CHAPTER IV.
MISS MAUD HASBROUK.
THE lady conducted Captain Somers to the sitting-room of the house. He was followed by Major Riggleston, who, judging by his looks and actions, regarded the staff officer with no special favor. Miss Hasbrouk did all the talking, however, and seemed to do it for the purpose of keeping the major in the shade, for she carefully turned aside two or three observations he made, as though they were of no consequence, or as though they might provoke an unpleasant discussion.
“I am particularly delighted to meet you again, Captain Somers,” said the imperial beauty, as they entered the apartment.
“Thank you,” replied he; though he could see no good reason why Miss Maud Hasbrouk should be particularly delighted to see him.
He was a Union man and a loyal soldier, while she was a rebel, with strength of mind enough to regret that her sex compelled her to be a non-combatant. She was a magnificent creature, even to Somers, whose knowledge of the higher order of beauties that float about in the mists of fashionable society was very limited. She was fascinating, and he could not resist the charm of her society; albeit in the present instance he was too much exhausted by ill health and over-exertion to be very brilliant himself.
“This is very unexpected, considering the distance from the place at which I met you last evening,” said he.
“O, it isn’t a very great distance to Frederick. The major drove me over in three hours,” replied she.
“Three and a half, Maud,” interposed the major, apparently because he felt the necessity of saying something to avoid being regarded as a mere cipher.
“How do you feel to-day, after the little brush we had yesterday, major?” added Somers, turning to the gentleman.