“I am very sure,” he returned smilingly, “that Mrs. Brennan will never request anything which I would not gladly yield.”
She flashed her eyes brightly into his face.
“Most assuredly not. The fact is, General, Colonel Curran, with whom I see you are already acquainted, was to pass the night at the Major's quarters, and as he has not yet returned, the duty has naturally devolved upon me to see our guest safely deposited. We are at the Mitchell House, you remember, which is beyond the inner lines; and while, of course, I have been furnished with a pass,” she held up the paper for his inspection, “and have been also instructed as to the countersign, I fear this will scarcely suffice for the safe passage of the Colonel.”
The General laughed good-humoredly, evidently pleased with her assumption of military knowledge.
“Colonel Curran is certainly to be congratulated upon having found so charming a guide, madam, and I can assure you I shall most gladly do my part toward the success of the expedition. The Major was expected back before this, I believe?”
“He left word that if he had not returned by twelve I was to wait for him no longer, as he should go directly to his quarters. I find the life of a soldier to be extremely uncertain.”
“We are our country's servants, madam,” he replied proudly, and then taking out a pad of blanks from his pocket, turned to me.
“May I ask your full name and rank, Colonel?”
“Patrick L. Curran, Colonel, Sixth Ohio Light Artillery.”
He wrote it down rapidly, tore off the paper, and handed it to me.