Keeping Secrets by Joan Lowery Nixon

Miss Hennessey and she were traveling as mother and daughter? Miss Hennessey had given Peg perfectly good explanations, and Peg had decided to accept them. But would Danny? What if he insisted on beingthe big, protective brother and suspiciously jumped to the wrong conclusions?
    “If all goes well, you’ll be able to visit Danny often,”
Miss Hennessey had said.
    Everything has to go well! It has to!
Peg told herself.
What does it matter that the Parkers don’t have farm animals? What difference does it make if they live on a farm or in town? Who knows? Who cares? I’m not going to let silly suspicions spoil my trips to see Danny!
    A fistful of grass blades landed on Peg’s face. She sat up, shaking her head, and sneezed.
    “Well?” Danny asked. “What can you tell me about Miss Hennessey?”
    “She’s nice,” Peg said.
    “That’s all?”
    “That’s all. Ma likes her, and so do I.” Trying to ignore the small but growing guilt that made her stomach ache, Peg scrambled to her feet. “Come on, Danny,” she said and held out a hand. “Let’s run down to the river. I can skip stones farther than you can!”
    Danny stood, and Peg was surprised once again at how fast he had grown. “I bet you’re taller than Mike now,” she said.
    “I was already taller by an inch when he came through St. Joe two years ago.” Danny suddenly grinned and said, “I’ve got a better idea than skipping stones. I set up targets at the edge of the woods. I’ll show you what a good shot I am.”
    Peg reluctantly trailed after Danny as he got his rifle from the house and led her to the practice area. “You don’t have to show me,” she complained. “I believe you.”
    “I’m really good,” he bragged. “I want you to see.”
    Danny found Peg a place to stand, behind him andfar enough away so that the crack of the rifle wouldn’t hurt her ears. He raised his rifle and sighted on a tattered round-ringed target that had been nailed onto the broad trunk of an oak tree.
    “Take that, you bushwhackers!” Danny grunted and squeezed the trigger.
    Peg watched a small piece of cloth near the center of the target rip as the bullet struck it. Sickened, she clutched her stomach.
    Danny turned to face her, pride shining in his eyes. “Got him!” he said. “One less Reb.”
    “Don’t do that, Danny!” Peg shouted. “It’s only a target! It’s not a Reb!”
    “Someday it will be a Reb,” Danny said. “As soon as I enlist to fight for the Union.”
    “You can forget that!” Peg insisted. “You’re not going to shoot Rebs! You’re not going to war!”
    “I’m older than Mike was when he enlisted.”
    “He was too young! He’s still too young. And so are you.”
    “I won’t be thirteen forever.”
    “The war’s going to end soon. Everybody says so.”
    “Then everybody’s dreaming.”
    “Oh, Danny!” Peg wailed. Maybe it was her own fear. Maybe it was remembering Mike’s eyes when he returned from battle. But like a dark spirit that hovered over Danny, a terrible premonition caught and shook her. “If you go to war you’ll be killed! I know it! You will!”
    Danny sighed. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I’d known you’d act like such a baby. Don’t you see, Peg? I have a duty to my country. I love the Union. I want to help protect it.”
    “But not by fighting!”
    “Yes, by fighting.”
    “But there are other ways to help the Union.”
    “You don’t understand,” Danny said. He turned his back to her, reloaded his rifle, and aimed once again at the target.
    Peg watched in misery as the bullet hit its mark.
“You don’t understand,”
Danny had said, ignoring all that she’d told him. What had happened to Danny, who’d always been so close to her? He’d built a wall without a door, and she couldn’t come through. Hugging her shoulders, Peg waited silently until Danny had finished his show of marksmanship.
    “You have to admit I’m a good shot,” he said.
    Peg nodded. “Yes, you