"Heartily pleased to see you have arrived," and the Judge moved over and shook hands. "I came within bowing distance of Miss Gertrude as I entered, so I presume she has induced you to come over to the Pines for good. Your position, Mr. Loring, is one to be envied in that respect. Your hours are never lonely for lack of womanly grace and beauty in your household;" he glanced at Mrs. McVeigh, who was arranging the flowers in a vase, "I envy you, sir, I envy you." "Oh, Gertrude is well enough, though we don't unite to spoil each other with flattering demonstrations," and he smiled cynically at the other two, and peered quizzically at Mrs. McVeigh, who presented him with a crimson beauty of a rose, for which he returned a very gracious, "Thank you," and continued: "Yes, Gertrude's a very good girl, though it's a pity it wasn't a boy, instead, who came into the Loring family that day to keep up the old name. And what about that boy of yours, Mistress McVeigh? When do you expect him home?" "Very soon, now. His last message said they hoped to reach Charleston by the twentieth--so you see the time is short. I am naturally intensely anxious--the dread of that blockade oppresses me." "No need, no need," and Loring's tone was decided and reassuring. "We got out through it, and back through it, and never a Yankee in sight; and those men on a special commission will be given double care, you may be sure." "Certainly; the run from Nassau has kept the mail service open almost without a break," assented Clarkson, "and we have little reason for anxiety now that the more doubtful part of the undertaking has been successfully arranged." "Most successfully; he writes that the English treat our people with extreme consideration, and heartily approve our seceding." "Of course they do, and why shouldn't they?" demanded Loring. "I tell you, they would do much more than give silent sympathy to our cause if it were not that Russia has chosen to send her warships into Yankee harbors just now on guard against the interference of any of our friends, especially against Great Britain's interference, which would be most certain and most valuable." "Quite true, quite true," assented the Judge, with a soothing tone, calculated to allay any combative or excited mood concerning that or any other subject; "but even their moral support has been a wonderful help, my dear sir, and the securing of an important addition to our navy from them just now means a very great deal I assure you; once let us gain a foothold in the North--get into Washington--and she will be the first to acknowledge us as a power--a sovereign power, sir!"