But the scene at the Country Club in the early afternoon was, according to the major's prediction, far from peaceful in tone; it was confusion confounded. Mrs. Peyton Kendrick was there and the card-tables were deserted as the players, matrons and maids, gathered around her and discussed excitedly the result of her "ways and means for the reunion" mission to the city council, the judge's insult and David Kildare's reply. They were every mother's daughter of them Dames of the Confederacy and their very lovely gowns were none the less their fighting clothes. "And then," said Mrs. Payt, her cheeks pink with indignation, and the essence of belligerency in her excited eyes, "for a moment I sat petrified, _petrified_ with cold rage, until David Kildare's speech began--there had never been a greater one delivered in the United States of America! He said--he said--oh, I don't know what he did say, but it was--" "I just feel--" gasped Polly Farrell with a sob, "that I ought to get down on my knees to him. He's a hero--he's a--" "Of course for a second I was surprised. I had never heard David Kildare speak about a--a serious matter before, but I could have expected it, for his father was a most brilliant lawyer, and his mother's father was our senator for twenty years and his uncle our ambassador to the court of--" and Mrs. Peyton's voice trailed off in the clamor. "Well, I've always known that Cousin Dave was a great man. He ought to be the president or governor--or _something_. I would vote for him to-morrow--or that is, I would make some man--I don't know just who--do it!" And Polly's treble voice again took up the theme of David's praises. "And think of the old soldiers," said Mrs. Buchanan with a catch in her breath. "It will hurt them so when they read it. They will think people are tired of them and that we don't want them to come here in the spring for the reunion. They are old and feeble and they have had so much to bear. It was cruel, _cruel_." "And to think of not wanting the children to see them and know them and love them--and understand!" Milly's soft voice both broke and blazed. "I'm going to cry--I'm doing it," sobbed Polly with her head on Phoebe's shoulder. "I wasn't but twelve when they met here last time and I followed all the parades and cried for three solid days. It was delicious. I'm not mad at any Yankee--I'm in love with a man from Boston and I'm--oh, please, don't anybody tell I said that! I may not be, I just think so because he is so good-looking and--" "We must all go out to the Soldier's Home to-morrow, a large committee, and take every good thing we can think up and make. We must pay them so much attention that they will let us make a joke of it," said Mrs. Matilda thinking immediately of the old fellows who "sat in the sun"--waiting.