“Father, I cannot! My words to him were so wrong! so bitter! so insulting! I feel them to have been such, and I can never rest until I have told him so!” said Carolyn, dropping her head upon the only bosom to which her haughty heart could bear to confide its sorrow and its repentance. “Well, so you were wrong, very wrong! It will teach you a lesson that will benefit you for the future. And for the present it will blow over. There, there, there—if you can’t be still, go and amuse yourself by making me a nice mint-julep! I want it before I go out in the fields—the morning air on my empty stomach isn’t good for me.” He then kissed Carolyn and let her go. As she left him, he saw to his surprise Frank Fairfax emerge from his chamber, with a portmanteau in his hand. Frank immediately set it down, and advancing, said— “Ah, sir! I was just about to seek you, to let you know that, to my infinite regret, I must leave you to-day.” “To-day? You astound me! What is up now? You mustn’t go—you shan’t!” “Sir, I have received an order to join my regiment without delay!” “Oh-h-h, that’s bad! That’s bad! Devil fly away with military life! That’s what was always hiking away Archer at the very time I wanted him most. But no frantic hurry! You needn’t go to-day! You _mustn’t_. Why, this is the wedding-day, you rascal!” “I know it, sir! But, to my everlasting regret, I must forego the pleasure of being present upon that occasion. My order is a peremptory one, to join my regiment instantly.” “Well, well! To-morrow’ll do! To-morrow’ll do! _One_ day cannot make so much difference!” “My dear sir, I surely need not tell you that soldiers should be ‘minute men’ in their obedience. Besides, if I do not seize the opportunity of meeting the Staunton stage as it passes through L—— to-night, I shall have to wait three days for the next stage. So, you see—” “Yes, yes; I see! I am always called upon to see something I don’t want to see! Ah! here comes the mint-julep! Did Miss Carolyn mix it?” This was addressed to the colored boy who brought a pint tumbler on a little waiter. “Yez, zur,” said the boy. “Do you take julep in the morning, Frank? Try this. Another julep for me, Nace!” “No, no, I thank you, sir! I never do. I wish you good-morning till breakfast time,” said Frank, taking up his portmanteau, and going down stairs. Frank put his little burden down in the lower hall, and went into the summer saloon, where he was sure, by the precedent of the last thirty days, of finding Zuleime at the window, doing her sampler-work. Yes, there she was, in her white muslin and coral, with her jet black hair and damask cheeks! He went and sat down by her, (after saying “Good-morning,”) and sat for some minutes in perfect silence, watching Zuleime work the word Love, in crimson silk. At length— “Whom do _you_ love best in the world, Zuleime?” he asked.