four
o'clock
Slowly the General rose , drew on his overcoat , and in another moment , under the sloping visor of his forage-cap , with eyes that twinkled behind their glasses , with a genial smile softening every feature , his fine soldierly face peered in on the scene of light , of merriment and laughter under the canvas roof of the only home he knew in the world -- the soldier home of one whose life had been spent following the flag through bivouac , camp or garrison , through many a march , battle and campaign all over the broad lands of the United States until now , at the hour when most men turned for the placid joys of the fireside , the love of devoted and faithful wife , the homage and affection of children , the prattle and playful sports of children 's children -- homeless , wifeless , childless he stood at the border of the boundless sea , soldier duty pointing the way to far distant , unknown and undesired regions , content to follow that flag to the end of the world , if need be , and owning no higher hope or ambition than to uphold it to the end of his life . There was nothing in such a face as his to put a check to fun and merriment , yet , all on a sudden , the laughter died away . Three young gallants in soldier garb sprang to their feet and faced him with appeal and explanation in their speaking eyes , although only one of their number found his tongue in time to put the matter into words . There were only two girls when the general left that tent to meet his officers at four o'clock , and now there were four , and the four were having five-o'clock tea . At least any one would have said they were four blithe girls , innocent of graver responsibilities than social calls and dinner or dance engagements , for never looked four young women so free from the cares of this world as did those who were picturesquely grouped about the General 's camp table and under the brilliant reflector of the General 's lamp , but the plain gold circlet on the slender finger of the merriest and noisiest and smallest of the four , and the fact that she had nothing to say to the elder of the three attendant officers except in the brief , indifferent tones of assured proprietorship , and very much to say to the others , told a different story . The General 's manner lost none of its kindness , even though a close observer would have seen that his face lost a little of its light as he recognized in the evident leader of the revels and mistress of the situation the wife of his senior aide-de-camp . An hour before he thought her a thousand miles away -- and so did her husband .