You're just cut out for it. Now get permission from
the young woman and we'll call it a go."
The following afternoon Sam walked over the same ground, but this time
it was Marian who accompanied him. She was enthusiastic over Cleary's
proposition.
"Just think of it! You'll come back a hero and a general, and I don't
know what not, and we'll get married, and the President will come to
the wedding; and then we'll have our wedding tour up here, and the
corps will turn out and fire a salute, and we'll be the biggest people
at East Point. Won't it be splendid?"
"Perhaps, dear, I'll never come back at all. Who knows? I may get
killed."
"Oh, Sam! if you did, how proud I'd be of it. I'd wear black for a
whole year, and they'd put up a monument to you over there in the
cemetery and have a grand funeral, and I'd be in the first carriage,
and the flag would be draped, and the band would play the funeral
march. Oh, dear! how grand it would be, and how all the girls would
envy me!"
Tears came to her eyes as she spoke.
"Just think of being the _fiancee_ of a hero who died for his country!
Oh, Sam, Sam!"
Sam took her in his arms.
"You're my own brave soldier's wife," he said. "I'd be almost ready to
die for you, but if I don't, I'll come back and marry you. I'll write
to uncle for a commission to-night, and ask his advice about resigning
here either now or later.
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