Year: 1878

CHAPTER XIV.


On the next morning, letter came from
Mr.. Give to his wife. In it was an enclosure
addressed to Mary. She opened it with trem
bling eagerness. 1t was brief note, contain
ing little else, beside an extract from one of
the daily papers. which he had copied for hel
to read, giving list of the sick and wounded
now lying in certain hospital near Rich
mond. Among these was Colonel Dacre's
name, and he was reported as dangerously
wounded"


Her first thought was one Of intense graft
tude for the knowledge that he was still
alive. Her next, an overpowering desire to &c
to him without delay, to be permitted to nurse
him in his illness, and, if possible, bring him
home under her care. She fastened, eager
and excited, to Mrs Give, and asked her il
she did not think such step were practica'
BILE?


"Oh! my DEAR" said the lady, alarmed
show could you possibly attempt such an un'
dertaking? Travelling now is fraught with
so much risk, it would be most unfit for you
to venture upon such a journey alone"


"But if I were in town, am almost sure
could find some one going on" argued Mary
"And even if there we're not, l should not be
afraid. Ladies do 90 backwards and forwards
continually, alone. Oh Mrs. Give, it would
be such comfort to me to 60 to him-to take
care of him. Think of him, wounded and
suffering, with no one that he cares about
within reach"


"But young girl, like you, could not be
going in and out of hospital, among the
rough soldiers and everything" rejoined hel
perplexed friend. "He would not wish it, ]
am sure, my dear And by the time you go'
to Richmond, may be he would have started
for home-who can tell p


"Do you think so ? But it isn't likely
answered Mary. "If his wound is so danger
GUS, he could hardly travel so soon. And
would not mind going into the hospital, in
the least. Hundreds of ladies do it, and
could yet some married lady to take me with
her. There would be nothing improper in that
Who would care for conventionaity at such
time? Dear Mrs. Give, / am sure | would
get on without any difficulty. You can't
think how fearless | am"


Mrs. Give was distressed and annoyed
She could not imagine how Mary could have
| i ph inhp a n
" never would have entered her own matter
offact brain. At last, she suggested that she
should write to Mr.. Give, and ask his advice
on the subject But Mary felt that such de
Law would be intolerable. She wanted to take
some prompt and decisive step at once, and
every minute of inaction now seemed to her
like time thrown away.


"Welt, my DEAR" she said, at length, having
exhausted argument in vain, "of course
don't pretend to exercise any control over
your movements, and you must do as you
please in this matter. All can say is, that
certainly wouldn't let one of my girls 60 on
such an expedition, and I would keep you
from it if could. However, you will see my
husband in the city, and hear what he has tc
say about it. You'll promise me that, won't
you"


Mary could safely promise her that though
she mentally resolved to take her own way
unless Mr.. Give should bring some argument
to bear against her plan which she should
find far more conclusive than any which had
yet been employed. She hastened to re-pack
her trunks, so as to be ready to start on the
same evening for the city. Mamie and Flora
we're full of regret at her intended departure
vet envious withal of the freedom with which
she could regulate her own movements; con
trasting the liberty she enjoyed with the
somewhat strict guidance exercised over them
at home Their mother informed them il
private, however, that Mary was very rash
very unwise, and that she considered it 8
thousand pities that there was no one who had
authority to check her in her impetuous move
ments.


And now behold our heroine once more or
the cars, travelling city-ward, too full of anx'
ious thought and trembling anticipation te
find opportunity to marvel al her own trans
formation into helpful, selfreliant indepen
dent individual, courageous in the perform
ance of an enterprise, the very idea of which
she would some time previous have shrunk
from in timid dread, or calmly regarded as ar
absurdty.


Mr.. Give was, of course, astonished at hel
unex pected appearance, and his CONSERVATION
was nearly equal to his wifes, when she in
formed him of her desire to proceed at once
to Virginia, and begged him to find out fol-
her if there was any one going on, under
whose escort she could travel tbither. HI
tried to shake her resolution, but with ne
better success than Mrs. Give had met witt
in the same attempt; and finally promised
since he could do no better, to hunt up ar
escort for her, which he fortunately sue
ceeded in doing that very evening. A Mr.
Hunter, bearing official dispatches of impor
tance, was going on at once, and would be
most happy to afford her his protection. So
after few hours respite, which she employed
in writing to Mosslands, to keep them postec
there in regard to her movements, she started
off again, her face set at last toward the goa
which she was 50 anxious to reach.


Her journey was accomplished in safety, ane
as pleasantly as was possible under the cir
cumstances. Her travelling companion, being
pressed for time, could do no more, on theil
arrival in Richmond, than to place her in s