"I was asked to come over and see if you had any of the Yankee wounded here."
"Who sent you?"
"Colonel Bromley of our army."
"No, we have only Confederates here."
"How many?"
"Five. Four of them are doing very well, you can tell the colonel, but the fifth was hurt when our house was struck by a cannon ball, and he is now in a high fever."
"All right, I'll tell him."
"Have you joined the army at last?" questioned Marion curiously.
"Not exactly, but I told the colonel I would help him in any manner that I could," answered St. John, and hurried away for fear of being questioned further.
The truth of the matter was that the fire had brought on a bitter quarrel between St. John and his mother, and the parent had insisted that the son overcome his cowardice and do something for his country. St. John had demurred in vain, and had at last gone to the Confederate headquarters and offered his services; but as a civilian, not as a soldier.