistrust that I have no room for any other feeling. I do not want to love him. This cloud would ever be rising between us. I would grieve to have harm come to him, and yet--” “You would denounce him to his enemies?” “If it would serve my country, yes. I could not tell a lie for him.” “Then you do not love him.” “Could you tell an untruth for one you loved?” Rhoda reflected. “I would not tell an untruth, but I would believe in him though no one else did, and I would not give up my belief while there was a shadow of a chance that he was innocent. And, in any event, I would be very sure before I declared a person guilty who might be proved innocent.” “That is why I went to you the other night,” replied Lettice. “And I did not denounce him before any one but Mr. Baldwin, and that was in the heat of my surprise and anger.” “I know that. But we have been over this subject before. He is gone and will not return. Let us talk of something else. Your Mr. Baldwin, where is he?” “_My_ Mr. Baldwin, as you are pleased to call him, is here in the room across the hall. Would you like to call on him?” “Not I.” “He is a brave young gentleman, and good to look at.” “Ah, that is why you are not sure of your feeling for Robert.” “No, it is not,” returned Lettice, quickly. “And that brings us back to the question we were discussing a few minutes ago. Could a girl love two men at once?” Rhoda did not answer. She arose and said: “I am staying too long. I must go back to Aunt Martha. I promised her I would be back soon. Your brother William has returned to his company?” “Yes; he was at home but one day and could remain no longer. With the British such near neighbors, the militia must not be caught napping. The plantations are suffering for lack of attention, but the men must fight though the crops fail in consequence. Will you send Lutie to me, if you see her on your way down? And do come soon again.” Rhoda promised and took her leave. In a few minutes Lutie appeared. She had not shown her usual devotion to her mistress during the last day or two, and seemed anxious to efface herself, a proceeding strictly the opposite to her usual one.