“Why, see here. I _must_. I don’t come under any one of the heads of exemption. I know that much. I am not an alien, nor an invalid, nor an idiot. I am not under eighteen or over forty-five. I am neither the only son of my grandmother, nor am I the father of fourteen small motherless children, and one at the breast. In short, I cannot put in even the smallest of the numerous pleas by which the cowards cry off from serving their country. I am a native born citizen of the United States, aged twenty years, sound in mind and body, wind and limb, single, and with no one but my country depending on me for support.” And so saying, Elfie jumped up and danced out of the room to the tune of “Rally round the flag, boys! rally once again!” “_Will_ she be so mad as to act upon that summons?” inquired young Ethel, in consternation. Britomarte laughed. Erminie sighed. Neither could answer his question. To the confusion of all her friends, Elfie _did_ act upon that summons. When Erminie went in search of her to try to persuade her to abandon her wild project, Elfie was no where to be found. Britomarte and Erminie went their morning rounds of the hospitals, and returned home to dinner. But Elfie did not appear. Neither, luckily, did her father. The two friends went out again on their afternoon rounds, and returned to tea. They found Major Fielding walking up and down on the porch. He greeted the young ladies cordially, and apologized for his unexpected absence from the dinner table by explaining that he had met a brother officer, who had carried him off to dine at Willard’s. Then he inquired: “Where is my girl? I haven’t seen her since I came home.” “She is in her room, perhaps,” answered Erminie, uneasily, but hoping earnestly that Elfie might be found there. Erminie hurried into the house, and up stairs to Elfie’s chamber, where, sure enough, she found the girl, with her bonnet and shawl thrown carelessly upon the floor, and herself sitting down on the sofa, sulking. “Oh, Elfie, dearest, I am so glad to see you back again. We have been so anxious about you all day. Where have you been, darling?” exclaimed Erminie, going towards her. “Where have I been? To the Provost Marshal’s office, of course.” “Oh, my dear!” “Yes, I have. But would you believe it, Erminie? they wouldn’t accept me. No, they wouldn’t, although I told them all that I told you, and proved to them that I didn’t come under any one of the heads of exemption, and that I was both willing and able to serve my country. No; for all I could say they wouldn’t accept me.” “My dear, did you really expect that they would?” inquired Erminie in astonishment.