She read it, and was touched by its affectionate respect and manly
sympathy; for the good fellow had been one of those who saved the
Colonel when he fell, and had kept the broken sword as a trophy of
his bravery, "thinking it might be precious in the eyes of them that
loved him."
"Poor Burny might have spared himself the trouble, for I've no one
to give it to, and in my eyes it's nothing but a bit of old metal,"
said Pletcher, pushing the parcel away with a half-irritated,
half-melancholy look.
"Give it to me as a parting keepsake. I have a fine collection of
relics of the brave men I have known; and this shall have a high
place in my museum when I go home," said Christie, taking up the
"bit of old metal" with more interest than she had ever felt in the
brightest blade.
"Parting keepsake! are you going away?" asked Fletcher, catching at
the words in anxious haste, yet looking pleased at her desire to
keep the relic.
"Yes, I'm ordered to report in Washington, and start to-morrow."
"Then I'll go as escort. The doctor has been wanting me to leave for
a week, and now I 've no desire to stay," he said eagerly.
But Christie shook her head, and began to fold up paper and string
with nervous industry as she answered:
"I am not going directly to Washington: I have a week's furlough
first.
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