Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/294

MY LADY OF THE SOUTH every reason why I should feel otherwise. I have no sympathy with your cause; all I love is connected with the South, and I am a thorough Rebel. Seeking to serve your flag you did me as grievous an injury as a man could do a woman. At first I was angry, indignant; I could have killed you, and felt my anger just. I can never understand the change which came over me, for, when we finally parted that night, we were almost friends. I have never been able to think of you since as an enemy."

"You have thought of me, then?"

"Could I do otherwise? Sergeant King certainly wrought havoc enough to make immediate forgetfulness impossible. Then Lieutenant King appeared—the artilleryman changed into a cavalry officer—but in voice and manner continually reminding me of the former. I did not know you were the same, but suspected it. I wanted to avoid you, yet that was impossible, and I have been compelled to accept your help, to trust and confide in you. Not only am I personally indebted to you, but you have served others who are near and dear to me. I had almost forgotten you wen; a Yankee, except for the constant reminder of your uniform. I even felt that we were destined to friendship, in spite of all the barriers between us; but now—now you have spoiled everything."

"I? How?"

"By your avowal—your expression of feeling toward me. You must have spoken those words in jest, and yet they are not easily forgotten."

"In jest!" and I arose to my feet, indignant that she [ 278 ]