2
II A SACRIFICE 83
XIII WARNINGS 88
XIV THE CLOSE OF THE VIGIL 94
XV AT HOME AGAIN 99
XVI THE LOAN REPAID 105
XVII IRENE MEETS RUSSELL 111
XVIII A REFUSAL 117
XIX RUSSELL VISITS ELECTRA 124
XX A CANDIDATE FOR THE LEGISLATURE 131
XXI THE MINISTER'S LOVE 139
XXII "COUSINLY--NO MORE" 143
XXIII THE FEVER 152
XXIV IRENE'S ILLNESS 162
XXV RECONCILED 171
XXVI CIVIL WAR 182
XXVII HOSPITAL STORES 187
XXVIII A CONFESSION 194
XXIX A DYING MESSAGE 202
XXX THE BLOCKADE RUNNER 211
XXXI RESULTS OF SECESSION 221
XXXII WOMANLY USEFULNESS 227
XXXIII IN THE HOSPITAL 233
XXXIV MORTALLY WOUNDED 240
XXXV "THE SANCTIFIED DEVOTION AND FULL WORK" 252
CHAPTER I
RUSSELL AUBREY
The town-clock was on the last stroke of twelve, the solitary candle measured but two inches from its socket, and as the summer wind rushed through the half-closed shutters, the melted tallow dripped slowly into the brightly-burnished brazen candlestick. The flickering light fell upon the pages of a ledger, and flashed fitfully in the face of the accountant, as he bent over his work. Sixteen years growth had given him unusual height and remarkable breadth of chest, and it was difficult to realize that the stature of manhood had been attained by a mere boy in years. A grey suit (evidently home-made), of rather coarse texture, bespoke poverty; and, owing to the oppressive heat of the atmosphere, the coat was thrown partially off. He wore no vest, and the loosely-tied black ribbon suffered the snowy white collar to fall away from the throat and expose its well-turned outline. The head was large, but faultlessly proportioned, and the thick black hair, cut short and clinging to the temples, added to its massiveness. The lofty forehead, white and smooth, the somewhat heavy brows matching the hue of the hair, the strai