“But I want to see my brother,” she cried bursting into tears.
“You shall see him when I am ready for you to if you will be a good girl and obey me,” said Madame Vance. “I do not choose that you shall to-day. Now run out in the yard or take a walk. It will do you good. Come, Adele, we will go to Dick.”
With bursting heart Jeanne saw the two disappear into Dick’s chamber. She sat looking longingly at the door for some time and then left the house and started for a walk, unable to sit still longer.
One of the hills of Vicksburg was called the Sky Parlor because of the extensive view that it commanded and also because it was a favorite resort of ladies in pleasant weather. Now, although the wind was cold and chill, Jeanne bent her steps toward it in the effort to find some distraction for her mind.
So intent was she on her own thoughts that she gazed on the surroundings with eyes that saw neither the hills nor the great bend of the river, nor indeed the two persons who were at a little distance from her. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned at length to retrace her steps. In so doing she was brought face to face with a man and a girl who were in the act of coming toward her. An exclamation of surprise burst from the girl’s lips.
“Jeanne!”
“Bob,” cried Jeanne gladly and then stopped short as the remembrance came to her that Colonel Peyton had forbidden Bob to have any communication with her. Seemingly no such recollection occurred to Bob or, if it did she ignored it, for she flung herself upon Jeanne rapturously.
“You dear thing!” she cried kissing her. “How in the world did you get here? We did not know what had become of you, but father said you had left of your own accord. Did you?”
“Yes; I did, Bob. I went with Dick.” Tears came to her eyes at thought of him. “He had waited to take me after his escape.”
“Is he with you?” asked Bob, quickly.