She stopped on the threshold, scarcely believing her eyes; and Jeb, looking over her head, was no less mystified. That these two sworn enemies should be standing there, holding hands in all friendliness, surpassed the miraculous. The men had turned cordially to welcome her, but hesitated at the amazement that was pictured in her face. Their reconciliation had been so spontaneously genuine that it seemed already to be a thing of long standing, and they did not penetrate Marian's embarrassment until she timidly advanced, asking: "Is it all right for us to come in, Daddy? Were you and Colonel Hampton really shaking hands?" He approached swiftly and took her in his arms, turning to the Colonel and repeating the girl's question: "Were we really shaking hands, Roger?" "By gad, Amos, we've been shaking hands every day for forty years, only we didn't know it!" "You should have come in before, Roger." "How, in thunder, could I come in, when your perverted editorial columns were----" "Stop!" Marian cried, running to him and throwing her arms about his neck. "Do you want it to begin all over again, just when I have you both together for the first time in my life?" But her father laughed good-naturedly, knowing that as soon as he called "Truce!" the irate Colonel would subside. "How in the world did it happen?" she asked, still clinging to the Colonel's neck and looking up into his eyes which were fast growing moist with tears of happiness. "Tell me at once, which of you was generous enough to make the first move?" "Poof and nonsense!" he exclaimed, trying to frown upon her severely. "There was no generosity about it! I reckon Amos and I know where each other lives!" "You'll tell me, Daddy," she turned to him. "Which of you big babies was big enough----" "Don't tell her a thing, Amos," the Colonel thundered, getting red. "So you're the one, then," she smiled up at him. "I'm going to call you Uncle Roger!"--and she kissed him. "I wish she'd call me Uncle Jeb," came a half sigh from across the table. "She'll be calling you _Captain_ Jeb,--eh, Roger?" Mr. Strong laughed. "Tell them about it!" "Oh," the Colonel said, wiping his glasses, "my best friend, here, has proposed that he and I recruit a company of soldiers, equip it, and have it ready for business. Jeb is to be its captain." "You mean uniforms, and everything?" Jeb cried. "Uniforms and everything," Mr. Strong emphatically answered. "The story will run in to-morrow's _Eagle_, and we'll take recruits right here in this office, where Colonel Hampton--your Uncle Roger," he pinched Marian's cheek, "will have charge. We'll wire Washington for a hundred and fifty equipments, and be drilling by this time next week. Now, what do you think about it?" "I'm crazy about it," Jeb shouted; and Marian, catching his hands, cried: "_Captain_ Jeb! I'm as proud of you as I can be!"