When it was ready she invited them, to a table covered with tea, milk and butter, home-made bread, ham and eggs; and broiled chicken, honey and preserves. Elfie and Wing did much honor to this meal; and by the time it was ended the train of cars was heard thundering onward towards the station. Elfie took leave of her kind host and hostess, thanking them earnestly for their hospitality. Wing placed the young lady in a comfortable seat in the best car; and the train started again on its way to Washington. And soon after Adjutant Wing called his men together and set out to join his regiment. CHAPTER XXVIII. ELFIE’S RETURN. One by one, thy duties wait thee, Let thy whole strength go to each, Let no future dreams elate thee, Learn thou first what these can teach. One by one, bright gifts from Heaven, Joys are sent thee here below; Take them readily when given, Ready, too, to let them go.—A. A. PROCTOR. It was nearly ten o’clock when the train steamed into the station. Elfie got out on the platform. As she had no luggage to look after nor even a parasol nor a hand-bag to encumber her, she quickly made her way to the street, where omnibus-drivers and cab-men were cracking their whips, and vociferating their routes; and where porters were quarreling over their loads, and policemen adding much to the general noise and confusion. Elfie had not been robbed by the guerrillas; and she had still in her pocket the little portemonnaie, well filled with “greenbacks” and “fractional currency,” that her father had given her some weeks before, when he had gone to join his regiment. So she called a carriage, taking care to pass by all those with yelling drivers, and to select one in charge of a well-conducted coachman. “Where to, Miss?” inquired the latter, touching his hat, after he had assisted Miss Fielding into her seat. Elfie gave him the direction. The man got upon his box. And the carriage was driven off towards the parsonage. “Now I wonder if my sudden arrival will shock Erminie very much? Or if it does, if the shock will hurt her? She has no reason whatever to expect me. She may even have retired to bed. Perhaps I ought rather to go to a hotel to-night, and send for Dr. Sales in the morning, and get him to break the news gently to Erminie,” mused Elfie, as she sat back in her carriage. But she did not act upon her thought. On the contrary, she exclaimed to herself: “Bosh! it won’t be such a shock to her, after all! I am not returning from the grave! She had no reason to believe me dead! And if she had had, though she loved me very much, she didn’t love me to such excess as to die of joy at my resurrection. And besides, I couldn’t possibly wait till to-morrow to see her, and to hear from dear little Mim.”