There came up the road a mounted officer, with his personal
escort, an orderly, several troopers, and a grinning body servant.
"Look--there he comes--it is my father!" exclaimed Ellen; and in a
moment she was out of the cart and running down the road to meet him,
taking his hand, resting her cheek against his dusty thigh, as he sat in
saddle.
The officer saluted me sharply. "You are outside the lines," said he.
"Have you leave?"
I saluted also, and caught the twinkle in his eye as I looked into his
face.
"On detached service this morning, General," I said. "If you please, I
shall report to you within the hour."
He wheeled his horse and spurred on up along his own grounds, fit master
for their stateliness. But he entered, leaving the gate wide open for us
to pass.
"Shut the gate, Benjie," said Ellen as I tossed down a coin to the
grinning black. And then to me, "You don't know Benjie? Yes, he's
married again to Kitty's old cook, Annie. They're both here."
An orderly took our horse when finally we drove up; but at the time I
did not go into the house. I did not ask for Mrs. Kitty Stevenson. A
wide seat lay beneath one of the oaks. We wandered thither, Ellen and I.
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