While in this strange state of feeling, she was startled by a gentle rap on her door. This was so unusual that she waited for a repetition of the signal. There was a louder tap.
“What is wanted?” she asked.
She heard the click of a key, and the door stood open. Her lamp threw its rays upon the form of a young man dressed in the Federal uniform. He took off his cap, bowed, and looked straight at Mildred. She glanced at his face, and with a little cry of joy sprang toward him.
“O, Will, can it be you?” she exclaimed.
“It is I, cousin Mildred.”
Without another word, she threw her arms around his neck, and pent-up tears flowed without restraint. The officer brushed the drops from his own eyes, and said:
“Come, cousin, you’ll make me ashamed of myself. It is weakness in a soldier to cry. Sit down and let me look at you. I have not seen you for five years. Upon my word, you’ve got to be right good-looking.”
“Why have you not called to see me before?”
“Now don’t begin to scold before I’ve had time to say ‘howdy’;” said the officer gaily. “I didn’t know you were here. My company has been guarding you too, but I did not see you, nor hear your name called. To-day I happened to be in the room where they are holding court, and I heard one of the officers say that the case of Mildred Arrington would come first to-morrow morning. I ascertained the charges against you, and I’ve come to see whether it was my cousin Mildred; and sure enough it is. But I never expected to find you in such a place—at least, in such a predicament. It seems you are a spy.”