be worse. Just think what I've been through. The war's over. Don't worry."
He looked at her tenderly.
"Get that banjo and play 'Get Out of the Wilderness!'"
His spirit was contagious and his good-humour resistless. Elsie spent the days of his convalescence in an unconscious glow of pleasure in his companionship. His handsome boyish face, his bearing, his whole personality, invited frankness and intimacy. It was a divine gift, this magnetism, the subtle meeting of quick intelligence, tact, and sympathy. His voice was tender and penetrating, with soft caresses in its tones. His vision of life was large and generous, with a splendid carelessness about little things that didn't count. Each day Elsie saw new and striking traits of his character which drew her.
"What will we do if Stanton arrests you one of these fine days?" she asked him one day.
"Afraid they'll nab me for something!" he exclaimed. "Well, that is a joke! Don't you worry. The Yankees know who to fool with. I licked 'em too many times for them to bother me any more."
"I was under the impression that you got licked," Elsie observed.
"Don't you believe it. We wore ourselves out whipping the other fellows."
Elsie smiled, took up the banjo, and asked him to sing while she played.
She had no idea that he could sing, yet to her surprise he sang his camp-songs boldly, tenderly, and with deep, expressive feeling.
