I had hardly taken my seat when he came in.
“I was sorry to attack you so suddenly,” he said, “but you were so shy of me that it was my only chance.”
I had learned to like and to trust him; he was honest and kind, and I told him my situation frankly. Of course I didn’t explain Captain Locke.
“It is not so bad as it might be,” he said, “But you must have a care about your associates. People in this house are always more or less under observation, and arrest on charge of treason is not an unknown thing in it.”
“I am married--” When I came to that part of my confession the captain looked surprised indeed.
“Didn’t you guess from the dignity I have displayed that I was a matron?”
“I never dreamed it! I don’t mean that you were not dignified,” he added quickly, and in some confusion.
“My husband is a staff-officer in the rebel army,” I added proudly.
“I think he is a lucky fellow to be a staff-officer in the rebel army.”
“I wonder if he would agree with you there!” We were on a subject very interesting to me now.
“I will show you his picture in the morning,” I volunteered.
“Better not,” Captain Hosmer said promptly.
I suppose I must have shown how hurt I was, for he added quickly: “Of course I’ll be glad to see his picture. Don’t forget to bring it down at breakfast.”
But he had frozen me for the time being. I could not talk about Dan to him when I saw it bored him to listen, so we went back to the original subject of our conversation. Among other persons he spoke of Mrs. Lineman.
“I see that you are inclined to form an intimacy there. Mrs. Lineman is in perfect sympathy with the South, but, as you know, her sister is not. They do not speak now, but family differences are frequently made up. Then confidences ensue. And Mrs. Bonds is really a political spy for the North. She thinks the mystery about you is deeper than it is, and you will do well to be on your guard before her and my brothers in arms whom you meet in this house. Major Brooks already has suspicions about you.”
“Disguise that fact a little better if you can. I don’t think any of the gentlemen whom you meet here are malicious, or that they will go out of their way to harm you, but it is good policy to temper your cold civility toward them with a little more warmth.”