"Not now, father," said Katharine, jealously, throwing her arm about her lover. "He shall not, cannot, go now; he must have rest for a long time, and he must have me! We are to be married as soon as he is well, and the country must wait. Is it not so, John?" "What's that?" said the colonel, pretending great surprise. "Sir," answered Seymour, nervously, "I have something to say to you,--something I must say. Will you give me the privilege of a few moments' conversation with you?" "Seymour," said the colonel, smiling, "you asked me that once before, did you not?" "Yes, sir, I believe so." "And I answered you--how?" "Why, you said, if my memory serves me, that you--" "Exactly, that I would see you after supper, and so I will. Come, children, let us go in; this time I warrant you there will be no interruptions." The father and son turned considerately and walked away, leaving the two lovers to follow. "You won't leave me, John, will you, now that you have just come back?" "No, Kate, not now; I am good for nothing until I get strong." "Good for me, though; but when you do get strong?" "Then, if my country needs me, dearest, I shall have to go. But I fear there will be no more ships of ours to get to sea, the blockade is getting more strict every day. I can be a soldier, though. No, Kate, do not beg me. My duty to my country constrains me." "Don't talk about it now, then, John. At least I shall have you for a long time; it will be long before you are well again." "Yes, I fear so," he said with a sigh. "Why do you sigh, dearest?" "Because I want to stay with you, and I ought to welcome any opportunity to enter active service. Think what old Bentley would say." "Old Bentley did not love you," she replied quickly, with a jealous pang. "Ah, did he not!" said Seymour, softly. There was a long pause. "Well," said Katharine at last, "I suppose nothing will move you if your duty calls you, but I warn you if you get killed again, I shall die. I could not stand it another time," she cried piteously. "Well, dearest, I shall try to live for you. Now we must go to the Hall." But, to anticipate, fate would be kinder toward Katharine in the future than she had been in the past and it was many a day before her lover, her husband rather, was able to get to sea; and, as if they had suffered enough, he went through the rest of the war on land and sea scatheless, and was one of those who stood beside the great commander before the trenches of Yorktown, when the British soldiers laid down their arms. But this was all of the future, and now they turned quietly and somewhat sadly to follow the others.