"They would probably be much better off if such an accident did happen to you," I answered, laughing. "It's about time you let them alone. I certainly think you ought to volunteer, or better still, raise a company with Will and myself in it. Then, with Sam and Snake to look out for us, we might operate to some advantage." "I'll think of it, Dick. I'll think of it, but I must go now to headquarters. Good-bye!" And his lean hand closed upon mine with a hearty grip. Then he took the bridle of his mare from Snake and vaulted lightly into the saddle. In a moment he and his servant had disappeared around the corner of the street. I wended my way to the house where Will and I were stopping and made ready for our journey. The next day about dusk we landed at the Hall. Of course it is needless for me to say much about our welcome, but my poor mother's joy at seeing us again was nothing to her sorrow when Will had told the painful details of my affair with Harrison. After Miss Carter heard the details of the fight she appeared to regard me with secret horror for a few days, but then I knew all women were much set against violence. "But where is Mary now?" my mother asked of Will, after she had regained herself. "Nothing could induce her to remain in sight of Dick," said Will, "so she sailed for England on one of Dunmore's vessels the day we entered Norfolk." And that was the last time I ever heard him mention my sister's name for years. Rose was not a very joyous bride a couple of weeks later, but her tenderness and thoughtfulness made up for the lack of passionate love, which I felt sure she would develop as the years went by, and the memory of Harrison faded from her mind. One day, about a month after we were married, I went to the stables to see about my horses getting their salt properly. As I stood at the stable window, looking out towards the slave quarters, I saw Will Byrd standing at the curve of the carriage drive, gazing steadily at a slave woman who held a shining black pickaninny in her arms. The slave woman sat under a tree and dangled some plaything over the child's face and crooned to it. The day was cold, and I thought it strange that the woman should sit there with the child, even though the little thing was carefully wrapped up in a shawl. Will was evidently to my way of thinking, for he gazed steadily at the child, and that strange look of deep sadness came over his face like I had noticed before in the hospital at Norfolk. Then he turned and walked slowly away, with his eyes cast upon the ground in front of him. Rose, who always looks after the people, then came out of the house and went straight toward the slave woman. She was evidently much upset at her carelessness in exposing the child so long to the weather, for she bent tenderly over it and kissed it, and then sent the woman away.