She even went over to Cove Mills's on some pretext connected with
Darby's going. Vashti was not at home, but Mrs. Mills was, and she felt
a sudden loss, as if somehow the Millses had fallen below the Stanleys.
She talked of it for several days; she could not make out entirely
what it was. Vashti's black eyes flashed.
The next day Darby went to the Cross-roads to drill; there was,
besides the recruits, who were of every class, quite a little crowd there
to look at the drill. Among them were two women of the poorest class,
one old and faded, rather than gray, the other hardly better dressed,
though a slim figure, straight and trim, gave her a certain distinction,
even had not a few ribbons and a little ornament or two on her pink calico,
with a certain air, showed that she was accustomed to being admired.
The two women found themselves together once during the day,
and their eyes met. It was just as the line of soldiers passed.
Those of the elder lighted with a sudden spark of mingled triumph and hate,
those of the younger flashed back for a moment and then fell beneath
the elder's gaze. There was much enthusiasm about the war,
and among others, both of the Mills boys enlisted before the day was ended,
their sister going in with them to the room where their names were entered
on the roll, and coming out with flashing eyes and mantling cheeks.
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