“I used my utmost power of persuasion to get it from her. But she would not tell me. I have been stabbed in the dark.” “Whom do you suspect? She has a dozen suitors.” “There’s only one man among them who is capable of it, Allan McLeod.” “Nonsense, child. He is not one of her suitors,” she protested warmly. “Then why does he hang around the house with such dogged persistence?” “He has always had the run of the house. His father committed him to the General when he died on the battle field.” Her face clouded, and then a great pity for his sorrow filled her heart. She stooped and kissed him. “Come, Charlie, you must cheer up. If she loves you, it’s everything. You will win her.” “But what rankles in my soul is that I have been treated like a dog. If he objected to my poverty that was as evident the first day he welcomed me to his house as the day he dictated to her his brutal message, refusing me a word. He welcomed me to his house, and gave Miss Sallie his approval of our love while I was there. There could be no mistake, for she told me so.” “I can’t understand it,” she interrupted. “Now he suddenly shows me the door and refuses to allow me to even ask an explanation. If he thinks he can settle my life for me in that simple manner, I’ll show him that I ’ll at least help in the settlement.” “Good. I like to see your eyes flash that fire. Don’t forget your resolution. Your enemies are your best friends.” She said this with a ring of her old aristocratic pride. “Come,” she continued, “I’ve a nice warm breakfast saved for you. You don’t know how much good you have done me in my lonely life.” “Dear Mother!” he whispered pressing her hand. After breakfast he went to his office and read over slowly the letters he had received from Sallie, kissed them one by one, tied them up and sent them to her mother. He took the ring out of his pocket and locked it in one of his drawers. “I can’t work to-day. It’s no use trying!” he muttered looking out of his window. He locked his office and started down town with no purpose except in the walk to try to fight his pain. Instinctively he found his way to Tom Camp’s cottage. “Tom, old boy, I’m in deep water. You’ve been there. I just want to feel your hand.” Tom was clearing up his kitchen with one hand and holding the other tight over the wound near his spinal column. He had suffered untold agonies through the night past and was suffering yet, but he never mentioned it. “You’ve just got your blues again!” Tom laughed. “No, a devil has stabbed me in the back in the dark.” And he told Tom of his love and his inexplicable trouble. “So, so!” Tom mused with dancing eyes, “The General’s gal Miss Sallie! My! my! but ain’t she a beauty! Next to my own little gal there she’s the purtiest thing in No’th Caliny. And you’re her sweetheart, and she told you she loved you?” “Yes.”