It was afternoon before Colonel Peyton sought their presence. Bob’s face blanched as her father entered the tent, but Jeanne, strong in the belief that Dick was safe, faced him boldly.
“I want to hear the whole of this affair,” said Colonel Peyton quietly ignoring his daughter’s greeting. “Barbara, tell me just what happened.”
Briefly Bob related the facts of the night’s occurrence. Her father listened attentively.
“And you threw up to Johnson the benefits conferred upon him,” he said as Bob finished her narrative. “I would not have believed it of you, Barbara. Johnson has been court-martialed and sentenced to the guard house for one month. The officers were merciful because that unhappy boy was my son. But I cannot risk a second offense of this nature. Hereafter, you will occupy quarters next to my own. I did not dream that my daughter would so far forget what was due to herself as to aid in the escape of the enemies of her country. I cannot but think it owing to the companionship of the past few weeks. That you may not be influenced further I forbid you to have any further communication with this girl. As for you,” turning to Jeanne and speaking sternly, “as I have passed my word to you that you shall be sent to the Federal lines it shall be done. We leave for Jackson to-morrow. At the first opportunity I will send you to your people. Meantime, may I ask that you refrain from any intercourse whatever with my daughter? It is the smallest return that you can make, in view of your conduct of the last few days.”
“I have no desire to do other than you wish, Colonel Peyton,” said Jeanne proudly. “I am not sorry for anything I have done. Were it to do over, I would not hesitate for a moment to do anything I could to restore either my brother or your son to liberty. I am very sorry if my conduct has not pleased you. I should think that you would be glad to be saved from being the slayer of your son.”
“We will not discuss the matter,” said the Colonel coldly. “Come, Barbara, I will take you to your quarters, and under pain of my severest displeasure, I expect that you will have no more to say to this young person.”
Bob gave Jeanne a long sad look, and then silently gathering up her belongings, left the tent.
And now began a dreary time for Jeanne. Cold looks greeted her on every side. The old, pleasant, cheery companionship with Bob was no more. She missed even the tiffs they had had, and longed with a passionate yearning for home and friends. The march to Jackson would have been a pleasant one as it led through the autumn woods which shone through a silvery mist amid spicy breezes which blew cool and keen from the heart of the pines, had it not been for the manner in which she was treated.
No one paid the least attention to her comings and goings. Indeed it seemed to her that Colonel Peyton would gladly welcome the fact of her disappearance, and so she grew into the habit of riding a little apart from the others and sometimes of loitering considerably in the rear of the cavalcade. It had been the original intention that she go in the wagon with Bob, but under the altered conditions a horse had been given her while Bob rode in front with her father.
The afternoon of the second day out Jeanne dropped behind the regiment, for she was very tired, intending to wait for the wagons and to ask the drivers to let her rest for a while in one of them. A bend of the road hid the regiment from view. The wagons were far in the rear and for the time she was alone.