He saw Shepard at a distance three more times in the course of the day,
but he sedulously avoided a meeting. He noticed that Shepard was always
near the batteries and earthworks, but hundreds of others were near them,
too. He did not return to Madame Delaunay's until evening, when it
was time for dinner, where he found all the guests gathered, with the
addition of Shepard.
Madame Delaunay assigned the new man to a seat near the foot of the
table and the talk ran on much as it had done at the Christmas dinner,
Major St. Hilaire leading, which Harry surmised was his custom. Shepard,
who had been introduced to the others by Madame Delaunay, did not have
much to say, nor did the South Carolinians warm to him as they had to
Harry. A slight air of constraint appeared and Harry was glad when
the dinner was over. Then he and St. Clair slipped away and spent the
evening roaming about the city, looking at the old historic places,
the fine churches, the homes of the wealthy and again at the earthworks
and the harbor forts. The last thing Harry saw as he turned back toward
Madame Delaunay's was that defiant flag of the Union, still waving above
the dark and looming mass of old Sumter.
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