"I am so ashamed of myself," she said, sweetly. "At my age, Ihave been behaving like a spoiled child. How good you are to me, General! Let me try to make amends for my misconduct. Will you permit me?"She took up the General's letter, without waiting for permission;tore it to pieces, smiling pleasantly all the while; and threw the fragments into the waste-paper basket. "As if you didn't know better than I do!" she said, kissing him on the forehead. "Engage the man by all means."She left the room for the second time. For the second time my uncle looked at me in blank perplexity--and I looked back at him in the same condition of mind. The sound of the luncheon bell was equally a relief to both of us. Not a word more was spoken on the subject of the new groom. His references were verified; and he entered the General's service in three days' time.
VI.
