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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19135-8.txt b/19135-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1734535 --- /dev/null +++ b/19135-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,18566 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Southerner, by Thomas Dixon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Southerner + A Romance of the Real Lincoln + +Author: Thomas Dixon + +Illustrator: J. N. Marchand + +Release Date: August 28, 2006 [EBook #19135] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + + + + +THE SOUTHERNER + +_A ROMANCE OF THE REAL LINCOLN_ + +BY + +THOMAS DIXON + +_"Have you never realized it, my friends, that Lincoln, though grafted +on the West, is essentially, in personnel and character, a Southern +contribution?"_--WALT WHITMAN. + +ILLUSTRATED BY J. N. MARCHAND + +NEW YORK AND LONDON +D. APPLETON AND COMPANY +1913 + +COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY THOMAS DIXON + +_All rights reserved, including that of translation into all +foreign languages, including the Scandinavian_ + +Printed in the United States of America + + * * * * * +DEDICATED TO + +OUR FIRST SOUTHERN-BORN PRESIDENT SINCE LINCOLN, +MY FRIEND AND COLLEGEMATE WOODROW WILSON + + * * * * * +THE SOUTHERNER + +BOOKS BY MR. DIXON + +The Southerner +The Sins of the Father +The Leopard's Spots +The Clansman +The Traitor + +*** + +The One Woman +Comrades +The Root of Evil + +*** + +The Life Worth Living + +[Illustration: "From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the +rear!'"] + + + + +TO THE READER + + +_Lest my readers should feel that certain incidents of this story are +startling and improbable, I wish to say that every word in it relating +to the issues of our national life has been drawn from authentic records +in my possession. Nor have I at any point taken a liberty with an +essential detail in historical scenes._ + + THOMAS DIXON. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PROLOGUE + +CHAPTER + + I. THE MAN OF THE HOUR + II. JANGLING VOICES + III. IN BETTY'S GARDEN + IV. A PAIR OF YOUNG EYES + V. THE FIRST SHOT + VI. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS + VII. LOVE AND DUTY + VIII. THE TRIAL BY FIRE + IX. VICTORY IN DEFEAT + X. THE AWAKENING + XI. THE MAN ON HORSEBACK + XII. LOVE AND PRIDE + XIII. THE SPIRES OF RICHMOND + XIV. THE RETREAT + XV. TANGLED THREADS + XVI. THE CHALLENGE + XVII. THE DAY'S WORK + XVIII. DIPLOMACY + XIX. THE REBEL + XX. THE INSULT + XXI. THE BLOODIEST DAY + XXII. BENEATH THE SKIN + XXIII. THE USURPER + XXIV. THE CONSPIRACY + XXV. THE TUG OF WAR + XXVI. THE REST HOUR + XXVII. DEEPENING SHADOWS + XXVIII. THE MOONLIT RIVER + XXIX. THE PANIC + XXX. SUNSHINE AND STORM + XXXI. BETWEEN THE LINES + XXXII. THE WHIRLWIND + XXXIII. THE BROTHERS MEET + XXXIV. LOVE'S PLEDGE + XXXV. THE DARKEST HOUR + XXXVI. THE ASSASSIN + XXXVII. MR. DAVIS SPEAKS +XXXVIII. THE STOLEN MARCH + XXXIX. VICTORY + XL. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee +to the rear!'" _Frontispiece_. + +"'Be a man among men, for your mother's +sake--'" + +"'Good-bye--Ned!' she breathed softly." +"Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm +lips." + +"'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'" + +"Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at +the head of his troops and charged." + + + + +LEADING CHARACTERS OF THE STORY + + +1809-1818 + +_Scene: A Cabin in the Woods_ + +TOM, A Man of the Forest and Stream. +NANCY, The Woman Who Saw a Vision. +THE BOY, Her Son. +DENNIS, His Cousin. +BONEY, A Fighting Coon Dog. + + +1861-1865 + +_Scene: The White House_ + +SENATOR GILBERT WINTER, The Radical Leader. +BETTY, His Daughter. +JOHN VAUGHAN, A Union Soldier. +NED VAUGHAN, His Brother, a Rebel. +ABRAHAM LINCOLN, The President. +MRS. LINCOLN, His Wife. +PHOEBE, Her Maid. +JULIUS CÆSAR THORNTON, Who Was Volunteered. +COLONEL NICOLAY, The President's Secretary. +MAJOR JOHN HAY, Assistant Secretary. +WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN, Who Stole a March. +GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, The Man on Horseback. +ROBERT E. LEE, The Southern Commander. + + + + +THE SOUTHERNER + + + +PROLOGUE + +I + + +Tom seated himself at the table and looked into his wife's face with a +smile: + +"Nancy, it's a meal fit for a king!" + +The supper over, he smoked his pipe before the cabin fire of blazing +logs, while she cleared the wooden dishes. He watched her get the paper, +goose-quill pen and ink as a prisoner sees the scaffold building for his +execution. + +"Now we're all ready," she said cheerfully. + +The man laid his pipe down with a helpless look. A brief respite flashed +through his mind. Maybe he could sidestep the lessons before she pinned +him down. + +"Lord, Nancy, I forgot my gun. I must grease her right away," he cried. + +He rose with a quick decisive movement and took his rifle from the rack. +She knew it was useless to protest and let him have his way. + +Over every inch of its heavy barrel and polished walnut stock he rubbed +a piece of greased linen with loving care, drew back the flint-lock and +greased carefully every nook and turn of its mechanism, lifted the gun +finally to his shoulder and drew an imaginary bead on the head of a +turkey gobbler two hundred yards away. A glowing coal of hickory wood in +the fire served for his game. + +He lowered the gun and held it before him with pride: + +"Nancy, she's the dandiest piece o' iron that wuz ever twisted inter the +shape of a weepon. Old 'Speakeasy's her name! She's got the softest +voice that ever whispered death to a varmint or an Injun--hit ain't much +louder'n the crack of a whip, but, man alive, when she talks she says +somethin'. 'Kerpeow!' she whispers soft an' low! She's got a voice like +yourn, Nancy--kinder sighs when she speaks----" + +"Well," the wife broke in with a shake of her dark head, "has mother's +little boy played long enough with his toy?" + +"I reckon so," Tom laughed. + +"Then it's time for school." She gently took the rifle from his hands, +placed it on the buck horns and took her seat at the table. + +The man looked ruefully at the stool, suddenly straightened his massive +frame, lifted his hand above his head and cocked his eye inquiringly: + +"May I git er drink er water fust?" + +The teacher laughed in spite of herself: + +"Yes, you big lubber, and hurry up." + +Tom seized the water bucket and started for the door. + +"Where are you going?" she cried in dismay. + +"I'll jest run down to the spring fer a fresh bucket----" + +"O Tom!" she exclaimed. + +"I'll be right back in a minute, Honey," he protested softly. "Hit's +goin' ter be powerful hot--I'll need a whole bucket time I'm through." + +Before she could answer he was gone. + +He managed to stay nearly a half hour. She put the baby to sleep and sat +waiting with her pensive young eyes gazing at the leaping flames. She +heard him stop and answer the call of an owl from the woods. A +whip-poor-will was softly singing from the bushes nearby. He stopped to +call him also, and then found an excuse to linger ten minutes more +fooling with his dogs. + +The laggard came at last and dropped on his stool by her side. He sat +for five minutes staring helplessly at the copy she had set. Big beads +of perspiration stood on his forehead when he took the pen. He held it +awkwardly and timidly as if it were a live reptile. She took his clumsy +hand in hers and showed him how to hold it. + +"My, but yo' hand's soft an' sweet, Nancy,--jest lemme hold that a +while----" + +She rapped his knuckles. + +"All right, teacher, I'll be good," he protested, and bent his huge +shoulders low over his task. He bore so hard on the frail quill pen the +ink ran in a big blot. + +"Not so hard, Tom!" she cried. + +"But I got so much strenk in my right arm I jist can't hold it back." + +"You must try again." + +He tried again and made a heavy tremulous line. His arm moved at a +snail's gait and wobbled frightfully. + +"Make the line quicker," she urged encouragingly. "Begin at the top and +come down----" + +"Here, you show me how!" + +She took his rough hand quietly in hers, and guided it swiftly from +right to left in straight smooth lines until a dozen were made, when he +suddenly drew her close, kissed her lips, and held the slender fingers +in a grip of iron. She lay still in his embrace for a moment, released +herself and turned from him with a sigh. He drew her quickly to the +light of the fire and saw the unshed tears in her eyes. + +"What's the use ter worry, Nancy gal?" he said. "Give it up ez a bad +job. I wouldn't fool with no sech scholar ef I wuz you. Ye can't teach +an old dog new tricks----" + +"I won't give up!" she cried with sudden energy. "I can teach you and I +will. I won't give up and be nobody. O Tom, you promised me before we +were married to let me teach you--didn't you promise?" + +"Yes, Honey, I did----" he paused and his fine teeth gleamed through the +black beard--"but ye know a feller'll promise any thing ter git his +gal----" + +"Didn't you mean to keep your word?" She broke in sharply. + +"Of course I did, Nancy, I never wuz more earnest in my life--'ceptin +when I got religion. But I had no idee larnin' come so hard. I'd ruther +fight Injuns an' wil' cats or rob a bee tree any day than ter tackle +them pot hooks you're sickin' after me----" + +"Well, I won't give up," she interrupted impatiently, "and you'd just as +well make up your mind to stick to it. You can do what other men have +done. You're good, honest and true, you're kindhearted and popular. +They've already made you the road supervisor of this township. Learn to +read and write and you can make a good speech and go to the +Legislature." + +"Ah, Nancy, what do ye want me ter do that fur, anyhow, gal? I'd be the +happiest man in the world right here in this cabin by the woods ef you'd +jest be happy with me. Can't ye quit hankerin' after them things, +Honey?" + +She shook her dark head firmly. + +"You know, Nancy, we wuz neighbors to Dan'l Boone. We thought he wuz +about the biggest man that ever lived. Somehow the love o' the woods an' +fields is always singin' in my heart. Them still shinin' stars up in the +sky out thar to-night keep a callin' me. I could hear the music o' my +hounds in my soul ez I stood by the spring a while ago. Ye know what +scares me most ter death sometimes, gal?" He paused and looked into her +eyes intently. + +"No, what?" she asked. + +"That you'll make a carpenter outen me yit ef I don't mind." + +Again a smile broke through the cloud in her eyes: "I don't think +there's much danger of _that_, Tom----" + +"Yes ther is, too," he laughed. "Ye see, I love you so and try ter make +ye happy, an' ef there wuz ter come er time that there wuz plenty o' +work an' real money in it, I'd stick to it jist ter please you, an' be a +lost an' ruined soul! Yessir, they'd carve on my headstone jest one +line: + + "BORN A MAN--AND DIED A JACKLEG CARPENTER. + +"Wouldn't that be awful?" + +The momentary smile on the woman's sensitive face faded into a look of +pain. She tried to make a good-natured reply, but her lips refused to +move. + +The man pressed on eagerly: + +"O Nancy, why can't ye be happy here? We've a snug little cabin nest, +we've enough to eat and enough to wear. The baby's laughin' at yer heels +all day and snugglin' in her little bed at night. The birds make music +fur ye in the trees. The creek down thar's laughin' an' singing' winter +an' summer. The world's too purty an' life's too short ter throw hit +away fightin' an' scramblin' fur nothin'." + +"For something--Tom--something big----" + +"Don't keer how big 'tis--what of it? All turns ter ashes in yer hands +bye an' bye an' yer life's gone. We can't live these young days over +again, can we? Ye know the preacher says: 'What shall hit profit a man +ef he gain the whole world an' lose his life?' Let me off'n these +lessons, Honey? I'm too old; ye can't larn me new tricks now. Let me off +fer good an' all, won't ye?" + +"No," was the firm answer. "It means too much. I won't give up and let +the man I love sign his name forever with a cross mark." + +"I ain't goin' ter sign no more papers nohow!" Tom broke in. + +"I signed our marriage bond with a mark, Tom," she went on evenly, "just +because you couldn't write your name. You've got to learn, I won't give +up!" + +"Well, it's too late to-night fur any more lessons, now _ain't_ it?" + +"Yes, we'll make up for it next time." + +The tired hunter was soon sound asleep dreaming of the life that was the +breath of his nostrils. + +Through the still winter's night the young wife lay with wide staring +eyes. Over and over again she weighed her chances in the grim struggle +begun for the mastery of his mind. The longer she asked herself the +question of success or failure the more doubtful seemed the outcome. How +still the world! + +The new life within her strong young body suddenly stirred, and a +feeling of awe thrilled her heart. God had suddenly signalled from the +shores of Eternity. + +When her husband waked at dawn he stared at her smiling face in +surprise. + +"What ye laughin' about, Nancy?" he cried. + +She turned toward him with a startled look: + +"I had a vision, Tom!" + +"A dream, I reckon." + +"God had answered the prayer of my heart," she went on breathlessly, +"and sent me a son. I saw him a strong, brave, patient, wise, gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and great men came to do him homage. +With bowed head he led me into a beautiful home that had shining white +pillars. He bowed low and whispered in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel +mother. I bought it for you with my life. All that I am I owe to you.'" + +She paused a moment and whispered: + +"O Tom, man, a new song is singing in my soul!" + + +II + +The woman rose quietly and went the rounds of her daily work. She made +her bed to-day in trance-like silence. It was no gilded couch, but it +had been built by the hand of her lover and was sacred. It filled the +space in one corner of the cabin farthest from the fire. A single post +of straight cedar securely fixed in the ground held the poles in place +which formed the side and foot rail. The walls of the cabin formed the +other side and head. Across from the pole were fixed the slender hickory +sticks that formed the springy hammock on which the first mattress of +moss and grass rested. On this was placed a feather bed made from the +wild fowl Tom had killed during the past two years. The pillows were of +the finest feathers from the breasts of ducks. A single quilt of ample +size covered all, and over this was thrown a huge counterpane of bear +skins. Two enormous bear rugs almost completely covered the dirt floor, +and a carpet of oak leaves filled out the spaces. + +The feather bed beaten smooth, the fur covering drawn in place and the +pillows set upright against the cabin wall, she turned to the two bunks +in the opposite corner and carefully re-arranged them. They might be +used soon. This was the corner of her home set aside for guests. Tom had +skillfully built two berths boat fashion, one above the other, in this +corner, and a curtain drawn over a smooth wooden rod cut this space off +from the rest of the room when occupied at night by visitors. + +The master of this cabin never allowed a stranger to pass without urging +him to stop and in a way that took no denial. + +A savory dish of stewed squirrel and corn dumplings served for lunch. +The baby's face was one glorious smear of joy and grease at its finish. + +The mother took the bucket from its shelf and walked leisurely to the +spring, whose limpid waters gushed from a rock at the foot of the hill. +The child toddled after her, the little moccasined feet stepping +gingerly over the sharp gravel of the rough places. + +Before filling the bucket she listened again for the crack of Tom's +rifle, and could hear nothing. A death-like stillness brooded over the +woods and fields. He was probably watching for muskrat under the bluff +of the creek. He had promised to stay within call to-day. + +The afternoon dragged wearily. She tried to read the one book she +possessed, the Bible. The pages seemed to fade and the eyes refused to +see. + +"O Man, Man, why don't you come home!" she cried at last. + +She rose, walked to the door, looked and listened--only the distant +rattle of a woodpecker's beak on a dead tree in the woods. The snow +began to fall in little fitful dabs. It was two miles to the nearest +cabin, and her soul rose in fierce rebellion at her loneliness. It was +easy for a man who loved the woods, the fields and running waters, this +life, but for the woman who must wait and long and eat her heart out +alone--she vowed anew that she would not endure it. By the sheer pull of +her will she would lift this man from his drifting life and make him +take his place in the real battle of the world. If her new baby were +only a boy, he could help her and she would win. Again she stood +dreaming of the vision she had seen at dawn. + +The dark young face suddenly went white and her hand gripped the facing +of the door. + +She waited half doubting, half amused at her fears. It was only the +twinge of a muscle perhaps. She smiled at her sudden panic. The thought +had scarcely formed before she blanched the second time and the firm +lips came together with sudden energy as she glanced at the child +playing on the rug at her feet. + +She seized the horn that hung beside the door and blew the pioneer's +long call of danger. Its shrill note rang through the woods against the +hills in cadences that seemed half muffled by the falling snow. + +Again her anxious eyes looked from the doorway. Would he never come! The +trembling slender hand once more lifted the horn, a single wild note +rang out and broke suddenly into silence. The horn fell from her limp +grasp and she lifted her eyes to the darkening sky in prayer, as Tom's +voice from the edge of the woods came strong and full: + +"Yes, Honey, I'm comin'!" + +There was no question of doctor or nurse. The young pioneer mother only +asked for her mate. + +For two fearful hours she gripped his rough hands until at last her +nails brought the blood, but the man didn't know or care. Every +smothered cry that came from her lips began to tear the heart out of his +body at last. He could hold the long pent agony no longer without words. + +"My God, Nancy, what can I do for ye, Honey?" + +Her breath came in gasps and her eyes were shining with a strange +intensity. + +"Nothing, Tom, nothing now--I'm looking Death in the face and I'm not +afraid----" + +"Please lemme give ye some whiskey," he pleaded, pressing the glass to +her lips. + +"No--no, take it away--I hate it. My baby shall be clean and strong or I +want to die." + +The decision seemed to brace her spirit for the last test when the +trembling feet entered the shadows of the dim valley that lies between +Life and Death. + +The dark, slender figure lay still and white at last. A sharp cry from +lusty lungs, and the grey eyes slowly opened, with a timid wondering +look. + +"Tom!" she cried with quick eager tones. + +"Yes, Nancy, yes!" + +"A boy?" + +"Of course--and a buster he is, too." + +"Give him to me--quick!" + +The stalwart figure bent over the bed and laid the little red bundle in +her arms. She pressed him tenderly to her heart, felt his breath on her +breast and the joyous tears slowly poured down her cheeks. + + +III + +Before the first year of the boy's life had passed the task of teaching +his good-natured, stubborn father became impossible. The best the wife +could do was to make him trace his name in sprawling letters that +resembled writing and painfully spell his way through the simplest +passages in the Bible. + +The day she gave up was one of dumb despair. She resolved at last to +live in her boy. All she had hoped and dreamed of life should be his and +he would be hers. Her hands could make him good or bad, brave or +cowardly, noble or ignoble. + +He was a remarkable child physically, and grew out of his clothes faster +than she could make them. It was easy to see from his second year that +he would be a man of extraordinary stature. Both mother and father were +above the average height, but he would overtop them both. When he +tumbled over the bear rugs on the cabin floor his father would roar with +laughter: + +"For the Lord's sake, Nancy, look at them legs! They're windin' blades. +Ef he ever gits grown, he won't have ter ax fer a blessin', he kin jest +reach up an' hand it down hisself!" + +He was four years old when he got the first vision of his mother that +time should never blot out. His father was away on a carpenter job of +four days. Sleeping in the lower bunk in the corner, he waked with a +start to hear the chickens cackling loudly. His mother was quietly +dressing. He leaped to his feet shivering in the dark and whispered: + +"What is it, Ma?" + +"Something's after the chickens." + +"Not a hawk?" + +"No, nor an owl, or fox, or weasel--or they'd squall--they're cackling." + +The rooster cackled louder than ever and the Boy recognized the voice of +his speckled hen accompanying him. How weird it sounded in the darkness +of the still spring night! The cold chills ran down his back and he +caught his mother's dress as she reached for the rifle that stood beside +her bed. + +"You're not goin' out there, Ma?" the Boy protested. + +"Yes. It's a dirty thief after our horse." + +Her voice was low and steady and her hand was without tremor as she +grasped his. + +"Get back in bed. I won't be gone a minute." + +She left the cabin and noiselessly walked toward the low shed in which +the horse was stabled. + +The Boy was at her heels. She knew and rejoiced in the love that made +him brave for her sake. + +She paused a moment, listened, and then lifted her tall, slim form and +advanced steadily. Her bare feet made no noise. The waning moon was +shining with soft radiance. The Boy's heart was in his throat as he +watched her slender neck and head outlined against the sky. Never had he +seen anything so calm and utterly brave. + +There was a slight noise at the stable. The chickens cackled with louder +call. Five minutes passed and they were silent. A shadowy figure +appeared at the corner of the stable. She raised the rifle and flashed a +dagger-like flame into the darkness. + +A smothered cry, the shadow leaped the fence and the beat of swift feet +could be heard in the distance. + +The Boy clung close to her side and his voice was husky as he spoke: + +"Ain't you afraid, Ma?" + +The calm answer rang forever through his memory: + +"I don't know what fear means, my Boy. It's not the first time I've +caught these prowling scoundrels." + +Next morning he saw the dark blood marks on the trail over which the +thief had fled, and looked into his mother's wistful grey eyes with a +new reverence and awe. + + +IV + +The Boy was quick to know and love the birds of hedge and field and +woods. The martins that built in his gourds on the tall pole had opened +his eyes. The red and bluebirds, the thrush, the wren, the robin, the +catbird, and song sparrows were his daily companions. + +A mocking-bird came at last to build her nest in a bush beside the +garden, and her mate began to make the sky ring with his song. The +puzzle of the feathered tribe whose habits he couldn't fathom was the +whip-poor-will. His mother seemed to dislike his ominous sound. But the +soft mournful notes appealed to the Boy's fancy. Often at night he sat +in the doorway of the cabin watching the gathering shadows and the +flicker of the fire when supper was cooking, listening to the tireless +song within a few feet of the house. + +"Why don't you like 'em, Ma?" he asked, while one was singing with +unusually deep and haunting voice so near the cabin that its echo seemed +to come from the chimney jamb. + +It was some time before she replied: + +"They say it's a sign of death for them to come so close to the house." + +The Boy laughed: + +"You don't believe it?" + +"I don't know." + +"Well, I like 'em," he stoutly declared. "I like to feel the cold +shivers when they sing right under my feet. You're not afraid of a +little whip-poor-will?" + +He looked up into her sombre face with a smile. + +"No," was the gentle answer, "but I want to live to see my Boy a fine +strong man," she paused, stooped, and drew him into her arms. + +There was something in her tones that brought a lump into his throat. +The moon was shining in the full white glory of the Southern spring. A +night of marvellous beauty enfolded the little cabin. He looked into her +eyes and they were shining with tears. + +"What's the matter?" he asked tenderly. + +"Nothing, Boy, I'm just dreaming of you!" + + * * * * * + +The first day of the fall in his sixth year he asked his mother to let +him go to the next corn-shucking. + +"You're too little a boy." + +"I can shuck corn," he stoutly argued. + +"You'll be good, if I let you go?" she asked. + +"What's to hurt me there?" + +"Nothing, unless you let it. The men drink whiskey, the girls dance. +Sometimes there's a quarrel or fight." + +"It won't hurt me ef I 'tend to my own business, will it?" + +"Nothing will ever hurt you, if you'll just do that, Boy," the father +broke in. + +"May I go?" + +"Yes, we're invited next week to a quilting and corn-shucking. I'll go +with you." + +The Boy shouted for joy and counted the days until the wonderful event. +They left home at two o'clock in the wagon. The quilting began at three, +the corn-shucking at sundown. + +The house was a marvellous structure to the Boy's excited imagination. +It was the first home he had ever seen not built of logs. + +"Why, Ma," he cried in open-eyed wonder, "there ain't no logs in the +house! How did they ever put it together?" + +"With bricks and mortar." + +The Boy couldn't keep his eyes off this building. It was a simple, +one-story square structure of four rooms and an attic, with little +dormer windows peeping from the four sides of the pointed roof. +McDonald, the thrifty Scotch-Irishman, from the old world, had built it +of bricks he had ground and burnt on his own place. + +The dormer windows peeping from the roof caught the Boy's fancy. + +"Do you reckon his boys sleep up there and peep out of them holes?" + +The mother smiled. + +"Maybe so." + +"Why don't we build a house like that?" he asked at last. "Don't you +want it?" + +The mother squeezed his little hand: + +"When you're a man will you build your mother one?" + +He looked into her eyes a moment, caught the pensive longing and +answered: + +"Yes. I will." + +She stooped and kissed the firm mouth and was about to lead him into the +large work-room where the women were gathering around the quilts +stretched on their frames, when a negro slave suddenly appeared to take +her horse to the stable. He was fat, jolly and coal black. His yellow +teeth gleamed in their blue gums with a jovial welcome. + +The Boy stood rooted to the spot and watched until the negro +disappeared. It was the first black man he had ever seen. He had heard +of negroes and that they were slaves. But he had no idea that one human +being could be so different from another. + +In breathless awe he asked: + +"Is he folks?" + +"Of course, Boy," his mother answered, smiling. + +"What made him so black?" + +"The sun in Africa." + +"What made his nose so flat and his lips so thick?" + +"He was born that way." + +"What made him come here?" + +"He didn't. The slave traders put him in chains and brought him across +the sea and sold him into slavery." + +The little body suddenly stiffened: + +"Why didn't he kill 'em?" + +"He didn't know how to defend himself." + +"Why don't he run away?" + +"He hasn't sense enough, I reckon. He's got a home, plenty to eat and +plenty to wear, and he's afraid he'll be caught and whipped." + +The mother had to pull the Boy with her into the quilting room. His eyes +followed the negro to the stable with a strange fascination. The thing +that puzzled him beyond all comprehension was why a big strong man like +that, if he were a man, would submit. Why didn't he fight and die? A +curious feeling of contempt filled his mind. This black thing that +looked like a man, walked like a man and talked like a man couldn't be +one! No real man would grin and laugh and be a slave. The black fool +seemed to be happy. He had not only grinned and laughed, but he went +away whistling and singing. + +In three hours the quilts were finished and the men had gathered for the +corn-shucking. + +Before eight o'clock the last ear was shucked, and a long white pile of +clean husked corn lay glistening in the moonlight where the dark pyramid +had stood at sunset. + +With a shout the men rose, stretched their legs and washed their hands +in the troughs filled with water, provided for the occasion. They sat +down to supper at four long tables placed in the kitchen and work room, +where the quilts had been stretched. + +Never had the Boy seen such a feast--barbecued shoat, turkeys, ducks, +chickens, venison, bear meat, sweet potatoes, wild honey, corn dodgers, +wheat biscuit, stickies and pound cake--pound cake until you couldn't +eat another mouthful and still they brought more! + +After the supper the young folks sang and danced before the big fires +until ten o'clock, and then the crowd began to thin, and by eleven the +last man was gone and the harvest festival was over. + +It was nearly twelve before the Boy knelt at his mother's knee to say +his prayers. + +When the last words were spoken he still knelt, his eyes gazing into the +flickering fire. + +The mother bent low: + +"What are you thinking about, Boy? The house you're going to build for +me?" + +"No." + +"What?" + +"That nigger--wasn't he funny? You don't want me to get you any niggers +with the house do you?" + +"No." + +"I didn't think you would," he went on thoughtfully, "because you said +General Washington set his slaves free and wanted everybody else to do +it too." + +He paused and shook his head thoughtfully. "But he was funny--he was +laughin' and whistlin' and singin'!" + + +V + +The air of the Southern autumn was like wine. The Boy's heart beat with +new life. The scarlet and purple glory of the woods fired his +imagination. He found himself whistling and singing at his tasks. He +proudly showed a bee tree to his mother, the honey was gathered and +safely stored. A barrel of walnuts, a barrel of hickory-nuts and two +bushels of chestnuts were piled near his bed in the loft. + +But the day his martins left, he came near breaking down. He saw them +circle high in graceful sweeping curves over the gourds, chattering and +laughing with a strange new note in their cries. + +He watched them wistfully. His mother found him looking with shining +eyes far up into the still autumn sky. His voice was weak and unsteady +when he spoke: + +"I--can--hardly--hear--'em--now; they're so high!" + +A slender hand touched his tangled hair: + +"Don't worry, Boy, they'll come again." + +"You're sure, Ma?" he asked, pathetically. + +"Sure." + +"Will they know when it's time?" + +"Some one always tells them." + +"Who?" + +"God. That's what the Bible means when it says, 'the stork knoweth her +appointed time.' I read that to you the other night, don't you +remember?" + +"But maybe God'll be so busy he'll forget my birds?" + +"He never forgets, he counts the beat of a sparrow's wing." + +The mother's faith was contagious. The drooping spirit caught the flash +of light from her eyes and smiled. + +"We'll watch for 'em next spring, won't we? And I'll put up new gourds +long before they come!" + +Comforted at last, he went to the woods to gather chinquapins. The +squirrels were scampering in all directions and he asked his father that +night to let him go hunting with him next day. + +"All right, Boy!" was the hearty answer. "We'll have some fun this +winter." + +He paused as he saw the mother's lips suddenly close and a shadow pass +over her dark, sensitive face. + +"Hit's no use ter worry, Nancy," he went on good-naturedly. "I promised +you not ter take him 'less he wanted ter go. But hit's in the blood, and +hit's got ter come out." + +Tom picked the Boy up and placed him on his knee and stroked his dark +head. Sarah crouched at his feet and smiled. He was going to tell about +the Indians again. She could tell by the look in his eye as he watched +the flames leap over the logs. + +"Did ye know, Boy," he began slowly, "that we come out to Kaintuck with +Daniel Boone?" + +"Did we?" + +"Yes sirree, with old Dan'l hisself. It wuz thirty years ago. I wuz a +little shaver no bigger'n you, but I remember jest as well ez ef it wuz +yistiddy. Lordy, Boy, thar wuz er man that wuz er man! Ye couldn't a +made no jackleg carpenter outen him----" He paused and cast a sly wink +at Nancy as she bent over her knitting. + +"Tell me about him?" the Boy cried. + +"Yessir, Dan'l Boone wuz a man an' no mistake. The Indians would ketch +'im an' keep er ketchin' 'im an' he'd slip through their fingers +slicker'n a eel. The very fust trip he tuck out here he wuz captured by +the Redskins. Dan'l wuz with his friend John Stuart. + +"They left their camp one day an' set out on a big hunt, and all of a +sudden they wuz grabbed by the Injuns." + +"Why didn't they shoot 'em?" the Boy asked. + +"They wuz too many of 'em an' they wuz too quick for Dan'l. He didn't +have no show at all. The Injuns robbed 'em of everything they had an' +kept 'em prisoners. + +"But ole Dan'l wuz a slick un. He'd been studyin' Injuns all his life +an' he knowed 'em frum a ter izard. They didn't have nothin' but bows +an' arrers then an' he had a rifle thes like mine. He never got +flustered or riled by the way they wuz treatin' him, but let on like he +wuz happy ez er June bug. Dan'l would raise his rifle, put a bullet +twixt a buffalo's eyes an' he'd drap in his tracks. The Injuns wuz +tickled ter death an' thought him the greatest man that ever lived--an' +he wuz, too. So they got ter likin' him an' treatin' 'im better. For +seven days an' nights him an' Stuart helped 'em hunt an' showed 'em how +ter work er rifle. The Injuns was plum fooled by Dan'l's friendly ways +an' didn't watch 'im so close. + +"So one night Dan'l helped 'em ter eat a bigger supper than ever. They +wuz all full enough ter bust, an' went ter sleep an' slept like logs. +Hit wuz a dark night an' the fire burned low, an' long 'bout midnight +Dan'l made up his mind ter give 'em the slip. + +"Hit wuz er dangerous job. Ef he failed hit wuz death shore-nuff, for +nothin' makes a Injun so pizen mad ez fer anybody ter be treated nice by +'em an' then try ter get away. The Redskins wuz all sleepin' round the +fire. They wuz used ter jumpin' in the middle o' the night or any +minute. Mebbe they wuz all ersleep, an' mebbe they wasn't. + +"Old Dan'l he pertended ter be sleepin' the sleep er the dead, an' I +tell ye he riz mighty keerful, shuck Stuart easy, waked him up an' +motioned him ter foller. Talk about sneakin' up on a wild duck er a +turkey--ole Dan'l done some slick business gettin' away frum that fire! +Man, ef they'd rustled a leaf er broke a twig, them savages would a all +been up an' on 'em in a minute. Holdin' tight to their guns--you kin bet +they didn't leave them--and a steppin' light ez feathers they crept away +from the fire an' out into the deep dark o' the woods. They stopped an' +stood as still ez death an' watched till they see the Injuns hadn't +waked----" + +The pioneer paused and his white teeth shone through his black beard as +he cocked his shaggy head to one side and looked into the Boy's wide +eyes. + +"And then what do you reckon Dan'l Boone done, sir?" + +"What?" + +"Waal, ye seed the way them bees made fer their trees, didn't ye, when +they got a load er honey?" + +"Yes, that's the way I found their home." + +"But you had the daylight, mind ye! And Dan'l was in pitch black night, +but, sir, he made a bee-line through them dark woods straight for his +camp he'd left seven days afore. And, man, yer kin bet they made tracks +when they got clear o' the Redskins! Hit wuz six hours till day an' when +the Injuns waked they didn't know which way ter look----" + +Tom paused and the Boy cried eagerly: + +"Did they get there?" + +"Git whar?" the father asked dreamily. + +"Get back to their own camp?" + +"Straight ez a bee-line I tell ye. But the camp had been busted and +robbed and the other men wuz gone." + +"Gone where?" + +Tom shook his shaggy head. + +"Nobody never knowed ter this day--reckon the Injuns scalped 'em----" + +He paused again and a dreamy look overspread his rugged face. + +"Like they scalped your own grandpa that day." + +"Did they scalp my grandpa?" the Boy asked in an awed whisper. + +"That they did. Your Uncle Mordecai an' me was workin' with him in the +new ground, cleanin' it fur corn when all of a sudden the Injuns riz +right up outen the ground. Your grandpa drapped dead the fust shot, an' +Mordecai flew ter the cabin fer the rifle. A big Redskin jumped over a +log an' scalped my own daddy before my eyes! He grabbed me an' started +pullin' me ter the woods, an' then, Sonny, somethin' happened----" + +Tom looked at the long rifle in its buck's horn rest and smiled: + +"Old 'Speakeasy' up thar stretched her long neck through a chink in the +logs an' said somethin' ter Mr. Redskin. She didn't raise her voice much +louder'n a whisper. She jist kinder sighed: + +"_Kerpeow!_" + +"I kin hear hit echoin' through them woods yit. That Injun drapped my +hands before I heerd the gun, an' she hadn't more'n sung out afore he +wuz lyin' in a heap at my feet. The ball had gone clean through him----" + +Tom paused again and looked for a long time in silence into the glowing +coals. The little cabin was very still. The Boy lifted his face to his +mother's curiously: + +"Ma, you said God counted the beat of a sparrow's wing?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, what was He doin' when that Indian scalped my grandpa?" + +The mother threw a startled look at the bold little questioner and +answered reverently: + +"Keeping watch in Heaven, my Boy. The hairs of your head are numbered +and not one falls without his knowledge. We had to pay the price of +blood for this beautiful country. Nothing is ever worth having that +doesn't cost precious lives." + +Again the cabin was still. An owl's deep cry boomed from the woods and a +solitary wolf answered in the distance. The Boy's brow was wrinkled for +a moment and then he suddenly looked up to his father's rugged face: + +"And what became of Dan'l Boone?" + +"Oh, he lit on his feet all right. He always did. He moved on with +Stuart, built him another camp in the deepest woods he could find and +hunted there all winter--jest think, Boy, all winter--every day--thar +wuz a man that wuz a man shore nuff!" + +"Yes, sirree!" the listener agreed. + +The mother lifted her head and thoughtfully watched the sparkling eyes. + +"And do you want to know why Daniel Boone was great, my son?" she +quietly asked. + +"Yes, why?" was the quick response. + +"Because he used his mind and his hands, while the other men around him +just used their hands. He learned to read and write when he was a little +boy. He mixed brains with his powder and shot." + +"Did he, Pa?" the questioner cried. + +The father smiled. He could afford to be generous. The Boy looked to him +as the authority on Daniel Boone. + +"Yes, I reckon he did. He wuz smart. I didn't have no chance when I wuz +little." + +"Then I'm going to learn, too. Ma can teach me." He leaped from his +father's lap and climbed into hers. "You will, won't you, Ma?" + +The mother smiled us she slowly answered: + +"Yes, Honey, I'll begin to-morrow night when you get back from hunting." + + +VI + +Slowly but surely the indomitable will within the Boy's breast conquered +the cries of aching muscles, and he went about his daily farm tasks +with the dogged persistence of habit. He had learned to whistle at his +work and his eager mind began to look for new worlds to conquer. + +At the right moment the tempter appeared. It rained on Saturday and +Austin, his neighbor, came over to see him. They cracked walnuts and +hickory-nuts in the loft while the rain pattered noisily on the board +roof. Austin had a definite suggestion for Sunday that would break the +monotony of life. + +"Let's me an' you not go ter meetin' ter-morrow?" the neighbor ventured +for a starter. + +"All right!" the Boy agreed. "Preachin' makes me tired anyhow." + +"Me, too, an' I tell ye what I'll do. I'll get my Ma ter let me come ter +your house to stay all day, an' when your folks go off ter meetin', me +an' you'll have some fun!" + +"What?" + +"We'll stay all day on the creek banks, find duck nests, turkey and +quail nests, an',----" Austin paused and dropped his voice, "go in +swimmin' if we take a notion----" + +The Boy slowly shook his head. + +"No, less don't do that." + +"Why?" + +"'Cause Ma don't 'low me to go in the creek till June--says I might +ketch my death o' cold." + +"Shucks! I've been in twice already!" + +"Have ye?" + +"Yep!" + +"And ye didn't get sick?" + +"Do I _look_ sick?" + +"Not a bit." + +"Well, then?" + +"All right--we'll go." + +The spirit of freedom born of the fields and woods had grown into +something more than an attitude of mind. He was ready for the deed--the +positive act of adventure. He didn't like to disobey his mother. But he +couldn't afford to let Austin think that he was a molly-coddle, a mere +babe hanging to her skirts. He was doing a man's work. It was time he +took a few of man's privileges. + +He revelled in the situation of adventure that night and saw himself the +hero of stirring scenes. + +Next morning on Austin's arrival he asked his mother to let him stay at +home and play. + +"Don't you want to go to meeting and hear the new preacher?" she asked +persuasively. + +"No, I'm tired." + +The mother smiled indulgently. He was young--far too young yet to know +the meaning of true religion. She was a Baptist, and the first principle +of her religion was personal faith and direct relations of the +individual soul with God. She remembered her own hours of torture in +childhood. + +"All right, Boy," she said graciously. "Be good now, while we're gone." + +His big toe was digging in the dirt while he murmured: + +"Yes'm." + +The wagon had no sooner disappeared than he and Austin were flying with +swift bare feet along the path that led to the creek. It was the hottest +day of the spring--a close air and broiling sun to be remembered longer +than the hottest day of August. + +They ran for a mile without a pause, rolled in the sand on the banks of +the creek and shouted their joy in perfect freedom. They explored the +deep cane brakes and stalked imaginary buffaloes and bears without +number, encountering nothing bigger than a grey fox and a couple of +muskrats. + +"Let's cross over!" Austin cried. "I saw a bear track on that side one +day. We can trail him to his den and show him to your Pap when he comes +home. Here's a log!" + +The Boy looked dubiously, measured it with his eye, and shook his head. + +"Nope--it's too little and too high in the air--it'll wobble," he +declared. + +"But we can coon it over!" Austin urged. "We can grab hold of a limb +over there and slide down--it's easy--come on!" + +Before he could make further objection, the young adventurer quickly +straddled the swaying pole, and, with the agility of a cat, hopped +across, grasped one of the limbs and slipped to the sand. + +"Come on!" he shouted. "See how easy it is!" + +The Boy looked doubtfully at the swaying sapling and wished he had gone +to hear that preacher after all. It would never do to say he was afraid. +The other fellow had done it so quickly. And it was no use to argue with +Austin that his legs were shorter, his body more compact and so much +easier to hold his balance. The idea of cowardice was something too vile +for thought. The Boy felt that he was doomed to fall before he moved +but he waved a brave little hand in answer: + +"All right, I'm comin'!" + +Half way across the pole began to tear its roots from the bluff. He felt +it sinking, stopped and held his breath as it suddenly broke with a +crash and fell. + +"Look out! Hold tight!" Austin yelled. + +He did his best, but lost his balance and toppled head downward into the +deep still water. + +His mouth flew open at the first touch of the chill stream; he gasped +for breath and drew into his lungs a strangling flood. The blood rushed +to his brain in a wild explosion of terror. He struck out madly with his +long arms and legs, fighting with desperation for breath and drinking in +only the agony and fear of death. His mother's voice came low and faint +and far away in some other world, saying softly: + +"Be good now, while we're gone!" + +Again he struck out blindly, fiercely, madly into the darkness that was +slowly swallowing him body and soul. + +His hand touched something as he sank, he grasped it with instinctive +terror and knew no more until he waked in the infernal regions with the +Devil sitting on his stomach glaring into his eyes and holding him by +the throat trying to choke him to death. His head was down a steep hill. + +With a mighty effort he threw the Devil off, loosed his hold and sucked +in a tiny breath of air, and then another and another, coughing and +spluttering and wheezing foam and water from his mouth and ears and nose +and eyes. + +At last a voice gasped: + +"Is--that--you--Austin?" + +"You bet it's me! I got ye a breathin' all right now--who'd ye think it +wuz?" + +The Boy coughed again and squeezed his lungs clear of water. + +"Why--I was afraid I was dead and you was the Old Scratch and had me." + +"Well, I thought you was a goner shore nuff till yer hand grabbed the +pole I stuck after ye. Man alive, but you did hold onto it! I lakened +ter never got yer hand loose so's I could pull ye up on the bank and +turn ye upside down and squeeze the water outen ye." + +"Did you sit on my stomach and choke me?" the Boy asked. + +"I set on yer and mashed the water out, but I didn't choke you." + +"I thought the Old Scratch had me!" + +For an hour they talked in awed whispers of Sin and Death and Trouble +and then the blood of youth shook off the nightmare. + +They were alive and unhurt. They were all right and it was a good joke. +They swore eternal secrecy. The day was yet young and it was a glorious +one. Their clothes were wet and they had to be dried before night. That +settled it. They would strip, hang their clothes in the hot sun and +wallow in the sand and play in the shallow water until sundown. + +"And besides," Austin urged, "this here's a warnin' straight from the +Lord--me and you must learn ter swim." + +"That's so, ain't it?" the Boy agreed. + +"It's what I calls a sign from on high--and it pints right into the +creek!" + +They agreed that the thing to do was to heed at once this divine +revelation and devote the whole Sabbath day to the solemn work--in the +creek. + +They found a beautifully sunny spot with an immense sand bar and wide +shallow safe waters. They carefully placed their clothes to dry and +basked in the bright sun. They practiced swimming in water waist deep +and Austin learned to make three strokes and reach the length of his +body before sinking. + +They rolled in the sun again and ate their lunch. They ran naked through +the woods to a branch that flowed into the creek, followed it to the +source and drank at a beautiful spring. + +Through the long afternoon they lived in a fairy world of freedom, of +dreams and make-believe. They talked of great hunters and discussed the +best methods of attacking all manner of wild beasts. + +The sun was sinking toward the western hills when they hastily picked up +their clothes and found a safe ford across which they could wade, +holding their things above their heads. + +The Boy reached the house just as the wagon drove up to the door. He +hurried to help his father with the horse. A sense of elation filled his +mind that he was shrewd enough to keep his own secrets. Of course, his +mother needn't know what had happened. He was none the worse for it. + +In answer to her question of how he had spent the day he vaguely +answered: + +"In the woods. They're awfully pretty now with the dogwood all in +bloom." + +He talked incessantly at supper, teasing Sarah about her jolly time at +the meeting. Toward the end of the meal he grew silent. A curious +sensation began on his back and shoulders and arms. He paid no attention +to it at first, but it rapidly grew worse. The more he tried to shake +off the feeling the more distinct and sharp it grew. At last every inch +of his body seemed to be on fire. + +He rose slowly from the table and walked to his stool in the corner +wondering--wondering and fearing. He sat in dead silence for half an +hour. The perspiration began to stand out on his forehead. It was no use +longer to try to fool himself, there was something the matter--something +big--something terrible! A fierce and scorching fever was burning him to +death. He dared not move. Every muscle quivered with agony when he +tried. + +The mother's keen eye saw the tears he couldn't keep back. + +"What's the matter, Boy?" she tenderly asked while his father was at the +stable putting the wagon under the shed. + +"I don't know 'm," he choked. "I'm all on fire--I'm burnin' up----" + +She touched his forehead and slipped her arm around his shoulders. + +He screamed with pain. + +The mother looked into his face with a sudden start. + +"Why, what on earth, child? What have you been doing to-day?" + +He hesitated and tried to be brave, but it was no use. He felt that he +would drop dead the next moment unless relief came. He buried his face +in her lap and sobbed his bitter confession. + +"Do you think I'm going to die?" he asked. + +She smiled: + +"No, my Boy, you're only sunburned. How long were you naked in the sun?" + +"From 'bout ten o'clock till nearly sundown----" + +He moved again and screamed with agony. + +The mother tenderly undressed the little, red, swollen body. The rough +clothes had stuck to the blistered skin in one place and the pain was so +frightful he nearly fainted before they were finally removed. + +For two days and nights she never left his side, holding his hand to +give him courage when he was compelled to move. Almost his entire body, +inch by inch, was blistered. She covered it with cream and allowed only +two greased linen cloths to touch him. + +On the second day as he lay panting for breath and holding her hand with +feverish grasp he looked into her pensive grey eyes through his own +bleared and bloodshot with pain and said softly: + +"I'm sorry, Ma." + +She pressed his hand: + +"It's all right, my Boy; your mother loves you." + +"I'm not sorry for the pain," he gasped. "What hurts me worse is that +you're so sweet to me!" + +The dark face bent and kissed his trembling lips: + +"It's all for the best. You couldn't have understood the preacher Sunday +when he took the text: 'The stars in their courses fought against +Sisera.' You learned it for yourself the only way we really learn +anything. God's in the wind and rain, the sun, the storm. All nature +works with him. You can easily fool your mother. It's not what you seem +to others; it's what you are that counts. God sees and knows. You see +and know in your little heart. I want you to be a great man--only a good +man can ever be great." + +And so for an hour she poured into his heart her faith in God and His +glory until He became the one power fixed forever in the child's +imagination. + + +VII + +The Boy lost his skin but grew another and incidentally absorbed some +ideas he never forgot. + +On the day he was able to put on his clothes, it poured down rain and +work in the fields was impossible. A sense of delicious joy filled him. +He worked because he had to, not because he liked it. He was too proud +to shirk, too brave to cry when every nerve and muscle of his little +body ached with mortal weariness, but he hated it. + +The sun rose bright and warm and shone clear in the Southern sky next +morning before he was called. He climbed down the ladder from his loft +wondering what marvellous thing had happened that he should be sleeping +with the sun already high in the heavens. + +"What's the matter, Ma?" he asked anxiously. "Why didn't you call me?" + +"It's too wet to plow. Your father's going to chop wood in the clearing. +He wanted you to pile brush after him, but I asked him to let you off to +go fishing for me." + +He ate breakfast with his heart beating a tattoo, rushed into the +garden, dug a gourd full of worms, drew his long cane rod from the +eaves of the cabin, and with old Boney trotting at his heels was soon on +his way to a deep pool in the bend of the creek. + +Fishing for _her_! His mother understood. He wondered why he had ever +been fool enough to disobey her that Sunday. He could die for her +without a moment's hesitation. + +It was glorious to have this marvellous day of spring all his own. The +birds were singing on every field and hedge. The trees flashed their +polished new leaves. The sweet languor of the South was in the air and +he drew it in with deep breaths that sent the joy of life tingling +through every vein. + +Four joyous hours flew on tireless wings. He had caught five catfish and +a big eel--more than enough for a good meal for the whole family. + +He held them up proudly. How his mother's eyes would sparkle! He could +see Sarah's admiring gaze and hear his father's good-natured approval. + +He had just struck the path for home when the forlorn figure of a rough +bearded man came limping to meet him. + +He stepped aside in the grass to let him pass. But the man stopped and +gazed at the fish. + +"My, my, Sonny, but you've got a fine string there!" he exclaimed. + +"Pretty good for one day," the Boy proudly answered. + +"An' just ter think I ain't had nothin' ter eat in 'most two days." + +"Don't you live nowhere?" the youngster asked in surprise. + +"I used ter have a home afore the war, but my folks thought I wuz dead +an' moved away. I'm tryin' ter find 'em. Hit's a hard job with a +Britisher's bullet still a-pinchin' me in the leg." + +"Did you fight with General Washington?" + +"Lordy, no, I ain't that old, ef I do look like a scarecrow. No, I fit +under Old Hickory at New Orleans. I tell ye, Sonny, them Britishers +burnt out Washington fur us but we give 'em a taste o' fire at New +Orleans they ain't goin' ter fergit." + +"Did we lick 'em good?" + +"Boy, ye ain't never heard tell er sich a scrimmage--we thrashed 'em +till they warn't no fight in 'em, an' they scrambled back aboard them +ships an' skeddaddled home. Britishers can't fight nohow. We've licked +'em twice an' we kin lick 'em agin. But the old soldier that does the +fightin'--everybody fergits him!" + +The Boy looked longingly at his string of fish for a moment with the +pride of his heart, and then held up his treasure. + +"You can have my fish if ye want 'em; they'll make you a nice supper." + +The old soldier stroked the tangled hair and took his string of fish. + +"You're a fine boy! I won't fergit you, Sonny!" + +The words comforted him until he neared the house. And then a sense of +bitter loss welled up in spite of all. + +"Did I do right, Ma?" he asked wistfully. + +She placed her hand on his forehead: + +"Yes--I'm proud of you. I know what that gift cost a boy's heart. It was +big because it was all you had and the pride of your soul was in it." + +The sense of loss was gone and he was rich and happy again. + +When the supper was over and they sat before the flickering firelight he +asked her a question over which his mind had puzzled since he left the +old soldier. + +"Why is it," he said thoughtfully, "British soldiers can't fight?" + +The mother smiled: + +"Who said they couldn't fight?" + +"The old soldier I gave my fish to. He said we just made hash out o' +them. We've licked 'em twice and we can do it again!" + +The last sentence he didn't quote. He gave it as a personal opinion +based on established facts. + +"We didn't win because the British couldn't fight," the mother gravely +responded. + +"Then why?" he persisted. + +"The Lord was good to us." + +"How?" + +The question came with an accent of indignation. Sometimes he couldn't +help getting cross with his mother when she began to give the Lord +credit for everything. If the Lord did it all why should he give his +string of fish to an old soldier! + +The grey eyes looked into his with wistful tenderness. She had been +shocked once before by the fear that there was something in this child's +eternal why that would keep him out of the church. The one deep desire +of her heart was that he should be good. + +"Would you like to hear," she began softly, "something about the +Revolution which my old school teacher told me in Virginia?" + +"Yes, tell me!" he answered eagerly. + +"He said that we could never have won our independence but for God. We +didn't win because British soldiers couldn't fight. We held out for ten +years because we outran them. We ran quicker, covered more ground, got +further into the woods and stayed there longer than any fighters the +British had ever met before. That's why we got the best of them. Our men +who fought and ran away lived to fight another day. General Washington +was always great in retreat. He never fought unless he was ready and +could choose his own field. He waited until his enemies were in snug +quarters drinking and gambling, and then on a dark night, so dark and +cold that some of his own men would freeze to death, he pushed across a +river, fell on them, cut them to pieces and retreated. + +"The number of men he commanded was so small he could not face his foes +in the open if he could avoid it. His men were poorly armed, poorly +drilled, half-clothed and half-starved at times. The British troops were +the best drilled and finest fighting men of the world in their day, +armed with good guns, well fed, well clothed, and well paid." + +She paused and smiled at the memory of her teacher's narrative. + +"What do you suppose happened on one of our battlefields?" + +"I dunno--what?" + +"When the Red-coats charged, our boys ran at the first crack of a gun. +They ran so well that they all got away except one little fellow who had +a game leg. He stumbled and fell in a hole. A big British soldier raised +a musket to brain him. The little fellow looked up and cried: 'All +right. Kill away, ding ye--ye won't get much!' + +"The Britisher laughed, picked him up, brushed his clothes and told him +to go home." + +The Boy laughed again and again. + +"He was a spunky one anyhow, wasn't he?" + +"Yes," the mother nodded, "that's why the Red-coat let him go. And we +never could have endured if God hadn't inspired one man to hold fast +when other hearts had failed." + +"And who was he?" the Boy broke in. + +"General Washington. At Valley Forge our cause was lost but for him. Our +men were not paid. They could get no clothes, they were freezing and +starving. They quit and went home in hundreds and gave up in despair. +And then, Boy----" + +Her voice dropped to a tense whisper: + +"General Washington fell on his knees and prayed until he saw the +shining face of God and got his answer. Next day he called his ragged, +hungry men together and said: + +"'Soldiers, though all my armies desert, the war shall go on. If I must, +I'll gather my faithful followers in Virginia, retreat to the mountains +and fight until our country is free!' + +"His words cheered the despairing men and they stood by him. We were +saved at last because help came in time. Lord Cornwallis had laid the +South in ashes, and camped at Yorktown, his army of veterans laden with +spoils. He was only waiting for the transports from New York to take his +victorious men North, join the army there and end the war, and then----" + +She drew a deep breath and her eyes sparkled: + +"And then, Boy, it happened--the miracle! Into the Chesapeake Bay in +Virginia, three big ships dropped anchor at the mouth of the York River. +Our people on the shore thought they were the transports and that the +end had come. But the ships were too far away to make out their flags, +and so they sent swift couriers across the Peninsula, to see if there +were any signs in the roadstead at Hampton. There--Glory to God! lay a +great fleet flying the flag of France. The French had loaned us twenty +millions of dollars, and sent their navy and their army to help us. Had +the Lord sent down a host from the sky we couldn't have been more +surprised. They landed, joined with General Washington's ragged men, and +closed in on Cornwallis. Surprised and trapped he surrendered and we +won. + +"But there never was a year before that, my Boy, that we were strong +enough to resist the British army had the mother country sent a real +general here to command her troops." + +"Why didn't she?" the Boy interrupted. + +Again the mother's voice dropped low: + +"Because God wouldn't let her--that's the only reason. If Lord Clive had +ever landed on our shores, Washington might now be sleeping in a +traitor's grave." + +The voice again became soft and dreamy--almost inaudible. + +"And he didn't come?" the Boy whispered. + +"No. On the day he was to sail he put the papers in his pocket, went +into his room, locked the door and blew his own brains out. This is +God's country, my son. He gave us freedom. He has great plans for us." + +The fire flickered low and the Boy's eyes glowed with a strange +intensity. + + +VIII + +A barbecue, with political speaking, was held at the village ten miles +away. The family started at sunrise. The day was an event in the lives +of every man, woman and child within a radius of twenty miles. Many came +as far as thirty miles and walked the whole distance. Before nine +o'clock a crowd of two thousand had gathered. + +The dark, lithe young mother who led her boy by the hand down the +crowded aisle of the improvised brush arbor that day performed a deed +which was destined to change the history of the world. + +The speaker who held the crowd spellbound for two hours was Henry Clay. +The Boy not only heard an eloquent orator. His spirit entered for all +time into fellowship with a great human soul. + +In words that throbbed with passion, he pictured the coming glory of a +mighty nation whose shores would be washed by two oceans, whose wealth +and manhood would be the hope and inspiration of the world. Never before +had words been given such wings. The ringing tones found the Boy's soul +and set his brain on fire. A big idea was born within his breast. This +was his country. His feet pressed its soil. Its hills and plains, its +rivers and seas were his. His hands would help to build this vision of a +great spirit into the living thing. He breathed softly and his eyes +sparkled. When the crowd cheered, he leaped to his feet, swung his +little cap into the air and shouted with all his might. When the last +glowing picture of the peroration faded into a silence that could be +felt, and the tumult had died away, he saw men and women crowding around +the orator to shake his hand. + +"Take me, Ma!" he whispered. "I want to see him close!" + +The mother lifted him in her arms above the crowd, pressed forward, and +the Boy's shining eyes caught those of the brilliant statesman. Over the +heads of the men by his side the orator extended his hand and grasped +the trembling outstretched fingers. + +He smiled and nodded, that was all. The Boy understood. From that moment +he had an ideal leader whose words were inspired. + +The mother's dark face was lit for a moment with tender pride. She made +no effort to reach the orator's side. It was enough that she had seen +the flash from her Boy's eyes. She was content. The day was filled with +a great joy. + +The summer camp meetings began the following week. The grounds were +located a mile from the straggling little village which was the center +of the county's activities. All religious denominations used the +spacious auditorium for their services. The Methodists camped there an +entire month. The Baptists stayed but two weeks. The Baptist temperament +frowned on the social frivolities which were inseparable from these long +intimate associations at close quarters. The more volatile temperament +of the Methodists revelled in them, and Methodism grew with astounding +rapidity under the system. + +The auditorium was simply a huge quadrangular shed with board roof +uphold by cedar posts. At one end of the shed stood the platform on +which was built the pulpit, a square box-like structure about four feet +high. The seats were made of rough-hewn half logs set on pegs driven in +augur holes. There were no backs to them. A single wide aisle led from +the end facing the pulpit, and two narrow ones intersected the main +aisle at the centre. + +In front of the pulpit were placed the mourner's benches facing the +three sides of the space left for the free movement of the mourners +under the stress of religious emotion. + +The Boy's mother and father were devout members of the Baptist Church, +but they were not demonstrative. They modestly and reverently took their +seats in an inconspicuous position about midway the building, entering +from one of the small aisles on the side. The Boy had often been to a +regular church service before, but this was his first camp meeting. + +Four preachers sat in grim silence behind the pulpit's solid box front. +The Boy could just see the tops of their heads over the board that held +the big gilt-edged Bible. + +The entire first two days and nights were given to a series of terrific +sermons on Death, Hell, and the Judgment, with a brief glimpse of the +pearly gates of Heaven and a few strains from the golden harps inside +for the damned to hear by way of contrast. The first purpose of the +preachers was to arouse a deep under-current of religious emotional +excitement that at the proper moment would explode and sweep the crowd +with resistless fire. Usually the fuse was timed to explode on the +morning of the third day. Sometimes, when sermons of extraordinary +power had followed each other in rapid succession, the fire broke out by +a sort of spontaneous combustion on the night of the second day. + +It did so this time. The mother had no trouble in keeping the Boy by her +side through these first two days. He felt instinctively the growing +emotional tension about him, and knew in his bones that something would +break loose soon. He was keyed to a high pitch of interest to see just +what it would be like. + +The storm broke in the middle of the second sermon on the second night. +The preacher had worked himself into a frenzy of emotional excitement. +His arms were waving over his head, his eyes blazing, his feet stamping, +his voice screaming in anguish as he described the agony of a soul lost +forever in the seething cauldron of eternal hell fire! + +A tremulous startled moan, half-wail, half-scream came from a girl just +in front of the Boy, as she dropped her head in her hands. + +"What's the matter with her?" he whispered. "Has she got a pain?" + +His mother pressed his hand: + +"Sh!" + +And then the storm broke. From every direction came the startled cries +of long pent terror and anguish. The girl staggered to her feet and +started stumbling down the aisle to the mourners' bench without +invitation, and from every row of seats they tumbled, crowding on her +heels, sobbing, wailing, screaming, groaning. + +The preacher ceased to talk and, in a high tremulous voice, that rang +through the excited crowd as the peal of the Archangel's trumpet, began +to sing: + + "Come humble sinners in whose breasts + A thousand thoughts revolve!" + +The crowd rose instinctively and all who were not mourning, joined in +the half-savage, terror-stricken wail of the song. The sinners that +hadn't given up at the first break of the storm could not resist the +thrill of this wild music. One by one they pushed their way through the +crowd, found the aisle and staggered blindly to the front. + +The Boy noticed curiously that it seemed to be the rule for them to +completely cover their streaming eyes with a handkerchief or with the +bare hands and go it blindly for the mourners' benches. If they missed +the way and butted into anything, a church member kindly took them by +the arm and guided them to a vacant place where they dropped on their +knees. + +The Boy had leaped on the bench and stood beside his mother to get a +better view of the turmoil. He couldn't keep his eyes off a tall, +red-headed, thick-bearded man just across the aisle three rows behind +who kept twitching his face, looking toward the door and struggling +against the impulse to follow the mourners. Presently he broke down with +a loud cry: + +"Lord, have mercy!" + +He placed his hands over his face and started on a run to the front. + +The Boy giggled, and his mother pinched him. + +"Did ye see that red-headed feller, Ma," he whispered. "He didn't do +fair. He peeked through his fingers--I saw his eyes!" + +"Sh!" + +The preachers had come down from the pulpit now and stood over the +wailing prostrated mourners and exhorted them to repent and believe +before it was forever and eternally too late. Three of them were talking +at the same time to different groups of mourners. The louder they +exhorted the louder the sinners cried. The fourth preacher walked down +the aisle searching for those who were yet hardening their hearts and +stiffening their necks. He paused beside a prim little old maid who had +lately arrived from Tidewater Virginia. Her bright eyes were dry. + +"Dear lady, are you a child of God?" the preacher cried. + +The prim figured stiffened indignantly: + +"No, sir! I'm an Episcopalian!" + +The preacher groaned and passed on and the Boy stuffed his fist in his +mouth. + +For half an hour the roar of the conflict was incessant, and its +violence indescribable. It was broken now and then by a kindly soul +among the elderly women raising a sweet old-fashioned hymn. + +Suddenly an exhorter threw his hands above his head and, in a voice that +soared above the roar of mourners and their attendants, cried: + +"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world!" + +Quick as a flash came an answering shout from the red-headed man who +leaped to his feet and with wide staring eyes looked up at the roof. + +"I see him! I see Jesus up a tree!" + +A fat woman lifted her head and shouted: + +"Hold him till I get there!" + +And she started for the red-headed man. There was a single moment of +strange silence and the Boy laughed aloud. + +His mother caught and shook him violently. He crammed his little fist +again into his mouth, but the stopper wouldn't hold. + +He dropped to his seat to keep the people from seeing him, buried his +face in his hands and laughed in smothered giggles in spite of all his +mother could do. + +At last he whispered: + +"Take me out quick! I'm goin' to bust--I'll bust wide open I tell ye!" + +She rose sternly, seized his arm and led him a half mile into the woods. +He kept looking back and laughing softly. + +She gazed at him sorrowfully: + +"I'm ashamed of you, Boy! How could you do such a thing!" + +"I just couldn't help it!" + +He sat down on a stone and laughed again. + +"What makes the fools holler so?" he asked through his tears. + +"They are praying God to forgive their sins." + +"But why holler so loud? He ain't deaf--is He? You said that God's in +the sun and wind and dew and rain--in the breath we breathe. Ain't He +everywhere then? Why do they holler at Him?" + +The mother turned away to hide a smile she couldn't keep back, and a +cloud overspread her dark face. Surely this was an evil sign--this +spirit of irreverent levity in the mind of a child so young. What could +it mean? She had forgotten that she had been teaching him to think, and +didn't know, perhaps, that he who thinks must laugh or die. + +After that she let him spend long hours at the spring playing with boys +and girls of his age. He didn't go into the meetings again. But he +enjoyed the season. The watermelons, muskmelons, and ginger cakes were +the best he had ever eaten. + + +IX + +During the Christmas holidays the father got ready for a coon hunt in +which the Boy should see his first battle royal in the world of sport. + +Dennis came over and brought four extra dogs, two of his own and two +which he had borrowed for the holidays. + +A sudden change came over the spirit of old Boney--short for Napoleon +Bonaparte. He understood the talk about coons as clearly as if he could +speak the English language. He was in a quiver of eager excitement. He +knew from the Boy's talk that he was going, too. He wagged his tail, +pushed his warm nose under his little friend's arm, whining and +trembling while he tried to explain what it meant to strike a coon's +trail in the deep night, chase him over miles of woods and swamps and +field, tree him and fight it out, a battle to the death between dog and +beast! + +At two o'clock, before day, his father's voice called and in a jiffy he +was down the ladder, his eyes shining. He had gone to sleep with his +clothes on and lost no time in dressing. + +Without delay the start was made. Down the dim pathway to the creek and +then along its banks for two miles, its laughing waters rippling soft +music amid the shadows, or gleaming white and mirror-like in the +starlit open spaces. + +In half an hour the stars were obscured by a thin veil of fleecy clouds, +and, striking no trail in the bottoms, they turned to the big tract of +woods on the hills and plunged straight into their depths for two miles. + +"Hush!" + +Tom suddenly stopped: + +Far off to the right came the bark of a dog on the run. + +"Ain't that old Boney's voice?" the father asked. + +"I don't think so," the Boy answered. + +The note of wild savage music was one he had never heard before. + +"Yes it was, too," was the emphatic decision. He squared his broad +shoulders and gave the hunter's shout of answer-joy to the dog's call. + +Never had the Boy heard such a shout from human lips. It sent shivers +down his spine. + +The dog heard and louder came the answering note, a deep tremulous boom +through the woods that meant to the older man's trained ear that he was +on the run. + +"That's old Boney shore's yer born!" the father cried, "an' he ain't got +no doubts 'bout hit nother. He's got his head in the air. The trail's so +hot he don't have ter nose the ground. You'll hear somethin' in a minute +when the younger pups git to him." + +Two hounds suddenly opened with long quivering wails. + +"Thar's my dogs--they've hit it now!" Dennis cried excitedly. + +Another hound joined the procession, then another and another, and in +two minutes the whole pack of eight were in full cry. + +Again the hunter's deep voice rang his wild cheer through the woods and +every dog raised his answering cry a note higher. + +"Ain't that music!" Tom cried in ecstacy. + +They stood and listened. The dogs were still in the woods and with each +yelp were coming nearer. Evidently the trail led toward them, but in the +rear and almost toward the exact spot at which they had entered the +forest. + +"Just listen at old Boney!" the Boy cried. "I can tell him now. He can +beat 'em all!" + +Loud and clear above the chorus of the others rang the long savage boom +of Boney's voice, quivering with passion, defiant, daring, sure of +victory! It came at regular intervals as if to measure the miles that +separated him from the battle he smelled afar. He was far in the lead. +He was past-master of this sport. The others were not in his class. + +The Boy's heart swelled with pride. + +"Old Boney's showin' 'em all the way!" he exclaimed triumphantly. + +"Yer can bet he always does that, Sonny!" the father answered. "That's a +hot trail. Nigh ez I can figger we're goin' ter have some fun. There's +more'n one coon travelin' over that ground." + +"How can you tell?" Dennis asked incredulously. + +"Hit's too easy fer the other pups--they'd lose the scent now an' then +ef they weren't but one. They ain't lost it a minute since they struck +it--Lord, jest listen!" + +He paused and held his breath. + +"Did ye ever hear anything like hit on this yearth!" Dennis cried. + +Every dog was opening now at the top of his voice at regular intervals, +the swing and leap of their bodies over the brush and around the trees +registering in each stirring note. + +Again Tom gave a shout of approval. + +The sound of the leader's voice suddenly flattened and faded. + +"By Gum!" the old hunter cried, "they've left the woods, struck that +field an' makin' for the creek! Ye won't need that axe ter-night, +Dennis." + +"Why?" + +"Wait an' see!" was the short answer. + +They hurried from the woods and had scarcely reached the edge of the +field when suddenly old Boney's cry stopped short and in a moment the +others were silent. + +"Good Lord, they've lost it!" Dennis groaned. + +And then came the quick, sharp, fierce bark of the leader announcing +that the quarry had been located. + +Tom gave a yell of triumph and started on a run for the spot. + +"Up one o' them big sycamores in the edge o' that water I'll bet!" +Dennis wailed. + +"You'll need no axe," was the older man's short comment. + +They pushed their way rapidly through the cane to the banks of the creek +and found the dogs scratching with might and main straight down into the +sand about ten feet from the water's edge. + +"Well, I'll be doggoned," Dennis cried, "if I ever seed anything like +that afore! They've gone plum crazy. They ain't no hole here. A coon +can't jist drap inter the ground without a hole." + +The old hunter laughed: + +"No, but a coon mought learn somethin' from a beaver now an' then an' +locate the door to his house under the water line an' climb up here ter +find a safe place, couldn't he?" + +"I don't believe it!" Dennis sneered. + +"You'll have ter go to the house an' git a spade," Tom said finally. +"It'll take one ter dig a hole big enough ter ever persuade one er these +dogs ter put his nose in that den. Hit ain't more'n a mile ter the +house--hurry back." + +Dennis started on a run. + +"Don't yer let 'em out an' start that fight afore I git here!" he +called. + +"You'll see it all," Tom reassured him. + +He made the dogs stop scratching and lie down to rest. + +"Jest save yer strenk, boys," Tom cried. "Yer'll need it presently." + +They sat down, the father lit his pipe and told the Boy the story of a +great fight he had witnessed on such a creek bank once before in his +life. + +Day was dawning and the eastern sky reddening. + +The Boy stamped on the solid ground and couldn't believe it possible +that any dog could smell game through six feet of earth. + +He lifted Boney's long nose and looked at it curiously. His wonderful +nostrils were widely distended and though he lay quite still in the sand +on the edge of the hole his muscles were quivering with excitement and +his wistful hound eyes had in them now the red glare of coming battle. + +It was quick work when Dennis arrived to throw the sand and soft earth +away and open a hole five feet in depth and of sufficient width to allow +all the dogs to get foothold inside. + +Suddenly the spade crashed through an opening below and the rasp of +sharp desperate teeth and claws rang against its polished surface. + +"Did you hear that?" Tom laughed. + +Another spadeful out and they could be plainly seen. How many it was +impossible to tell, but three pairs of glowing bloodshot eyes in the +shadows showed plainly. + +Tom straightened his massive figure and gave a shout to the dogs. They +all danced around the upper rim of the hole and barked with fierce +boastful yelps, but not one would venture his nose within two feet of +those grim shining eyes. + +"Well, Dennis," Tom sighed, "I reckon I'll have ter shove you down thar +an' hold ye by the heels while yer pull one of 'em out!" + +"I'll be doggoned ef yer do!" he remarked with emphasis. + +Tom laughed. "You wuz afeared ye wouldn't git here in time ye know." + +"Oh, I'm in time all right!" + +The hunter put his hands in his pockets and gazed at the warriors below. + +"Waal, we'll try ter git a dog ter yank one of 'em out an' then they'll +all come. But I have my doubts. I don't believe that Godamighty ever yet +built a dog that'll stick his nose in that hole. Hit takes three dogs +ter kill one coon in a fair fight. Old Boney's the only pup I ever seed +do it by hisself. But it's askin' too much o' him ter stick his nose in +a place like that with three of 'em lookin' right at him ready ter tear +his eyes out. But they ain't nothin' like tryin'----" + +He paused and looked at the old warrior of a hundred bloody fields, +pointed at the bottom of the hole and in stern command shouted: + +"Fetch 'em out, Bone!" + +With a deep growl the faithful old soldier sprang to the front. With +teeth shining in white gleaming rows he scrambled within a foot of the +opening of the den, circled it twice, his eyes fixed on the flashing +lights below. They followed his every move. He tried the stratagem of +right and left flank movements, but the space was too narrow. He dashed +straight toward the opening once with a loud angry cry, hoping to get +the flash of a coward's back. He met three double rows of white +needle-like teeth daring him to come on. + +He squatted flat on his belly and growled with desperate fury, but he +wouldn't go closer. The hunter urged in vain. + +"Hit's no use!" he cried at last. "Jest ez well axe er dog ter walk into +a den er lions. I don't blame him." + +The Boy's pride was hurt. + +"I can make him bring one out," he said. + +Tom shook his head: + +"Not much. Less see ye?" + +The Boy stepped down to the dog's side. + +"Look out, ye fool, don't let yer foot slip in thar!" his father +warned. + +The Boy knelt beside the dog, patted his back and began to talk to him +in low tense tones: + +"Fetch 'im out, Bone! Go after 'm! Sick 'em, boy, sick 'em!" + +Closer and closer the brave old fighter edged his way, only a low mad +growl answering to the Boy's urging. His eyes were blazing now in the +red rays of the rising sun like two balls of fire. With a sudden savage +plunge he hurled himself into the den and quick as a flash of lightning +his short hairy neck gave a flirt, and a coon as large as one of the +hounds whizzed ten feet into the air, and, with his white teeth shining, +struck the ground, lighting squarely on his feet. A hound dashed for him +and one slap from the long sharp claws sent him howling and bleeding +into the canes. + +But old Boney had watched him in the air, and, circling the pack that +faced the coon, with a quick leap had downed him. Then every dog was +with him and the battle was on. Eight dogs to one coon and yet so sharp +were his claws, so keen the steel-like points of his teeth, he sometimes +had four dogs rolling in agony beside the growling mass of fur and teeth +and nails. + +The fight had scarcely begun when one of the remaining coons leaped out +of the den. Tom's watchful eye had seen him. He pulled three dogs from +the first battle group and hurled them on the new fighter. He had +scarcely started this struggle when the third sprang to the top of the +earthen breastwork, surveyed the field and with sullen deliberation, +trotted to the water's edge, jumped in and, placing two paws on a +swaying limb, dared any dog to come. + +Here was work for the veteran! Boney was the only dog in the pack who +would dare accept that challenge. Tom choked him off the first coon, +pulled him to the bank and showed him his enemy in the water. He looked +just a moment at the snarling, daring mouth and made the plunge. + +The boy had followed the dog and watched with bated breath. He circled +the coon twice, swimming in swift graceful curves. But his enemy was too +shrewd. A flank movement was impossible. The coon's fierce mouth was +squarely facing him at every turn and the dog plunged straight on his +foe. + +To his horror the Boy saw the fangs sink into his friend's head, four +sets of sharp claws circle his neck, a tense grey ball of fur hanging +its dead weight below. The water ran red for a moment as both slowly +sank to the bottom. + +Eyes wide with anguish he heard his father cry: + +"By the Lord, he'll kill that dog shore--he's a goner!" + +"No, he won't neither!" the Boy shouted, leaping into the water where he +saw them go down. + +Before his father could warn him of the danger his head disappeared in +the deep still eddy. + +"Look out for us, Dennis, with a pole I'm goin' ter dive fer 'em!" + +In a moment they came to the surface, the man holding the Boy, the Boy +grasping his dog, the coon fastened to the dog's head. + +"Well, don't that beat the devil!" Tom laughed, as he carried them to a +little rocky island in the middle of the creek. + +The Boy intent on saving his dog had held his breath and was not even +strangled. The dog had buried his nose in the coon's throat and was +chewing and choking with savage determination. + +Tom stood over them now on the little island with its smooth stone-paved +battle arena ringed with the music of laughing waters. He threw both +hands above his shaggy head and yelled himself hoarse--the wild cry of +the hunter's soul in delirious joy. + +"_Yaaaiih! Yaaaiiih!_" + +A moment's pause, and then the low snarl and growl and clash of tooth +and claw! Again the hunter's gnarled hands flew over his head. + +"_Yaaaiih! Yaaaaiiih! Yaaiih! Yaaaaiiiihhh!!_" + +On the shore Dennis stood first over one group of swirling, rolling, +snarling brutes, and then over the other, yelling and cheering. + +The coon on the island suddenly broke his assailant's death-like grip, +and, with a quick leap, reached the water. Boney was on him in a moment +and down they went beneath the surface again. + +The Boy sprang to the rescue. + +His father brushed him roughly aside: + +"Keep out! I'll git 'em!" + +Three times the coon made the dash for deep water and three times Tom +carried both dog and coon back to the little island yelling his battle +cry anew. + +The smooth stones began to show red. Fur and dog hair flew in little +tufts and struck the ground, sometimes with the flat splash of red +flesh. + +The Boy frowned and his lips quivered. At last he could hold in no +longer. Through chattering teeth he moaned: + +"He'll kill Boney, Pa!" + +"Let him alone!" was the sharp command. "I never see sich a dog in my +life. He'll kill that coon by hisself, I tell ye!" + +Again his enemy broke Boney's grim hold on his throat, sprang back four +feet and, to the dog's surprise, made no effort to reach the water. +Instead he stood straight and quivering on his hind legs and faced his +enemy, his white needle-like fangs gleaming in two rows and his savage +fore-claws opening and closing with deadly threat. + +The old warrior, taken completely by surprise by this new stratagem of +his foe, circled in a vain effort to reach the flank or rear. Each turn +only brought them again face to face, and at last he plunged straight on +the centre line of attack. With a quick side leap the coon struck the +dog's head a blow with his claw that split his ear for three inches as +cleanly and evenly as if a surgeon's knife had been used. + +With a low growl of rage and pain, Boney wheeled and repeated his +assault with the same results for the other ear. He turned in silence +and deliberately crept toward his foe. There would be no chance for a +side blow. He wouldn't plunge or spring. He might get another bloody +gash, but he wouldn't miss again. + +This time he found the body, they closed and rolled over and over in +close blood-stained grip. For the first time Tom's face showed doubts, +and he called to Dennis: + +"Choke off two dogs from that fust coon an' throw 'em in here!" + +They came in a moment and clinched with Boney's enemy. The charge of two +new troopers drove the coon to desperation. The sharp claws flew like +lightning. The new dogs ran back into the water with howls of pain and +scrambled up the bank to their old job. + +Boney paid no attention either to the unexpected assault of his friends +or their ignoble desertion. Every ounce of his dog-manhood was up now. +It was a battle to the death and he had no wish to live if he couldn't +whip any coon that ever made a track in his path. + +The Boy's pride was roused now and the fighting instinct that slumbers +in every human soul flashed through his excited eyes. He drew near and +watched with increasing excitement and joined with his father at last in +shouts and cheers. + +"Did ye ever see such a dog!" he cried through his tears. + +"He beats creation!" was the admiring answer. + +The Boy bent low over the squirming pair and his voice was in perfect +tune with his dog's low growl: + +"Eat him up, Bone! Eat him alive!" + +"Don't touch 'em!" Tom warned. "Let 'im have a fair fight--ef he don't +kill that coon I'll eat 'im raw, hide an' hair!" + +Boney had succeeded at last in fastening his teeth in a firm grip on the +coon's throat. He held it without a cry of pain while the claws ripped +his ears and gashed his head. Deeper and deeper sank his teeth until at +last the razor claws that were cutting relaxed slowly and the long lean +body with its beautiful fur lay full length on the red-marked stones. + +The dog loosed his hold instantly. His work was done. He scorned to +strike a fallen foe. He started to the water's edge to quench his thirst +and staggered in a circle. The blood had blinded him. + +The Boy sprang to his side, lifted him tenderly in his arms, carried him +to the water and bathed his eyes and head. + +"He's cut all to pieces!" he sobbed at last. "He'll die--I just know +it!" + +"Na!" his father answered scornfully. "Be all right in two or three +days." + +The Boy went back and looked at the slim body of the dead coon with +wonder. + +"Why did this one fight so much harder than the ones on the bank?" he +asked thoughtfully. + +"'Cause she's their mother," Tom said casually, "an' them's her two +children." + +Something hurt deep down in the Boy's soul as he looked at the graceful +nose and the red-stained fur at her throat. He saw his mother's straight +neck and head outlined again against the starlit sky the night she stood +before him rifle in hand and shot at that midnight prowler. + +His mouth closed firmly and he spoke with bitter decision: + +"I don't like coon hunting. I'm not coming any more." + +"Good Lord, Boy, we got ter have skins h'ain't we?" was the hearty +answer. + +"I reckon so," he sorrowfully admitted. But all the way home he walked +in brooding silence. + + +X + +The following winter brought the event for which the mother had planned +and about which she had dreamed since her boy was born--a school! + +The men gathered on the appointed day, cut the logs and split the boards +for the house. Another day and it was raised and the roof in place. + +Tom volunteered to make the teacher's table and chair and benches for +the scholars. He had the best set of tools in the county and he wished +to do it because he knew it would please his wife. There was no money in +it but his life was swiftly passing in that sort of work. He was too +big-hearted and generous to complain. Besides the world in which he +lived--the world of field and wood, of dog and gun, of game and the open +road was too beautiful and interesting to complain about it. He was glad +to be alive and tried to make his neighbors think as he did about it. + +When the great day dawned the young mother eagerly prepared breakfast +for her children. She wouldn't allow Sarah to help this morning. It must +be a perfect day in her life. She washed the Boy's face and hands with +scrupulous care when the breakfast things were cleared away, and her +grey eyes were shining with a joy he had never seen before. He caught +her excitement and the spirit of it took possession of his imagination. + +"What'll school be like, Ma?" he asked in a tense whisper. + +"Oh, this one won't be very exciting; maybe in a little room built of +logs. But it's the beginning, Boy, of greater things. Just spelling, +reading, writing and arithmetic now--but you're starting on the way that +leads out of these silent, lonely woods into the big world where great +men fight and make history. Your father has never known this way. He's +good and kind and gentle and generous, but he's just a child, because +he doesn't know. You're going to be a man among men for your mother's +sake, aren't you?" + +She seized his arms and gripped them in her eagerness until he felt the +pain. + +"Won't you, Boy?" she repeated tensely. + +He looked up steadily and then slowly said: + +"Yes, I will." + +She clasped him impulsively in her arms and hurried from the cabin +leading the children by the hand. The Boy could feel her slender fingers +trembling. + +When they drew near the cross roads where the little log house had been +built, she stopped, nervously fixed their clothes, took off the Boy's +cap and brushed his thick black hair. + +They were the first to arrive, but in a few minutes others came, and by +nine o'clock more than thirty scholars were in their seats. The mother's +heart sank within her when she met the teacher and heard him talk. It +was only too evident that he was poorly equipped for his work. He could +barely read and could neither write nor teach arithmetic. The one +qualification about which there was absolute certainty, was that he +could lick the biggest boy in school whenever the occasion demanded it. +He conveyed this interesting bit of information to the assemblage in no +uncertain language. + +The mother could scarcely keep back her tears. By the end of the week it +was plain that her children knew as much as their teacher. + +"What's the use?" Tom asked in disgust. "Hit's a waste o' time an' +money. Let 'em quit!" + +"No, I can't take them out!" was the firm reply. "They may not learn +much, but if the school keeps going, don't you see, a better man will +come bye and bye, and then it will be worth while." + +Tom shook his head, but let her have her own way. + +"Besides," she went on, "he'll learn something being with the other +children." + +"Learn to fight, mebbe," the husband laughed. + +He did, too, and the way it came about was as big a surprise to the Boy +as it was to the youngster he fought. + +The small bully of the school lived in the same direction as the Boy and +Sarah. They frequently walked together for a mile going or coming and +grew to know one another well. The Boy disliked this tow-head urchin +from the moment they met. But he was quiet, unobtrusive and modest and +generally allowed the loud-mouthed one to have his way. The tow-head +took the Boy's quiet ways for submission and insisted on patronizing his +friend. The Boy good-naturedly submitted when it cost him nothing of +self-respect. + +At the close of school, the tow-head whispered: + +"Come by the spring with me, I want to show you somethin'!" + +"No, I don't want to," he replied. + +"Let Sarah go on an' we'll catch her--I got a funny trick ter show you. +You'll kill yourself a-laughin'." + +The Boy's curiosity was aroused and he consented. + +They hastened to the spring where the embers of a fire at which the +scholars were accustomed to warm their lunch, were still smouldering. +The tow-headed one drew from the corner of the fence a turtle which he +had captured and tied, scooped a red-hot coal from the fire with a +piece of board and placed it on the turtle's back. + +The poor creature, tortured by the burning coal, started in a scramble +trying to run from the fire. The tow-head roared with laughter. + +The Boy flushed with sudden rage, sprang forward and knocked the coal +off. + +The two faced each other. + +"You do that again an' I'll knock you down!" shouted the bully. + +"You do it again and I'll knock you down," was the sturdy answer. + +"You will, will you?" the tow-head cried with scorn. "Well, I'll show +you." + +With a bound he replaced the coal. + +The Boy knocked it off and pounced on him. + +The fight was brief. They had scarcely touched the ground before the Boy +was on top pounding with both his little, clinched fists. + +"Stop it--you're killin' me!" the under one screamed. + +"Will you let him alone?" the Boy hissed. + +"You're killin' me, I tell ye!" the tow-head yelled in terror. "Stop it +I say--would you kill a feller just for a doggoned old cooter?" + +"Will you let him alone?" + +"Yes, if ye won't kill me." + +The Boy slowly rose. The tow-head leaped to his feet and with a look of +terror started on a run. + +"You needn't run, I won't hit ye again!" the Boy cried. + +But the legs only moved faster. Never since he was born did the Boy see +a pair of legs get over the ground like that. He sat down and laughed +and then hurried on to join Sarah. + +He didn't tell his sister what had happened. His mother mustn't know +that he had been in a fight. But when he felt the touch of her hand on +his forehead that night as he rose from her knee he couldn't bear the +thought of deceiving her again and so he confessed. + +"It wasn't wrong, was it, to fight for a thing like that?" he asked +wistfully. + +"No," came the answer. "He needed a thrashing--the little scoundrel, and +I'm glad you did it." + + +XI + +The school flickered out in five weeks and the following summer another +lasted for six weeks. + +And then they moved to the land Tom had staked off in the heart of the +great forest fifteen miles from the northern banks of the Ohio. He would +still be in sight of the soil of Kentucky. + +The Boy's heart beat with new wonder as they slowly floated across the +broad surface of the river. He could conceive of no greater one. + +"There _is_ a bigger one!" his father said. "The Mississippi is the +daddy of 'em all--the Ohio's lost when it rolls into her +banks--stretchin' for a thousand miles an' more from the mountains in +the north way down to the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans." + +"And it's all ours?" he asked in wonder. + +"Yes, and plenty more big ones that pour into hit from the West." + +The Boy saw again the impassioned face of the orator telling the +glories of his country, and his heart swelled with pride. + +They left the river and plunged into the trackless forest. No roads had +yet scarred its virgin soil. Only the blazed trail for the first ten +miles--the trail Tom had marked with his own hatchet--and then the +magnificent woods without a mark. Five miles further they penetrated, +cutting down the brush and trees to make way for the wagon. + +They stopped at last on a beautiful densely wooded hill near a stream of +limpid water. A rough camp was quickly built Indian fashion and covered +with bear skins. + +The next day the father put into the Boy's hand the new axe he had +bought for him. + +"You're not quite eight years old, Boy," he said, encouragingly, "but +you're big as a twelve-year-old an' you're spunky. Do you think you can +swing an axe that's a man's size?" + +"Yes," was the sturdy answer. + +And from that day he did it with a song on his lips no matter how heavy +the heart that beat in his little breast. + +At first they cut the small poles and built a half-faced camp, and made +it strong enough to stand the storms of winter in case a cabin could not +be finished before spring. This half-faced camp was made of small logs +built on three sides, with the fourth open to the south. In front of +this opening the log fire was built and its flame never died day or +night. + +To the soul of the Boy this half-faced camp with its blazing logs in the +shadow of giant trees was the most wonderful dwelling he had ever seen. +The stars that twinkled in the sky beyond the lacing boughs were set in +his ceiling. No king in his palace could ask for more. + +But into the young mother's heart slowly crept the first shadows of a +nameless dread. Fifteen miles from a human habitation in the depths of +an unmarked wilderness with only a hunter's camp for her home, and she +had dreamed of schools! To her children her face always gave good cheer. +But at night she lay awake for long, pitiful hours watching the stars +and fighting the battle alone with despair. + +Yet there was never a thought of surrender. God lived and her faith was +in Him. The same stars were shining above that sparkled in old Virginia +and Kentucky. Something within sang for joy at the sight of her +Boy--strong of limb and dauntless of soul. He was God's answer to her +cry, and always she went the even tenor of her way singing softly that +he might hear. + +His father set him to the task of clearing the first acre of ground for +the crop next spring. It seemed a joke to send a child with an axe into +that huge forest and tell him to clear the way for civilization. And yet +he went with firm, eager steps. + +He chose the biggest tree in sight for his first task--a giant oak three +feet in diameter, its straight trunk rising a hundred feet without a +limb or knot to mar its perfect beauty. + +The Boy leaped on the fallen monarch of the woods with a new sense of +power. Far above gleamed a tiny space in the sky. His hand had made it. +He was a force to be reckoned with now. He was doing things that counted +in a man's world. + +Day after day his axe rang in the woods until a big white patch of sky +showed with gleaming piles of clouds. And shimmering sunbeams were +warming the earth for the seed of the coming spring. His tall thin body +ached with mortal weariness, but the spirit within was too proud to +whine or complain. He had taken a man's place. His mother needed him and +he'd play the part. + +The winter was the hardest and busiest he had ever known. He shot his +first wild turkey from the door of their log camp the second week after +arrival. Proud of his marksmanship he talked of it for a week, and yet +he didn't make a good hunter. He allowed his father to go alone oftener +than he would accompany him. There was a queer little voice somewhere +within that protested against the killing. He wouldn't acknowledge it to +himself but half the joy of his shot at his turkey was destroyed by the +sight of the blood-stained broken wing when he picked it up. + +The mother watched this trait with deepening pride. His practice at +writing and reading was sheer joy now. Her interest was so keen he +always tried his best that he might see her smile. + +It was time to begin the spring planting before the heavy logs were +rolled and burned and the smaller ones made ready for the cabin. The +corn couldn't wait. The cabin must remain unfinished until the crop was +laid by. + +It had been a long, lonely winter for the mother. But with the coming of +spring, the wooded world was clothed in beauty so fresh and marvellous, +she forgot the loneliness in new hopes and joys. + +Settlers were moving in now. Every week Tom brought the news of another +neighbor. Her aunt came in midsummer bringing Dennis and his dogs with +fun and companionship for the Boy. + +The new cabin was not quite finished, but they moved in and gave their +kin their old camp for a home, all ready without the stroke of an axe. + +Dennis was wild over the hunting and proposed to the Boy a deer hunt all +by themselves. + +"Let's just me and you go, Boy, an' show Tom what we can do with a rifle +without him. You can take the first shot with old 'Speakeasy' an' then +I'll try her. The deer'll be ez thick ez bees around that Salt Lick +now." + +The Boy consented. Boney went with him for company. As a self-respecting +coon dog he scorned to hunt any animal that couldn't fight with an even +chance for his life. As for a deer--he'd as lief chase a calf! + +Dennis placed the Boy at a choice stand behind a steep hill in which the +deer would be sure to plunge in their final rush to escape the dogs when +close pressed in the valley. + +"Now the minute you see him jump that ridge let him have it!" Dennis +said. "He'll come straight down the hill right inter your face." + +The Boy took his place and began to feel the savage excitement of his +older companion. He threw the gun in place and drew a bead on an +imaginary bounding deer. + +"All right. I'll crack him!" he promised. + +"Now, for the Lord's sake, don't you miss 'im!" Dennis warned. "I don't +want Tom ter have the laugh on us." + +The Boy promised, and Dennis called his dogs and hurried into the +bottoms toward the Salt Lick. In half an hour the dogs opened on a hot +trail that grew fainter and fainter in the distance until they could +scarcely be heard. They stopped altogether for a moment and then took up +the cry gradually growing clearer and clearer. The deer had run the +limit of his first impulse and taken the back track, returning directly +over the same trail. + +Nearer and nearer the pack drew, the trail growing hotter and hotter +with each leap of the hounds. + +The Boy was trembling with excitement. He cocked his gun and stood +ready. Boney lay on a pile of leaves ten feet away quietly dozing. +Louder and louder rang the cry of the hounds. They seemed to be right +back of the hill now. The deer should leap over its crest at any moment. +His gun was half lifted and his eyes flaming with excitement when a +beautiful half grown fawn sprang over the hill and stood for a moment +staring with wide startled eyes straight into his. + +The savage yelp of the hounds close behind rang clear, sharp and +piercing as they reared the summit. The panting, trembling fawn glanced +despairingly behind, looked again into the Boy's eyes, and as the first +dog leaped the hill crest made his choice. Staggering and panting with +terror, he dropped on his knees by the Boy's side, the bloodshot eyes +begging piteously for help. + +The Boy dropped his gun and gathered the trembling thing in his arms. In +a moment the hounds were on him leaping and tearing at the fawn. He +kicked them right and left and yelled with all his might: + +"Down, I tell you! Down or I'll kill you!" + +The hounds continued to leap and snap in spite of his kicks and cries +until Boney saw the struggle, and stepped between his master and his +tormenters. One low growl and not another hound came near. + +When Dennis arrived panting for breath he couldn't believe his eyes. The +Boy was holding the exhausted fawn in his lap with a glazed look in his +eyes. + +"Well, of all the dam-fool things I ever see sence God made me, this +takes the cake!" he cried in disgust. "Why didn't ye shoot him?" + +"Because he ran to me for help--how could I shoot him?" + +Dennis sat down and roared: + +"Well, of all the deer huntin', this beats me!" + +The Boy rose, still holding the fawn in his arms. + +"You can take the gun and go on. Boney and me'll go back home----" + +"You ain't goin' ter carry that thing clean home, are you?" + +"Yes, I am," was the quiet answer. "And I'll kill any dog that tries to +hurt him." + +Dennis was still laughing when he disappeared, Boney walking slowly at +his heels. + +He showed the fawn to his mother and told Sarah she could have him for a +pet. The mother watched him with shining eyes while he built a pen and +then lifted the still trembling wild thing inside. + +Next morning the pen was down and the captive gone. The Boy didn't seem +much surprised or appear to care. When he was alone with his mother she +whispered: + +"Didn't you go out there last night and let it loose when the dogs were +asleep?" + +He was still a moment and then nodded his head. + +His mother clasped him to her heart. + +"O my Boy! My own--I love you!" + + +XII + +The second winter in the wilderness was not so hard. The heavy work of +clearing the timber for the corn fields was done and the new cabin and +its furniture had been finished except the door, for which there was +little use. + +The new neighbors had brought cheer to the mother's heart. + +An early spring broke the winter of 1818 and clothed the wilderness +world in robes of matchless beauty. + +The Boy's gourds were placed beside the new garden and the noise of +chattering martins echoed over the cabin. The toughened muscles of his +strong, slim body no longer ached in rebellion at his tasks. Work had +become a part of the rhythm of life. He could sing at his hardest task. +The freedom and strength of the woods had gotten into his blood. In this +world of waving trees, of birds and beasts, of laughing sky and rippling +waters, there were no masters, no slaves. Millions in gold were of no +value in its elemental struggle. Character, skill, strength and manhood +only counted. Poverty was teaching him the first great lesson of human +life, that man shall eat his bread in the sweat of his brow and that +industry is the only foundation on which the moral and material universe +has ever rested or can rest. + +Solitude and the stimulus of his mother's mind were slowly teaching him +to think--to think deeply and fearlessly, and think for himself. + +Entering now in his ninth year, he was shy, reticent, over-grown, +consciously awkward, homely and ill clad--he grew so rapidly it was +impossible to make his clothes fit. But in the depths of his hazel-grey +eyes there were slumbering fires that set him apart from the boys of his +age. His mother saw and understood. + +A child in years and yet he had already learned the secrets of the toil +necessary to meet the needs of life. He swung a woodman's axe with any +man. He could plow and plant a field, make its crop, harvest and store +its fruits and cook them for the table. He could run, jump, wrestle, +swim and fight when manhood called. He knew the language of the winds +and clouds, and spoke the tongues of woods and field. + +And he could read and write. His mother's passionate yearning and +quenchless enthusiasm had placed in his hand the key to books and the +secrets of the ages were his for the asking. + +He would never see the walls of a college, but he had already taken his +degree in Industry, Patience, Caution, Courage, Pity and Gentleness. + +The beauty and glory of this remarkable spring brought him into still +closer communion with his mother's spirit. They had read every story of +the Bible, some of them twice or three times, and his stubborn mind had +fought with her many a friendly battle over their teachings. Always too +wise and patient to command his faith, she waited its growth in the +fulness of time. He had read every tale in "Æsop's Fables" and brought a +thousand smiles to his mother's dark face by his quaint comments. She +was dreaming now of new books to place in his eager hands. Corn was ten +cents a bushel, wheat twenty-five, and a cow was only worth six dollars. +Whiskey, hams and tobacco were legal tender and used instead of money. +She had ceased to dream of wealth in goods and chattels until conditions +were changed. Her one aim in life was to train the minds of her children +and to this joyous task she gave her soul and body. It was the only +thing worth while. That God would give her strength for this was all she +asked. + +And then the great shadow fell. + +The mother and children were walking home from the woods through the +glory of the Southern spring morning in awed silence. The path was +hedged with violets and buttercups. The sweet odor of grapevine, +blackberry and dewberry blossoms filled the air. Dogwood and black-haw +lit with white flame the farthest shadows of the forest and the music of +birds seemed part of the mingled perfume of flowers. + +The boy's keen ear caught the drone of bees and his sharp eye watched +them climb slowly toward their storehouse in a towering tree. All nature +was laughing in the madness of joy. + +The Boy silently took his mother's hand and asked in subdued tones: + +"What is the pest, Ma, and what makes it?" + +"Nobody knows," she answered softly. "It comes like a thief in the +night and stays for months and sometimes for years. They call it the +'milk-sick' because the cows die, too--and sometimes the horses. The old +Indian women say it starts from the cows eating a poison flower in the +woods. The doctors know nothing about it. It just comes and kills, +that's all." + +The little hand suddenly gripped hers with trembling hold: + +"O Ma, if it kills you!" + +A tender smile lighted her dark face as the warmth of his love ran like +fire through her veins. + +"It can't harm me, my son, unless God wills it. When he calls I shall be +ready." + +All the way home he clung to her hand and sometimes when they paused +stroked it tenderly with both his. + +"What's it like?" he asked at last. "Can't you take bitters for it in +time to stop it? How do you know when it's come?" + +"You begin to feel drowsy, a whitish coating is on the tongue, a burning +in the stomach, the feet and legs get cold. You're restless and the +pulse grows weak." + +"How long does it last?" + +"Sometimes it kills in three days, sometimes two weeks. Sometimes it's +chronic and hangs on for years and then kills." + +Every morning through the long black summer of the scourge he asked her +with wistful tenderness if she were well. Her cheerful answers at last +brought peace to his anxious heart and he gradually ceased to fear. She +was too sweet and loving and God too good that she should die. Besides, +both his father and mother had given him a lesson in quiet, simple +heroism that steadied his nerves. + +He looked at the rugged figure of his father with a new sense of +admiration. He was no more afraid of Death than of Life. He was giving +himself without a question in an utterly unselfish devotion to the +stricken community. There were no doctors within thirty miles, and if +one came he could but shake his head and advise simple remedies that did +no good. Only careful nursing counted for anything. Without money, +without price, without a murmur the father gave his life to this work. +No neighbor within five miles was stricken that he did not find a place +by that bedside in fearless, loving, unselfish service. + +And when Death came, this simple friend went for his tools, cut down a +tree, ripped the boards from its trunk, made the coffin, and with tender +reverence dug a grave and lowered the loved one. He was doctor, nurse, +casket-maker, grave-digger, comforter and priest. His reverent lips had +long known the language of prayer. + +With tireless zeal the mother joined in this ministry of love, and the +Boy saw her slender dark figure walk so often beside trembling feet as +they entered the valley of the great shadow, that he grew to believe +that she led a charmed life. Nor did he fear when Dennis came one +morning and in choking tones said that both his uncle and aunt were +stricken in the little half-faced camp but a few hundred yards away. He +was sorry for Dennis. He had never known father or mother--only this +uncle and aunt. + +"Don't you worry, Dennis," the Boy said tenderly. "You'll live with us +if they die." + +They both died within a few days. The night after the last burial, +Dennis crawled into the loft with the Boy to be his companion for many a +year. + +And then the blow fell, swift, terrible and utterly unexpected. He had +long ago made up his mind that God had flung about his mother's form the +spell of his Almighty power and the pestilence that walked in the night +dared not draw near. An angel with flaming sword stood beside their +cabin door. + +Last night in the soft moonlight a whip-poor-will was singing nearby and +he fancied he saw the white winged sentinel, and laughed for joy. + +When he climbed down from his loft next morning his mother was in bed +and Sarah was alone over the fire cooking breakfast. + +His heart stood still. He walked with unsteady step to her bedside and +whispered: + +"Are you sick, Ma?" + +"Yes, dear, it has come." + +He grasped her hot outstretched hand and fell on his knees in sobbing +anguish. He knew now--it was the angel of Death he had seen. + + +XIII + +Death stood at the door with drawn sword to slay not to defend, but the +Boy resolved to fight. She should not give up--she should not die. He +would fight for her with all the hosts of hell and single-handed if he +must. + +He rose from his knees still holding her hand, his first hopeless burst +of despair over, his heart beating with desperate resolution. + +"You won't give up, will you, Ma?" he whispered. + +She smiled wanly and he rushed on with breathless intensity: "I'm not +going to let you die. I won't--I tell you I won't. I'll fight this +thing--and you've got to help me--won't you?" + +"I'm ready for God's will, my Boy," she said simply. + +"I don't want you to say that!" he pleaded. "I want you to fight and +never give up. Why you can't die, Ma--you just can't. You're my only +teacher now. There ain't no schools here. How can I learn books without +you to help me? Say you'll get well. Please say it for me--please, just +say it----" + +He paused and couldn't go on for a moment, "Say you'll try then--just +for me--please say it!" + +"I'll try, Boy," she said tenderly at last. + +He flew to the creek bank and in two hours came home with an armful of +fresh sarsaparilla roots. He cut and pounded them into a soft pulp and +made a poultice. Sarah helped him put it in place. He made his mother +drink the bitters every hour. He got stones ready and had them hot to +wrap in cloths and put to her feet the moment they felt cold. He +wouldn't take her word for it either. He kept slipping his little hands +under the cover to feel. + +The mother smiled at his tender, eager touch. + +"Now, Boy," she said softly. "I'm feeling comfortable, will you do +something for me?" + +"What is it?" he cried eagerly. + +She smiled again: + +"Read to me. I want to hear your voice." + +"All right--what?" + +"The Bible, of course." + +"What story?" + +"Not a story this time--the twenty-third Psalm." + +The Boy took the worn Bible from the shelf, sat down on the edge of the +bed, opened, and began in low tones to read: + +"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want----" + +His voice choked and he stopped: + +"O, Ma, I just can't read that now--why--why did he let this come to you +if He's your Shepherd--why--why--why!" + +He buried his face in his hands and her slender fingers touched his +hair: + +"He knows best, my son--read on--the words are sweet to my soul from +your lips." + +With an effort he opened the Book again: + +"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; + +"He leadeth me beside the still waters. + +"He restoreth my soul: + +"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. + +"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, + +"I will fear no evil; for thou art with me----" + +Again the voice choked into silence and he closed the Book. + +"I can't--I can't read it. I'm afraid you're going to give up!" he +sobbed. "O Ma, you won't, will you? Please say you won't?" + +"No, no, I won't give up, my Boy," she said soothingly. "I'm just ready +for anything He sends----" + +"But I don't want you to say that!" he broke in passionately. "You must +fight. You mustn't be ready. You mustn't think about dying. I won't let +you die--I tell you!" + +She stroked his forehead with gentle touch: + +"I won't give up for your sake----" + +"It's a promise now?" he cried. + +"Yes, I promise----" + +"Then I'm going for a doctor right away----" + +"You can't find him, Boy," his father said. "It's thirty miles across +the Ohio into Kentucky where he lives. An' in all this sickness he ain't +at home. Hit's foolishness ter go----" + +"I'll find him," was the firm response. + +The father made no further protest. He helped him saddle the horse, +buckled the stirrups to fit his little bare legs and gave him as clear +directions as he could. + +"The moon'll be shinin' all night, Boy," were his last words. "Yer can +cross the river before eight o'clock. Ef ye git lost on t'other side ax +yer way frum the fust house ye come to----" + +The Boy nodded, and when had fixed his bare toes in the stirrups he +leaned low and whispered: + +"You won't give up, Pa, will ye? You'll fight for her till I get back?" + +The big gnarled fist closed over the little hand on the pommel of the +saddle, and the father's voice was husky: + +"As long as there's breath in her body--hurry now." + +The last command was not needed. The horse felt the quiver of tense +suffering in the low voice and the nervous touch of the switch on his +side. With a quick bound he was off at a full gallop down the trail +toward the river. + +The sun had set before they reached the open country beyond the great +forest, but by seven o'clock the Boy saw from the hill top the shining +mirror of the river in the calm moonlit valley. Before night he had +succeeded in rousing the ferryman and reached the opposite shore. + +He lost the way once about nine o'clock and a settler whose light he saw +in the woods called sharply from the door with his rifle in hand: + +"Who are you?" + +"I'm just a little boy," the voice faltered. "I'm trying to find the +doctor's house. My mother's about to die and I'm lost. I want you to +show me the road." + +The rifle was lowered and the cabin stirred. The man dropped back and a +woman appeared in the door way. + +"Won't ye come in, Honey, and rest a minute and me give ye somethin' to +eat while Pa's gettin' ready to go with ye a piece?" + +"No'm I can't eat nuthin'----" + +He didn't dare go near that tender voice that spoke so clearly its +sympathy in the night. He would be crying in a minute if he did and he +couldn't afford that. + +The settler caught a horse and rode with him an hour to make sure he +wouldn't miss the way again. + +He reached the doctor's house by eleven o'clock, and to his joy found +him at home. The rough old man refused to move an inch until he had fed +his horse and eaten a hearty meal. + +The Boy tried to eat, but couldn't. The food stuck squarely in his +throat. It was no use. + +He went outside and waited beside his horse until the doctor was ready. +It seemed an eternity, the awful wait. How serene the still beauty of +the autumn night! Not a breath of wind stirred. The full moon hung in +the sky straight overhead, flooding the earth with silver radiance, +marking in clear and vivid lines the shadows of the trees on the ground. + +Bitter wonder and rebellion filled his young soul. How could God sit +unmoved among those shining stars and leave his mother to die! + +The doctor came at last and they started. + +In vain he urged that they gallop. + +"I won't do it, sir!" the old man snapped. "Your horse has come thirty +miles. I'll not let you kill him and I'm not going to kill myself +plunging over a rough road at night." + +They reached the cabin at daylight. The Boy saw the glow of the flame in +the big fireplace through the woods and his heart beat high with new +hope. Now that the doctor was here he felt sure her life could be saved. + +The Boy stood close by his side when he felt her pulse, and looked at +the strange whitish-brown coating on her tongue. + +"You can do something, Doctor?" he asked anxiously. + +"Yes," was the short answer. + +He asked for a towel and bowl and opened his saddlebags. He examined the +point of his lancet and bared the slender arm. + +"What are ye goin' ter do?" Tom asked with a frown. + +"Bleed her, of course. It's the only thing to do----" + +The Boy suddenly pushed himself between the doctor and the bed and +looked up into his stern face with a resolute stare: + +"You shan't do it. I don't know nothin' much about doctorin' but I got +sense enough to know that'll kill her--and you shan't do it!" + +The doctor looked angrily at the father. + +"I say so, too," Tom replied. "She's too weak for that." + +With a snort of anger, the old man threw the lancet into his saddlebags, +snapped them together and strode through the cabin door. + +The Boy followed him wistfully to the stable, and when he seized the +bridle to put on the horse, caught his hand and looked up: + +"Please don't go," he begged. "I'm mighty sorry I made you mad. I didn't +go to do it. You see----" his voice faltered--"I love her so I just +couldn't let you cut her arm open and see her bleed. I didn't mean to +hurt your feelings. Won't you stay and help us? Can't ye do somethin' +else for her? I'll pay ye. I'll go work for ye a whole year or five +years if ye want me--if you'll just save her--just save her, that's +all--don't go--please don't!" + +Something in the child's anguish found the rough old man's heart. His +eyes grew misty for a moment, he slipped one arm about the Boy's +shoulders and drew him close. + +"God knows I'd stay and do something if I could, Sonny, but I don't know +what to do. I'm not sure I'm right about the bleeding or I'd stay and +make you help me do it. But I'm not sure--I'm not sure--and I can do no +good by staying. Keep her warm, give her all the good food her stomach +will retain. That's all I can tell you. She's in God's hands." + +With a heavy heart the Boy watched him ride away as the sun rose over +the eastern hills. The doctor's last words sank into his soul. She was +in God's hands! Well, he would go to God and beg Him to save her. He +went into the woods, knelt behind a great oak and in the simple words of +a child asked for the desire of his heart. Three times every day and +every night he prayed. + +For four days no change was apparent. She was very weak and tired, but +suffered no pain. His prayer was heard and would be answered! + +The first symptom of failure in circulation, he promptly met by placing +the hot stones to her feet. And for hours he and Sarah would rub her +until the cold disappeared. + +On the morning of the seventh day she was unusually bright. + +"Why, you're better, Ma, aren't you?" he cried with joy. + +Her eyes were shining with a strange excitement: + +"Yes. I'm a lot better. I'm going to sit up awhile. I'm tired lying +down." + +She threw herself quickly on the side of the bed and her feet touched +the bear-skin rug. She rose trembling and smiling and took a step. She +tottered a bit, but the Boy was laughing and holding her arm. She +reached the chair by the fire and he wrapped a great skin about her feet +and limbs. + +"Look, Pa, she's getting well!" the Boy shouted. + +Tom watched her gravely without reply. + +She took the Boy's hand, still smiling: + +"I had such a wonderful dream," she began slowly--"the same one I had +before you were born, my Boy. God had answered my prayer and sent me a +son. I watched him grow to be a strong, brave, patient, wise and gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and the great from the ends of the +earth came to do him homage. With uncovered head he led me into a +beautiful home with white pillars. And then he bowed low and whispered +in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel mother. I bought it for you with my +life. All that I am I owe to you'----" + +Her voice sank to a whisper that was half a sob and half a laugh. + +"See how she's smiling, Pa," the Boy cried. "She's getting well!" + +"Don't ye understand!" the father whispered. "Look--at her eyes--she's +not tellin' you a dream--she's looking through the white gates of +heaven--it's Death, Boy--it's come--Lord God, have mercy!" + +With a groan he dropped by her side and her thin hand rested gently on +his shaggy head. + +The Boy stared at her in agonizing wonder as she felt for his hand and +feebly held it. She was gazing now into the depths of his soul with her +pensive hungry eyes. + +"He good to your father, my son----" she paused for breath and looked at +him tenderly. She knew the father was the child of the future--this Boy, +the man. + +"Yes!" he whispered. + +"And love your sister----" + +"Yes." + +"Be a man among men, for your mother's sake----" + +"Yes, Ma, I will!" + +The little head bent low and the voice was silent. + +They went to work to make her coffin at noon. An unused walnut log of +burled fibre had been lying in the sun and drying for two years, since +Tom had built the furniture for the cabin. Dennis helped him rip the +boards from this dark, rich wood, shape and plane it for the pieces he +would need. + +The Boy sat with dry eyes and aching heart, making the wooden nails to +fasten these boards together. + +He stopped suddenly, walked to the bench at which his father was working +and laid by his side the first pins he had whittled. + +"I can't do it, Pa," he gasped. "I just can't make the nails for her +coffin. I feel like somebody's drivin' 'em through my heart!" + +The rugged face was lighted with tenderness as he slowly answered: + +"Why, we must make it, Boy--hit's the last thing we kin do ter show our +love fur her--ter make it all smooth an' purty outen this fine dark +wood. Yer wouldn't put her in the ground an' throw the cold dirt right +on her face, would you?" + +The slim figure shivered: + +"No--no--I wouldn't do that! Yes, I'll help--we must make it beautiful, +mustn't we?" + +And then he went back to the pitiful task. + +They dug her grave, these loving hands, father and son and orphan waif, +on a gentle hill in the deep woods. As the sun sank in a sea of scarlet +clouds next day, they lowered the coffin. The father lifted his voice in +a simple prayer and the Boy took his sister's hand and led her in +silence back to the lonely cabin. He couldn't stay to see them throw +the dirt over her. He couldn't endure it. + +[Illustration: "'Be a man among men for your mother's sake--'"] + +He had heard of ghosts in graveyards, and he wondered vaguely if such +things could be true. He hoped it was. When the others were asleep, just +before day, he slipped noiselessly from his bed and made his way to her +grave. + +The waning moon was shining in cold white splendor. The woods were +silent. He watched and waited and hoped with half-faith and half-fear +that he might see her radiant form rise from the dead. + +A leaf rustled behind him and he turned with a thrill of awful joy. He +wasn't afraid. He'd clasp her in his arms if he could. With firm step +and head erect, eyes wide and nostrils dilated, he walked straight into +the shadows to see and know. + +And there, standing in a spot of pale moonlight, stood his dog looking +up into his eyes with patient, loving sympathy. He hadn't shed a tear +since her death. Now the flood tide broke the barriers. He sank to the +ground, slipped his arm around the dog's neck, and sobbed aloud. + +He wrote a tear stained letter to the only parson he knew. It was his +first historic record and he signed his name in bold, well rounded +letters--"A. LINCOLN." Three months later the faithful old man came in +answer to his request and preached her funeral sermon. Something in the +lad's wistful eyes that day fired him with eloquence. Through all life +the words rang with strange solemn power in the Boy's heart: + +"O Death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! Blessed are +they that die in the Lord! Death is not the chill shadow of the +night--but the grey light of the dawn--the dawn of a new eternal day. +Lift up your eyes and see its beauty. Open your ears and hear the stir +of its wondrous life!" + +When the last friend had gone, the forlorn little figure stood beside +the grave alone. There was a wistful smile on his lips as he slowly +whispered: + +"I'll not forget, Ma, dear--I'll not forget. I'll live for you." + +Nor did he forget. In her slender figure a new force had appeared in +human history. The peasant woman of the old world has ever taught her +child contentment with his lot. And patient millions beyond the seas +bend their backs without a murmur to the task their fathers bore three +thousand years ago. + +Free America has given the race a new peasant woman. Born among the +lowliest of her kind, she walks earth's way with her feet in the dust, +her head among the stars. + +This one died young in the cabin beside the deep woods, but not before +her hand had kindled a fire of divine discontent in the soul of her son +that only God could extinguish. + + + + +_The Story_ + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE MAN OF THE HOUR + + +"It's positively uncanny----" + +Betty Winter paused on the top step of the Capitol and gazed over the +great silent crowd with a shiver. + +"The silence--yes," Ned Vaughan answered slowly. "I wondered if you had +felt it, too." + +"It's more like a funeral than an Inauguration." + +The young reporter smiled: + +"If you believe General Scott there may be several funerals in +Washington before the day's work is done." + +"And you _don't_ believe him?" the girl asked seriously. + +"Nonsense! All this feverish preparation for violence----" + +Betty laughed: + +"I'm afraid you're not a good judge of the needs of the incoming +administration. As an avowed Secessionist--you're hardly in their +confidence." + +"Thank God, I'm not." + +"What are those horses doing over there by the trees?" + +"Masked battery of artillery." + +"Don't be silly!" + +"It's true. Old Scott's going to save the Capital on Inauguration Day +any how! The Avenue's lined with soldiers--sharpshooters posted in the +windows along the whole route of the Inaugural procession, a company of +troops in each end of the Capitol. He has built a wooden tunnel from the +street into the north end of the building and that's lined with guards. +A squad of fifty soldiers are under the platform where we're going to +sit----" + +"No!" + +"Look through the cracks and see for yourself!" Vaughan cried with +scorn. + +The sparkling brown eyes were focused on the board platform. + +"I do see them moving," she said slowly, as a look of deep seriousness +swept the fair young face. "Perhaps General Scott's right after all. +Father says we're walking on a volcano----" + +"But not that kind of a volcano, Miss Betty," Vaughan interrupted. +"Senator Winter's an Abolitionist. He hates the South with every breath +he breathes." + +Betty nodded: + +"And prays God night and morning to give him greater strength with which +to hate it harder--yes----" + +"But you're not so blind?" + +"There must be a little fire where there's so much smoke. A crazy fool +might try to kill the new President." + +Ned Vaughan's slender figure stiffened: + +"The South won't fight that way. If they begin war it will be the most +solemn act of life. It will be for God and country, and what they +believe to be right. The Southern people are not assassins. When they +take Washington it will be with the bayonet." + +"And yet your brother had a taste of Southern feeling here the night of +the election when a mob broke in and smashed the office of the +_Republican_." + +"A gang of hoodlums," he protested. "Anything may happen on election +night to an opposition newspaper. The Southern men who formed that mob +will never give this administration trouble----" + +"I'm so anxious to meet your brother," Betty interrupted. "Why doesn't +he come?" + +"He's in the Senate Chamber for the ceremonies. He'll join us before the +procession gets here." + +"He's as handsome as everybody says?" she asked naïvely. + +"I'll admit he's a good-looking fellow if he is my brother." + +"And vain?" + +"As a peacock----" + +"Conceited?" + +"Very." + +"And a woman hater!" + +"Far from it--he's easy. He may not think so, but between us he's an +easy mark. I've always been afraid he'll make a fool of himself and +marry without the consent of his younger brother. He's a great care to +me." + +The brown eyes twinkled: + +"You love him very much?" + +Ned Vaughan nodded his dark head slowly: + +"Yes. We've quarrelled every day since the election." + +"Over politics?" + +"What else?" + +"Love, perhaps." + +The dark eyes met hers. + +"No, he hasn't seen you yet----" + +Betty's laugh was genial and contagious. + +He had meant to be serious and hoped that she would give him the opening +he'd been sparring for. But she refused the challenge with such +amusement he was piqued. + +"You're from Missouri, but you're a true Southerner, Mr. Vaughan." + +"And you're a heartless Puritan," he answered with a frown. + +She shook her golden brown curls: + +"No--no--no! My name's an accident. My father was born in Maine on the +Canada line. But my mother was French. I'm her daughter. I love sunlight +and flowers, music and foolishness--and dream of troubadours who sing +under my window. I hate long faces and gloom. But my father has +ambition. I love him, and so I endure things." + +Ned Vaughan looked at her timidly. For the life of him he couldn't make +her out. Was she laughing at him? He half suspected it, and yet there +was something sweet and appealing in the way she gazed into his eyes. He +gave it up and changed the subject. + +He had promised to bring John to-day and introduce him. He had been +prattling like a fool about this older brother. He wished to God now +something would keep him. The pangs of jealousy had already began to +gnaw at the thought of her hand resting in his. + +From the way Betty Winter had laughed she was quite capable of flying +two strings to her bow. And with all the keener interest because +they happened to be brothers. Why had she asked him so pointedly +about John? He had excited her curiosity, of course, by his silly +brother--hero-worship. He had told her of his brilliant career in New +York under Horace Greeley on the _Tribune_--of Greeley's personal +interest, and the flattering letter he had written to Colonel Forney, +which had made him the city editor of the New Party organ in +Washington--of his cool heroism the night the mob had attacked the +_Republican_ office--and last he had hinted of an affair over a woman in +New York that had led to a challenge and a bloodless duel--bloodless +because his opponent failed to appear. It was his own fault, of course, +if Betty was keeping him at arm's length to-day. No girl could fail to +be interested in such a man--no matter who her father might be--Puritan +or Cavalier. + +His arm trembled in spite of his effort at self-control as he led her +down the stately steps of the eastern façade toward the Inaugural +platform. He paused on the edge of the boards and pointed to the huge +bronze figure of the statue of Liberty which had been cast to crown the +dome of the Capitol. It lay prostrate in the mud and the crowds were +climbing over it. + +"I wonder if Miss Liberty will ever be lifted to her place on high?" he +said musingly. + +"If they do finish the dome," Betty replied, "and crown it with that +bronze, my father should sue for damages. One of his most eloquent +figures of speech will be ruined. That prostrate work of art lying in +the mud has given thousands of votes to the Republicans. I've caught +myself crying over his eloquence at times myself." + +Ned Vaughan smiled: + +"A queer superstition has grown up in Washington that the dome of the +Capitol will never be completed----" + +"Do you believe it?" + +"No. It will be finished. But I'm not sure whether Abraham Lincoln or +Jefferson Davis will preside on that occasion." + +"And I haven't the slightest doubt on that point," Betty said with quick +emphasis. + +"I thought you were not a student of politics?" he dryly observed. + +"I'm not. It's just a feeling. Women know things by intuition." + +The young man glanced upward at the huge crane which swung from the +unfinished structure of the dome. + +"Anyhow, Miss Betty," he said smilingly, "your Black Republican +President has a beautiful day for the Inaugural." + +"We'll hope it's a sign for the future--shall we?" + +"I hope so," was the serious answer. "God knows there haven't been many +happy signs lately. It was dark and threatening at dawn this morning and +a few drops of rain fell up to eight o'clock." + +"You were up at dawn?" the girl asked in surprise. + +"Yes. The Senate has been in session all night over the new amendment to +the Constitution guaranteeing to the South security in the possession of +their slaves." + +"And they passed it?" + +"Yes----" + +"Over my father's prostrate form?" + +"Yes--an administrative measure, too. I've an idea from the 'moderation' +of your father's remarks that there'll be some fun between the White +House and the Senate Chamber during the next four years. For my part I +share his scorn for such eleventh hour repentance. It's too late. The +mischief has been done. Secession is a fact and we've got to face it." + +"But we haven't heard from the new President yet," Betty ventured. + +"No. That's why this crowd's so still. For the first time since the +foundation of the government, the thousands banked in front of this +platform really wish to hear what a President-elect has to say." + +"Isn't that a tremendous tribute to the man?" + +"Possibly so--possibly not. He has been silent since his election. Not a +word has fallen from his lips to indicate his policy. He has more real +power from the moment he takes the oath of office than any crowned head +of Europe. From his lips to-day will fall the word that means peace or +war. That's why this crowd's so still." + +"It's weird," Betty whispered. "You can feel their very hearts beat. Do +you suppose the new President realizes the meaning of such a moment?" + +"I don't think this one will. I interviewed Stanton, the retiring +Attorney General of Buchanan's Cabinet, yesterday. He knows Lincoln +personally--was with him in a lawsuit once before the United States +Court. Stanton says he's a coward and a fool and the ugliest white man +who ever appeared on this planet. He has already christened him 'The +Original Gorilla,' or 'The Illinois Ape'----" + +"I wonder," Betty broke in with petulance, "if such a man could be +elected President? I'm morbidly curious to see him. My father, as an +Abolitionist, had to vote for him and he must support his administration +as a Republican Senator. But his favorite name for the new Chief +Magistrate is, 'The Illinois Slave Hound.' I've a growing feeling that +his enemies have overdone their work. I'm going to judge him fairly." + +Vaughan's lips slightly curved. + +"They say he's a good stump speaker--a little shy on grammar, perhaps, +but good on jokes--of the coarser kind. He ought to get one or two good +guffaws even out of this sober crowd to-day." + +"You think he'll stoop to coarse jokes?" + +"Of course----" + +"Is that your brother?" Betty asked with a quick intake of breath, +lifting her head toward a stalwart figure rapidly coming down the wide +marble steps. + +Ned Vaughan looked up with a frown: + +"How did you recognize him?" + +"By his resemblance to you, of course." + +"Thanks." + +"You're as much alike as two black-eyed peas--except that you're more +slender and boyish." + +"And not quite so good-looking?" + +A low mischievous laugh was her answer as John lifted his hat and stood +smiling before them. + +"Miss Winter, this is my brother, whose praises I've long been chanting. +I've a little work to do in the crowd--I'll be back in a few minutes." + +There was just a touch of irony in the smile with which the younger man +spoke as he hurried away, but the girl was too much absorbed in the +striking picture John Vaughan made to notice. The sparkling brown eyes +took him in from head to foot in a quick comprehending flash. The fame +of his personal appearance was more than justified. He was the most +strikingly good-looking man she had ever seen, and to her surprise there +was not the slightest trace of self-consciousness or conceit about him. +His high intellectual forehead, thick black hair inclined to curl at the +ends and straight heavy eyebrows suggested at once a man of brains and +power. He looked older than he was--at least thirty, though he had just +turned twenty-six. The square strong jaw and large chin were eloquent of +reserve force. Two rows of white, perfect teeth smiled behind the black +drooping moustache and invited friendship. The one disquieting feature +about him was the look from the depths of his dark brown eyes--so dark +they were black in shadow. He had been a dreamer when very young and +followed Charles A. Dana to Brook Farm for a brief stay. + +Before he had spoken a dozen words the girl felt the charm of his +singular and powerful personality. + +"I needn't say that I'm glad to see you, Miss Winter," he began, with a +friendly smile. "Ned has told me so much about you the past month I'd +made up my mind to join the Abolitionists, and apply for a secretaryship +to the Senator if I couldn't manage it any other way." + +"And you'll be content to resume a normal life after to-day?" + +She looked into his eyes with mischievous challenge. She had recovered +her poise. + +He laughed, and a shadow suddenly swept his face: + +"I wonder, Miss Winter, if any of us will live a normal life after +to-day?" + +"You've seen the Rail-splitter, our new President?" + +"No, I didn't wait in the Senate Chamber. I came out here to make sure +of my seat beside you----" + +"To hear every word of the Inaugural, of course," Betty broke in. + +"Yes, of course----" he paused and the faintest suggestion of a smile +flickered about the corners of his eyes. "Ned told me you had three good +seats. I am anxious to hear what he says--but more anxious to see him +when he says it. I can read his Inaugural, but I want to see the soul of +the man behind its conventional phrases----" + +"He'll use conventional phrases?" + +"Certainly. They all do. But no man ever came to the Presidential chair +with as little confidence back of him. The Abolitionists have already +begun to denounce him before he has taken the oath of office. The rank +and file of the party that elected him are not Abolitionists and never +for a moment believed that the Southern people were in earnest when they +threatened Secession during the campaign. We thought it bluff. To say +that the whole North and West is panic-stricken is the simple truth. + +"Horace Greeley and the _Tribune_ are for Secession. + +"'Let our erring sisters go!' the editor tells the millions who hang on +his words as the oracle of heaven. + +"The North has been talking Secession for thirty years, and now that the +South is doing what they've been threatening, we wake up and try to +persuade ourselves that no such right exists in a sovereign state. Yet +we all know that Great Britain surrendered to the thirteen colonies as +sovereign states and named each one of them in her articles of surrender +and our treaty of peace. We know that there never would have been a +Constitution or a Union if the men who drew it and created the Union had +dared to question the right of either of these sovereign states to +withdraw when they wished. They didn't dare to raise the question. They +left it for their children to settle. Now we're facing it with a +vengeance. + +"Our fathers only dreamed a Union. They never lived to see it. This +country has always been an aggregation of jangling, discordant, +antagonistic sections. How is this man who comes into power to-day, this +humble rail-splitter, this County Court advocate, to achieve what our +greatest statesmen have tried for nearly a hundred years and failed to +do? Seward, the man he has called to be Secretary of State, has been +here for two months, juggling with his enemies. He's a Secessionist at +heart and expects the Union to be divided----" + +"Surely," Betty interrupted, "you can't believe that." + +"It's true. We don't dare say this in our paper, but we know it. So sure +is Seward of the collapse of the Lincoln administration that he withdrew +his acceptance of the post of Secretary of State, only day before +yesterday. It's uncertain at this hour whether he'll be in the +cabinet----" + +"Why?" Betty asked in breathless surprise. + +The young editor was silent a moment and spoke in low tones: + +"You can keep a secret?" + +"State secrets--easily." + +"Mr. Seward expects to be called to a position of greater power than +President----" + +"You mean?" + +"The Dictatorship. That's the talk in the inner circles. Nobody in the +North expects war or wants war----" + +"Except my father," Betty laughed. + +"The Abolitionists don't count. If we have war there are not enough of +them to form a corporal's guard--to say nothing of an army. The North is +hopelessly divided and confused. If the South unites--if North Carolina, +Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Maryland join the +Confederacy under Davis, the Union is lost. What's going to hinder them +from uniting? They are all Slave States. They believe the new President +is a Black Abolitionist Republican. He isn't, of course, but they +believe it. How can he reassure them? The States that have already +plunged into Secession have hauled the flag down from every fort and +arsenal except Sumter and Pickens. The new President can only retake +these forts by force. The first shot fired will sweep every Slave State +out of the Union and arraign the millions of Democratic voters in the +North solidly against the Government. God pity the man who takes the +oath to-day to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution!" + +When John Vaughan's voice died away at last into a passionate whisper, +Betty stood looking at him in a spell. She recovered herself with a +start and a smile. + +"You've mistaken your calling, Mr. Vaughan," she said with emotion. + +"Why do you say that?" + +"You're a statesman--not an editor--you should be in the Cabinet." + +"Much obliged, Miss Betty--but I'm not in this one, thank you. Besides, +you're mistaken. I'm only an intelligent observer and reporter of +events. I've never had the will to do creative things." + +"Why?" + +"The responsibility is too great. Fools rush in where angels fear to +tread. Only God Almighty can save this Nation to-day. It's too much to +expect of one man." + +"Yet God must use man, mustn't He?" + +"Yes. That's why my soul goes out in sympathy to the lonely figure who +steps out of obscurity and poverty to-day to do this impossible thing. +No such responsibility was ever before laid on the shoulders of one man. +In all the history of the world he has no precedent, no guide----" + +Ned interrupted the flow of John's impassioned speech by suddenly +appearing with uplifted hand. + +"Never such a crowd as this!" + +"Why, they say it's smaller than usual!" Betty exclaimed. + +"I don't mean size," Ned went on rapidly. "It's their temper that's +remarkable. An Inauguration crowd should support the administration. The +Lord help the Rail-splitter if that sullen dumb mob are his +constituents! Half of them are downright hostile----" + +"Washington's a Southern town," John remarked. + +"They are not Washington folks--not one in a hundred. And the only +honest backers old Abe seems to have are about a thousand serious young +fellows from the West, whom General Scott has armed as a special guard +to circle the crowd." + +He paused and pointed to a group of a dozen Westerners standing beside a +bush in the outer rim of the throng. + +"There's a bunch of them--and there's one stationed every ten yards. The +artillery in position, the infantry in line, the sharpshooters masked in +windows, the guard under the platform with muskets cocked, and a +thousand volunteers to threaten the crowd from without, I think the new +President should get a respectful hearing! The procession is coming up +the Avenue now with a guard of sappers and miners packed so closely +around the open carriage you can't even see the top of old Abe's +head----" + +"Let's get our seats!" Betty cried. + +They had scarcely taken them when a ripple of excitement swept the crowd +as every head was turned toward the aisle that led down the centre of +the platform. + +"Oh, it's Mrs. Lincoln and the children and her sisters!" Betty +exclaimed. "What perfect taste in her dress! She knows how to wear it, +too. What a typical, plump, self-poised Southern matron she looks. And, +oh, those darling little boys--aren't they dears! She's a Kentuckian, +too--the irony of Fate! A Southerner with a Southern wife entering the +White House and eight great Southern States seceding from the Union +because of it. It's a funny world, isn't it?" + +"The South hardly claims Mr. Lincoln as a Southerner," Ned remarked +dryly. + +"Claim it or not, he is," John declared, nodding toward Betty, "as truly +a Southerner as Jefferson Davis. They were both born in Kentucky almost +on the same day----" + +Another ripple of excitement and the Diplomatic Corps entered with +measured stately tread, their gorgeous uniforms flashing in the sun. +They took their seats on the left of the canopy, Lord Lyons, the British +minister, seated beside the representative of the Court of France, two +men destined to play their parts in the drama of Life and Death on whose +first act the curtain of history was slowly rising. + +The black-robed Supreme Court of the Republic, in cap and gown, slowly +followed and took their places on the right, opposite the Diplomatic +Corps. + +The Marine band struck the first notes of the National Hymn amid a +silence whose oppressiveness could be felt. The tension of a great fear +had gripped the hearts of the crowd with icy fingers. The stoutest soul +felt its spell and was powerless to shake it off. + +Was it the end of the Republic? Or the storm clouded dawn of a new and +more wonderful life? God only could tell, and there were few men present +who dared to venture a prediction. + +A wave of subdued excitement rippled the throng and every eye was +focused on the procession from the Senate Chamber. + +"They're coming!" Betty whispered excitedly. + +The contrast between the retiring President, James Buchanan, and Abraham +Lincoln was startling even at the distance of the first view from the +platform. The man of the old era was heavy and awkward in his movements, +far advanced in years, with thin snow white hair, his pallid full face +seamed and wrinkled and his head curiously inclined to the left +shoulder. An immense white cravat like a poultice pushed his high +standing collar up to the ears. The sharp contrast of the black +swallow-tailed coat, with the dead white of cravat, collar, face and +hair, suggested the uncanny idea of a moving corpse. + +With his eyes fixed on Buchanan, John suddenly exclaimed: + +"A man who's dead and don't know it!" + +Only for a moment did the actual President hold the eye. The man of the +hour loomed large at the head of the procession and instantly fixed the +attention of every man and woman within the range of vision. His giant +figure seemed to tower more than a foot above his surroundings. +Everything about him was large--an immense head, crowned with thick +shock of coarse black hair, his strong jaws rimmed with bristling new +whiskers, long arms and longer legs, large hands, big features, every +movement quick and powerful. The first impression was one of enormous +strength. He looked every inch the stalwart backwoods athlete, capable +of all the feats of physical strength campaign stories had credited to +his record. One glance at his magnificent frame and no one doubted the +boast of his admirers that he could lift a thousand pounds, five hundred +in each hand, or bend an iron poker by striking it across the muscle of +his arm. + +As he reached the speaker's stand beneath the crowded canopy, there was +an instant's awkward pause. In his new immaculate dress suit with black +satin vest, shining silk hat and gold-headed cane, he seemed a little +ill at ease. He looked in vain for a place to put his hat and cane and +finally found a corner of the railing against which to lean the stick, +but there seemed no place left for his new hat. Senator Stephen A. +Douglas, his defeated Northern opponent for the Presidency, with a +friendly smile, took it from his hands. + +As Douglas slipped gracefully back to his seat, he whispered to the lady +beside him: + +"If I can't be President, at least I can hold his hat!" + +The simple, but significant, act of courtesy from the great leader of +the Northern Democracy was not lost on the new Chief Magistrate. He +could hardly believe what his eyes had seen at first, and then he +smiled. Instantly the rugged features were transformed and his whole +being was lighted with a strange soft radiance whose warmth was +contagious. + +Betty's eyes were dancing with excitement. + +"He's not ugly at all!" she whispered. + +Ned softly laughed: + +"He certainly is not a beauty?" + +"Who expects beauty in a real man?" she answered, with a touch of scorn. +And Ned shot a look of inquiry at John's handsome face. But the older +brother was too intent on the drama before him to notice. The editor's +eyes were riveted on the new President, studying every detail of his +impressive personality. He had never seen him before and was trying to +form a just and accurate judgment of his character. Beyond a doubt he +was big physically--this impression was overwhelming--everything +large--the head with its high crown of skull and thick, bushy hair, deep +cavernous eyes, heavy eyebrows which moved in quick sympathy with every +emotion, large nose, large ears, large mouth, large, thick under lip, +very high cheek bones, massive jaw bones with upturned chin, a sinewy +long neck, long arms, and large hands, long legs, and big feet. A giant +physically--and yet somehow he gave the impression of excessive +gauntness and about his face there dwelt a strange impression of sadness +and spiritual anguish. The hollowness of his cheeks accented by his +swarthy complexion emphasized this. + +The crowd had recognized him instantly, but without the slightest +applause. The silence was intense, oppressive, painful. John glanced up +and saw the huge figure of Senator Wigfall, of Texas, looking down on +the scene from the base of one of the white columns of the central +façade. He waved his arm defiantly and laughed. His presence in the +Senate after all his associates had withdrawn was the subject of keen +speculation. He was believed to be a spy of the Confederate Government. +He had asked General Scott, half in jest, if he would dare to arrest a +Senator of the United States for treason. The answer was significant of +the times. Looking the Senator straight in the eye the old hero slowly +said: + +"No--I'd blow him to hell!" + +Evidently the Senator was not as yet unduly alarmed. His expression of +triumphant contempt for the evident lack of enthusiasm could not be +mistaken. When John Vaughan recalled the confusion in the ranks of the +triumphant party he knew that the Senator's scorn would he redoubled if +he but knew half the truth. Again he turned toward the tall, lonely man +with sinking heart. + +The ceremony moved swiftly. The silence was too oppressive to admit +delay. Senator Baker, of Oregon, the warm personal friend of Lincoln, +stepped quickly to the edge of the platform. With hand outstretched in +an easy graceful gesture, he said: + +"Fellow Citizens: I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, the +President-elect of the United States of America." + +Again the silence of death, as the once ragged, lonely, barefoot boy +from a Kentucky cabin stepped forward into the fiercest light that ever +beat on human head. + +He quickly adjusted his glasses, drew his tall figure to its full +height, and began to read his address, his face suddenly radiant with +the poise of conscious reserve power, oblivious of crowd, ceremony, +hostility or friendship. His voice was strong, high pitched, clear, +ringing, and his articulation singularly and beautifully perfect. His +words carried to the outer edge of the vast silent throng. + +Betty watched his mobile features with increasing fascination. His bushy +eyebrows and the muscles of his sensitive face moved and flashed in +sympathy with every emotion. In a countenance of such large and rugged +lines every movement spoke unusual power. The lift of an eyebrow, the +curve of the lip, the flash of the eye were gestures more eloquent than +the impassioned sweep of the ordinary orator's arm. He made no gesture +with hand or arm or the mass of his towering body. No portrait of this +man had ever been made. She had seen many pictures and not one of them +had suggested the deep, subtle, indirect expression of his +face--something that seemed to link him with the big forces of nature. + +The crowd was feeling this now and men were leaning forward from their +seats on the platform. The venerable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, +Roger B. Taney, whose clear, accurate and mercilessly logical decision +on Slavery had created the storm which swept Lincoln into power, was +watching him with bated breath, and not for an instant during the +Inaugural address did he lower his sombre eyes from the face of the +speaker. + +John C. Breckenridge, the retiring Vice-President, his defeated opponent +from the Southern States, the proud Kentucky chevalier, was listening +with keen and painful intensity, his handsome cultured features pale +with the consciousness of coming tragedy. + +His opening words had been reassuring to the South, but woke no response +from the silent thousands who stood before him as he went on: + +"I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have +no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so." + +The simplicity, directness and clearness of this statement could find no +parallel in the pompous words of his predecessors. The man was talking +in the language of the people. It was something new under the sun. + +And then, with the clear ring of a trumpet, each syllable falling clean +cut and sharp with marvellous distinctness, he continued: + +"I hold that the Union of these States is perpetual----" + +He paused for an instant, his voice suddenly failing from deep emotion +and then, as if stung by the silence with which this thrilling thought +was received, he uttered the only words not written in his manuscript, +and made the only gesture of his entire address. His great fist came +down with a resounding smash on the table and in tones heard by the last +man who hung on the edge of the throng, he said: + +"No State has the right to secede!" + +And still no cheer came from the strangely silent crowd--only a vague +shiver swept the hearts of the Southern people before him. If the North +loved the Union they were giving no tokens to the tall, lonely figure on +that platform. + +At last the sentences, big with the fate of millions, were slowly and +tenderly spoken: + +"I shall take care that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in +all the States. Doing this I deem to be a simple duty on my part, and I +shall perform it----" + +At last he had touched the hidden powder magazine with an electric +spark, and a cheer swept the crowd. It died away at last--rose with new +power and rose a third time before it subsided, and the clear voice went +on: + +"I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as the declared +purpose of the Union that it will constitutionally defend and maintain +itself. In doing this there needs be no bloodshed or violence; and there +shall be none unless it be forced upon the National authority. The power +confided in me will be used to hold and occupy and possess the property +and places belonging to the Government." + +Again the powder mine exploded, and a cheer rose. The grim walls of Fort +Sumter and Pickens, in far off Southern waters, flashed red before every +eye. + +The applause suddenly died away into the old silence, and a man in the +crowd before the platform yelled: + +"We're for Jefferson Davis!" + +There was no answer and no disorder--only the shrill cry of the +Southerner through the silence, and the speaker continued his address. +Senator Douglas looked uneasily over the crowd toward the spot from +whence came the cry. His brow wrinkled with a frown. + +John Vaughan leaned toward Betty and whispered half to himself: + +"I wonder if those cheers were defiance after all?" + +But the girl was too intent on the words of the speaker to answer. His +next sentence brought a smile and a nod of approval from Senator +Douglas. + +"But beyond what may be necessary for those objects, there will be no +invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere----" + +Again and again Douglas nodded his approval and spoke it in low tones: + +"Good! Good! That means no coercion." + +And then, followed in solemn tones, the fateful sentences: + +"In _your_ hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in _mine_ +is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail +_you_ unless you _first_ assail _it_. You can have no conflict without +yourselves being the aggressors. _You_ have no oath registered in Heaven +to destroy the Government, while _I_ shall have the most solemn one to +'preserve, protect and defend' it. _You_ can forbear the _assault_ upon +it; _I_ can _not_ shrink from the _defense_ of it----" + +Again he paused, and the crowd hung spellbound as he began his closing +paragraph in tender persuasive accents throbbing with emotion, his clear +voice breaking for the first time: + +"I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be +enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds +of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every +battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all +over this broad land will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again +touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." + +The closing words fell from his sensitive lips with the sad dreamy eyes +blinded by tears. + +At last he had touched the hearts of all. The sincerity and beauty of +the simple appeal for the moment hushed bitterness and passion and the +cheer was universal. + +The black-robed figure of the venerable Chief Justice stepped forward +with extended open Bible. His bony, trembling fingers and cadaverous +intellectual face gave the last touch of dramatic contrast between the +old and new régimes. + +The tall, dark man reverently laid his left hand on the open Book, +raised his right arm, and slowly repeated the words of the oath: + +"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of +President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, +preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so +help me God!" + +The words had scarcely died on his lips when the distant boom of cannon +proclaimed the new President. The crowd on the platform rose and stood +with uncovered heads, while the procession formed in the same order as +at its entrance and returned to the White House. + +"What do you think of it?" Betty asked breathlessly, turning to Ned. + +The firm young lips came together with sudden passion: + +"The argument has ended. To your tents, O Israel! It means war----" + +"Nonsense," John broke in impetuously. "It means anything or nothing. +It's hot and cold--a straddle, a contradiction----" + +He paused and turned to Betty: + +"What do you think?" + +"Of the President?" she asked dreamily. + +"Of his Inaugural," John corrected. + +"I don't know whether it means peace or war, not being a statesman, but +of one thing I'm sure----" + +She paused and Ned leaned close: + +"Yes?" + +"That a great man has appeared on the scene----" + +Both men laughed and she went on with deep earnestness: + +"I mean it--he's splendid--he's wonderful! He's a poet--a dreamer--and +so typically Southern, Mr. Ned Vaughan. I could easily picture him +fighting a duel over a fine point of honor, as he did once. He's +patient, careful, wise, cautious--very tender and very strong. To me +he's inspired----" + +Again both men laughed. + +"I honestly believe that God has sent him into the Kingdom for such a +time as this." + +"You get that impression from his rambling address with its obvious +effort to straddle the Universe?" John asked incredulously. + +"Not from what he said," Betty persisted, "so much as the way he said +it--though I got the very clear idea that his purpose is to save the +Union. He made that thought ring through my mind over all others." + +"You really like him?" Ned asked with a cold smile. + +"I love him," was the eager answer. "He's adorable. He's genuine--a man +of the people. We've had many Presidents who wore purple and fine linen +and professed democracy--now we've the real thing. I wonder if they'll +crucify him. All through his address I could see the little ragged +forlorn boy standing beside his mother's grave crying his heart out in +despair and loneliness. He's wonderful. And he's not overawed by these +big white pillars above us, either. The man who tries to set up for a +Dictator while he's in the White House will find trouble----" + +"The two leading men he has called to his cabinet," John broke in +musingly, "hold him in contempt." + +"There's a surprise in store for Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase," Betty +ventured. + +"I'm afraid your father will not agree with you, Miss Betty," Ned +laughed, glancing toward Senator Winter. "I foresee trouble for you." + +"No danger. My father never quarrels with me over politics. He just +pities my ignorance and lets it go at that. He never condescends to my +level----" + +She stopped suddenly and waved her hand toward the group of excited men +who had gathered around Senator Winter. + +A smile of recognition lighted the sombre Puritan face, as he pushed his +friends aside and rapidly approached. + +"How's my little girl?" he cried tenderly. "Enjoy the show?" + +"Yes, dear, immensely--you know Mr. John Vaughan, Father, don't you?" + +The old man smiled grimly as he extended his hand: + +"I know who he is--though I haven't had the honor of an introduction. +I'm glad to see you, Mr. Vaughan--though I don't agree with many of your +editorials." + +"We'll hope for better things in the future, Senator," John laughed. + +"What's your impression of the Inaugural, Senator?" Ned asked, with a +twinkle of mischief in his eye. + +"You are asking me that as a reporter, young man, or as a friend of my +daughter?" + +"Both, sir." + +"Then I'll give you two answers. One for the public and one for you. +I've an idea you're going to be a rebel, sir----" + +"We hope not, Senator," John protested. + +"I've my suspicions from an interview we had once. But you're a good +reporter, sir. I trust your ability and honesty however deeply I suspect +your patriotism. As a Republican Senator I say to you for publication: +The President couldn't well have said less. It might have been unwise to +say more. To you, as a budding young rebel and a friend of my daughter, +I say, with the utmost frankness, that I have no power to express my +contempt for that address. From the lips of the man we elected to +strangle Slavery fell the cowardly words: + +"'I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists'----" + +The grim blue-grey eyes flashed with rage, he paused for breath and +then, livid with suppressed emotion, continued: + +"For fifty years every man who has stood on this platform to take the +oath as President has turned his face to the South and bowed the knee to +Baal. We hoped for better things to-day----" He paused a moment and his +eyes filled with angry tears: + +"How long, O Lord! How long!" + +"But you mustn't forget, Senator, that he didn't run and we didn't win +on an Abolition platform. We only raised the issue of the extension of +Slavery into the new territories----" + +"Yes!" the old man sneered. "But you didn't fool the South! They are +past masters in the art of politics. The South is seceding because they +know that the Republican Party was organized to destroy Slavery--and +that its triumph is a challenge to a life and death fight on that issue. +It's a waste of time to beat the devil round the stump. We've got to +face it. I hate a trimmer and a coward!--But don't you dare print that +for a while, young man----" + +"Hardly, sir," Ned answered with a smile. + +"I've got to support my own administration for a few days at least--and +then!--well, we won't cross any bridges till we come to them." + +He stopped abruptly and turned to John: + +"Come to see us, Mr. Vaughan. Your paper should be a power before the +end of the coming four years. I know Forney, your chief. I'd like to +know you better----" + +"Thank you, Senator," the young editor responded cordially. + +"Can't you dine with us to-morrow night, Mr. Vaughan?" Betty asked, +unconsciously bending toward his straight, well poised figure. Ned +observed her with a frown, and heard John's answer in a sudden surge of +anger. + +"Certainly, Miss Betty, with pleasure." + +To Ned's certain knowledge it was the first invitation of the kind he +had accepted since his advent in Washington. Again he cursed himself for +a fool for introducing them. + +Betty beamed her friendliest look straight into his eyes and softly +said: + +"You'll come, of course, Mr. Ned?" + +For the life of him he couldn't get back his conventional tones for an +answer. His voice trembled in spite of his effort. + +"Thank you," he said slowly, "it will not be possible. I've an +assignment at the White House for that evening." + +He turned abruptly and left them. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +JANGLING VOICES + + +The roar of the Inauguration passed, and Washington was itself again--an +old-fashioned Southern town of sixty thousand inhabitants, no longer +asleep perhaps, but still aristocratic, skeptical, sneering in its +attitude toward the new administration. + +Behind the scenes in his Cabinet reigned confusion incredible. The tall +dark backwoodsman who presided over these wrangling giants appeared at +first to their superior wisdom a dazed spectator. + +He had called them because they were indispensable. Now that the issues +were to be faced, Mr. Seward, Mr. Chase, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Bates +realized that the country lawyer who had won the Presidency over their +superior claims knew his weakness and relied on their strength, +training, and long experience in public affairs. + +Certainly it had not occurred to one of them that his act in calling the +greatest men of his party, and the party of opposition as well, into his +Cabinet was a deed of such intellectual audacity that it scarcely had a +parallel in history. + +Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, had reluctantly consented to enter +the Cabinet at the last moment as an act of patriotism to save the +country from impending ruin too great for any other man to face. His +attitude was a reasonable one. He was the undoubted leader of the +triumphant party. + +Without a moment's hesitation on the first day of his service as +Secretary of State he assumed the position of a Prime Minister, whose +duties included a general supervision of all the Departments of +Government, as well as a Regent's supervision over the Executive. + +Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, at once took up the +gauntlet thrown down by his rival. He not only regarded the President +with contempt, but he extended it to the political trickster who dared +to assume the airs of Premiership in a Democratic Republic. + +To these Cabinet meetings came no voices of comfort from the country. +The Abolitionist press, which represented the aggressive conscience of +the North, continued to ridicule and denounce the Inaugural address in +unmeasured terms. + +The simple truth was soon apparent to the sombre eyes of the President. +He was facing the gravest problem that ever confronted a statesman +without an organized party on which he could depend for support. But two +of his Cabinet had any confidence in his ability or genuine +loyalty--Gideon Welles, a Northern Democrat, and Montgomery Blair, a +Southern aristocrat. + +The problem before him was bigger than faction, bigger than party, +bigger than Slavery. Could a government founded on the genuine +principles of Democracy live? Could such a Union be held together +composed of warring sections with vast territories extending over +thousands of miles, washed by two oceans extending from the frozen +mountains of Canada to the endless summers of the tropics? + +If the Southern people should unite in a slave-holding Confederacy, it +was not only a question as to whether he could shape an army mighty +enough to conquer them, the more urgent and by far the graver problem +was whether he could mould into unity the warring factions of the +turbulent, passion-torn North. These people who had elected him--could +he ever hope to bind them into a solid fighting unit? If their +representatives in his Cabinet were truly representatives the task was +beyond human power. + +And yet the tall, lonely figure calmly faced it without a tremor. In the +depths of his cavernous eyes there burned a steady flame but few of the +men about him saw, or understood if they saw--that flame was something +new in the history of the race--a faith in the common man which dared to +give a new valuation to the individual and set new standards for the +Democracy of the world. He believed that the heart of the masses of the +people North, South, East and West was sound at the core and that as +their Chief Magistrate he could ultimately appeal to them over the heads +of all traditions--all factions, and all accepted leaders. + +He was the most advised man and the worst advised man in history. It +became necessary to think for himself or cease to think at all. + +General Scott, the venerable hero of Lundy Lane, in command of the army, +had suggested as a solution of the turmoil the division of the country +into four separate Confederacies and had roughly drawn their outlines! + +Horace Greeley had made the _Tribune_ the most powerful newspaper in the +history of America. The Republicans throughout the country had been +educated by its teachings and held its authority second only to the Word +of God. And yet from the moment of Lincoln's election the chief +occupation of this powerful paper was to criticize and condemn the +measures and policies of the President. + +Over and over he repeated the deadly advice to the Nation: + +"If the Cotton States shall decide that they can do better out of the +Union than in it, we insist on letting them go in peace." + +He serenely insisted: + +"If eight Southern States, having five millions of people, choose to +separate from us, they cannot be permanently withheld from doing so by +Federal cannon. The South has as good right to secede from the Union as +the Colonies had to secede from Great Britain. If they choose to form an +independent Nation they have a clear moral right to do so, and we will +do our best to forward their views." + +Is it to be wondered at that the Southern people were absolutely clear +in their conception of the right to secede if such doctrines were taught +in the North by the highest authority within the party which had elected +Abraham Lincoln? + +If his own party leaders were boldly proclaiming such treason to the +Union how could he hope to stem the tide that had set in for its ruin? + +The thousands of conservative men North and South who voted for Bell and +Everett demanded peace at any price. An orator in New York at a great +mass meeting dared to say: + +"If a revolution of force is to begin it shall be inaugurated at home! +It will be just as brutal to send men to butcher our brothers of the +South as it will be to massacre them in the Northern States." + +The business interests of the Northern cities were bitterly and +unanimously arrayed against any attempt to use force against the South. +The city of New York was thoroughly imbued with Secession sentiment, and +its Mayor, through Daniel E. Sickles, one of the members of Congress, +demanded the establishment of a free and independent Municipal State on +the island of Manhattan. + +Seward had just written to Charles F. Adams, our minister to England: + +"Only an imperial and despotic government could subjugate thoroughly +disaffected and insurrectionary members of the State. This Federal +Republican country of ours is, of all forms of Government, the very one +which is the most unfitted for such a labor." + +This letter could only mean one of two things, either that the first +member of the Cabinet was a Secessionist and meant to allow the South to +go unmolested, or he planned to change our form of Government by a _coup +d'état_ in the crisis and assume the Dictatorship. In either event his +attitude boded ill for the new President and his future. + +Wendell Phillips, the eloquent friend of Senator Winter, declared in +Boston in a public address: + +"Here are a series of states who think their peculiar institutions +require that they should have a separate government. They have the right +to decide that question without appealing to you or me. Standing with +the principles of '76 behind us, who can deny them the right? Abraham +Lincoln has no right to a soldier in Fort Sumter. There is no longer a +Union. You can not go through Massachusetts and recruit men to bombard +Charleston or New Orleans. Nothing but madness can provoke a war with +the Gulf States." + +The last member of his distracted, divided, passion-ridden Cabinet had +gone at the close of its first eventful sitting. The dark figure of the +President stood beside the window looking over the mirror-like surface +of the Potomac to the hills of Virginia. + +The shadow of a great sorrow shrouded his face and form. The shoulders +drooped. But the light in the depths of his sombre eyes was growing +steadily in intensity. + +Old Edward, the veteran hallman, appeared at the door with his endless +effort to wash his hands without water. + +"A young gentleman wishes to see you, sir, a reporter I think--Mr. Ned +Vaughan, of the _Daily Republican_." + +Without lifting his eyes from the Virginia hills, the quiet voice said: + +"Let him in." + +In vain the wily diplomat of the press sought to obtain a declaration of +policy on the question of the relief of Fort Sumter. In his easy, +friendly way the President made him welcome, but only smiled and slowly +shook his head in answer to each pointed question, or laughed aloud at +the skillful traps he was invited to enter. + +"It's no use, my boy," he said at last, with a weary gesture. "I'm not +going to tell you anything to-day----" he paused, and the light suddenly +flashed from beneath his shaggy brows, "----except this--you can say to +your readers that my course is as plain as a turnpike road. It is marked +out by the Constitution. I am in no doubt which way to go. I am going to +try to save the Union." + +"In short," Ned laughed, "you propose to stand by your Inaugural?" + +"That's a pretty good guess, young man! I'm surprised that you paid such +close attention to my address." + +"Perhaps I had an interpreter?" + +"Did you?" + +"Yes." + +"Who?" + +"A very beautiful young woman, Mr. President," Ned answered serenely. + +The hazel-grey eyes twinkled: + +"What's her name, sir?" + +"Miss Betty Winter." + +"Not the daughter of that old grizzly bear who's always camping on my +trail?" + +"The same, sir." + +The swarthy face lighted with a radiant smile: + +"What did she say about my Inaugural?" + +"That it was the utterance of a wise, patient, great man." + +Two big hands suddenly closed on Ned's and the tall figure bent low. + +"Thank you for telling me that, my boy. It helps me after a hard day!" + +"She said many other things, too, sir," Ned added. + +"Did she?" + +"With enthusiasm." + +"Tell her to come to me," the President said slowly. "I want to talk to +her." + +He paused, turned to his desk and seized a pen: + +"I'll send a subpoena for her--that's better." + +On one of his cards he quickly wrote: + + "MY DEAR MISS WINTER: + + "You are hereby summoned to immediately appear before the Chief + Magistrate to testify concerning grave matters of State. + + A. LINCOLN." + +He slipped his long arm around Ned's shoulder and walked with him to the +door: + +"Serve that on her for me, will you, right away?" + +With a nod and a smile, the reporter bowed and turned his steps toward +the Senator's house. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +IN BETTY'S GARDEN + + +Ned Vaughan paused with a moment of indecision before the plain, +old-fashioned, brick house in which Senator Winter lived on the Capitol +Hill. It was a confession of abject weakness to decline her invitation +to dinner with his brother and jump at the first chance to butt in +before the dinner hour. + +Why should he worry? She was too serious and honest to play with any +man, to say nothing of an attempt to flirt with two at the same time. + +He refused to believe in the seriousness of any impression she had made +on his brother's conceited fancy. His light love affairs had become +notorious in his set. He was only amusing himself with Betty and she was +too simple and pure to understand. Yet to warn her at this stage of the +game against his own brother was obviously impossible. + +He suddenly turned on his heel: + +"I'm a fool. I'll wait till to-morrow!" + +He walked rapidly to the corner, stopped abruptly, turned back to the +door and rang the bell. + +"Anyhow, I'm not a coward!" he muttered. + +The pretty Irish maid who opened the door smiled graciously and +knowingly. It made him furious. She mistook his rage for blushes and +giggled insinuatingly. + +"Miss Betty's in the garden, sor; she says to come right out there----" + +"What?" Ned gasped. + +"Yiss-sor; she saw you come up to the door just now and told me to tell +you." + +Again the girl giggled and again he flushed with rage. + +He found her in the garden, busy with her flowers. The border of tall +jonquils were in full bloom, a gorgeous yellow flame leaping from both +sides of the narrow walkway which circled the high brick wall covered +with a mass of honeysuckle. She held a huge pair of pruning shears, +clipping the honeysuckle away from the budding violet beds. + +She lifted her laughing brown eyes to his. + +"Do help me!" she cried. "This honeysuckle vine is going to cover the +whole garden and smother the house itself, I'm afraid." + +He took the shears from her pink fingers and felt the thrill of their +touch for just a moment. + +His eyes lingered on the beautiful picture she made with flushed face +and tangled ringlets of golden brown hair falling over forehead and +cheeks and white rounded throat. The blue gingham apron was infinitely +more becoming than the most elaborate ball costume. It suggested home +and the sweet intimacy of comradeship. + +"You're lovely in that blue apron, Miss Betty," he said with +earnestness. + +"Then I'm forgiven for making home folks of you?" + +"I'm very happy in it." + +"Well, you see I had no choice," she hastened to add. "I just had to +finish these flowers before dressing for dinner. I'm expecting that +handsome brother of yours directly and I must look my best for him, now +mustn't I?" + +She smiled into his eyes with such charming audacity he had to laugh. + +"Of course, you must!" he agreed, and bent quickly to the task of +clearing her violet bed of entangled vines. In ten minutes his strong +hand had done the work of an hour for her slender fingers. + +"How swiftly and beautifully you work, Ned!" she exclaimed as he rose +with face flushed and gazed a moment admiringly on the witchery of her +exquisite figure. + +"How would you like me for a steady gardener?" + +"I hope you're not going to lose your job on your brother's paper?" + +"It's possible." + +"Why?" + +"We don't agree on politics." + +"A reporter don't have to agree with an editor. He only obeys orders." + +"That's it," Ned answered, with a firm snap of his strong jaw. "I'm not +going to take orders from this Government many more days from the +present outlook." + +Betty looked him straight in the eye in silence and slowly asked: + +"You're not really going to join the rebels?" + +The slender boyish figure suddenly straightened and his lips quivered: + +"Perhaps." + +"You can't mean it!" she cried incredulously. + +"Would you care?" he asked slowly. + +"Very much," was the quick answer. "I should be shocked and disappointed +in you. I've never believed for a moment that you meant what you said. I +thought you were only debating the question from the Southern side." + +"Tell me," Ned broke in, "does your father mean half he says about +Lincoln and the South?" + +"Every word he says. My father is made of the stuff that kindles martyr +fires. He will march to the stake for his principles when the time +comes." + +"You admire that kind of man?" + +"Don't you?" + +"Yes. And for that reason I can't understand why you admire a trimmer +and a time server." + +"You mean?" + +"The Rail-splitter in the White House." + +"But he's not!" Betty protested. "I can feel the hand of steel beneath +his glove--wait and see." + +Ned laughed: + +"Let Ephraim alone, he's joined to his idols! As our old preacher used +to say in Missouri. Your delusion is hopeless. It's well the President +is safely married." + +Betty's eyes twinkled. Ned paused, blushed, fumbled in his pocket and +drew out the card the President had given him to deliver. + +"I am ordered by the administration," he gravely continued, "to serve +this document on the daughter of Senator Winter." + +Betty's eyes danced with amazement as she read the message in the +handwriting of the Chief Magistrate. + +"He sent this to me?" + +[Illustration: "'Good-bye--Ned!' she breathed softly."] + +"Ordered me to serve it on you at once--my excuse for coming at this +unseemly hour." + +"But why?" + +"I gave him a hint of your opinion of his Inaugural. I think it's a case +of a drowning man grasping a straw." + +"Well, this is splendid!" she exclaimed. + +"You take it seriously?" + +"It's a great honor." + +"And are you going?" + +"I'd go to-night if it were possible--to-morrow sure----" + +She looked at the card curiously. + +"I've a strange presentiment that something wonderful will come of this +meeting." + +"No doubt of it. When Senator Winter's daughter becomes the champion of +the 'Slave Hound of Illinois' there'll be a sensation in the Capital +gossip to say nothing of what may happen at home." + +"I'll risk what happens at home, Ned! My father has two great passions, +the hatred of Slavery and the love of his frivolous daughter. I can +twist him around my little finger----" + +She paused, snapped her finger and smiled up into his face sweetly: + +"Do you doubt it, sir?" + +"No," he answered with a frown, dropping his voice to low tender tones. +"But would you mind telling me, Miss Betty, why you called me 'Mr. Ned' +the other day when I introduced you to John?" + +The faintest tinge of red flashed in her cheeks: + +"I must have done it unconsciously." + +"Please don't do it again. It hurts. You've called me Ned too long to +drop it now, don't you think?" + +"Yes." + +Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she took his hand in parting. + +"Good-bye--Ned!" she breathed softly. + +And then he did a foolish thing, but the impulse was resistless. He bent +low, reverently kissed the tips of her fingers and fled without daring +to look back. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A PAIR OF YOUNG EYES + + +When Betty's card was sent in at the White House next morning, a smile +lighted the sombre face of the President. He waved his long arms +impulsively to his Secretaries and the waiting crowd of Congressmen: + +"Clear everybody out for a few minutes, boys; I've an appointment at +this hour." + +The tall figure bowed with courtly deference over the little hand and +his voice was touched with deep feeling: + +"I want to thank you personally, Miss Betty, for your kind words about +my Inaugural. They helped and cheered me in a trying moment." + +"I'm glad," was the smiling answer. + +"Tell me everything you said about it?" he urged laughingly. + +"I'm afraid Mrs. Lincoln might not like it!" she said demurely. + +"We'll risk it. I'm going to take you in to see her in a minute. I want +her to know you. Tell me, what else did you say?" + +He spoke with the eager wistfulness of a boy. It was only too plain that +few messages of good cheer had come to lighten the burden his +responsibilities had brought. + +A smile touched her eyes with tender sympathy: + +"You won't be vain if I tell you exactly what I said, Mr. President?" + +"After all the brickbats that have been coming my way?" he laughed. No +man could laugh with more genuine hearty enjoyment. His laughter +convulsed his whole being for the moment and fairly hypnotized his +hearer into sympathy with his mood. + +"Out with it, Miss Betty, I need it!" he urged. + +"I said, Mr. President, that you were very tender and very strong----" +she paused and looked straight into his deep set eyes "----and that a +great man had appeared in our history." + +He was still for a moment and a mist veiled the light at which she +gazed. He took her hand in both his, pressed it gently and murmured: + +"Thank you, Miss Betty, I shall try to prove worthy of my little +champion." + +"I think you do things without trying, Mr. President," she answered. + +"And you don't want an office, do you?" + +"No." + +"You have no favors to ask for your friends, have you?" + +"None whatever." + +"And you're Senator Winter's daughter?" + +"Yes." + +"The old grizzly bear! He hates me--but I've always liked him----" + +"I hope you'll always like him," Betty quickly broke in. + +"Of course I will. I've never cherished resentments. Life's too short, +and the office I fill is too big for that. Do you know why I've sent for +you?" + +Betty smiled: + +"To have me flatter you, of course. All men are vain. The greater the +man, the greater his vanity." + +Again he laughed with every muscle of his face and body. + +"Honestly--no, that's not the reason," he said confidentially. "I want +you to accept a position in my Cabinet." + +"I didn't know that women were admitted?" + +"They're not, but I've always been in favor of votes for women and I'm +going to make a place for you." + +Betty's lips trembled with a smile: + +"What's the salary?" + +"No salary, save the eternal gratitude of your Chief--will you accept?" + +"I'll consider it--what duty?" + +He looked steadily into her brown eyes: + +"You have very bright, clear eyes, Miss Betty, I can see myself in them +now more distinctly than in that mirror over the mantel. I'd like to +borrow your eyes now and then to see things with. Will you accept the +position?" + +"If I can be of service, yes." + +"The White House is open to you at all hours, and I shall send for you +sometimes when I'm blue and puzzled and want a pair of pure, beautiful, +young eyes--you understand?" + +Betty extended her hand and her voice trembled: + +"You have conferred on me a very great honor, Mr. President." + +"For instance now," he said dreamily: "You endorse my Inaugural?" + +"I'm sure it was wise, firm, friendly, dignified." + +"I couldn't have said less than that I must possess and hold the +property of the Government, could I? Well, I must now order a fleet to +sail for Charleston Harbor to relieve our fort or allow the men who wear +our uniform and fly our flag to die of starvation or surrender. Pretty +poor Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy if I do that, am I not? +Suppose I send a fleet to provision our men in Fort Sumter, not +reinforce it--mind you, merely provisions for the handful of men who are +there,--and suppose the Southern troops manning those land batteries +open fire on our flag and force Major Anderson to surrender--what would +happen in the North?" + +He paused and looked at her steadily. The fine young figure suddenly +stiffened: + +"Every man, woman and child would say fight!" + +The big jaws came together with firm precision and his huge fist struck +the table: + +"That's what I think. And at the same time something else would be +happening over there----" His long arm swept toward the hills of +Virginia, dark and threatening on the horizon. "The moment that shot +crashes against our fort, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and +Tennessee will join the Confederacy, to say nothing of what may happen +in Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Missouri--all Slave States. The +shock will be felt on both sides with precisely opposite effects. +Sometimes we must do our duty and leave the rest to God, mustn't we? +Yes--of course we must--and now, I've kept you too long, Miss Betty. +It's a bargain, isn't it? You accept the position in my Cabinet?" + +"Of course, Mr. President,--but if my duties are no heavier than I find +them on this occasion, I fear I shall be of little help." + +"You've been of the greatest service to me. You've confirmed my decision +on a great problem of State. Come now and see Mother and the children. I +want you to know them and like them." + +He led her quickly into the family apartment and introduced her to Mrs. +Lincoln. He found her in the midst of a grave discussion with Lizzie +Garland, her colored dressmaker. + +"This is old Grizzly's lovely daughter, Miss Betty Winter, Mother. She +has joined the administration, stands squarely with us against the +world, the flesh, the devil--and her father! I told her you'd give her +the keys to the house----" + +With a wave of his big hand he was gone. + +Mrs. Lincoln's greeting was simple and hearty. In half an hour Betty had +found a place in her heart for life, the boys were claiming her as their +own, and a train of influences were set in motion destined to make +history. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE FIRST SHOT + + +The first month of the new administration passed in a strange peace that +proved to be the calm before the storm. On the first day of April, All +Fool's Day, Mr. Seward decided to bring to a definite issue the question +of supreme authority in the government. That Abraham Lincoln was the +nominal President was true, of course. Mr. Seward generously decided to +allow him to remain nominally at the head of the Nation and assume +himself the full responsibilities of a Dictatorship. + +The Secretary of State strolled leisurely into the executive office more +careless in dress than usual, the knot of his cravat under his left ear, +a huge lighted cigar in his hand. He handed the President a folded sheet +of official paper, bowed carelessly and retired. + +He had drawn up his proclamation under the title: + +SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S CONSIDERATION. + +In this remarkable document he proposed to assume the Dictatorship and +outlined his policy as director of the Nation's affairs. + +He would immediately provoke war with Great Britain, Russia, Spain and +France! + +The dark-visaged giant adjusted his glasses and read this paper with a +smile of incredulous amazement. He wiped his glasses and read it again. +And then without consultation with a single human being, and without a +moment's hesitation he wrote a brief reply to the great man and his +generous offer. There was no bluster, no wrath, no demand for an apology +to his insulted dignity, but in the simplest and friendliest and most +direct language he informed his Secretary that if a dictator were needed +to save the country he would undertake the dangerous and difficult job +himself inasmuch as he had been called by the people to be their +Commander-in-Chief, and that he expected the coöperation, advice and +support of _all_ the members of his Cabinet. + +He did not even refer to the wild scheme of plunging the country into +war with two-thirds of the civilized world. The bare announcement of +such a suggestion would have driven the Secretary from public life. The +quiet man who presided over the turbulent Cabinet never hinted to one of +its members that such a document had reached his hands. + +But as the shades of night fell over the Capitol on that first day of +April, 1861, there was one distinguished statesman within the city who +knew that a real man had been elected President and that he was going to +wield the power placed in his hands without a tremor of fear or an +instant's hesitation. + +It took many months for other members of his Cabinet to learn this--but +there was no more trouble with his Secretary of State. He became at once +his loyal, earnest and faithful counsellor. + +On April the 6th, the fleet was sent to sea under sealed orders to +relieve Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. The +President had been loath to commit the act which must inevitably provoke +war--unless the whole movement of Secession in the South was one of +political bluff. The highest military authority of the country had +advised him that the fort could not be held by any force at present +visible, and that its evacuation was inevitable in any event. + +His Cabinet, with two exceptions, were against any attempt to relieve +it. The sentiment of the people of the North was bitterly opposed to war +on the South. + +On April the 7th, the fleet was at sea on its way to the Southern coast, +its guns shotted, its great battle flags streaming in the wind. + +In accordance with the amenities of war the President notified General +Beauregard, Commander of the Southern forces in Charleston Harbor, that +he had sent his fleet to put provisions into Sumter, but not at present +to put in men, arms or ammunition, _unless the fort should be attacked_. + +On the night this message was dispatched Roger A. Pryor, of Virginia, +made a speech in Charleston, from the balcony of the Mills Hotel to +practically the entire white population of the city. Its message was +fierce, direct, electric. It was summed up in a single sentence: + +"Strike the first armed blow in defense of Southern rights and within +one hour by Shrewsbury clock, old Virginia will stand, her battle flags +flying, by your side!" + +On the morning of the 11th General Beauregard sent Pryor as a special +messenger to Major Anderson demanding the surrender of Fort Sumter, and +on his refusal, which was a matter of course, instructed him to go at +once to the nearest battery and order its Commander to open fire. + +The formalities at Sumter quickly ended, Pryor repaired to Battery +Johnson, met the young Captain of artillery in command and presented his +order. + +With a shout the Captain threw his arms around the messenger and with +streaming eyes cried: + +"Your wonderful speech last night made this glorious thing possible! You +shall have the immortal honor of firing the first gun!" + +And then a strange revulsion of fooling--or was it a flash of foreboding +from the hell-lit, battle-scorched future! The orator hesitated and +turned pale. It was an honor he could not now decline and yet he +instinctively shrank from it. + +He mopped the perspiration from his brow and looked about in a helpless +way. His eye suddenly rested on a grey-haired, stalwart sentinel passing +with quick firm tread. He recognized him immediately as a distinguished +fellow Virginian, a man of large wealth and uncompromising opinions on +Southern rights. + +When Virginia had refused to secede, he cursed his countrymen as a set +of hesitating cowards, left the State and moved to South Carolina. He +had volunteered among the first and carried a musket as a private +soldier in spite of his snow-white hairs. + +Pryor turned to the Commandant: + +"I appreciate, sir, the honor you would do me, but I could not think of +taking it from one more worthy than myself. There is the man whose +devotion to our cause is greater than mine." + +He introduced Edmund Ruffin and gave a brief outline of his career. The +boyish Commandant faced him: + +"Will you accept the honor of firing the first shot, sir?" + +The square jaw closed with a snap: + +"By God, I will!" + +The old man seized the lanyard and waited for the Captain and messenger +to reach the front to witness the effect of the shot. + +They had scarcely cleared the enclosure when the first gun of actual +civil war thundered its fateful message across the still waters of the +beautiful Southern harbor. + +They watched the great screaming shell rise into the sky, curve downward +and burst with sullen roar squarely over the doomed fort. + +The deed was done! + +Instantly came the answering cry of fierce, ungovernable wrath from the +millions of the North. The four remaining Southern States wheeled into +line, flung their battle flags into the sky, and the bloodiest war in +the history of the world had begun. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE PARTING OF THE WAYS + + +The wave of fiery enthusiasm for the Union which swept the North was +precisely what the clear eyes of the President had foreseen. A half +million men would have sprung to their arms if there had been any to +spring to. The whole country, North, South, East and West was utterly +unprepared for war. The regular army of the United States consisted of +only sixteen thousand men scattered over a vast territory. + +The President called for seventy-five thousand volunteer militiamen for +three months' service to restore order in the Southern States. Even this +number was more than the War Department could equip before their terms +would expire and the President had no authority to call State troops for +a longer service. + +On the day following the call, Massachusetts started three fully +equipped regiments to the front. The first reached Baltimore on the +19th. On their march through the streets to change cars for Washington, +they were attacked by a fierce mob and the first battle of the Civil War +was fought. The regiment lost four killed and thirty-six wounded and the +mob, twelve killed and a great number wounded. Grimed with blood and +dirt the troops reached Washington at five o'clock in the afternoon, the +first armed rescuers of the Capital. They were quartered in the +magnificent Senate Chamber on the Capitol Hill. + +The President was immediately confronted by the gravest crisis. The +first blood had stained the soil of the only Slave State, which lay +between Washington and the loyal North. If Maryland should join the +Confederacy it would be impossible to hold the Capital. The city would +be surrounded and isolated in hostile territory. + +From the first he had believed that the only conceivable way to save the +Union was to prevent the Border Slave States of Maryland, Kentucky and +Missouri from joining the South. For the moment it seemed that Maryland +was lost, and with it the Capital of the Nation. A storm of fury swept +through the city of Baltimore and the whole State over the killing of +her unarmed citizens by the "Abolition" troops from Massachusetts! + +The Mayor of Baltimore sent a committee to the President who declared in +the most solemn tones: + +"It is not possible for more soldiers to pass through Baltimore unless +they fight their way at every step." + +And to make sure that the attempt would not be repeated he burned the +railroad bridges connecting the North and cut every telegraph wire +completely isolating the Capital. + +Gilbert Winter, with his cold blue eyes flashing their slumbering fires +of hate, stalked into the White House as the Baltimore committee were +passing down the steps. Without announcement he confronted the +President. + +"In the name of the outraged dignity of this Republic," he thundered, "I +demand that these traitors be arrested, tried by drumhead court-martial +and hanged as spies!" + +The patient giant figure lifted a big hand in a gesture of mild protest: + +"Hardly, Senator!" + +"And what was your answer?" + +"I have written the Governor and the Mayor," the quiet voice went on, +"that for the future troops _must_ be brought here, but I make no point +of bringing them through Baltimore----" + +"Indeed!" Winter sneered. + +"All I want is to get them here. I have ordered them to march around +Baltimore. And in fulfilment of this promise I've sent a regiment back +to Philadelphia to come by water----" + +"Great God--could cowardice sink to baser crawling!" + +The tall man merely smiled--his furious visitor starting for the door, +turned and growled: + +"It is absolutely useless to discuss this question further?" + +"Absolutely, Senator." + +"And you will not order our regular troops to take Baltimore immediately +at the point of the bayonet?" + +"I will not." + +"Good day, sir!" + +"Good day, Senator." + +With a muttered explosion of wrath Gilbert Winter shook the dust of the +White House floor from his feet and solemnly promised God it would be +many moons before he degraded himself by again entering its portals. + +The President had need of all his patience and caution in dealing with +Maryland. The next protest demanded that troops should not pass by way +of Annapolis or over any other spot of the soil of the State. + +He calmly but firmly replied: + +"My troops must reach Washington. They can neither fly over the State of +Maryland nor burrow under it: therefore, they must cross it, and your +people must learn that there is no piece of American soil too good to be +pressed by the foot of a loyal soldier on his march to the defense of +the Capital and his country." + +During these anxious days while the fate of Maryland hung in the balance +the Government was given a startling revelation of what it would mean to +have Maryland hostile territory. + +For a week the President and his Cabinet were in a state of siege. They +got no news. They could send none save by courier. The maddest rumors +were daily afloat. The President was supposed to be governing a country +from which he was completely isolated. + +The tension at last became unbearable. The giant figure stood for hours +alone before his window in the White House, his sombre hazel-grey eyes +fixed on the hills beyond the Potomac. When the silence could no longer +be endured the anguish of his heart broke forth in impassioned protest: + +"Great God! Why don't they come? Why don't they come! Is our Nation a +myth? Is there no North?" + +And then the tide turned and the troops poured into the city. + +His patient, careful and friendly treatment of the Marylanders quickly +proved its wisdom. A reaction in favor of the Union set in and the State +remained loyal to the flag. The importance of this fact could not be +exaggerated. Without Maryland, Washington could not have been held. And +the moment the Capital should fall Europe would recognize the +Confederacy. + +The saving of Maryland for the Union, in fact, established Washington as +the real seat of Government, though it was destined to remain for years +but an armed fortress on the frontiers of a new Nation. + +The stirring events at Sumter and Baltimore brought more than one family +to the grief and horror of brother against brother and father against +son. + +John Vaughan stood in his room livid with rage confronting Ned on the +first day that communication was opened with the outside world. + +"You are not going to do this insane thing I tell you, Ned!" + +The boyish figure stiffened: + +"I am going home to Missouri on the first train out of Washington, raise +a company and fight for the South." + +The older man's voice dropped to persuasive tones: + +"Isn't there something bigger than fighting for a section? Let's stand +by the Nation!" + +"That's just what I refuse to do. The United States have never been a +Nation. This country is a Republic of Republics--not an Empire. The +South is going to fight for the right of local self-government and the +liberties our fathers won from the tyrants of the old world. The South +is right eternally and forever right. The States of this Union have +always been sovereign." + +"All right--all right," John growled impatiently, "granted, my boy. +Still Secession is impossible. A Nation can't jump out of its own skin +once it has grown it. This country has become a Nation. Steam and +electricity have made it so. Railroads have bound us together in iron +bands. Can't you see that?" + +"No, I can't. Right is right." + +"But if we have actually grown into a mighty united people with one +tongue and one ideal is it right to draw the sword to destroy what God +has joined together? Silently, swiftly, surely during the past thirty +years we have become one people and the love of the Union has become a +deathless passion----" + +"You've had a poor way of showing it!" Ned sneered. + +"Still, boy, it's true. I didn't realize it myself until that fort was +fired on and the flag hauled down. And then it came to me in a blinding +flash. Old Webster's voice has been hushed in death, but his soul lives +in the hearts of our boys. There's hardly one of us who hasn't repeated +at school his immortal words. They came back to me with thrilling power +the day I read of that shot. They are ringing in my soul to-day----" + +John paused and a rapt look crept into his eyes, as he began slowly to +repeat the closing words of Webster's speech: + +"'When mine eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in +heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments +of a once glorious Union; on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; +or a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, with +fratricidal blood! Let their last feeble and lingering glance rather +behold the gracious ensign of the Republic, now known and honored +throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies +streaming in their original lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, not +a single star obscured, bearing for its motto no such miserable +interrogatory as "What is all this worth?" nor those other words of +delusion and folly, "Liberty first and Union afterward," but everywhere, +spread all over with living light, blazing in all its ample folds, as +they float over the sea and over the land and in every wind under the +whole heavens, that other sentiment dear to every American +heart--"Liberty _and_ Union, now and forever, one and inseparable----"'" + +He paused, his voice choking with emotion, as he seized Ned's arm: + +"O, Boy, Boy, isn't that a greater ideal? That's all the President is +asking to-day--to stand by the Union----" + +"He is making war on the South!" + +"But only as the South is forcing him reluctantly to defend the Union by +force. The South is mad. She will come to her senses after the shock of +the first skirmish is over. With the Southern members in their places, +they have a majority in Congress against the President. He can move +neither hand nor foot. What has the South to gain by Secession? They +always controlled the Union and can continue to do so if they stand +united with their Northern friends. In the end their defeat is as sure +as that twenty millions of free white Americans can whip five millions +of equal courage and daring. They have everything to lose and nothing to +gain. It's madness--it surpasses belief!" + +"That's why I'm going to fight for them!" Ned's answer flashed. "They +stand for a principle--their equal rights under the Republic their +fathers created. They haven't paused to figure on success or failure. +Five million freemen have drawn the sword against twenty millions +because their rights have been invaded. Might has never yet made right. +The South's daring is sublime and, by God, I stand with them!" + +His words had the ring of steel in their finality. The two men faced +each other for a moment, tense, earnest, defiant. + +The younger extended his hand: + +"Good-bye, John." + +The handsome face of the older brother went suddenly white and he shook +his head: + +"No. From to-day we are no longer brothers--we can't be friends!" + +Ned smiled, waved his hand and from the door firmly answered: + +"As you like--from to-day--foes----" + +He closed the door and with swift step turned his face toward the house +of Senator Winter. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +LOVE AND DUTY + + +The pretty Irish maid nodded and smiled with such a sympathetic look as +she ushered Ned into the cosy back parlor, he wondered if it meant +anything. Could she have guessed Betty's secret? She might give him a +hint that would lift the fear from his heart. + +He smiled back into her laughing eyes and began awkwardly: + +"Oh, I say, Peggy----" + +She dropped a pretty courtesy: + +"Yiss-sor?" + +Somehow it wouldn't work. The words refused to come. Love was too big +and sweet and sacred. It couldn't be hinted at to a third person. And so +he merely stammered: + +"Will you--er--please--tell Miss Betty I'm here?" + +"Yiss-sor!" Peggy giggled. + +He was glad to be rid of her. He drew his handkerchief, mopped the +perspiration from his brow and sat down by the open window to wait. His +heart was pounding. He looked about the room with vague longing. He had +spent many a swift hour of pain and joy in this room. The sight and +sound of her had grown into his very life--he couldn't realize how +intimately and how hopelessly until this moment of parting perhaps +forever. + +The portrait of her mother hung over the mantel--a life-size oil +painting by a noted French artist, the same brilliant laughing eyes, the +same deep golden brown hair, its wayward ringlets playing loosely about +her fine forehead and shell-like ears. + +Beyond a doubt this pretty mother with the sunshine of France in her +blood had known how to flirt in her day--and her beautiful daughter was +enough like that picture to have been her twin sister. + +On the mantel beneath this portrait sat photographs in solid silver +frames, one of Wendell Phillips, one of William Lloyd Garrison and one +of John C. Fremont, the first Republican candidate for President. +Directly opposite on the wall hung an oil painting of John Brown. Ned +caught the flash of the fanatic in the old madman's eye and was startled +at the striking resemblance to Senator Winter. He had never thought of +it before. Gilbert Winter might have been his brother in the flesh as he +undoubtedly was in spirit. + +The thought chilled. He looked out the window with a sigh and wondered +how far the old tyrant would carry his hatred of the South into his +daughter's life. His eye rested for a moment on the row of lilacs in +full bloom in the garden and caught the flash of the big new leaves of +the magnolia which shadowed the rear wall. The early honeysuckle had +begun to blossom on the south side, and the violet beds were a solid +mass of gorgeous blue. Through the open window came the rich odor of the +long rows of narcissus in full white glory where the jonquils had flamed +a month ago. + +What a beautiful world to be beaten into a scarred battlefield! + +For just a moment the thought wrung the heart of youth and love. It was +hard just when the tenderest and sweetest impulses that ever filled his +soul wore clamoring for speech, to turn his back on all, say good-bye +and go--to war--perhaps to kill his own brother. + +And there could be no mistake, war had come. Overhead he caught the +steady tramp of Senator Winter's feet, a caged lion walking back and +forth with hungry eyes turned toward the South. He could feel his deadly +hostility through the very walls. + +A battery of artillery suddenly roared through the streets, the dull +heavy rattle of its wheels over the cobblestones, and the crack of the +driver's whip echoing and reëchoing through the house. Behind it came +the steady tramp, tramp, of a regiment of infantry, the loud call of +their volunteer officers ringing sharply their orders at the turn of the +street. Far off on the Capitol Hill he heard the sharp note of a bugle +and the rattle of horses' hoofs. Every hour the raw troops were pouring +into the city from the North, the East and the West. + +He wondered with a strange catch in his throat what difference this was +going to make between him and the girl he loved. There was no longer any +question about the love. He marvelled that he had been too stupid to +realize it and speak before this shadow had fallen between them. She +knew that his sympathies were with the South and he knew with equal +certainty she had never believed that he would fight to destroy the +Union when the test should come. He dreaded the shock when he must tell +her. + +His heart grew sick with fear. What chance had he with everything +against him--her old, fanatical father who loved her with the tender +devotion of his strong manhood--her own blind admiration for the new +President, whose coming had brought war--and worst of all he must go and +leave John by her side! His brother had given no hint of his real +feelings, but his deeds had been more eloquent than words. He had seen +Betty every week since the day they had met--sometimes twice. This he +knew. There may have been times he didn't know. + +All the more reason why he must put the thing to the test. Besides he +_must_ speak. His hour had struck. His country was calling, and he must +go--to meet Death or Glory. The woman he loved must know. + +He heard the soft rustle of her dress on the stairs and sprang to his +feet. She paused in the doorway a vision of ravishing beauty in full +evening dress, her bare arms and exquisite neck and throat gleaming in +the shadows. + +She smiled graciously, her brown eyes sparkling with the conscious power +which youth and beauty can never conceal. + +She held out her soft warm hand and his trembling cold fingers grasped +it. + +"I'm sorry to have kept you, Ned," she began softly, "but I was dressing +for the reception at the White House. I promised Mrs. Lincoln to help +her." + +"I didn't mind the wait, Miss Betty," he answered soberly. "Come into +the garden--I can talk better there among your flowers--I never mind +waiting for you." + +"Why?" + +"I've time to dream." + +"Before you must wake?" she laughed. + +"I'm afraid it's so this time----" + +"Why so serious--what's the matter?" + +"I'm going to the front." + +"So are thousands of brave men, Ned. I've always known you'd go when the +test came." + +He bit his lips and was silent. It was hard, but he had to say it: + +"I am going to fight for the South, Miss Betty." + +The silence was painful. She looked steadily into his dark earnest eyes. +There was something too big and fine in them to be met with anger or +reproach. He was deadly pale and waited breathlessly for her to speak. + +"I'm sorry," she breathed softly. + +"You know that it costs me something to say this to you," he stammered. + +"Yes, I know----" + +"But it must be. It's a question of principle--a question that cuts to +the bone of a fellow's life and character. A man must be true to what he +believes to be right, mustn't he?" + +His voice was tender, wistful, pleading. The sweet, young face upturned +to his caught his mood: + +"Yes, Ned." + +"I couldn't be a real man and do less, could I?" + +"No--but I'm sorry"--she paused and suddenly asked, "Your brother agrees +with you?" + +Ned frowned: "Why do you ask that question?" + +"Because I was sure that he was on our side----" + +"Is that all?" + +"And I've always supposed he was a sort of guardian----" + +"Only because he has always been my big brother and I've loved and +admired him very much. I cried my eyes out the day he left home out in +Missouri and came East to college." + +"And you're going to fight him?" + +"It's possible." + +"It's horrible!" + +"And yet, men who are not savages could only do such things drawn by the +mightiest forces that move a human soul--you must know that, Miss +Betty." + +"Yes." + +"There's only one thing in life that's bigger----" + +"And that?" + +"Is love. I've held it too high and holy a word to speak lightly. I +shall tell but one woman that I love her----" + +She looked at him tenderly: + +"You glorious, foolish boy!" + +Pale and trembling he took her hand, led her to a seat and sank on his +knees by her side. + +"I love you, Betty!" he gasped. "I've loved you from the moment we met, +tenderly, madly, reverently. I've been afraid to touch your hand lately +lest you feel the pounding of my heart and know. And now it's come--this +hour when I must say I love you and good-bye in the same breath! Be +gentle and sweet to me. I'm afraid to ask if you love me. It's too good +to be true. I'm not worthy to even touch your little hand--and yet I'm +daring to hold it in mine----" + +He paused and bowed his head, overcome with emotion. + +Betty gently pressed his trembling fingers. Her voice was low. + +"I'm proud of your love, Ned. It's very beautiful----" + +"But you don't love me?" he groaned. + +"Not as you love me." + +He looked searchingly and hungrily into her brown eyes: + +"Is it John?" + +She shook her head slowly and thoughtfully: + +"No." + +"And it's no one else?" + +"No." + +"Then I won't take that answer!" he cried with desperate earnestness. +"I'm going to win you. I'll love you with a love so big and true I'll +make you love me. Everything's against me now. Your father's against me. +I'm going to fight your country and your people. You admire the new +President. I despise him. The passions of war have separated us, that's +all. But I won't give up. The war can't last long. You'll see things in +a different way when it ends." + +Betty smiled into his pleading eyes: + +"How little you know me, Boy! Nothing on this earth could separate me +from the man I love----" she paused and breathed quickly "----I'd follow +him blindfold to the bottomless pit once I'd given him my heart!" + +Ned rose suddenly to his foot and drew Betty with him. His hand now was +hot with the passion that fired his soul. + +"Then you're worth fighting for. And I'm going to fight--fight for what +I believe to be right and fight for you----" + +He stopped suddenly and his slender figure straightened: + +"I'm coming back to you, Betty!" he said with clear ringing emphasis. +"I'm coming back to Washington. I'll be with an army conquering, +triumphant, because they are right. There'll be a new President in the +White House and I'll win!" + +He bowed and reverently kissed the tips of her fingers. + +"You glorious boy!" she sighed. "It's beautiful to be loved like that! +I'm proud of it--I'll hold my head a little higher with every thought of +you----" + +"And you'll think of me sometimes when war has separated us?" + +"I'll never forget!" + +"And remember that I'm fighting my way back to your side?" + +A tender smile played about the corners of her eyes and mouth: + +"I'll remember." + +With a quick, firm movement he turned, passed through the house, and +strode toward the iron gate. + +He suddenly confronted John entering. + +The two brothers faced each other for a moment angrily and awkwardly, +and then the anger slowly melted from the younger man's eyes. + +"You are taking dinner with Miss Betty to-night?" Ned asked in friendly +tones. + +"Yes, I'm going with her to the White House," was the cold reply. + +"I'm leaving in an hour. Don't you think it's foolish for two brothers +who have been what you and I have been to each other to part like this? +We may not see one another again." + +John hesitated and then slowly slipped his arm around the younger man, +holding him in silence. When his voice was steady he said: + +"Forgive me, Boy. I was blind with anger. It meant so much to me. But +we'll face it. We'll have to fight it out--as God gives us wisdom to see +the right----" + +Ned's hand found his, and clasped it firmly: + +"As God gives us to see the right, John--Good-bye." + +"Good-bye, Boy,--it's hard to say it!" + +They clung to each other for a moment and slowly drew apart as the +shadows of the soft spring night deepened. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE TRIAL BY FIRE + + +The troops transformed Washington from a lazy Southern town of sixty +thousand inhabitants into an armed fortress of the frontier, swarming +with a quarter of a million excited men and women. Soldiers thronged the +streets and sidewalks and sprawled over every inch of greensward, their +uniforms of every cut and color on which the sun of heaven had shone +during the past two hundred years of history. + +When the tumult and the shouts of departing regiments had died away from +the home towns in the North and the flags that were flying from every +house had begun to fade under the hot rays of the advancing summer, the +patriotic orators and editors began to demand of their President why his +grand army of seventy-five thousand lingered at the Capital. When he +mildly suggested the necessity of drilling, equipping and properly +arming them he was laughed at by the wise, and scoffed at as a coward by +the brave. + +Mutterings of discontent grew deeper and more threatening. They demanded +a short, sharp, decisive campaign. Let the army wheel into line, march +straight into Richmond, take Jefferson Davis a prisoner, hang him and a +few leaders of the "rebellion," and the trouble would be over. This +demand became at length the maddened cry of a mob: + +"On to Richmond!" + +Every demagogue howled it. Every newspaper repeated it. As city after +city, and State after State took up the cry, the pressure on the man at +the helm of Government became resistless. It was a political necessity +to fight a battle and fight at once or lose control of the people he had +been called to lead. + +The Abolitionists only sneered at this cry. They demanded an answer to a +single insistent question: + +"What are you going to fight about?" + +A battle which does not settle the question of Slavery they declared to +be a waste of blood and treasure. If the slave was not the issue, why +fight? The South would return to the Union which they had always ruled +if let alone. Why fight them for nothing? + +Gilbert Winter, their spokesman at Washington, again confronted the +President with his uncompromising demand: + +"An immediate proclamation of emancipation!" + +And the President with quiet dignity refused to consider it. + +"Why?" again thundered the Senator. + +His answer was always the same: + +"I am not questioning the right or wrong of Slavery. If Slavery is not +wrong, nothing is wrong. But the Constitution, which I have sworn to +uphold in the Border States of Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky, +guarantees to their people the right to hold slaves if they choose. We +have already eleven Southern States solidly arrayed against us. Add the +Border States by such a proclamation, and the contest is settled before +a blow is struck. I know the power of State loyalty in the South. I was +born there. Many a mother in Richmond wept the days the stars and +stripes were lowered from their Capitol. And well they might--for their +sires created this Republic. But they brushed their tears away and sent +their sons to the front next day to fight that flag in the name of +Virginia. So would thousands of mothers in these remaining Slave States +if I put them to the test. I'm going to save them for the Union. In +God's own time Slavery will be destroyed." + +Against every demand of the heart of the party which had given him +power, he stood firm in the position he had taken. + +But there was no resisting the universal demand for a march on Richmond. +The cry was literally from twenty millions. He must heed it or yield the +reins of power to more daring hands. + +To add to the President's burden, his Secretary of State was still +dreaming of foreign wars. He had drawn up a letter of instruction to our +Minister to Great Britain which would have provoked an armed conflict. +When the backwoodsman from Southern Illinois read this document he was +compelled to lay aside his other duties and practically rewrite it. His +work showed a freedom of mind, a balance of judicial temperament, an +insight into foreign affairs, a skill in the use of language, a delicacy +of criticism, a mastery of the arts of diplomacy which placed him among +the foremost statesmen of any age, and all the ages. + +He saved the Nation from a second disastrous war, as a mere matter of +the routine of his office, and at once turned to the pressing work of +the approaching battle. + +John Vaughan had joined the army as correspondent for his paper, and +Betty had been his companion on many tours of inspection through camp, +hospitals and drill grounds. Her quick wit and brilliant mind were an +inspiring stimulus. She was cool and self-possessed and it rested him to +be near her. She was the only restful woman he had ever encountered at +short range. He was delighted that she seemed content without +love-making. There was never a moment when he could catch the challenge +of sex in a word or attitude. He might have been her older brother, so +perfect and even, so free and simple her manner. + +Betty had watched him with the keenest caution. The first glance at +John's handsome face had convinced her of his boundless vanity and +beneath it a streak of something cruel. She would have liked him +instantly but for this. His vanity she could forgive. All good-looking +men are vain. His character was a study of which she never tired. He +strangely distressed and disturbed her--and this kept puzzling and +piquing her curiosity. Every time she determined to end their +association this everlasting question of the man's inner character came +to torment her imagination. + +She was a little disappointed at his not volunteering at the first call +as his gallant young brother had done. Yet his reasoning was sound. + +"What's the use?" he replied to her question. "Five men have already +volunteered for every one who can be used. I'm not a soldier by +profession or inclination. A campaign of thirty days, one big battle and +the war's over. The President has more men than he can arm or equip. My +paper needs me----" + +The army encamped along the banks of the Potomac received orders to +advance for the long expected battle in the hills of Virginia. + +Betty stood with the crowds of sweethearts and wives and sisters and +mothers and watched them march away through the dust and heat and grime +of the Southern summer, drums throbbing, banners streaming, bayonets +flashing and bands playing. + +John Vaughan was in the ranks of a New York regiment. He pressed Betty's +hand with a lingering touch he hadn't intended. She seemed unconscious +that he was holding it. + +"You are going to march in the ranks?" she asked in surprise. + +"Yes. I want to see war as it is. These boys are my friends from New +York." + +"You will fight with them?" + +"No--just see with their eyes--that's all. And then tell you exactly +what happened. I can hide behind a barn or a tree without being +court-martialed." + +She looked at him quickly with a new interest, pressed his hand again +and said: + +"Good luck!" + +"And home again soon!" he cried with a wave of his arms as he hurried to +join his marching men. + +The army camped at Centreville, seven miles from Beauregard's lines, and +spent the 19th and 20th of July resting and girding their loins for the +first baptism of fire. The volunteers were eager for the fray. The first +touch of the skirmishers had resulted in fifteen or twenty killed. But +the action had been too far away to make any serious impression. + +Between the two armies crept the silvery thread of the little stream of +Bull Run, its clear beautiful waters flashing in the July sun. + +Saturday night, the 20th, orders were issued to John's regiment to be in +readiness to advance against the enemy at two o'clock before day on +Sunday morning. A thrill of fierce excitement swept the camp. They were +loaded down with overcoats, haversacks, knapsacks and baggage, baggage, +baggage without end. The single New York regiment to which he had +attached himself required forty wagons to move its baggage. They had a +bakery and cooking establishment that would have done credit to +Broadway. They hurriedly packed all they could carry in readiness for +the march into battle. What would happen to the rest God only knew, but +they hoped for the best. Of course, the battle couldn't last long. It +was only necessary for this grand army to make a demonstration with its +drums throbbing, its fifes screaming, its bayonets flashing and its +magnificent uniforms glittering in the sun--the plumes, the Scotch +bonnets, the Turkish fez, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey and +gold, the black and yellow, and the red and blue of the fire +Zouaves--when the rebel mob saw these things they would take to their +heels. + +What the boys were really afraid of was that every rebel would escape +before they could use their handcuffs and ropes. This would be too bad +because the procession through the crowded streets at home would be +incomplete without captives as a warning to future traitors. They were +going to have a load to carry with their blanket rolls, haversack and +knapsack and the full fighting rounds of cartridges, but they were not +going to leave the handcuffs. If they had to drop anything on the march +they might ease up on a blanket or half their heavy cartridges. + +John found sleep impossible, and was ready to move at one o'clock. The +dust was rising already in parched clouds from the dry Virginia roads. +He walked to the edge of the woods and gazed over the dark moonlit hills +around Centreville. A gentle breeze began to stir the leaves overhead +but it was hot and lifeless. He caught the smell of sweating horses in a +battery of artillery, hitched for the march. It was going to be a day of +frightful heat under the clear blazing sun of the South, this Sunday, +the 21st of July, 1861. He could see already in his imagination the long +lines of sweating half fainting marchers staggering under the strain. +Yet not for a moment did he doubt the result. + +From a store on the hill at Centreville came the plaintive strains of a +negro's voice accompanied by a banjo. A crowd of Congressmen had driven +out from Washington on a picnic to see the spectacle of the first and +last battle of the "Rebellion." They were drinking good whiskey and +making merry. + +For the first time a little doubt crept into his mind. Were they all too +cocksure? It might be a serious business after all. It was only for a +moment and his fears vanished. He was glad Ned was not in those grey +lines in front. His company had been formed promptly, and he had been +elected first lieutenant, but they were still in Southern Missouri under +General Sterling Price. He shouldn't like to come on his brother's body +dead or wounded after the battle--the young dare-devil fool! + +Promptly at two o'clock the sharp orders rang from the regimental +commander: + +"Forward march!" + +The lines swung carelessly into the powdered dust of the road and moved +forward into the fading moonlight, talking, laughing, chatting, joking. +War was yet a joke and the contagious fire of patriotism had flung its +halo even over this night's work. Except here and there a veteran of the +Mexican War, not one of these men had ever seen a battle or had the +remotest idea what it was like. + +John was marching with Sherman's brigade of Tyler's division. At six +o'clock they reached the stone bridge which crossed Bull Run. On the +hills beyond stretched a straggling line of grey figures. It couldn't be +an army. Only a few skirmishers thrown out to warn off an attempt to +cross the bridge. A white puff of smoke flashed on a hill toward the +South, and the deep boom of a Confederate cannon echoed over the valley. +Tyler's guns answered in grim chorus. The men gripped their muskets and +waited the word of command. John's brigade was deployed along the edge +of a piece of woods on the right of the Warrenton turnpike and stood for +hours. A rumble of disgust swept the lines: + +"What t'ell are we waitin' for?" + +"Why don't we get at 'em?" + +"And this is war!" + +And no breakfast either. An hour passed and only an occasional crack of +a musket across the shining thread of silver water and the slow sullen +echo of the artillery. They seemed to be just practising. The shots all +fell short and nobody was hurt. + +Another hour--it was eight o'clock and still they stood and looked off +into space. Nine o'clock passed and the fierce rays of the climbing +July sun drove the men to the shelter of the trees. + +"If this is war," yelled a red-breeched, fierce young Zouave, "I'll take +firecrackers and a Fourth of July for mine!" + +"Keep your shirt on, Sonny," observed a corporal. "We _may_ have some +fun yet before night." + +At ten o'clock something happened. + +Suddenly a thousand grey clad men leaped from their cover over the hills +and swept up stream at double quick. A solid mass of dust-covered +figures were swarming below the stone bridge. + +The regiment's battery dashed into position, its guns were trained and +their roar shook the earth. The swarming grey lines below the bridge +paid no attention. The shots fell short and Sherman sent for heavier +guns. + +The men in grey had formed a new line of battle and faced the Sudley and +New Market road. Far up this road could now be seen a mighty cloud of +dust which marked the approach of the main body of McDowell's Union +army. He had made a wide flank movement, crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford +and was attempting to completely turn the Confederate position, while +Sherman held the stone bridge with a demonstration of force. + +A cheer swept the line as the dust rose higher and denser and nearer. + +Banks of storm clouds were rising from the horizon. The air was thick +and oppressive, as the two armies drew close in tense battle array. The +turning movement had only been partly successful. It had been discovered +before complete and a grey line had wheeled, gripped their muskets and +stood ready to meet the attack. + +The dust, cloud suddenly fell. McDowell's two divisions of eighteen +thousand men spread out in the woods and made ready for the shock. + +The sun burst through the gathering clouds for a moment and the edge of +the woods flashed with polished steel. + +A Federal battery dashed into position and placed one of its big +black-wheeled guns in the front yard of a little white-washed farmhouse. +The farmer's wife faced the commander with indignant fury: + +"Take that thing outen my front yard!" + +The dust-and sweat-covered men paid no attention. They quickly sunk the +wheels into the ground and piled their shells in place for work. + +The old woman stamped her foot and shouted again: "Take that thing away +I tell you--I won't have it here!" + +The captain seized his lanyard, trained his piece and the big black lips +roared. + +With a scream of terror the woman covered her ears, rushed inside and +slammed the door. They found her torn and mangled body there after the +battle. An answering shell had crashed through the roof and exploded. + +Sherman's men, standing in the woods before the stone bridge waiting +orders, saw the white and blue fog of battle rise above the tree tops +and felt the earth tremble beneath their feet. + +And then came to John's ears the first full crash of musketry fire in +close deadly range. As company, regiment and brigade joined in volley +after volley, it was like the sound of the continuous ripping of heavy +canvas, magnified on the scale of a thousand. As the storm cloud swept +over the smoke-choked field the rattle of musketry sounded as if an +angry God rode somewhere in their fiery depths, and with giant hand was +ripping the heavens open! + +An hour passed and a shout of triumph swept the Federal lines. They +charged and drove the Confederate forces back a half mile from their +first stand. There was a lull--a strange silence brooded over the +flaming woods and the guns opened from their new position--the +artillery's deep thunder and the ripping crash of muskets. Another hour +and another wild shout of victory. They had driven the Southerners three +quarters of a mile further. + +The shouts suddenly stopped. They had struck something. + +The grim dust-covered figure of a Southern Brigadier General on a little +sorrel horse had barred the way. His bulging forehead with its sombre +blue eyes hung ominously over the pommel of his saddle. + +General Bee, of South Carolina, rallying his shattered, broken brigade, +pointed his sword to the strange figure and shouted to his men: + +"See Jackson standing like a stone wall--rally to the Virginians!" + +A bursting shell struck him dead in the next instant, but the world had +heard and the name "Stonewall" became immortal. + +With the last shout, the cry of victory had swept the field to the +farthest line of reserves. John Vaughan secured a horse, galloped to the +nearest telegraph line and sent the thrilling news to his paper. Already +the wires were flashing it to the farthest cities of the North and +West. + +Victory! The first and last battle of the war had been settled. He +spurred his horse through the blistering heat back to his regiment to +join in the pursuit of the flying enemy. + +They were just dashing across Bull Run going into action, their battle +flag flying and their band playing. They were not long in finding the +foe. The obstruction still remained in the path of the advancing hosts. +The grim figure on the little sorrel horse had just ordered his brigade +to fix bayonets. + +In sharp tones his command was snapped: + +"Charge and take that battery!" + +A low grey cloud rose from the hill, swept over the crack Federal +battery of Ricketts and Griffin and captured their guns. + +John's regiment reached the field just in time to see the cannoneers +fall in their tracks at the first deadly volley from the charging men. + +Every horse was down dead or wounded. The pitiful cries of the stricken +horses rang over the field above the roar of the battle, pathetic, +heartrending, sickening. + +The two armies had clinched now in the grim struggle which meant defeat +or victory. It was incredible that the army which swept the field for +four terrible hours should fail. The new regiments formed in line and +with a shout of desperation charged Jackson's men and retook the +captured battery. + +Again the men in grey rallied and tore the guns a second time from the +hands of their owners. + +John saw a shell explode directly beneath a magnificent horse on which +a general sat directing his men. The horse was blown to atoms, the +general was hurled twenty feet into the air and struck the ground on his +feet. He was unhurt, called for another horse, mounted and led the third +charge to recover the guns. For a moment the two battle lines mingled in +deadly hand to hand combat and once more the guns were retaken. + +It had scarcely been done before Jackson's men rallied, turned and swift +as a bolt of lightning from the smoke-covered hill captured the guns the +third time and held them. + +And then the unexpected, unimaginable thing happened. A new dust cloud +rose over the hill toward Manassas Junction. The Southerners were hoping +against hope that it might be Kirby Smith with his lost regiment from +the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment had been expected since noon. It was +now half past three o'clock. General McDowell, the Union Commander, was +hoping against hope that Patterson's army from the Shenandoah would join +his. + +They were not long in doubt. The fresh troops suddenly swung into +position on McDowell's right flank. If they were allies all was well. If +they were foes! Suddenly from this line of battle rose a new cry on the +face of the earth. From two thousand dusty throats came a +heaven-piercing, soul-shivering shout, the cry of the Southern hunter in +sight of his game, a cry that was destined to ring over many a field of +death--the fierce, wild "Rebel Yell." + +They charged McDowell's right flank with resistless onslaught. Kirby +Smith fell desperately wounded and Elzey took command. Beckham's battery +unlimbered and poured into the ranks from the rear a storm of shell. +McDowell swung his battle line into a fiery crescent and made his last +desperate stand. + +Jubal Early, Elzey's brigade, and Stonewall Jackson charged at the same +signal--and then--pandemonium! + +Blind, unreasoning panic seized the army of the North. They broke and +fled. Brave officers cursed and swore in vain. The panic grew. Men +rushed pell mell over one another, white with terror. They threw down +their muskets, their knapsacks, their haversacks and ran for their +lives, every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost. In vain +the regular army, with splendid discipline, formed a rear guard to +effect an orderly retreat. The crack of their guns only made the men run +faster. + +The wildest rumors flew from parched tongue to throbbing ear. + +An army of a hundred thousand fresh troops had fallen on their tired, +bloody ranks. They were led by Jeb Stuart at the head of four thousand +Black Horse Cavalry. If a single man escaped alive it would be for one +reason, only they could outrun them. It was a crime for officers to try +to round them up for a massacre. That's all it was--a massacre! With +each mad thought of the rushing mob the panic grew. They cut the traces +of horses from guns and left them on the field. The frantic mob engulfed +the buggies and carriages of the Congressmen and picnickers from +Washington who had come out to see the Rebellion put down at a single +blow. The road became a mass of neighing, plunging horses, broken and +tangled wagons, ambulances and riderless artillery teams. Horses neighed +in terror more abject than that which filled the hearts of men. Men +once had reason--the poor horse had never claimed it. The blockades on +the road formed no barrier to the flying men on foot. They streamed +around and overflowed into the woods and fields and pressed on with new +terror. God in Heaven! They pitied the poor fools engulfed in those +masses of maddened plunging brutes and smashing wagons. It was only a +question of a few minutes when Stuart's sabres would split every skull. + +John Vaughan was swept to the rear on the crest of this wave of terror. +Up to the moment it began he had scarcely thought of danger. After the +first few minutes of nerve tension under fire his spirit had risen as +the combat raged and deepened. It didn't seem real, the falling of men +around him. He had no time to realize that they were being torn to +pieces by shot and shell and the hail of lead that whistled from those +long sheets of flaming smoke-banks before him. + +And then the panic had seized him. He had caught its mad unreasoning +terror from the men who surged about him. And it was every man for +himself. The change was swift, abject, complete from utter +unconsciousness of fear to the blindest terror. Some ran mechanically, +with their eyes set in front as if stiff with fear, expecting each +moment to be struck dead, knowing it was useless to try but going on and +on because involuntary muscles were carrying them. + +A fat man caught hold of John's coat and held on for half a mile before +he could shake him off. He begged piteously for help. + +"Don't leave me, partner!" he panted. "I'm a sinful man. I ain't fit to +die. You're young and strong--save me!" + +The dead weight was pulling him down and John shook the fellow off with +an angry jerk. + +"To hell with you!" + +They suddenly came to a lot of horses hid in the woods, rearing and +plunging and neighing madly. + +John swerved out of their way and an officer rushed up to him crying: + +"Why don't you take a horse?" + +He looked at him in a dazed way before he could realize his meaning. + +"Take a horse!" he yelled. "The rebels will get 'em if you don't----" + +The men were too intent on running to try to save horses. Horses would +have to look out for themselves. + +It suddenly occurred to John that a horse might go faster. Funny he +hadn't thought of it at once. He turned, seized one, mounted, and +galloped on. There was a quick halt. A panting mob came surging back +over the way they had just fled. A ford in front had been blocked, and +in the scramble the cry was raised that Stuart's cavalry were on them +and cutting every soul down in his tracks at the crossing. + +John leaped from his horse, turned, and ran straight for the woods. He +didn't propose to be captured by Stuart's cavalry, that was sure. He +turned to look back and ran into a tree. He climbed it. If he could only +get to the top before they saw him. He had been an expert climber when a +boy in Missouri and he thanked God now for this. He never paused for +breath until he had reached the very top, where he drew the swaying +branches close about his body to hide from the coming foe. The sun was +yet hanging over the trees in the woods--a ball of sullen red fire +lighting up the hiding place of the last poor devil for the eyes of the +avenging hosts who were sweeping on. If it were night it would be all +right. But this was no place for a man with an ounce of sense in broad +daylight. The sharpshooters would see him in that tall tree sure. They +couldn't take him prisoner up there--they would shoot him like a +squirrel just to see him tumble and, by the Lord Harry, they would do +it, too! + +He got down from the tree faster than he climbed up and from the edge of +the woods spied a dense swamp. He never stopped until he reached the +centre of it, and dropped flat on his stomach. + +"Thank God, at last!" he sighed. + +The Northern army fleeing for Washington had left on the field +twenty-eight guns, four thousand muskets, nine regimental flags, four +hundred and eighty-one dead, a thousand and eleven wounded and fourteen +hundred captured. The road to the rear was literally sown with pistols, +knapsacks, blankets, haversacks, wagons, tools and hospital stores. + +And saddest of all the wreck, lay the bright new handcuffs with coils of +hang-man's rope scattered everywhere. + +The Southern army had lost three hundred and eighty-seven killed, +including two brigadier generals, Bee and Barton, and fifteen hundred +wounded. They were so completely scattered and demoralized by their +marvellous and overwhelming victory that any systematic pursuit of their +foe was impossible. + +The strange silent figure on the little sorrel horse turned his blue +eyes toward Washington from the last hilltop as darkness fell, lifted +his head suddenly toward the sky, and cried: + +"Ten thousand fresh troops and I'd be in Washington to-morrow night!" + +The troops were not to be had, and Stonewall Jackson ordered his men to +bivouac for the night and sent out his details to bury the dead and care +for the wounded of both armies. + +Monday morning dawned black and lowering and before the sun rose the +rain poured in steady torrents. Through every hour of this desolate +sickening day the weary, terror-stricken stragglers trailed through the +streets of Washington--their gorgeous plumes soaked and drooping, the +Scotch bonnets dripping the rain straight down their necks and across +their dirty foreheads, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey, the +black and yellow and gold and blazing Zouave uniforms rain-soaked and +mud-smeared. + +Betty Winter bought out a peddler's cake and lemonade stand on the main +line of this ghastly procession and through every bitter hour from +sunrise until dark stood there cheering and serving the men without +money and without price, while the tears slowly rolled down her flushed +cheeks. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +VICTORY IN DEFEAT + + +The President had risen at daylight on the fateful Sunday morning. He +was sorry this first action must be fought on Sunday. It seemed a bad +omen. The preachers from his home town of Springfield, Illinois, had +issued a manifesto against his election without regard to their party +affiliations on account of his supposed hostility to religion. It had +hurt and stung his pride more than any single incident in the campaign. +His nature was profoundly religious. He was not a church member because +his religion had the unique quality of a personal faith which refused +from sheer honesty to square itself with the dogmas of any sect. The +preachers had not treated him fairly, but he cherished no ill will. He +knew their sterling worth to the Republic and he meant to use them in +the tremendous task before him. He had hoped the battle would not be +joined until Monday. But he knew at dawn that a clash was inevitable. + +At half past ten o'clock, though keenly anxious for the first news from +the front, he was ready to accompany Mrs. Lincoln to church. The breeze +was from the South--a hot, lazy, midsummer heavy air. + +The Commander-in-Chief bent his giant figure over a war map, spread on +his desk, fixed the position of each army by colored pins, studied them +a moment and quietly walked with his wife to the Presbyterian Church to +hear Dr. Gurley preach. He sat in reverent silence through the service, +his soul hovering over the distant hills. + +Before midnight the panic stricken Congressmen began to drop into the +White House, each with his story of unparalleled disaster. At one +o'clock the President stood in the midst of a group of excited, +perspiring statesmen who had crowded into the executive office, the one +cool, shrewd, patient, self-possessed courageous man among them. He +reviewed their stories quietly and with no sign of excitement, to say +nothing of panic. + +They marvelled at his dull intellect. + +He was listening in silence, shaping the big new policy of his +administration. + +He spent the entire night calmly listening to all these stories, +speaking a word of good cheer where it would be of service. + +Mr. Seward entered as he had just finished a light breakfast. + +The Secretary's hair was disheveled, his black string tie under his ear, +and he was taking two pinches of snuff within the time he usually took +one. + +In thirty minutes the outlines of his message to Congress and his new +proclamation were determined. Mr. Seward left with new courage and a +growing sense of reliance on the wisdom, courage and intellectual power +of the Chief he had thought to supplant without a struggle. + +At eight o'clock the man with a grievance made his first appearance. His +wrath was past the boiling point, in spite of the fact that his +handsome uniform was still wet from the night's wild ride. + +He went straight to the point. He was a volunteer patriot of high +standing in his community. As a citizen of the Republic, wearing its +uniform, he represented its dignity and power. He had been grossly +insulted by a military martinet from West Point and he proposed to test +the question whether an American citizen had any rights such men must +respect. + +The President lifted his calm, deep eyes to the flushed angry face, +glanced at the gold marks of his rank, and said: + +"What can I do for you, Captain?" + +"I've come to ask you, Mr. President," he began with subdued intensity, +"whether a volunteer officer of this country, a man of culture and +position, is to be treated as a dog or a human being?" + +The quiet man at the desk slipped his glasses from his ears, polished +them with his handkerchief, readjusted them, and looked up again with +kindly interest: + +"What's the trouble?" + +"A discussion arose in our regiment on the day we were ordered into +battle over the expiration of our enlistment. I held, as a lawyer, sir, +that every day of rotten manual labor we had faithfully performed for +our country should be counted in our three months military service. Our +time had expired and I demanded that we be discharged then and +there----" + +"On the eve of a battle?" + +"Certainly, sir--what had that to do with our rights? We could have +reënlisted on the spot. I refused to take orders from the upstart who +commanded our brigade." + +"And what happened?" the calm voice asked. + +"He dared to threaten my life, sir!" + +"Who was he?" + +"A Colonel in command of our brigade--named Sherman!" + +"William Tecumseh Sherman?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What did he say to you?" + +"Swore that if I moved an inch to leave his command he'd shoot me----" + +"He said that to you?" + +"Swore he'd shoot me down in my tracks like a dog!" + +The President gravely rose, placed a big hand on the young officer's +shoulder and in serious, friendly tones said: + +"If I were in your place, Captain, I wouldn't trust that man Sherman--I +believe he'll do it!" + +The astonished volunteer looked up with a puzzled sheepish expression, +turned and shot out of the room. + +The long figure dropped into a chair and doubled with laughter. He rose +and walked to his window, looking out on the trees swaying beneath the +storm, still laughing. + +"They say that every cloud has its silver lining!" he laughed again. +"I'll remember that fellow Sherman." + +Late in the day a report reached him of a beautiful young woman serving +refreshments without pay to the straggling, broken men. + +He turned to Nicolay, his secretary: + +"Get my carriage, find her, and bring her to me. I want to see her." + +Betty's eyes were still red when she walked into his office. + +He sprang to his feet, and with long strides met her. He grasped her +hand in both his and pressed it tenderly. + +"So it's _you_!" he whispered. + +Betty nodded. + +"My little Cabinet comforter----" + +"I'm afraid I'll be no good to-day," she faltered. + +"Then I'll cheer _you_," he cried. "I just wanted to thank the woman +who's been standing behind a lemonade counter through this desolate day +giving her time, her money, and her soul to our discouraged boys----" + +"And you are not discouraged?" Betty asked pathetically. + +"Not by a long shot, my child! Brush those tears away. Jeffy D.'s the +man to be discouraged to-day. This will be a dearly bought victory. Mark +my word. For the South it's the glorious end of the war. While they +shout, I'll be sawing wood. It needed just this shock and humiliation to +bring the North to their senses. Watch them buckle on their armor now in +deadly earnest. The demagogues howled for a battle. They pushed us in +and they got it. Some of the Congressmen who yelled the loudest for a +march straight into Richmond without a pause even to water the horses +got tangled up in that stampede from Bull Run. They thought Jeb Stuart's +cavalry were on them and lost their lunch baskets in the scramble. +They've seen a great light. I'll get all the money I ask Congress for +and all the soldiers we need for any length of time. I've asked for four +hundred million dollars and five hundred thousand men for three years. +I shouldn't be surprised if they voted more. The people will have sense +enough to see that this defeat was exactly what they should have +expected under such conditions." + +His spirit was contagious. Betty forgot her shame and fear. + +"You're wonderful, Mr. President," the girl cried in rapt tones. "Now I +know that you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this." + +"And so have you, my child," he answered reverently. "And so has every +brave woman who loves this Union. That's what I wanted to say to you and +thank you for your example." + +Betty left the White House with a new sense of loyal inspiration. She +walked on air unconscious of the pouring rain. She paused before a +throng that blocked the sidewalk. + +Some of them were bareheaded, the rain drops splashing in their faces, +apparently unconscious of anything that was happening. + +She pushed her way into the crowd. They were looking at the bulletin +board of the _Daily Republican_, reading the first list of the dead and +wounded. Her heart suddenly began to pound. John Vaughan had not +reported his return. He might be lying stark and cold with the rain +beating down on his mangled body. She read each name in the list of the +dead, and drew a sigh of relief. But the last bulletin was not cheering. +It promised additional names for a later edition. Besides, the War +Department might not be relied on for reports of non-combatants. A +newspaper correspondent was not enrolled as a soldier. His death might +remain unrecorded for days. + +On a sudden impulse she started to enter the office and ask if he had +returned, stopped, blushed, turned and hurried home with a new fear +mingled with a strange joy beating in her heart. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE AWAKENING + + +John Vaughan had secured a loose horse on emerging from his friendly +swamp. The shadows of night had given him the chance to escape. His +horse was fresh, the rain had begun to fall, the heat had abated and he +made good time. + +He reached the office before midnight, took his seat at his desk, pale +and determined to tell the truth. He wrote an account of the battle and +the panic in which it had ended so vivid, so accurate, so terrible in +its confession of riot and dismay, the editor refused to print it. + +"Why not?" John sternly demanded. + +"It won't do." + +"It's true!" + +"Then the less said about it the better. Let's hush it up." + +John smiled: + +"I'm sorry. I would like to see that thing in type just as I saw and +felt and lived it. It's a good story and it's my last--it's a pity to +kill it----" + +"Your last? What do you mean?" the chief broke in. + +"That I'm going into the ranks, and see if I am a coward--" he paused +and scowled--"it looked like it yesterday for a while, and my +curiosity's aroused. Besides, the country happens to need me." + +"Rubbish," the editor cried, "the country will get all the men it needs +without you. You're a trained newspaper man. We need you here." + +"Thanks. My mind's made up. I'm going to Missouri and raise a company." + +The chief laid a hand on John's shoulder. "Don't be a fool. Stand by the +ship. I'll put your damned story in just as you wrote it if that's what +hurts." + +John flushed and shook his head: + +"But it isn't. You may be right about the stuff. If I were editor I'd +kill it myself. No. My dander's up. I want a little taste of the real +thing. I saw enough yesterday to interest me. The country's calling and +I've got to go." + +The boys crowded around him and shook hands. From the door he waved his +good-bye and they shouted in chorus: + +"Good luck!" + +Arrived at his room, he wrote a note to Betty Winter. He read it over +and it seemed foolishly cold and formal. He tore it up and wrote a +simpler one. It was flippant and a little presumptuous. He destroyed +that and decided on a single line: + + "MY DEAR MISS BETTY: + + "Can I see you a few minutes before leaving to-night? + + "JOHN VAUGHAN." + +He sent it and began hurriedly to dress, his mind in a whirl of nervous +excitement. His vanity had not even paused to ask whether her answer +would be yes. He was sure of it. The big exciting thing was that he had +made a thrilling discovery in the midst of that insane panic. He was in +love--for the first time in life foolishly and madly in love. Fighting +and elbowing his way through that throng of desperate terror-stricken +men and horses it had come to him in a flash that life was sweet and +precious because Betty Winter was in it. The more he thought of it the +more desperate became his determination not to be killed until he could +see and tell her. Through every moment of his wild scramble through +woods and fields and crowded road, up that tree and down again, his +heart was beating her name: + +"_Betty--Betty--Betty!_" + +What a blind fool he had been not to see it before! She, too, had been +blind. It was all clear now--this mysterious power that had called them +from the first, neither of them knowing or understanding. + +When Betty took his note from the maid's hand her eyes could see nothing +for a moment. She turned away that Peggy should not catch her white +face. She knew instinctively the message was from John Vaughan. It may +have been written with his last breath and sent by a friend. She broke +the seal with slow, nervous dread, looked quickly, and laughed aloud +when she had read, a joyous, half hysterical little laugh. + +"The man's waiting for an answer, Miss," the maid said. + +Betty looked at her stupidly, and blushed: + +"Why, of course, Peggy, in a moment tell him." + +She wrote half a page in feverish haste, telling him how happy she was +to know that he had safely returned, read it over twice, flushed with +anger at her silly confusion and tore it into tiny bits. She tried +again, but afraid to trust herself, spread John's note out and used it +for a model, + + "MY DEAR MR. VAUGHAN: + + "Certainly, as soon as you can call. + + "BETTY WINTER." + +And then she sat down by her window and listened to the splash of the +rain against the glass, counting the minutes until he should ring her +door bell. + +And when at last he came, she had to stand before her clock and count +the seconds off for five minutes lest she should disgrace herself by +rushing down stairs. + +Their hands met in a moment of awkward silence. The play of mind on mind +had set each heart pounding. The man of easy speech found for the first +time that words were difficult. + +"You've heard the black news, of course," he stammered. + +"Yes----" + +Her eyes caught the haggard drawn look of his face with a start. + +"You saw it all?" she asked. + +"I saw so much that I can never hope to forget it," he answered +bitterly. + +He led her to a seat and she flushed with the sudden realization that he +had been holding her hand since the moment they met. She drew it away +with a quick, nervous movement, and sat down abruptly. + +"Was it really as bad as it looks to-day?" she asked with an attempt at +conventional tones. + +"Worse, Miss Betty. You can't imagine the sickening shame of it all. I +was never in a battle before. I wouldn't mind repeating that experience +at close quarters--but the panic----" + +"The President is the coolest and most courageous man in the country +to-day," she put in eagerly. "It's inspiring to talk to him." + +A bitter speech against a Commander-in-Chief who could allow himself to +be driven into a battle by the chatter of fools rose to his lips, but he +remembered her admiration and was silent. He fumbled at his watch chain +and pulled the corner of his black moustache with growing embarrassment. +The thing was more difficult than he had dreamed. + +"I have resigned from the paper," he said at last. + +"Resigned?" she repeated mechanically. + +"Yes. I'm going back home to-night and help raise a company in answer to +the President's proclamation." + +The room was very still. Betty turned her eyes toward the window and +listened to the splash of the wind driven rain. + +"To your home town?" she faltered. + +"Yes. To Palmyra." + +"Where your brother went to raise a company to fight us--strange, isn't +it?" Her voice had a far-away sound as if she were talking to herself. + +"Yes--to fight us," he repeated in low tones. + +Again a silence fell between them. He looked steadily into her brown +eyes that were burning now with a strange intensity, tried to speak, and +failed. He caught the gasp of terror in the deep breath with which she +turned from his gaze. + +"My chief was bitter against my going--I--I hope you approve--Miss +Betty?" He spoke with pauses which betrayed his excitement. + +"Yes, I'm glad----" + +She stopped short, turned pale and fumbled at the lace handkerchief she +carried. + +"Every brave man who loves the Union must feel as you do to-day--and +go--no matter how hard it may be for those who--for those he leaves at +home----" + +She paused in embarrassment at the break she had almost made, and +flushed scarlet. + +He leaned close: + +"I'm afraid I'm not brave, Miss Betty. I ran with the rest of them +yesterday, ran like a dog for my life"--he paused and caught his +breath--"but I'm not sorry for it now. In the madness of that scramble +to save my skin I had a sudden revelation of why life was sweet----" + +He stopped and she scarcely breathed. Her heart seemed to cease beating. +Her dry lips refused to speak the question she would ask. The sweet +moment of pain and of glory had come. She felt his trembling hand seize +her ice-cold fingers as he went on impetuously: + +"Life was sweet because--because--I love you, Betty." + +She sprang to her feet trembling from head to foot. He followed, +whispering: + +"My own, I love you--I love you----" + +With sudden fierce strength he clasped her in his arms and covered her +lips with kisses. + +She lifted her trembling hands: + +"Please--please----" + +Again he smothered her words and held her in mad close embrace. + +"Let me go--let me go!" she cried with sudden fury, thrusting him from +her, breathless, her eyes blinded with tears. + +"Tell me that you love me!" he cried with desperate pleading. + +The splendid young figure faced him tense, quivering with rage. + +"How dare you take me in your arms like that without a word?" Her eyes +were flashing, her breast rising and falling with quick furious +breathing. + +He seized her hand and held it with cruel force. Her eyes blazed and he +dropped it. She was thinking of the scene with his slender chivalrous +brother. She could feel the soft kiss on the tips of her fingers and the +blood surged to her face at the thought of this man's lips pressed on +hers in mad, strangling passion without so much as by your leave! She +could tear his eyes out. + +He looked at her now in a hopeless stupor of regret. + +"Forgive me, Betty," he faltered. "I--I couldn't help it." + +Her eyes held his in a cold stare: + +"I suppose that's all any woman has ever meant to you, and you took me +for granted----" + +He lifted his hand in protest. + +"Please, please, Miss Betty," he groaned. + +"You may go now," she said with slow emphasis. + +He looked at her a moment dazed, and a wave of sullen anger slowly +mounted his face to the roots of his black tangled hair, which he +suddenly brushed from his forehead. + +Without a word he walked out into the storm, his jaws set. The door had +scarcely closed, when the trembling figure crumpled on the lounge in a +flood of bitter tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE MAN ON HORSEBACK + + +Before the sun had set on the day of storm which followed the panic at +Bull Run, the President had selected and summoned to Washington the man +who was to create the first Grand Army of the Republic--a man destined +to measure the full power of his personality against the Chief +Magistrate in a desperate struggle for the supremacy of the life of the +Nation itself. + +General George Brinton McClellan, in answer to the summons, reached +Washington on July the 20th, and immediately took command of the Army of +the Potomac--or of what was left of it. + +The President did not make this selection without bitter opposition and +grave warning. He was told that McClellan was an aggressive pro-slavery +Democrat, a political meddler and unalterably opposed to him and his +party on every essential issue before the people. These arguments found +no weight with the man in the White House. He would ask but one +question, discuss but one issue: + +"Is McClellan the man to whip this new army of 500,000 citizens into a +mighty fighting machine and level it against the Confederacy?" + +The all but unanimous answer was: + +"Yes." + +"Then I'll appoint him," was the firm reply. "I don't care what his +religion or his politics. The question is not _whether I shall save the +Union--but that the Union shall be saved_. My future and the future of +my party can take care of themselves--if they can't, let them die!" + +The new Commander was a man of striking and charming personality, but +thirty-four years old, and graduated from West Point in 1846. He had +served with distinction in the war against Mexico, studied military +science in Europe under the great generals in command at the Siege of +Sebastopol, and had achieved in West Virginia the first success won in +the struggle with the South. He had been opposed in West Virginia by +General Robert E. Lee, the man of destiny to whom the President, through +General Scott, had offered the command of the Union army before Lee had +drawn his sword for Virginia. He was a past master of the technical +science of engineering, defense and military drill. + +In spite of his short physical stature, he was of commanding appearance. +On horseback his figure was impressively heroic. It took no second +glance to see that he was a born leader of men. + +On the first day of his active command he had already conceived the idea +that he was a man of destiny. He wrote that night to his wife: + +"I find myself in a new and strange position here--President, Cabinet, +General Scott and all deferring to me. By some strange operation of +magic, I seem to have become the power of the land----" + +Three days later he wrote again of his sensational reception in the +Senate Chamber: + +"I suppose half a dozen of the oldest members made the remark I am +becoming so much used to: + +"'Why how young you look and yet an old soldier!' + +"They give me my way in everything, full swing and unbounded confidence. +All tell me that I am held responsible for the fate of the Nation, and +that all its resources shall be placed at my disposal. It is an immense +task that I have on my hands, but I believe I can accomplish it. When I +was in the Senate Chamber to-day and found those old men flocking around +me; when I afterward stood in the library looking over the Capital of a +great Nation, and saw the crowd gathering to stare at me, I began to +feel how great the task committed to me. How sincerely I pray God that I +may be endowed with the wisdom and courage necessary to accomplish the +work. Who would have thought when we were married, that I should so soon +be called upon to save my country?" + +Nor was McClellan the only man who saw this startling vision. He made +friends with astounding rapidity, and held men to him with hooks of +steel. + +With utter indifference to his own fame or future, the President joined +the public in praise of the coming star. The big heart at the White +House rejoiced in the strength of his Commanding General. But the man +who measured the world by the fixed standards of an exact science had no +powers of adjustment to the homely manners, simple unconventional ways, +and whimsical moods of Abraham Lincoln. + +McClellan's one answer to all inquiries about his relation to the Chief +Executive was: + +"The President is honest and means well!" + +The smile that played about the corners of his fine, keen, blue eyes +when he said this left no doubt in the mind of his hearer as to his real +opinion of the poor country lawyer who had by accident been placed in +the White House. + +And so the inevitable happened. The suggestions of the President and his +War Department were early resented as meddling with affairs which did +not concern them. + +The President saw with keen sorrow that there were brewing schemes +behind the compelling blue eyes of the "Napoleon" he had created. The +talk of McClellan's aspirations to a military dictatorship, which would +include the authority of the Executive and the Legislative branches of +the Government, had been current for more than two months. His recent +manner and bearing had given color to these reports. + +The splendor and ceremony of his headquarters could not have been +surpassed by Alexander or Napoleon. His growing staff already included a +Prince of the Royal Blood, the distinguished son of the Emperor of +France, and the Comte de Paris his attendant. His baggage train was +drawn by one hundred magnificent horses perfectly matched, hitched in +teams of four to twenty-five glittering new vans. His Grand Army spread +over mile after mile of territory far back into the hills of Virginia. +The autumnal days were brilliant with fresh uniforms, stars, sabres, +swords, spurs, plate, dinners, wines, cigars, the pomp and pride and +glory of war. + +Men stood in little groups and discussed in whispers the significance of +his continued stay in the Capital. + +"If the President has any friends, the hour has come when they've got +to stand by him!" The speaker was a man of fifty, a foreigner who had +made Washington his home and liked Lincoln. + +"Nonsense, my dear fellow," a tall Westerner replied, "we may have to +get a few rifles and guard the White House from somebody's attempt to +occupy it, but we'll not need any big guns." + +"If you'd heard the talk last night," the foreigner replied, with a +shrug of his shoulder, "you'd change your mind----" + +The Westerner shook his head: + +"No! The General's not that big a fool and the men around him have +better sense. And if they haven't--if they all should go crazy--it +couldn't be done. They couldn't control the army." + +"Did you ever hear the army cheer as 'Little Mac' rides along the line?" + +"Yes, but it don't mean an Emperor for all that----" + +"I'm not so sure!" + +And there were men of National reputation who considered the chances of +the man on horseback good at this moment. Such a man had openly attached +himself to the General as his attorney--no less a personage than the +distinguished Attorney General of the late Cabinet, Edwin M. Stanton. +During the closing days of Buchanan's crumbling administration Stanton +had become the dominating force of the Capital. His daring and his skill +had defeated the best laid schemes of the Southern party and broken its +grip on the administration. He had remained in Washington as a lawyer +practicing before the Supreme Court and had become the most aggressive +observer and critic of Lincoln and his Cabinet. His scorn for the +President knew no bounds. + +"No one," he wrote to General John A. Dix, "can imagine the deplorable +condition of this city and the hazard of the Government, who did not +witness the weakness and the panic of the administration and the painful +imbecility of Lincoln." + +To Buchanan, his ex-Chief, he wrote: + +"A strong feeling of distrust in the candor and sincerity of Lincoln's +personality and of his Cabinet has sprung up. It was the imbecility of +this administration which culminated in the catastrophe of Bull Run. +Irretrievable misfortune and National disgrace never to be forgotten are +to be added to the ruin of all peaceful pursuits and National bankruptcy +as the result of Lincoln's running the machine for five months. +Jefferson Davis will soon be in possession of Washington." + +Not only in letters to the leaders of public opinion in the Nation did +the aggressive and powerful lawyer seek to destroy the Government, but +in his conversation in Washington he was equally daring, venomous and +personal in his abuse of the President. "A low, cunning clown" and "the +original gorilla" were his choice epithets. + +Stanton's influence over McClellan was decided and vital from the moment +of their introduction. It was known among the General's intimate friends +that he had advised again and again that he use his power as Commander +of the Army to declare a Dictatorship, depose the President and dissolve +the sittings of Congress until the war should be ended. + +How far McClellan had dallied with this dangerous and alluring scheme +was a matter of conjecture. It is little wonder that the wildest rumors +of intrigues, of uprisings, of mutiny, filled the air. + +McClellan had doggedly refused either to move his army or to formally go +into winter quarters until the middle of December, when he took to his +bed and announced that he was suffering from an attack of typhoid fever. + +The President was further embarrassed by the course of his Secretary of +War, Cameron, who, while laboring under the censure of Congress for the +conduct of his office, had allowed Senator Winter to stab his chief in +the back by recommending in his report that the slaves be armed by the +Government and put into the ranks of the armies. Senator Winter, as the +Radical leader, knew that to meet such an issue once raised the +President must rebuke his Secretary and apologize to the Border Slave +States. He would thus alienate from his support all Cameron's friends, +and all friends of the negro. The Senator did not believe the President +would dare to fight on such an issue. + +He had misjudged his man. The President not only rebuked his Secretary +by suppressing his report and revising its language, he demanded and +received his resignation, notwithstanding the fact that Cameron was the +most powerful politician in the most powerful State of the North. + +He at once sought a new Secretary of War, free from all party +entanglements, who could not be influenced by contractors or jobbers or +scheming politicians, who was absolutely honest and who had a boundless +capacity for work. + +Strangely enough, his eye rested on Edward M. Stanton, his arch enemy, +the man who had become McClellan's confidential attorney. + +As an aggressive patriotic Democrat, Stanton had won the confidence of +the public in the last administration. His capacity for work had proved +limitless. He was under no obligations to a living soul who could ask +aught of Lincoln's administration. He was savagely honest. At the moment +the discovery of gigantic frauds practiced on the War Department by +thieving contractors, coupled with fabulous expenditures in daily +expenses, had destroyed the confidence of the money lenders in the +integrity of the Government. The Treasury was facing a serious crisis. + +And then the astounding thing happened. Without consulting a soul inside +his Cabinet or out, Abraham Lincoln appointed his bitterest foe from the +party of his enemies his Secretary of War. He offered the place to Edwin +M. Stanton. + +Perhaps the most astonished man in America was Stanton himself. To the +amazement of his friends, as well as his critics, he promptly accepted +the position. + +Senator Winter, whose radical temperament had found in Stanton a +congenial spirit, though as wide as the poles apart in politics, met him +in the lobby of the Senate Chamber on the day his appointment was +confirmed. + +He broke into a cynical laugh and asked: + +"And what will you do?" + +Stanton's keen spectacled eyes bored him through in silence as he +snapped: + +"I may make Abe Lincoln President of the United States." + +Evidently another man was entering the Cabinet under the impression that +the hands of an impotent Chief Magistrate needed strengthening. The +merest glance at this man's burly thick set body, his big leonine head +with its shock of heavy black hair, long and curling, his huge grizzly +beard and full resolute lips, was enough to convince the most casual +observer that he could be a dangerous enemy or a powerful ally. + +The President was warned of this appointment, but his confidence was +unshaken. His reply was a revelation of personality: + +"I have faith in affirmative men like Stanton. They stand between a +nation and perdition. He has shown a loyalty to the Union that rose +above his own partisan creed of a lifetime. I like that kind of a man." + +"He'll run away with the whole concern," was his friend's laconic reply. + +The President's big generous mouth moved with a smile: + +"Well, we may have to treat him as they sometimes did a Methodist +minister I knew out West. He was a mighty man in prayer and exhortation. +At times his excitement rose to such threatening heights the elders put +brick bats in his pockets to hold him down. We may be obliged to serve +Stanton the same way----" + +He paused and laughed. + +"But I guess we'll let him jump awhile first!" + +The men who knew the inner secrets of Stanton's relations to McClellan +watched this drama with keen interest. Had he gone into the Cabinet to +place the General in supreme power in a moment of crisis? Or had he at +heart deserted the Commander with the intention of using the enormous +power of the War Department to further a scheme of equal daring for +himself? They could only watch the swiftly moving scenes of the war +pageant for their answer. + +One fact was standing out each day with sharp and clean cut +distinctness, a struggle of giants was on beneath the surface. Startling +surprise had followed startling surprise during the past months. Men +everywhere were asking one another, what next? The air of Washington was +foul with the breath of passion and intrigue. Purposes and methods were +everywhere assailed. Men high in civil life were believed to be plotting +with military conspirators to advance their personal fortunes on the +ruins of the Republic. + +Around two men were gathering the forces whose clash would decide the +destiny of the Nation--the struggle between the supremacy of civil +authority in the President, and the war-created strength of the Military +Commander represented by McClellan. Could the Republic survive this war +within a war? + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +LOVE AND PRIDE + + +Betty Winter had found her fierce resolution to blot John Vaughan from +her life a difficult one to keep. The first two weeks were not so hard. +Every instinct of her pure young girlhood had cried out against the +conceit which had imagined her conquest so easy. The memory of his arms +about her crushing with cruel force, his hot lips on hers in mad, +unasked kisses brought the angry blood mounting to her cheeks. She +walked the floor in rage and dropped at last exhausted: + +"I could kill him!" + +The memory which stung deepest was the terror she had felt in his +arms--the sudden fear of the brute quivering in tense muscles and +throbbing in passionate kisses. She had thought this man a gentleman. In +that flash of self-revealing he was simply a beast. It had unsettled her +whole attitude toward life. For the first time she began to suspect the +darker side of passion. If this were love, she would have none of it. + +Again she resolved for the hundredth time, to banish the last thought of +him. If there were no cleaner, more chivalrous men in the world she +could live without them. But there were men with holier ideals. Ned +Vaughan was one. She drew from the drawer the only letter she had +received from him and the last she would probably get in many a day, as +he had crossed the dead line of war and was now somewhere in the great +silent South. She read it over and over with tender smiles: + + "DEAR MISS BETTY; + + "I can't disappear behind the battle lines without a last word to + you. I just want to tell you that every hour, waking or dreaming, + the memory of you is my inspiration. The hardest task is easy + because my heart is beating with your name with every stroke. For + me the drums throb it, the bugle calls it. I hear it in the tramp + of soldiers, the rumble of gun, the beat of horses' hoofs and the + rattle of sabre,--for I am fighting my way back, inch by inch, hour + by hour, to you, my love! + + "You cannot answer this. There will be no more mails from the + South--no more mails from the North until I see you again on the + Capitol Hill in Washington. There has never been a doubt in my + heart that the South shall win--that I shall win. And when I stand + before you then it will not be as conqueror, though victorious. I + shall bow at your feet your willing slave. And I shall kiss my + chains because your dear hands made them. I can expect no answer to + this. I ask none. I need none. My love is enough. It's so big and + wonderful it makes the world glorious. + + "NED." + +How sharp and bitter the contrast between the soul of this chivalrous +boy and his vain conceited brother! She loathed herself for her blind +stupidity. Why had she preferred him? Why--why--why! The very question +cut her. It was not because John Vaughan had chosen to cast his lot with +her people of the North. Rubbish! She had a sneaking admiration for Ned +because he had dared her displeasure in making his choice. There must be +something perverse in her somewhere. She could see it now. It must be so +or the evil in John Vaughan's character would not have drawn her as a +magnet from the first. She hadn't a doubt now that all the stories about +his fast life and his contempt for women were true and much more than +gossip had dreamed. + +He would write a letter of apology, of course, in due season. He was too +shrewd a man of the world, too skillful an interpreter of the whims of +women to write at once. He was waiting for her to cool--waiting until +she should begin to be anxious. It was too transparent. She would give +him a surprise when his letter came. The shock would take a little of +the conceit out of him. She would return his letter unopened by the next +mail. + +When four weeks passed without a word the first skirmish between love +and pride began. Perhaps she had been unreasonable after all. Was it +right to blame a man too harshly for being mad about the woman he loved? +In her heart of hearts did she desire any other sort of lover? Tears of +vexation came in spite of every effort to maintain her high position. +She had to face the plain truth. She didn't desire a cold lover. She +wished him to be strong, manly, masterful--yes, masterful, that was +it--yet infinitely tender. This man was simply a brute. And yet the +memory of his mad embrace and the blind violence of his kisses had +become each day more vivid and terrible--terrible because of their +fascination. She accepted the fact at last in a burst of bitter tears. + +And then came the announcement in the _Daily Republican_ of his return +to the city and his attachment to the company of cavalry at McClellan's +headquarters. The thought of his presence sent the blood surging in +scarlet waves to her face. There was no longer any question in her mind +that she had wounded him too deeply for forgiveness. Her dismissal had +been so cold, so curt, it had been an accusation of dishonor. She could +see it clearly now. He had poured out his confession of utter love in a +torrent of mad words and clasped her in his arms without thought or +calculation, an act of instinctive resistless impulse. He had justly +resented the manner in which she had repulsed him. Yet she had simply +followed the impulse of her girlish heart, and she would die sooner than +apologize. + +She accepted the situation at last with a dull sense of pain and +despair, and tried to find consolation in devotion to work in the +hospitals which had begun to grow around the army of drilling +volunteers. + +Events were moving now with swift march, and her championship of the +President gave her days of excitement which brought unexpected relief +from her gloomy thoughts. She was witnessing the first movements of the +National drama from the inside and its passion had stirred her +imagination. Her father's growing hatred of Abraham Lincoln left her in +no doubt as to whose master hand had guided the assaults on the rear of +his distracted administration. + +The fall of Cameron, the Secretary of War, had been the work of her +father, with scarcely a suggestion from without. The Abolitionist had +determined to force Lincoln to free the slaves at once or destroy him +and his administration. They also were whispering the name of their +chosen dictator who would assume the reins of power on his downfall. + +The President was equally clear in his determination not to allow his +hand to be forced and lose control of the Border Slave States, whose +influence and power were becoming each day more and more essential to +the preservation of the Union. He had succeeded in separating the +counties of Western Virginia and had created a new State out of them. +His policy of conciliation and forbearance was slowly, but surely, +welding Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland to the Nation. + +Any tinkering at this moment with the question of Slavery would imperil +the loyalty of these four States. He held them now and he refused to +listen to any man or faction who asked him to loosen that grip. + +The true policy of the Radicals, Senator Winter realized, was to fire +into the President's back through his generals in the field in an +emancipation crusade which would work the North into a frenzy of +passion. He had shrewdly calculated the chances, and he did not believe +that Lincoln would dare risk his career on a direct order revoking such +a proclamation. + +General Hunger was the first to accept the mutinous scheme. He issued a +proclamation declaring all slaves within the lines of the Union army +forever free, and a wave of passionate excitement swept the North. The +quiet self-contained man in the White House did not wait to calculate +the force of this storm. He revoked Hunter's order before the ink was +dry on it. + +Again Senator Winter invaded the Executive office: + +"You dare, sir," he thundered, "to thus spit in the face of the +millions of the loyal North who are pouring their blood and treasure +into this war?" + +"I do," was the even answer. "I am the President of the United States +and as Commander-in-Chief of its Army and Navy I will not be disobeyed +by my subordinates on an issue I deem vital to the Nation's existence. +If in the fulness of God's time an emancipation proclamation must be +issued in order to save the Union, I know my duty and I'll do it without +the interference of any of my generals in the field----" + +He paused and glanced over the rims of his spectacles with a sudden +flash from his deep set eyes: + +"Do I make myself clear?" + +Winter's face went white with anger as he slowly answered: + +"Perfectly. It seems you have learned nothing from the wrath with which +your sacrifice of John C. Fremont to appease the slave power was +received?" + +"So it seems," was the laconic response. "Fremont issued, without +consulting me, his famous proclamation last August. I saw your hand, +Senator, in that clause 'freeing' the slaves in the State of Missouri." + +"And I warn you now," the Senator growled, "that the storm of +indignation which met that act was nothing to one that will break about +your head to-morrow! The curses of Fremont's soldiers still ring in your +ears. The press, the pulpit, the platform and both Houses of Congress +gave you a taste of their scorn you will not soon forget. Thousands of +sober citizens who had given you their support, whose votes put you in +this office, tore your picture down from their walls and trampled it +under their feet. For the first time in the history of the Republic the +effigy of a living President was burned publicly in the streets of an +American city amid the jeers and curses of the men who elected him. Your +sacrifice of Fremont has made him the idol of the West. He is to them +to-day what Napoleon in exile was to France. This is a Government of the +people. Even a President may go too far in daring to override public +opinion!" + +The giant figure slowly rose and faced his opponent, erect, controlled, +dignified: + +"But the question is, Senator, who is a better judge of true public +opinion, you or I? It remains to be seen. In the meantime I must tell +you once more that I am not the representative of a clique, or faction. +I am the Chief Magistrate of all the people--I am going to save this +Union for them and their children. I hope to live to see the death of +Slavery. That is in God's hands. My duty to-day is as clear as the +noonday sun. I can't lose the Border Slave States at this stage of the +game and save the Union--therefore I must hold them at all hazards. Let +the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things if they will----" + +"Then it's a waste of breath to talk!" the Senator suddenly shouted. + +The rugged head bowed gracefully: + +"I thought so from the first--but I've tried to be polite----" + +"Good day, sir!" + +"Good day, Senator," the President laughed, "come in any time you want +to let off steam. It'll make you feel easier and it won't hurt me." + +Abraham Lincoln knew the real cause of public irritation and loss of +confidence. The outburst of wrath over Fremont was but a symptom. The +disease lay deeper. The people had lost confidence in his War Department +through the failure of his first Secretary and the inactivity of the +army under McClellan. He had applied the remedy to the first cause in +the dismissal of Cameron and the appointment of Stanton. It remained to +be seen whether he could control his Commanding General, or whether +McClellan would control the Government. + +The situation was an intolerable one--not only to the people who were +sacrificing their blood and money, but to his own inherent sense of +honor and justice. He had no right to organize and drill a mighty army +to go into winter quarters, drink and play cards, and dance while a +victorious foe flaunted their flag within sight of the Capitol. + +Besides, the Western division under two obscure Generals, Grant and +Sherman, had moved in force in mid-winter and with a mere handful of men +compared to the hosts encamped in Washington had captured Fort Henry and +Fort Donelson and taken fourteen thousand prisoners. The navy had +brilliantly coöperated on the river, and this fact only made more +painful the disgrace of the Confederate blockade of the Capital by its +half dozen batteries on the banks of the Potomac. + +The President was compelled to test the ugly question of the extent and +power of General McClellan's personal support. + +He returned from a tour of inspection and stood on the hilltop +overlooking McClellan's miles of tents and curling camp fires. He turned +to Mrs. Lincoln, who had accompanied him: + +"You know what that is?" + +"The Army of the Potomac, of course, Father." + +"No!" he replied bitterly, "that's only McClellan's body guard--a +hundred and eighty thousand." + +The General had persistently refused to take any suggestion from his +superior as to the movement of his army. Would Lincoln dare to force the +issue between them and risk the mutiny of this Grand Army undoubtedly +devoted to their brilliant young leader? There were many who believed +that if he dared, the result would be a _coup d'état_ which would place +the man on horseback in supreme power. + +The moment the President reached the point where he saw that further +delay would mean grave peril to the Nation, he acted with a promptness +which stunned the glittering military court over which the young +Napoleon presided. From the White House, as Commander-in-Chief of the +Army and Navy, he issued a military order for the advance of McClellan's +forces on Richmond! + +The idea of such an order coming from a backwoods lawyer without +military training was preposterous. Its audacity for a moment stunned +the Commander of all the divisions of the army, but when the excitement +had subsided on the day it was done, General McClellan, for the first +time, squarely faced the fact that there was a real man in the White +House. + +The issue was a square one. He must obey that order or march on the +Capital with his army, depose the President, and declare a dictatorship. + +He decided to move on Richmond. He wrangled over the route he would +take, but he moved, when once in motion, with remarkable swiftness. + +Within two weeks a magnificent army of one hundred and twenty thousand +men, fourteen thousand horses, forty-four batteries with endless trains +of wagons, supplies, and pontoon bridges were transported by water two +hundred miles to the Virginia Peninsula without the loss of a life. + +The day was a glorious one toward the end of March, when Betty stood on +the hill above Alexandria and watched, with heavy heart, the magnificent +pageant of the embarking army. The spring was unusually early. The grass +was already a rich green carpet in the shaded lanes. Jonquils were +flaming from every walkway, the violets beginning to lift their blue +heads from their dark green leaves and the trees overhead were hanging +with tassels behind which showed the clusters of fresh buds bursting +into leaf. + +The armed host covered hill and plain and stretched out in every +direction as far as the eye could reach. Four hundred ships had moved up +the river to receive them. Companies and regiments of magnificently +equipped soldiers were marching to the throb of drum and the scream of +fife. Thousands of cavalrymen, in gay uniforms, their golden yellow +shining in the sun, were dashing across a meadow at the foot of the +hill. The long lines of infantry stretched from the hills through the +streets of Alexandria down to the water's edge. Everywhere the +regimental bands were playing martial music. + +Somewhere among those marching, cheering, laughing, shouting thousands +was the man she loved, leaving without a word. + +An awkward private soldier passed with his arm around his sweetheart. +Her eyes were red and she leaned close. They were not talking any more. +But a few minutes were left and he must go--perhaps to die. Words had +ceased to mean anything. + +Her heart rose in fierce rebellion against the wall of silence her pride +had reared. A group of magnificently equipped young officers passed on +horseback. Perhaps of General McClellan's staff! She looked in vain +among them for his familiar face. If he passed she would disgrace +herself--she felt it with increasing certainty. Why had she come here, +anyway? As well tell the truth--in the vague hope of a meeting. + +The quick beat of a horse's hoof echoed along the road. She looked and +recognized John Vaughan! He was coming straight toward her. +Instinctively and resistlessly she moved to meet him. + +She waved her hand in an awkward little gesture as if she had tried to +stop after beginning the movement. His eye had been quick to see and +with a graceful pull on his horse's bridle he had touched the pommel of +the saddle, leaped to his feet, cap in hand, and stood trembling before +her. + +"It's too good to be true!" he exclaimed breathlessly. + +She extended her bare hand and he held it without protest. It was +trembling violently. + +"You were going to leave without an effort to see me?" she asked in low +tones. + +"I was just debating that problem when I saw you standing by the road," +he answered soberly. "I don't think I could have done it. It's several +hours before we embark. I was just figuring on how I could reach you in +time." + +"Really?" she murmured. + +"Honestly." + +"Well, if you had gone without a word, I couldn't have blamed you"--she +paused and bit her lips--"I was very foolish that day." + +"It was my fault," he broke in, "all my fault. I was a brute. I realized +it too late. I'd have eaten my pride and gone back to see you the day I +reached Washington if I had thought it any use. I have never seen such a +look in the eyes of a woman as you gave me that day, Miss Betty. If +there had been any love in your heart I knew that I had killed it----" + +She looked into his eyes with a tender smile: + +"I thought you had----" + +He pressed her hand tenderly. + +"But now?" + +"I know that love can't be killed by a kiss." + +She stopped suddenly, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He +held her close for a moment, murmuring: + +"My sweetheart--my darling!" + +Through four swift beautiful hours they sat on a log, held each other's +hands, and told over and over the old sweet story. Another long, tender +embrace and he was gone. She stood on the little wharf, among hundreds +of weeping sisters and mothers and sweethearts, and watched his boat +drift down the river. He waved his handkerchief to her until the big +unfinished dome of the Capitol began to fade on the distant horizon. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE SPIRES OF RICHMOND + + +To meet three great armies converging on Richmond along the James under +McClellan, from the North under McDowell, and the West by the Shenandoah +Valley, the South had barely fifty-eight thousand men commanded by +Joseph E. Johnston and eighteen thousand under Stonewall Jackson. + +The Southern people were still suffering from the delusion of Bull Run +and had not had time to adjust themselves to the amazing defeats +suffered at Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, to say nothing of the +stunning victory of the _Monitor_ in Hampton Roads, which had opened the +James to the gates of the Confederate Capital. + +Jackson was ordered into the Shenandoah Valley to execute the apparently +impossible task of holding in check the armies of Fremont, Milroy, Banks +and Shields, and at the same time prevent the force of forty thousand +men under McDowell from reaching McClellan. The combined forces of the +Federal armies opposed thus to Jackson were eight times greater than his +command. And yet, by a series of rapid and terrifying movements which +gained for his little army the title of "foot cavalry," he succeeded in +defeating, in quick succession, each army in detail. + +McDowell was despatched in haste to join Fremont and crush Jackson. And +while his army was rushing into the Shenandoah Valley, Jackson withdrew +and quietly joined the army before Richmond which moved to meet +McClellan. + +Little Mac, with his hundred and twenty thousand men, had moved up the +Peninsula with deliberate but resistless force, Johnston's army retiring +before him without serious battle until the Army of the Potomac lay +within sight of the spires of Richmond. Faint, but clear, the breezes +brought the far-off sound of her church bells on Sunday morning. + +The two great armies at last faced each other for the first clash of +giants, McClellan with one hundred and ten thousand men in line, +Johnston with seventy thousand Southerners. + +John Vaughan rode along the lines of the Federal host on the afternoon +of May 30th, to inspect and report to his Commander. Through the opening +in the trees the Confederate army could be plainly seen on the other +side of the clearing. The Federal scouts had already reported the +certainty of an attack. + +The Confederates that night lay down on their arms with orders to attack +at daylight. Dark clouds had swirled their storm banks over the sky +before sunset and the heavens were opened. The rain fell in blinding +torrents, until the sluggish little stream of the Chickahominy had +become a rushing, widening, treacherous river which threatened to sweep +away the last bridge McClellan had constructed. + +The Confederate Commander was elated. The army of his enemy was divided +by a swollen river. The storm increased until it reached the violence of +a hurricane. Through the entire night the lightning flashed and the +thunder pealed without ceasing. At times the heavens were livid with +blinding, dazzling light. Tents were a mockery. The earth was +transformed into a vast morass. + +The storm had its compensations for the Northern army though divided. +Its frightful severity had so demoralized the Confederates that it was +nearly noon before General A. P. Hill moved to the attack. + +The entrenched army was ready. The Union pickets lay in the edge of the +woods and every soldier in the pits had been under cover for hours +awaiting the onset. + +With a shout the men in grey leaped from their shelter, pouring their +volleys from close charging columns. The rifle balls whistled through +the woods, clipping boughs, barking the trees, and hurling the Federal +pickets back on their support. In front of the abatis had been planted a +battery of four guns. The grey men had fixed their eyes on them. General +Naglee saw their purpose and threw his four thousand men into the open +field to meet them. Straight into each other's faces their muskets +flamed, paused, and flamed again. The Northern men fixed their bayonets, +charged, and drove the grey line slowly back into the woods. Here they +met a storm of hissing lead that mowed their ranks. They broke quickly +and rushed for the cover of their rifle pits. + +The grey lines charged, and for three hours the earth trembled beneath +the shock of their continued assaults. + +Suddenly on the left flank of the Federal army a galling fire was poured +from a grey brigade. The movement had been quietly and skillfully +executed. At the same moment General Rodes' brigade rushed on their +front with resistless force. The officers tried to spike their guns and +save them, but were shot down in their tracks to a man. Their guns were +lost, and in a moment the men in grey had wheeled them and were pouring +a terrible fire on the retreating lines. + +The Confederates now charged the Federal centre, and for an hour and a +half the fierce conflict raged--charge and countercharge by men of equal +courage led by dauntless officers. The Union right wing had already been +crumpled in hopeless confusion, the centre had yielded, the left wing +alone was holding its own. It looked as if the whole Union army on the +South side of the Chickahominy would be wiped out. + +At Seven Pines Heintzelman had made a stubborn stand. General Keyes saw +a hill between the lines of battle which might save the day if he could +reach it in time. He must take men between two battle lines to do so. +The Confederate Commander, divining his intention, poured a galling fire +into his ranks and began a race with him for the heights. Keyes won the +race and formed his line in the nick of time. The tremendous fire poured +down from this new position was too much for the assaulting Southern +column and it halted. + +The Confederate forces had forced the Federal lines back two miles as +the river fog and the darkness slowly rose and enveloped the field. +General Johnston ordered his men to sleep on the fields and camps they +had captured. A minute later he was hurled from his horse by an +exploding shell and was borne from the field dangerously wounded. The +first day's struggle had ended in reverses for the invading enemy. The +Confederates had captured ten guns, six thousand muskets, and five +hundred prisoners, besides driving McClellan's forces two miles from the +opening battle lines. + +Between the two smoke-grimed, desperate armies locked thus in close +embrace there could be no truce for burying the fallen or rescuing the +wounded. Over the rain-soaked fields and woods for two miles behind the +Confederate front lay the dead, the dying, and the wounded, the blue +side by side with their foes in grey. Dim fog-ringed lanterns flickered +feebly here and there like wounded fireflies over the dark piles on the +ground. + +The Southern ambulance corps did its best at its new trade. Their long +lines of wagons began to creep into Richmond and fill the hospitals. +Shivering white-faced women, wives, sweethearts, mothers, sisters were +there looking for their own, praying and hoping. All day they had +shivered in their rooms at the deep boom of cannon, whose thunder +rattled the glass in the windows through which they gazed on the +deserted streets. It was the first lesson in real war, this hand to hand +grip of the two giants whose struggle must decide the fate of Richmond. + +The wagons left their loads and rattled back over the rough cobble +stones and out on the muddy roads to the front again. The night would be +all too short for their work. + +In their field hospital, the surgeons, with bare, bloody arms, were busy +with knife and saw. Boys who had faced death in battle without a tremor, +now pale and trembling, watched the growing pile of legs and arms. Alone +in the darkness beyond the voice or touch of a loved hand they must face +this awful thing and hobble through life maimed wrecks. They looked +over their shoulders into the murky darkness and envied the silent forms +that lay there beyond the reach of pain and despair. All night the grim +tragedy of the knife and saw, and the low moans that still came from the +darkness of the woods! + +Sunday morning, the second day of June, dawned over the battle-scarred +earth--an ominous day for the armies of the Republic--for the sun rose +on a new figure in command of the men in grey. Robert E. Lee had taken +the place of Joseph E. Johnston. + +General G. W. Smith, second in command when Johnston fell, had formed +his plan of battle, and the new head of the Confederacy, with his high +sense of courtesy and justice, permitted his subordinate to direct the +conflict for the day. + +As the sun rose, red and ominous through the dark pine forest, General +Smith quickly advanced his men at Fair Oaks Station, down the railroad, +and fell with fury on the men in blue, who crouched behind the +embankment. The men were less than fifty yards apart, and muskets blazed +in long level sheets of yellow flame. No longer could the ear catch the +effect of ripping canvas in the fire of small arms. The roar was +endless. For an hour and a half the two blazing lines mowed each other +down in their tracks without pause. The grey at last gave way and fell +back to the shelter of their woods and gathered reinforcements. The +Union lines had been cut to pieces and suddenly ceased firing while +their support advanced. + +The roaring hell had died into a strange ominous stillness. John Vaughan +had just dashed up to the embankment with orders from McClellan to hold +this position until Haskin's division arrived. He sprang on the +embankment and looked curiously at the long piles of grey bodies lying +in an endless row as far as the eye could reach. Over the tree tops, +faintly mingling with the low cry of a dying boy of sixteen, came the +sweet distant notes of a church bell in Richmond. + +"God in heaven--the mockery of it!" he cried. + +A great shout swept the blue lines. Hooker's magnificent division of +fresh troops swept into view, eager for the fray. They rapidly deployed +to the right and left. In front of them lay the open blood-soaked field, +and beyond the deep woods bristling with Southern bayonets. The new +division leaped into this open field, with a wild shout, their eyes set +on the woods. They paused, only to fire, and their double quick became a +race. + +The Southern batteries followed and tore great holes in their ranks. +They closed them with low quick sullen orders sweeping on. They reached +the edge of the woods and poured into its friendly shelter. And then +above the tops of oak and pine and beech and ash and tangled undergrowth +came the soul-piercing roar of two great armies, fearless, daring, +scorning death, fighting hand to hand, man to man, for what they +believed to be right. + +The people in church turned anxious faces toward the sound. Its roar +rang above the sob of organ and the chant of choir. + +Bayonet clashed on bayonet, as regiment after regiment were locked in +close mortal combat. Hour after hour the stubborn unyielding hosts held +fast on both sides. The storm weakened and slowly died away. Only the +intermittent crack of a rifle here and there broke the stillness. + +There was no shout of victory, no sweep of cheering hosts--only silence. +The Confederate General in command for the day had lost faith in his +battle plan and withdrew his army from the field. The men in blue could +move in and camp on the ground they had held the day before if they +wished. + +But there was something more important to do now than maneuver for +position in history. The dead and the dying and wounded crying for water +were everywhere--down every sunlit aisle of the forest they lay in +heaps. In the open fields they lay faces up, the scorching Southern sun +of June beating piteously down in their eyes--the blue and the grey side +by side in death as they fought hand to hand in life. + +The trenches were opened and they piled the bodies in one on top of the +other, where they had fallen. They turned their faces downward, these +stalwart, brave American boys that the grave-diggers might not throw the +wet dirt into their eyes and mouths. O, aching hearts in far-away homes, +at least you were not there to see! + +Both armies paused now to gird their loins for the crucial test. General +Lee was in the saddle gathering every available man into his ranks for +his opening assault on McClellan's host. Jackson was in the Shenandoah +Valley holding three armies at bay, defeating them in detail and +paralyzing the efficiency of McDowell's forty thousand men at +Fredericksburg, by the daring uncertainty of his movements. + +The first act of Lee was characteristic of his genius. Wishing to know +the exact position of McClellan's forces, and with the further purpose +of striking terror into his antagonist's mind for the safety of his +lines of communication, he conceived the daring feat of sending a picked +body of cavalry under the gallant J. E. B. Stuart completely around the +Northern army of one hundred and five thousand men. + +On June the 12th, Stuart with twelve hundred troopers, fighting, +singing, dare-devil riders to a man, slipped from Lee's lines and +started toward Fredericksburg. The first night he bivouacked in the +solemn pines of Hanover. At the first streak of dawn the men swung into +their saddles in silence. + +Turning suddenly to the east he surprised and captured the Federal +pickets without a shot. In five minutes he confronted a squadron of +Union cavalry. With piercing rebel yell his troopers charged and +scattered their foes. + +Sweeping on with swift, untiring dash they struck the York River +Railroad, which supplied McClellan's army, surprised and captured the +company of infantry which guarded Tunstall's Station, cut the wires and +attacked a train passing with troops. + +Riding without pause through the moonlit night they reached the +Chickahominy at daybreak. The stream was out of its banks and could not +be forded. They built a bridge, crossed over at dawn, and the following +day leaped from their saddles before Lee's headquarters and reported. + +A thrill of admiration and dismay swept the ranks of the Northern army +and started in Washington a wave of bitter criticism against McClellan. +No word of reply reached the world from the little Napoleon. He was busy +digging trenches, felling trees and pushing his big guns steadily +forward and always behind impregnable works. He was a born engineer and +his soul was set on training his great siege guns on the Confederate +Capital. + +On the 25th of June his advance guard had pressed within five miles of +the apparently doomed city. His breastworks bristled from every point of +advantage. His army was still divided by the Chickahominy River, but he +had so thoroughly bridged its treacherous waters he apparently had no +fear of coming results. + +On June the 27th Stonewall Jackson had slipped from the Shenandoah +Valley, baffling two armies converging on him from different directions, +and with a single tiger leap had landed his indomitable little army by +Lee's side. + +Anticipating his arrival, the Confederate general had hurled Hill's +corps against the Union right wing under Porter. Throughout the day of +the 26th and until nine o'clock at night the battle raged with unabated +fury. The losses on both sides were frightful and neither had gained a +victory. But at nine o'clock the Federal Commander ordered his right +wing to retreat five miles to Gaines Mill and cover his withdrawal of +heavy guns and supplies. They were ordered at all hazards to hold +Jackson's fresh troops at bay until this undertaking was well under way. +It was a job that called for all his skill in case of defeat. It +involved the retreat of an army of one hundred thousand men with their +artillery and enormous trains of supplies across the mud-scarred marshy +Peninsula. Five thousand wagons loaded to their utmost capacity, their +wheels sinking in the springy earth, had to be guarded and transported. +His siege guns, so heavy it was impossible to hitch enough horses to +move them over roads in which they sank to the hubs, had to be saved. +Three thousand cattle were there, to be guarded and driven, and it was +more than seventeen miles to the shelter of his gunboats on the James. + +During the night his wagon trains and heavy guns were moved across the +Chickahominy toward his new base on the James. + +The morning of the 27th dawned cool and serene. Under the cover of the +night the silent grey army had followed the retiring one in blue. The +Southerners lay in the dense wood above Gaines Mill dozing and waiting +orders. + +A balloon slowly rose from the Federal lines and hung in the scarlet +clouds that circled the sun. The signal was given to the artillery that +the enemy lay in the deep woods within range and a storm of shot and +shell suddenly burst over the heads of the men in grey and the second +day's carnage had begun. + +For once Jackson, the swift and mysterious, was late in reaching the +scene. It was two o'clock when Hill again unsupported hurled his men on +the Federal lines in a fierce determined charge. Twenty-six guns of the +matchless artillery of McClellan's army threw a stream of shot and shell +into his face. Never were guns handled with deadlier power. And back of +them the infantry, thrilled at the magnificent spectacle, poured their +hail of hissing lead into the approaching staggering lines. + +The waves of grey broke and recoiled. A blue pall of impenetrable smoke +rolled through the trees and clung to the earth. Under the protection of +their great guns the dense lines of blue pushed out into the smoke fog +and charged their foe. For two hours the combat raged at close quarters. +A division of fresh troops rushed to the Northern line, and Lee +observing the movement from his horse on an eminence, ordered a general +attack on the entire Union front. + +It was a life and death grapple for the mastery. Jackson's corps was now +in action. A desperate charge of Hood's division at last broke the Union +lines and the grey men swarmed over the Federal breastworks. The lines +broke and began to roll back toward the bridges of the Chickahominy. The +retreat threatened to become a rout. The twilight was deepening over the +field when a shout rose from the tangled masses of blue stragglers by +the bridge. Dashing through them came the swift fresh brigades of French +and Meager. General Meager, rising from his stirrups in his shirt +sleeves, swung his bare sword above his head, hurled his troops against +the advancing Confederate line and held it until darkness saved Porter's +division from ruin. + +McClellan's one hope now was to pull his army out of the deadly swamps +in which he had been caught and save it from destruction. He must reach +the banks of the James and the shelter of his gunboats before he could +stop to breathe. At every step the charging grey lines crashed on his +rear guard. Retreating day and night, turning and fighting as a hunted +stag, he was struggling only to escape. + +That there was no panic, no rout, was a splendid tribute to his +organizing and commanding powers. His army was an army at last in fact +as well as in name--a compact and terrible fighting machine. The +oncoming Confederate hosts learned this to their sorrow again and again +in the five terrible days which followed. + +On July 1st, McClellan reached the shelter of his gunboats and +intrenched himself on the heights of Malvern Hill. On its summit he +placed tier after tier of batteries swung in crescent line, commanding +every approach. Surmounting those on the highest point he planted seven +of his great siege guns. His army surrounded this hill, its left flank +resting on the James and covered by his gunboats. + +It was late in the afternoon before Lee ordered a general attack. The +grey army was floundering in the mud in a vain effort to reach its +fleeing enemy in force. At noon they were still burying the dead on the +blood-soaked field of Glendale where McClellan's gallant rear guard had +stood until the last wagon train had safely arrived at Malvern Hill. + +Ned Vaughan's company had been hurried from the West to the defense of +Richmond, and reached the field on the night of the 30th, too late for +the battle of Glendale, but in time to walk over its scarred soil in the +soft moonlight and get his first glimpse of war. He was yet to see a +battle. + +A group of grey schoolboy comrades were burying one of their number +beneath a tall pine in the edge of an old field. He joined the circle +and watched them. They dug the grave with their bayonets, tenderly +wrapped the body in the battle flag of the South and covered it with +their hands. One of them recited a beautiful Psalm from memory, and not +a word was spoken as they drew the damp earth up into a mound. A +whip-poor-will began his song in the edge of the woods as he passed on. + +A few yards further a man in grey was cutting a forked limb into a +crutch. Something dark lay huddled on the brown straw. It was a wounded +man in blue. The Southerner lifted his enemy, and placed the crutch +under him. + +"Now, partner," he said cheerfully, "you're all right. You'll find the +hospital down there by them lights. They'll look out for ye." + +Ned wondered vaguely how he would really feel under his first baptism of +fire. He was only a private soldier in this company which had been +ordered East. He had resigned from the first he had helped to raise--the +ambitions and intrigues of its officers had aroused his disgust and he +had taken a place in the ranks of the first company sent to Virginia. He +had made up his mind he would wear no signs of rank that were not fairly +won on the field of battle. + +To-morrow he was going to face it at short range. Everywhere were strewn +canteens, knapsacks, broken guns and blankets. He came suddenly on a +trench behind which the men in blue had fought from dark to dark. It was +full of dead soldiers. + +His regiment was up before day to move at dawn. His company had been +assigned to a regiment of veterans who had fought at Bull Run and had +been in three of the battles before Richmond. Their ranks were thin and +the Western boys were given a royal welcome. + +The seasoned men were in good humor, the new company serious. Ned was +carefully shaving by the flickering light of the camp fire. + +"What the divil are you doin' that for?" his Irish messmate asked in +amazement. + +"You want to know the truth, Haggerty?" Ned drawled. + +"That's what I want----" + +"We're going into our first battle, aren't we?" + +"Praise God, we are!" + +"And we may come out a corpse?" + +"Yis----" + +"I'm going to be a decent one." + +"Ah, go'long wid ye--ye bloody young spalpeen--ye're no more afraid than +I am!" + +"Maybe not, Haggerty, but it's a solemn occasion, and I'm going to look +my best." + +"Ye'll live ter see many a scrap, me bye!" + +"Same to you, old man! But I'm going to be clean for this one, anyhow." + +The regiment marched toward Malvern Hill at the first streak of dawn. It +was slow work. Always the artillery ahead were sticking in the mud and +the halts were interminable. + +The new company grew more and more nervous: + +"What's up ahead?" + +They asked it at every halt the first three hours. And then their +disgust became more pronounced. + +"What in 'ell's the matter?" Ned groaned. + +"Don't worry, Sonny," an old corporal called, "you'll get there in time +to see more than you want." + +The regiment reached the battle lines at one o'clock. The morning hours +had been spent in driving in the skirmishers and feeling the enemy's +positions. Lee had given orders for a general charge on a signal yell +from Armistead's brigade. He was now waiting the arrival of all his +available forces before attacking. + +Late in the afternoon General D. H. Hill heard a shout followed by a +roar of musketry and immediately ordered his division to charge. No +other General seemed to have heard it and the charge was made without +support. It was magnificent, but it was not war, it was sheer butchery. +No army could have stood before the galling fire of those massed +batteries. + +Ned's regiment had deployed in a wood on the edge of a wide field at the +foot of the hill. Their movement caught the eye of a battery on the +heights which opened with six guns squarely on their heads. + +The struggling, shattered remnants of a regiment which had been all but +annihilated fell back through these woods, stumbling against the waiting +men. + +Ned saw a soldier with a Minie ball sticking in the centre of his +forehead, the blood oozing from the round, clean-cut hole beside the +lead. He was walking steadily backward, loading and firing with +incredible rapidity. The company halted behind the troops held in +reserve, but the man with the ball in his forehead refused to go to the +rear. He wouldn't believe that he was seriously hurt. He jokingly asked +a comrade to dig the ball out. He did so, and the fellow dropped in his +tracks, the blood gushing from the wound in a stream. + +The uncanny sight had sickened Ned. He looked at his hand and it was +trembling like a leaf. + +And this division was charging up that awful hill again. Ned saw a +private soldier who belonged to one of its regiments deliberately walk +across the field alone and join his comrades as if nothing of importance +were going on. And yet the bullets were whistling so thickly that their +"Zip! Zip!" on the ground kept the air filled with flying dirt and tufts +of grass--a veritable hail of lead through which a sparrow apparently +couldn't fly. + +The fellow was certainly a fool! No man with a grain of sense would do +such a thing _alone_--maybe with a crowd of cheering men, but only a +maniac _could_ do it alone--Ned was sure of that. + +A shell smashed through the top of a tree, clipped its trunk in two and +down it came with a crash that sent the men scampering. + +A solid shot came bounding leisurely down the hill and rolled into the +woods. A man just in front put out his foot playfully to stop it and it +broke his leg. + +The shriek of shell and the whistle of lead increased in terrifying roar +each moment and Ned felt a queer sensation in his chest--a sort of +shortness of breath. In a moment he was going to bolt for the rear! He +felt it in his bones and saw no way to stop it. He lifted his eyes +piteously toward the Colonel who sat erect in his saddle stroking the +neck of a restless horse with his left hand. + +The veteran saw the boy's terror under his trial of fire and his heart +went out to him in a wave of fatherly sympathy. + +He rode quickly up to Ned: + +"Won't you hold my horse's bridle a minute, young man, while I use my +glasses?" he asked coolly. + +Ned's trembling hand caught the reins as a drowning man a straw. The act +steadied his shaking nerves. As the Colonel slowly lowered his glasses +Ned cried through chattering teeth: + +"D-d-d-on't y-you think--I-I-I--am d-d-doing p-pretty well, C-colonel, +f-f-f-for my f-f-ffirst battle?" + +The Colonel nodded encouragingly: + +"Very well, my boy. It's a nasty situation. You'll make a good +soldier." + +And then the order to charge! + +Across the level field torn by shot and shell, the regiment swept in +grey waves. The gaps filled up silently. They started up the hill and +met the sleet of hissing death. The hill top blazed streams of yellow +flame through the pall of smoke. Men were falling--not one by one, but +in platoons and squads, rolling into heaps of grey blood-soaked flesh +and rags. The regiment paused, staggered, reeled and rallied. + +Haggerty fell just in front of Ned, who was loading and firing with the +precision of a machine. If he had a soul--he didn't know it now. The men +were ordered to lie down and fire from the ground. + +Haggerty caught Ned's eye as it glanced along his musket searching for +his foe through the cloud of blue black smoke that veiled the world. + +"Roll me around, Bye," the Irishman cried, "and make a fince out of +me--I'm done for." + +Ned paid no attention to his call, and Haggerty pulled his mangled body +down the hill and doubled himself up in front of his friend. + +"Keep down behind me, Bye," he moaned. "I'll make a good fort for ye!" + +It was useless to protest, he had erected the fort to suit himself and +Ned was fighting now behind it. The sight of his dying friend steadied +his nerves and sent a thrill of fierce anger like living fire through +his veins. His eye searched the hilltop for his foe. The smoke rolled in +dark grey sulphurous clouds down the slope and shut out the sky line. He +waited and strained his bloodshot eyes to find an opening. It was no use +to waste powder shooting at space. He was too deadly angry now for +that. + +A puff of wind lifted the clouds and the blue men could be seen leaping +about their guns. They looked like giants in the smoke fog. Again he +fired and loaded, fired and loaded with clock-like, even steady, hand. +It was tiresome this ramming an old-fashioned muzzle-loading musket +lying flat on the ground. But with each round he was becoming more and +more expert in handling the gun. His mouth was black with powder from +tearing the paper ends of the cartridges. The sulphurous taste of the +powder was in his mouth. + +From the centre of the field rose the awful Confederate yell again. A +regiment of Georgians, led by Gordon were charging. Waiting again for +the smoke to clear in front Ned could see the grey waves spread out and +caught the sharp word of command as the daring young officers threw +their naked swords toward the sky crying: + +"Forward!" + +And then they met the storm. From grim, black lips on the hill crest +came the answer to their yell--three hundred and forty mighty guns were +singing an oratorio of Death and Hell in chorus now from those heights. +Half the men seemed to fall at a single crash and still the line closed +up and rushed steadily on, firing and loading, firing and +loading,--running and staggering, then rallying and pressing on again. + +On the right ten thousand men under Hill slipped out into line as if on +dress parade--long lines of handsome boyish Southerners. The big guns +above saw and found them with terrible accuracy. A wide lane of death +was suddenly torn through them before they moved. They closed like clock +work and with a cheer swept forward to the support of the men who were +dying on the blood-soaked slope. + +Ned's heart was thumping now. He felt it coming, that sharp low order +from the Colonel before the words rang from his lips. His hour had come +for the test--coward or hero it had to be now. It was funny he had +ceased to worry. He had entered a new world and this choking, blinding +smoke, the steady thunder of guns, the long sheets of orange fire that +flashed and flashed and blazed in three rings from the hill, the ripping +canvas of musketry fire in volleys, the dull boom of the great guns on +the boats below, were simply a part of the routine of the new life. He +had lived a generation since dawn. The years that had gone before seemed +a dream. The one real thing was Betty's laughing eyes. They were looking +at him now from behind that flaming hill. He must pass those guns to +reach her. Not a doubt had yet entered his soul that he would do it. Men +were falling around him like leaves in autumn, but this had to be. He +saw the end. No matter how fierce this battle, McClellan was only +fighting to save his army from annihilation. Lee was destroying him. + +The order came at last. The Colonel walked along in front of his men +with bared head. + +"Now, boys,--that battery on the first crest--we've half their +men--charge and take those guns!" + +The regiment leaped to their feet and started up the hill. They had lost +two hundred men in their first sweep. There were six hundred left. + +"Hold your fire until I give the word!" the Colonel shouted. + +The smoke was hanging low, and they had made two hundred yards before +the blue line saw them through the haze. The hill blazed and hissed in +their faces. The massed infantry behind the guns found their marks. Men +dropped right and left, sank in grey heaps or fell forward on their +faces--some were knocked backwards down the slope. Yet without a pause +they climbed. + +Three hundred yards more and they would be on the guns. And then a sheet +of blinding flame from every black-mouthed gun in line double shotted +with grape and canister! The regiment was literally knocked to its +knees. The men paused as if dazed by the shock. The sharp words of cheer +and command from their officers and they rallied. From both flanks +poured a murderous hail of bullets--guns to the right, left and front, +all screaming, roaring, hissing their call of blood. + +The Colonel saw the charge was hopeless and ordered his men to fire and +fall back fighting. The grey line began to melt into the smoke mists +down the hill and disappeared--all save Ned Vaughan. His eyes were fixed +on that battery when the order to fire was given. He fired and charged +with fixed bayonet alone. He never paused to see how many men were with +him. His mind was set on capturing one of those guns. He reached the +breastworks and looked behind him. There was not a man in sight. A blue +gunner was ramming a cannon. With a savage leap Ned was on the boy, +grabbed him by the neck and rushed down the hill in front of his own gun +before the astounded Commander realized what had happened. When he did +it was too late to fire. They would tear both men to pieces. + +The regiment had rallied in the woods at the edge of the field from +which they had first charged. + +Ned Vaughan led his prisoner, in bright new uniform of blue, up to the +Colonel and reported. + +"A prisoner of war, sir!" + +The Colonel took off his hat and gazed at the pair: + +"Aren't you the boy who held my horse?" + +Ned saluted: + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then in the name of Almighty God, where did you get that man?" + +Ned pointed excitedly to the hilltop: + +"Right yonder, sir,--there's plenty more of 'em up there!" + +The Colonel scratched his head, looked Ned over from head to heel and +broke into a laugh. + +"Well, I'll be damned," he said at last. "Take him to the rear and +report to me to-night. I want to see you." + +Ned saluted and hurried to the rear with his prisoner. + +The sun was slowly sinking in a sea of blood. The red faded to purple, +the purple to grey, the grey into the shadows of night and still the +guns were thundering from their heights. It was nine o'clock before they +were silent and Lee's torn and mangled army lay down among their dead +and wounded to wait the dawn and renew the fight. They had been +compelled to breast the most devastating fire to which an assaulting +army had been subjected in the history of war. The trees of the woods +had been literally torn and mangled as if two cyclones had met and +ripped them to pieces. + +The men dropped in their tracks to snatch a few hours' sleep. + +The low ominous sounds that drifted from the darkness could not be +heeded till to-morrow. Here and there a lantern flickered as they picked +up a wounded man and carried him to the rear. Only the desperately +wounded could be helped. The dead must sleep beneath the stars. The low, +pitiful cries for water guided the ambulance corps as they stumbled over +the heaps of those past help. + +The clouds drew a veil over the stars at midnight and it began to pour +down rain before day. The sleeping, worn men woke with muttered oaths +and stood against the trees or squatted against their trunks seeking +shelter from the flood. As the mists lifted, they looked with grim +foreboding but still desperate courage to the heights. Every rampart was +deserted. Not one of those three hundred and forty guns remained. +McClellan had withdrawn his army under the cover of the night to +Harrison's Landing. + +It would be difficult to tell whose men were better satisfied. + +"Thank God, he's gone from there anyhow!" the men in grey cried with +fervor. + +Now they could get something to eat, bury their dead and care for all +the wounded. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign had ended. His Grand Army +had melted from a hundred and ten thousand fighting men in line to +eighty-six thousand. The South had lost almost as many. + +From the wildest panic into which the advance of his army had thrown +Richmond, the Confederate Capital now swung to the opposite extreme of +rejoicing for the deliverance, mingled with criticism of their leaders +for allowing the Federal army to escape at all. + +The gloom in Washington was profound. + +An excited General rushed to the White House at two o'clock in the +morning, roused the President from his bed and pleaded for the immediate +dispatch of a fleet of transports to Harrison's Landing as the only +possible way to save the army from annihilation. + +The President soothed his fears and sent him home. He was not the man to +be thrown into a panic. Yet the incredible thing had happened. His army +of more than two hundred thousand men, under able generals, had been +hurled back from the gates of Richmond in hopeless, bewildering defeat, +and he must begin all over again. + +One big ominous fact loomed in tragic menace from the smoke and flame of +this campaign--the South had developed two leaders of matchless military +genius--Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. It was a fact the President +must face and that without fear or favor to any living man in his own +army. + +He left Washington for the front at once. He must see with his own eyes +the condition of the army. He must see McClellan. The demand for his +removal was loud and bitter. And fiercest of all those who asked for his +head was the iron-willed Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, his former +champion. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE RETREAT + + +John Vaughan had become one of his General's trusted aides. His services +during the month's terrific struggle had proven invaluable. The +Commander was quick to discern that he was a man of culture and +possessed a mind of unusual power. More than once the General had called +him to his headquarters to pour into his ears his own grievances against +the authorities in Washington. Naturally his mind had been embittered +against the man in the White House. The magnetic personality of +McClellan had appealed to his imagination from their first meeting. + +The General was particularly bitter on the morning the President was +expected. His indignation at last broke forth in impassioned words to +his sympathetic listener. + +The tragic consequence of the impression made in that talk neither man +could dream at the moment. + +Pacing the floor with the tread of a caged lion McClellan suddenly +paused and his fine blue eyes flashed. + +"I tell you, Vaughan, the wretches have done their worst. They can't do +much more----" + +He stopped suddenly and drew from his pocket the copy of a dispatch he +had sent to the war office. He read it carefully and looked up with +flashing eyes: + +"I'll face the President with this dispatch to Stanton in my hands, too. +They would have removed me from my command for sending it--if they had +dared!" + +He slowly repeated its closing words: + +"I know that a few thousand more men would have changed this battle from +a defeat to a victory. As it is, the Government must not and cannot hold +me responsible for the result. I feel too earnestly to-night. I have +seen too many dead and wounded comrades to feel otherwise than that the +Government has not sustained this army. If you do not do so now, the +game is lost. If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no +thanks to you, or to any other person in Washington. You have done your +best to sacrifice this army----" + +He paused and his square jaws came together firmly. + +"And if that be treason, they can make the most of it!" + +"I am curious to know how he meets you to-day," John said with a smile. + +An orderly announced the arrival of the President and the Commanding +General promptly boarded his steamer. In ten minutes the two men were +facing each other in the stateroom assigned the Chief Magistrate. + +Lincoln's tall, rugged figure met the compact General with the easy +generous attitude of a father ready to have it out with a wayward boy. +His smile was friendly and the grip of his big hand cordial. + +"I am satisfied, sir, that you, your officers and men have done the best +you could. All accounts say that better fighting was never done. Ten +thousand thanks, in the name of the people for it." + +The words were generous, but the commander put in a suggestion for more. + +"Never, Mr. President," he said emphatically, "did such a change of +base, involving a retrogressive movement under incessant attacks from a +vastly more numerous foe partake of so little disaster. When all is +known you will see that the movement just completed by this army is +unparalleled in the annals of war. We have preserved our trains, our +guns, our material, and, above all, our honor." + +"Rest assured, General," the quiet voice responded, "the heroism and +skill of yourself, officers and men, is and forever will be +appreciated." + +The President returned to Washington profoundly puzzled as to his duty. +He was alarmed at the display of self esteem which his defeated General +had naïvely made, and his loyalty was boldly and opened questioned by +his advisers, and yet he was loath to remove him from command. Down in +his square, honest heart he felt that with all his faults, McClellan was +a man of worth, that he had never been thoroughly whipped in a single +battle and that he hadn't had a fair trial. + +Any other man in power than Abraham Lincoln would have removed him +instantly on the receipt of his insolent and insulting dispatch. +Instead, the President had gone to see him with an open mind. He +returned determined to strengthen his military council by the addition +of an expert in Washington as his Commander-in-Chief. + +He called to this post Henry W. Halleck. Although McClellan had waived +the crown of such power aside with lofty words of unselfish patriotism, +he received the announcement of Halleck's promotion and his +subordination with sullen rage. + +"In this thing," he wrote his wife, "the President and those around him +have acted so as to make the matter as offensive as possible to me." + +And yet against every demand that McClellan should be removed from +command the President was obdurate. Again and again his friends urged: + +"McClellan is playing for the Presidency." + +The tall man merely nodded: + +"All right. Let him. I am perfectly willing that he shall have it if he +will only put an end to this war." + +But if the President refused to remove him from command, Halleck and +Stanton managed quickly to strip him of half his army by detaching and +sending it to join the new army of General Pope. McClellan, with the +remainder of his men, had been sent by transport back to Alexandria. +General John Pope was summoned from the West to take command of the new +"Army of Virginia," composed of the divisions of Fremont, Banks and +McDowell, and the detached portion of McClellan's men. + +All eyes were now centred on the new Commander. The West had only seen +success--Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Shiloh, and Island No. +10. + +The new General on the day he began his advance against Lee and Jackson +issued an address to his army which sent a chill to the heart of the +President. + +"I have come to you from the West," he proclaimed, "where we have always +seen the backs of our enemies--from an army whose business has been to +seek the adversary and beat him when found. I desire you to dismiss from +your minds certain phrases which I am sorry to find much in vogue among +you. I hear constantly of 'lines of retreat' and 'bases of supplies.' +Let us discard such ideas. Let us look before us, not behind. From +to-day my headquarters will be in the saddle." + +Every man in the Army of the Potomac which McClellan had created and +fought with such fierce and terrible, if unsuccessful power, resented +this address as an insult. McClellan himself was furious. For some +reason only part of the forces from his army which were detached ever +reached Pope, and those who did were not enthusiastic. It was expecting +too much of human nature to believe that they could be. + +The outlook for the coming battle was ominous. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +TANGLED THREADS + + +Betty Winter received a telegram from John Vaughan announcing his +arrival at Alexandria with McClellan on the last day of August. Her +heart gave a bound of joy. She could see him to-morrow. It had been five +years instead of five months since she had stood on that little pier and +watched him float away into the mists of the river! All life before the +revelation which love had brought was now a shadowy memory. Only love +was real. His letters had been her life. They hadn't come as often as +she had wished. She demanded his whole heart. There could be no +compromise. It must be all, _all_ or nothing. + +She tried to sleep and couldn't. Her brain was on fire. + +"I must sleep and look my best!" she laughed softly, buried her face in +the pillow and laughed again for joy. How could she sleep with her lover +standing there alive and strong with his arms clasping her to his heart! + +She rose at daylight and threw open her window. The air was crisp with +the breath of fall. She watched the sun rise in solemn glory. A division +of cavalry dashed by, the horses' hoofs ringing sharply on the cobble +stones, sabres clashing. Behind them came another and another, and in a +distant street she heard the rumble of big guns, the crack of their +drivers' whips and the sharp cries of the men urging the horses to a +run. + +Something unusual was on foot. The sun was barely up and the whole city +seemed quivering with excitement. + +She dressed hurriedly, snatched a bite of toast and drank a cup of +coffee. In twenty minutes she entered the White House to get her pass to +the front. She wouldn't go to the War Department. Stanton was rude and +might refuse. The hour was absurd, but she knew that the President rose +at daylight and that he would see her at any hour. + +She found him seated at his desk alone pretending to eat an egg and +drink his coffee from the tray that had been placed before him. His +dishevelled hair, haggard look and the pallor of his sorrowful face +showed only too plainly that he had not slept. + +"You have bad news, Mr. President?" Betty gasped. + +He rose, took her hand and led her to a seat. + +"Not yet, dear, but I'm expecting it." + +"We lost the battle yesterday?" she eagerly asked. + +"Apparently not. You may read that. I trust you implicitly." + +He handed her the dispatch he had received from General Pope after the +first day's fight at Manassas. Betty read it quickly: + +"We fought a terrific battle here yesterday with the combined forces of +the enemy, which lasted with continuous fury from daylight until dark, +by which time the enemy was driven from the field which we now occupy. +The enemy is still in our front, but badly used up. We lost not less +than eight thousand men killed and wounded, but from the appearance of +the field the enemy lost two to one. The news has just reached me from +the front that the enemy is retreating toward the mountains." + +Betty looked up surprised: + +"Isn't that good news?" + +"Nothing to brag about. It's the last sentence that worries me----" + +"But that seems the best!" + +"It might be but for the fact that Jackson is leading that retreat +toward the mountains! I've an idea that he will turn up to-day on Pope's +rear with Lee's whole army on his heels. Jackson is in the habit of +appearing where he's least expected----" + +He paused, paced the floor a moment in silence and threw his long arms +suddenly upward in a hopeless gesture: + +"If God would only give me such a man to lead our armies!" + +"Is General McClellan at Alexandria to-day?" Betty suddenly asked. + +"I'm wondering myself. He should be on that field with every soldier +under his command." + +"I've come to ask you for a pass to Alexandria----" + +"Then my worst fears are confirmed!" he broke in excitedly. "Your +sweetheart's on McClellan's staff--his men will never reach the field in +time!" + +He dropped into a chair, hurriedly wrote the pass and handed it to +Betty. + +"God bless you, child. See me when you get back and tell me all you +learn of McClellan and his men to-day. The very worst is suspected----" + +"You mean?" + +"That this delay and deliberate trifling with the most urgent and +positive orders is little short of treason. Unless his men reach Pope +to-day and fight, the Capital may be threatened to-morrow." + +"Surely!" Betty protested. + +"It's just as I tell you, child, but I'll hope for the best. Be eyes and +ears for me to-day and you may help me." + +The agony of his face and the deep note of tragedy in his voice had +taken the joy out of her heart. She threw the feeling off with an +effort. + +"What has it all to do with my love!" she cried with a toss of her +pretty head as she sprang into the saddle for the gallop to Alexandria. + +The cool, bracing air of this first day of September, 1862, was like +wine. The dew was yet heavy on the tall grass by the roadside and a song +was singing in her heart that made all other music dumb. + +John had dismounted and was standing beside the road, the horse's bridle +hanging on his arm in the very position he had stood and looked into her +soul that day. + +She leaped to the ground without waiting for his help and sprang into +his arms. + +"I like you better with that bronzed look--you're handsomer than ever," +she sighed at last. + +His answer was another kiss, to which he added: + +"No amount of sunburn could make you any prettier, dear--you've been +perfect from the first." + +"Your General is here?" Betty asked. + +"Yes." + +"And you can give me the whole day?" + +"Every hour--the General is my friend." + +The moment was too sweet to allow any shadow to cloud it. The girl +yielded to its spell without reserve. They mounted and rode side by side +over the hills. And the man poured into her ears the unspoken things he +had felt and longed to say in the lonely nights of camp and field. The +girl confessed the pain and the longing of her waiting. + +They mounted the crest of a hill and the breeze from the southwest +brought the sullen boom of a cannon. + +Instinctively they drew rein. + +"The battle has begun again," John said casually. + +"It stirs your blood, doesn't it?" she whispered. + +A frown darkened his brow: + +"Not to-day." + +The girl looked with quick surprise. + +"You don't mean it?" + +"Certainly. Why get excited when you know the end before it begins." + +"You know it?" + +"Yes." + +"Victory?" + +He laughed cynically: + +"Victory for a pompous braggart who could write that address to an army +reflecting on the men who fought Lee and Jackson before Richmond with +such desperate courage?" + +"You are sure of defeat then?" + +"Absolutely." + +Betty looked at him with a flush of angry excitement: + +"General McClellan is counting on Pope's defeat to-day?" + +"Yes." + +"Then it's true that he is not really trying to help him?" + +"Why should he wish to sacrifice his brave men under the leadership of a +fool?" + +"He is, in fact, defying the orders of the President, isn't he?" + +"You might say that if you strain a point," John admitted. + +Again the long roar of guns boomed on the Western horizon, louder, +clearer. The dull echoes became continuous now, and the quickening +breeze brought the faint din from the vast field of death whose blazing +smoke covered lines stretched over seven miles. + +"_Boom-boom-boom, boom!--boom! boom!_" + +Again they drew rein and listened. + +John's brow wrinkled and his right ear was thrown slightly forward. + +"Those are our big guns," he said with a smile. "The Confederate +artillery can't compare with ours--their infantry is a terror--stark, +dead game fighters----" + +"_Boom--Boom!----Boom! Boom! Boom!_" + +"How do you know those are our guns?" Betty asked with a shiver. + +"The rebels have none so large. They'll have some to-night." + +Again an angry flush mounted her cheeks: + +"You wish them to be captured?" + +"It will be a wholesome lesson." + +Betty leaned closer and grasped his hand with trembling eagerness. + +"O John--John, dear, this is madness! General McClellan has been +accused of treason already--this surely is the basest betrayal of his +country----" + +The man shook his head stubbornly: + +"No--it's the highest patriotism. My Commander is brave enough to dare +the authorities at Washington for the good of his country. The sooner +this farce under Pope ends the better--no man of second rate ability can +win against the great Generals of the South." + +The girl's keen brown eyes looked steadily into his and her lips +trembled. + +"I call it treachery--the betrayal of his country for his selfish +ambitions! I'm surprised that you sympathize with him." + +John frowned, was silent and then turned to her with a smile: + +"Let's not talk about it, dear. The day's too beautiful. We're alone +together. This is not your battle--nor mine--it's Pope's--let him fight +it out. I love you--that's all I want to think about to-day." + +The golden brown curls were slowly shaken: + +"It _is_ your battle and it's mine--O John dear, I'm heartsick over it! +The President's anguish clouded the morning for me, but the thought of +you made me forget. Now I'm scared. You've surprised and shocked me." + +"Nonsense, dear!" he pleaded. + +She looked at him with quick, eager yearning. + +"You love me?" she asked. + +"Can you doubt it?" + +"With every beat of your heart?" + +"Yes." + +"Will you do something for me?" she begged. + +"What is it?" + +"Just for me, because I ask it, John, and you love me?" + +"If I can." + +"I want you to resign immediately from McClellan's staff, report at the +War Department and let the President give you new duties----" + +The man shot her a look of angry amazement: + +"You can't mean this?" + +Again the soft, warm hand that had slipped its glove grasped his. He +could feel her slim, little fingers tremble. She had turned very pale: + +"I'm in dead earnest. I love you, dear, with my whole heart, and it's my +love that asks this. I can't think of you betraying a solemn trust. The +very thought of it cuts me to the quick. If this is true, General +McClellan should be court-martialed." + +The man's square jaws closed with a snap: + +"Let them try it if they dare----" + +"The President will dare if he believes it his duty." + +"Then he'll hear something from the hundred and fifty thousand soldiers +who have served under McClellan." + +The little hand pressed harder. + +"Won't you, for my sake, dear,--just because I'm your sweetheart and you +love me?" + +The stalwart figure suddenly stiffened: + +"And you could respect a man who would do a thing like that?" + +"For my sake?--Yes." + +"No, you think you could. But you couldn't. No woman can really love a +poltroon or a coward." + +"I'm not asking you to do a cowardly thing----" + +"To desert my leader in a crisis?" + +"To wash your hands of treachery and selfish ambitions." + +"But it's not true," he retorted. "You mustn't say that. McClellan's a +leader of genius--brave, true, manly, patriotic." + +"I've a nobler ideal of patriotism----" + +"Your blundering backwoodsman in the White House?" + +"Yes. He has but one thought--that the Union shall be saved. He has no +other ambition. If McClellan succeeds, he rejoices. If he fails, he is +heartbroken. I know that he has defended him against the assaults of his +enemies. He has refused to listen to men who assailed his loyalty and +patriotism. This generous faith your Chief is betraying to-day. That you +defend him is horrible--O John, dear, I can't--I won't let you stay! You +must break your connection with this conspiracy of vain ambition. The +country is calling now for every true, unselfish man--please!" + +He lifted his hand in firm protest: + +"And for that very reason I stand firmly by the man I believe destined +to save my country." + +"You won't change Commanders because I ask it?" + +He was silent a moment and a smile played about the corners of his lips: + +"Would you change because I asked it?" + +"Yes." + +"Then come over from Lincoln to McClellan," he laughed. + +"And join your group of conspirators--never!" + +"Not if I ask it, because I love you?" + +[Illustration: "Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."] + +Her brown eyes sparkled with anger: + +"You'll not find this a joke!" + +"That's why I treat it seriously, my dear," was the firm reply. "If I +could throw up my position in this war on the sudden impulse of my +sweetheart, I'd be ashamed to look a man in the face--and you would +despise me!" + +"If your Commander succeeds to-day in bringing disaster to our army I'll +despise you for aiding him----" + +"Let's not discuss it--please, dear!" he begged with a frown. + +"As you please," was the cold reply. + +They rode on in silence, broken only by the increasing roar of the great +guns at Manassas. Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips. +Her anger steadily rose with every throb of Pope's cannon. Each low +thunder peal on the horizon now was a cry for help from dying mangled +thousands and the man she loved refusing to hear. + +Suddenly the picture of his brother flashed before her vision, the +high-strung, clean young spirit, chivalrous, daring, fighting for what +he knew to be right--right because right is right, and wrong is wrong. + +She looked at John Vaughan with a feeling of fierce anger. Between the +two men she preferred the enemy who was fighting in the open to win or +die. Her soul went out to Ned in a wave of tender admiration. Her wrath +against his brother steadily rose. + +Suddenly she drew her rein: + +"You need come no further. I'll ride back home alone." + +He bit his lips without turning and was silent. She touched her horse +with her whip and galloped swiftly toward Washington. + + * * * * * + +The last day of Pope's brief campaign ended in the overwhelming disaster +of the second battle of Bull Run. The sound of his cannon reached +McClellan's ears, but the organizer of the Army of the Potomac, though +ordered to do so, never joined his rival. + +Once more the army of the Union was hurled back on Washington in panic, +confusion and appalling disaster. Lee and Jackson had crushed Pope's +hosts with a rapidity and case that struck terror to the heart of the +Nation. General Pope lost fifteen thousand men in a single battle. Lee +and Jackson lost less than half as many. + +The storm broke over McClellan's head at Washington on his arrival. +Stanton and Halleck and Pope accused him of treachery. The hot heads +demanded his arrest and trial by court-martial. + +The President shook his head, but sadly added: + +"He has acted badly toward Pope. He really wanted him to fail." + +And then began the search to find the man once more to weld the +shattered army into an efficient fighting force. + +Abraham Lincoln asked himself this question with a sense of the deepest +and most solemn responsibility. He must answer at the bar of his +conscience before God and his country. Again he brushed aside every +adviser inside and outside his Cabinet and determined on his choice +absolutely alone. + +Early on the morning of September 2nd John Vaughan looked from the +window of General McClellan's house and saw the giant figure of the +President approaching, accompanied by Halleck. + +When his aide announced this startling fact, the General coolly said: + +"It means my arrest, no doubt. I'm ready. Let them come." + +The President was not kept waiting this time. His General was there to +receive him. + +The rugged face was pale and drawn. + +"General McClellan," he began without ceremony, "I have come to ask you +to take command of all the returning troops for the defense of +Washington." + +The short, stalwart figure of the General suddenly straightened, his +blue eyes flashed with amazement and then softened into a misty +expression. He bowed with dignity and quietly said: + +"I accept the position, sir." + +"I need not repeat," the President went on, "that I disapprove some +things you have done. I have made this plain to you. I do this because I +believe it's best for our country. I assume its full responsibility and +I expect great things of you." + +The President bowed and left the astonished General and his still more +astonished aide gazing after his long swinging legs returning to the +White House. + +He had done the most unpopular act of his entire administration. His +decision had defied the fiercest popular hostility. He faced a storm of +denunciation which would have appalled a less simple and masterful man. +The Cabinet meeting which followed the startling news was practically a +riot. He listened to all his excited Ministers had to say with +patience. When they had spoken their last word of bitter disapproval he +quietly rose and ended the tumultuous session with two or three +sentences which none could answer: + +"There is no one in the army who can man these fortifications and lick +these troops of ours into shape half as well as he can. McClellan is a +great engineer--of the stationary type, perhaps. But we must use the +tools we have! If he cannot fight himself, at least he excels in making +others ready to fight." + +He waited for an answer and none came. He had not only averted a Cabinet +crisis but his remorseless common sense and his unswerving adherence to +what he saw was best had strengthened his authority over all his +councillors. + +When the rest had gone he turned to the young man who knew him best, his +Secretary, John Nicolay, and gripped his arm with a big hand which was +trembling: + +"The most painful duty of my official life, Boy! There has been a +design, a purpose in breaking down Pope without regard to the +consequences to the country that is atrocious. It's shocking to see and +know this, but there is no remedy at present. McClellan has the army +with him and I must use him." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CHALLENGE + + +"One war at a time," the President said to his Secretary of State when +he proposed a foreign fight. He must now strangle Northern public +opinion to enforce this principle. + +Captain Wilkes had overhauled the British Steamer _Trent_ on the high +seas, searched her and taken the Confederate Commissioners Mason and +Slidell by force from her decks. + +The people of the North were mad with joy over the daring act. Congress, +swept off its feet by the wave of popular hysteria, proclaimed Wilkes a +hero and voted their thanks. The President did not move with current +opinion. He had formed the habit in boyhood of thinking for himself, and +had never allowed himself to take his cues for action from second-hand +suggestions. From the first he raised the question of Wilkes' right to +stop the vessel of a friendly nation on the high seas, search her and +take her passengers prisoners by force of arms. + +The backwoods lawyer questioned, too, the right of a naval officer to +turn his quarter-deck into a court and decide questions of international +law offhand. He raised the point at once whether these men thus captured +might not be white elephants on the hands of the Government. Moreover +he reminded his Cabinet that we had fought England once for daring to do +precisely this thing. + +Great Britain promptly drew her sword and made ready for war. + +Queen Victoria's Government not only demanded that the return of these +passengers be made at once with an apology, but did it in a way so +offensive that a less balanced man in power would have lost his head and +committed the fatal blunder. + +The tall, quiet Chief Magistrate was equal to the occasion. Great +Britain had ordered her navy on a war footing, dispatched eight thousand +troops to Canada to strike by land as well as sea, allowing us but seven +days in which to comply with all her demands or hand Lord Lyons his +passports. + +The President immediately dictated a reply which forced her Prime +Minister to accept it and achieved for the Nation the establishment of a +principle for which we had fought in vain in 1812. + +He ordered the prisoners returned and an apology expressed. His apology +was a two-edged sword thrust which Great Britain was compelled to take +with a groan. + +"In 1812," the President said, "the United States fought because you +claimed the right to stop our vessels on the high seas, search them and +take by force British subjects found thereon. Our country in making this +surrender, adheres to the ancient principle for which we contended and +we are glad to find that Her Majesty's Government in demanding this +surrender thereby renounces an error and accepts our position." + +Lord Palmerston made a wry face, but was compelled to accept the +surrender, and with it seal his own humiliation as a beaten diplomat. +War with England at this moment would have meant unparalleled disaster. +France had ambitions in Mexico and she was bound in friendship to +England. The two great Nations of Europe would have been hurled against +our divided country with the immediate recognition of the Confederacy. + +The President forced this return of the prisoners and apparent surrender +to Great Britain in the face of the blindest and most furious outbursts +of popular rage. + +Gilbert Winter rose in the Senate and in thunderous oratory voiced the +well-nigh unanimous feeling of the millions of the North of all parties +and factions: + +"I warn the administration against this dastardly and cowardly surrender +to a foreign foe! The voice of the people demand that we stand firm on +our dignity as a Sovereign Nation. If the President and his Cabinet +refuse to listen they will find themselves engulfed in a fire that will +consume them like stubble. They will find themselves helpless before a +power that will hurl them from their places!" + +The President was still under the cloud of public wrath over this affair +when the crisis of the problem of emancipation became acute. The gradual +growth of the number of his bitter foes in Washington he had seen with +deep distress. And yet it was inevitable. No man in his position could +administer the great office whose power he was wielding without fear or +favor and not make enemies. And now both friend and foe were closing in +on him with a well-nigh resistless demand for emancipation. + +Hour after hour he sat patiently in his office receiving these +impassioned delegations. + +Old Edward was standing at the door again smiling and washing his hands: + +"A delegation of editors, presenting Mr. Horace Greeley's 'Prayer of +Twenty Millions.'" + +The patient eyes were lifted front his desk, and the strong mouth firmly +pressed: + +"Let them in." + +The President rose in his easy, careless manner: + +"I'm glad to see you, gentlemen. You are the leaders of public opinion. +The people rule this country and I am their servant. What is it?" + +The Chairman of the Committee stepped forward and gravely handed him an +engrossed copy of Greeley's famous editorial, "The Prayer of Twenty +Millions," demanding the immediate issue of a proclamation of +emancipation. + +The Chairman bowed and spoke in earnest tones: + +"As the representatives of millions of readers we present this 'Prayer' +with our endorsement and the request that you act. In particular we call +your attention to these paragraphs: + +"'A great portion of those who brought about your election and all those +who desire the unqualified suppression of the rebellion, are sorely +disappointed, pained and surprised by the policy you seem to be pursuing +with regard to the slaves of rebels. I write to set before you +succinctly and unmistakably what we require, what we have a right to +expect and of what we complain. + +"'We think you are unduly influenced by the counsels, the +representations and the menaces of certain fossil politicians from the +Border Slave States, knowing as you do, that the loyal citizens of these +States do not expect that Slavery shall be upheld, to the prejudice of +the Union. + +"'We complain that the Union cause has suffered and is now suffering +immensely from the mistaken course which you are pursuing and +persistently cling to, in defense of slavery. We complain that the +confiscation act which you approved is being wantonly and wholly +disregarded by your Generals, apparently with your knowledge and +consent. + +"'The seeming subserviency of your policy to the slave holding, slave +upholding interest is the perplexity and the despair of statesmen of all +parties. Whether you will choose to listen to their admonishment or wait +for your verdict through future history, or at the bar of God, I do not +know. I can only hope.'" + +The President's sombre eyes met his with a penetrating flash and rested +on Senator Winter who remained in the background. He took the paper, +laid it carefully on his desk, threw his right leg across the corner of +the long table in easy, friendly attitude and began his reply +persuasively: + +"The editor of the _Tribune_, gentleman, if on my side, is equal to an +army of a hundred thousand men in the field. I've known this from the +first. Against me he throws this army in the rear and fires into my +back. My grievance is that his Prayer which you have made yours is being +used for ammunition in this rear attack. It should have been presented +to me first, if it were a genuine prayer. I have read it carefully. It +is full of blunders of fact and reasoning, but it fairly expresses the +discontent in the minds of many. Its unfair assumptions will poison +millions of readers against me----" + +He paused, opened a drawer in his desk, took from it a sheet of paper on +which he had written in firm, clear hand a brief message in reply, and +turned to his petitioners: + +"And therefore, gentlemen, I have written a few words in answer to this +attack. I ask you to give it the same wide hearing you have accorded the +assault. I'll read it to you: + +"'Dear Sir:--I have just read yours of the 19th instant addressed to +myself through the _New York Tribune_. + +"'If there be in it any statements or assumptions of fact, which I know +to be erroneous, I do not now and here controvert them. + +"'If there be any influences which I believe to be falsely drawn, I do +not now and here argue against them. + +"'If there be perceptible in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I +waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always +supposed to be right. + +"'As to the policy I seem to be pursuing, as you say, I have not meant +to leave anyone in doubt. I would save the Union. I would save it in the +shortest way under the Constitution. + +"'The sooner the National authority can be restored, the nearer the +Union will be,--the Union as it was. + +"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time save Slavery, I do not agree with them. + +"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time destroy Slavery, I do not agree with them. + +"'_My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to save or +destroy Slavery_. + +"'If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it. And +if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it. And if I +could save it by freeing some, and leaving others alone, I would also do +that. + +"'What I do about Slavery and the colored race I do because I believe it +helps to save the Union, and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not +believe it would help to save the Union. + +"'I shall do less whenever I believe what I am doing hurts the cause, +and I shall do more, whenever I believe doing more will help the cause. + +"'I shall try to correct errors, when shown to be errors, and I shall +adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. + +"'I have stated my purpose, according to my view of official duty, and I +intend no modification of my oft expressed personal wish, that all men +everywhere could be free.'" + +A moment of death-like stillness followed the reading. The members of +the committee had unconsciously pressed nearer. Some of them stood with +shining eyes gazing at the rugged, towering figure as if drawn by a +magnet. The stark earnestness and simplicity of his defense had found +their hearts. The daring of it fairly took their breath. + +Senator Winter turned to his nearest neighbor and growled: + +"Bah! The trouble is Lincoln's a Southerner--born in the poisoned slave +atmosphere of the South. He grew up in Southern Indiana and Illinois. +His neighbors there were settlers from the South. He has never breathed +anything but Southern air and ideals. It's in his blood. Only a man born +in the South could have written that document----" + +The listener looked up suddenly: + +"I believe you are right. Excuse me--I want to speak to the long-legged +Southerner. I've never seen him before." + +To the astonishment of the Senator, the editor pushed his way into the +group who were shaking hands with the President. + +He paused an instant, extended his hand and felt the rugged fingers +close on it with a hearty grip. Before he realized it he was saying +something astounding--something the farthest possible removed from his +thoughts on entering the room. + +"I want to thank you, sir, for that document. The heart of an unselfish +patriot speaks through every word. I came here to criticise and find +fault. I'm going home to stand by you through thick and thin. You've +given us a glimpse inside." + +Both big hands were now clasping his and a mist was clouding the +hazel-grey eyes. + +"The Senator accuses you," he went on, "of being a Southerner. He must +be right. No Northern man could have seen through the clouds of passion +to-day clearly enough to have written that letter. You can see things +for all the people, North, South, East and West. God bless you--I'm +going home to fight for you and with you----" + +In angry amazement Senator Winter saw most of the men he had led to +this carefully planned attack walk up and pledge their loyalty to his +smiling foe. He turned on his heel and left, his jaw set, his blue eyes +dancing with fury. + +Old Edward was again rubbing his hands apologetically at the door: + +"A body of clergymen from Chicago, sir----" + +"Clergymen from Chicago?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"I didn't know they ever used such things in Chicago!" + +He caught his knee in his big hands, leaned back and laughed heartily. +The doorman looked straight ahead and managed to keep his solemn +countenance under control. + +"All right, let them in, Edward." + +The reverend gentlemen solemnly filed into the executive office. They +looked around in evident amazement at its bare poverty-stricken +appearance. They had been shocked at the threadbare appearance of the +White House grounds as they entered. This room was a greater shock--this +throbbing nerve centre of the Nation. In the middle stood the long, +plain table around which the storm-racked Cabinet were wont to gather. +There was not a single piece of ornamental or superfluous furniture +visible. It appeared almost bare. A second-hand upright desk stood by +the middle window. In the northwest corner of the room there were racks +with map rollers, and folios of maps on the floor and leaning against +the wall. + +The well-dressed, prosperous-looking gentlemen gazed about in a critical +way. + +Their spokesman was a distinguished Bishop who knew that he was +distinguished and conveyed the information in every movement of his +august body. + +"We have come, Mr. President," he solemnly began, "as God's messengers +to urge on you the immediate and universal emancipation of every slave +in America." + +The faintest suggestion of a smile played about the corners of the big, +firm mouth as he rose and began a reply which greatly astonished his +visitors. They had come to lecture him and before they knew it the lamb +had risen to slay the butchers. + +"I am approached, gentlemen," he said softly, "with the most opposite +opinions and advice, and that by religious men, who are equally certain +that they represent the Divine Will. I am sure that either one or the +other class is mistaken in that belief, and perhaps in some respects, +both. I hope it will not be irreverent for me to say that if it is +probable that God would reveal His will to others on a point so +connected with my duty, it might be supposed He would reveal it directly +to me----" + +He paused just an instant and his bushy eyebrows were raised a trifle as +if in search of one friendly face in which the sense of humor was not +dead. He met with frozen silence and calmly continued: + +"Unless I am more deceived in myself than I often am, it is my earnest +desire to know the will of Providence in this matter. And if I can learn +what it is I will do it! These are not, however, the days of miracles, +and I suppose it will be granted that I am not to expect a direct +revelation. I must study the plain physical facts of the case, ascertain +what is possible, and learn what appears to be wise and right. The +subject is difficult and good men do not agree----" + +"We are all agreed to-day!" the leader interrupted. + +"Even so, Bishop, but we are not all here to-day." + +The gentle irony was lost on the great man, and the President went on +good-naturedly: + +"What good would a proclamation of emancipation do as we are now +situated? Shall I issue a document that the whole world will see must be +of no more effect that the Pope's bull against the comet? Will my words +free the slaves when I cannot even enforce the Constitution in the rebel +States? Is there a single court or magistrate, or individual that will +be influenced by it there? I approved the law of Congress which offers +protection and freedom to the slaves of rebel masters who come within +our lines. Yet I can not learn that the law has caused a single slave to +come over to us. + +"Now then, tell me, if you please, what possible result of good would +follow the issuing of such a proclamation as you desire? The greatest +evils might follow it--among them the revolt of the Border Slave States +which we have held loyal with so much care, and the desertion from the +ranks of our armies of thousands of Democratic soldiers who tell us +plainly that they are not fighting and they're not going to fight to +free negroes! + +"Understand me, I raise no objection against it on legal grounds. As +Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy in time of war, I suppose I have +a right to take any measure which may best subdue the enemy. Nor do I +urge objections of a moral nature in view of possible consequences of +servile insurrection and massacre in the South. I view this matter now +as a practical war measure. Has the moment arrived when I can best +strike with this weapon? + +"Do not misunderstand me because I have mentioned objections. They +indicate some of the difficulties that have thus far prevented my action +in some such way as you desire. I have not decided against a +proclamation of liberty to the slaves. I hold the matter under +advisement. And I can assure you that the subject is on my mind, by day +and night more than any other. What shall appear to be God's will I will +do----" + +He stopped suddenly and a smile illumined his dark face: + +"But I cannot see, gentlemen, why God should be sending his message to +me by so roundabout route as the sinful city of Chicago. I trust that in +the freedom with which I have canvassed your views and expressed my own, +I have not in any respect injured your feelings." + +The ice was broken at last and the men of God began to smile, press +forward and shake his hand. They came his critics, and left his friends. + +And yet no hint was given to a single man present that his Emancipation +Proclamation had been written two months before and at this moment was +lying in the drawer of the old desk before which he sat. Long before the +revelation of God's will through these clergymen he had discussed its +provisions before his Cabinet and enjoined absolute secrecy. Men from +all walks of life came to advise the backwoods lawyer on how to save the +country. He listened to all and then did exactly what he believed to be +best. + +His plan had long been formed on the subject of the destruction of +Slavery. His purpose was to accomplish this great task in a way which +would give his people a just and lasting peace. He held the firm +conviction that the North was equally responsible with the South for the +existence of Slavery, and that the Constitution which he had sworn to +defend and uphold guaranteed to the slave owner his rights. He was +determined to free the slaves if possible, but to do it fairly and +honestly and then settle the question for all time by colonizing the +negro race and removing them forever from physical contact with the +white. + +At his request Congress had already passed a bill providing for the +colonization of emancipated slaves. He now sent for a number of +representative negroes to hear his message and deliver it to their +people. + +Old Edward ushered them into his office with a look of unmistakable +superiority. + +It was a strange meeting--this facing for the first time between the +supreme representative of the dominant race of the new era and the freed +black men whose very existence the President held to be an eternal +menace against the Nation's future. It is remarkable that the first +words Abraham Lincoln ever addressed as President to an assemblage of +negroes should have been the words which fell from his lips. + +The ebony faces, their cream-colored teeth showing with smiles and their +wide rolling eyes roaming the room made a striking and dramatic contrast +to the rugged face and frame of the man who addressed them. + +"Your race is suffering," he began with distinct, clean cut emphasis, +"in my judgment the greatest wrong inflicted on any people. But even +when you cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed from being placed +on an equality with the white race. On this broad continent not a +single man of your race is made the equal of a single man of ours. Go +where you are treated best and the ban is still upon you. I cannot alter +it if I would. + +"It is better for us both, therefore, to be separated. One of the +principal difficulties in the way of colonization is that the free +colored man cannot see that his comfort would be advanced by it. For the +sake of your race you should sacrifice something of your present +comfort. In the American Revolution sacrifices were made by the men +engaged in it. They were cheered by the future. + +"The Colony of Liberia is an old one, is in a sense a success and it is +open to you. I am arranging to open another in Central America. It is +nearer than Liberia--within seven days by steamer. You are intelligent +and know that success does not so much depend on external help as on +self-reliance. Much depends on yourself. If you will engage in the +enterprise, I will spend some of the money intrusted to me. This is the +practical part of my wish to see you. I ask you then to consider it +seriously, not for yourselves merely, _nor for your race and ours for +the present time, but for the good of mankind_." + +He dismissed his negro hearers and sent again for the representatives of +the Border Slave States. Here his plan must be set in motion. He +proposed to pay for the slaves set free and arrange for their +colonization. + +He spoke with deep emotion. His soul throbbed with passionate tenderness +in every word. + +"You are patriots and statesmen," he solemnly declared, "and as such I +pray you to consider this proposition, and at the least commend it to +the consideration of your States and people. Our common country is in +grave peril demanding the loftiest views and boldest action to bring it +speedy relief. You can make it possible to accomplish the just +destruction of this curse of our life. It will bring emancipation as a +voluntary process, leaving the least resentment in the minds of our +slave-holders. It will not be a violent war measure, to be remembered +with fierce rebellious anger. It will pave the way for good feeling at +last between all sections when reunited. It is reasonable. It is just. +It will leave no cause for sectional enmity. This plan of gradual +emancipation with pay for each slave to his owner will secure peace more +speedily and maintain it more permanently than can be done by force +alone. Its cost could be easier paid than the additional cost of war and +would sacrifice no blood at all. + +"In giving freedom to the _slave_, we _assure_ freedom to the +_free_--honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall +nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. Other means may +succeed. This could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, +just--a way which if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God +must forever bless." + +His tender, eloquent appeal fell on deaf ears. The men who represented +the Border Slave States refused to permit the question of tampering with +Slavery to be submitted to their people--no matter by what process, with +or without pay. + +They demanded with sullen persistence that the President defy all shades +of Northern opinion and stand squarely by his Inaugural address. In vain +he pointed out to them that the fact of a desperate and terrible war, +costing two million dollars a day and threatening the existence of the +Government itself, had changed the conditions under which he made that +pledge. + +When the President at last introduced into Congress through his +spokesman the bill appropriating fifteen million dollars with which to +pay for their slaves, the men from the Border States united with the +Democrats and defeated it! + +With a sorrowful heart and deep forebodings of the future he turned to +his desk and drew forth the document he had written declaring as an act +of war against the States in rebellion that their slaves should be free. + +He read its provisions again with the utmost care. He made no attack on +Slavery, or the slave-holder. He was striking the blow against the +wealth and power of the South for the sole purpose of crippling her +resources and weakening her power to continue the struggle to divide the +Union. There was in it not one word concerning the rights of man or the +equal rights of black and white men. His mind was absolutely clear on +that point. The negro when freed would be an alien race so low in the +scale of being, so utterly different in temperament and character from +the white man that their remaining in physical contact with each other +in our Republic was unthinkable. In the Emancipation Proclamation +itself, therefore, he had written the principles of the colonization of +the negro race. The two things were inseparable. He could conceive of no +greater calamity befalling the Nation than to leave the freed black man +within its borders as an eternal menace to its future happiness and +progress. + +He called his Secretary and ordered a Cabinet meeting to fix the date on +which to issue this momentous document to the world--a challenge to +mortal combat to his foes in all sections. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE DAY'S WORK + + +Betty Winter held John Vaughan's note in her hand staring at its message +with increasing amazement: + + "DEAR LITTLE SWEETHEART: + + "The President has just called General McClellan again to the chief + command. His act vindicates my loyalty. Our quarrel is too absurd. + Life is too short, dear, for this--it's only long enough for love. + May I see you at once? + + "JOHN." + +Could it be true? For a moment she refused to believe it. The President +had expressed to her his deep conviction of McClellan's guilt. How could +he reverse his position on so vital and tremendous a matter over night? +And yet John Vaughan was incapable of the cheap trick of lying to make +an engagement. + +A newsboy passed yelling an extra. + +"Extra--Extra! General McClellan again in the saddle! Extra!" + +It was true--he had made the appointment. What was its meaning? Had they +forced the President into this humiliating act? If the General were +really guilty of destroying Pope and overwhelming the army in defeat, +his treachery had created the crisis which forced his return to power. +The return under such conditions would not be a vindication. It would be +a conviction of crime. + +She would see the President at once and know the truth. The question cut +the centre of John Vaughan's character. The orderly who brought the note +was waiting for an answer. + +She called from the head of the stairs: + +"Tell Mr. Vaughan there is no answer to-day." + +"Yes, Miss." + +With quick salute he passed out and Betty stood irresolute as she +listened to the echo of his horse's hoof-beat growing fainter. It was +only six o'clock, but the days were getting shorter and it was already +dark. She could walk quickly down Pennsylvania Avenue and reach the +White House before dinner. He would see her at any hour. + +In five minutes she was on the way her mind in a whirl of speculation on +the intrigue which might lie behind that sensational announcement. She +was beginning to suspect her lover's patriotism. A man could love the +South, fight and die for it and be a patriot--he was dying for what he +believed to be right--God and his country. But no man could serve two +masters. Her blood boiled at the thought of a conspiracy within the +lines of the Union whose purpose was to betray its Chief. If John +Vaughan were in it, she loved him with every beat of her heart, but she +would cut her heart out sooner than sink to his level! + +She became conscious at last of the brazen stares of scores of +brutal-looking men who thronged the sidewalks of the Avenue. + +Gambling dens had grown here like mushrooms during the past year of +war's fevered life. The vice and crime of the whole North and West had +poured into Washington, now swarming with a quarter of a million strange +people. + +The Capital was no longer a city of sixty thousand inhabitants, but a +vast frontier post and pay station of the army. And such a pay station! +Each day the expenditures of the Government were more than two millions. +The air was electric with the mad lust for gain which the scent of +millions excites in the nostrils of the wolves who prey on their fellow +men. The streets swarmed with these hungry beasts, male and female. They +pushed and crowded and jostled each other from the sidewalks. The roar +of their whiskey-laden voices poured forth from every bar-room and +gambling den on the Avenue. + +A fat contractor who had made his pile in pasteboard soles for army +shoes and sent more boys to the grave from disease than had been killed +in battle, touched elbows with the hook-nosed vulture who was sporting a +diamond pin bought with the profits of shoddy clothes that had proven a +shroud for many a brave soldier sleeping in a premature grave. + +They were laughing, drinking, smoking, swearing, gambling and all +shouting for the flag--the flag that was waving over millions they hoped +yet to share. + +A feeling of sickening fear swept the girl's heart. For the first time +in her life she was afraid to be alone on the brightly lighted streets +of Washington at dusk. The poison of death was in the air. Every +desperate passion that stirs the brute in man was written in the +bloodshot eyes that sought hers. The Nation was at war. To cheat, +deceive, entrap, maim, kill the enemy and lay his home in desolation was +the daily business now of the millions who backed the Government. +Whatever the lofty aims of either of the contending hosts, they sought +to win by war and this was war. It was not to be wondered at that this +spirit should begin to poison the springs of life in the minds of the +weak and send them forth to prey on their fellows. It was not to be +wondered at that men planned in secret to advance their own interests at +the expense of their fellows, to climb the ladder of wealth and fame in +this black hour no matter on whose dead bodies they had to walk. + +With a pang of positive terror Betty asked herself the question whether +the man she loved had been touched by this deadly pestilence? A wave of +horror swept her. A drunken brute brushed by and thrust his bloated face +into hers. + +With a cry of rage and fear she turned and ran for two blocks, left the +Avenue at the corner and hurried back to her home. + +She would wait until morning and see the President before the crowd +arrived. + +He greeted her with a joyous shout: + +"Come right in, Miss Betty!" + +With long, quick stride he met her and grasped her hand, a kindly +twinkle in his eye: + +"And how's our old grizzly bear, your father, this morning?" + +"He's still alive and growling," she laughed. + +The President joined heartily: + +"I'll bet he is," he said, "and hates me just as cordially as ever?" + +Betty nodded. + +"But his beautiful daughter?" + +"Was never more loyal to her Chief!" + +"Good. Then my administration is on a sound basis. You want no office. +You ask no favors. Such clear, pure, young eyes in the morning of life +don't make mistakes. They know." + +"But I've come to ask you something this morning----" + +The smile faded into a look of seriousness. + +"What's the matter?" he asked quickly. + +Betty hesitated and the red blood slowly mounted to her cheeks. He led +her to a seat, beside his chair, touched her hand gently and whispered: + +"Tell me." + +"I hope you won't think me presumptuous, Mr. President, if I ask you to +tell me why you recalled General McClellan?" + +The rugged face suddenly flashed with a smile. + +"Presumptuous?" he laughed. "My dear child, if you could have heard a +few things my Cabinet had to say to me in this room on that subject! The +tender deference with which you put the question is the nearest thing to +an endorsement I have so far received! Go as far as you like after that +opening. It will be a joy to discuss it with you. Presumptuous--Oh, my +soul!" + +He caught his knee between his hands and rocked with laughter at the +memory of his Cabinet scene. + +Reassured by his manner Betty leaned closer: + +"You remember the morning you gave me the pass to Alexandria?" + +"To see a certain young man?" + +"Yes." + +"Perfectly." + +"You distinctly gave me the impression that morning that you were sure +General McClellan was betraying his trust in his failure to support +General Pope and that your confidence in him was gone forever." + +"Did I?" + +"Yes." + +"Then it wasn't far from the truth," he gravely admitted. + +"And yet you recalled him to the command of the army?" + +"I had to." + +"Had to?" + +"It was the only thing to do." + +Betty spoke in a whisper: + +"You mean that their conspiracy had become so dangerous there was no +other way?" + +He threw her a searching look, was silent a moment and slowly said: + +"That's a pointed question, isn't it?" + +"I'm a member of your Cabinet, you know----" + +"Yes, I know--but why do _you_ happen to ask me such a dangerous +question at this particularly trying moment? Come, my little bright +eyes, out with it?" + +"The certain young man and I are not very happy----" + +"You've quarrelled?" + +"Yes." + +"About what?" + +"You." + +"You don't mean it, Miss Betty?" he said incredulously. + +Her eyes were dim and she nodded. + +"But why about me?" + +"I saw things which confirmed your suspicions. He admitted his desire +that General Pope should fail and defended McClellan's indifference. We +quarrelled. I asked him to resign from the staff of his Chief----" + +"You didn't!" he exclaimed softly, his deep eyes shining. + +"I did--and he refused." + +Again the big hands both closed on hers: + +"God bless you, child! So long as I hold such faith from hearts like +yours, I know that I'm right. They can say what they please about +me----" + +"You see," she broke in, "if he is in this conspiracy and they have +forced you to this surrender, he is equally guilty of treachery----" + +"And you hold him responsible for his Commander's ambitions?" + +"Yes." + +The President sprang to his feet and paced the floor a moment, stopped +and gazed at her with a look of curious tenderness: + +"By jinks, Miss Betty, if I had a few more like you in my Cabinet I +wouldn't be so lonesome!" + +"They did force you?" she demanded. + +"Not as you mean it, my child. I'm not going to pretend to you that I +don't understand the seriousness of the situation. The Army of the +Potomac is behind McClellan to a man. It amounts to infatuation. I +sounded his officers. I sounded his men. To-day they are against me and +with him. If the issue could be sprung--if the leaders dared to risk +their necks on such a revolution, they might win. They don't know this +as clearly as I do. Because they are not so well informed they are +afraid to move. I have chosen to beat them at their own game----" + +He paused and laughed: + +"I hate to shatter your ideal, Miss Betty, but I'm afraid there's +something of the fox in my make-up after all. Will it shock you to learn +this?" + +"I shall be greatly relieved to know it," she responded firmly. + +"Think, then, for a moment. I suspend McClellan for his failure and +replace him with a man I believe to be his superior. The army sullenly +resent this change. They do not agree with me. They believe McClellan +the greatest General in sight. It's a marvellous thing this power over +men which he possesses. It can be used to create a Nation or destroy +one. It's a dangerous force. I must handle it with the utmost care. So +long as their idol is a martyr the army is unfit for good service. The +moment I restore the old commander, in whom both officers and men have +unbounded faith, I show them that I am beyond the influence of the +political forces which demand his destruction--don't I?" + +"Yes." + +"And the moment I dare to brave popular disapproval and restore their +commander don't you see that I win the confidence of the army in my +fairness and my disinterested patriotism?" + +"Of course." + +"See then what must happen. Now mind you, I would never have restored +McClellan to command if I did not know that at this moment he can do the +work of putting this disorganized and defeated army into fighting shape +better than any other. McClellan thus returned to power must fight. He +must win or lose. If he wins I am vindicated and his success is mine. If +he loses, he loses his power over the imagination of his men and at last +I am master of the situation. I shall back him with every dollar and +every man the Nation can send into his next campaign. No matter whether +he wins or loses, I _must_ win because the supremacy of the civil power +will be restored." + +"I see," Betty breathed softly. + +She rose with a new look of reverence for a great mind. + +"And the civil power was not supreme when you restored McClellan to his +command?" + +"Miss Betty, you'd make a good lawyer!" he laughed. + +"Was it?" she persisted. + +"No." + +"Thank you," she said, rising and extending her hand. "I learned exactly +what I wished to know." + +"And you'll stop quarreling?" + +"If he's reasonable----" + +He lifted his long finger in solemn warning. + +"Remember now! This administration is honestly and sincerely backing +General McClellan for all it's worth. It has always done this. We are +going to try to make even a better record in the next campaign----" + +"When will it open?" + +"Sooner than any of us wish it, if our scouts report the truth. Flushed +with his great victory over Pope, General Lee is sure to invade +Maryland. The campaign will be a dangerous and crucial one. The moment +Lee crosses the Potomac, his communications with Richmond will be +imperiled. If he dares to do it we can crush his army in a great battle, +cut his communications with Richmond, drive his men into the Potomac and +end the war. I have given McClellan the opportunity of his life. I pray +God to give success----" + +Edward appeared at the door. + +"Well, what is it?" + +"The crowd, sir--they are clamoring to get in." + +Betty hurried into the family apartments to speak to Mrs. Lincoln, her +mind in a whirl of resentment against John Vaughan. + +The President turned to the crowd which had already poured into the +room. + +As usual, the cranks and inventors led the way. The inventors found the +President an easy man to talk to. His mind was quick to see a good point +and always open to conviction. He had once patented a device for getting +flat boats over shoals himself. His immediate approval of the first +model of Ericsson's famous _Monitor_ had led to its adoption in time to +meet and destroy the _Merrimac_ in Hampton Roads on the very day the +iron terror had sent his big ships to the bottom. He allowed no inventor +to be turned from the door of the White House no matter how ridiculous +his hobby might appear. The inventions relating to the science of war he +would test himself on the big open field between the White House grounds +and the river. + +The first inventor in line carried the model of a new rifle which would +shoot sixteen times. The army officers believed in the idea of a single +shell breech loader on account of the simplicity of its mechanism. Our +muskets were still muzzle loaders and the men were compelled to use +ramrods to load. + +The President examined the new gun with keen interest, pulled his black, +shaggy beard thoughtfully, looked at the breathless inventor, and slowly +mused: + +"Well, now as the fat girl said when she pulled on her stocking, it +strikes me there's something in it!" + +The inventor laughed with nervous joy, and watched him write a card of +endorsement: + +"Take that to the War Department, and tell them I like your idea--I want +them to look into it." + +His face wreathed in smiles, the man pushed his way through the crowd, +and hurried to the War Department. + +The next one was a little fellow who had a gun of marvellous model, +double-barrelled, with the barrels crossed. The President adjusted his +spectacles and took a second look before he made any comment. He lifted +his bristling eyebrows: + +"What's it for?" + +"For cross-eyed men, sir!" he whispered. + +"You don't say?" he roared. + +"Yes, sir," the little man continued eagerly. "The cross-eyed men ain't +never had no chance in this war. They turn 'em all down. They won't take +'em as soldiers. That gun'll fix 'em. Push a regiment o' good cross-eyed +men to the front with that gun a-pourin' hot lead from two barrels at +the same time an' every man er cross firin' at the enemy an' we'll jist +natchally make hash outen 'em, sir----" + +"And we may need the cross-eyed men, too, before the war ends." The +sombre eyes twinkled thoughtfully. "Thank you, my friend, when I draft +the cross-eyed men come in again and we'll talk it over. Your heart's +in the right place, anyhow." + +He glanced doubtfully at the little skillet-shaped head and reached over +his shoulder for the next one. It was a bullet proof shirt for +soldiers--a coat of mail which weighed fifty pounds. + +"How long do you think a man could march with that thing on and the +thermometer at ninety-eight in the shade?" + +He handed it back with a shake of his head and grasped the next one--a +model water-tight canoe to fit the foot like a snow shoe. + +"What's the idea?" he asked. + +"Shoe the army with _my_ canoes, sir, and they can all walk on +water----" + +"And yet they say the age of miracles has passed! Take it over to old +Neptune's office. He's a sad man at times and I like him. This ought to +cheer him." + +The next one was a man of unusually interesting face. A typical Yankee +farmer with whiskers spilling over his collar from his neck and +bristling up against his clean shaven chin. He handed the President a +model of a new musket. He examined it with care and fixed the man with +his gaze: + +"Well, sir?" + +"Hit's the rekyle, sir," he explained softly. "Hit's the way she's hung +on the stock." + +"Oh----" + +"Ye see, sir," he went on earnestly, "a gun ought not to rekyle, and ef +hit rekyles at all, hit ought to rekyle a leetle forred----" + +"Right you are!" the President roared with laughter. "Your logic's sound +whether your gun kicks or not. I say so, too. A gun ought _not_ to +rekyle at all, and if it does rekyle, by jinks, it ought to rekyle and +hit the other fellow, not us!" + +The tall figure dropped into the chair by his desk and laughed again. + +"Come in again, Brother 'Rekyle' and we'll talk it over when I've got +more time." + +The stocky, heavy set figure of the Secretary of War suddenly pushed +through the crowd and up to the desk. Stanton's manner had always been +rude to the point of brusqueness and insult. The tremendous power he was +now wielding in the most important Department of the Government had not +softened his temper or improved his manners. The President had learned +to appreciate his matchless industry and sterling honesty and overlooked +his faults as an indulgent father those of a passionate and willful +child. + +Stanton's eyes were flashing through his gold rimmed glasses the wrath +he found difficult to express. + +The President looked up with a friendly smile: + +"Well, Mars, what's the trouble now?" + +Stanton shook his leonine locks and beard in fury at the use of the +facetious word. He loathed levity of any kind and the one kind he could +not endure was the quip that came his way. + +He regarded himself seriously every day, every hour, every minute in +every hour. He was the incarnate soul of Mars on earth. He knew and felt +it. He raged at the President's use of the term because he had a +sneaking idea that he was being laughed at--and that by a man who was +his inferior and yet to whom he was rendering indispensable service. + +An angry retort rose to his lips, but he suppressed the impulse. It was +a waste of breath. The President was a fool--he would only laugh again +as he had done before. And so he plunged straight to the purpose of his +call: + +"Before you get to your usual batch of passes and pardons this morning I +want to protest again, Mr. President, against your persistent +interference with the discipline of the army and the affairs of my +Department. Your pardons are hamstringing the whole service, sir. It +must stop if you expect your generals to control their men!" + +"Is that all, Mars?" the even voice asked. + +"It is, sir!" + +"Thanks for the spirit that prompts your rage. I know you're right about +most of these things. I'll do my best to help and not hinder you----" + +"There's a woman coming here this morning to present a petition over my +head." + +"Oh, I see----" + +"I have refused it and I demand that you support, not make a fool of +me." + +He turned without waiting for an answer and strode from the room. + +The President whispered to Nicolay: + +"We may have to put a few bricks in Stanton's pocket yet, John!" + +He glanced toward the waiting crowd and whispered again: + +"Any news to-day from the front before I go on?" + +Nicolay drew a telegram from his file: + +"Only this dispatch, sir, announcing the capture of fifty mules and two +brigadier generals by Stuart's cavalry----" + +"Fifty mules?" + +"And two brigadier generals." + +"Fifty mules--and they're worth two hundred dollars a piece. Tell 'em to +send a regiment after those mules. Jeffy D. can have the generals." + +A slender little dark-haired girl about fifteen years old, with big +wistful blue eyes, had taken advantage of the pause to slip close. When +the President lifted his head she caught his eyes. He rose immediately +and drew her to his side. + +"You're all alone, little girl?" + +"Yes, sir," she faltered. + +"And what can I do for you?" + +"If you please, I want to pass through the lines to Virginia--my +brother's there--he was shot in the last battle. I want to see him." + +"Of course you do," the kindly voice agreed, "and you shall." + +He wrote the pass and handed it to her. + +She murmured her thanks and he placed his big hand on her dark head and +asked casually: + +"Of course you're loyal?" + +The young lips quivered, she hesitated, looked up into his face through +dimmed eyes, and the slender body suddenly stiffened, as she slowly +said: + +"Yes--to the heart's core--to Virginia!" + +The trembling fingers handed the pass back and the tears rolled down her +cheeks. + +The tall man dared not look down again. Something about this slim +wistful girl brought back over the years the memory of the young mother +who had come from the hills of old Virginia. + +He was still for a moment, stooped, and took her hand in his. His voice +was low and tender and full of feeling: + +"I know what it cost you to say that, child. You're a brave, glorious +little girl, if you are a rebel. I love you for this glimpse you've +given me of a great spirit. I'm sure I can trust you. If I let you go, +will you promise me faithfully that no word shall pass your lips of what +you've seen inside our lines?" + +"I promise!" she cried, smiling through her tears. + +He handed her back the pass and slowly said: + +"May God bless you--and speed the day when your people and mine shall be +no longer enemies." + +He turned again to his desk, and beside it stood a quiet woman dressed +in black. + +He bowed to her with easy grace: + +"And how can I serve you, Madam?" + +She smiled hopefully: + +"You have children, Mr. President?" + +A look of sorrow overspread the dark face. + +"Yes," he said reverently, "I have two boys now. I had three, but God +has just taken one of them." + +"I had two," the mother responded. "Both of them went into the army to +fight for their country and left me alone. One has been killed in +battle. I tried to be brave about it. I said over and over again, 'the +Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed is the name of the Lord!' +But I had to give up. I'm all alone in my little place in the mountains +of Pennsylvania and I can't endure it. I know they say I have no right +to ask, but I want my last boy to come home. All night I lie there alone +and cry. Can't you let me have my boy back? He's all I've got on +earth--others have more. I have only this one. I'm just a +woman--lonely, heartsick and afraid. They say I can't have him. But I've +come to ask you. I've heard that you have a loving heart----" + +She stopped suddenly. + +"You have seen Stanton?" the President asked. + +"Yes. He wouldn't listen. He swore I shouldn't have him." + +The hazel-grey eyes gazed thoughtfully out the window across the shining +river for a moment. + +"I have two," he murmured, "and you have only one. It isn't fair. You +shall have your boy." + +He turned to his desk and wrote the order for his discharge. The mother +pressed close, gently touched with the tips of her fingers his thick +black hair and softly cried while he was writing. + +She took the precious paper, tried to speak and choked. + +"Go away now," the President whispered, "or you'll have me crying in a +minute." + +When the last man had gone he stood alone before his window in brooding +silence. A tender smile overspread his face and he drew a deep breath. +In the hills of Pennsylvania he saw a picture--a mother in the door of a +humble home waiting for her boy. He is coming down the road with swift, +strong step. She sees and rushes to meet him with a cry of joy, holds +him in her arms without words a long, long while and will not let him +go. And then she leads him into the house, falls on her knees and thanks +God. + +He smiles again and forgets the burden of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +DIPLOMACY + + +In the whirlwind of passion, intrigue, slander and hate which had +circled the head of the new President since the day of his Inauguration, +the mother of his children had not been spared. + +The First Lady of the Land had found her position as difficult in its +way as her husband had found his. She had met the cynical criticism at +first with dignity, reserve, and contempt. But as it increased in +violence and virulence she had more than once lost her temper. She had +never been blessed with the serenity of spirit that with Lincoln in his +trying hours touched the heights of genius. + +She was just a human little woman who loved her husband devotedly and +hated every man and woman who hated him. And when her patience was +exhausted she said things as she thought them, with a contempt for +consequences as sublime as it was dangerous. + +From the moment of the opening of the war she hated the South, not only +because the Southern people had flung the shadow of death over her +splendid social career and blighted the brightest dream of her life by +war, but she had a more intimate and personal reason for this hatred. +Her own flesh and blood had gone into the struggle against her and the +husband she loved. Both her brothers born in the South, were in the +Confederate army fighting to tear the house down over her head. One of +these brothers had been made the Commandant of Libby Prison in Richmond. +The woman in her could never forgive them. + +And yet men in the North who sought the destruction of her husband saw +how they might use the fact of her Southern kin to their own gain, and +did it with the most cruel and bitter malignity. + +One thing she was determined to do--maintain her position in a way to +put it beyond the reach of petty spite and gossip. She had always +resented the imputation of boorishness and lack of culture his enemies +had made against the man she loved. She held it her first duty, +therefore, to maintain her place as the First Lady of the Land in a way +that would still those slanderous tongues. For this reason her dresses +had been the most elaborate and expensive the wife of any Chief +Magistrate of the Republic had ever worn. Her big-hearted, careless +husband had no more idea of the cost of such things than a new-born +babe. + +Lizzie Garland, the negro dressmaker, to whom she had given her +patronage, practically spent her entire time with the President's wife, +who finally became so contemptuous of unreasonable public criticism in +Washington that she was often seen going to Lizzie Garland's house to be +fitted. + +As Lizzie bent over her work basting the new seams in fitting her last +dress, the Mistress of the White House suddenly stopped the nervous +movement of her rocking-chair. + +"He demands a thousand dollars to-night, Lizzie?" + +"Swears he'll take the whole account to the President to-morrow unless +he gets it, Madam." + +"You tried to make him reasonable?" + +"Begged him for an hour." + +"That's what I get for trading with a little rat in Philadelphia. I'll +stick to Stewart hereafter." + +She rose with a gesture of nervous rage: + +"Well, there's no help for it then. I must ask him. I dread it. Mr. +Lincoln calls me a child--a spoiled child. He's the child. He has no +idea of what these things cost. Why can't a Nation that spends two +millions a day on contractors and soldiers give its President a salary +he can live on?" + +She threw herself on the lounge and gave way for a moment to despair. + +"He'll give it to you, of course, when you ask it," Lizzie ventured +cheerfully. + +"If I'm diplomatic, yes. But I hate to do it. He's harassed enough. I +wonder sometimes if he's human to stand all he does. If he knew the +truth--O my God----" + +"Don't worry, Madam," Lizzie pleaded. "It will come out all right. The +President is sure to be re-elected." + +"That's it, is he? I'm beginning to lose faith. He'll never win if the +scoundrels in Washington can prevent it. There's just one man in +Congress his real friend. I can't make him see that the hypocrites he +keeps in his Cabinet are waiting and watching to stab him in the back. +But what's the use to talk, I've got to face it to-day--ask Phoebe to +come here." + +"Let me go, Madam," Lizzie begged. "I hate the sight of that woman. I +suspect her of nosing into our affairs." + +"Nonsense!" was the contemptuous answer. "Phoebe's just a big, fat, +black, good-natured fool. It rests me to look at her--she's so much +fatter than I am." + +With a shrug of her shoulders the dressmaker rose and rang for the +colored maid, who had just entered Mrs. Lincoln's service. + +Phoebe walked in with a glorious smile lighting her dusky face. Seeing +her mistress lying down at the unusual hour of eleven o'clock in the +morning, she rushed to her side: + +"Laws of mussy, Ma'am, ain't you well!" + +"Just a little spell of nerves, Phoebe, something that never worries +your happy soul----" + +"No, Ma'am, dat dey don't!" the black woman laughed. + +"Hand me a pencil and pad of paper." + +Phoebe executed her order with quick heavy tread, and stood looking +while her mistress scribbled a note to her husband. + +"Take that to the President, and see that he comes." + +Phoebe courtesied heavily: + +"Yassam, I fetch him!" + +The Hon. Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, was engaged with +the President when Phoebe presented herself at the door of the executive +office. + +John Hay tried in vain to persuade her to wait _a_ few minutes. Phoebe +brushed the young diplomat aside with scant ceremony. + +"G'way fum here, Boy!" she laughed. "Miss Ma'y sent me ter fetch 'im +right away. An' I gwine ter fetch 'im!" + +She threw her ponderous form straight through the door and made for the +Chief Magistrate. + +Mr. Chase was delivering an important argument, but it had no weight +with her. + +She bowed and courtesied to the President. + +"Excuse me, Governor," he said with a smile. "Good morning, Phoebe." + +"Good mornin', sah." + +She extended the note with a second dip of her ponderous form: + +"Yassah, Miss Ma'y send dis here excommunication ter you, sah!" + +"You don't say so?" the President cried, breaking into a laugh. + +"Yassah." + +"Then I'm excommunicated, Governor!" he nodded to Chase. "I must read +the edict." He adjusted his glasses and glanced at the note: + +"Your mistress is lying down?" + +"Yassah, she's sufferin' fum a little spell er nervous prosperity, +sah--dat's all--sah----" + +"Oh, that's all?" + +"Yassah." + +The President roared with laughter, in which Phoebe joined. + +"Thank you, Phoebe, tell her I'll be there in a minute----" + +"Yassah." + +"And Phoebe----" + +The maid turned as she neared the door: + +"Yassah?" + +"I hope you'll always bring my messages from your mistress----" + +"Yassah." + +"I like you, Phoebe. You're cheerful!" + +"I tries ter be, sah!" she laughed, swinging herself through the door. + +The President threw his big hands behind his head, leaned back, and +laughed until his giant frame shook. + +The dignified and solemn Secretary of the Treasury scowled, rose, and +stalked from the room. + +"Sorry I couldn't talk longer, Chase." + +"It's all right," the Secretary replied, with a wave of his hand. + +The President found his wife alone. + +"I hope nothing serious, Mother?" he said tenderly. + +"I've a miserable headache again. Why were you so long?" + +"I was with Governor Chase." + +"And what did the old snake in the grass want this time?" + +The President glanced toward the door uneasily, sat down by her side and +touched her hand: + +"You should be more careful, Mother. Servants shouldn't hear you say +things like that----" + +The full lips came together with bitter firmness: + +"I'll say just what I think when I'm talking to you, Father--what did he +want?" + +"He offered his resignation as my Secretary of the Treasury." + +His wife sprang up with flashing eyes: + +"And you?" + +"Refused to accept it." + +"O my Lord, you're too good and simple for this world! You're a babe--a +babe in the woods with wolves prowling after you from every tree and you +won't see them! You know that he's a candidate against you for the +Presidency, don't you?" + +"Yes." + +"You know that he never loses an opportunity to sneer at you behind your +back?" + +"I've heard so." + +"You know that he's hand in glove with the conspirators in Congress who +are trying to pull you down?" + +"Perhaps." + +"You know that he's the greatest letter writer of the age? That he +writes as many letters to your generals in the field as old Winter--that +he writes to every editor he knows and every politician he can +influence, and that the purpose of these letters is always the same--to +pull you down?" + +"Possibly." + +"You have this chance to put your foot on this frozen snake's head and +yet you bring him into your house again to warm him into life?" + +"Chase is a great Secretary of the Treasury, my dear. The country needs +him. I can't afford to take any chances just now of a change for the +worse." + +"He has no idea of leaving. He's only playing a game with you to +strengthen himself--can't you see this?" + +"Maybe." + +"And yet you submit to such infamy in your own Cabinet?" + +"It's not a crime, Mother, to aspire to high office. The bee is in poor +Chase's bonnet. He can't help it. I've felt the thing tickle myself. If +he can beat me let the best man win----" + +"Don't--don't--don't say such fool things," his wife cried. "I'll +scream! You need a guardian. You have three men in your Cabinet who are +using their positions to climb into the Presidency over you--old Seward, +Chase and now Stanton, and you smile and smile and let them think you +don't know. You'll never have a united and powerful administration until +you kick those scoundrels out----" + +"Mother--Mother--you mustn't----" + +"I will--I'll tell you the truth--nobody else does. I tell you to kick +these scoundrels out and put men in their places who will loyally +support you and your policies!" + +"I've no right in such an hour to think of my own ambitions, my dear," +was the even, quiet answer. "Seward is the best man for his place I know +in the country. Stanton is making the most efficient War Secretary we +have ever had. Chase is a great manager of our Treasury. I'm afraid to +risk a new man. If these men can win over me by rendering their country +a greater service than I can, they ought to win----" + +"But can't you see, you big baby, that it isn't the man who really gives +the greatest service that may win? It's the liar and hypocrite +undermining his Chief who may win. Won't you have common sense and send +those men about their business? Surely you won't lose this chance to get +rid of Chase. Won't you accept his resignation?" + +"No." + +There was a moment's tense silence. The wife looked up appealingly and +the rugged hand touched hers gently. + +"I think, Father, you're the most headstrong man that God ever made!" + +The dark, wistful face brightened: + +"And yet they say I'm a good-natured, easy-going fellow with no +convictions?" + +"They don't know you----" + +"I'm sorry, Mother, we don't see it the same way, but one of us has to +decide these things, and I suppose I'm the one." + +"I suppose so," she admitted wearily. + +"But tell me," he cried cheerfully, "what can I do right now to make you +happy? You sent for me for something. You didn't know that Chase was +there, did you?" + +She hesitated and answered cautiously: + +"It doesn't matter whether I did or not. You refuse to listen to my +advice." + +He bent nearer in evident distress: + +"What can I do, Mother?" + +"I need some money. Since Willie's death last winter I've thought +nothing of my dresses for the next season. I must begin to attend to +them. I need a thousand dollars." + +"To-day?" + +"Yes." + +He looked at her with a twinkle playing around the corner of his eyes as +he slowly rose: + +"Send Phoebe in for the check." + +"Ring for her, please." + +He pulled the old-fashioned red cord vigorously, walked back to the +lounge, put his hands in his pockets and looked at his wife in a comical +way. + +"Mother," he said at last, "you're a very subtle woman. You'd make a +great diplomat if you didn't talk quite so much." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE REBEL + + +While Betty Winter was still brooding in angry resentment over the +problem of John Vaughan's guilt in sharing the treason of his Chief, the +army was suddenly swung into the field to contest Lee's invasion of +Maryland. + +The daring venture of the Confederate leader had developed with +startling rapidity. The President was elated over the probable +annihilation of his army. He knew that half of them were practically +barefooted and in rags. He also knew that McClellan outnumbered Lee and +Jackson two to one and that the Southerners, no longer on the defensive, +but aggressors, would be at an enormous disadvantage in Maryland +territory. + +That Lee was walking into a death trap he was morally sure. + +The Confederate leader was not blind to the dangers of his undertaking. +Conditions in the South practically forced the step. It was of the +utmost importance that he should have full and accurate information +before his move, and a group of the coolest and bravest young men in his +army were called on to go into Washington as scouts and spies and bring +this report. Men who knew the city were needed. + +Among the ten selected for the important mission was Ned Vaughan. He had +been promoted for gallantry on the field at Malvern Hill, and wore the +stripes of a lieutenant. He begged for the privilege of risking his life +in this work and his Colonel could not deny him. He had proven on two +occasions his skill on secret work as a scout before the second battle +of Bull Run. His wide circle of friends in Washington and the utter +change in his personal appearance by the growth of a beard made his +chances of success the best of any man in the group. + +He was anxious to render his country the greatest possible service in +such a crisis, but there was another motive of resistless power. He was +mad to see Betty Winter. He knew her too well to believe that if he took +his life in his hand to look into her eyes she could betray him. + +His disguise in the uniform of a Federal Captain was perfect, his forged +pass beyond suspicion. He passed the lines of the Union army +unchallenged and spent his first night in Washington in Joe Hall's +famous gambling saloon on Pennsylvania Avenue. He arrived too late to +make any attempt to see Betty. He stood for half an hour on the corner +of the street, gazing with wistful eyes at the light in her window. He +dared not call and involve her in the possibility of suspicion. He must +wait with caution until she left the house and he could speak to her +without being recognized. If he failed to get this chance he would write +her as a last resort. + +In Hall's place he found scores of Congressmen and men from every +department of the Government service. Old Thaddeus Stevens, the leader +of the war party in the House, was playing for heavy stakes, his sullen +hard face set with grim determination. + +He watched a young clerk from the War Department stake his last dollar, +lose, and stagger from the table with a haunted, desperate look. Ned +followed him into two saloons and saw the bartenders refuse him credit. +He walked through the door of the last saloon, his legs trembling and +his white lips twitching, stopped and leaned against the wall of the +little bookstore on the corner, the flickering street lamp showing dimly +his ghastly face and eyes. + +Ned glanced uneasily behind him to see that he had not been followed. He +had left under the impression that a secret service man had seen them +both leave. He knew that Baker, the head of the Department, might know +the name of every clerk who frequented a gambling den. No one was in +sight and he debated for a moment the problem of offering this boy the +bribe to get from Stanton's office the information he wanted. + +It was a question of character and his judgment of it. Could he speak +the word to this boy that might send one or both to the gallows? He was +well born. His father was a man of sterling integrity and a firm +supporter of the Union. The boy was twenty-two years old and had been a +pet in the fast circle of society in which he had moved for the last +three years. If his love for his country were the real thing, he would +hand Ned over as a spy without a moment's hesitation. If the mania for +gambling had done its work he would do anything for money. + +Ned's own life was in the decision. He took another look into the +haggard face and made up his mind. + +He started on as if to pass him, stopped suddenly and extended his hand: + +"Hello, Dick, what's up?" + +The boy glowered at him and answered with a snarl: + +"I don't know you----" + +Ned drew a sigh of relief. One danger was passed. He couldn't recognize +him. The rest should be easy. + +"You don't need to, my boy," he whispered. "You're looking for a +friend--money?" + +"Yes. I'll sell my soul into hell for it right now," he gasped. + +"You don't need to do that." Ned drew two hundred dollars in gold from +his pocket and clinked the coin. + +"You see that gold?" + +"Yes, yes--what do you want for it?" + +"I want you to get for me to-morrow morning the exact number of men in +McClellan's army. I want the figures from Stanton's office--you +understand. I want the name of each command, its numbers and its +officers. I know already half of them. So you can't lie to me. Give me +this information here to-morrow night and the gold is yours. Will you do +it?" + +The boy glanced at Ned for a moment: + +"I'll see you in hell first. I've a notion to arrest you--damned if I +don't----" + +He wheeled and started toward the corner. + +Ned's left hand gripped his with the snap of a steel trap, his right +holding his revolver. + +"Don't you be a fool. I know that you're ruined. I saw you in Joe +Hall's----" + +The boy's jaw dropped. + +"You saw me?" he stammered. + +"Yes. You're done for, and you know it. Bring me those figures and I'll +double the pile--four hundred dollars." + +The weak eyes shifted uneasily. He hesitated and faltered: + +"All right. Meet me here at seven o'clock. For God's sake, don't speak +to me if there's anyone in sight." + +All next day Ned watched Betty's house in vain. At dark, in despair and +desperation, he wrote a note. + + "DEAR MISS BETTY: + + "For one look into your dear eyes I am here. I've tried in vain to + meet you. I can't leave without seeing you. I'll wait in the park + at the foot of the avenue to-morrow night at dusk. Just one touch + of your hand and five minutes near you is all I ask----" + +There was no signature needed. She would know. He mailed it and hurried +to his appointment. + +The boy was prompt. There was no one in sight. Ned hurriedly examined +the sheet of paper, verified the known commands and their numbers and, +convinced of its genuineness, handed the money to the traitor. + +"For God's sake, never speak to me again or recognize me in any way," he +begged through chattering teeth. "I got those things from Stanton's desk +and copied them." + +Ned nodded, placed the precious document in his pocket, and watched the +fool hurry with swift feet straight to Joe Hall's place and disappear +within. + +Betty failed to come at the appointed time and he was heartsick. He +would finish his work in six hours to-morrow and he should not lose a +moment in passing the Federal lines. The precious figures he had bought +were memorized and the paper destroyed. In six hours next day he +completed the drawings of the fort on which information had been asked +and was ready to leave. + +But he had not seen Betty. He tried to go and each effort only led him +to the corner from which he watched her house. He lingered until night +and waited an hour again in the dark. And still she had not come. And +then it slowly dawned on him that she must have realized from the moment +she read his message the peril of his position and the danger of his +betrayal in their meeting. + +He turned with quick, firm tread to pass the Federal lines without +delay, and walked into the arms of two secret service men. + +Without a word he was manacled and led to prison. The boy he had bribed +had been under suspicion since his first visits to Joe Hall's. Stanton +had discovered that his desk had been rummaged. Five of his nine +Southern comrades had been arrested and he was the sixth. The rage of +the Secretary of War had been boundless. He had thrown out a dragnet of +detectives and every suspicious character in the city was passing +through it or landing in prison. + +The men stripped him and searched with the touch of experts every stitch +of his clothing, ripped the lining of his coat, opened the soles of his +shoes, split the heels and found nothing. He had been ordered to dress +and given permission to go, when suddenly the officer conducting the +search said: + +"Wait!" + +Ned stopped in the doorway. It was useless to protest. + +"Excuse my persistence, my friend," he said apologetically. "You seem +all right and my men have apparently made a mistake, all the same I'm +going to examine your mouth----" + +Ned's eyes suddenly flashed and his figure unconsciously stiffened. + +"I thought so!" the officer laughed. + +The door was closed and the guard stepped before it. + +And then, with quick sure touch as if he saw the object of his search +through the flesh, the detective lifted Ned Vaughan's upper lip and drew +from between his lips and teeth the long, thin, delicately folded +tinfoil within which lay the tissue drawing of the fort. + +The drumhead court-martial which followed was brief and formal. The +prisoner refused to give his name or any clue to his identity. He was +condemned to be hanged as a spy at noon the next day and locked in a +cell in the Old Capitol Prison. + +On his way they passed Senator Winter's house. Six hours' delay just to +look into her face had cost him his life, but his one hopeless regret +now was that he had failed to see her. + +Betty Winter read the account of the sensational arrest and death +sentence. He had been arrested at the trysting place he had appointed. +She dropped the paper with a cry and hurried to the White House. She +thanked God for the loving heart that dwelt there. + +Without a moment's hesitation the President ordered a suspension of +sentence and directed that the papers be sent to him for review. + +In vain Stanton raged. He shook his fist in the calm, rugged face at +last: + +"Dare to interfere with the final execution of this sentence and I shall +resign in five minutes after you issue that pardon! I'll stand for some +things--but not for this--I warn you!" + +"I understand your position, Stanton," was the quiet answer. "And I'll +let you know my decision when I've reached it." + +With a muttered oath, the Secretary of War left the room. + +Betty bent close to his desk and whispered: + +"You'll give me three days to get his mother here?" + +"Of course I will, child, six days if it's necessary. Get word to her. +If I can't save him, she can say good-bye to her boy. That can't hurt +anybody, can it?" + +With a warm grasp of his hand Betty flew to the telegraph office and +three days later she saw for the first time the broken-hearted mother. +The resemblance was so startling between the mother and both sons she +couldn't resist the impulse to throw her arms around her neck. + +"I came alone, dear," the mother said brokenly, "because his father is +so bitter. You see we're divided at home, too. I'm with John in his love +for the Union--but his father is bitter against the war. It would do no +good for him to come. He hates the President and says he's responsible +for all the blood and suffering--and so I'm alone--but you'll help me?" + +"Yes, I'll help and we'll fight to win." + +The mother held her at arms' length a moment: + +"How sweet and beautiful you are! How happy I am that you love my John! +I'm proud of you. Is John here?" + +Betty's face clouded: + +"No. I telegraphed him to come. He answered that a great battle was +about to be fought and that it was absolutely useless to ask for +pardon----" + +"But it isn't--is it, dear?" + +"No, we'll fight. John doesn't know the President as I do. We'll never +give up--you and I--Mother!" + +Again they were in each other's arms in silence. The older woman held +her close. + +And then came the long, hard fight. + +The President heard the mother's plea with tender patience and shook his +head sorrowfully. + +"I'm sorry, dear Madam," he said at last, "to find this case so +dangerous and difficult. Our army is approaching a battle. Tremendous +issues hang on the results. It looks now as if this battle may end the +war. The enemy have as good right to send their brave scouts and spies +among us to learn our secrets as we have to send ours to learn theirs. +They kill our boys without mercy when captured. I have just asked +Jefferson Davis to spare the life of one of the noblest and bravest men +I have ever known. He was caught in Richmond on a daring errand for his +country. They refused and executed him. How can I face my Secretary of +War with such a pardon in my hands?" + +The mother's head drooped lower with each sorrowful word and when the +voice ceased she fell on her knees, with clasped hands and streaming +eyes in a voiceless prayer whose dumb agony found the President's heart +more swiftly and terribly than words. + +"O my dear little mother, you mustn't do that!" he protested, seizing +her hands and lifting her to her feet. "You mustn't kneel to me, I'm not +God--I'm just a distracted man praying from hour to hour and day to day +for wisdom to do what's right! I can't stand this--you mustn't do such +things--they kill me!" + +He threw his big hands into the air with a gesture of despair, his face +corpse-like in its ashen agony. He took a step from her and leaned +against the long table in the centre of the room for support. + +Betty whispered something in the mother's ear and led her near again. + +"If you'll just give my boy to me alive," she went on in low anguish, +"I'll take him home and keep him there and I'll pledge my life that he +will never again take up arms against the Union----" + +"You can guarantee me that?" he interrupted, holding her gaze. + +"I'm sure of it. He's noble, high-spirited, the soul of honor. He was +always good and never gave me an hour's sorrow in his life until this +war came----" + +The long arm suddenly swung toward his Secretary: + +"Have the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, brought here immediately. When he +comes, Madam, I'll see what can be done." + +With a sob of joy the mother leaned against Betty, who took her out into +the air until the wagon from the jail should come. + +They had led Ned quickly into the President's office before his mother +and Betty knew of his arrival. His wrists were circled with handcuffs. +The President looked over his spectacles at the irons and spoke sharply: + +"Take those things off him----" + +The guard hesitated, and the high pitched voice rang with angry +authority: + +"Take off those handcuffs, I tell you. His mother'll be here in a +minute--take 'em off!" + +The guard quickly removed the manacles and the President turned to him +and his attendants: + +"Clear out now. I'll call you when I want you." + +Ned bowed: + +"Thank you, sir." + +"I hope I can do more than that for you, my boy. It all depends on +you----" + +The mother's cry of joy stopped him short as she walked into the door. +With a bound she reached Ned's side, clasped him in her arms and kissed +him again and again with the low caressing words that only a mother's +lips can breathe. He loosened her hands tenderly: + +"I'm glad you came, dear. It's all right. You mustn't worry. This is +war, you know." + +"But we're going to save you, my darling. The President's going to +pardon you. I feel it--I know it. That's why he sent for you. God has +heard my prayer." + +"I'm afraid you don't understand these things, dear," Ned replied +tenderly. "The President can't pardon me--no one understands that better +than I do----" + +"But he will, darling! He will----" + +Ned soothed her and turned to Betty. + +"Just a moment, Mother, I wish to speak to Miss Betty." + +He took her hand and looked into her face with wistful intensity. + +"One long look at the girl of my dreams and I'll wait for you on the +other side! This is not the way I told you I would return, is it? But +it's war. We must take it as it comes--good-bye--dearest----" + +"O Ned, Boy, the President will pardon you if you'll be reasonable. You +must, for her sake, if not because I ask it." + +"It's sweet of you to try this, dearest, but of course, it's useless. +The President must be just." + +The tall figure rose and Ned turned to face his desk. + +"Young man," he began gently, "you're a soldier of exceptional training +and intelligence. You knew the danger and the importance of your +mission. You have failed and your life is forfeited to the Nation, but +for your mother's sake, because of her love and her anguish and her +loyalty, I have decided to trust you and send you home on parole in her +custody if you take the oath of allegiance----" + +The mother gave a sob of joy. + +"I thank you, Mr. President," was the firm reply, "for your generous +offer for my mother's sake, but I cannot take your oath. I have sworn +allegiance to another Government in the righteousness and justice of +whose cause I live and am ready to die----" + +"Ned--Ned!" the mother moaned. + +"I must, Mother, dear," he firmly went on. "Life is sweet when it's +worth living. But man can not live by bread alone. They have only the +power to kill my body. You ask me to murder my soul." + +He paused and turned to the President, whose eyes were shining with +admiration. + +"I believe, sir, that I am right and you are wrong. This is war. We must +fight it out. I'm a soldier and a soldier's business is to die." + +The tall figure suddenly crossed the space that separated them and +grasped his hand: + +"You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan, the kind of man that saves this world +from hell--the kind that makes this Nation great and worth saving whole! +I wish I could keep you here--but I can't. You know that--good-bye----" + +"Good-bye, sir," was the firm answer. + +The mother began to sob piteously until Betty spoke something softly in +her ear. + +Ned turned, pressed her to his heart, and held her in silence. He took +Betty's hand and bent to kiss it. + +"You shall not die," she whispered tensely. "I'm going to save you." + +She felt the answering pressure and knew that he understood. + +Betty held the mother at the door a moment and spoke in low tones: + +"I can get permission from the President to delay the execution until +his sister may arrive and say good-bye to him in prison the night before +the execution. Wait and I'll get it now." + +The mother stood and gazed in a stupor of dull despair while Betty +pressed to his desk and begged the last favor. It was granted without +hesitation. + +[Illustration: "'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"] + +The President wrote the order delaying the death for three days and +handed her his card on which was written: + + "Admit the bearer, the sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, the + night before his execution to see him for five minutes. + + "A. LINCOLN." + +"I'm sorry, little girl, I couldn't do more for _your_ sake--but you +understand?" + +Betty nodded, returned the pressure of his hand and hurriedly left the +room. + +The hanging was fixed for the following Friday at noon. The pass would +admit his sister on Thursday night. Betty had three days in which to +work. She drew every dollar of her money and went at her task swiftly, +silently, surely, until she reached the guard inside the grim old +prison, who held the keys to the death watch. + +She couldn't trust the sister with her daring plan. She might lose her +nerve. She must impersonate her. It was a dangerous piece of work, but +it was not impossible. She had only to pass the inspectors. The guards +inside were her friends. + +On Thursday night at eight o'clock a carriage drew up at the little red +brick house, on whose door flashed the brass plate sign: + + ELIZABETH GARLAND, MODISTE + +She had made an appointment with Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and arranged +for it at this late hour. She must not be seen leaving her father's +house to-night. + +She drove rapidly to the Capitol, stopped her carriage at the north end, +entered the building through the Senate wing, quickly passed out again, +and in a few minutes had presented her pass to the commandant of the Old +Capitol Prison. + +The woman inspector made the most thorough search and finding nothing +suspicious, allowed her to enter the dimly lighted corridor of the death +watch. + +The turnkey loudly announced: + +"The sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan!" + +She met him face to face in the large cell in which the condemned were +allowed to pass their last night on earth. The keen eyes of a guard from +the Inspector's office watched her every act and every movement of her +body. + +Ned stared at her. His heart beat with mad joy. She was going to play +his sister's part! He would take her in his arms for the first time and +feel the beat of her heart against his and their lips would meet. He +laughed at death as he looked into her eyes with the hunger of eternity +gleaming in his own. + +There could be no hesitation on her part. + +She threw both arms around his neck crying: + +"Brave, foolish boy!" + +He held her close, crushed her with one mad impulse, and slowly relaxed +his arms. She would forgive him for this moment of delirium on the brink +of the grave, but he must be reasonable. + +"I am ready to die, now, dearest," he murmured. + +She slowly lifted her lips to his in a long kiss--a kiss that thrilled +body and soul--and pressed into his mouth a tiny piece of tissue paper. + +She stood holding both his hands for a moment and hesitated, glancing at +the guard from the corner of her eye. He was watching with steady +stolid business-like stare. She must play her part to the end carefully +and boldly. + +"I've only this moment just to say good-bye, Boy," she faltered. "I +promised not to stay long." Slowly her arms stole round his neck, and +the blood rushed to his face in scarlet waves. + +"Love has made death glorious, dearest," he breathed tenderly. "God +bless you for coming, for all you have done for me, and for all this +holy hour means to my soul--you understand." + +The tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The plan might fail after +all--the gallows was there in the jail yard lifting its stark arms in +the lowering sky. She pressed his hands hysterically: + +"Yes, yes, I understand." + +She turned and hurried to the guard: + +"Take me out quickly. I'm going to faint. I can't endure it." + +The guard caught her arm, supporting her as she made her way to the +street. + +In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker's and from there +called another carriage and went home. + +The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened +and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape. + +When the sentinel on his corridor was changed at midnight the blond, +blue-eyed boy would be his friend and explain. + +When he found the rope ladder concealed on the roof it was raining. He +fastened it carefully in the shadow of an offset in the outer wall and +waited for the appearance of the guard. As he passed the gas lamp post +and the flickering light fell on his face he studied it with care. He +was stupid and allowed the rain to dash straight into his fat face. It +should be easy to reach the shadows by a quick leap when he turned +against the rain and reached the length of his beat. + +He calculated to a second the time required to make the descent, threw +himself swiftly to the end of his rope and dropped to the pavement. + +In his eagerness to strike the ground on the run, his foot slipped and +he fell. The guard heard and ran back, blinking his stupid eyes through +the rain. He found a young sport who had lost his way in the storm. + +"I shay, partner," the fallen drunk blubbered. "What'ell's the matter +here? Ain't this Joe Hall's place?" + +"Not by a dam sight." + +"Ah, g'long with yer, f-foolishness--man--and open the door--I'm an old +customer--I ain't no secret service man--I'm all right--open her up----" + +"Here, here, get up an' move on now, I can't fool with you," the guard +growled good-naturedly. He lifted Ned to his feet and helped him to the +end of his beat, waved him a jolly good-night, and turned to his steady +tramp. The rope was still dangling next morning ten feet above his head. + +The sensation that thrilled the War Department was one that made history +for the Nation, as well as the individuals concerned, and for some +unfortunately who were not concerned. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE INSULT + + +The day General Lee's army turned toward the north for the Maryland +shore, the President, with the eagerness of a boy, hurried to +McClellan's house to shake his hand, bid him God's speed and assure him +of his earnest support and good wishes. + +The absurdity of the ruler of a mighty Nation hurrying on foot to the +house of one of his generals never occurred to his mind. + +The autocratic power over the lives and future of millions to which he +had been called had thrown no shadow of vanity or self pride over his +simple life. Responsibility had only made clearer his judgment, +strengthened his courage, broadened and deepened his love for his fellow +man. + +He wished to see his Commanding General and bid him God's speed. The +General was busy and he wished to take up but a few minutes of his time. +And so without a moment's hesitation he walked to his house accompanied +only by Hay, his Assistant Secretary. + +On the way he was jubilant with hope: + +"We've got them now, Boy--we've got them, and this war must speedily +end! Lee will never get into Maryland with fifty thousand effective men. +With the river hemming him in on the rear I'll have McClellan on him +with a hundred thousand well shod, well fed, well armed and with the +finest artillery that ever thundered into battle. We're bound to win." + +"If McClellan can whip him, sir?" + +"Yes, of course, he's got to do that," was the thoughtful answer. "And +you know I believe he'll do it. McClellan's on his mettle now. His army +will fight like tigers to show their faith in him. He's vain and +ambitious, yes--many great men are. Ambition's a mighty human motive." + +"I'm afraid it's bad diplomacy, sir, to go to his house like this--he is +vain, you know," the younger man observed with a frown. + +"Tut, tut, Boy, it's no time for ceremony. Who cares a copper!" + +The clock in the church tower struck ten as Hay sprang up the steps and +rang the bell. + +"I hope he hasn't gone to bed," the Secretary said. + +"At ten o'clock?" the President laughed, "a great general about to march +on the most important campaign of his life--hardly." + +The straight orderly saluted and ushered them into the elegant reception +room--the room so often graced by the Prince de Joinville and the Comte +de Paris, of the General's staff. + +The orderly sniffed the air in a superior butler style: + +"The General has not come in yet, gentlemen." + +"We'll wait," was the President's quick response. + +They sat in silence and the minutes dragged. + +The young Secretary, in rising wrath, looked again and again at the +clock. + +"Don't be so impatient, John," the quiet, even voice said. "Great bodies +move slowly, they say--come here and sit down--I'll tell you a secret. +The Cabinet knows it--and you can, too." + +He leaned his giant figure forward in his chair and touched an official +document which he had drawn from his pocket. + +"Great events hang on this battle. I've written out here a challenge to +mortal combat for all our foes, North, South, East and West. I'm going +to free the slaves if we win this battle and we're sure to win it----" + +Hay glanced at the door with a startled look. + +"McClellan and I don't agree on this subject and he mightn't fight as +well if he knew it. It's a thing of doubtful wisdom at its best to hurl +this challenge into the face of my foe. But the time has come and it +must be done. We have made no headway in this war, and we must crush the +South to end it. If the Copperhead leaders should get control of the +Democratic party because of it--well, it means trouble at home. Douglas +is dead and the jackal is trying to wear the lion's skin. He may +succeed, but then I must risk it. I'll lose some good soldiers from the +army but I've got to do it. All I'm waiting for now is a victory on +which to launch my thunderbolt----" + +A key clicked in the front door and the quick, firm step of McClellan +echoed through the hall. + +The orderly was reporting his distinguished visitor. They could hear his +low words, and the sharp answer. + +The General mounted the stairs and entered the front room overhead. He +was there, of course, to arrange his toilet. He was a stickler for +handsome clothes, spotless linen and the last detail of ceremony. + +Again the minutes dragged. The tick of the clock on the mantel rang +through the silent room and the face of the younger man grew red with +rage. + +Unable to endure the insolence of a subordinate toward the great +Chieftain, whom he loved with a boy's blind devotion, Hay sprang to his +feet: + +"Let's go, sir!" + +The big hand was quietly raised in a gesture of command and he sank into +his seat. + +Five minutes more passed and the sound of approaching footsteps were +heard quickly, firmly pressed with military precision. + +The President nodded: + +"You see, my son!" + +But instead of the General the handsome figure of his aide, John +Vaughan, appeared in the doorway: + +"The General begs me to say, Mr. President, that he is too much fatigued +to see any one this evening and has retired for the night." + +The orderly stepped pompously to the door to usher them out and John +Vaughan bowed and returned to his commander. + +Hay sprang to his feet livid with rage and spoke to his Chief with +boyish indignation. + +"You are not going to take this insult from him?" + +The tall figure slowly rose and stood in silence. + +"Remove him from his command," the younger man pleaded. "For God's sake +do it now. Write the order for his removal this minute--give it to me! +I'll kick his door open and hand it to him." + +The deep set dreamy eyes were turned within as he said in slow intense +tones: + +"No--I'll hold McClellan's horse for him if he'll give us one victory!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE BLOODIEST DAY + + +The struggle opened with disaster for the Union army. Though Lee's plan +of campaign fell by accident into McClellan's hands, it was too late to +frustrate the first master stroke. Relying on Jackson's swift, +bewildering marches, Lee, in hostile territory and confronted by twice +his numbers, suddenly divided his army and hurled Jackson's corps +against Harper's Ferry. The garrison, after a futile struggle of two +days, surrendered twelve thousand five hundred and twenty men and their +vast stores of war material. + +The contrast between General White, the Federal officer in command who +surrendered, and Jackson, his conqueror, was strikingly dramatic. The +Union General rode a magnificent black horse, was carefully dressed in +shining immaculate uniform--gloves, boots and sword spotless. The +Confederate General sat carelessly on his little shaggy sorrel, dusty, +travel-stained and carelessly dressed. + +The curiosity of the Union army which had surrendered was keen to see +the famous fighter. The entire twelve thousand prisoners of war lined +the road as Jackson silently rode by. + +A voice from the crowd expressed the universal feeling as they gazed: + +"Boys, he ain't much for looks, but, by God, if we'd had him we +wouldn't have been caught in this trap!" + +The first shock of Lee's and McClellan's armies was at South Mountain, +where the desperate effort was made to break through and save Harper's +Ferry. The attempt failed, though the Union forces won the fight. Lee +lost twenty-seven hundred men, killed and wounded and prisoners, and the +Federal general, twenty-one hundred. + +Lee withdrew to Sharpsburg on the banks of the Antietam to meet +Jackson's victorious division sweeping toward him from Harper's Ferry. + +On the first day the Confederate commander made a display of force only, +awaiting the alignment of Jackson's troops. His men were so poorly shod +and clothed they could not be brought into line of battle. When the +fateful day of September 17th, 1862, dawned, still and clear and +beautiful over the hills of Maryland, more than twenty thousand of Lee's +men had fallen by the roadside barefooted and exhausted. When the first +roar of McClellan's artillery opened fire in the grey dawn, they hurled +their shells against less than thirty-seven thousand men in the +Confederate lines. The Union commander had massed eighty-seven thousand +tried veterans behind his guns. + +The President received the first news of the battle with a thrill of +exultation. That Lee's ragged, footsore army hemmed in thus with +Antietam Creek on one side and the broad, sweeping Potomac on the other +would be crushed and destroyed he could not doubt for a moment. + +As the sun rose above the eastern hills a gleaming dull-red ball of +blood, the Federal infantry under Hooker swept into action and drove +the Confederates from the open field into a dense woods, where they +rallied, stood and mowed his men down with deadly aim. Hooker called for +aid and General Mansfield rushed his corps into action, falling dead at +the head of his men as they deployed in line of battle. + +For two hours the sullen conflict raged, blue and grey lines surging in +death-locked embrace until the field was strewn with the dead, the dying +and the wounded. + +Hooker was wounded. Sedgwick's corps swept into the field under a sharp +artillery fire and reached the shelter of the woods only to find +themselves caught in a trap between two Confederate brigades massed at +this point. In the slaughter which followed Sedgwick was wounded and his +command was saved from annihilation with the loss of two thousand men. + +While this desperate struggle raged in the Union right, the centre was +the scene of a still bloodier one. French and Richardson charged the +Confederate position with reckless valor. A sunken road lay across the +field over which they rushed. For four terrible hours the men in grey +held this sunken road until it was piled with their bodies, and when the +last charge of the resistless blue lines took it, they found but three +hundred living men who had been holding it against the assaults of five +thousand--and "Bloody Lane" became immortal in American history. + +It was now one o'clock and the men had fought almost continuously since +the sun rose. The infantry fire slowly slackened and ceased in the Union +right and centre. + +Burnside, who held the Union left, was ordered to advance by the +capture of the stone bridge over the Antietam. But a single brigade +under General Toombs guarding this bridge held an army at bay and it was +one o'clock before the bridge was captured. + +Burnside now pushed his division up the heights against Sharpsburg to +cut Lee's line of retreat. The Confederates held their ground with +desperate courage, though outnumbered here three to one. At last the +grey lines melted and the men in blue swept triumphantly through the +village and on its edge suddenly ran into a line of men clad in their +own blue uniform. + +They paused in wonder. How had their own men gotten in such a position? +They were not left long in doubt. The blue line suddenly blazed with +long red waves of flame squarely in their faces. It was Hill's division +of Jackson's corps from Harper's Ferry. The ragged men had dressed +themselves in good blue suits from the captured Federal storehouse. The +shock threw the Union men into confusion and a desperate charge of the +strange blue Confederates drove them back through the village, and night +fell with its streets still held by Lee's army. + +For fourteen hours five hundred pieces of artillery and more than one +hundred thousand muskets had thundered and hissed their cries of death. +On the hills and valleys lay more than twenty thousand men killed and +wounded. + +Lee's little army of thirty-seven thousand had been cut to pieces, +having lost fourteen thousand. He had but twenty-three thousand left. +McClellan had lost twelve thousand, but had seventy-five thousand left. +And yet so desperate had been the deadly courage with which the grey +tattered army had fought that McClellan lay on his arms for three days. + +The day's work had been a drawn battle, but the President's heart was +broken as he watched in anguish the withdrawal of Lee's army in safety +across the river. It was the last straw. McClellan had been weighed and +found wanting. He registered a solemn promise with God that if the great +Confederate Commanders succeeded in making good their retreat from this +desperate situation he would remove McClellan. + +The Confederates withdrew, rallied their shattered forces safely in +Virginia, and Jeb Stuart once more rode around the Northern army! + +The President issued his Emancipation Proclamation, challenging the +South to war to the death, and flung down the gauntlet to his rival, the +coming leader of Northern Democracy, George Brinton McClellan, by +removing him from command. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +BENEATH THE SKIN + + +John Vaughan saw the blow fall on McClellan's magnificent headquarters +in deep amazement. The idol of the army was ordered to turn over his +command to General Burnside and the impossible had happened. + +Instead of the brilliant _coup d'état_ which he and the entire staff had +predicted, the fallen leader obeyed and took an affectionate leave of +his men. + +McClellan knew, what his staff could not understand, that for the moment +the President was master of the situation. He still held the unbounded +confidence of his officers, but the rank and file of his soldiers had +become his wondering critics. They believed they had crushed Lee's army +at Antietam and yet they lay idle until the skillful Southern Commander +had crossed the Potomac, made good his retreat, and once more insulted +them by riding around their entire lines. The volunteer American soldier +was a good fighter and a good critic of the men who led him. He had his +own ideas about how an army should be fought and maneuvered. As the idol +of fighting men, McClellan had ceased to threaten the supremacy of the +civil law. There was no attempt at the long looked for _coup d'état_. It +was too late. No one knew this more clearly than McClellan himself. + +But his fall was the bitterness of death to the staff who adored him and +the generals who believed in him. Burnside, knowing the condition of +practical anarchy he must face, declined the command. The President +forced him to accept. He took it reluctantly with grim forebodings of +failure. + +John received his long leave of absence from his Chief and left for +Washington the night before the formal farewell. His rage against the +bungler who ruled the Nation with autocratic power was fierce and +implacable. + +His resentment against the woman he loved was scarcely less bitter. It +was her triumph, too. She believed in the divine inspiration of the man +who sat in the chair of Washington and Jefferson. Great God, could +madness reach sublimer folly! She had written him a letter of good +wishes and all but asked for a reconciliation before the battle. Love +had fought with pride through a night and pride had won. He hadn't +answered the letter. + +He avoided his newspaper friends and plunged into a round of +dissipation. Beneath the grim tragedy of blood in Washington flowed the +ever widening and deepening torrent of sensual revelry--of wine and +women, song and dance, gambling and intrigue. + +The flash of something cruel in his eye which Betty Winter had seen and +feared from the first burned now with a steady blaze. For six days and +nights he played in Joe Hall's place a desperate game, drinking, +drinking always, and winning. Hour after hour he sat at the roulette +table, his chin sunk on his breast, his reddened eyes gleaming beneath +his heavy black brows, silent, surly, unapproachable. + +A reporter from the _Republican_ recognized him and extended his hand: + +"Hello, Vaughan!" + +John stared at him coldly and resumed his play without a word. At the +end of six days he had won more than two thousand dollars from the +house, put it in his pocket, and, deaf to the blandishments of smooth, +gentlemanly proprietor, pushed his way out into the Avenue. + +It was but four o'clock in the afternoon and he was only half drunk. He +wandered aimlessly down the street and crossed in the direction of +hell's half-acre below the Baltimore depot. His uniform was wrinkled, +his boots had not been blacked for a week, his linen was dirty, his hair +rumpled, his handsome black moustache stained with drink, but he was +hilariously conscious that he had two thousand dollars of Joe Hall's +ill-gotten money in his pocket. There was a devil-may-care swing to his +walk and a look in his eye that no decent woman would care to see twice. + +He ran squarely into Betty Winter in the crowd emerging from the depot. +The little bag she was carrying fell from her hands, with a cry of +startled anguish: + +"John--my God!" + +He made no effort to pick up the fallen bag or in any way return the +greeting. He merely paused and stared--deliberately stood and stared as +if stupefied by the apparition. In fact, he was so startled by her +sudden appearance that for a moment he felt the terror of a drunkard's +first hallucination. The thought was momentary. He knew better. He was +not drunk. The girl was there all right--the real thing--living, +beautiful flesh and blood. For one second's anguish the love of her +strangled him. The desire to take her in his arms was all but resistless +in its fierce madness. He bit his lips and scowled in her face. + +"John--John--dearest," she gasped. + +The scowl darkened and he spoke with insulting deliberation: "You have +made a mistake. I haven't the honor of your acquaintance." + +Before Betty could recover from the horror of his answer he had brushed +rudely past her and disappeared in the crowd. She picked up her bag in a +stupor of dumb rage and started home. She was too weak for the walk she +had hoped to take. She called a hack and scarcely had the strength to +climb into the high, old-fashioned seat. + +Never in all her life had blind anger so possessed her soul and body. In +a moment of tenderness she had offered to forgive and forget. It was all +over now. The brute was not worth a tear of regret. She would show him! + +Two weeks later John Vaughan stared into the ebony face of a negro who +had attached himself to his fortune somewhere in the revelry of the +night before. Washington was swarming with these foolish black children +who had come in thousands. They had no money and it had not occurred to +them that they would need any. Their food and clothes had always been +provided and they took no thought for the morrow. + +John had forgotten the fact that he had taken the negro in his hack for +two hours and finally adopted him as his own. + +He sat up, pressed his hand over his aching head and stared into the +grinning face: + +"And what are you doing here, you imp of the devil?" + +Julius laughed and rolled his eyes: + +"I'se yo' man. Don't you min' takin' me up in de hack wid you las' +night?" + +"What's your name?" + +"Julius Cæsar, sah." + +"Then it's all right! You're the man I'm looking for. You're the man +this country's looking for. You're a born fighter----" + +"Na, sah, I'se er cook!" + +"Sh! Say not so--we're going back to war!" + +"All right, sah, I'se gwine wid you." + +"I warn you, Julius Cæsar, don't do it unless you're in for a fight! I'm +going back to fight--to fight to kill. No more red tape and gold braid +for me. I'm going now into the jaws of hell. I'm going into the ranks as +a private." + +"Don't make no difference ter me, sah, whar yer go. I'se gwine wid yer. +I kin look atter yer shoes an' cook yer sumfin' good ter eat." + +"I warn you, Julius! When they find your torn and mangled body on the +field of Death, don't you sit up and blame me!" + +"Don't yer worry, sah. Dey ain't gwine fin' me dar, an' ef dey do, dey +ain't gwine ter be nuttin' tore er mangled 'bout me, I see ter dat, +sah!" + +Three weeks later Burnside's army received a stalwart recruit. Few +questions were asked. The ranks were melting. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE USURPER + + +The answer which the country gave the President's Proclamation of +Emancipation was a startling one, even to the patient, careful +far-seeing man of the people in the White House. For months he had +carried the immortal document in his pocket without even allowing his +Cabinet to know it had been written. He had patiently borne the abuse of +his party leaders and the fierce assaults of Horace Greeley until he +believed the time had come that he must strike this blow--a blow which +would rouse the South to desperation and unite his enemies in the North. +He had finally issued it with grave fears. + +The results were graver than he could foresee. More than once he was +compelled to face the issue of its repeal as the only way to forestall a +counter revolution in the North. + +Desertions from the army became appalling--the number reached frequently +as high as two hundred a day and the aggregate over eight thousand a +month. His Proclamation had provided for the enlistment of negroes as +soldiers. Not only did thousands of men refuse to continue to fight when +the issue of Slavery was injected, but other thousands felt that the +uniform of the Republic had been dishonored by placing it on the backs +of slaves. They refused to wear it longer, and deserted at the risk of +their lives. + +The Proclamation had united the South and hopelessly divided the North. +How serious this Northern division was destined to become was the +problem now of a concern as deep as the size and efficiency of General +Lee's army. + +The election of the new Congress would put his administration to a +supreme fight for existence. If the Democratic Party under its new +leader, Clay Van Alen of Ohio, should win it meant a hostile majority in +power whose edict could end the war and divide the Union. They had +already selected in secret George B. McClellan for their coming standard +bearer. + +For the first time the question of Union or Disunion was squarely up to +the North in an election. And it came at an unlucky moment for the +President. The army in the West had ceased to win victories. The +Southern army under Lee was still defending Richmond as strongly as +ever. + +There was no evading the issue at the polls. The Proclamation had +committed the President to the bold, far-reaching radical and aggressive +policy of the utter destruction of Slavery. The people were asked to +choose between Slavery on the one hand and nationality on the other. The +two together they could not again have. + +The President had staked his life on his faith that the people could be +trusted on a square issue of right and wrong. + +This time he had underestimated the force of blind passions which the +hell of war had raised. + +Maine voted first and cut down her majority for the administration from +nineteen thousand to a bare four thousand. The fact was ominous. + +Ohio spoke next and Van Alen's ticket against the administration swept +the State, returning fourteen Democrats and only five Republicans to +Congress. + +Indiana, the State in which the President's mother slept, spoke in +thunder tones against him, sending eight Democrats and three +Republicans. Even the rockribbed Republican stronghold of Pennsylvania +was carried by the opposition by a majority of four thousand, reversing +Lincoln's former majority of sixty thousand. + +In New York the brilliant Democratic leader, Horatio Seymour, was +elected Governor on a platform hostile to the administration by more +than ten thousand majority. New Jersey turned against him, Michigan +reduced his majority from twenty to six thousand. Wisconsin evenly +divided its delegates to Congress. + +Illinois, the President's own State, gave the most crushing blow of all. +His big majority there was completely reversed and the Democrats carried +the State by over seventeen thousand and the Congressional delegates +stood eleven to three against him. + +And then his Border State Policy, against which the leaders of his party +had raged in vain was vindicated in the most startling way. True to his +steadfast purpose to hold these States in the Union at all hazards, he +had not included them in his Emancipation Proclamation. + +One of the reasons for which they had refused his offer of United States +bonds in payment for their slaves was they did not believe them worth +the paper they were written on. A war costing two million dollars a day +was sure to bankrupt the Nation before the end could be seen. + +And yet because he had treated them with patience and fairness, with +justice and with generosity, the Border States and the new State of West +Virginia born of this policy, voted to sustain the President, saved his +administration from ruin and gave him another chance to fight for the +life of the Union. + +It was a close shave. His working majority in Congress was reduced to a +narrow margin, the opposition was large, united and fierce in its +aggression, but he had been saved from annihilation. + +The temper of the men elected to the Legislatures, both State and +National, in the great Northern States was astounding. + +So serious was the situation in Indiana that Governor Morton hastened to +Washington to lay the crisis before the President. + +"I'm sorry to have to tell you," the Governor began, "but we must face +it. The Democratic politicians of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois now called +to power assume that the rebellion will not be crushed----" + +"And therefore?" + +"That their interests are antagonistic to New England and in harmony +with the South. Another three months like the last six and we are lost, +sir--hopelessly lost!" + +"Is it as bad as that Governor?" the sad even voice asked. + +A smile flickered across the stern, fine face of the war Governor: + +"If you think me a pessimist remember that Van Alen their leader, has +just presided over a Democratic jubilee meeting in Ohio which was swept +again and again by cheers for Jefferson Davis--curses and jeers for the +Abolitionists. His speech has been put in the form of a leaflet which is +being mailed in thousands to our soldiers at the front----" + +"You know that to be a fact?" the President asked sharply. + +"The fact is notorious, sir. It will be disputed by no one. The outlook +is black. Meeting after meeting is being held in Indiana demanding peace +at any price, with the recognition of the Southern Confederacy--and, +mark you, what is still more significant the formation of a Northwestern +Confederacy with its possible Capital at your home town of Springfield, +Illinois----" + +"No, no!" the President groaned. + +"Your last call for three hundred thousand volunteers," the Governor +went on, "as you well know was an utter failure. Only eighty-six +thousand men have been raised under it. I was compelled to use a draft +to secure the number I did in Indiana. It is useless to call for more +volunteers anywhere----" + +"Then we'll have to use the draft," was the firm response. + +"If we can enforce it!" the Governor warned. "A meeting has just been +held in my State in which resolutions were unanimously passed demanding +that the war cease, denouncing the attempt to use the power to draft +men, declaring that our volunteers had been induced to enter the army +under the false declaration that war was waged solely to maintain the +Constitution and to restore the Union----" + +"And so it is!" the President interrupted. + +"Until you issued your Proclamation, freeing the slaves----" + +"But only as a war measure to weaken the South, give us the victory and +restore the Constitution!" + +"They refuse to hear your interpretation; they make their own. Van Alen +boldly declares that ninety-nine men out of every hundred whom he +represents in Congress breathe no other prayer than to have an end of +this hellish war. When news of victory comes, there is no rejoicing. +When news of our defeat comes there is no sorrow----" + +"Is that statement really true?" the sorrowful lips asked. + +"Of the majority who elected him, yes. In the Northwest, distrust and +despair are strangling the hearts of the people. More and more we hear +the traitorous talk of arraying ourselves against New England and +forming a Confederacy of our own. More than two thousand six hundred +deserters have been arrested within a few weeks in Indiana. It generally +requires an armed detail. Most of the deserters, true to the oath of the +order of the Knights of the Golden Circle, desert with their arms----" + +"Is it possible?" + +"And in one case seventeen of these fortified themselves in a log cabin +with outside paling and ditch for protection, and were maintained by +their neighbors. Two hundred armed men in Rush County resisted the +arrest of deserters. I was compelled to send infantry by special train +to take their ringleaders. Southern Indiana is ripe for Revolution. + +"I have positive information that the incoming Democratic Legislature of +my State is in quick touch with the ones gathering in Illinois and +Ohio. In Illinois, your own State, they have already drafted the +resolutions demanding an armistice and a convention of all the States to +agree to an adjustment of the war. It is certain to pass the Illinois +House. + +"My own Legislature has put this resolution into a more daring and +dangerous form. They propose boldly and at once to acknowledge the +Southern Confederacy and demand that the Northwest dissolve all further +relations with New England. When they have passed this measure in +Indiana, they expect Ohio and Illinois to follow suit. + +"Their secret order which covers my State with a network of lodges, +whose purpose is the withdrawal of the Northwestern States from the +Union, has obtained a foothold in the army camps inside the city of +Washington itself----" + +The President rose with quick, nervous energy and paced the floor. He +stopped suddenly in front of Morton, his deep set eyes burning a steady +flame: + +"And what do you propose?" + +"I haven't decided yet. I have the best of reasons to believe that the +first thing my Legislature will do when it convenes is to pass a +resolution refusing to receive any message from me as Governor of the +State!" + +"Will they dare?" + +"I'm sure of it. It will be composed of men sworn to oppose to the +bitter end any prosecution of this war. They intend to recognize the +Southern Confederacy, and dissolve their own Federal relation with the +United States. It may be necessary, sir----" he paused and fixed the +President with compelling eyes, "---it may be necessary to suspend the +civil government in the North in order to save the Union!" + +The President lifted his big hand in a gesture of despair: + +"God save us from that!" + +"I came here to tell you just this," the Governor gravely concluded. "If +the crisis comes and I must use force I expect you to back me----" + +Two big rugged hands grasped the one outstretched: + +"God bless you, Governor Morton,--we've got to save the Union, and we're +going to do it! Since the day I came into this office I have fought to +uphold the supremacy of the civil law. My enemies may force me to use +despotic powers to crush it for larger ends!----But I hope not. I hope +not. God knows I have no vain ambitions. I have no desire to use such +power----" + +The Governor left him gazing dreamily over the river toward Virginia a +great new sorrow clouding his soul. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE CONSPIRACY + + +Lord Lyons, the British Minister, was using smooth words to the +Secretary of State. Mr. Seward, our wily snuff dipper, was fully his +equal in expressions of polite friendship. What he meant to say, of +course, was that he could plunge a poisoned dagger into the British Lion +with the utmost pleasure. What he said was: + +"I am pleased to hear from your lordship the expressions of good will +from her Gracious Majesty's Government." + +"I am sorry to say, however," the Minister hastened to add, "that the +Proclamation of Emancipation was not received by the best people of +England as favorably as we had hoped." + +"And why not?" Seward politely asked. + +"Seeing that it could have no effect in really freeing the slaves until +the South is conquered it appeared to be merely an attempt to excite a +servile insurrection." + +The Secretary lifted his eyebrows, took another dip of snuff, and softly +inquired: + +"And may I ask of your lordship whether this would not have been even +more true in the earlier days of the war than now?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"And yet I understand that her Gracious Majesty's Government was cold +toward us because we had failed to take such high moral grounds at once +in the beginning of the war?" + +His lordship lifted his hands in polite admission of the facts. + +"The trouble you see is," he went on softly, "Europe begins to feel that +the division of sentiment in the North will prove a fatal weakness to +the administration in so grave a crisis. Unfortunately, from our point +of view, of course, your Government is a democracy, the sport of every +whim of the demagogue of the hour----" + +Seward lifted his eyes with a quick look at his lordship and smiled: + +"Allow me to reassure her Gracious Majesty's Government on that point +immediately. The administration will find means of preserving the +sovereign power the people have entrusted to it. For example, my lord, I +can touch the little bell on my right hand and order the arrest without +warrant of a citizen of Ohio. I can touch the little bell on my left +hand and order the imprisonment of a citizen of New York; and no power +on earth except that of the President, can release them. Can the Queen +of Great Britain do as much?" + +His lordship left apparently reassured. + +The tinkle of the little bell on the desk of the Secretary of State +which had begun to fill the jails of the North with her leading +Democratic citizens did not have the same soothing effect on American +lawmakers, however. These arrests were made without warrant and the +victim held without charges, the right to bail or trial. + +The President had dared to suspend the great _writ of habeas corpus_ +which guaranteed to every freeman the right to meet his accuser in open +court and answer the charge against him. + +The attitude of the bold aggressive opposition was voiced on the floor +of the House of Representatives in Washington in no uncertain language +by Daniel Voorhees of Indiana, in a speech whose passionate eloquence +was only equalled by its reckless daring. + +"The present Executive of the Government," he declared, "has usurped the +powers of Law and Justice to an extent subversive of republican +institutions, and not to be borne by any free people. He has given +access to the vaults of prisons but not to the bar of justice. It is a +part of the nature of frail men to sin against laws, both human and +divine; but God Himself guarantees him a fair trial before punishment. +Tyrants alone repudiate the justice of the Almighty. To deny an accused +man the right to be heard in his own defense is an echo from the dark +ages of brutal despotism. We have in this the most atrocious tyranny +that ever feasted on the groans of a captive or banqueted on the tears +of the widow and the orphan. + +"And yet on this spectacle of shame and horror American citizens now +gaze. The great bulwark of human liberty which generations in bloody +toil have built against the wicked exercise of unlawful power has been +torn away by a parricidal hand. Every man to-day from the proudest in +his mansion to the humblest in his cabin--all stand at the mercy of one +man, and the fawning minions who crouch before him for pay. + +"We hear on every side the old cry of the courtier and the parasite. At +every new aggression, at every additional outrage, new advocates rise +to defend the source of patronage, wealth and fame--the department of +the Executive! Such assistance has always waited on the malignant +efforts of tyranny. Nero had his poet laureate, and Seneca wrote a +defense even for the murder of his mother. And this dark hour affords us +ample evidence that human nature is the same to-day as two thousand +years ago." + +Such speeches could not be sent broadcast free of charge through the +mails without its effect on the minds of thousands. The great political +party in opposition to the administration was now arrayed in solid +phalanx against the war itself on whose prosecution the existence of the +Nation depended. + +Again the Radical wing of his party demanded of the President the +impossible. + +The Abolitionists had given a tardy and lukewarm support in return for +the issue of the Proclamation of Emancipation. Their support lasted but +a few days. Through their spokesman, Senator Winter, they demanded now +the whole loaf. They had received but half of their real program. They +asked for a policy of reconstruction in the parts of Louisiana and +Tennessee held by the Union army in accordance with their ideas. They +demanded the ballot for every slave, the confiscation of the property of +the white people of the South and its bestowment upon negroes and +camp-followers as fast as the Union army should penetrate into the +States in rebellion. + +Senator Winter's argument was based on sound reasoning theoretically +whatever might be said of its wisdom as a National policy. + +"Your Emancipation Proclamation," he declared to the President, +"provides for the arming and drilling of negro soldiers to fight for the +Republic. If they are good enough to fight they are good enough to vote. +The ballot is only another form of the bayonet which we use in time of +peace----" + +"Correct, Senator," was the calm reply, "if we are to allow the negro +race to remain in America in physical contact with ours. But we are not +going to do this. No greater calamity could befall our people. +Colonization and separation must go hand in hand with the emancipation +of these children of Africa. I incorporated this principle in my act of +emancipation. I have set my life on the issue of its success. As a +matter of theory and abstract right we may grant the suffrage to a few +of the more intelligent negroes and the black soldiers we may enroll +until they can be removed----" + +"Again we deal with a Southerner, Mr. President!" the Senator sneered. + +"So be it," was the quiet answer. "I have never held any other views. +They were well known before the war. But two years before my election I +said in my debate with Douglas: + +"'I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way, +the social and political equality of the white and black races. I am +not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, +nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to inter-marry with white +people. I will say in addition to this that there is a physical +difference between the white and black races which, I believe, will +forever forbid the two living together on terms of social and political +equality." + +"Yet," the Senator sneered, "you can change your mind. You said in your +Inaugural that you had no intention or right to interfere with the +institution of Slavery. You did so just the same." + +"As an act of war to save the Union only. But mark you, I have always +hated Slavery from principle for the white man's sake as well as the +negro's. I am equally determined _on principle_ that the negro race +after it is free shall never be absorbed into our social or political +life!" + +"You'll change your principles or retire to private life!" the old man +snapped. + +"When I have saved the Union we shall see. Time will indicate the wisdom +of my position. I have no longer any ambition except to give the best +that's in me to my people." + +The breach between the President and the most powerful leaders of his +own party was now complete. It was a difference that was fundamental and +irreconcilable. They asked him to extend the autocratic power he wielded +to preserve the Union in a time of war to a program of revenge and +proscription against the South as it should fall before the advancing +army. His answer was simple: + +"Secession was void from the beginning. The South shall not be laid +waste as conquered territory when the Union is restored. They shall +return as our brethren to live with us in peace and good will with the +curse of Slavery lifted from them and their children. Nor will I permit +the absorption of this black blood into our racial stock to degrade our +National character. When free, the negro must return to his own." + +With fierce, sullen determination the Radical wing of his party +organized a secret powerful conspiracy to drive Abraham Lincoln from +public life. + +Behind this first line of attack stood the Democratic party with its +millions of loyal voters now united under George B. McClellan. The +Radicals and the Democrats hated each other with a passion second only +to their hatred of the President. They agreed to remove him first and +then settle their own differences. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE TUG OF WAR + + +Betty Winter, having made up her mind to put John Vaughan out of her +life for all time, volunteered for field service as a nurse and by +permission of the President joined Burnside's army before +Fredericksburg. + +The General had brought its effective fighting force to a hundred and +thirteen thousand. Lee's army confronted him on the other side of the +Rappahannock with seventy-five thousand men. A great battle was +impending. + +Burnside had reluctantly assumed command. He was a gallant, genial, +cultured soldier, a gentleman of the highest type, a pure, unselfish +patriot with not a trace of vulgar ambition or self-seeking. He saw the +President hounded and badgered by his own party, assaulted and denounced +in the bitterest terms by the opposition, and he knew that the remedy +could be found only in a fighting, victorious army. A single decisive +victory would turn the tide of public opinion, unite the faction-ridden +army and thrill the Nation with enthusiasm. + +He determined to fight at once and risk his fate as a commander on the +issue of victory or defeat. His council of war had voted against an +attack on Lee's army in Fredericksburg. Burnside brushed their decision +aside as part of the quarrel McClellan has left. Even the men in the +ranks were fighting each other daily in these miserable bickerings and +intrigues. A victory was the remedy for their troubles, and he made up +his mind to fight for it. + +The General received Betty with the greatest courtesy: + +"You're more than welcome at this moment, Miss Winter. The surgeons +won't let you in some of their field hospitals. But there's work to be +done preparing our corps for the battle we're going to fight. You'll +have plenty to do." + +"Thank you, General," she gravely answered. + +Burnside read for the second time the gracious letter from the President +which Betty presented. + +"You're evidently pretty strong with this administration, Miss Betty," +he remarked. + +"Yes. The patience and wisdom of the President is a hobby of mine." + +"Then I'll ask you to review the army with me. You can report to him." + +Within an hour they were passing in serried lines before the Commander. +Betty watched them march with a thrill of patriotic pride, a hundred and +thirteen thousand men, their dark blue uniforms pouring past like the +waters of a mighty river, the December sun gleaming on their polished +bayonets as on so many icicles flashing on its surface. + +Her heart suddenly stood still. There before her marched John Vaughan in +the outer line of a regiment, his eyes straight in front, looking +neither to the right nor the left. He was a private in the ranks, clean +and sober, his face rugged, strong and sun-tanned. + +For a moment there was a battle inside that tested her strength. He had +not seen her and was oblivious of her existence apparently. But she had +noted the regiment under whose flag he marched. It would be easy to find +him if she wished. + +When the first moment of love-sickness and utter longing passed, she had +no desire to see him. The dead could bury its dead. Her love was a thing +of the past. The cruel thing in this man's nature she had seen the first +day was there still. She saw it with a shudder in his red, half-drunken +eyes the day they met in Washington, saw it so plainly, so glaringly, +the memory of it could never fade. He was sober and in his right mind +now, his cheeks bronzed with the new life of sunshine and open air the +army had given. The thing was still there. It spoke in the brute +strength of his powerful body as his marching feet struck the ground, in +the iron look about his broad shoulders, the careless strength with +which he carried his musket as if it were a feather, and above all in +the hard cold glint from his shining eyes set straight in front. + +She lay awake for hours on the little white cot at the headquarters of +the ambulance corps reviewing her life and dropped to sleep at last with +a deep sense of gratitude to God that she was free, and could give +herself in unselfish devotion to her country. Her last waking thoughts +were of Ned Vaughan and the sweet, foolish worship he had laid at her +feet. She wondered vaguely if he were in those grey lines beyond the +river. Ned Vaughan was there this time--back with his regiment. + +Lee, Jackson and Longstreet had known for days that a battle was +imminent. Their scouts from over the river had brought positive +information. The Confederate leaders had already planned the conflict. +Their battle lines circled the hills beyond Fredericksburg, spread out +in a crescent, five miles long. Nature had piled these five miles of +hills around Fredericksburg as if to build an impregnable fortress. On +every crest, concealed behind trees and bushes, the Confederate +artillery was in place--its guns trained to sweep the wide plain with a +double cross fire, besides sending a storm of shot and shell straight +from the centre. Sixty thousand matchless grey infantry crouched among +those bushes and lay beside stone walls, in sunken roadways or newly +turned trenches. + +The great fan-shaped death-trap had been carefully planned and set by a +master mind. Only a handful of sharpshooters and a few pieces of +artillery had been left in Fredericksburg to dispute the passage of the +river and deceive Burnside with a pretense of defending the town. + +The Confederate soldier was ragged and his shoes were tied together with +strings. His uniform consisted of an old hat or cap usually without a +brim, a shirt of striped bed-ticking so brown it seemed woven of the +grass. The buttons were of discolored cow's horn. His coat was the color +of Virginia dust and mud, and it was out at the elbow. His socks were +home-made, knit by loving hands swift and tender in their endless work +of love. The socks were the best things he had. + +The one spotless thing about him was his musket and the bayonet he +carried at his side. His spirits were high. + +A barefooted soldier had managed to get home and secure a pair of boots. +He started back to his regiment hurrying to be on time for the fight. +The new boots hurt him so terribly he couldn't wear them. He passed +Ned's regiment with his precious footgear hanging on his arm. + +"Hello, Sonny, what command?" Ned cried. + +"Company E, 12th Virginia, Mahone's brigade!" he proudly answered. + +"Yes, damn you," a soldier drawled from the grass, "and you've pulled +your boots off, holdin' 'em in yer hand, ready to run now!" + +The laugh ran along the line and the boy hurried on to escape the chaff. + +A well-known chaplain rode along a narrow path on the hillside. He was +mounted on an old horse whose hip bones protruded like two deadly fangs. +A footsore Confederate was hobbling as fast as he could in front of him, +glancing back over his shoulder now and then uneasily. + +"You needn't be afraid, my friend," the parson called, "I'm not going to +run over you." + +"I know you ain't," the soldier laughed, "but ef I wuz ter let you pass +me, and that thing wuz ter wobble I'll be doggoned ef I wouldn't be +gored ter death!" + +The preacher reined his steed in with dignity and spoke with wounded +pride: + +"My friend, this is a better horse than our Lord rode into Jerusalem +on!" + +The soldier stepped up quickly, opened the animal's mouth and grinned: + +"Parson, that's the very same horse!" + +A shout rose from the hill in which the preacher joined. + +"Dod bam it, did ye ever hear the beat o' that!" shouted a pious fellow +who was inventing cuss words that would pass the charge of profanity. + +A distinguished citizen of Fredericksburg passed along the lines wearing +a tall new silk hat. He didn't get very far before he changed his line +of march. A regular fusillade poured on him from the ranks. + +"Say, man, is dat a hat er a bee gum?" + +"Come down now!" + +"Come down outen that hat an' help us with these Yanks!" + +"Come down I say--I know you're up there for I can see your legs!" + +When the silk hat vanished, a solemn country boy with slight knowledge +of books began to discuss the great mysteries of eternity. + +Ned had won his unbounded faith and admiration by spelling at the +first trial the name of his native village in the Valley of +Virginia--McGaheysville. Tom held this fact to be a marvellous +intellectual achievement. + +"What I want to know, Ned, is this," he drawled, "who started sin in +this world, anyhow? What makes a good thing good and what makes a bad +thing bad, and who said so first?" + +"That's what I'd like to know myself, Tom," Ned gravely answered. + +"An' ye don't know?" + +"I certainly do not." + +"I don't see why any man that can spell like you don't know everything." + +He paused, picked up a pebble and threw it at a comrade's foot and +laughed to see him jump as from a Minie ball. + +"You know, Ned," he went on slowly, "what I think is the prettiest piece +of poetry?" + +"No--what?" + +"Hit's this: + + "'The men of high condition + That rule affairs of State; + Their purpose is ambition, + Their practice only hate.'" + +"Pretty good, Tom," was the quick reply, "but I think I can beat it with +something more hopeful. I got it in Sunday School out in Missouri: + + "'The sword and spear, of needless worth, + Shall prune the tree and plough the earth; + And Peace shall smile from shore to shore + And Nations learn to war no more.'" + +The country boy's eyes gleamed with eager approval. He had fought for +nearly two years and the glory of war was beginning to lose its glamour. + +"Say that again, Ned," he pleaded. "Say it again! That's the prettiest +thing I ever heard in my life!" + +He was silent a moment: + +"Yes, I used to think it would be glorious to hear the thunder of guns +and the shriek of shells. I've changed my mind. When I hear one of 'em +comin' now, I begin to sing to myself the old-fashioned tune I used to +hear in the revivals: + + "'Hark from the tomb a doleful sound! + 'My thoughts in dreadful subjects roll damnation and the dead----' + +"I've an idea we're going to sing some o' them old songs on this field +pretty soon." + +Again Ned thought of John and offered a silent prayer that he might not +be in those blue lines that were going to charge into the jaws which +Death had opened for them in the valley below. + +John Vaughan in his tent beyond the Rappahannock was wasting no energy +worrying about the coming battle. Death had ceased to be a matter of +personal concern. He had seen so many dead and wounded men as he had +ridden over battlefields he had come to take them as a matter of course. +He was going into action now for the first time in the ranks as a +private soldier and he would see things happen at closer range--that was +all. He wished to see them that way. He had reached the point of utter +indifference to personal danger and it brought a new consciousness of +strength that was inspiring. He had stopped dreaming of the happiness of +love after the exhibition he had made of himself before Betty Winter and +the brutal insult with which he met her advances. Some girls might +forgive it, but not this proud, sensitive, high strung daughter of the +snows of New England and the sunlight of France. And so he had +resolutely put the thought out of his heart. + +Julius had proven himself a valuable servant. He was the best cook in +the regiment, and what was still more important, he was the most +skillful thief and the most plausible liar in the army. He could defend +himself so nobly from the insinuations of the suspicious that they would +apologize for the wrong unwittingly done his character. John had not +lived so well since he could remember. + +"Julius, you're a handy man in war!" he exclaimed after a hearty supper +on fried chicken. + +"Yassah--I manage ter git 'long, sah." + +Julius took up his banjo and began to tune it for an accompaniment to +his songs. He had a mellow rhythmical voice that always brought the +crowd. He began with his favorite that never failed to please his +master. The way he rolled his eyes and sang with his hands and feet and +every muscle of his body was the source of unending interest to his +Northern audience. + +He ran his fingers lightly over the strings and the men threw down their +dirty packs of cards and crowded around John's tent. Julius only sang +one line at a time and picked his banjo between them to a low wailing +sound of his own invention: + + "O! far' you well, my Mary Ann; + Far' you well, my dear! + I've no one left to love me now + And little do I care----" + +He paused between the stanzas and picked his banjo to a few prose +interpolations of his own. + +"Dat's what I'm a tellin' ye now, folks--little do I care!" + +He knew his master had been crossed in love and he rolled his eyes and +nodded his woolly head in triumphant approval. John smiled wanly as he +drifted slowly into his next stanza. + + "An' ef I had a scoldin' wife + I'd whip her sho's yer born, + I'd take her down to New Orleans + An' trade her off fer corn----" + +Julius stopped with a sudden snap and whispered to John: + +"Lordy, sah, I clean fergit 'bout dat meetin' at de cullud folks' +church, sah, dat dey start up. I promise de preacher ter fetch you, +sah--An' ef we gwine ter march ter-morrow, dis here's de las' night +sho----" + +The concert was adjourned to the log house which an old colored preacher +had converted into a church. It was filled to its capacity and John +stood in the doorway and heard the most remarkable sermon to which he +had ever listened. + +The grey-haired old negro was tremendously in earnest. He could neither +read nor write but he opened the Bible to comply with the formalities of +the occasion and pretended to read his text. He had taken it from his +master who was a clergyman. Ephraim invariably chose the same texts but +gave his people his own interpretation. It never failed in some element +of originality. + +The text his master had evidently chosen last were the words: + + "And he healeth them of divers diseases." + +Old Ephraim's version was a free one. From the open Bible he solemnly +read: + +"An' he healed 'em of all sorts o' diseases an' even er dat wust o' +complaints called de Divers!" + +He plunged straight into a fervent exhortation to sinners to flee from +the Divers. + +"I'm gwine ter tell ye now, chillun," he exclaimed with uplifted arms, +"ye don't know nuttin' 'bout no terrible diseases till dat wust er all +called de Divers git ye! An' hit's a comin' I tell ye. Hit's gwine ter +git ye, too. Ye can flee ter the mountain top, an' hit'll dive right up +froo de air an' git ye dar. Ye kin go down inter de bowels er de yearth +an' hit'll dive right down dar atter ye. Ye kin take de wings er de +mornin' an' fly ter de ends er de yearth--an' de Divers is dar. Dey kin +dive anywhar! + +"An' what ye gwine ter do when dey git ye? I axe ye dat now? What ye +gwine ter do when hit's forever an' eternally too late? Dese doctors +roun' here kin cure ye o' de whoopin'-cough--mebbe--I hain't nebber seed +'em eben do dat--but I say, mebbe. Dey kin cure ye o' de measles, mebbe. +Er de plumbago or de typhoid er de yaller fever sometimes. But I warns +ye now ter flee de wrath dat's ter come when dem Divers git ye! Dey +ain't no doctor no good fer dat nowhar--exceptin' ye come ter de Lord. +For He heal 'em er all sorts er diseases an' de wust er all de +complaints called de Divers! + + "Come, humble sinners, in whose breast er thousand thoughts revolve!" + +John Vaughan turned away with a smile and a tear. + +"In God's name," he murmured thoughtfully, "what's to become of these +four million black children of the tropic jungles if we win now and set +them free! Their fathers and mothers were but yesterday eating human +flesh in naked savagery." + +He walked slowly back to his tent through the solemn starlit night. The +new moon, a silver thread, hung over the tree tops. He thought of that +dusky grey-haired child of four thousand years of ignorance and +helplessness and the tragic role he had played in the history of our +people. And for the first time faced the question of the still more +tragic role he might play in the future. + +"I'm fighting to free him and the millions like him," he mused. "What am +I going to do with him?" + +The longer he thought the blacker and more insoluble became this +question, and yet he was going into battle to-morrow to fight his own +brother to the death on this issue. True the problem of national +existence was at stake, but this black problem of the possible +degradation of our racial stock and our national character still lay +back of it unsolved and possibly insoluble. + +The red flash of a picket's gun on the shore of the river and the quick +answer from the other side brought his dreaming to a sudden stop before +the sterner fact of the swiftly approaching battle. + +He snatched but a few hours sleep before his regiment was up and on the +march to the water's edge. A dense grey fog hung over the river and +obscured the town. The bridge builders swung their pontoons into the +water and soon the sound of timbers falling into place could be heard +with the splash of the anchors and the low quick commands of the +officers. + +The grey sharpshooters, concealed on the other shore, began to fire +across the water through the fog. The sound was strangely magnified. The +single crack of a musket seemed as loud as a cannon. + +The work went quickly. The bullets flew wide of the mark. The fog +suddenly lifted and a steady fusillade from the men hidden in the hills +of Fredericksburg began to pick off the bridge builders with cruel +accuracy. At times every man was down. New men were rushed to take their +places and they fell. + +The signal was given to the artillery and a hundred and forty-seven +great guns suddenly began to sweep the doomed town. Houses crumpled like +egg-shells and fires began to blaze. + +The sharpshooters fell back. The bridges were laid and the grand army of +a hundred and thirteen thousand began to pour across. The caissons, with +their huge black, rifled-barrel guns rumbling along the resounding +boards in a continuous roar like distant thunder. + +On the southern shore the deep mud cut hills put every team to the test +of its strength and the utmost skill of their drivers. Hundreds of men +were in the mud at the wheels and still they would stick. + +And then the patient heavens above heard the voices of army teamsters in +plain and ornamental swearing! Such profanity was probably never heard +on this earth before and it may well be hoped will not be heard again. + +The driver whose wheels had stuck, cracked his whip first and yelled. He +yelled again and cracked his whip. And then he began to swear, loudly, +and angrily at first and then in lower, steadier, more polite terms--but +always in an unending nerve-racking torrent. + +He cursed his mules individually by name and the whole team +collectively, and consigned it to the lowest depth of the deepest hell +and then the devil for not providing a deeper one. Each trait of each +mule, good and bad, he named without fear or favor and damned each alike +with equal emphasis. He named each part of each mule's anatomy and +damned it individually and as a whole, with full bill of particulars. + +He swore in every key in the whole gamut of sound and last of all he +damned himself for his utter inability to express anything he really +felt. + +The last big gun up the hill and the infantry poured into the town of +Fredericksburg, halting in regiments and brigades in its streets. Only a +few shots had been exchanged with the men in grey. They had withdrawn to +the heights a mile beyond. The assault had been a mere parade. Many of +the inhabitants had fled in terror at the approach of the men in blue. +Some of the lower types of soldiers in the Northern army broke into +these deserted houses and began to rob and pillage. + +Julius "found" many delicacies lying about on lawns and in various +unheard-of places. His master never pressed him with rude questions when +his zeal bore such good results for their table. + +Ned Vaughan had been very much amused at an old woman who had been +driven from her home by marauders. She had piled such goods and chattels +as she could handle into an ox cart and drove past the grey battle +lines, hurrying as fast as she could Southward. Her wrinkled old face +beamed with joy at the sight of their burnished muskets and her eyes +flashed with the gleam of an Amazon as she shouted: + +"Give it to the damned rascals, boys! Give 'em one fer me--one fer me +and don't you forget it!" + +Far down the line she could be heard delivering her fierce exhortation. +The men smiled and answered her good-naturedly. The day of wrath and +death had dawned. It was too solemn an hour for boastful words. + +For two days the grand army in blue poured across the river and spread +out through the town of Fredericksburg. The fateful morning of the 13th +of December, 1862, dawned in another heavy fog. Its grey mantle of +mystery shrouded the town, clung wet and heavy to the ground in the +silent valley before the crescent-shaped hills and veiled the face of +their heights. + +Under the cover of this fog the long waves of blue spread out in the +edge of the valley and took their places in battle line. The grey men in +the brown grass on the hills crouched behind their ditches and stone +walls, gripped their guns and waited for the foe to walk into the trap +their commanders had set. + +An unseen hand slowly lifted the misty curtain and the sun burst on the +scene. The valley lay like the smooth ground of some vast arena prepared +for a pageant and back of it rose the silent hills, tier on tier like +the seats of a mighty amphitheatre. But the men crouching on those seats +were not spectators--they were the grimmest actors in the tragedy. + +For a moment it was a spectacle merely--the grandest display of the +pageantry of war ever made on a field of death. + +Franklin's division suddenly wheeled into position for its united +assault on the right. + +Ned Vaughan, from his lair on the hill, could see the officers in their +magnificent new uniforms, their swords flashing as they led their men. A +hundred thousand bayonets were gleaming in the sparkling December sun. +Magnificent horses in rich tasselled trappings were plunging and +prancing with the excitement of marching hosts, some of them keeping +time to the throb of regimental bands. + +The bands were playing now, all of them, a band for every thousand men, +the shrill scream of their bugles and the roar of their drums sending a +mighty chorus into the heavens that echoed ominously against the silent +hills. + +And flags, flags, flags, were streaming in billowy waves of red, white +and blue, as far as the eye could reach! + +"Isn't that pretty, boys!" Ned sighed admiringly. + +Tom lifted his solemn eyes from the grass. + +"Lord, Lord, look at them new warm clothes, an' my elbows a-freezin' in +this cold wind!" + +"Ain't it a picture?" + +"What a pity to spile it!" + +A ripple of admiration ran along the crouching lines as fingers softly +felt for the triggers of their guns. + +A quick order from John Vaughan's Colonel sent their battery of +artillery rattling and bounding into position. The cannoneers sprang to +their mounts. A handsome young fellow missed his foothold and fell +beneath the wheels. The big iron tire crushed his neck and the blood +from his mouth splashed into John's face. The men on the guns didn't +turn their heads to look back. Their eyes were searching the brown hills +before them. + +The long roll beat from a thousand drums, the call of the buglers rang +over the valley--and then the strange, solemn silence that comes before +the shock--the moment when cowards collapse and the brave falter. + +John Vaughan's soul rose in a fierce challenge to fate. If he died it +was well; if he lived it was the same. He had ceased to care. + +At exactly eight-thirty, General Meade hurled his division, supported by +Doubleday and Gibbon, against Jackson's weakest point, the right of the +Confederate lines. Their aim was to seize an opposing hill. The curving +lines of grey were silent until the charging hosts were well advanced in +deadly range and then the brown hills flamed and roared in front and on +their flanks. + +The blue lines were mowed down in swaths as though the giant figure of +Death had suddenly swung his scythe from the fog banks in the sky. + +Again and again came those awful volleys of musketry and artillery +cross-firing on the rushing lines. The men staggered and recovered, +reformed and charged again over the dead bodies of their comrades +carrying the crest for a moment. They captured a flag and a handful of +prisoners only to be driven back down the hill with losses more +frightful in retreat than when they breasted the storm. + +In the centre the tragedy was repeated with results even more terrible. +As the charging lines fell back, staggering, bleeding and cut to pieces, +fresh brigades threw down their knapsacks, fixed their bayonets and +charged through their own melting ranks into the jaws of Death to fall +back in their turn. + +With a mighty shout the blue line swept across the railroad, took the +ditches at the point of the bayonet and captured two hundred grey +prisoners. But only for a moment. From the supporting line rang the +rebel yell and they were hurled back, shattered and cut to pieces. +These retreats were veritable shambles of slaughter. The curved lines on +the hills raking them with their deadly accurate cross-fire. + +John Vaughan's regiment leaped to the support of the falling blue waves. + +A wounded soldier had propped himself against a stone and smiled as the +cheering men swept by. He could rest a while now. + +A battery of artillery suddenly blazed from the hill-crest and his +Colonel threw his command flat on their stomachs until the storm should +slacken. John heard the shrill deadly swish of the big shots passing two +feet above. + +He lifted his eyes to the hill and a frightened pigeon suddenly swooped +straight down toward his head. He ducked quickly, sure he had escaped a +cannon ball until the laugh of the man at his side told of his mistake. + +They rose to charge. The knapsack of the man who had laughed was struck +by a ball and a deck of cards sent flying ten feet in the air. + +"Deal me a winning hand!" John shouted. + +A shot cut the sword belt of the first lieutenant, left him uninjured, +glanced and killed the captain. The lieutenant picked up his sword, took +his captain's place and led the charge. + +Men were falling on the right and left and John Vaughan loaded and fired +with steady, dogged nerve without a scratch. + +Four times the blue billows had dashed against the hills only to fall +back in red confusion. The din and roar were indescribable. The +color-bearer of the regiment confused by conflicting orders paused and +asked for instructions. The Colonel, mistaking his act for retreat, +tore the colors from his hand and gave them to another man. The boy +burst into tears. The new color-bearer had scarcely lifted the flag +above his head when he fell. The disgraced soldier snatched the +tottering flagstaff and, lifting it on high, dashed up the hill ahead of +his line of battle. + +The men were ducking their heads low beneath the fierce hail of lead and +staggering blindly. + +John saw this boy waving his flag and shaking his fist back at the +halting line. He was not a hundred feet from the Confederate trenches. + +"Come on there!" he shouted. "Damn it, what's the matter with you?" + +Ned Vaughan and his grey men behind the little mound of red dirt were +watching this drama with flashing eyes. Beside him crouched a boy whose +early piety had marked him for the ministry. But he had wandered from +the fold in the stress of army life. Ned heard his voice now in low, +eager prayer: + +"O Lord, drive 'em back! Drive 'em back, O Lord!" + +He fired his musket down the hill and prayed harder: + +"Lord, drive 'em back! I've sinned and come short, but drive 'em, O +Lord!" + +He paused and whispered to Ned as he reached for another cartridge: + +"Are they comin' or goin'?" + +"Coming!" + +Again he prayed with fervor: + +"Drive 'em back, Lord Goddermighty, we're weak and you're strong--help +us now! Drive 'em--just this time, O Lord, and you can have me--I'll be +good!" + +He paused for breath and turned to Ned: + +"Now look!--Comin' or goin'?" + +"That follow with the flag cussin' the men has dropped----" + +"Thank God!" + +"Another's lifted it----" + +"Lord, save us!" + +"Why don't you lie down, ye damn fool," Tom shouted. "I'm huggin' the +ground so close now I don't want a piece of paper under me, and if +there's got to be a piece I don't want no writin' on it!" + +"Now look, are they comin'?" the pious boy gasped. + +Ned made no answer. His wide set eyes were staring at the man who had +caught that color-bearer in his arms and was carrying him to the rear. + +It was John Vaughan! + +His lips were moving now in silent prayer and his sword hung limp in his +hands. + +Through chattering teeth he cried: + +"Don't shoot that fellow carrying his friend down the hill, boys!" + +"They're runnin' now?" the pious one asked. + +"It isn't war--it's a massacre!" Ned sighed. + +The man of prayer leaped on the ditch bank suddenly and shook his fist +defiantly. + +"Come back here, you damned cowards!" he yelled. "Come back and we'll +whip hell out o' you!" + +Slowly the shattered regiment fell back down the bloody slope, stumbling +over their dead and wounded. The dim smoke-bound valley was a slaughter +pen. Where magnificent lines of blue had marched with flashing bayonets +and streaming banners at eight o'clock, the dead lay in mangled heaps, +and the wounded huddled among them slowly freezing to death. + +John saw a magnificent gun a heap of junk with four dead horses and +every cannoneer on the ground dead or freezing where they fell. A single +shell had done the work. Riderless horses galloped wildly over the +field, shying at the grim piles of dark blue bodies, sniffing the blood +and neighing pitifully. + +Twelve hundred men in his regiment had charged up that hill. But two +hundred and fifty came down. + +From the steeple of the Court House in Fredericksburg General Couch, in +command of the Second Corps, stood with his glasses on this frightful +scene. He whispered to Howard by his side: + +"The whole plain is covered with our men fallen and falling--I've never +seen anything like it!" + +He paused, his lips quivering as he gasped: + +"O my God! see them falling--poor fellows, falling--falling!" + +He signalled Burnside for reinforcements. + +General Sumner's division on the Union right had charged into the +deadliest trap of all. + +Down the road toward the foot of Marye's Heights his magnificent army +swept at double quick. The Confederate batteries had been specially +trained to rake this road from three directions, right, and left flank +and centre. + +Steadily, stoically the men in blue pressed into this narrow way in +silence and met the flaming torrent from three directions. Rushing on +over the bodies of their fallen comrades the thinning ranks reached the +old stone wall at the foot of the hill. General Cobb lay concealed +behind it with three thousand infantry. The low quick order ran along +his line: + +"Fire!" + +Straight into the faces of the heroic Union soldiers flashed a level +blinding flame from three thousand muskets, slaying, crushing, tearing +to pieces the proud army of an hour ago. A thousand men in blue fell in +five minutes. The ground was piled with their bodies until it was +impossible to charge over them effectively. + +For a moment a cloud of smoke pitifully drew a soft grey veil over the +awful scene while the men who were left fell back in straggling broken +groups. + +Five times the Union hosts had charged those terrible brown hills and +five times they had been rolled back in red waves of blood. + +Late in the day a fierce bitter wind was blowing from the north. There +was yet time to turn defeat into victory. The desperate Union Commander +ordered the sixth charge. + +The men in blue pulled their hats down low as if to shut out the pelting +hail of lead and iron and without a murmur charged once more into the +mouth of hell. The winds had frozen stiff the bodies of their dead. The +advancing blue lines snatched these dead men from the ground, carried +them in front, stacked them in long piles for bulwarks, and fought +behind them with the desperation of madmen. There was no escape. The +keen eyes of the Confederate Commanders had planted their right and left +flanking lines to pour death into these ranks no matter how high their +corpses were piled. The crescent hill blazed and roared with unceasing +fury. Only the darkness was kind at last. + +And then the men in blue planted the frozen bodies of their comrades +along the outer battle line as dummy sentinels, and under cover of the +night began to slip back through Fredericksburg and across the silver +mirror of the Rappahannock to their old camp, shattered, broken, +crushed. + +It was four o'clock in the morning before John Vaughan's regiment would +give up the search for their desperately wounded. Only the strongest +could endure that bitter cold. Through the long, desolate hours the +pitiful cries of the wounded men rang through the black, freezing night, +and few hands stirred to save them. A great army was fighting to save +its flags and guns and reach the shelter beyond the river. + +Amid the few flickering lanterns could be heard the greetings of friends +in subdued tones as they clasped hands: + +"Is that you, old boy?" + +"God bless you--yes--I'm glad to see you!" + +A dying man in blue was pitifully calling for water somewhere, in the +darkness in front of Ned Vaughan's ditch. He took his canteen, got a +lantern and went to find him. It might be John. If not, no matter, he +was some other fellow's brother. + +As the light fell on his drawn face Ned murmured: + +"Thank God!" + +He pressed the canteen to his lips and held his head in his lap. It was +only too plain from the steel look out of the eyes that his minutes were +numbered. He moved and turned his dying face up to Ned: + +"Why is it you always whip us, Johnny?" + +He paused for breath: + +"I wonder--every battle I've been in we've been defeated--why--why--why, +O God, why----" + +His head drooped and he was still. + +Ned wondered if some waiting loved one on the shores of eternity had +given him the answer. He wrapped him tenderly in his blanket and left +him at rest at last. + +As he turned toward his lines the unmistakable wail of a baby came +faintly through the darkness--a wee voice, the half smothered cry +sounding as if it were nestling in a mother's arms. He followed the +sound until his lantern flashed in the wild eyes of a young woman who +had fled from her home in terror during the battle and was hugging her +baby frantically in her arms. + +Ned led her gently to an officer's quarters and made her comfortable. + +The glory of war was fast fading from his imagination. A grim spectre +was slowly taking its place. + +John's shattered regiment lay down on the field with the rear guard at +four o'clock to snatch an hour's sleep, their heads pillowed on the +bodies of the dead. The cold moderated and a light mantle of snow fell +softly just before day and covered the field, the living and the dead. +When the reveille sounded at dawn, the bugler looked with awe at the +thousands of white shrouded figures and wondered which would stir at his +note. The living slowly rose as from the dead and shook their white +shrouds. Thousands lay still, cold and immovable to await the +archangel's mightier call at the last. + +Beyond the river, through the long night, Burnside, wild with anguish, +had paced the floor of his tent. Again and again he threw his arms in a +gesture of despair toward the freezing blood-stained field: + +"Oh, those men--those men over there! I'm thinking of them all the +time----" + +As the rear guard turned from the field at sunrise, John Vaughan looked +back across the valley of Death and saw the ragged brown and grey +figures shivering in the cold, as they swarmed down from the hills and +began to shake the frost from the new, warm clothes they were stripping +from the dead. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE REST HOUR + + +For two terrible days and nights Betty Winter saw the endless line of +ambulances creep from the field of Fredericksburg. Some of these men lay +on the frozen ground for forty-eight hours before relief came. Many of +the wounded might have lived but for the frightful exposure to cold +which followed the battle. They died in hundreds. + +Thousands were placed on the train for Washington and so great was the +pitiful suffering among them Betty left with the first load. There would +be more work in the hospitals there than in Burnside's camp. It would be +many a day before his shattered army could be ready again to give +battle. + +The worst trouble with it was not the bleeding gap torn through its +ranks by Lee's shot and shell. Not only was its body wounded, its soul +was crushed. Its commanding generals were divided into warring factions, +the rank and file of its stern fighting men discouraged. + +Again an epidemic of desertions broke out and ten thousand men were lost +in a single month. + +Burnside assumed the full responsibility for the disaster and asked to +be relieved of his command. The third Union General had gone down before +Lee--McClellan, Pope and Burnside. + +The President, heartsick but undismayed, called to the head of the army +the most promising general in sight, Joseph Hooker, popularly known as +"Fighting Joe Hooker." There was inspiration to the thoughtless in the +name, yet the Chief had misgivings. + +On sending him the appointment he wrote his new general a remarkable +letter: + + "GENERAL: + + "I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of + course, I have done this upon what appears to me to be sufficient + reasons; and yet I think it best for you to know that there are + some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. + + "I believe you to be a brave and skillful soldier--which of course + I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your + profession--in which you are right. You have confidence in + yourself--which is a valuable if not indispensable quality. You are + ambitious--which within reasonable bounds does good rather than + harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the + army you have taken counsel of your ambition and thwarted him as + much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, + and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. + + "I have heard in such a way as to believe of you recently saying + that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course + it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I gave you the + command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up as + dictators. + + "What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the + dictatorship. + + "The Government will support you to the utmost of its + ability--which is neither more nor less than it has done and will + do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have + aided to infuse into the army of criticising their commander and + withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall + assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor + Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army + while such a spirit prevails in it. + + "And now beware of rashness--but with energy and sleepless + vigilance go forward and give us victories." + +While Hooker lay in winter quarters reorganizing his army his picket +lines in speaking distance with those of his opponent across the river, +the President bent his strong shoulders to the task of cheering the +fainting spirits of the people. On his shaggy head was heaped the blame +of all the sorrows, the failures and the agony of the ever deepening +tragedy of war. Deeper and deeper into his rugged kindly face were cut +the lines of life and death, and darker grew the shadows through which +his sensitive lonely soul was called to walk. + +And yet, through it all, there glowed with stronger radiance the charm +of his quaint genius and his magnetic personality--tragic, homely, +gentle, humorous, honest, merciful, wise, laughable and lovable. + +He found time to run down to Hampton Roads with Gideon Welles, his loyal +Secretary of the Navy, to inspect the ships assembled there. He saw a +narrow door bound with iron. + +"What is that?" he asked sharply. + +"Oh, that is the sweat box," the Secretary replied, "used for +insubordinate seamen----" + +"Oh," the rugged giant exclaimed, "how do you work it?" + +"The man to be punished is put inside and steam heat is turned on. It +brings him to terms quickly." + +The tall figure bent curiously examining the contrivance: + +"And we apply this to thousands of brave American seamen every year?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"Let me try it and see what it's like." + +It was useless to protest. He had already taken off his tall silk hat +and there was a look of quiet determination in his hazel-grey eyes. + +He stepped quickly into the enclosure, which he found to be about three +feet in length and about the same in width. His tall figure of six feet +four was practically telescoped. + +"Close your door now and turn on the steam," he ordered. "I'll give you +the signal when I've had enough." + +The door was closed and the steam turned on. + +He stood it three minutes and gave the signal of release. + +He stepped out, stretched his long legs, and breathed deeply. He mopped +his brow and there was fire in his sombre eyes as he turned to Welles: + +"Mr. Secretary, I want every one of those things dumped into the sea. +Never again allow it to be found on a vessel flying the American flag!" + +In an hour every sailor in the harbor had heard the news. The old salts +who had felt its shame and agony lifted their caps and stood with bared +heads, cheering and crying as he passed. + +One by one, every country of Europe heard the news and the sweat box +ceased to be an instrument of discipline on every sea of the civilized +world. + +Seated at his desk in the White House, he received daily the great and +the humble, and no man or woman came and left without a patient hearing. +There were over thirty thousand cases of trial and condemnations by +court-martial every year now--only a small portion with the death +penalty attached--but all had the right to appeal. They were not slow in +finding the road to the loving heart. + +Stanton, worn out by vain protests against his pardons, sent Attorney +General Bates at last. + +The great lawyer was very stern as he faced his Chief: + +"I regret to say it, Mr. President, but you are not fit to be trusted +with the pardoning power, sir!" + +A smile played about the corner of the big kindly mouth as he glanced +over his spectacles at his Attorney General: + +"It's my private opinion, Bates, that you're just as pigeon-hearted as I +am!" + +Judge Advocate General Holt was sent to labor with him and insist that +he enforce the law imposing the death penalty. + +"Your reasons are good, Holt," he answered kindly, "but I can't promise +to do it. You see, so many of my boys have to be shot anyhow. I don't +want to add another one to that lot if I can help it----" + +He paused and went on whimsically: + +"I don't see how it's going to make a man better to shoot him, +anyhow--give them another trial." + +In spite of all Holt's protests he steadfastly refused to sanction any +death warrant against a man for cowardice under fire. "Many a man," he +calmly argued, "who honestly tries to do his duty is overcome by fear +greater than his will--I'm not at all sure how I'd act if Minie balls +were whistling and those big shells shrieking in my ears. How can a poor +man help it if his legs just carry him away?" + +All these he marked "leg cases," put them in a separate pigeon hole and +always suspended their sentence. + +He would smile gently as he filed each death warrant away: + +"It would frighten that poor devil too terribly to shoot him. They +shan't do it." + +On one he wrote: + +"Let him fight again--maybe the enemy will shoot him--I won't." + +Betty Winter came with two cases. The first was a mother to plead for +her boy sentenced to die for sleeping at his post on guard. + +"You see, sir," the mother pleaded, "he'd been on watch once that night +and had done his duty faithfully. He volunteered to take a sick +comrade's place. He was so tired he fell asleep. He was always a +big-hearted, generous boy--you won't let them shoot him?" + +"No, I won't," was the quick response. + +The mother laughed aloud through her tears and threw her arms around +Betty's neck. + +The President bent over the paper and wrote across its back: + +"Pardoned. This life is too precious to be lost." + +Betty waited until the crowd had passed out and he was alone with +Colonel Nicolay. She hurried to his desk with her second case which she +had kept outside in the corridor until the time to enter. + +A young mother walked timidly in, smiling apologetically. She carried a +three-months-old baby in her arms. She was evidently not in mourning, +though her eyes were red from weeping. + +"What's the matter now?" the President laughed, nodding to Betty. + +"Tell him," she whispered. + +"If you please, sir," the woman began timidly, "we ain't been married +but a little over a year. My husband has never seen the baby. He's in +the army. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I come down to Washington +to get a pass to take the baby to him. But they wouldn't let me have it. +I've been wandering 'round the streets all day crying till I met this +sweet young lady and she brought me to you, sir----" + +The President turned to his secretary: + +"Let's send her down!" + +The Colonel smiled and shook his head: + +"The strictest orders have been given to allow no more women to go to +the front----" + +The big gentle hand stroked the shaggy beard. + +"Well, I'll tell you what we can do," he cried joyfully, "give her +husband a leave of absence and let him come to see them here!" + +The secretary left at once for the Adjutant General's office and the +President turned to the laughing young mother, who was trying to thank +Betty through her tears: + +"And where are you stopping, Madam?" + +"Nowhere yet, sir. I went straight from the depot to the War Department +and then walked about blind with crying eyes until I came here." + +"All right then, we'll fix that. I'll give Miss Betty an order to take +you and your baby to her hospital and care for you until your husband +comes and he can stay there a week with you----" + +The mother's voice wouldn't work. She tried to speak her thanks and +could only laugh. + +The big hand pressed Betty's as she left: + +"Thank you for bringing her, little girl, things like that rest me." + +The hour was swiftly coming when he was going to need all the strength +that rest could bring body and soul. His enemies were sleepless. The +press inspired by Senator Winter had begun to strike below the belt. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +DEEPENING SHADOWS + + +Again the eyes of the Nation were fixed on the Army of the Potomac and +its new General. The President went down to his headquarters at Falmouth +Heights opposite Fredericksburg to review his army of a hundred and +thirty thousand men. + +Riding up to Hooker's headquarters through the beautiful spring morning +his weary figure was lifted with new hope as he breathed the perfume of +the flowers and blooming hedgerows. + +The driver only worried him for the moment. He was swearing eloquently +at his team in the pride of his heart at the honor of hauling the Chief +Magistrate of the Nation. He swore both plain and ornamental oaths with +equal unction. + +The President endured it a while in amused silence. He was deeply +annoyed, but too much of a gentleman to hurt his patriotic driver's +feelings. + +At last he observed: + +"I see you are an Episcopalian, driver." + +The man turned in surprise: + +"Oh, no, sir, I'm Methodist." + +"Is it possible?" + +"Yes, sir, Methodist--why, sir?" + +A whimsical smile played about the big kindly mouth: + +"I thought you must be an Episcopalian because you swear exactly like +Mr. Seward, and he's a churchwarden!" + +A deep silence fell on the sweet spring air. The driver glanced over his +shoulder with a sheepish grin, and cracked his whip without an oath: + +"G'long there, boys!" + +As the serried lines of blue, with bayonets flashing in the warming sun +of April, marched past the tall giant on horseback, they were in fine +spirits. They cheered the President with rousing enthusiasm. + +John Vaughan did not join. He marched past with eyes straight in front. + +The President hurried back to Washington to keep his vigil from his +window overlooking the Potomac, and Hooker began the execution of his +skillful plan of attack. On the day his advance began he had one hundred +and thirty thousand men and four hundred and forty-eight great guns in +seven grand divisions. Lee, still lying on the crescent hills behind +Fredericksburg, had sixty-two thousand men and one hundred and seventy +guns. He had detached Longstreet's corps for service in Tennessee. + +The Federal Commander was absolutely sure that he could throw the flower +of this magnificent army across the river seven miles above +Fredericksburg, get into Lee's rear, hurl the remainder of his forces +across the river as Burnside had done, and crush the grey army like an +egg shell. It was well planned, but in war the unexpected often happens. + +Again the unexpected thing turned up in the shape of the strange, dusty +figure on his little sorrel horse. + +The night before Hooker moved, Julius met with an accident which +delayed John's supper. He was just approaching the camp after a +successful stroll over the surrounding territory, carrying on his back a +sheep he meant to cook for the coming march. A rude and unsympathetic +guard arrested him. Julius was greatly grieved at his unkind remarks. + +"Lordy, man, you ought not ter say things lak dat ter me! I nebber steal +nutting in my life. I wasn't even foragin' dis time----" + +"The hell you weren't!" + +"Na, sah. I wasn't even foragin'. I know dat de General done issue dem +orders agin hit, an' I quit long ergo----" + +"This sheep looks like it----" + +"Dat sheep?" + +"That's what I said, you black thief!" + +"Say, man, don't talk lak dat ter me--you sho hurts my feelin's. I +nebber stole dat sheep. I nebber go atter de sheep, an' I weren't +studyin' 'bout no animals. I was des walkin' long de road past a man's +house whar dis here big, devilish-lookin' old sheep come er runnin' +right at me wid his head down--an' I lammed him wid er stick ter save my +life, sah. An' den when he fell, I knowed hit wuz er pity ter leave him +dar ter spile, an' so I des nachelly had ter fetch him inter de camp ter +save him. Man, you sho is rude ter talk dat way." + +The guard was obdurate until Julius began to describe how he cooked +roast mutton. He finally agreed to accept his version of the battle with +the sheep as authentic if he would bring him a ten pound roast to test +the truth of his conversation. + +Julius was still harping on the rudeness of this guard as he fanned the +flies off John's table with a sassafras brush at supper. + +"I don't know what dey ebber let sech poor white trash ez dat man git in +er army for, anyhow!" he exclaimed indignantly. + +"We have to take 'em as they come now, Julius. There's going to be a +draft this summer. No more volunteers now. Wait till you see the +conscripts." + +"Dey can't be no wus dan dat man. He warn't no gemman 'tall, sah." + +John rose from his hearty supper and strolled along the line of his +regiment, recruited again to its full strength of twelve hundred men. + +Two fellows who were messmates were scrapping about a question of gravy. +One wanted lots of gravy and his meat done brown. The other insisted on +having his meat decently cooked, but not swimming in grease. The man in +favor of gravy was on duty as cook at this meal and stuck to his own +ideas. They suddenly clinched, fell to the ground, rolled over, knocked +the pan in the fire and lost both meat and gravy. + +John smiled and passed on. + +A lieutenant was sitting on a stump holding a letter from his sweetheart +to the flickering camp fire. He bent and kissed the signature--the fool! +For a moment the old longing surged back through his soul. He wondered +if she ever thought of him now. She had loved him once. + +He started back to his tent to write her a letter before they broke camp +to-morrow morning. Nature was calling in the balmy spring night wind +that floated over the waters of the river. + +Nature knew naught of war. She was pouring out her heart in budding leaf +and blossom in the joy of living. + +And then the bitterness of shame and stubborn pride welled up to kill +the tender impulse. There were slumbering forces beneath the skin the +scenes through which he was passing had called into new life. They were +bringing new powers both of mind and body. They added nothing to the +gentler, sweeter sources of character. He began to understand how men +could feed their ambitions on the bodies of fallen hosts and still +smile. + +He had felt the brutalizing touch of war. With a cynical laugh he threw +off his impulse to write and turned into his blanket dreaming of the red +carnival toward which they would march at dawn. + +As the sun rose over the new sparkling fields of the South on the +morning of the 27th of April, 1863, the great movement began. + +The Federal commander ordered Sedgwick's division to cross the +Rappahannock below Fredericksburg and deploy in line of battle to +deceive Lee as to his real purpose while he secretly marched his main +army through the woods seven miles above to throw them on his rear. + +As the men stood, thousands banked on thousands, awaiting the order to +march, John Vaughan saw, for the first time, the grim procession pass +along the lines carrying a condemned deserter, to be shot to death +before his former comrades. His hands were tied across his breast with +rough knotted rope and he was seated on his coffin. + +The War Department had gotten around the tender heart in the White +House at last. The desertions had become so terrible in their frequency +it was absolutely necessary to make examples of some of these men. The +poor devil who sat forlornly on his grim throne riding through the sweet +spring morning had no mother or sister or sweetheart to plead his cause. + +The men stared in silence as the death cart rumbled along the lines. It +halted and the man took his place before the firing squad but a few feet +away. + +A white cloth was bound over his eyes. The sergeant dealt out the +specially prepared round of cartridges--all blank save one, that no +soldier might know who did the murder. + +In low tones they were ordered to fire straight at the heart of the +blindfolded figure. The muskets flashed and the man crumpled in a heap +on the soft young grass, the blood pouring from his breast in a bright +red pool beside the quivering form. + +And then the army moved. + +The stratagem of the Commander was executed with skill. But there was an +eagle eye back of those hills of Fredericksburg. Lee was not only a +great stark fighter, he was a past master in the arts of war. He had +divined his opponent's plan from the moment of his first movement. + +By April the 30th, Hooker had effected his crossing and slipped into the +rear of Lee's left wing. The Southerner had paid little attention to +Sedgwick's menace on his front. He left but nine thousand men on Marye's +Heights to hold in check this forty thousand, and by a rapid night march +suddenly confronted Hooker in the Wilderness before Chancellorsville. + +So strong was the Union General's position he issued an exultant order +to his army in which he declared: + +"The enemy must now flee shamefully or come out of his defences to +accept battle on our own ground, to his certain destruction." + +The enemy had already slipped out of his defenses before Fredericksburg +and at that moment was feeling his way through the tangled vines and +undergrowth with sure ominous tread. + +The soul of the Confederate leader rose with elation at the prospect +before him. In this tangle called the Wilderness, broken only here and +there by small, scattered farm houses and fields, the Grand Army of the +Republic had more than twice his numbers, and nearly three times as many +big guns, but his artillery would be practically useless. It was utterly +impossible to use four hundred great guns in such woods. Lee's one +hundred and seventy were more than he could handle. It would be a fight +between infantry at close range. The Southerner knew that no army of men +ever walked the earth who would be the equal, man for man, with these +grey veteran dead shots, who were now silently creeping through the +undergrowth of their native woods. + +On May the 1st, their two lines came into touch and Lee felt of his +opponent by driving in his skirmishers in a desultory fire of artillery. + +On the morning of May the 2nd, the two armies faced each other at close +range. + +With Sedgwick's division of forty thousand men now threatening Lee's +rear from Fredericksburg, his army thus caught between two mighty lines +of blue, Hooker was absolutely sure of victory. The one thing of which +he never dreamed was that Lee would dare, in the face of such a death +trap, to divide his own small army. And yet this is exactly what the +Southerner decided to do contrary to all the rules of military science +or the advice of the strange, silent figure on the little sorrel horse. + +When Lee, Jackson and Stuart rode along the lines of Hooker's front that +fatal May morning, Jackson suddenly reined in his little sorrel and +turned his keen blue eyes on his grey-haired Chief: + +"There's just one way, General Lee. The front and left are too strong. I +can swing my corps in a quick movement to the rear while you attack the +front. They will think it a retreat. Out of sight, I'll turn, march for +ten miles around their right wing, and smash it from the rear before +sundown." + +Lee quickly approved the amazing plan of his lieutenant, though it +involved the necessity of his holding Hooker's centre and left in check +and that his nine thousand men behind the stone wall on Marye's Heights +should hold Sedgwick's forty thousand. He believed it could be done +until Jackson had completed his march. + +He immediately ordered his attack on the centre and left of his enemy. +The artillery horses were cropping the tender dew-laden grass with +eagerness. They had had no breakfast. The riders sprang to their backs +at seven o'clock and they dashed into position. + +Lee's guns opened the fateful day. For hours his lines blazed with the +steady sullen boom of artillery and rattle of musketry. Hooker's hosts +replied in kind. + +At noon a shout swept the Federal lines that Lee's army was in retreat. +Sickles' division could see the long grey waves hurrying to the rear. +They were close enough to note the ragged, dirty, nondescript clothes +Jackson's men wore. No man in all the Union hosts doubted for a moment +that Lee had seen the hopelessness of his position and was hurrying to +save his little army of sixty-two thousand men from being crushed into +pulp by the jaws of a hundred and thirty thousand in two grand divisions +closing in on him. It was a reasonable supposition--always barring the +utterly unexpected--another name for Stonewall Jackson, whom they seemed +to have forgotten for the moment. + +Sickles, seeing the "retreat," sent a courier flying to Hooker, asking +for permission to follow the fugitives with his twenty thousand men. +Hooker consented, and Sickles leaped from his entrenchments and set out +in mad haste to overtake the flying columns. He got nearly ten miles in +the woods away from the battle lines before he realized that the ghostly +men in grey had made good their escape. Certainly they had disappeared +from view. + +It was five o'clock in the afternoon when Jackson's swift, silent +marchers began to draw near to the unsuspecting right wing of Hooker's +army under the command of General Howard. + +Ned Vaughan was in Jackson's skirmish line feeling the way through the +tender green foliage of the spring. The days were warm and the leaves +far advanced--the woods so dense it was impossible for picket or +skirmisher to see more than a hundred yards ahead--at some points not a +hundred feet. + +The thin, silent line suddenly swept into the little opening of a negro +cabin with garden and patch of corn. A kindly old colored woman was +standing in the doorway. + +She looked into the faces of these eager, slender Southern boys and they +were her "children." The meaning of war was real to her only when it +meant danger to those she loved. + +She ran quickly up to Ned, her eyes dancing with excitement: + +"For de Lawd's sake, honey, don't you boys go up dat road no fudder!" + +"Why, Mammy?" he asked with a smile. + +"Lordy, chile, dey's thousan's, an' thousan's er Yankees des over dat +little hill dar--dey'll kill every one er you all!" + +"I reckon not, Mammy," Ned called, hurrying on. + +She ran after him, still crying: + +"For Gawd's sake, come back here, honey--dey kill ye sho!" + +She was calling still as Ned disappeared beyond the cabin into the woods +redolent now with the blossoms of chinquepin bushes and the rich odors +of sweet shrub. + +They climbed the little ridge on whose further slope lay an open field, +and caught their first view of Howard's unsuspecting division. They +halted and sent their couriers flying with the news to Jackson. + +Ned looked on the scene with a thrill of exultation and then a sense of +deepening pity. The boys in blue had begun to bivouac for the night, +their camp fires curling through the young green leaves. The men were +seated in groups laughing, talking, joking and playing cards. The horses +were busy cropping the young grass. + +"God have mercy on them!" Ned exclaimed. + +It was nearly six o'clock before Jackson's men had all slipped silently +into position behind the dense woods on this little slope--in two long +grim battle lines, one behind the other, with columns in support, his +horse artillery with their big guns shotted and ready. + +Ned saw a slight stir in the doomed camp of blue. The men were standing +up now and looking curiously toward those dense woods. A startled flock +of quail had swept over their heads flying straight down from the lull +crest. A rabbit came scurrying from the same direction--and then +another. And then another flock of quail swirled past and pitched among +the camp fires, running and darting in terror on the ground. + +An officer drew his revolver and potted one for his supper. + +The men glanced uneasily toward the woods but could see nothing. + +"What'ell ye reckon that means?" + +"What ails the poor birds?" + +"And the rabbits?" + +They were not long in doubt. The sudden shrill note of a bugle rang from +the woods and Jackson's yelling grey lines of death swept down on their +unprotected rear. + +The first regiments in sight were blown into atoms and driven as chaff +before a whirlwind. Behind them lay twenty regiments in their trenches +pointed the wrong way. The men leaped to their guns and fought +desperately to stay the rushing torrent. Beyond them was a ragged gap of +a whole mile without a man, left bare by the chase of Sickles' division +now ten miles away. Without support the shattered lines were crushed +and crumpled and rolled back in confusion. Every regiment was cut to +pieces and pushed on top of one another, men, horses, mules, cattle, +guns, in a tangled mass of blood and death. + +Ned was sent to bring the supporting column to drive them on and on. He +mounted a horse and dashed back to the reserve line yelling his call: + +"Hurry! Hurry up, men!" + +"What's the hurry?" growled a grey coat. + +"Hurry! Hurry!" Ned shouted. "We've captured fifty pieces of artillery +and ten thousand prisoners!" + +"Then what'ell's the use er hurryin' us on er empty stomach--but we're +a-comin', honey--we're a-comin'!" + +The colonel of a regiment snatched his hat off and was getting his men +ready for the charge. He waved his hand toward Ned: + +"Make that damn-fool get out of the way. I'm going to charge. Now you +men listen--listen to me, I say! not to that fellow--listen to me!" + +Ned could hear him still talking excitedly to his eager men as he dashed +back to the battle line. + +General Hooker sat on the porch of the Chancellor House, his +headquarters. On the east there was heavy firing where his men were +attempting to carry out his orders to flank Lee's retreating army. +Sickles' and Pleasanton's cavalry were already in pursuit. By some +curious trick of the breeze or atmospheric conditions not a sound had +reached him from the direction of his right wing. A staff officer +suddenly turned his glasses to the west. + +"My God, here they come!" + +Before the astounded Commander could leap from the porch to his horse +the flying stragglers of his shattered right were pouring into +view--men, wagons, ambulances, in utter confusion. Hooker swung his old +division under General Berry into line and shouted to his veterans: + +"Forward with the bayonet!" + +The sturdy division plowed its way through the receding blue waves of +panic-stricken men and dashed into the face of the overwhelming hosts. + +Major Keenan, in command of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry, charged with +his gallant five hundred into the face of almost certain death and held +the grey lines in check until the artillery of the Third Corps was saved +and turned on the advancing Confederates. He fell at the head of his +men. + +The fighting now became a battle. It was no longer a rout. + +Ned saw a lone deaf man in blue standing bareheaded, fighting a whole +army so intent on his work he hadn't noticed that his regiment had +retreated and left him. + +Two men in grey raised their muskets and fired point blank at this man +at the same instant. The unconscious hero fell. + +"I hit him!" cried one. + +"No, I hit him!" said the other. + +And they both rushed up and tenderly offered him help. + +A grey soldier came hurrying by taking two prisoners to the rear. A +cannon ball from the rescued battery cut off his leg and he dropped +beside Ned shouting hysterically: + +"Pick me up! Pick me up! Why don't you pick me up?" + +The blue prisoner looked back in terror at the battery and started to +run. A grey soldier stopped them: + +"Here! Here! What'ell's the matter with you? Them's your own guns. What +are ye tryin' to get away from 'em for?" + +Men were falling now at every step. + +Ned had advanced a hundred yards further when the boy on his right +suddenly threw his hands over his head and his leg full to the ground, +cut off by a cannon ball, Ned leaped to his side and caught him in his +arms. A look of anguish swept his strong young face as he gasped: + +"My poor old mother! O my God, what'll she do now?" + +Ned tied his handkerchief around the mangled leg, twisted the knot, and +stayed the blood gushing from the severed arteries, and rushed back to +his desperate work. + +Four horses dashed by his side dragging through the woods a big gun to +train on the battery that was plowing through their lines. A solid shot +crashed straight through a horse's head, blinding Ned with blood and +brains. + +He threw his hand to his face and buried it in the hot quivering mass, +exclaiming: + +"My God, boys, my brains are out!" + +"You've got the biggest set I ever saw then!" the Captain said, helping +him to clear his eyes. + +A shell exploded squarely against the gun carriage, hurling it into junk +and piling all four horses on the ground. Their dying cries rang +pitifully through the smoke-wreathed woods. One horse lifted his head, +placed both fore feet on the ground and tried to rise. His hind legs +were only shreds of torn flesh. He neighed a long, quivering, +soul-piercing shriek of agony and a merciful officer drew his revolver +and killed him. + +A cannoneer lay by this horse's side with both his legs hopelessly +crushed so high in the thick flesh of the thighs there was no hope. He +was moaning horribly. He turned his eyes in agony to the officer who had +shot the horse: + +"Please, Captain--for the love of God--shoot me, too, I can't live----" + +The Captain shook his head. + +"Have mercy on me--for Jesus' sake--kill me--you were kind to my +horse--can't you do as much for me?" + +The Captain turned away in anguish. He couldn't even send for morphine. +The South had no more morphine. The blockade's iron hand was on her +hospitals now. + +Ned fought for half an hour behind a tree. Twice the bullets striking +the hark knocked pieces into his eyes. He was sure at least fifty Minie +balls struck it. + +A bald-headed Colonel rushed by at double quick leading a fresh regiment +into action to support them. The hell of battle was not so hot the +Southern soldier had lost his sense of humor. They were glad to see this +dashing old fighter and they told him so in no uncertain way. + +"Hurrah for Baldy!" + +"Sick 'em, Baldy--sick 'em----" + +"I'll bet on old man Baldy every time----" + +"Hurrah for the bald-headed man!" + +The Colonel paid no attention to their shouts. The flash of his muskets +in the deepening twilight turned the tide in their favor. The big guns +had been unlimbered and pulled back deeper into the blue lines. + +John Vaughan's line was swung to support the charge of Hooker's old +division which first halted the rush of Jackson's men. In the field +beyond the Chancellor House stood a huge straw stack. As the regiment +rushed by at double quick the Colonel spied a panic-stricken officer +crouching in terror behind the pile. + +The Colonel slapped him across the shoulders with his sword: + +"What sort of a place is this for you, sir?" + +Through chattering teeth came the trembling response: + +"W-w-hy, m-my God, do you think the bullets can come through?" + +The Colonel threw up his hands in rage and pressed on with his men. + +A wagon loaded with entrenching tools, on which sat half a dozen negroes +rattled by on its way to the rear. A solid shot plumped squarely into +the load. + +John saw picks, spades, shovels and negroes suddenly fill the air. Every +negro lit on his feet and his legs were running when he struck the +ground. They reached the tall timber before the last pick fell. + +The regiments were going into battle double quick, but they were not +going so fast they couldn't laugh. + +"Hurry up men!" the Colonel called. "Hurry up, let's get in there and +help 'em!" + +A moment more and they were in it. + +The man beside John threw up both hands and dropped with the dull, +unmistakable thud of death--the soldier who has been in battle knows the +sickening sound. + +They were thrown around the Third Corps battery to protect their guns +which had been dragged to a place more securely within the lines. Still +their gunners kept falling one by one--falling ominously at the crack of +a single gun in the woods. A Confederate sharpshooter had climbed a tree +and was picking them off. + +A tall Westerner spoke to the Colonel: + +"Let me go huntin' for him!" + +The Commander nodded and John went with him--why? He asked himself the +question before he had taken ten steps through the shadowy underbrush. +The answer was plain. He knew the truth at once. The elemental brutal +instinct of the hunter had kindled at the flash in that Westerner's eye. +It would be a hunt worth while--the game was human. + +For five minutes they crept through the bushes hiding from tree to tree +in the open spaces. They searched the tops in vain, when suddenly a +piece of white oak bark fluttered down from the sky and struck the +ground at their feet. + +The Westerner smiled at John and stood motionless: + +"Well, I'm damned!" + +They waited breathlessly, afraid to look up into the boughs of the +towering oak beneath which they were standing. + +"Don't move now!" the man from the West cried, "and I'll pot him." + +Slowly he stepped backward, softly, noiselessly, his eye fixed in the +treetop, his gun raised and finger on the trigger. + +He stopped, aimed, and fired. + +John looked up and saw the grey figure fall back from the tree trunk and +plunge downward, bounding from limb to limb and striking the ground +within ten feet of where he stood with heavy thud. The blood was gushing +in red streams from his nose and mouth. + +They turned and hurried back to their lines--another fierce attack was +being made on those guns. The men in grey charged and drove them a +hundred feet before they rallied and pushed them back with frightful +loss on both sides. + +John's Captain fell, dangerously wounded, and lay fifty feet beyond +their battle line. The dry leaves in the woods had taken fire from a +shell and the blaze was nearing the wounded men. The Westerner coolly +leaped from his position behind a tree, walked out in a hail of lead, +picked up his wounded Commander, and carried him safely to the rear. He +had just stepped back to take his stand in line by John's side when a +flying piece of shrapnel tore a hole in his side. He dropped to his +knees, sank lower to his elbow, turned his blue eyes to the darkening +sky and slowly muttered as if to himself: + +"Poor--little--wife--and--babies!" + +The night was drawing her merciful veil over the scene at last. Jackson +having crushed and mangled Hooker's right wing and rolled it back in red +defeat over five miles in two hours, was slowly feeling his way on his +last reconnaissance for the day to make his plans for the next. Through +a fatal misunderstanding he was fired on by his own men and borne from +the field fatally wounded. + +A shiver of horror thrilled the Southerners when the news of Jackson's +fall was whispered through the darkness. + +At midnight Sickles led his division back into the dense woods and for +three terrible hours the men on both sides fought as demons in the +shadows. The long lines of blazing muskets in the darkness looked like +the onward rush of a forest fire. At times two solid walls of flame +seemed to leap through the tree tops into the starlit heavens. A small +portion of the captured ground was recovered at a frightful loss--and no +man knows to this day how many gallant men in blue were shot down by +their own comrades in the darkness and confusion of that mad assault. + +Hooker sent a desperate call to Sedgwick to hurry to his relief by +carrying out his plan of sweeping Marye's Heights and falling on Lee's +rear. + +At dawn Stuart in command of Jackson's corps led the new charge on +Hooker's lines, his grey veterans shouting: + +"Remember Jackson!" + +Through the long hours of the terrible third day of May the fierce +combat of giants raged. During the morning Hooker's headquarters were +reached by the Confederate artillery and the old Chancellor House, +filled with the wounded, was knocked to pieces and set on fire. The +women and children and slaves of the Chancellor family were shivering in +its cellar while the shells were hurling its bricks and timbers in +murderous fury on the helpless wounded who lay in hundreds in the yard. +The men from both armies rushed into this hell and carried the wounded +to a place of safety. + +General Hooker was wounded and the report flew over the Federal army +that he had been killed. To allay their fears the General had himself +lifted into the saddle and rode down his lines and out of sight, when he +was taken unconscious from his horse. + +Sedgwick was fighting his way with desperation now to force Marye's +Heights and strike Lee's rear. + +Once more the stone wall blazed with death for the gallant men in blue. +They dashed themselves against it wave on wave, only to fall back in +confusion. They tried to flank it and failed. Hour after hour the mad +charges rolled against this hill and broke in deep red pools at its +base. There were but nine thousand men holding it against forty +thousand, but it was afternoon before the grey lines slowly gave way and +Sedgwick's victorious troops poured over the hill toward Lee's lines. +Hooker had asked him to appear at daylight. The long rows and mangled +heaps of the dead left on Marye's bloody slopes was sufficient answer to +all inquiries as to his delay. + +But the way was still blocked. The receding line of grey was suddenly +supported by Early's division detached from Lee's reserves. Again +Sedgwick was stopped and fought until dark. + +[Illustration: "Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of +his troops and charged."] + +As the sun was sinking over the smoke-wreathed spring-clothed trees of +the wilderness, Stuart gathered Jackson's corps for a desperate assault +on Hooker's last line of defense. Waving his plumed hat high above his +handsome bearded face, he put himself at the head of his troops and +charged, chanting with boyish enthusiasm his improvised battle song: + + "Old--Joe--Hooker, + Won't you come out o' the Wilderness! + Come out o' the Wilderness! + Come out o' the Wilderness! + + Old--Joe--Hooker-- + Come out o' the Wilderness-- + Come--come--I say!" + +The cheering grey waves swept all before them and left Lee in full +possession of Chancellorsville and the whole position the Federal army +had originally held. + +As the Confederates rolled on, driving the fiercely fighting men in blue +before them, Lee himself rode forward to encourage his men and then it +happened--the thing for which the great have fought, and longed, and +dreamed since time dawned--the spontaneous tribute of the brave to a +trusted leader. + +His victorious troops went wild at the sight of him. Above the crash and +roar of battle rose the shouts of the Southerners: + +"Hurrah for Lee!" + +"Lee!" + +"Lee!" + +From lip to lip the thrilling name leaped until the wounded and the +dying turned their eyes to see and raised their feeble voices: + +"Lee!--Lee!--Lee!" + +It was at this moment that he received the note from Jackson announcing +that he was badly wounded. With the shouts of his men ringing in his +ears, he drew his pencil and wrote across the pommel of his saddle: + + "GENERAL: I have just received your note informing me that you are + wounded. I cannot express my regret at the occurrence. Could I have + directed events, I should have chosen, for the good of the country, + to be disabled in your stead. + + "I congratulate you upon the victory which is due to your skill and + energy. + + "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + "R. E. LEE, + "GENERAL." + +It was quick, bloody work next day for the Southerner to turn and spring +on Sedgwick with the ferocity of a tiger, crush and hurl his battered +and bleeding corps back on the river. + +Under cover of a storm General Couch, in command of Hooker's army, +retreated across the Rappahannock. The blue and grey picket lines that +night were so close to each other the men could talk freely. The +Southern boys were chaffing the Northerners over their oft repeated +defeats. Through the darkness a Yankee voice drawled: + +"Ah, Johnnie, shut up--you make us tired! You're not so much as you +think you are. Swap Generals with us and we'll come over and lick hell +out of you!" + +A silence fell over the boasting ones and then the listening Yankee +heard a low voice chuckle to his comrade: + +"I'm damned if they wouldn't, too!" + +When the grey dawn broke through the storm they began to bury the dead +and care for the wounded. The awful struggle had ended at last. + +The Northern army had lost seventeen thousand men, the Southerners +thirteen thousand. + +It was a great victory for the South, but a few more such victories and +there would be none of her brave boys left to tell the story. + +John Vaughan's company had been detailed to help in cleaning the field. +The day before, on Sunday morning, they had eaten their breakfast seated +on the ground among hundreds of dead bodies whose odor poisoned the air. +It is needless to say, Julius was not present. He had kept the river +between him and the roar of contending hosts. + +The suffering of the wounded had been terrible. Some of them had fallen +on Friday, thousands on Saturday, and it was now Monday. All through the +blood-soaked tangled woods they lay groaning and dying. And everywhere +the flap of black wings. The keen-eyed vultures had seen from the sky +where they fell. + +John found a brave old farmer from Northern New York lying beside his +son. He had met them in the fight at Fredericksburg in December. + +"Well, here we are, Vaughan," the father cried feebly. "My boy's dead, +and I'll be with him soon--but it's all right--it's all right--my +country's worth it!" + +They were lying in a bright open space, where the warm sun of May had +pushed the wood violets into blossom in rich profusion. The dead boy's +head lay in a bed of blue flowers. + +Some of the bodies further on were black and charred by the flames that +had swept the woods again and again during the battles. Some of them had +been wounded men and they had been burned to death. Their twisted bodies +and the agony on their cold faces told the hideous story more plainly +than words. The odor of burning flesh still filled the air in these +black spots. + +With a start John suddenly came on the crouching figure of a Confederate +soldier kneeling behind a stump, the paper end of the cartridge was in +his teeth and his fingers still grasped the ball. He was just in the act +of tearing the paper as a bullet crashed straight through his forehead. +A dark streak of blood marked his face and clothes. His gun was in his +other hand, the muzzle in place to receive the cartridge, the body cold +and rigid in exactly the position death had called him. + +A broad-shouldered, bearded man in blue had just fallen asleep nearby. +The body was still warm, the blue eyes wide open, staring into the +leaden sky. On his breast lay an open Bible with a bloody finger mark on +the lines: + + "The Lord is my shepherd, + I shall not want + He maketh me to lie down in green pastures-- + He restoreth my soul." + +A hundred yards further lay a dead boy from his own company. The stiff +hands were still holding a picture of his sweetheart before the staring +eyes. Near him lay a boy in grey with a sweetheart's letter clasped in +his hand. They had talked and tried to cheer one another, these dying +boys--talked of those they loved in far off villages as the mists of +eternity had gathered about them. + +It was late that night before the wounded had all been moved. Through +every hour of its black watches the surgeons, with their sleeves rolled +high, their arms red, bent over their tasks, until legs and arms were +piled in ghastly heaps ten feet high. + +As John Vaughan turned from the scene where he had laid a wounded man to +wait his turn, his eye caught the look of terror on the face of a +wounded Southern boy. He was a slender little dark-haired fellow, under +sixteen, a miniature of Ned. The surgeon had just taken up his knife to +cut into the deep flesh wound for the Minie ball embedded there. John +saw the slender face go white and the terror-stricken young eyes search +the room for help. His breath came in quick gasps and he was about to +faint. + +John slipped his arm around him: + +"Just a minute, Doctor----" + +He pressed his hand and whispered: + +"Come now, little man, you're among your enemies. You've got to be +brave. Show your grit for the South. I've got a brother in your army who +looks like you. No white feather now when these Yankees can see you." + +The slender figure stiffened and his eyes flashed: + +"All right!" the sturdy lips cried. "Let him go ahead--I'm ready now!" + +John held his hand, while the knife cut through the soft young flesh and +found the lead. The grip of the slim fingers tightened, but he gave no +cry. John handed him the bullet to put in his pocket and left him +smiling his thanks. + +He began to wonder vaguely if he had lost his cook forever. Julius +should have found the regiment before this. It was just before day that +he came on him working with might and main at a job that was the last +one on earth he would have selected. + +He had been seized by a burying squad and put to work dragging corpses +to the trenches from the great piles where the wagons had dumped them. + +The black man rolled his eyes in piteous appeal to his master: + +"For Gawd's sake, Marse John, save me--dese here men won't lemme go. I +been er throwin' corpses inter dem trenches since dark. I'se most dead +frum work, let 'lone bein' scared ter death." + +"Sorry, Julius," was the quick answer, "we've all got to work at a time +like this. There's no help for it." + +Julius bent again to his horrible task. The thing that appalled him was +the way the dead men kept looking at him out of their eyes wide and +staring in the flickering light of the lanterns. + +John stood watching him thoughtfully. He had finished one pile of +bodies, dragging them by the heels one by one, and throwing them into +the trenches. He was just about to begin on the last stack when he saw +that he had left one lying a little further back in the shadows. + +Julius looked at it dubiously and scratched his head. He didn't like the +idea of going so far back in the dark, away from the light, but there +was no help for it. The guard stood with his musket scowling: + +"Get a move on you--damn you, don't stand there!" he growled. + +Julius walled his eyes at his tormentor and ran for the body. It +happened to be the sleeping form of a tired guard who had been up three +nights. The negro grabbed his legs and rushed toward the lights and the +trenches. + +He had almost reached the grave when the corpse gave a vicious kick and +yelled: + +"Here--what'ell!" + +Julius didn't stop to look or to answer. What he felt in his hands was +enough. With a yell of terror he dropped the thing and plunged straight +ahead. + +"Gawd, save me!" he gasped. + +His foot slipped on the edge of the trench and he rolled in the dark +hole. With the leap of a frightened panther he reached the solid earth +and flew, each leap a muttered prayer: + +"Save me! Lawd, save me!" + +Standing there beside the grim piles of his dead comrades John Vaughan +joined the guard in uncontrollable laughter. It was many a day before he +saw his cook again. + +The laughter suddenly stopped, and he turned from the scene with a +shudder. + +"I wonder," he muttered, "if I live through this war, whether I'll come +out of it with a soul!" + +The report from Chancellorsville drifted slowly, ominously, appallingly, +over Washington with the clouds and mists of the storm which swept up +the Potomac and shrouded the city in a grey mantle of mourning. The +White House was still. The dead were walking through its great rooms of +state. The anguished heart who watched by the window toward the hills of +Virginia saw and heard each muffled footfall. + +He walked to the table with stumbling, uncertain step at last, his face +ghastly and rigid, its color grey ashes, his deep set eyes streaming +with tears, sank helplessly into a chair, and for the first time gave +way to despair: + +"O my God! My God! what will the country say!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE MOONLIT RIVER + + +Betty Winter was quick to answer the hurry call for more nurses in the +field hospital at Chancellorsville. The results at the end of three +days' carnage had paralyzed the service. + +She left the Carver Hospital on receipt of the first cry for help and +hurried to her home to complete her preparations to leave for the front. + +Her father was at breakfast alone. + +She called her greeting from the hall, rushed to her room, packed a bag, +and quickly came down. + +She slipped her arm around his neck, bent and kissed him good-bye. He +held her a moment: + +"You must leave so early, dear?" + +"I must catch the first bout for Aquia. The news from the front is +hideous. The force there is utterly inadequate. They've asked for every +nurse that can be spared for a week. The wounded lay on the ground for +three days and nights, and hundreds of them can't be moved to +Washington. The woods took fire dozens of times and many of the poor +boys were terribly burned. The suffering, they say, is indescribable." + +The old man suddenly rose, with a fierce light flashing in his eyes: + +"Oh, the miserable blunderer in the White House--this war has been one +grim and awful succession of his mistakes!" + +Betty placed her hand on his arm in tender protest: + +"Father, dear, how can you be so unreasonable--so insanely unjust? Your +hatred of the President is a positive mania----" + +"I'm not alone in my affliction, child; Arnold is his only friend in +Congress to-day----" + +"Then it's a shame--a disgrace to the Nation. Every disaster is laid at +his door. In his big heart he is carrying the burden of millions--their +suffering, their sorrows, their despair. You blamed him at first for +trifling with the war. Now you blame him for the bloody results when the +army really fights. You ask for an effective campaign and when you get +these tragic battles you heap on his head greater curses. It isn't +right. It isn't fair. I can't understand how a man with your deep sense +of justice can be so cruelly inconsistent----" + +The Senator shook his grey head in protest: + +"There! there! dear--we won't discuss it. You're a woman and you can't +understand my point of view. We'll just agree to disagree. You like the +man in the White House. God knows he's lonely--I shouldn't begrudge him +that little consolation. His whole attitude in this war is loathsome to +me. To him the Southerners are erring brethren to be brought back as +prodigal sons in the end. To me they are criminal outlaws to be hanged +and quartered--their property confiscated, the foundations of their +society destroyed, and every trace of their States blotted from the +map----" + +"Father!" + +"Until we understand that such is the purpose of the war we can get +nowhere--accomplish nothing. But there, dear--I didn't mean to say so +much. There is always one thing about which there can be no dispute--I +love my little girl----" + +He slipped his arm about her tenderly again. + +"I'm proud of the work you're doing for our soldiers. They tell me in +the big hospital that you're an angel. I've always known it, but I'm +glad other people are beginning to find it out. In all the horrors of +this tragedy there's one ray of sunshine for me--the light that shines +from your eyes!" + +He bent and kissed her again: + +"Run now, and don't miss your boat." + +In the five swift days of tender service which followed, Betty Winter +forgot her own heartache and loneliness in the pity, pathos, and horror +of the scenes she witnessed--the drawn white faces--the charred flesh, +the scream of pain from the young, the sigh of brave men, the last +messages of love--the gasp and the solemn silences of eternity. + +When the strain of the first rush had ended and the time to follow the +lines of ambulance wagons back to Washington drew near, the old anguish +returned to torture her soul. She told herself it was all over, and yet +she knew that somewhere in that vast city of tents, stretching for miles +over the hills and valleys about Falmouth Heights, was John Vaughan. She +had put him resolutely out of her life. She said this a hundred +times--yet she was quietly rejoicing that his name was not on that black +roll of seventeen thousand. All doubt had been removed by the +announcement in the _Republican_ of his promotion to the rank of +Captain for gallantry on the field of Chancellorsville. + +She hoped that he had freed himself at last from evil associates. She +couldn't be sure--there were ugly rumors flying about the hospital of +the use of whiskey in the army. These rumors were particularly busy with +Hooker's name. + +Seated alone in the quiet moonlight before the field hospital, the balmy +air of the South which she drew in deep breaths was bringing back the +memory of another now. The pickets had been at their usual friendly +tricks of trading tobacco and coffee and exchanging newspapers. From a +Richmond paper she had just learned that Ned Vaughan had fought in Lee's +army at Chancellorsville. Somewhere beyond the silver mirror of the +Rappahannock he was with the men in grey to-night. Her heart in its +loneliness went out to him in a wave of tender sympathy. Again she lived +over the tragic hours when she had fought the battle for his life and +won at last at the risk of her own. + +A soldier saluted and handed her a piece of brown wrapping paper, neatly +folded. Its corner was turned down in the old-fashioned way of a +schoolboy's note to his sweetheart. + +She went to the light and saw with a start it was in Ned Vaughan's +handwriting. She read, with eager, sparkling eyes. + + "DEAREST: I've just seen in a Washington paper which our boys + traded for that you are here. I must see you, and to-night. I can't + wait. There will be no danger to either of us. Our pickets are on + friendly terms. I've arranged everything with some good tobacco + for your fellows. Follow the man who hands you this note to the + river. A boat will be ready for you there with one of my men to row + you across. I will be waiting for you at the old mill beside the + burned pier of the railroad bridge. + + "NED." + +Betty's heart gave a bound of joy, and in half an hour she was standing +on the shining shore of the river before the old mill. Its great wheel +was slowly turning, the water falling in broken crystals sparkling in +the moonlight. Through the windows of the brick walls peered the +black-mouthed guns trained across the water. + +She looked about timidly for a moment while the man in grey who had +rowed her over made fast his boat. + +He tipped his old slouch hat: + +"This way, Miss." + +He led her down close, to the big wheel, crossed the stream of water +which poured from its moss-covered buckets, and there, beneath an apple +tree in bloom, stood a straight, soldierly figure in the full blue +uniform of a Federal Captain, exactly as she had seen Ned Vaughan that +night in the Old Capitol Prison. + +The soldier saluted and Ned said: + +"Wait, Sergeant, at the water's edge with your boat." + +He was gone and Ned grasped both Betty's hands and kissed them tenderly: + +"My glorious little heroine! I just had to tell you again that the life +you saved is all, all yours. You are glad to see me--aren't you?" + +"I can't tell you how glad, Boy! How brown and well you look!" + +"Yes, the hard life somehow agrees with me. It's a queer thing, this +army business. It makes some men strong and clean, and others into +beasts." + +"And why did you wear that dangerous uniform, sir?" she asked, with a +smile. + +"In honor of a beautiful Yankee girl, my guest. I've not worn it since +that night, Betty, until now----" + +His voice dropped to a whisper: + +"It has been a holy thing to me, this blue uniform that cost me the life +which you gave back at the risk of your own----" + +"I was in no danger. I had powerful friends." + +"They might not have been powerful enough--but it's sacred for another +reason--as precious to me as the seamless robe for which the Roman +soldiers cast lots on Calvary--I wore it in the one glorious moment in +which I held you in my arms, dearest." + +"O Ned, Boy, you shouldn't be so foolish!" + +"I'm not. I'm sensible. I've done no more scout work since. I said that +my life was yours and I had no right to place it again in such mad +danger----" + +"And so you face death on the field!" + +"Yes, come sit here, dearest, I've made a seat for you of the broken +timbers from the bridge. We can see the moonlit river and the lazy turn +of the old wheel while we talk." + +He led her to the seat in the edge of the moonlight and Betty drew a +deep breath of joy as she drank in the beauty of the entrancing scene. +The shadows of night had hidden the scars of war. Only the tall stone +piers standing, lone sentinels in the river, marked its ravages where +the bridge had fallen. The moon had flung her sparkling silver veil over +the blood-stained world. + +"You know," Ned went on eagerly, "those big pillars won't stand there +naked long. We'll put the timbers back on them soon and run our trains +through to Washington----" + +"Sh, Ned," Betty whispered, touching his arm lightly, "be still a +moment, I want to feel this wonderful scene!" + +The air was sweet with the perfume of apple blossoms, the water from the +old wheel fell with silvery echo and ran rippling over the stones into +the river. Somewhere above the cliff a negro was playing a banjo and far +down the river, beside a little cottage torn with shot and shell, but +still standing, a mocking-bird was singing in the lilac bushes. + +The girl looked at Ned with curious tenderness, and wondered if she had +known her own heart after all--wondered if the fierce blinding passion +she had once felt for his brother had been the divine thing that links +the soul to the eternal? A strange spiritual beauty enveloped this +younger man and drew her to-night with new power. There was something +restful in its mystery. She wondered vaguely if it were possible to love +two men at the same moment. She could almost swear it were. If she had +never really loved John Vaughan at all! Why had his powerful, brutal +personality drawn her with such terrible power? Was such a force love? +It was something different from the tender charm which enveloped the +slender straight young figure by her side now. She felt this with +increasing certainty. + +Ned took her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. + +The touch of his lips sent a thrill through her heart. It was sweet to +be worshipped in this old-fashioned, foolish way. Whatever her own +feeling's might be, this was love--in its divinest flowering. It drew +her to-night with all but resistless tug. + +"May I break the silence now, dearest, to ask you something?" he said +softly. + +"Yes." + +"Haven't you realized yet that you are going to be mine?" + +"Not in the way you mean----" + +"But you are, dearest, you are!" he whispered rapturously. "You love me. +You just haven't really faced the thing yet and put it to the test in +your heart. War has separated us, that's all. But there's never been a +moment's doubt in my soul since I looked into your eyes that night in +the old prison. Their light made the cell shine with the glory of +heaven! And when you kissed me, dearest----" + +"You know why I did that, Ned," she murmured. + +"You're fooling yourself, darling! You couldn't have done what you did, +if you hadn't loved me. It came to me in a flash as I held you in my +arms and pressed you to my heart. There can be no other woman on earth +for me after that moment. I lived a life time with it. Say you'll be +mine, dearest?" + +"But I don't love you, Ned, as you love me----" + +"I don't ask it now. I can wait. The revelation will come to you at last +in the fullness of time--promise me, dearest--promise me!" + +For an hour he poured into her ears his passionate tender plea, until +the rapture of his love, the perfumed air of the spring night, and the +shimmer of moonlit waters stole into her lonely heart with resistless +charm. + +She lifted her lips to his at last and whispered: + +"Yes." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE PANIC + + +The morning after Betty returned to Carver Hospital from the front, a +mother was pouring out her heart in a burst of patriotic joy over a +wounded boy. + +She thought of the lonely figure in the White House treading the wine +press of a Nation's sorrow alone and asked the mother to go with her to +the President, meet him and repeat what she had said. She consented at +once. + +For the first time Betty failed to gain admission promptly. Mr. +Stoddard, his third Secretary, was at the door. + +"We must let him eat something, Miss Winter," he whispered. "All night +the muffled sound of his footfall came from his room. I heard it at +nine, at ten, at eleven. At midnight Stanton left his door ajar and his +steady tramp, tramp, tramp, came with heavier sound. The last thing I +heard as I left at three was the muffled beat upstairs. The guard told +me it never stopped for a moment all night." + +Betty was surprised to see his face illumined by a cheerful smile as she +entered. She gazed with awe into the deep eyes of the man whose single +word could stop the war and divide the Union. She wondered if he had +fought the Nation's battle alone with God through the night until his +prophetic vision had seen through cloud and darkness the dawn of a new +and more wonderful life. + +She spoke softly: + +"I've brought you a good mother who lost a son at Fredericksburg. She +has a message for you." + +The tall form bent reverently and pressed her hand. A wonderful smile +transfigured his rugged face as he listened: + +"God help you in your trials, Mr. President, as he has helped me in +mine----" + +"And you lost your son at Fredericksburg?" + +"Yes. It was long before I could feel reconciled. But I've been praying +for you day and night since----" + +"For me?" + +"You must be strong and courageous, and God will bring the Nation +through!" + +"You say that to me, standing beside the grave of your son?" + +"Yes, and beside the cot of my other boy who is here wounded from +Chancellorsville. I'm proud that God gave me such sons to lay on the +altar of my country. Remember, I am praying for you day and night!" + +Both big hands closed over hers and he was silent a moment. + +"It's all right then. I'll get new strength when I remember that such +mothers are praying for me." + +He pressed Betty's hand at the door: + +"Thank you, child. You bring medicine that reaches soul and body!" + +The hour of despair had passed and the President returned to his task +patient, watchful, strong. + +Daily the shadows deepened over the Nation's life. Blacker and denser +rose the clouds. Four Northern Generals had now gone down before Lee's +apparently invincible genius--McClellan, Pope, Burnside, and Hooker, and +with each fall the corpses of young men were piled higher. + +Again the clamor rose for the return of McClellan to command. This cry +was not only heard in the crushed Army of the Potomac, it was backed by +the voice of two million Democrats who had chosen the man on horseback +as their leader. + +It was for precisely this reason that McClellan could not be considered +again for command. His party had fallen under the complete control of +its Copperhead leaders who demanded the ending of the war at once and at +any sacrifice of principle or of the Union. + +The only way the President could stop desertions and prevent the actual +secession of the great Northern States of the Middle West, now under the +control of these men, was to use his arbitrary power to suspend the +civil law and put them in prison. Through the State and War Departments +he did this sorrowfully, but promptly. + +His answer to his critics was the soundest reasoning and it justified +him in the judgment of thinking men. + +"I make such arrests," he declared, "because these men are laboring to +prevent the raising of troops and encouraging desertion. Armies cannot +be maintained unless desertion shall be punished by the penalty of +death. + +"I will not shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who deserts, and refuse to +touch a wily agitator who induces him to commit the crime. To silence +the agitator and save the boy is not only Constitutional, but withal a +great mercy." + +Volunteers were no longer to be had and a draft of five hundred thousand +men had been ordered for the summer. The Democratic leaders in solid +array were threatening to resist this draft by every means in their +power, even to riot and revolution. + +The masses of the North were profoundly discouraged at the unhappy +results of the war. In thousands of patriotic loyal homes, men and women +had begun to ask themselves whether it were not cruel folly to send +their brave boys to be slaughtered. + +The prestige of the Southern army was at its highest point and its +terrible power was nowhere more gravely realized than in the North, +whose thousands of mourning homes attested its valor. + +Europe at last seemed ready to spring on the throat of America. Distinct +reports were in circulation in the Old World that the Emperor of France, +Napoleon III, intended to interfere in our affairs. On the 9th of +January, the French Government denied this. The Emperor himself, +however, sent to the President an offer of mediation so blunt and +surprising it could not be doubted that it was a veiled hint of his +purpose to intervene. Beyond a doubt he expected the Union to be +dismembered and he proposed to form an alliance between the Latin Empire +which he was founding in Mexico and the triumphant Confederate States. + +Great Britain was behind this Napoleonic adventure. Outwitted by the +President in the affair of the _Trent_, the British Government was eager +for the chance to strike the Republic. + +To cap the climax of disasters Lee was preparing to invade the North +with his victorious army. The announcement struck terror to the Northern +cities and produced a condition among them little short of panic. + +The move would be the height of audacity and yet Lee had good reasons +for believing its success possible and probable. His grey veterans were +still ragged and poorly shod. With Southern ports blockaded and no +manufacturing this was inevitable, but they had proven in two years' +test of fire Lee's proud boast: + +"There never were such men in an army before. They will go anywhere and +do anything if properly led." + +This opinion was confirmed to the President by Charles Francis Adams, a +veteran of his own Army of the Potomac, whom he summoned to the White +House for a conference. + +"I do not believe," said Adams gravely, "that any more formidable or +better organized and animated force was ever set in motion than that +which Lee is now leading toward the North. It is essentially an army of +fighters--men who individually, or in the mass, can be depended on for +any feat of arms in the power of mere mortals to accomplish. They will +blanch at no danger. Lee knows this from experience and they have full +confidence in him." + +He could not hope to enter Pennsylvania with more than sixty-five +thousand men, but his plan was reasonable. With such an army he had +hurled McClellan's hundred and ten thousand soldiers back from the gates +of Richmond and scattered them to the winds. With a less number he had +all but annihilated Pope's men and flung them back into Washington a +disorganized rabble. With thirty-seven thousand grey soldiers he had +repelled in a welter of blood McClellan's eighty-six thousand at +Antietam and retired at his leisure. With seventy thousand men he had +crushed Burnside's host of one hundred and thirteen thousand at +Fredericksburg. With sixty thousand he had just struck Hooker's grand +army of a hundred and thirty thousand men and four hundred and +thirty-eight guns, rolled it up as a scroll and thrown it across the +Rappahannock in blinding, bewildering defeat. + +From every prisoner taken at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville he knew +the Northern army was discouraged and heartsick. That he could march his +ragged men, the flower of Southern manhood, into Pennsylvania and clothe +and feed them on her boundless resources he couldn't doubt. Virginia was +swept bare, and the demoralization of Hooker's army with the profound +depression of the North left his way open. + +To say that Lee's invasion, as it rapidly developed under such +conditions, struck terror to the Capital of the Republic is to mildly +express it. The movement of his army from Culpepper in June indicated +clearly that his objective point was Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If the +Capital of the State fell, nothing could withstand the onward triumphant +rush of his army into Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. + +To meet the extraordinary danger the President called for one hundred +thousand militia for six months' emergency service from the five States +clustering around Pennsylvania. And yet as the two armies drew near to +each other, General George Meade, the new Union Commander who had +succeeded Hooker, had but one hundred and five thousand against Lee's +sixty-two thousand. So terrible had been the depression following +Chancellorsville, so rapid the desertions, so numerous the leaves of +absence, that the combined forces of the Army of the Potomac with the +State troops under the new call reached only this pitiful total. + +Lee's swift column penetrated almost to the gates of Harrisburg before +Meade's advance division of twenty-five thousand men had caught up with +his rear at Gettysburg on July 1st. + +Seeing that a battle was inevitable, Lee drew in his advance lines and +made ready for the clash. The Northern army was going into this fight +with the smallest number of men relatively which he had ever met--though +outnumbering him nearly two to one. The difference was that here the +North was defending her own soil. + +It was not surprising that on the eve of such a battle in the light of +the frightful experiences of the past two years that Washington should +be in a condition of panic. A single defeat now with Lee's victorious +army north of the Capital meant its fall, the inevitable dismemberment +of the Union, and the bankruptcy and ruin of the remaining Northern +States. + +Brave men in Congress who had fought heroically with their mouths +inveighing with bitter invective against the weak and vacillating policy +of the President in temporizing with the South were busy packing their +goods and chattels to fly at a moment's notice. + +The President realized, as no other man could, the deep tragedy of the +crisis. He sat by his window for hours, his face a grey mask, his +sorrowful eyes turned within, the deep-cut lines furrowed into his +cheeks as though burned with red hot irons. + +He was struggling desperately now to forestall the possible panic which +would follow defeat. + +He had sent once more for McClellan and in painful silence, all others +excluded from the Executive Chamber, awaited his coming. + +"You are doubtless aware, General," the President began, "that a defeat +at Gettysburg might involve the fall of the Capital and the +dismemberment of the Union?" + +"I am, sir." + +"First, I wish to speak to you with perfect frankness about some ugly +matters which have come to my ears--may I?" + +The compelling blue eyes flashed and the General spoke with an accent of +impatience: + +"Certainly." + +"A number of Secret Societies have overspread the North and Northwest, +whose purpose is to end the war at once and on any terms. I have the +best of reasons for believing that the men back of these Orders are now +in touch with the Davis Government in Richmond. I am informed that a +coterie of these conspirators, a sort of governing board, have gotten +control or may get control of the organization of your Party. I have +heard the ugly rumor that they are counting on you----" + +"Stop!" McClellan shouted. + +The General sprang to his feet, the President rose and the two men +confronted each other in a moment of tense silence. + +The compact figure of McClellan was trembling with rage--the tall man's +sombre eyes holding his with steady purpose. + +"No man can couple the word treason with my name, sir!" the General +hissed. + +"Have I done so?" + +"You are insinuating it--and I demand a retraction!" + +The President smiled genially: + +"Then I apologize for my carelessness of expression. I have never +believed you a traitor to the Union." + +"Thank you!" + +"I don't believe it now, General. That's why I've sent for you." + +"Then I suggest that you employ more caution in the use of words if this +conversation is to continue." + +"Again I apologize, General, with admiration for your manner of meeting +the ugly subject. I'm glad you feel that way--and now if you will be +seated we can talk business." + +McClellan resumed his seat with a frown and the President went on: + +"I have sent for you to ask an amazing thing----" + +"Hence the secrecy with which I am summoned?" + +"Exactly. I'm going to ask you to take my place and save the Union." + +McClellan's handsome face went white: + +"What do you mean?" + +"Exactly what I've said." + +"And your conditions?" the General asked, with a quiver in his voice. + +"They are very simple: Preside to-morrow night at a great Democratic +Union Mass Meeting in New York and boldly put yourself at the head of +the Union Democracy----" + +"And you?" + +"I will withdraw from the race." + +"What race?" + +"For the next term of the Presidency." + +"Oh----" + +"My convention is but ten months off. Yours can meet a day earlier. I +will withdraw in your favor and force my Party to endorse you. Your +election will be a certainty." + +The General lifted his hand with a curious smile: + +"You're in earnest?" + +"I was never more so. It is needless for me to say that I came into this +office with high ambitions to serve my country. My dream of glory has +gone--I have left only agony and tears----" He paused and drew a deep +breath. + +"I did want the chance," he went on wistfully, "to stay here another +term to see the sun shine again, to heal my country's wounds, and show +all my people, North, South, East, and West, that I love them! But I +can't risk this new battle, if you will agree to take my place and save +the Union. Will you preside over such a meeting?" + +"No," was the sharp, clear answer. + +"I am sorry--why?" + +"Perhaps I am already certain of that election without your assistance?" + +"Oh--I see." + +"Besides, what right have you to ask anything of me?" + +"Only the right of one who sinks all thought of himself in what he +believes to be the greater good." + +"You who, with victory in my grasp before Richmond, snatched it away! +You, who nailed me to the cross on the bloody field of Antietam with +your accursed Proclamation of Emancipation and removed me from my +command before I could win my campaign!" + +The big hand rose in kindly protest: + +"Can't you believe me, General, when I tell you, with God as my witness, +that I have never allowed a personal motive or feeling to enter into a +single appointment or removal I have made? What I've done has always +been exactly what I believed was for the best interests of the country. +Can't you believe this?" + +"No." + +"In spite of the fact that I risked the dissolution of my Cabinet and +the united opposition of my party when I restored you to command?" + +"No--you had to do it." + +"Grant then," the persuasive voice went on, "that I have treated you +unfairly, that I had personal feelings. Surely you should in this hour +of my reckoning, this hour of my Golgotha, when I climb the hill alone +and ask the man I have wronged to take my place--surely you should be +content with my humiliation? I shall not hesitate to proclaim it from +the housetop when I ask for your election. If I have wronged you, my +anguish could not be more pitifully complete! Will you do as I ask, and +assure the safety of our country?" + +"I'll do my best to save my country," was the slow, firm answer, "but in +my own way." + +The General rose, bowed stiffly and left the President standing in +sorrowful silence, his deep eyes staring into space and seeing nothing. + +On the morning of July 1st the two armies were rapidly approaching each +other, marching in parallel lines stretched over a vast distance--the +extreme wings more than forty miles apart. + +Buford, commanding the advance guard of the Union army, struck Hill's +division of the Confederates before the town of Gettysburg and the first +gun of the great battle echoed over the green hills and valleys of +Pennsylvania. + +The President caught the flash of the shock from the telegraph wires +with a sense of sickening dread. The rear guard of his army was yet +forty miles away. What might happen before they were in line God alone +could tell. He could not know, of course, that but twenty-two thousand +Confederates had reached the field and stood confronting twenty-four +thousand under John F. Reynolds, one of the ablest and bravest generals +of the Union army. + +Through every hour of this awful day he sat in the telegraph office of +the War Department and read with bated breath the news. + +The brief reports were not reassuring. The battle was raging with +unparalleled fury. At ten o'clock General Reynolds fell dead from his +horse in front of his men, and when the news was flashed to Meade he +sent Hancock forward riding at full speed to take command. + +The President read the message announcing Reynolds' death with quivering +lip. He put his big hand blindly over his heart as if about to faint. + +At three o'clock the smoke which had enveloped the battle line was +lifted by a breeze as Hancock dashed on the field. He had not arrived a +moment too soon. His superb bearing on his magnificent horse, his +shouts of confidence, his promise of heavy reinforcements, stayed the +tide of retreat and brought order out of chaos. + +The day had been won again by Lee's apparently invincible men. They had +driven the Union army from their line a mile in front of Gettysburg back +through the town and beyond it, captured the town, taken five thousand +men in blue prisoners with two generals, besides inflicting a loss of +three thousand killed and wounded, including among the dead the gallant +and popular commander, John F. Reynolds. + +When this message reached the President late at night he had eaten +nothing since breakfast. He rose from his seat in the telegraph office +and walked from the building alone in silence. His step was slow, +trance-like, and uncertain as if he were only half awake or had risen +walking in his sleep. + +He went to his bedroom, locked the door and fell on his knees in prayer. +Hour after hour he wrestled alone with God in the darkness, while his +tired army rushed through the night to plant themselves on the Heights +beyond Gettysburg, before Lee's men could be concentrated to forestall +them. + +Over and over again, through sombre eyes that streamed with tears, the +passionate cry was wrung from his heart: + +"Lord God of our fathers, have mercy on us! I have tried to make this +war yours--our cause yours--if I have sinned and come short, forgive! We +cannot endure another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. Into thy +hands, O Lord, I give our men and our country this night--save them!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +SUNSHINE AND STORM + + +When the sun rose over Gettysburg on the second day of July, the Union +army, rushing breathlessly through the night to the rescue of its +defeated advance corps, had reached the heights beyond the town. Before +Longstreet had attempted to obey Lee's command to take these hills, +General Meade's blue host had reached them and were entrenching +themselves. + +The Confederate Commander discovered that in the death of Jackson, he +had lost his right arm. + +It was one o'clock before Longstreet moved to the attack, hurling his +columns in reckless daring against these bristling heights. When +darkness drew its kindly veil over the scene, Lee's army had driven +General Sickles from his chosen position to his second line of defense +on the hill behind, gained a foothold in the famous Devil's Den at the +base of the Round Tops, broken the lines of the Union right and held +their fortifications on Culp's Hill. + +The day had been one of frightful slaughter. + +The Union losses in the two days had reached the appalling total of more +than twenty thousand men. Lee had lost fifteen thousand. + +The brilliant July moon rose and flooded this field of blood and death +with silent glory. From every nook and corner, from every shadow and +across every open space, through the hot breath of the night, came the +moans of thousands, and louder than all the long agonizing cries for +water. Many a man in grey crawled over the ragged rocks to press his +canteen to the lips of his dying enemy in blue, and many a boy in blue +did as much for the man in grey. + +Fifteen thousand wounded men lay there through the long black hours. + +At ten o'clock a wounded Christian soldier began to sing one of the old, +sweet hymns of faith, whose words have come ringing down the ages wet +with tears and winged with human hopes. In five minutes ten thousand +voices of blue and grey, some of them quivering with the agony of death, +had joined. For two hours the woods and hills rang with the songs of +these wounded men. + +All through this pitiful music the Confederates were massing their +artillery on Seminary Ridge, replacing their wounded horses and +refilling their ammunition chests. + +The Union army were burrowing like moles and planting their terrible +batteries on the brows of the hills beyond the town. + +At Lee's council of war that night Longstreet advised his withdrawal +from Gettysburg into a more favorable position in the mountains. But the +Confederate Commander, reinforced now by the arrival of Pickett's +division of fifteen thousand men and Stuart's cavalry, determined to +renew the battle. + +At the first grey streak of dawn on the 3rd the Federal guns roared +their challenge to the Confederate forces which had captured their +entrenchments on Culp's Hill. Seven terrible hours of bombardment, +charge and counter charge followed until every foot of space had claimed +its toll of dead, before the Confederates yielded the Hill. + +At noon there was an ominous lull in the battle. At one o'clock a puff +of smoke from Seminary Ridge was followed by a dull roar. The signal gun +had pealed its call of death to thousands. For two miles along the crest +of this Ridge the Confederates had planted one hundred and fifty guns. +Two miles of smoke-wreathed flame suddenly leaped from those hills in a +single fiery breath. + +The longer line of big Federal guns on Seminary Ridge were silent for a +few minutes and then answered gun for gun until the heavens were +transformed into a roaring hell of bursting, screaming, flaming shells. +For two hours the earth trembled beneath the shock of these volcanoes, +and then the two storms died slowly away and the smoke began to lift. + +An ominous sign. The grey infantry were deploying in line under Pickett +to charge the heights of Cemetery Ridge. Fifteen thousand gallant men +against an impregnable hill held by seventy thousand intrenched +soldiers, backed by the deadliest and most powerful artillery. + +They swept now into the field before the Heights, their bands playing as +if on parade--their grey ranks dressed on their colors. Down the slope +across the plain and up the hill the waves rolled, their thinning ranks +closing the wide gaps torn each moment by the fiery sleet of iron and +lead. + +A handful of them lived to reach the Union lines on those heights. +Armistead, with a hundred men, broke through and lifted his battle flag +for a moment over a Federal battery, and fell mortally wounded. + +And then the shattered grey wave broke into a spray of blood and slowly +ebbed down the hill. The battle of Gettysburg had ended. + +For the first time the blue Army of the Potomac had won a genuine +victory. It had been gained at a frightful cost, but no price was too +high to pay for such a victory. It had saved the Capital of the Nation. +The Union army had lost twenty-three thousand men, the Confederate +twenty thousand. Meade had lost seventeen of his generals, and Lee, +fourteen. + +When the thrilling news from the front reached Washington on July 4th, +the President lifted his big hands above his head and cried to the crowd +of excited men who thronged the Executive office: + +"Unto God we give all the praise!" + +None of those present knew the soul significance of that sentence as it +fell from his trembling lips. He seated himself at his desk and quickly +wrote a brief proclamation of thanks to Almighty God, which he +telegraphed to the Governor of each Union State, requesting them to +repeat it to their people. + +While the North was still quivering with joy over the turn of the tide +at Gettysburg, Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy, hurried into +the President's office and handed him a dispatch from the gunboat under +Admiral Porter coöperating with General Grant announcing the fall of +Vicksburg, the surrender of thirty-five thousand Confederate soldiers of +its garrison, and the opening of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of +Mexico. + +The President seized his hat, his dark face shining with joy: + +"I will telegraph the news to General Meade myself!" + +He stopped suddenly and threw his long arms around Welles: + +"What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious +intelligence? He is always giving us good news. I cannot tell you my joy +over this result. It is great, Mr. Welles, it is great!" + +With the eagerness of a boy he rushed to the telegraph office and sent +the message to Meade over his own signature. + +For the first time in dreary months the sun had burst for a moment +through the clouds that had hung in endless gloom over the White House. +The sorrowful eyes were shining with new hope. The President felt sure +that General Lee could never succeed in leading his shattered army back +into Virginia. He had lost twenty thousand men out of his sixty-two +thousand--while Meade was still in command of a grand army of eighty-two +thousand soldiers flushed with victory. The Potomac River was in flood +and the Confederate army was on its banks unable to recross. + +It was a moral certainty that the heroic Commander who had saved the +Capital at Gettysburg could, with his eighty-two thousand men, capture +or crush Lee's remaining force, caught in this trap by the swollen +river, and end the war. + +The men who crowded into the Executive office the day after the news of +Vicksburg, found the Chief Magistrate in high spirits. Among the cases +of deserters, court-martialed and ordered to be shot, he was surprised +to find a negro soldier bearing the remarkable name of Julius Cæsar +Thornton. John Vaughan had telegraphed the President asking his +interference with the execution of this cruel edict. + +The President was deeply interested. It was the beginning of the use of +negro troops. He had consented to their employment with reluctance, but +they were proving their worth to the army, both in battle and in the +work of garrisons. + +Julius was brought from prison for an interview with the Chief +Magistrate. + +Stanton had sternly demanded the enforcement of the strictest military +discipline as the only way to make these black troops of any real +service to the Government. He asked that an example be made of Julius by +sending him back to the army to be publicly shot before the assembled +men of his race. He was convicted of two capital offenses. He had been +caught in Washington shamelessly flaunting the uniform he had disgraced. + +Julius faced the President with an humble salute and a broad grin. The +black man liked the looks of his judge and he threw off all +embarrassment his situation had produced with the first glance at the +kindly eyes gazing at him over the rims of those spectacles. + +"Well, Julius Cæsar Thornton, this is a serious charge they have lodged +against you?" + +"Yassah, dat's what dey say." + +"You went forth like a man to fight for your country, didn't you?" + +"Na, sah!" + +"How'd you get there?" + +"Dey volunteered me, sah." + +"Volunteered you, did they?" the President laughed. + +"Yassah--dat dey did. Dey sho' volunteered me whether er no----" + +"And how did it happen?" + +"Dey done hit so quick, sah, I scacely know how dey did do hit. I was in +de war down in Virginia wid Marse John Vaughan--an' er low-lifed +Irishman on guard dar put me ter wuk er buryin' corpses. I hain't nebber +had no taste for corpses nohow, an' I didn't like de job--mo' specially, +sah, when one ob 'em come to ez I was pullin' him froo de dark ter de +grave----" + +"Come to, did he?" the President smiled. + +"Yassah--he come to all of er sudden an' kicked me! An' hit scared me +near 'bout ter death. I lit out fum dar purty quick, sah, an' go West. +An' I ain't mor'n got out dar 'fore two fellers drawed dere muskets on +me an' persuaded me ter volunteer, sah. Dey put dese here cloze on me +an' tell me dat I wuz er hero. I tell 'em dey must be some mistake 'bout +dat, but dey say no--dey know what dey wuz er doin'. Dey keep on tellin' +me dat I wuz er hero an', by golly, I 'gin ter b'lieve hit myself till +dey git me into trouble, sah." + +"You were in a battle?" + +Julius scratched his head and walled his eyes: + +"I had er little taste ob it, sah,----" + +"Well, you tried to fight, didn't you?" + +"No, sah,--I run." + +"Ran at the first fire?" + +"Yas, _sah_! An' I'd a ran sooner ef I'd er known hit wuz comin'----" + +Julius paused and broke into a jolly laugh: + +"Dey git one pop at me, sah, 'fore I seed what dey wuz doin'!" + +The President suppressed a laugh and gazed at Julius with severity: + +"That wasn't very creditable to your courage." + +"Dat ain't in my line, sah,--I'se er cook." + +"Have you no regard for your reputation?" + +"Dat ain't nuttin' ter me, sah, 'side er life!" + +"And your life is worth more than other people's?" + +"Worth er lot mo' ter me, sah." + +"I'm afraid they wouldn't have missed you, Julius, if you'd been +killed." + +"Na, sah, but I'd a sho missed myself an' dat's de pint wid me." + +The President fixed him with a comical frown: + +"It's sweet and honorable to die for one's country, Julius!" + +"Yassah--dat's what I hear--but I ain't fond er sweet things--I ain't +nebber hab no taste fer 'em, sah!" + +"Well, it looks like I'll have to let 'em have you, Julius, for an +example. I've tried to save you--but there doesn't seem to be any thing +to take hold of. Every time I grab you, you slip right through my +fingers. I reckon they'll have to shoot you----" + +The negro broke into a hearty laugh: + +"G'way fum here, Mr. President! You can't fool me, sah. I sees yer +laughin' right now way back dar in yo' eyes. You ain't gwine let 'em +shoot me. I'se too vallable a nigger fer dat. I wuz worth er thousan' +dollars 'fore de war. I sho' oughter be wuth two thousan' now. What's de +use er 'stroyin' er good piece er property lak dat? I won't be no good +ter nobody ef dey shoots me!" + +The President broke down at last, leaned back in his chair and laughed +with every muscle of his long body. Julius joined him with unction. + +When the laughter died away the tall figure bent over his desk and wrote +an order for the negro's release, and discharge from the army. + +One of the things which had brought the President his deepest joy in the +victory of Vicksburg was not the importance of the capture of the city +and the opening of the Mississippi so much as the saving of U. S. Grant +as a commanding General. + +From the capture of Fort Donelson, the eyes of the Chief Magistrate had +been fixed on this quiet fighter. And then came the disaster to his army +at Shiloh--the first day's fight a bloody and overwhelming defeat--the +second the recovery of the ground lost and the death of Albert Sydney +Johnston, his brilliant Confederate opponent. + +As a matter of fact, in its results, the battle had been a crushing +disaster to the South. But Grant had lost fourteen thousand men in the +two days' carnage and it was the first great field of death the war had +produced. McClellan had not yet met Lee before Richmond. The cry against +Grant was furious and practically universal. + +Senator Winter, representing the demands of Congress, literally stormed +the White House for weeks with the persistent and fierce demand for +Grant's removal. + +The President shook his head doggedly: + +"I can't spare this man--he fights!" + +The Senator submitted the proofs that Grant was addicted to the use of +strong drink and that he was under the influence of whiskey on the +first day of the battle of Shiloh. + +In vain Winter stormed and threatened for an hour. The President was +adamant. + +He didn't know Grant personally. But he had felt the grip of his big +personality on the men under his command and he refused to let him go. + +He turned to his tormentor at last with a quizzical look in his eye: + +"You know, Winter, that reminds me of a little story----" + +The Senator threw up both hands with a gesture of rage. He knew what the +wily diplomat was up to. + +"I won't hear it, sir," he growled. "I won't hear it. You and your +stories are sending this country to hell--it's not more than a mile from +there now!" + +The sombre eyes smiled as he slowly said: + +"I believe it _is_ just a mile from here to the Senate Chamber!" + +The Senator faced him a moment and the two men looked at each other +tense, erect, unyielding. + +"There may or may not be a grain of truth in your statements, Winter," +the quiet voice continued, "but your personal animus against Grant is +deeper. He is a Democrat married to a Southern woman, and is a +slave-holder. You can't be fair to him. I can, I must and I will. I am +the President of all the people. The Nation needs this man. I will not +allow him to be crushed. You have my last word." + +The Senator strode to the door in silence and paused: + +"But you haven't mine, sir!" + +The tall figure bowed and smiled. + +The President found the task a greater one than he had dreamed. So +furious was the popular outcry against Grant, so dogged and persistent +was the demand for his removal he was compelled to place General Halleck +in nominal command of the district in which his army was operating until +the popular furor should subside. In this way he had kept Grant as +Second in Command at the head of his army, and Vicksburg with +thirty-five thousand prisoners was the answer the silent man in the West +had sent to his champion and protector in the White House. + +The thrilling message had come at an opportune moment. The new commander +of the army of the Potomac had defeated General Lee at Gettysburg and +for an hour his name was on every lip. The President and the Nation had +taken it for granted that he would hurl his eighty-two thousand men on +Lee's army hemmed in by the impassable Potomac. + +So sure of this was Stanton that he declared to the President: + +"If a single regiment of Lee's army ever gets back into Virginia in an +organized condition it will prove that I am totally unfit to be +Secretary of War." + +Once more the impossible happened. Lee did get back into Virginia, his +army marching with quick step and undaunted spirit, ready to fight at +any moment his rear guard came in touch with Meade's advancing hosts. He +not only crossed the Potomac with his army in perfect fighting form with +every gun he carried, but with thousands of fat cattle and four thousand +prisoners of war captured on the field of Gettysburg. + +The President's day of rejoicing was brief. As Lee withdrew to his old +battle ground with his still unconquered lines of grey, the man in the +White House saw with aching heart his dream of peace fade into the +mists of even a darker night than the one through which his soul had +just passed. + +Slowly but surely the desperate South began to recover from the shock of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg and filled once more her thinning battle lines. +General Lee, sorely dissatisfied with himself for his failure to win in +Pennsylvania, tendered his resignation to the Richmond Government, +asking to be relieved by a younger and abler man. As no such man lived, +Jefferson Davis declined his resignation, and he continued his +leadership with renewed faith in his genius by every man, woman and +child in the South. + +General Meade, stung to desperation by the bitter disappointment of the +President and the people of the North, also tendered his resignation. + +For the moment the President refused to consider it, though his eyes +were fixed with growing faith on the silent figure of Grant. One more +victory from this stolid fighter and he had found the great commander +for which he had sought in vain through blood and tears for more than +two years. + +The first task to which he must turn his immediate attention was the +filling of the depleted ranks of the Northern armies. Volunteering had +ceased, the terms of the enlisted men would soon expire, and it was +absolutely necessary to enforce a draft for five hundred thousand +soldiers. + +The President had been warned by the Democratic Party, at present a +powerful and aggressive minority in Congress, that such an act of +despotism would not be tolerated by a free people. + +The President's answer was simple and to the point: + +"The South has long since adopted force to fill her ranks. If we are to +continue this war and save the Union it is absolutely necessary, and +therefore it shall be done." + +The great city of New York was the danger point. The Government had been +warned of the possibility of a revolution in the metropolis, whose +representatives in Congress had demanded the right to secede in the +beginning of the war. And yet the warning had not been taken seriously +by the War Department. No effort had been made to garrison the city +against the possibility of an armed uprising to resist the draft. +Demagogues had been haranguing the people for months, inflaming their +minds to the point of madness on the subject of this draft. + +On the night before the drawing was ordered in New York the leading +speaker had swept the crowd off their feet by the daring words with +which he closed his appeal: + +"We will resist this attempt of Black Republicans and Abolitionists to +force the children of the poor into the ranks they dare not enter. Will +you give any more of your sons to be food for vultures on the hills of +Virginia? Will you allow them to be torn from your firesides and driven +as dumb cattle into the mouths of Southern cannon? If you are slaves, +yes,----if you are freemen, no!" + +When the lottery wheel began to turn off its fatal names at the +Government Draft Office at the corner of Forty-sixth Street and Third +Avenue on the morning of July 14th, a sullen, determined mob packed the +streets in front of the building. Among them stood hundreds of women +whose husbands, sons and brothers were listed on the spinning wheel of +black fortune. + +Their voices were higher and angrier than the men's: + +"This is a rich man's war--but a poor man's fight----" + +"Yes, if you've got three hundred dollars you can hire a substitute from +the slums----" + +"But if you happen to be a working man, you can stand up and be shot for +these cowards and sneaks!" + +"Down with the draft!" + +"To hell with the hirelings and their wheel!" + +"Smash it----" + +"Burn the building!" + +A tough from the East Side waved his hand to the crowd of frenzied men +and women: + +"Come on, boys,----" + +With a single mighty impulse the mob surged toward the doors, and +through them. A sound of smashing glass, blows, curses. A man rushed +into the street holding the enrollment books above his head: + +"Here are your names, men--the list of white slaves!" + +The mob tore the sheets from his grasp and fell on them like hungry +wolves. In ten minutes the books were only scraps of paper trampled into +the filth of Third Avenue. Wherever a piece could be seen men and women +stamped and spit on it. + +They smashed the wheel and furniture into kindling wood, piled it in the +middle of the room and set fire to it. No policemen or firemen were +allowed to approach. Every officer of the law, both civil and military, +had been chased and beaten and disappeared. + +Half the block was in flames before the firemen could break through and +reach the burning buildings. + +Down the Avenue, the maddened mob swept with resistless impulse, +jelling, cursing, shouting its defiance. + +"Down with the Abolitionists!" + +"Hang Horace Greeley on a sour apple tree!" + +"To the _Tribune_ Office!" + +Howard, a reporter of the _Tribune_, was recognized: + +"Kill him!" + +"Hang him!" + +The mob seized the reporter, dragged him to a lamp post and were about +to put the rope around his neck when a blow from a cobblestone felled +him to the sidewalk, the blood trickling down his neck. + +A man bending over his body, shouted to the crowd: + +"He's dead--we'll take the body away!" + +A friend helped and they carried him into a store and saved his life. + +For three days and nights this mob burned and killed at will and fought +every officer of the law until the streets ran red with blood. They +burned the Negro Orphan Asylum, beat, killed or hanged every negro who +showed his face, sacked the home of Mayor Opdyke, at 79 Fifth Avenue, +and attempted to burn it. They smashed in the _Tribune_ building, gutted +part of it and would have reduced it to ashes but for the brave defense +put up by some of its men. + +On the third day the announcement was made that the draft was suspended. +Five thousand troops reached the city and partly succeeded in restoring +order. + +More than a thousand men had been killed and three thousand +wounded--among them many women. + +The Democratic papers now boldly demanded that the draft should be +officially suspended until its constitutionality could be tested by the +courts. The State and Municipal authorities of New York appealed to the +President to suspend the draft. + +He answered: + +"If I suspend the draft there can be no army to continue the war and the +days of the Republic are numbered. The life of the Nation is at stake." + +They begged for time, and he hesitated for a day. The victories of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg were forgotten in the grim shadow of a possible +repetition of the French Revolution on a vast scale throughout the +North. The mob had already sacked the office of the _Times_ in Troy, +broken out in Boston, and threatened Cincinnati. + +The President gave the Governor of New York his final answer by sending +an army of ten thousand veterans into the city. He planted his artillery +to sweep the streets with grape and cannister, and ordered the draft to +be immediately enforced. + +The new wheel was set up, and turned with bayonets. The mobs were +overawed and the ranks of the army were refilled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +BETWEEN THE LINES + + +Betty Winter found to her sorrow that the memory of a dead love could be +a troublesome thing. Ned Vaughan's tender and compelling passion had +been resistless in the moonlight beneath a fragrant apple tree with the +old mill wheel splashing its music at their feet. She had returned to +her cot in the hospital that night in a glow of quiet, peaceful joy. +Life's problem had been solved at last in the sweet peace of a tender +and beautiful spiritual love--the only love that could be real. + +All this was plain, while the glow of Ned's words were in her heart and +the memory of his nearness alive in the fingers and lips he had kissed. +And then to her terror came stealing back the torturing vision of his +brother. Why, why, why could she never shut out the memory of this man! + +Over and over again she repeated the angry final word: + +"He isn't worth a moment's thought!" + +And yet she kept on thinking, thinking, always in the same blind circle. +At last came the new resolution, + +"Worthy or unworthy, I've given my word to a better man and that settles +it." + +The fight had become in her inflamed imagination the struggle between +good and evil. The younger man with his chivalrous boyish ideals was +God, Love, Light. The older with his iron will, his fierce ungovernable +passion, was the Devil, Lust and Darkness. She trembled with new terror +at the discovery that there was something elemental deep within her own +life that answered the challenge of this older voice with a strange +joyous daring. + +She had just risen from her knees where she had prayed for strength to +fight and win this battle when the maid knocked on her door. She had +left the hospital and returned home for a week's rest, tottering on the +verge of a nervous collapse since her return from the meeting with Ned. + +"A letter, Miss Betty," the maid said with a smile. + +She tore the envelope with nervous dread. It bore no postmark and was +addressed in a strange hand. + +Inside was another envelope in Ned's handwriting, and around it a sheet +of paper on which was scrawled, + + "DEAR MISS WINTER: The bearer of this letter is a trusted spy of + both Governments. I have friends in Washington and in Richmond. In + Richmond I am supposed to betray the Washington Government. In + Washington it is known that I am at heart loyal to the Union, and + all my correspondence from Richmond to the Confederate agents in + Canada and the North I deliver to the President and Stanton. This + one is an exception. I happened to have met Mr. Ned. Vaughan and + like him. I deliver this letter to you unopened by any hand. I've a + sweetheart myself." + +With a cry of joy, Betty broke the seal and read Ned's message. It was +written just after the battle of Gettysburg. + + "DEAREST: I am writing to you to-night because I must--though this + may never reach you. The whole look of war has changed for me since + that wonderful hour we spent in the moonlight beside the river and + you promised me your life. It's all a pitiful tragedy now, and + love, love, love seems the only thing in all God's universe worth + while! I don't wish to kill any more. It hurts the big something + inside that's divine. I'm surprised at myself that I can't see the + issues of National life as I saw them at first. Somehow they have + become dwarfed beside the new wonder and glory that fills my heart. + And now like a poor traitor, I am praying for peace, peace at any + price. Oh, dearest, you have brought me to this. I love you so + utterly with every breath I breathe, every thought of mind and + every impulse of soul and body, how can I see aught else in the + world? + + "In every scene of these three days of horror through which we've + just passed, my thought was of you. The signal gun that called the + men to die boomed your name for me. I heard it in the din and roar + and crash of armies. The louder came the call of death, the sweeter + life seemed because life meant you. Life has taken on a new and + wonderful meaning. I love it as I never loved it before and I've + grown to hate death and I whisper it to you, my love, my own--to + hate war! I want to live now, and I'm praying, praying, praying for + peace. My mind is yet clear in its conviction of right or I could + not stay here a moment longer. But I'm longing and hoping and + wondering whether God will not show us the way out of your tragic + dilemma. + + "During the battle I found a handsome young Federal officer who had + fallen inside out lines. With his last strength he was trying to + write a message to his bride who was waiting for him behind the + Union lines. I couldn't pass by. I stopped and got his name, gave + him water and made him as comfortable as possible. I got + permission from my General while the battle raged and sent his + message with a flag of truce to his wife. She came flying to his + side at the risk of her life, got to the rear and saved him. + Perhaps I wasn't an ideal soldier in that pause in my fight. But I + had to do it, dearest. It was your sweet spirit that stopped me and + sent the white flag of love and mercy. + + "And the strangest of all the things of the war happened that + night. I spent six hours among the wounded, helping the poor boys + all I could--both blue and grey--and I suddenly ran into John at + the same pitiful work. It's curious how all the bitterness is gone + out of my heart. + + "I grabbed him and hugged him, and we both cried like two fools. We + sat down between the lines in the brilliant moonlight and talked + for an hour. I told him of you, dearest, and he wished me all the + happiness life could give, but with a queer hitch in his voice, and + after a long silence, which made me wonder if he, too, had not been + loving you in secret. I shouldn't wonder if every man who sees you + loves you. The wonder to me is they don't. + + "Our band is playing an old-fashioned Southern song that sets my + heart to beating with joyous madness again. I'm dreaming through + that song of the home I'm going to build for you somewhere in the + land of sunshine. Don't worry about me. I'm not going to die. I + know I'm immortal now. I had faith once. Now I know--because I love + you and time is too short to tell and all too short to live my + love. + + "NED." + +She read it over twice through eyes that grew dim with each foolish, +sweet extravagance. And then she went back and read for the third time +the line about John, threw herself across her bed and burst into tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +THE WHIRLWIND + + +The draft of half a million men was scarcely completed when Rosecrans' +Western army, advancing into Georgia, met with crushing defeat at +Chickamauga, "The River of Death." His shattered hosts were driven back +into Chattanooga with the loss of eighteen thousand men in a rout so +complete and stunning that Charles A. Dana, the Assistant Secretary of +War, telegraphed the President from the front that it was another "Bull +Run." + +Rosecrans himself wired that he had met with a terrible disaster. The +White House sent him words of cheer. The Confederate Commander, General +Bragg, rapidly closed in and began to lay siege to Chattanooga, and the +defeated Federal army were put on short rations. + +The President turned his eyes now from Meade and his army of the Potomac +which Lee's strategy had completely baffled and gave his first thought +to the armies of the West. He sent Sherman hurrying from the Mississippi +to Rosecrans' relief and Hooker from the East. In the place of Rosecrans +he promoted George H. Thomas, whose gallant stand had saved the army +from annihilation and won the title, "The Rock of Chickamauga." And most +important of all he placed in supreme command of the forces in Tennessee +the silent man whom his patience and faith had saved to the Nation, the +conqueror of Vicksburg--Ulysses S. Grant. + +On November the 24th and 25th, the new Commander raised the siege of +Chattanooga, and drove Bragg's army from Missionary Ridge and Lookout +Mountain back into Georgia. + +At last the President had found the man of genius for whom he had long +searched. Grant was summoned to Washington and given command of all the +armies of the United States East and West. + +The new General at once placed William Tecumseh Sherman at the head of +an army of a hundred thousand men at Chattanooga for the purpose of +reinvading Georgia, sent General Butler with forty thousand up the +Peninsula against Richmond along the line of McClellan's old march, +raised the Army of the Potomac to one hundred and forty thousand +effective fighters, took command in person and faced General Lee on the +banks of the Rapidan but a few miles from the old ground in the +Wilderness around Chancellorsville where Hooker's men had baptized the +earth in heroic blood the year before. + +Grant's army was the flower of Northern manhood and with its three +hundred and eighteen great field guns the best equipped body of fighting +men ever brought together on our continent. His baggage train was over +sixty miles long and would have stretched the entire distance to +Richmond. + +By the spring of 1864 when he reached the Rapidan Lee's army had been +recruited again to its normal strength of sixty-two thousand. + +A great religious revival swept the Southern camps during the winter +and its meetings lasted into the spring almost to the hour of the +opening guns of the Wilderness campaign. Had whispers from the Infinite +reached the souls of the ragged men in grey and told them of coming +Gethsemane and Calvary? + +Certain it is that though Lee's army were ragged and poorly fed their +courage was never higher, their faith in their Commander never more +sublime than in those beautiful spring mornings in April when they +burnished their bayonets to receive Grant's overwhelming host. + +The Chaplain of Ned Vaughan's regiment was leading a prayer meeting in +the moonlight. An earnest brother was praying fervently for more +manhood, and more courage. + +A ragged Confederate kneeling nearby didn't like the drift of his +petition and his patience gave out. He raised his head and called. + +"Say, hold on there, brother! You're getting that prayer all wrong. We +don't need no more courage--got so much now we're skeered of ourselves +sometimes. What we need is provisions. Ask the Lord to send us something +to eat. That's what we want now----" + +The leader took the interruption in good spirit and added an eloquent +request for at least one good meal a day if the Lord in his goodness and +mercy could spare it. + +No persimmon tree was ever stripped without the repetition of their old +joke. They all knew the words by heart, + +"Don't eat those persimmons--they're not good for you!" + +"I know it, man, I'm just doin' it to pucker my stomach to fit my +rations!" + +Ned was passing the door of a cabin in which a prayer meeting of +officers was being held. He was walking with his Colonel who was fond of +a sip of corn whiskey at times. He was slightly deaf. + +The leader of the meeting called from the door: + +"Won't you join us in prayer, Colonel?" + +"Thank you, no, I've just had a little!" he answered innocently. + +Ned roared and the brethren inside the cabin joined the laugh. + +No body of men of any race ever marched to death with calmer faith than +those ragged lines of grey now girding their loins for the fiercest, +bloodiest struggle in the annals of the world. + +Lee allowed Grant to cross the Rapidan unopposed and penetrate the +tangled wilds of the Wilderness. The Southerner knew that in these dense +woods the effectiveness of his opponent's superior numbers would be +vastly reduced. Longstreet's corps had not yet arrived from Gordonsville +where he had been sent to obtain food, and he must concentrate his +forces. + +The days were oppressively hot, as the men in blue tramped through the +forest aisles of the vast Virginia jungle--a maze of trees, underbrush +and dense foliage. A pall of ominous silence hung over this labyrinth of +desolation, broken only by the chirp of bluebird or the distant call of +the yellowhammer. + +Not waiting for the arrival of Longstreet on his forced march from +Gordonsville, Lee suddenly threw the half of his army on Grant's +advancing men with savage energy. Their march was halted and through +every hour of the day and far into the night the fierce conflict raged. +As darkness fell the Confederates had pushed the blue lines back, +captured four guns and a number of prisoners. + +But Longstreet had not come and Lee's army of barely forty thousand men +were in a dangerous position before Grant's legions. + +Both Generals renewed the fight at daylight. The Federals attacked Lee's +entire line with terrific force. Just as the Confederate right wing was +being crushed and rolled back in disorder, Longstreet reached the field +and threw his men into the breach. Lee himself rode to the front to lead +the charge and reëstablish his yielding lines. + +From a thousand throats rose the cry: + +"Lee to the rear!" + +"Go back, General Lee!" + +"This is no place for you!" + +"We'll settle this!" + +The men refused to move until their Commander had withdrawn. And then +with their fierce yell they charged and swept the field. + +Lee repeated the brilliant achievement of Jackson at Chancellorsville. +Longstreet was sent around Hancock's left to turn and assail his flank. +The movement was a complete success. Hancock's line was smashed and +driven back a mile to his second defenses. + +General Wadsworth at the head of his division was mortally wounded and +fell into the hands of the on-sweeping Confederates. Just as the +movement had reached the moments of its triumph which would have +crumpled Grant's army in confusion back on the banks of the river, +Longstreet fell dangerously wounded, struck down by a volley from his +own men in exactly the same way and almost in the same spot where +Jackson had fallen. General Jenkins, who was with him, was instantly +killed. + +The charging hosts were halted by the change of Commanders and the +movement failed of its big purpose, though at sunset General John B. +Gordon broke through Sedgwick's Union lines, rolled back his right +flank, drove him a mile from his entrenchments and captured six hundred +prisoners with two brigadier generals. + +The mysterious fate which had pursued the South had once more stricken +down a great commander in the moment of victory, and snatched it from +his grasp--at Shiloh, Albert Sydney Johnston; at Seven Pines, Joseph E. +Johnston; at Chancellorsville, Jackson, and now Longstreet. + +Grant in two days lost seventeen thousand six hundred and sixty-six men, +a larger number than fell under Hooker when he had retreated in despair. +Any other General than Grant, the stolid bulldog fighter, would have +retreated across the Rapidan to reorganize his bleeding lines. + +As one of his Generals rode up the following morning out of the +confusion and horror of the night, Grant, chewing on his cigar, waved +his right arm with a quick movement: + +"It's all right, Wilson; we'll fight again!" + +Next day the two armies lay in their trenches facing each other in grim +silence. Grant determined again to turn Lee's right flank and get +between him and Richmond. + +Lee divined his purpose before a single regiment had begun to march. +Spottsylvania Court House lay on his right. The Confederate Commander +hurried his advance guard to the spot and lay in wait for his opponent. + +The day of the 19th was spent by both armies in adjusting lines and +constructing breastworks. These fortifications were made by digging huge +ditches and on the top of their banks fastening heavy logs. In front of +these, abatis were made by filling the trees and cutting their limbs in +such a way that the sharp spikes projected toward the breasts of the +advancing foe. + +While placing his guns in position General Sedgwick was killed by a +sharpshooter's bullet--a commander of high character and fearless +courage and loved by every man in his army. + +On the morning of the 10th Hancock attempted to turn Lee's rear by +crossing the Po. The movement failed and he was recalled with heavy +losses under Early's assault as he recrossed the river. + +Warren led his division in a determined charge on the Confederate front +and they were mowed down in hundreds by Longstreet's men behind their +entrenchments. They reached the abatis and one man leaped on the +breastworks before they fell back in bloody confusion. General Rice was +mortally wounded in this charge. + +On the left of Warren, Colonel Emory Upton charged and broke through the +Confederate lines capturing twelve hundred prisoners, but was driven +back at last with the loss of a thousand of his men. Grant made him a +Brigadier General on the field. + +The first day at Spottsylvania ended with a loss of four thousand Union +men. Lee's losses were less than half that number. + +The 11th they paused for breath, and Grant sent his famous dispatch to +Washington: + +"I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer." + +On the morning of the 12th Hancock was ordered to charge at daylight. +Lee's lines were spread out in the shape of an enormous letter V. +Hancock's task was to capture the angle which formed the key to this +position. + +In pitch darkness under pouring rain his four divisions under Birney, +Mott, Barlow and Gibbon slipped through the mud and crept into position +within a few hundred yards of the Confederate breastworks. + +As the first streaks of dawn pierced the murky clouds, without a shot, +the solid, silent lines of blue rushed this angle and leaped into the +entrenchments before the astounded men in grey knew what had happened. + +So swift was the blow, so surprising, so overwhelming in numbers, the +angle was captured practically without a struggle and the three thousand +men within it were forced to surrender with every cannon, their muskets, +colors and two Generals. It was the most brilliant single achievement of +"Hancock the Superb." + +Pressing on, Hancock's men advanced against the second series of +trenches a half mile beyond. Here the fight really began. + +Into their faces poured a terrific volley of musketry and General John +B. Gordon led his men in a desperate charge to drive the invaders back. + +Lee, seeing the dangerous situation, rode to the front with the evident +intention of joining in this charge. + +Again the cry rang from the hearts of the men who loved him: + +"Lee to the rear!" + +They refused to move until he was led out of range of the fire. Gordon's +men charged and drove the Federal hosts back until at last they stood +against the entrenchments they had captured. Reinforcements now poured +in from both sides and the fighting became indescribable in its mad +desperation. Thousands of men in blue and men in grey fought face to +face and hand to hand. Muskets blazed in one another's eyes and blew +heads off. The dead were piled in rows four and five deep, blue and grey +locked in each other's arms. The trenches were filled with the dead and +cleared of bodies again and again to make room for the living until they +in turn were thrown out. + +Ned Vaughan saw a grey color-bearer's arm shot away at the shoulder, the +quivering flesh smeared with mud, stained with powder and filled with +the shreds of his grey sleeve--and yet, without blenching, he grasped +his colors with the other hand and swept on into the jaws of this +flaming hell at the head of his men. The rain of musketry fire against +the trees came to Ned's ears in low undertone like the rattle of myriads +of hail stones on the roof of a house. + +A grey soldier was fighting a duel to the death with a magnificently +dressed officer in blue, bare bayonet against bare sword. The soldier, +with a sudden plunge, ran his opponent through. With a shudder, Ned +looked to see if it were John. + +A company of men in blue were caught and cut off by a grey wave and +were trying to surrender. Their officers with drawn revolvers refused to +let them. + +"Shoot your officers!" a grey man shouted. In a moment every Commander +dropped and the men were marched to the rear. + +Hour after hour the flames of hell swirled in an endless whirlwind +around this "Bloody Angle." Battle line after battle line rushed in +never to return. Ned saw an oak tree two feet in diameter gnawed down by +musket balls. It fell with a crash, killing and wounding a number of +men. + +Color-bearers waved their flags in each other's faces, clinched and +fought like demons. Two soldiers, their ammunition spent, choked each +other to death on top of the entrenchment and rolled down its banks +among the torn and mangled bodies that filled the ditch. + +In the edge of this red whirlwind Ned Vaughan saw a grim man in grey +standing beside a tree using two guns. His wounded comrade loaded one +while he took deliberate aim and fired the other. With each crack of his +musket a man in blue was falling. + +In the centre of this mass of struggling maniacs the men were fighting +with gun swabs, handspikes, clubbed muskets, stones and fists. + +The night brought no rest, no pause to succor the wounded or bury the +dead. Through the black murk of the darkness they fought on and on until +at last the men who were living sank in their tracks at three o'clock +before day and neither line had given from this "Bloody Angle." + +The rain ceased to fall, the clouds lifted and the waning moon came out. + +Ned Vaughan passing over the outer field saw a long line of men lying +in regular ranks in an odd position. He turned to the Commander. + +"Why don't you move that line of battle now to make it conform to your +own?" + +"They're all dead men," was the quiet answer. "They are Georgia +soldiers." + +John Vaughan, on the other side, crossing an open space, came on a blue +battle line asleep rank on rank, skirmishers in front and battle line +behind, all asleep on their arms. There was no one near to answer a +question. They were all dead. + +The blue and grey men were talking to one another now. + +"Well, Johnnie," a Yankee called through the shadows, "I can't admit +that you're inspired of God, but after to-day I must say that you are +possessed of the devil." + +"Same to you, Yank! Your papers say we're all demoralized anyhow--so +to-morrow you oughtn't have no trouble finishin' us!" + +"Ah, shut up now, Johnnie, and go to sleep!" + +"All right, good-night, Yank, hope ye'll rest well. We'll give ye hell +at daylight!" + +For five days Grant swung his blue lines in circles of blood trying in +vain to break Lee's ranks and gave it up. He had lost at Spottsylvania +eighteen thousand more men. The stolid, silent man of iron nerves was +terribly moved by the frightful losses his gallant army had sustained. +He watched with anguish the endless lines of wagons bearing his stricken +men from the field. Lee's forces had been handled with such consummate +and terrible skill, his crushing numbers had made little impression. + +Grant was facing a new force in the world. The ordinary methods of war +which he had used with success in the West went here for nothing. The +devotion of Lee's men was a mania. Small as his army was the bulldog +fighter saw with amazement that it was practically unconquerable in a +square, hand-to-hand struggle. + +Once more he was forced to maneuver for advantage in position. He +ordered a new flank movement by the North Anna River. + +He had opened his fight with Lee on the 5th, and in two weeks he had +lost thirty-six thousand men, without gaining an inch in the execution +of his original plan of thrusting himself between the Confederate leader +and his Capital. Lee's army was apparently as terrible a fighting +machine as on the day they had met. + +A truce now followed to bury the dead and care for the wounded. So sure +had Grant been of crushing his opponent he had refused to agree to this +during the struggle. + +They found them piled six layers deep in the trenches, blue and grey, +blue and grey. Black wings were spread over the top with red beaks +tearing at eyes and lips while deep down below, yet groaned and moved +the living wounded. + +God of Love and Pity, draw the veil over the scene! No pen can tell its +story--no heart endure to hear it. + +The stop was brief. Already the cavalry were skirmishing for the next +position. + +Again the keen eye of Lee had divined his enemy's purpose. By a shorter +road his men had reached the North Anna before Grant. When the Union +leader arrived on the scene he found the position of his advance +division dangerous and quickly withdrew with the loss of two thousand +men. + +Once more he determined to turn Lee's flank and hurled his army toward +Cold Harbor. This time he reached his chosen ground before his opponent +and on the 31st, Sheridan's cavalry took possession of the place. The +two armies had rushed for this point in waving parallel lines, flashing +at each other death-dealing volleys as they touched. + +Both armies immediately began to entrench in their chosen positions. +Lee, familiar with his ground, had chosen his position with consummate +skill. On June the 1st, the preliminary attack was made at six o'clock +in the afternoon. It was short and bloody. The Northern division under +Smith and Wright charged and lost two thousand two hundred men in an +hour. + +Again Lee had placed his guns and infantry in a fiery crescent on the +hills arranged to catch both flanks and front of an advancing army. + +Grant's soldiers knew that grim work had been cut out for them on that +fatal morning the third day of June. As John Vaughan walked along the +lines the night before he saw thousands of silent men busy with their +needle and thread sewing their names on their underclothing. + +The hot, close weather of the preceding days had ended in a grateful +rain at five o'clock, which continued through the night and brought the +tired, suffering men gracious relief. + +Grant decided to assault the whole Confederate front and gave his orders +for the attack at the first streak of dawn at four-thirty. + +The charging blue hosts literally walked into the crater of a volcano +flaming in their faces and pouring tons of steel and lead into their +stricken flanks. Nothing like it had ever before been seen in the +history of war. + +_Ten thousand men in blue fell in twenty minutes!_ + +The battle was practically over at half past seven o'clock. + +General Smith received an order from Meade to renew the assault and +flatly refused. + +The scene which followed has no parallel in the records of human +suffering. Its horror is inconceivable and unthinkable. Through the +summer nights the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying rose in +pitiful endless waves. And no hand was lifted to save. For three days +they lay begging for water, groaning and dying where they had fallen. It +was certain death to venture in that storm-swept space. Only a few brave +men fought their way through to rescue a fallen comrade. + +It was not until the 7th that a truce was arranged to clear this shamble +and then every man in blue was dead save two. Everywhere blood, blood, +blood in dark slippery pools--dead horses--dead men--smashed guns, legs, +arms, torn and mangled pieces of bodies--the earth plowed with shot and +shell. + +Thirty days had passed since Grant met Lee in the tangled Wilderness and +the Northern army had lost sixty thousand men, two thousand a day. + +It is small wonder that he decided not to try longer "to fight it out on +that line." + +Lee had put out of combat as many men for his opponent as he had under +his command at any time and his army with the reinforcements he had +received was now as strong as the day he met Grant. + +For twelve days the two armies lay in their entrenchments on this field +of death while the Federal Commander arranged a new plan of campaign. +The sharpshooting was incessant. No man in all the line of blue could +stand erect and live an instant. Soldiers whose time of service had +expired and were ordered home, had to crawl on their hands and knees +through the trenches to the rear. + +The new Commander, on whose genius the President and the people had +planted their brightest hopes, had just reached the spot where McClellan +stood in June, 1862. And he might have gotten there by the James under +cover of his gunboats without the loss of a single life. + +Again John Vaughan's memory turned to McClellan with desperate +bitterness. The longer he brooded over the hideous scenes of the past +month, the higher rose his blind rage against the President. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +THE BROTHERS MEET + + +When Julius, who had returned to John Vaughan's service, saw those piles +of dead men on the field of Cold Harbor he lost faith in the Union +Cause. He made up his mind that the past month's work had more than paid +for that letter to the President and he took to the woods on his own +hook. + +He lay down to sleep the night he deserted in a clump of trees near the +Confederate outposts and rested his head on a pillow of pine straw. When +he waked in the morning at dawn he felt something tickle his nose. He +cautiously reached one hand up to see what it was and felt a lock of +hair. He rose slowly, fearing to look till he had gained his feet. He +turned his eyes at last and saw that he had been sleeping on a dead +man's head protruding through the shallow dirt and pine straw that had +been hastily thrown over it the first day of the battle. + +With a yell of terror he started on a run for his life. + +He never stopped until he had flanked Lee's army by a wide swing, made +his way to the rear and joined the Confederacy. + +Grant had now changed his plan of campaign. He determined to capture +Petersburg by a _coup_ and cut the communication of Lee and Richmond +with the South. The _coup_ failed. The ragged remnants of Lee's army +which had been left there to defend it, held the trenches until +reinforcements arrived. + +He determined to take it by a resistless concerted assault. On the 16th +he threw three of his army corps on Beauregard's thin lines before +Petersburg, capturing four redoubts. At daylight, on the 17th, he again +hurled his men on Beauregard and drove his men out of his first line of +defense. All day the defenders held their second line, though Grant's +crack divisions poured out their blood like water. As night fell the +dead were once more piled high on the Federal front and the Confederate +dead filled the trenches. + +As the third day dawned the fierce, assault was renewed, but Lee had +brought up Anderson's Corps with Kershaw and Field's division and the +blue waves broke against the impregnable grey ranks and rolled back, +leaving the dead in dark heaps. + +As the shadows of night fell, Grant withdrew his shattered lines to +their trenches. + +_He had lost ten thousand five hundred more men and had failed._ + +He began to burrow his fortifications into the earth around Petersburg +and try by siege what had been found impossible by assault. Further and +further crept his blue lines with pick and axe and spade and shovel, +digging, burrowing, piling their dirt and timbers. Before each blue +rampart silently grew one in grey until the two siege lines stretched +for thirty-seven miles in bristling, flaming semicircle covering both +Richmond and Petersburg. + +Again Grant planned a _coup_. He chose the role of the fox this time +instead of the lion. He selected the key of Lee's long lines of defense +and set a regiment of Pennsylvania miners to work digging a tunnel under +the Confederate fort known as "Elliot's Salient," which stood but two +hundred yards in front of Burnside's corps. + +The tunnel was finished, the mine ready, the fuses set, and eight +thousand pounds of powder planted in the earth beneath the unsuspecting +Confederates. + +Hancock's division with Sheridan's cavalry were sent to make a +demonstration against Richmond and draw Lee's main army to its defense. +The ruse was partly successful. There were but eighteen thousand behind +the defenses of Petersburg on the dark night when Grant massed fifty +thousand picked men before the doomed fort. The pioneers with their axes +cleared the abatis and opened the way for the charging hosts. Heavy guns +and mortars were planted to sweep the open space beyond the Salient and +beat back any attempted counter charge. + +The time set for the explosion was just before dawn. The fuse was lit +and fifty thousand men stood gripping their guns, waiting for the shock. +A quarter of an hour passed and nothing happened. An ominous silence +brooded over the dawning sky. The only sounds heard were the twitter of +waking birds in the trees and hedgerows. The fuse had failed. Two heroic +men crawled into the tunnel and found it had spluttered out in a damp +spot but fifty feet from the powder. It required an hour to secure and +plant a new fuse. Day had dawned. Just in front of John Vaughan's +regiment a Confederate spy was caught. He could hear every word of the +pitiful tragedy. + +He was a handsome, brown-eyed youngster of eighteen. + +He glanced pathetically toward the doomed fort, and shook his head: + +"Fifteen minutes more and I'd have saved you, boys!" + +He turned then to the executioners: + +"May I have just a minute to pray?" + +"Yes." + +He knelt and lifted his head, the fine young lips moving in silence as +the first rays of the rising sun flooded the scene with splendor. + +"May I write just a word to my mother and to my sweetheart?" he asked +with a smile. "They're just over there in Petersburg." + +"Yes." + +They gave him a piece of paper and he wrote his last words of love, and +in a moment was swinging from the limb of a tree. Only a few of the more +thoughtful men paid any attention. It was nothing. Such things happened +every day. God only kept the records. + +The new fuse was set and lighted. The minutes seemed hours as the men +waited breathlessly. With a dull muffled roar from the centre of the +earth beneath their very feet the fort rose two hundred feet straight +into the sky, driven by a tower of flame that stood stark and red in the +heavens. And then with blinding crash the mighty column of earth, guns, +timbers and three hundred grey bodies sank into the yawning crater. The +pit was sixty-five feet wide and three hundred feet long. + +The explosion had been a complete success. The undermined fort had been +wiped from the landscape. A great gap opened in Lee's lines marked by +the grave of three hundred of his men. + +Burnside's division rushed into the crater and climbed through the +breach. His men were met promptly by Ransom's brigade of North +Carolinians and held. The Union support became entangled in the hole, +stumbled and fell in confusion. + +General Mahone's brigades hastily called, rushed into position, and a +general Confederate charge was ordered. In silence, their arms trailing +by their sides, they quickly crossed the open space and fell like demons +on the confused blue lines which were driven back into the crater and +slaughtered like sheep. The Confederate guns were trained on this +yawning pit whose edges now bristled with flaming muskets. Regiment +after regiment of blue were hurled into this hell hole to be torn and +cut to pieces. + +A division of negro troops were hurried in and the sight of them drove +the Southerners to desperation. It took but a moment's grim charge to +hurl these black regiments back into the pit on the bodies of their +fallen white comrades. The crater became a butcher's shambles. + +When the smoke cleared four thousand more of Grant's men lay dead and +wounded in the grave in which had been buried three hundred grey +defenders. + +Lee's losses were less than one third as many. Grant asked for a truce +to bury his dead and from five until nine next morning there was no +firing along the grim lines of siege for the first time since the day +Petersburg had been invested. + +So confident now was Lee that he could hold his position against any +assault his powerful opponent could make, he detached Jubal Early with +twenty thousand men and sent him through the Shenandoah Valley to strike +Washington. + +Grant was compelled to send Sheridan after him. In the meantime he +determined to take advantage of Lee's reduced strength and cut the +Weldon railroad over which were coming all supplies from the South. + +Warren's corps was sent on this important mission. His attack failed and +he was driven back with a loss of three thousand men. He entrenched +himself and called for reinforcements. Hancock's famous corps was +hurried to the assistance of Warren. + +John Vaughan's regiment was now attached to Hancock's army. As they were +strapping on their knapsacks for this march, to his amazement Julius +suddenly appeared, grinning and bustling about as if he had never +strayed from the fold. His clothes were in shreds and tatters. + +"Where have you been all this time, nigger?" John asked. + +"Who, me?" + +"And where'd you get that new suit of clothes?" + +"Well, I'm gwine tell ye Gawd's truf, Marse John. Atter dat Cold Harbor +business I lit out fur de odder side. I wuz gittin' 'long very well dar +wid General Elliot in de Confederacy when all of er sudden somfin' +busted an' blowed me clean back inter de Union. An' here I is--yassah. +An' I'se gwine ter stick by you now. 'Pears lak de ain't no res' fur de +weary no whar." + +John was glad to have his enterprising cook once more and received the +traitor philosophically. + +Lee threw A. P. Hill's corps between Warren and Hancock's advancing +division. Hancock entrenched himself along-the railroad which he was +destroying. + +Hill trained his artillery on these trenches and charged them with swift +desperation late in the afternoon. The Union lines were broken and +crushed and the men fled in panic. In vain "Hancock the Superb," who had +seen his soldiers fall but never fail, tried to rally them. In agony he +witnessed their utter rout. His trenches were taken, his guns captured +and turned in a storm of death on his fleeing men. He lost twelve stands +of colors, nine big guns and twenty-five hundred men. + +As the darkness fell General Nelson A. Miles succeeded in rallying a new +line and stayed the panic by a desperate countercharge. + +Once more the grapple was hand to hand, man to man, in the darkness. +John Vaughan had fired the last load, save one, from his revolver, and +sword in hand, was cheering his men in a mad effort to regain their lost +entrenchments. Blue and grey were mixed in black confusion. Only by the +light of flashing guns could friend be distinguished from foe. A musket +flamed near his face and through the deep darkness which followed a +sword thrust pierced his side. He sprang back with an oath and clinched +with his antagonist, feeling for his throat in silence. For a minute +they wheeled struggled and fought in desperation, stumbling over +underbrush, slipping to their knees and rising. Every instinct of the +fighting brute in man was up now and the battle was to the death for +one--perhaps both. + +John succeeded at last in releasing his right hand and drawing his +revolver. His enemy sprang back at the same moment and through the +darkness again came the sword into his breast. He felt the blood +following the blade as it was snatched away, raised his revolver and +fired his last shot squarely at his foe. The muzzle was less than two +feet from his face and in the flash he saw Ned's look of horror, both +brothers recognizing each other in the same instant. + +"John--my God, it's you!" + +"Yes--yes--and it's you--God have mercy if I've killed you!" + +In a moment the older brother had caught Ned's sinking body and lowered +it gently on the leaves. + +"It's all right, John, old man," he gasped. "If I had to die it's just +as well by your hand. It's war--it's hell--all hell--anyhow--what's the +difference----" + +"But you mustn't die, Boy!" John whispered fiercely. "You mustn't, I +tell you!" + +"I didn't want to die," Ned sighed. "Life +was--just--becoming--real--beautiful--wonderful----" + +He stopped and drew a deep breath. + +John bent lower and Ned's arm slipped toward his neck and his fingers +touched the warm blood soaking his clothes. + +"I'm--afraid--I--got--you,--too,--John----" + +"No, I'm all right--brace up, Boy. Pull that devil will of yours +together--we've both got it--and live!" + +The younger man's head had sunk on his brother's blood-stained breast. + +"Now, look here, Ned, old man--this'll never do--don't--don't--give up!" + +The answer came faint and low: + +"Tell--Betty--when--you--see--her--that--with--my--last--breath--I--spoke +--her--name--her--face--lights--the--dark--way----" + +"You're going, Ned?" + +"Yes----" + +"Say you forgive me!" + +"There's--nothing--to--forgive--it's--all--right--John--good-bye----" + +The voice stopped. The battle had ceased. The woods were still. The +older brother could feel the slow rising and falling of the strong young +chest as if the muscles in the glory of their perfect life refused to +hear the call of Death. + +He bent in the darkness and kissed the trembling lips and they, too, +were still. He drew himself against the trunk of a tree and through the +beautiful summer night held the body of his dead brother in his arms. + +His fevered eyes were opened at last and he saw war as it is for the +first time. It had meant nothing before this reckoning of the dead and +wounded after battle--sixty thousand men from the Rapidan to Cold Harbor +in thirty days--ten thousand five hundred in the futile dash against +Petersburg--four thousand in the crater--five thousand five hundred more +now on this torn, twisted railroad, and all a failure--not an inch of +ground gained. + +These torn and mangled bundles of red rags he had watched the men dump +into trenches and cover with dirt had meant nothing real. They were only +loathsome things to be hidden from sight before the bugles called the +army to move. + +Now he saw a vision. Over every dark bundle on those blood-soaked fields +bent a brother, a father, a mother, a sister or sweetheart. He heard +their cries of anguish until all other sounds were dumb. + +The heaps of amputated legs and arms he had seen so often without a sigh +were bathed now in tears. The surgeons with their hands and arms and +clothes soaked with red--he saw them with the eyes of love--scene on +scene in hideous review--the young officer at Cold Harbor whose leg they +were cutting off without the use of chloroform, his face convulsed, his +jaws locked as the knife crashed through nerve and sinew, muscle and +artery. And those saws gnawing through bones--God in heaven, he could +hear them all now--they were cutting and tearing those he loved. + +He heard their terrible orders with new ears. For the first time he +realized what they meant. + +"Give them the bayonet now----" + +The low, savage, subdued tones of the officer had once thrilled his +soul. The memory sickened him. + +He could hear the impassioned speech of the Colonel as the men lay flat +on their faces in the grass--the click of bayonets in their places--the +look on the faces of the men eager, fierce, intense, as they sprang to +their feet at the call: + +"Charge!" + +And the fight. A big, broad-shouldered brute is trying to bayonet a boy +of fifteen. The boy's slim hand grips the steel with an expression of +mingled rage and terror. He holds on with grim fury. A comrade rushes to +his rescue. His bayonet misses the upper body of the strong man and +crashes hard against his hip bone. The man with his strength seizes the +gun, snatches it from his bleeding thigh and swings it over his head to +brain his new antagonist, when the first boy, with a savage laugh, +plunges his bayonet through the strong man's heart and he falls with a +dull crash, breaking the steel from the musket's muzzle and lies +quivering, with the blood-spouting point protruding from his side. He +understood now--these were not soldiers obeying orders--they were +fathers and brothers and playmates, killing and maiming and tearing each +other to pieces. + +Lord God of Love and Mercy, the pity and horror of it all! + +It was one o'clock before Julius, searching the field with a lantern, +came on him huddled against the tree with Ned's body still in his arms, +staring into the dead face. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +LOVE'S PLEDGE + + +Again Betty Winter found in her work relief from despair. She had hoped +for peace in the beauty and tenderness of Ned's chivalrous devotion. Yet +his one letter reporting the meeting had revealed her mistake. The +moment she had read his confession the impulse to scream her protest to +John was all but resistless. She had tried in vain to find a way of +writing to Ned to tell him that she had deceived him and herself, and +ask his forgiveness. + +It was impossible to write to John under such conditions and she had +suffered in silence. And then the wounded began to pour into Washington +from Grant's front. The like of that procession of ambulances from the +landing on Sixth Street to the hospitals on the hills back of the city +had never been seen. The wounded men were brought on swift steamers from +Aquia Creek. Floors and decks were covered with mattresses on which they +lay as thickly as they could be placed. As the wounded died on the way +they were moved to the bow and their faces covered. + +At the landing tender hands were lifting them into the ambulances which +slowly moved out in one line to the hospitals and back in a circle by +another. These ambulances stretched in tragic, unbroken procession for +three miles and never ceased to move on and on in an endless circle for +three days and nights. + +In an agony of anxiety Betty asked to be transferred to the landing that +she might watch them fill the wagons. Her soul was oppressed with the +certainty that John Vaughan would be found in one of them. + +On the morning of the third day they were still coming in never-ending +streams from the steamer decks. She wrung her hands in a moment of +despair: + +"Merciful God! Are they bringing back Grant's whole army?" + +The patience of these suffering men was sublime. Only a sigh from one +who would rise no more. Only a groan here and there from parched lips +that asked for water. + +At last came the ominous news for which she had watched and waited with +sickening forebodings. The _Republican_ printed the name of Captain John +Vaughan among the wounded in the fight of Warren and Hancock's corps +over the Weldon Railroad. There were only two thousand wounded men sent +in on the steamers from the front after this battle, and they arrived at +night. + +Betty hurried to the landing and found that the ambulances had begun to +move. She searched every face in vain, and when the last stretcher had +passed out walked with trembling steps and scanned each silent covered +face in the bow. + +"Thank God," she murmured, "he's not there!" + +She must begin now the patient search among the eighty thousand sick and +wounded men in the city of sorrows on the hills. + +She secured a hack and tried to reach the head of the procession and +find the destination of the first wagons that had left before her +arrival. + +It was after midnight. A thunder storm suddenly rolled its dense clouds +over the city and smothered the street lamps in a pall of darkness. The +rain burst with a flash of lightning and poured in torrents. The +electric display was awe-inspiring. The horses in one of the ambulances +in the long line stampeded and smashed the vehicle in front. The +procession was stopped in the height of the storm. The vivid flame was +now continuous and Betty could see the wagons standing in a mud-splashed +row for a mile, the lightning play bringing out in startling outline +each horse and vehicle. + +From every ambulance was hanging a fringe of curious objects shining +white against the shadows when suddenly illumined. Betty looked in pity +and awe. They were the burning fevered arms and legs and heads of the +suffering wounded men eager to feel the splash of the cooling rain. + +A full week passed before her search ended and she located him in one of +the big new buildings hastily constructed of boards. + +With trembling step she started to go straight to his cot. The memory of +his brutal stare that day stopped her and she scribbled a line and sent +it to him: + + "John, dear, may I see you a moment? + + "BETTY." + +The doctor assured her that he was rapidly recovering, though restless +and depressed. She caught her breath in a little gasp of surprise at the +sight of his white face, pale and spiritual looking now from the loss of +blood. + +Her eyes were shining with intense excitement as she swiftly crossed the +room, dropped on her knees beside his cot and seized his hands: + +"O John, John, can you ever forgive me!" + +He slipped his arm around her neck and held her a long time in silence. + +The men in the room paid no attention to the little drama. It was +happening every day around them. + +"Oh, dearest," she went on eagerly, "I tried to put you out of my heart, +but I couldn't. I am yours, all yours, body and soul. Love asks but one +question--do you love me?" + +"Forever!" he whispered. + +"In my loneliness and despair I tried to give myself to Ned, but I +couldn't, dear. I would have told him so had I been able to reach +him--though I dreaded to hurt him." + +John drew her hands down and looked at her with a strange expression. + +"He's beyond the reach of pain and disappointment now, dear----" + +"Dead?" she gasped. + +The man only nodded, and clung desperately to her hands while her head +sank in a flood of tears. + +"We'll cherish his memory," he said in a curiously quiet voice, "as one +of the sweetest bonds between us, my love----" + +"Yes--always!" was the low answer. + +For the life of him John Vaughan couldn't tell the terrible fact that +his hand had struck him down. God alone should know that. + +When she had recovered from the shock of the announcement Betty caressed +his hand gently: + +"We just love whom we love, dearest, and we can't help it. I am yours +and you are mine. It's not a question of good or bad, right or wrong. We +love--that's all." + +"Yes, we love--that's all and it's everything. There's no more doubt, +dear?" + +"Not one," she cried. "I'm going to bring back the red blood to your +cheeks now and take that fevered look out of your eyes----" + +The weeks of convalescence were swift and beautiful to Betty--her +ministry to his slightest whim a continuous joy. The only cloud in her +sky was the strange, feverish, unquiet look in his eyes. On the day of +his discharge he received a letter from his mother which deepened this +expression to the verge of mania. + +"What is it, dear?" Betty asked in alarm. + +"One of those unfortunate things that have been happening somewhere +every day for the past year--an arrest and imprisonment for treasonable +utterances----" + +"Who has been arrested?" + +"This time my father in Missouri." + +"Your father?" she gasped. + +"Yes. He has been a bitter critic of the war. He seems to have gone too +far. There was a riot of some sort in the village and he took the wrong +side." + +There was an ominous quiet in the way he talked. + +"I'll take you to see the President, dearest," she said soothingly. +"We'll ask for his release. It's sure to be granted." + +John's eyes suddenly flashed. + +"You think so?" + +"Absolutely sure of it." + +"We'll try it then," he said, with a cold ring in his voice that chilled +Betty's heart, and sent her home wondering at its meaning. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +THE DARKEST HOUR + + +In the summer of 1864 the President saw the darkest hours of his life. +The change in his appearance was startling and pitiful. His sombre eyes +seemed to have sunk into their caverns beneath the bushy brows and all +but disappeared. Their gaze was more and more detached from earth and +set on some dim, invisible shore. Deeper and deeper sank the furrows in +his ashen face. The shoulders drooped beneath a weight too great for any +human soul to bear. + +To Betty Winter's expression of loyalty and sympathy he answered sadly: + +"It's success I need, child,--not sympathy. My own burdens of cares are +as nothing to my soul. It's our cause--our cause--the Union must live or +I shall die!" + +He sat sometimes by his window for hours immovable as a marble statue, +his deep, hungry eyes gazing, gazing forever over the shining river +toward the Southern hills. His Secretaries stepped softly about the room +in silent sympathy with the Chief they loved with passionate devotion. + +Grant had crossed the Rapidan on that glorious spring morning in May +with his magnificent army accompanied by the highest hopes of millions. +And there had followed those awful sickening battles, one after +another, until he had fallen back in failure before the impassable +trenches around Petersburg. + +The star of Grant, the conquering hero of the West, had apparently set +in a sea of blood. + +Lee, with inferior numbers, alert, resourceful, vigilant, had checked +and baffled him at every turn, and Richmond's fall was no nearer to +human eye than in 1862. + +The miles and miles of hospital barracks in Washington, crowded to their +doors with wounded, dying men, were the living witnesses of the Nation's +mortal agony. Every city, town, village, hamlet and county in the North +was in mourning. Death had literally flung its pall over the world. + +From these thousands of stricken homes there had slowly risen a storm of +protest against the new leader of the Army. The word "Butcher" was on +every lip. General Grant, they said, possessed merely the qualities of +the bulldog fighter--tenacity and persistence. He held what he had won +so long as men were poured into his ranks by tens of thousands to take +the place of the dead. They declared that he possessed no genius, no +strategic skill, no power to originate plans and devise means to +overcome his skillful and brilliant antagonist. The demand was pressed +on the President for his removal. + +His refusal had brought on him the blame for all the blood and all the +suffering and all the failures of the past bitter year. + +His answer to his critics was remorseless in its common sense, but added +nothing to his hold on the people. + +"We must fight to win," he firmly declared. "Grant is the ablest general +we have yet developed. His losses have been appalling--but the struggle +is now to the bitter end. Our resources are exhaustless. The South can +not replace her fallen soldiers--her losses are fatal, ours are not." + +In the face of a political campaign he prepared a call by draft for five +hundred thousand more men and issued a proclamation appointing a day of +Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer. + +The spirits of the people touched the lowest tide ebb of despair. + +The war debt had reached the appalling total of two thousand millions of +dollars and its daily cost was four millions. The paper of the Treasury +was rapidly depreciating and the premium on gold rising until the value +of a one dollar green-back note was less than fifty cents in real money. +The bankers, fearing the total bankruptcy of the Nation, had begun to +refuse further loans on bonds at any rate of interest. + +The bounty offered to men for reënlistment in the army when their terms +expired amounted to the unheard of sum of one thousand five hundred +dollars cash on signing for the new term. Bounty jumping had become the +favorite sport of adventurous scoundrels. Millions of dollars were being +stolen by these men without the addition of a musket to the fighting +force. Grant was hanging them daily, but the traitor's work continued. +The enlisted man deserted in three weeks and reappeared at the next post +and reënlisted again, collecting his bounty with each enrollment. + +The enemies of the President in his own party, led by Senator Winter, to +make sure of his defeat before the convention, which was about to meet +in Baltimore, held a National convention of Radical Republicans in +Cleveland and nominated John C. Fremont for the Presidency. Their +purpose was by this party division to make Lincoln's nomination an +impossibility. Fremont's withdrawal was the weapon with which they would +fight the President before the regular Republican convention and after. +Senator Winter voiced the feeling of this convention in a speech of +bitter and vindictive eloquence. + +"I denounce the administration of Abraham Lincoln," he declared, "as +imbecile and vacillating. We demand not only the crushing of Lee's army, +but a program of vengeance against the rebels, which will mean their +annihilation when conquered. We demand the confiscation of their +property, the overthrow of every trace of local government and the +reduction of their States to conquered provinces under the control of +Congress. The milk and water policy of Lincoln is both a civil and a +military failure, and his renomination would be the greatest calamity +which could befall our Nation!" + +A week later the regular party convention met at Baltimore. On the night +before this meeting the President's renomination was not certain. + +On every hand his enemies were assailing him with unabated fury. Every +check to the National arms was laid at his door--every mistake of civil +or military management. The ravages of the Confederate cruisers which +were built in England and had swept the seas of our commerce were blamed +on him. He should have called Great Britain to account for these +outrages and had two wars instead of one! + +The cost of the great struggle mounting and mounting into billions was +his fault. The draft might have been avoided with the Government in +abler hands. The emancipation policy had not freed a single negro and +driven the whole Democratic Party into opposition to the war. His Border +State policy had held four Slave States in the Union, but crippled the +moral power of his position as anti-Slavery man. Every lie, every +slander of four years were now repeated and magnified. + +A competent man must be put into the White House. The Rail-splitter must +go! + +The real test of strength would come in the secret meeting of the Grand +Council of the Union League--the Secret Society which had been organized +to defeat the schemes of the Knights of the Golden Circle. In this +meeting men will say exactly what they think. In the big convention +to-morrow all will be harmony and peace. The convention will do what +these powerful leaders from every State in the North tell them to do. + +The assembly is dignified and orderly. The men who compose it are the +eyes and ears and brains of the party they represent. They are the real +rulers of the Nation. The party will obey their orders. These are the +men who do the executive thinking for millions. The millions can only +reject or ratify their wills. We are a democracy in theory, but in +reality here is assembled the aristocracy of brains which constitutes +our government. + +The Grand President Edmunds raps for order and faces a crowd of keen, +intelligent leaders of men his equal in culture and will. + +The meeting is called for but one purpose. With swift, direct action the +battle begins. A friend of the President offers a resolution endorsing +his administration, preceded by a preamble which declares it to be +unwise to swap horses while crossing a stream. + +The big guns open on this battle line without a moment's hesitation. +Senator Winter has not thought it wise to make this opening speech. The +prominent part he took in organizing and launching the Fremont +convention has put him in the position of an avowed bolter. He has +already put forward a colleague from the Senate who is supposed to be +friendly to the administration. + +The Senator is a man of blunt speech and dominating personality. He +speaks with earnestness, conviction and eloquence. He does not mince +words. All the petty grievances and mistakes and disappointments of his +four years under the tall, quiet man's strong hand are firing his soul +now with burning passion. + +He boldly accuses the President of tyranny, usurpation, illegal acts, of +abused power, of misused advantages, of favoritism, stupidity, frauds in +administration, timidity, sluggish inaction, oppression, the willful +neglect of suffering and the willful refusal to hear the cry of the +down-trodden slave. + +He turns the battery of his scorn now on his personal peculiarities, his +drawn and haggard and sorrow marked face, his heartlessness in reading +and telling funny stories, and last of all his selfish ambition which +asks a second term at the sacrifice of his party and his country. + +A Congressman of unusual brilliance and power follows this assault with +one of even greater eloquence and bitterness. + +Two more in quick succession and all demand with one accord the same +thing: + +"Down with Lincoln!" + +Not a voice has been lifted in his favor. If he has a friend he is +apparently afraid to open his mouth. + +And then the giant form of Jim Lane slowly rises. He looks quietly over +the crowd as if passing in review the tragic events of four years. Is he +going to add his voice to this chorus of rage? A year ago in the same +Grand Council he had a bitter grievance against the President and +assailed him furiously. Yesterday he was at the White House and came +away with a shadow on his strong face. + +He stood for a long time in silence and seemed to be scanning each +individual in the crowd of tense listeners. + +And then his deep voice broke the stillness. His words rang like the +boom of cannon and their penetrating power seemed to pierce the brick +walls of the room. + +"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Grand Council: + +"To stir up sore and wounded hearts to bitterness requires no skill or +power of oratory. To address the minds of men sickened by disaster, +wearied by long trial, heated by passion, bewildered by uncertainty, +heavy with grief, and cunningly to turn them into one vindictive +channel, into one blind rush of senseless fury requires no great power +of oratory and no great mastery of the truth. It may be the trick of a +charlatan!" + +He paused and gazed with deliberate and offensive insolence into the +faces of the men who had spoken. Their eyes blazed with wrath, and a +fierce thrill of excitement swept the crowd. + +"For a man to address himself to an assembly like this, however, goaded +to madness by suffering, sorrow, humiliation, perplexity--and now roused +by venomous arts to an almost unanimous condemnation of the innocent--I +say to address you, turn you in your tracks and force you to go the +other way--that would indeed be a feat of transcendent oratorical power. +I am no orator--but I am going to tell you the truth and the truth will +make you do that thing!" + +Men began to lean forward in their seats now as with impassioned faith +he told the story of the matchless work the great lonely spirit had +wrought for his people in the White House during the past passion-torn +years. His last sentence rang like the clarion peal of a trumpet: + +"Desert him now and the election of _George B. McClellan_ on a +'Peace-at-any-Price' platform is a certainty--the Union is dissevered, +the Confederacy established, the slaves reshackled, the dead dishonored +and the living disgraced!" + +His last sentence was an angry shout whose passion swept the crowd to +its feet. The resolution was passed and Lincoln's nomination became a +mere formality. + +But Senator Winter had only begun to fight. His whole life as an +Abolitionist had been spent in opposition to majorities. He had no +constructive power and no constructive imagination. His genius was +purely destructive, but it was genius. Without a moment's delay he began +his plans to force the President to withdraw from his own ticket in the +midst of his campaign. + +The one ominous sign which the man in the White House saw with dread was +the rapid growth through these dark days of a "Peace-at-any-Price" +sentiment within his own party lines in the heart of the loyal North. +Again Horace Greeley and his great paper voiced this cry of despair. + +The mischief he was doing was incalculable because he persisted in +teaching the millions who read his paper that peace was at any time +possible if Abraham Lincoln would only agree to accept it. As a +Southern-born man, the President knew the workings of the mind of +Jefferson Davis as clearly as he understood his own. Both these men were +born in Kentucky within a few miles of each other on almost the same +day. The President knew that Jefferson Davis would never consider any +settlement of the war except on the basis of the division of the Union +and the recognition of the Confederacy. When Greeley declared that the +Confederate Commissioners were in Canada with offers of peace, the +President sent Greeley himself immediately to meet them and confer on +the basis of a restored Union with compensation for the slaves. The +Conference failed and Greeley returned from Canada angrier with the +President than ever for making a fool of him. + +In utter disregard for the facts he continued to demand that the +Government bring the war to an end. The thing which made his attack +deadly was that he was rousing the bitterness of hopeless sorrow in +thousands of homes whose loved ones had fallen. + +Thoughtful men and women had begun to ask themselves new questions: + +"Is not the price we are paying too great?" + +"Can any cause be worth this ocean of tears, this endless deluge of +blood?" + +The President must answer this bitter cry with the positive assurance +that he would make peace at any moment on terms consistent with the +Nation's preservation or both he and his party must perish. + +He determined to draw from Mr. Davis a positive declaration of the terms +on which the South would accept peace. He dared not do this openly, as +it would be a confession to Europe of defeat and would lead to the +recognition of the Confederacy. + +He accordingly sent Colonel Jaquess, a distinguished Methodist clergyman +in the army, and J. R. Gilmore, of the _Tribune_, on a secret mission to +Richmond for this purpose. They must go without credentials or +authority, as private individuals and risk life and liberty in the +undertaking. + +Both men promptly accepted the mission and left for Grant's headquarters +to ask General Lee for a pass through his lines. + +The Democratic Party was now a militant united force inspired by the +Copperhead leaders, who had determined to defeat the President squarely +on a peace platform and put General McClellan into the White House. +Behind them in serried lines stood the powerful Secret Orders clustered +around the Knights of the Golden Circle. + +Positive proofs were finally laid before the President that these +Societies had planned an uprising on the night of the election and the +establishment of a Western Confederacy. + +Edmunds, the President of the Union League, handed him the names of the +leaders. + +"Now, sir, you can strike!" he urged. + +The tall, sorrowful man slowly shook his head. + +"You doubt the truth of these statements?" Edmunds asked. + +"No. They are too true. Let sleeping dogs lie. One revolution at a time. +We have all we can manage at present. If we win the election they won't +dare rise. If we lose, it's all over anyhow--and it makes no difference +what they do." + +With patient wisdom he refused to stir the dangerous hornet's nest. + +And to cap the climax of darkness, Jubal Early's army suddenly withdrew +from Lee's lines, swept through the Shenandoah Valley and invaded +Maryland and Pennsylvania. + +With three-quarters of a million blue soldiers under arms, the daring +men in grey were once more threatening the Capital. They seized and cut +the Northern railroads, burning their bridges and capturing trains; they +threatened Baltimore, captured Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, burned it, +spread terror throughout the State and surrounding territory, and +brushing past Lew Wallace's six thousand men at Monocacy, were bearing +down on Washington with swift ominous tread. + +It was incredible! It was unthinkable, and yet the reveille of Early's +drums could be heard from the White House window. + +John Bigelow, our _Chargé d'Affaires_ at Paris, had sent warning of a +conversation with the Emperor of France, at which the President had only +smiled. + +"Lee will take Washington," the Emperor had declared, "and then I shall +recognize the Confederacy. I have just received news that Lee is +certain to take the Capital." + +The message was flashed to Grant for help. The city was practically at +Early's mercy if he should strike. He couldn't hold the Capital, of +course, but if he took it even for twenty-four hours the Government +would lose all prestige and standing in the Courts of Europe. + +For twenty-four hours the panic in Washington was complete. The +Government clerks were rushed into the trenches and hastily armed. + +Early threw one shell into the city, which crashed through a house, his +cavalry dashed into the corporate limits and took a prisoner and later +burned the house of Blair, a member of the Cabinet. + +The Sixth Corps arrived from Petersburg; a thousand men were killed and +wounded in the skirmishing of two days, but the Capital escaped by the +skin of its teeth. + +Grant laconically remarked: + +"If Early had been one day earlier he would have entered the Capital." + +While he had not actually taken Washington, Lee's strategy was a +masterly stroke. He had cleared the Shenandoah Valley, which was his +granary, and enabled the farmers to reap their crops. He had showed the +world that his army was still so terrible a weapon that with it he could +hold Grant at bay, drive his enemy from the Valley, invade two Northern +States, burn their cities and destroy their railroads, and throw his +shells into Washington. + +A wave of incredulous sickening despair swept the North. If this could +be done after three and a half years of blood and tears and two +billions of dollars spent, where could the end be? + +Early had done in Washington what neither McDowell, McClellan, Pope, +Burnside, Hooker, Meade nor Grant had yet succeeded in doing for +Richmond--thrown shells into the city and taken a prisoner from its very +streets. Had he arrived a day earlier--in other words, had not Lew +Wallace's gallant little army of six thousand delayed him twenty-four +hours--he could have entered the city, raided the Treasury and burned +the Capitol. + +Senator Winter was not slow to strike the blow for which he had been +eagerly waiting a favorable moment. He succeeded in detaching from the +President in this moment of panic a group of men who had stood squarely +for his nomination at Baltimore. He agreed to withdraw Fremont's name if +they would induce the President to withdraw and a new convention be +called. + +So deep was the depression, so black the outlook, so certain was +McClellan's election, that the members of the National Republican +Executive Committee met and conferred with this Committee of traitors to +their Chief. + +No more cowardly and contemptible proposition was ever submitted to the +chosen leader of a great party. It was not to be wondered at that Winter +and his Radical associates could stoop to it. They were theorists. To +them success was secondary. They would have gladly and joyfully damned +not only the Union--they would have damned the world to save their +theories. But that his own party leaders should come to him in such an +hour and ask him to withdraw cut the great patient heart to the quick. + +He agreed to consider their humiliating proposition and give them an +answer in two weeks. Nicolay, his first Secretary, wrote to John Hay, +who was in Illinois: + + "DEAR MAJOR: Hell is to pay. The politicians have a stampede on + that is about to swamp everything. The National Committee are here + to-day. Raymond thinks a commission to Richmond is the only salt to + save us. The President sees and says it would be utter ruin. The + matter is now undergoing consultation. Weak-kneed damned fools are + on the move for a new candidate to supplant the President. + Everything is darkness and doubt and discouragement. Our men see + giants in the airy and unsubstantial shadows of the opposition, and + are about to surrender without a blow. Come to Washington on the + first train. Every man who loves the Chief must lay off his coat + now and fight to the last ditch. He's too big and generous to be + trusted alone with these wolves. He is the only man who can save + this Nation, and we must make them see it." + +Worn and angry after the long discussion with his cowardly advisers, the +President retired to his bedroom, locked the door, laid down, and tried +to rest. Opposite the lounge on which he lay was a bureau with a +swinging mirror. He gazed for a moment at his long figure, which showed +full length, his eye resting at last on the deep cut lines of the +haggard face. Gradually two separate and distinct images grew--one +behind the other, pale and death-like but distinct. He looked in wonder, +and the longer he looked the clearer stood this pale second reflection. + +"That's funny!" he exclaimed. + +He rose, rubbed his eyes, and walked to the mirror, examining it +curiously. He had always been a man of visions--this child of the woods +and open fields. + +"I wonder if it's an illusion?" he muttered. "I'll try again." + +He returned to the couch and lay down. Again it grew a second time +plainer than before, if possible. He watched for a long time with a +feeling of awe. + +"I wonder if I'm looking into the face of my own soul?" he mused. + +He studied this second image with keen interest. It was five shades +paler than the first. The thing had happened to him once before and his +wife had declared it a sign that he would be elected to a second term, +but the paleness of the second image meant that he would not live +through it. It was uncanny. He rose and paced the floor, laid down +again, and the image vanished. What did it mean? + +Only that day a secret service man had come to warn him of a new plot of +assassination and beg him to double the guard. + +"What is the use, my dear boy, in setting up the gap when the fence is +down all around?" + +"Remember, sir, they shot a hole through your hat one night last week on +your way to the Soldiers' Home." + +"Well, what of it? If a man really makes up his mind to kill me he can +do it----" + +"You can take precautions." + +"But I can't shut myself up in an iron box--now, can I? If I am killed I +can die but once. To live in constant dread of it is to die over and +over again. I decline to die until the time comes--away with your extra +guards! I've got too many now. They bother me." + +He threw off his depression and took up a volume of Artemus Ward's funny +sayings to refresh his soul with their quaint humor. He must laugh or +die. He had promised to see Betty Winter with a friend who had a +petition to present at ten o'clock. He would rest until she came. + +John Vaughan had insisted on her coming at this unusual hour. She +protested, but he declared the chances of success in asking for his +father's release would be infinitely better if she took advantage of the +President's good nature and saw him alone at night when they would not +be interrupted. + +As they neared the White House grounds, crossing the little park on the +north side, Betty's nervousness became unbearable. She stopped and put +her hand on John's arm. + +"Let's wait until to-morrow?" she pleaded. + +"The President is expecting us----" + +"I'll send him word we couldn't come." + +"But, why?" + +She hesitated and glanced at him uneasily: + +"I don't know. I'm just nervous. I don't feel equal to the strain of +such an interview to-night. It means so much to you. It means so much to +me now that love rules my life----" + +He took her hands in his and drew her into the friendly shadows beside +the walk. + +"Love does rule life, doesn't it?" + +"Absolutely. I'm frightened when I realize it," she sighed. + +"You are all mine now? In life, in death, through evil report and good +report?" + +"In life, in death, through evil report and good report----yours +forever, dearest!" + +He took her in his arms and held her in silence. She could feel him +trembling with deep emotion. + +"There's nothing to be nervous about then," he said, reassuringly, as +his arms relaxed. "Come, we'll hurry. I want to send a message to my +father to-night announcing his release." + +At the entrance to the White House grounds they passed a man who shot a +quick glance at John, and Betty thought his head moved in a nod of +approval or recognition. + +"You know him?" she asked nervously. + +"One of Baker's men, I think--attempt on the President's life last week. +They've doubled the guard, no doubt." + +They passed another, strolling carelessly from the shadows of the white +pillars of the portico. + +"They seem to be everywhere to-night," John laughed carelessly. + +The White House door was open and they passed into the hall and ascended +the stairs to the Executive Chamber without challenge. Little Tad, the +President's son, who ran the House to suit himself at times, was in his +full dress suit of a lieutenant of the army and had ordered the guard to +attend a minstrel show he was giving in the attic. + +The President had agreed to meet Betty in his office at ten o'clock and +told her to bring her friend right upstairs and wait if he were not on +time. + +They sat down and waited five minutes in awkward silence. Betty was +watching the strange glittering expression in John Vaughan's eyes with +increasing alarm. + +She heard a muffled footfall in the hall, stepped quickly to the door, +and saw the man they had passed at the entrance to the grounds. + +She returned trembling. + +"The man we passed at the gate is in that hall," she whispered. + +"What of it?" was the careless answer. "Baker's secret service men come +and go when they please here----" + +He paused and glanced at the door. + +"He has his eye on us maybe," he added, with a little laugh. + +He studied Betty's flushed face for a moment, curiously hesitated as if +about to speak, changed his mind, and was silent. He drew his watch from +his pocket and looked at it. + +"I've ordered a carriage to wait for you at the gate at a quarter past +ten," he said quickly. "I forgot to tell you." + +"Why--it may take us longer than half an hour?" + +"That's just it. We may be talking two hours. Such things can't be +threshed out in a minute. You can introduce me, say a good word, and +leave us to fight it out----" + +"I want to stay," she interrupted. + +"Nonsense, dear, it may take hours. Besides, I may have some things to +say to the President, and he some things to say to me that it were +better a sweet girl's ears should not hear----" + +"That's exactly what I wish to prevent, John, dear," she pleaded. "You +must be careful and say nothing to offend the President. It means too +much. We must win." + +"I'll be wise in the choice of words. But you mustn't stay, dear. I'm +not a child. I don't need a chaperone." + +"But you may need a friend----" + +"He does wield the power of kings--doesn't he?" + +"With the tenderness and love of a father, yes." + +"And yet I've wondered," he went on in a curious cold tone, "why he +hasn't been killed--when the death of one man would end this carnival of +murder----" + +"John, how can you say such things?" Betty gasped. + +"It's true, dear," he answered calmly. "This man's will alone has +prevented peace and prevents it now. The soldiers on both sides joke +with one another across the picket lines. They get together and play +cards at night. Before the battle begins, our boys call out: + +"'Get into your holes, now, Johnnie, we've got to shoot.' + +"Left to themselves, the soldiers would end this war in thirty minutes. +It's the one man at the top who won't let them. It's hellish--it's +hellish----" + +"And you would justify an assassin?" Betty asked breathlessly. + +"Who is an assassin, dear?" he demanded tensely. "The man who wields a +knife or the tyrant who calls the fanatic into being? Brutus or Cæsar, +William Tell or Gessler? Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God----" + +"John, John--how can you say such things--you don't believe in +murder----" + +"No!" he breathed fiercely. "I don't now. I used to until I had a +revelation----" + +He stopped short as if strangled. + +"Revelation--what do you mean?" Betty whispered, watching his every +movement, with growing terror. + +He looked at her with eyes glittering. + +"I didn't want to tell you this," he began slowly. "I meant to keep the +black thing hidden in my own soul. But you'll understand better if I +speak. I killed Ned Vaughan with my own hands----" + +"You're mad----" Betty shivered. + +"I wish I were--no--I was never sane before that flash of red from hell +showed me the truth--showed me what I was doing. We fought in the +darkness of a night attack, hand to hand, like two maddened beasts. He +ran me through with his sword and I sent the last ball left in my +revolver crashing through his breast. In the glare of that shot I saw +his face--the face of my brother! I caught him in my arms as he fell and +held him while the life blood ebbed away through the hole I had torn +near his heart. And then I saw what I'd been doing, saw it all as it +is--war--brother murdering his brother--the shout and the tumult, the +drums and bugles, the daring and heroism of it all, just that and +nothing more--brother cutting his brother's throat----" + +His head sank into his hands in a sob that strangled speech. + +Betty slipped her arm tenderly around his shoulder and stroked the heavy +black hair. + +"But you didn't know, dear--you wouldn't have fired that shot if you +had----" + +He lifted himself suddenly and recovered his self-control. + +"No. That's just it," he answered bitterly. "I wouldn't have done it had +I known--nor would he, had he known. But I should have seen before that +every torn and mangled body I had counted in the reckoning of the glory +of battle was some other man's brother, some other mother's boy----" + +He paused and drew himself suddenly erect: + +"Well I'm awake now--I know and see things as they are!" + +His hand unconsciously felt for his revolver, and Betty threw her arms +around his neck with a smothered cry of horror: + +"Merciful God--John--my darling--you are mad--what are you going to do?" + +"Why nothing, dear," he protested, "nothing! I'm simply going to ask the +President whose power is supreme to give my father a fair trial or +release him--that's all--you needn't stay longer--the carriage is +waiting. I can introduce myself and plead my own cause. If he's the +fair, great-hearted man you believe, he'll see that justice is done----" + +"You are going to kill the President!" Betty gasped. + +"Nonsense--but if I were--what is the death of one man if thousands +live? I saw sixty thousand men in blue fall in thirty days--two thousand +a day--besides those who wore the grey. At Cold Harbor I saw ten +thousand of my brethren fall in twenty minutes. Why should you gasp over +the idea that one man may die whose death would stop this slaughter?" + +"John, you're mad!" she cried, clinging to him desperately. "You're mad, +I tell you. You've lost your reason. Come with me, dear--come at +once----" + +"No. I was never more sane than now," he answered firmly. + +"Then I'll warn the President----" + +He held her with cruel force: + +"You understand that if it's true, my arrest, court-martial and death +follow?" + +"No. I'll warn him not to come. I alone know----" + +She broke his grip on her arm and started toward the door. He lifted his +hand in quick commanding gesture: + +"Wait! my men are in that hall--it's his life or mine now. You can take +your choice----" + +The girl's figure suddenly straightened: + +"Take your men out and go with them at once!" + +"No. If he does justice, I may spare his life. If he does not----" + +"You shall not see him----" + +"It's my life or his--I warn you----" + +"Then it's yours--I choose my country!" + +She walked with quick, firm step to the door leading into the family +apartments of the President. On the threshold her feet faltered. She +grasped the door facing, turned, and saw him standing with folded arms +watching her--with the eyes of a madman. Her face went white. She lifted +her hand to her heart and slowly stumbled back into his arms. + +"God have mercy!" she sobbed. "I'm just a woman--my love--my +darling--I--I--can't--kill you----" + +Her arms relaxed and she would have fallen to the floor had he not +caught the fainting form and carried her into the hall. + +Two men were at his side instantly. + +"Take Miss Winter downstairs," he whispered. "There's a carriage at the +gate. Bring it quietly to the door--one of you take her to the Senator's +home. The other must return here immediately and wait my orders. There's +no guard in this outer hall at night. The one inside is with the boy. +Keep out of sight if any one passes." + +The men obeyed without a word and John Vaughan stepped quickly back into +the Executive office, drew the short curtains across the window, turned +the lights on full, examined his revolver, and sat down in careless +attitude beside the President's desk. He could hear his heavy step +already approaching the door. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +THE ASSASSIN + + +John Vaughan's face paled with the sudden realization of the tremendous +deed he was about to do. It had seemed the only solution of the Nation's +life and his own, an hour ago. The air of Washington reeked with deadly +hatred of the President. Every politician who could not control his big, +straightforward, honest mind was his enemy. The gloom which shrouded the +country over Grant's losses and the failure of his campaign had set +every hound yelping at his heels in full cry. He spent much of his time +in the hospitals visiting and cheering the wounded soldiers. These men +were his friends. They believed in his honesty, his gentleness and his +humanity, and yet so deadly had grown the passions of war and so bitter +the madness of political prejudice that the majority of the wounded men +were going to vote against him in the approaching election. + +An informal vote taken in Carver Hospital had shown the amazing result +of three to one in favor of McClellan! + +John Vaughan, in his fevered imagination, had felt that he was rendering +a heroic service to the people in removing the one obstacle to peace. +The President was the only man who could possibly defeat McClellan and +continue the war. He was denounced by the opposition as usurper, tyrant, +and dictator. He was denounced by thousands of men in his own party as +utterly unfit to wield the power he possessed. + +And yet, as he heard the slow, heavy footfall approaching the door, a +moment of agonizing doubt gripped his will and weakened his arm. His eye +rested on a worn thumbed copy of the Bible which lay open on the desk. +This man, who was not a church member, in the loneliness of his awful +responsibilities, had been searching there for guidance and inspiration. +There was a pathos in the thought that found his inner conscience +through the mania that possessed him. + +Well, he'd test him. He would try this tyrant here alone before the +judgment bar of his soul--condemn him to death or permit him to live, as +he should prove true or false to his mighty trust. + +His hand touched his revolver again and he set his square jaws firmly. + +The tall figure entered and closed the door. + +A flash of blind rage came from the depths of John Vaughan's dark eyes +at the first sight of him. He moved forward a step and his hand trembled +in a desperate instinctive desire to kill. He was a soldier. His enemy +was before him advancing. To kill had become a habit. It seemed the one +natural thing to do. + +He stopped with a shock of surprise as the President turned his haggard +eyes in a dazed way and looked about the room. + +The light fell full on his face increasing its ghost-like pathetic +expression. The story of anxiety and suffering was burnt in letters of +fire that left his features a wrinkled mask of grey ashes. The drooping +eyelids were swollen, and dark bags hung beneath them. The muscles of +his massive jaws were flaccid, the lines about his large expressive +mouth terrible in their eloquence. His sombre eyes seemed to gaze on the +world with the anguish of millions in their depths. + +For a moment John Vaughan was held in a spell by the unexpected +apparition. + +"You are alone, sir?" the quiet voice slowly asked. + +"Yes." + +"I had expected Miss Winter----" + +"She came with me and was compelled to leave." + +"Oh--will you pull up a chair." + +The tall form dropped wearily at his desk. His voice had a far-away +expression in its tones. + +"And what can I do for you, sir?" he asked. + +"My name is Vaughan--John Vaughan----" + +The dark head was lifted with interest: + +"The brother of Ned Vaughan, who escaped from prison?" + +John nodded: + +"The son of Dr. Richard Vaughan, of Palmyra, Missouri." + +"Then you're our boy, fighting with Grant's army--yes, I heard of you +when your brother was in trouble. You've been ill, I see--wounded, of +course?" + +"Yes." + +The President rose and took his visitor's hand, clasping it with both +his own: + +"There's nothing I won't do for one of our wounded boys if I can--what +is it?" + +"My mother writes me that my father has been arrested without warrant, +is held in prison without bail and denied the right to trial----" + +He paused and leaned on the desk, trembling with excitement which had +increased as he spoke. + +"I have come to ask you for justice--that he shall be confronted by his +accusers in open court and given a fair trial----" + +A frown deepened the shadows in the dark, kindly face: + +"And for what was he arrested?" + +"For exercising the right of free speech. In a public address he +denounced the war----" + +The President shook his head sorrowfully: + +"You see, my boy, your house is divided against itself--the symbol in +the family group of our unhappy country. Of course, I didn't know of +this arrest. Such things hurt me, so I refuse to know of them unless I +must. They tell me that Seward and Stanton have arrested without warrant +thirty-five thousand men. I hope this is an exaggeration. Still it may +be true----" + +He stopped, sighed, and shook his head again: + +"But come, now, my son, and put yourself in my place. What can I do? +I've armed two million men and spend four millions a day to fight the +South because they try to secede and disrupt the Union. My opponents in +the North, taking advantage of our sorrows, harangue the people and +elect a hostile legislature in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. They are +about to pass an ordinance of secession and strike the Union in the +back. If secession is wrong in the South it is surely wrong in the +North. Shall I fight secession in the South and merely argue politely +with it here? Instead of shooting these men, I've consented to a more +merciful thing, I just let Seward and Stanton lock them up until the +war is over and then I'll turn them all loose. + +"Understand, my boy, I don't shirk responsibility. No Cabinet or +Congress could conduct a successful war. There must be a one man power. +I have been made that power by the people. I am using it reverently but +firmly. And I am backed by the prayers, the good will and the confidence +of the people--the silent millions whom I don't see, but love and trust. + +"This war was not of my choosing. Once begun, it must be fought to the +end and the Nation saved. It will then be proved that among free men +there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and +that they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case and pay the +cost. To preserve the life of the Constitution I must strain some of its +provisions in time of war----" + +"And you will not interfere to give these accused men a trial?" John +Vaughan interrupted in hard tones. + +"I cannot, my boy, I dare not interfere. The civil law must be suspended +temporarily in such cases. I cannot shoot a soldier for desertion and +allow the man to go free who, by denouncing the war, causes him to +desert. It cuts to the very heart of the Nation--its life is +involved----" + +He rose again and paced the floor, turning his back on his visitor in +utter unconsciousness of the dangerous glitter in his eyes. + +He paused and placed his big hand gently on John's arm: + +"I know in doing this I am wielding a dangerous power--the power of +kings--not because I love it, but because I must save my country. And +I'm the humblest man who walks God's earth to-night!" + +In spite of his bitterness, the simplicity and honesty of the President +found John Vaughan's heart. No vain or cruel or selfish man could talk +or feel like that. In the glow of his eager thought the ashen look of +his face disappeared and it became radiant with warmth and tenderness. +In dreamy, passionate tones he went on as if talking to convince himself +he must not despair. The younger man for the moment was swept +resistlessly on by the spell of his eloquence. + +"They are always asking of me impossible things. Now that I shall remove +Grant from command. I know that his battles have been bloody. Yet how +else can we win? The gallant, desperate South has only a handful of men, +ragged and half starved, yet they are standing against a million and I +have exhaustless millions behind these. With Lee they seem invincible +and every move of his ragged men sends a shiver of horror and of +admiration through the North. Yet, if Grant fights on he must win. He +will wear Lee out--and that is the only way he can beat him. + +"Besides, his plan is bigger than the single campaign against Richmond. +There's a grim figure at the head of a hundred thousand men fighting his +way inch by inch toward Atlanta. If Sherman should win and take Atlanta, +Lee's army will starve and the end is sure. I can't listen to this +clamor. I will not remove Grant--though I've reasons for believing at +this moment that he may vote for McClellan for President. + +"Don't think, my son, that all this blood and suffering is not mine. It +is. Every shell that screams from those big guns crashes through my +heart. The groans of the wounded, the sighs of the dying, the tears of +widows and orphans, of sisters and mothers--all--blue and grey--they are +mine. I see and hear it all, feel all, suffer all. + +"No man who lives to-day is responsible for this war. I could not have +prevented it, nor could Jefferson Davis. We are in the grip of mighty +forces sweeping on from the centuries. We are fighting the battle of the +ages. + +"But our country's worth it if we can only save it. Out of this agony +and tears will be born a united people. We have always been cursed with +the impossible contradiction of negro slavery. + +"There has never been a real Democracy in the world because there has +never been one without the shadow of slavery. We must build here a real +government of the people, by the people, for the people. It's not a +question merely of the fate of four millions of black slaves. It's a +question of the destiny of millions of freemen. I hear the tread of +coming generations of their children on this continent. Their destiny is +in your hand and mine--a free Nation without a slave--the hope, refuge +and inspiration of the world. + +"This Union that we must save will be a beacon light on the shores of +time for mankind. It will be worth all the blood and all the tears we +shall give for it. The grandeur of our sacrifice will be the birthright +of our children's children. It will be the end of sectionalism. We can +never again curse and revile one another, as we have in the past. We've +written our character in blood for all time. We've met in battle. The +Northern man knows the Southerner is not a braggart. The Southerner +knows the Yankee is not a coward. + +"There can be but one tragedy, my boy, that can have no ray of +light--and that is that all this blood should have flowed in vain, all +these brave men died for nought, that the old curse shall remain, the +Union be dismembered into broken sections and on future bloody fields +their battles be fought over again----" + +He paused and drew a deep breath: + +"This is the fear that's strangling me! For as surely as George B. +McClellan is elected President, surrounded by the men who at present +control his party, just so surely will the war end in compromise, +failure and hopeless tragedy----" + +"Why do you say that?" John asked sharply. + +"Because standing here on this very spot, before the battle of +Gettysburg I offered him the Presidency if he would preside at a great +mass meeting of his party and guarantee to save the Union. I offered to +efface myself and give up the dearest ambition of my soul to heal the +wounds of my people--and he refused----" + +"Refused?" John gasped. + +"Yes." + +The younger man gazed at the haggard face for a moment through dimmed +eyes, sank slowly to a seat and covered his face in his hands in a cry +of despair! + +The reaction was complete and his collapse utter. + +The President gazed at the bent figure with sorrowful amazement, and +touched his head gently with the big friendly hand: + +"Why, what's the matter, my boy? I'm the only man to despair. You're +just a captain in the army. If to be the head of hell is as hard as +what I've had to undergo here I could find it in my heart to pity Satan +himself. And if there's a man out of hell who suffers more than I do, I +pity him. But it's my burden and I try to bear it. I wish I had only +yours!" + +John Vaughan sprang to his feet and threw his hands above his head in a +gesture of anguish: + +"O my God, you don't understand!" + +He quickly crossed the space that separated them and faced the President +with grim determination: + +"But I'm going to tell you the truth now and you can do what you think's +right. In the last fight before Petersburg I killed my brother in a +night attack and held his dying body in my arms. I think I must have +gone mad that night. Anyhow, when I lay in the hospital recovering from +my wounds, I got the letter about my father and made up my mind to kill +you----" + +He paused, but the sombre eyes gave no sign--they seemed to be gazing on +the shores of eternity. + +"And I came here to-night for that purpose--my men are in that hall +now!" + +He stopped and folded his hands deliberately, waiting for his judge to +speak. + +A long silence fell between them. The tall, sorrowful man was looking at +him with a curious expression of wonder and self pity. + +"So you came here to-night to kill me?" + +"Yes." + +Again a long silence--the deep eyes looking, looking with their strange +questioning gaze. + +"Well," the younger man burst out at last, "what is my fate? I deserve +it. Even generosity and gentleness have their limit. I've passed it. +And I've no desire to escape." + +The kindly hand was lifted to John Vaughan's shoulder: + +"Why didn't you do it?" + +"Because for the first time you made me see things as you see them--I +got a glimpse of the inside----" + +"Then I won you--didn't I?" the President cried with elation. "I've been +talking to you just to keep my courage up--just to save my own soul from +the hell of despair. But you've lifted me up. If I can win you I can win +the others if I could only get their ear. All I need is a little time. +And I'm going to fight for it. Every act of my life in this great office +will stand the test of time because I've put my immortal soul into the +struggle without one thought of saving myself. + +"I've told you the truth, and the truth has turned a murderer into my +friend. If only the people can know--can have time to think, I'll win. +You thought me an ambitious tyrant--now, didn't you?" + +"Yes." + +"Great God!--I had my ambitions, yes--as every American boy worth his +salt has. And I dared to dream this vision of the White House--I, the +humblest of the humble, born in a lowly pioneer's cabin in the woods of +Kentucky. My dream came true, and where is its glory? Ashes and blood. +And I, to whom the sight of blood is an agony unendurable, have lived +with aching heart through it all and envied the dead their rest on your +battlefields----" + +He stopped suddenly and fixed John with a keen look: + +"You'll stand by me, now, boy, through thick and thin?" + +"I'd count it an honor to die for you----" + +"All right. I give you the chance. I'm going to send you on a dangerous +mission. I need but two things to sweep the country in this election and +preserve the Union--a single big victory in the field to lift the people +out of the dumps and make them see things as they are, and a declaration +from Mr. Davis that there can be no peace save in division. I know that +he holds that position, but the people in the North doubt it. I've sent +Jaquess and Gilmore there to obtain his declaration. Technically they +are spies. They may be executed or imprisoned and held to the end of the +war. They go as private citizens of the North who desire peace. + +"I want another man in Richmond whose identity will be unknown to report +the results of that meeting in case they are imprisoned. You must go as +a spy at the double risk of your life----" + +"I'm ready, sir," was the quick response. + +The big hand fumbled the black beard a moment: + +"You doubtless said bitter things in Washington when you returned?" + +"Many of them." + +"Then you were approached by the leaders of Knights of the Golden +Circle?" + +"Yes." + +"Good! You're the man I want without a doubt. You can use their signs +and pass words in Richmond. Besides, you have a Southern accent. Your +chances of success are great. I want you to leave here in an hour. Go +straight through as a scout and spy in Confederate uniform. If Jaquess +and Gilmore are allowed to return and tell their story--all right, your +work with them is done. If they are imprisoned, get through the lines to +Grant's headquarters, report this fact and Mr. Davis' answer, and it +will be doubly effective--you understand?" + +"Perfectly, sir." + +"That's your first job. But I want you to go to Richmond for a double +purpose--to take the train for Atlanta, get through the lines and give a +message to a man down South I've been thinking about for the past month. +The world has forgotten Sherman in the roar of the great battles Grant +has fought. I haven't. Slowly but surely his grim figure has been +growing taller on the horizon as the smoke lifts from each of his +fights. Grant says he is our biggest general. Only a great man could say +that about a subordinate commander. That's another reason I won't listen +to people who demand Grant's removal. + +"Sherman is now a hundred and fifty miles in Georgia before Atlanta. His +road is being cut behind him every other day. You might be weeks trying +to get to him by Chattanooga. The trains run through from Richmond. I +want you to reach him quick, and give him a message from me. I can't +send a written order. It wouldn't be fair to Grant. I'll give you +credentials that he'll accept that will cost you your life in Richmond +if their meaning is discovered. + +"Tell General Sherman that if he can take Atlanta the blow will thrill +the Nation, carry the election, and save the Union. Grant is deadlocked +at Petersburg and may be there all winter. If he can fight at once and +give us a victory, it's all that's needed. I'll send him an order to +strike. Tell him to destroy it if he wins. If he loses--I'll publish it +and take the blame on myself. Can you do this?" + +"I will or die in the effort," was the quick reply. + +"All right. Take this card at once to Stanton's office. Ask him to send +you by boat to Aquia--by horse from there. Return here for your papers." + +In ten minutes John had dispatched a note to Betty: + + "DEAREST: God saved me from an act of madness. He sent His message + through your sweet spirit. I am leaving for the South on a + dangerous mission for the President. If I live to return I am all + yours--if I die, I shall still live through eternity if only to + love you. + + "JOHN." + +Within an hour he had communicated with the commander of the Knights, +his arrangements were complete, and he was steaming down the river on +his perilous journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +MR. DAVIS SPEAKS + + +John Vaughan arrived in Richmond a day before Jaquess and Gilmore. His +genial Southern manner, his perfect accent and his possession of the +signs and pass words of the Knights of the Golden Circle made his +mission a comparatively easy one. + +He had brought a message from the Washington Knights to Judah P. +Benjamin, which won the confidence of Mr. Davis' Secretary of State and +gained his ready consent to his presence on the occasion of the +interview. + +The Commissioners left Butler's headquarters with some misgivings. +Gilmore took the doughty General by the hand and said: "Good-bye, if you +don't see us in ten days you may know we have 'gone up.'" + +"If I don't see you in less time," he replied, "I'll demand you, and if +they don't produce you, I'll take two for one. My hand on that." + +Under a flag of truce they found Judge Ould, the Exchange Commissioner, +who conducted them into Richmond under cover of darkness. + +They stopped at the Spottswood House and the next morning saw Mr. +Benjamin, who agreed to arrange an interview with Jefferson Davis. + +Mr. Benjamin was polite, but inquisitive. + +"Do you bring any overtures from your Government, gentlemen?" + +"No, sir," answered Colonel Jaquess. "We bring no overtures and have no +authority from our Government. As private citizens we simply wish to +know what terms will be acceptable to Mr. Davis." + +"Are you acquainted with Mr. Lincoln's views?" + +"One of us is fully," said Colonel Jaquess. + +"Did Mr. Lincoln in any way authorize you to come here?" + +"No, sir," said Gilmore. "We came with his pass, but not by his request. +We came as men and Christians, not as diplomats, hoping, in a frank talk +with Mr. Davis, to discover some way by which this war may be stopped." + +"Well, gentlemen," said Benjamin, "I will repeat what you say to the +President, and if he follows my advice, he will meet you." + +At nine o'clock the two men had entered the State Department and found +Jefferson Davis seated at the long table on the right of his Secretary +of State. + +John Vaughan was given a seat at the other end of the table to report +the interview for Mr. Benjamin. + +He studied the distinguished President of the Confederate States with +interest. He had never seen him before. His figure was extremely thin, +his features typically Southern in their angular cheeks and high cheek +bones. His iron-grey hair was long and thick and inclined to curl at the +ends. His whiskers were small and trimmed farmer fashion--on the lower +end of his strong chin. The clear grey eyes were full of vitality. His +broad forehead, strong mouth and chin denoted an iron will. He wore a +suit of greyish brown, of foreign manufacture, and as he rose, seemed +about five feet ten inches. His shoulders slightly stooped. + +His manner was easy and graceful, his voice cultured and charming. + +"I am glad to see you, gentlemen," he said. "You are very welcome to +Richmond." + +"We thank you, Mr. Davis," Gilmore replied. + +"Mr. Benjamin tells me that you have asked to see me to----" + +He paused that the visitors might finish the sentence. + +"Yes, sir," Jaquess answered. "Our people want peace, your people do. We +have come to ask how it may be brought about?" + +"Withdraw your armies, let us alone and peace will come at once." + +"But we cannot let you alone so long as you repudiate the Union----" + +"I know. You would deny us what you exact for yourselves--the right of +self-government." + +"Even so," said Colonel Jaquess, "we can not fight forever. The war must +end sometime. We must finally agree on something. Can we not agree now +and stop this frightful carnage?" + +"I wish peace as much as you do," replied Mr. Davis. "I deplore +bloodshed. But I feel that not one drop of this blood is on my hands. I +can look up to God and say this. I tried all in my power to avert this +war. I saw it coming and for twelve years I worked day and night to +prevent it. The North was mad and blind, and would not let us govern +ourselves and now it must go on until the last man of this generation +falls in his tracks and his children seize his musket and fight our +battle, _unless you acknowledge our right to self-government_. We are +not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for independence, and that or +extermination we _will_ have." + +"We have no wish to exterminate you," protested the Colonel. "But we +must crush your armies. Is it not already nearly done? Grant has shut +you up in Richmond. Sherman is before Atlanta." + +"You don't seem to understand the situation," Mr. Davis laughed. "We're +not exactly shut up in Richmond yet. If your papers tell the truth it is +your Capital that is in danger, not ours. Lee, whose front has never +been broken, holds Grant in check and has men enough to spare to invade +Maryland and Pennsylvania and threaten Washington. Sherman, to be sure, +is before Atlanta. But suppose he is, the further he goes from his base +of supplies, the more disastrous defeat must be. And defeat may come." + +"But you cannot expect," Gilmore said, "with only four and one half +millions to hold out forever against twenty?" + +Mr. Davis smiled: + +"Do you think there are twenty millions at the North determined to crush +us? I do not so read the returns of your elections or the temper of your +people." + +"If I understand you, then," Jaquess continued, "the dispute with your +government is narrowed to this, union or disunion?" + +"Or, in other words, independence or subjugation. We will be free. We +will govern ourselves. We will do it if we have to see every Southern +plantation sacked and every Southern city in flames." + +The visitors rose, and after a few pleasant remarks, took their leave. +Mr. Davis was particularly cordial to Colonel Jaquess, whom he knew to +have been a clergyman. + +John was surprised to see him repeat the habit of Abraham Lincoln, of +taking the hand of his visitor in both his in exactly the same cordial +way. + +He had forgotten for the moment that both Lincoln and Davis were +Southerners, born in the same State and reared in precisely the same +school of thought and social usage. + +"Colonel," the thin Southerner said in his musical voice, "I respect +your character and your motives and I wish you well--every good wish +possible consistent with the interests of the Confederacy." + +As they were passing through the door, he added: + +"Say to Mr. Lincoln that I shall at any time be pleased to receive +proposals for peace on the basis of our independence. It will be useless +to approach me with any other." + +Next morning the visitors waited in vain for the appearance of Judge +Ould to convey them once more into the Union lines. Visions of a long +term in prison, to say nothing of a possible hang-man's noose, began to +float before their excited fancy. They had expected the Judge at eight +o'clock. It was three in the afternoon when he entered with the laconic +remark: + +"Well, gentlemen, if you are ready, we'll walk around to Libby Prison." + +Certain of their doom, the two men rose and spoke in concert: + +"We are ready." + +They followed the Judge downstairs and found the same coal black driver +with the rickety team that had brought them into Richmond. + +Gilmore smiled into the Judge's face: + +"Why were you so long coming?" + +Ould hesitated and laughed: + +"I'll tell you when the war's over. Now I'll take you through the Libby +and the hospitals, if you'd like to go." + +When they had visited the prison and hospitals, Gilmore again turned to +the Judge: + +"Now, explain to us, please, your delay this morning--we're curious." + +Ould smiled: + +"I suppose I'd as well tell you. When I called on Mr. Davis for your +permit, Mr. Benjamin was there impressing on the President of the +Confederate States the absolute necessity of placing you two gentlemen +in Castle Thunder until the Northern elections are over. Mr. Benjamin is +a very eloquent advocate, and Mr. Davis hesitated. I took issue with the +Secretary of State and we had a very exciting argument. The President +finally reserved decision until two o'clock and asked me to call and get +it. He handed me your pass with this remark: + +"It's probably a bad business for us, but it would alienate many of our +Northern friends if we should hold on to these gentlemen." + +In two hours the visitors had reached the Union lines, John Vaughan had +obtained his passes and was on his way to Atlanta. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +THE STOLEN MARCH + + +John Vaughan's entrance into Atlanta was simple. His credentials from +Richmond were perfect. His exit proved to be a supreme test of his +nerve. + +The two lines of siege and battle stretched in wide semicircle for miles +over the ragged wood tangled hills about the little Gate City of the +South. + +Sherman had fought his way from Chattanooga one hundred and fifty miles +since May with consummate skill. His march had been practically a +continuous series of battles, and yet his losses had been small compared +to General Grant's. In killed, wounded and prisoners he had only lost +thirty-two thousand men in four months. The Confederate losses had been +greater--at least thirty-five thousand. + +Hood, the new Southern Commander, had given him battle a month before +and suffered an overwhelming defeat, losing eight thousand men, Sherman +but thirty-seven hundred. The Confederate forces had retired behind the +impregnable fortifications of Atlanta and Sherman lay behind his +trenches watching in grim silence. + +The pickets at many places were so close together they could talk. John +Vaughan attempted to slip through at night while they were chaffing one +another. + +He lay for an hour in the woods near the Southern picket line watching +his chance. The men were talking continuously. + +"Why the devil don't you all fight?" a grey man called. + +"Uncle Billy says it's cheaper to flank you and make you Johnnies run to +catch up with us." + +"Yes--damn you, and we've got ye now where ye can't do no more flankin'. +Ye got ter fight!" + +"Trust Uncle Billy for that when the time comes----" + +"Yes, and we've got Billy Sherman whar we want him now. We're goin' to +blow up every bridge behind ye and ye'll never see home no more----" + +"Uncle Billy's got duplicates of all your bridges fast as ye blow 'em +up." + +"All right, we're goin' ter blow up the tunnels through the +mountains----" + +"That's nothin'--we got duplicates to all the tunnels, too!" + +John Vaughan began to creep toward the Federal lines and muskets blazed +from both sides. He dropped flat on the ground and it took two hours to +crawl to a place of safety. + +He felt these lines next morning where they were wider apart and found +them too dangerous to attempt. The pickets, at the point he approached, +were in an ugly mood and a desultory fire was kept up all day. The men +had bunched up two together and entrenched themselves, keeping a deadly +watch for the men in blue. He stood for half an hour close enough to see +every movement of two young pickets who evidently had some score to pay +and were hunting for their foe with quiet, deadly purpose. + +"There's a Yank behind that clump," said one. + +"Na--nothin' but a huckleberry bush," the other replied. + +"Yes there is, too. We'll decoy and pot him. I'll get ready now and you +raise your cap on a ramrod above the hole. He'll lift his head to fire +and I'll get him." + +The speaker cautiously slipped his musket in place and drew a bead on +the spot. His partner placed his hat on his ramrod and slowly lifted it +a foot above their hiding place. + +The hat had scarcely cleared the pile of dirt before the musket flashed. + +"I got him! I told you he was there!" + +John turned from the scene with a sense of sickening horror. He would +die for his country, but he hoped he would not be called on to kill +again. + +He made a wide detour and attempted to cross the lines five miles +further from the city and walked suddenly into a squad of grey soldiers +in command of a lieutenant. + +The officer eyed him with suspicion. + +"What's your business here, sir?" he asked sharply. + +"Looking over the lines," John replied casually. + +"So I see. That's why I asked you. Show your pass." + +"Why, I haven't one." + +"I thought not. You're a damned spy and you'd just as well say your +prayers. I'm going to hang you." + +The men pressed near. Among them was a second lieutenant, a big, +strapping, quiet-looking fellow. + +"You've made a mistake, gentlemen," John protested. + +"I'm a newspaper man from Atlanta. The chief sent me out to look over +the lines and report." + +"It's a lie. We've forbidden every paper in town to dare such a +thing----" + +John smiled: + +"That's just why my office sent me, I reckon." + +"Well, he sent you once too often----" + +He turned to his orderly: + +"Get me a bridle rein off my horse." + +In vain John protested. The Commander shook his head: + +"It's no use talking. You've passed the deadline here to-day. This is a +favorite spot for scouts to cross. I'm not going to take any chances; +I'm going to hang you." + +"Why don't you search me first?" + +He was sure that his dangerous message was so skillfully sewed in the +soles of his shoes they would not be discovered. + +"I can search you afterwards," was the laconic reply. + +He quickly tied the leather strap around his neck and threw the end of +it over a limb. The touch of his hand and the rough way in which he had +tied the leather stirred John Vaughan's rage to boiling point. All sense +of danger was lost for the moment in blind anger. He turned suddenly and +faced his executioner: + +"This is a damned outrage, sir! Even a spy is entitled to a trial by +drumhead court-martial!" + +"Yes, that's what I say," the big, quiet fellow broke in. + +"I'm in command of this squad!" thundered the lieutenant. + +"I know you are," was the cool answer, "that's why this outrage is going +to be committed." + +The executioner dropped the rein and faced his subordinate: + +"You're going to question my authority?" + +"I've already done it, haven't I?" + +A quick blow followed. The quiet man, in response, knocked his commander +down and the men sprang on them as they drew their revolvers. + +John Vaughan, with a sudden leap, reached the dense woods and in five +minutes was inside Sherman's lines. + +The bridle rein was still around his neck and the blue picket helped him +untie the ugly knot. + +"I've had a close call," he panted, with a glance toward the woods. + +"You look it, partner. You'll be wantin' to see General Sherman, I +guess?" + +"Yes--to headquarters quick--you can't get there too quick to suit me." + +He had recovered his composure before reaching the farm house where +General Sherman and his staff were quartered. + +The day was one of terrific heat--the first of September. The +President's description of the famous fighter and the tremendous +responsibility which was now being placed on his shoulders had roused +John's curiosity to the highest pitch. + +The General was seated in an arm chair in the yard under a great oak. +His coat was unbuttoned and he had tilted back against the tree in a +comfortable position reading a newspaper. His black slouch hat was +pulled far down over his face. + +John saluted: + +"This is General Sherman?" + +"Yes," was the quick, pleasant answer as the tall, gaunt form slowly +rose. + +John noted his striking and powerful personality--the large frame, +restless hazel eyes, fine aquiline nose, bronzed features and cropped +beard. His every movement was instinct with the power of perfect +physical manhood, forty-four years old, the incarnation of health and +wiry strength. + +"I come from Washington, General," John continued, "and bear a special +message from the President." + +"From the President! Oh, come inside then." + +The tall figure moved with quick, nervous energy. In ten minutes +couriers were dashing from his headquarters in every direction. + +At one o'clock that night the big movement of his withdrawal from the +siege lines began. He had no intention of hurling his men against those +deadly trenches. He believed that with a sure, swift start undiscovered +by the Confederates he could by a single battle turn their lines at +Jonesboro, destroy the railroad and force General Hood to evacuate +Atlanta. + +His sleeping men were carefully waked. Not a single note from bugle or +drum sounded. The wheels of the artillery and wagons were wrapped with +cloth and every sound muffled. + +Through pitch darkness in dead silence the men were swung into marching +lines. The moving columns could be felt but not seen. Each soldier +followed blindly the man before. Somewhere in the black night there must +be a leader--God knew--they didn't. They walked by faith. The wet +grounds, soaked by recent rains, made their exit easier. The sound of +horses' hoofs and tramping thousands could scarcely be heard. + +The ranks were strung out in long, ragged lines, each man going as he +pleased. Something blocked the way ahead and the columns butted into one +another and pinched the heels of the men in front. + +In their anger the fellows smarting with pain forgot the orders for +silence. A storm of low muttering and growling rumbled through the +darkness. + +"What 'ell here!" + +"What's the matter with you----" + +"Keep off my heels!" + +"What 'ell are ye runnin' over me for?" + +"Hold up your damned gun----" + +"Keep it out of my eye, won't you?" + +"Damn your eye!" + +They start again and run into a bog of mud knee deep cut into mush by +the artillery and wagons which have passed on. + +The first men in line were in to their knees and stuck fast before they +could stop the lines surging on in the dark. They collide with the +bogged ones and fall over them. The ranks behind stumble in on top of +the fallen before word can be passed to halt. + +The night reeks with oaths. The patient heavens reverberate with them. +The mud-soaked soldiers damned with equal unction all things visible and +invisible on the earth, under it and above it. They cursed the United +States of America and they damned the Confederate States with equal +emphasis and wished them both at the bottom of the lowest depths of the +deepest pit of perdition. + +As one fellow blew the mud from his mouth and nose he bawled: + +"I wish Sherman and Hood were both in hell this minute!" + +"Yes, and fightin' it out to suit themselves!" his comrade answered. + +On through the black night the long blue lines crept under lowering +skies toward their foe, the stern face of William Tecumseh Sherman +grimly set on his desperate purpose. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +VICTORY + + +Betty had found the President at the War Telegraph office in the old +Army and Navy building. He was seated at the desk by the window where in +1862 he had written his first draft of his Emancipation Proclamation on +pieces of pasteboard. + +"You have heard nothing yet from General Sherman?" she asked +pathetically. + +"Nothing, child." + +"And no message of any kind from John Vaughan since he left!" she +exclaimed hopelessly. + +"But I'm sure, remember, sure to a moral certainty--that he reached +Richmond safely and left there safely." + +"How do you know?" + +"Gilmore has just arrived with his reply from Jefferson Davis. It will +be worth a half million votes for us. From his description of the +'reporter' with Benjamin I am sure it was our messenger." + +"But you don't know--you don't know!" Betty sighed. + +The President bent and touched her shoulder gently: + +"Come, dear, it's not like you to despair----" + +The girl smiled wanly. + +"How long since any message arrived from General Sherman?" + +"Three days, my child. I know the hole he went in at, but I can't tell +where he's going to come out----" + +"If he ever comes out," Betty broke in bitterly. + +"Oh, he'll come out somewhere!" the President laughed. "It's a habit of +his. I've watched him for months--sometimes I can't hear from him for a +week--but he always bobs up again and comes out with a whoop, too----" + +"But we've no news!" she interrupted. + +"No news has always been good news from Sherman----" + +He paused and looked at his watch: + +"Wait here. I'll be back in a few moments. We're bound to hear something +to-day. I've an engagement with my Committee of Undertakers. They are +waiting for me to deliver my corpse to them--and they are very restless +about it because I haven't given up sooner, I'm full of foolish hopes. +I'm going to adjourn them until we can get a message of some kind----" + +He returned in half an hour and sat in silence for a long time listening +to the steady, sharp click of the telegraph keys. + +Betty was too blue to talk--too heartsick to move. + +At last the tall figure rose and walked back among the operators. They +knew that he was waiting for the magic call, "Atlanta, Georgia." It had +been three years and more since that heading for a message had flashed +over their wires. Every ear was keen to catch it. + +The President bent over the table of Southern wires and silently +watched: + +"You can't strain a little message through for me, can you, my boy?" + +The operator smiled: + +"I wish I could, sir." + +The President returned to the front room and shook his head to Betty: + +"Nothing." + +"He entered Atlanta a spy, didn't he?" she said despairingly. + +"Yes--of course." + +"They couldn't execute him without our knowing it, could they?" + +"If they trap him--yes--but he's a very intelligent young man. He'll be +too smart for them. I feel it. I know it----" + +He stopped and looked at her quizzically: + +"I've a sort of second sight that tells me such things. I saw General +Sickles in the hospital after Gettysburg. They said he couldn't live. I +told him he would get well and he did." + +Again the President returned restlessly to the operator's room and Betty +followed him to the door. He waited a long time in silence, shook his +head and turned away. He had almost reached the door when suddenly the +operator sprang to his feet livid with excitement: + +"Wait--Mr. President!--It's come--my God, it's here!" + +Every operator was on his feet listening in breathless excitement to the +click of that Southern wire. + +The President had rushed back to the table. + +"It's for you, sir!" + +"Read it then--out with it as you take it!" he cried. + +"Atlanta, Georgia, September 3rd, 1864." + +"Glory to God!" the President shouted. + +"Atlanta is ours and fairly won. W. T. Sherman." + +"O my soul, lift up thy head!" the sorrowful lips shouted. "Unto thee, O +God, we give all the praise now and forever more!" + +He seated himself and quickly wrote his thanks and congratulations: + + "EXECUTIVE MANSION, + "WASHINGTON, D. C. + "September 3, 1864. + + "The National thanks are rendered by the President to Major General + W. T. Sherman and the gallant officers and soldiers of his command + before Atlanta, for the distinguished ability and perseverance + displayed in the campaign in Georgia, which under Divine favor has + resulted in the capture of Atlanta. The marches, battles and sieges + that have signalized this campaign must render it famous in the + annals of war, and have entitled you to the applause and thanks of + the Nation. + + "ABRAHAM LINCOLN, + "_President of the United States_." + +His sombre eyes flamed with a new light. He took the copy of his message +from Sherman and started to the White House with long, swift strides. + +Betty greeted him outside with tearful joy still mixed with deep +anxiety. + +"You have no word from him, of course?" + +"Not yet, child, but it will come--cheer up--it's sure to come. You see +that he reached Atlanta and delivered my message!" + +"We are not sure. The city may have fallen, anyhow----" + +"Yes, yes, but it didn't just fall, anyhow. Sherman took it. He got my +message. I know it. I felt it flash through the air from his soul to +mine!" + +His faith and enthusiasm were contagious and Betty returned home with +new hope. + +In half an hour the Committee who were waiting for his resignation from +the National Republican ticket filed into his office to receive as they +supposed his final surrender. + +The Chairman rose with doleful countenance: + +"Since leaving you, Mr. President, we have just heard a most painful and +startling announcement from the War Department. We begged you to +withhold the new draft for five hundred thousand men until after the +election. Halleck informs us of the discovery of a great combination to +resist it by armed force and General Grant must detach a part of his +army from Lee's front in order to put down this counter revolution. This +is the blackest news yet. We trust that you realize the impossibility of +your administration asking for indorsement at the polls----" + +With a sign of final resignation he sat down and the tall, dark figure +rose with quick, nervous energy. + +"I, too, have received important news since I saw you an hour ago." + +He held the telegram above his head: + +"I'll read it to you without my glasses. I know it by heart. I have just +learned that my administration will be indorsed by an overwhelming +majority, that the defeat of George B. McClellan and his platform of +failure is a certainty. The war to preserve the Union is a success. The +sword has been driven into the heart of the Confederacy. Sherman has +captured Atlanta--the Union is saved!" + +The Committee leaped to their feet with a shout of applause and crowded +around him to congratulate and praise the man they came to bury. There +was no longer a question of his resignation. The fall of Atlanta would +thrill the North. A wave of wild enthusiasm would sweep into the sea the +last trace of gloom and despair. They were practical men--else, as rats, +they would never have tried to desert their own ship. They knew that the +tide was going to turn, but it was a swift tide that could turn before +they could! + +They wrung the President's hands, they shouted his praise, they had +always gloried in his administration, but foolish grumblers hadn't been +able to see things as they saw them--hence this hue and cry! They +congratulated him on his certain triumph and the President watched them +go with a quiet smile. He was too big to cherish resentments. He only +pitied small men, he never hated them. + + + + +CHAPTER XL + +WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE + + +General Grant fired a salute in honor of the Atlanta victory with +shotted guns from every battery on his siege lines of thirty-seven miles +before Richmond and Petersburg. To Sherman he sent a remarkable +message--the kind which great men know how to pen: + +"You have accomplished the most gigantic undertaking given to any +General in this war, with a skill and ability which will be acknowledged +in history as unsurpassed if not unequaled." + +From the depths of despair the North swung to the wildest enthusiasm and +in the election which followed Abraham Lincoln was swept into power +again on a tidal wave. He received in round numbers two million five +hundred thousand votes, McClellan two millions. His majority by States +in the electoral college was overwhelming--two hundred and twelve to his +opponent's twenty-one. + +The closing words of his second Inaugural rang clear and quivering with +emotion over the vast crowd: + +"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the +right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the +work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who +shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan--to do all +which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves +and with all nations." + +As the last echo died away among the marble pillars above, the sun burst +through the clouds and flooded the scene. A mighty cheer swept the +throng and the guns boomed their second salute. The war was closing in +lasting peace and the sun shining on the finished dome of the Capitol of +a new nation. + +Betty Winter, leaning on John Vaughan's arm, was among the first to +grasp his big, outstretched hand: + +"A glorious day for us, sir," she cried, "a proud one for you!" + +With a far-away look the President slowly answered: + +"And all that I am in this world, Miss Betty, I owe to a woman--my angel +mother--blessings on her memory!" + +"I trust her spirit heard that beautiful speech," the girl responded +tenderly. + +She paused, looked up at John, blushed and added: + +"We are to be married next week, Mr. President----" + +"Is it so?" he said joyfully. "I wish I could be there, my children--but +I'm afraid 'Old Grizzly' might bite me. So I'll say it now--God bless +you!" + +He took their hands in his and pressed them heartily. His eyes suddenly +rested on a shining black face grinning behind John Vaughan. + +"My, my, can this be Julius Cæsar Thornton?" he laughed. + +"Yassah," the black man grinned. "Hit's me--ole reliable, sah, right +here--I'se gwine ter cook fur 'em!" + + * * * * * + +From the moment of Abraham Lincoln's election the end of the war with a +restored Union was a foregone conclusion. + +In the fall of Atlanta the heart of the Confederacy was pierced, and it +ceased to beat. Lee's army, cut off from their supplies, slowly but +surely began to starve behind their impregnable breastworks. Sherman's +march to the sea and through the Carolinas was merely a torchlight +parade. The fighting was done. + +When Lee's emaciated men, living on a handful of parched corn a day, +staggered out of their trenches in the spring and tried to join +Johnston's army they marched a few miles to Appomattox, dropping from +exhaustion, and surrendered. + +When the news of this tremendous event reached Washington, the Cabinet +was in session. Led by the President, in silence and tears, they fell on +their knees in a prayer of solemn thanks to Almighty God. + +General Grant won the gratitude of the South by his generous treatment +of Lee and his ragged men. He had received instructions from the loving +heart in the White House. + +Long before the surrender in April, 1865, the end was sure. The +President knowing this, proposed to his Cabinet to give the South four +hundred millions of dollars, the cost of the war for a hundred days, in +payment for their slaves, if they would lay down their arms at once. His +ministers unanimously voted against his offer and he sadly withdrew it. +Among all his councillors there was not one whose soul was big enough to +understand the far-seeing wisdom of his generous plan. He would heal at +once one of the Nation's ugliest wounds by soothing the bitterness of +defeat. He knew that despair would send the older men of the South to +their graves. + +Edmund Ruffin, who had fired the first shot against Sumter and returned +to his Virginia farm when his State seceded, was a type of these ruined, +desperate men. On the day that Lee surrendered he placed the muzzle of +his gun in his mouth, pulled the trigger with his foot, and blew his own +head into fragments. + +When Senator Winter demanded proscription and vengeance against the +leaders of the Confederacy, the President shook his head: + +"No--let down the bars--let them all go--scare them off!" + +He threw up his big hands in a vivid gesture as if he were shooing a +flock of troublesome sheep out of his garden. + +"Triumphant now, you will receive our enemies with open arms?" the +Senator sneered. + +"Enemies? There are no such things. The Southern States have never +really been out of the Union. Their Acts of Secession were null and +void. They know now that the issue is forever settled. The restored +Union will be a real one. The Southern people at heart are law-abiding. +It was their reverence for the letter of the old law which led them to +ignore progress and claim the right to secede under the Constitution. +They will be true to Lee's pledge of surrender. I'm going to trust them +as my brethren. Let us fold up our banners now and smelt the guns--Love +rules--let her mightier purpose run!" + +So big and generous, so broad and statesmanlike was his spirit that in +this hour of victory his personality became in a day the soul of the New +Republic. The South had already unconsciously grown to respect the man +who had loved yet fought her for what he believed to be her highest +good. + +He was entering now a new phase of power. His influence over the people +was supreme. No man or set of men in Congress, or outside of it, could +defeat his policies. Even through the years of stunning defeats and +measureless despair his enemies had never successfully opposed a measure +on which he had set his heart. + +His first great work accomplished in destroying slavery and restoring +the Union, there remained but two tasks on which his soul was set--to +heal the bitterness of the war and remove the negro race from physical +contact with the white. + +He at once addressed himself to this work with enthusiasm. That he could +do it he never doubted for a moment. + +His first care was to remove the negro soldiers from the country as +quickly as possible. He summoned General Butler and set him to work on +his scheme to use these one hundred and eighty thousand black troops to +dig the Panama Canal. He summoned Bradley, the Vermont contractor, and +put him to work on estimates for moving the negroes by ship to Africa or +by train to an undeveloped Western Territory. + +His prophetic soul had pierced the future and seen with remorseless +logic that two such races as the Negro and Caucasian could not live side +by side in a free democracy. The Radical theorists of Congress were +demanding that these black men, emerging from four thousand years of +slavery and savagery should receive the ballot and the right to claim +the white man's daughter in marriage. They could only pass these +measures over the dead body of Abraham Lincoln. + +The assassin came at last--a vain, foolish dreamer who had long breathed +the poisoned air of hatred. It needed but the flash of this madman's +pistol on the night of the 14th of April to reveal the grandeur of +Lincoln's character, the marvel of his patience and his wisdom. + +The curtains of the box in Ford's theatre were softly drawn apart by an +unseen hand. The Angel of Death entered, paused at the sight of the +smile on his rugged, kindly face, touched the drooping shoulders, called +him to take the place he had won among earth's immortals and left to us +"the gentlest memory of our world." + +THE END + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Southerner, by Thomas Dixon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + +***** This file should be named 19135-8.txt or 19135-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/1/3/19135/ + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Southerner + A Romance of the Real Lincoln + +Author: Thomas Dixon + +Illustrator: J. N. Marchand + +Release Date: August 28, 2006 [EBook #19135] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>THE SOUTHERNER</h1> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="thousand" id="thousand"></a><img src="images/001.jpg" + alt=""From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the +rear!'"" title=""From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the +rear!'"" /><br /> +"From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the +rear!'"</p> + + + +<div class="bbox"> +<p class="book">BOOKS BY MR. DIXON</p> +<p class="b noindent"> +The Southerner<br /> +The Sins of the Father<br /> +The Leopard's Spots<br /> +The Clansman<br /> +The Traitor</p> +<p>—— +</p><p class="b noindent"> +The One Woman<br /> +Comrades<br /> +The Root of Evil</p> +<p>—— +</p><p class="noindent"> +The Life Worth Living +</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3><i>A ROMANCE OF<br /> THE REAL LINCOLN</i></h3> + +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h2>THOMAS DIXON</h2> + +<div class="blockquott"> +<p><i>"Have you never realized it, my friends, that Lincoln, though grafted +on the West, is essentially, in personnel and character, a Southern +contribution?"</i>—<span class="smcap">Walt Whitman</span>.</p> +</div> + +<p class="center smcap">illustrated by</p> + +<p class="center">J. N. MARCHAND</p> + +<p class="center"> +NEW YORK AND LONDON<br /> +D. APPLETON AND COMPANY<br /> +1913<br /> +</p> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1913, by</span><br /> +THOMAS DIXON<br /> +<br /> +<i>All rights reserved, including that of translation into all<br /> +foreign languages, including the Scandinavian</i><br /> +<br /> +Printed in the United States of America<br /> +</p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h4><span class="smcap">dedicated to<br /> +our first southern-born president since lincoln,<br /> +my friend and collegemate</span></h4> +<h3>WOODROW WILSON</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>TO THE READER</h2> + +<div class="blockquott"> +<p><i>Lest my readers should feel that certain incidents of this story are +startling and improbable, I wish to say that every word in it relating +to the issues of our national life has been drawn from authentic records +in my possession. Nor have I at any point taken a liberty with an +essential detail in historical scenes.</i></p> +</div> + +<p class="smcap r"> +Thomas Dixon. +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="contents" id="contents"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<table summary="contents" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="0" > +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#prologue"><b>PROLOGUE</b></a></td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><span class="smcap"><b>CHAPTER</b></span></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="right"><b>I.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b> <span class="smcap">The Man of the Hour</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>II.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b> <span class="smcap">Jangling Voices</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>III.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b> <span class="smcap">In Betty's Garden</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>IV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b> <span class="smcap">A Pair of Young Eyes</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>V.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b> <span class="smcap">The first Shot</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>VI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Parting of the Ways</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>VII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><b> <span class="smcap">Love and Duty</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>VIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Trial by Fire</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>IX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><b> <span class="smcap">Victory in Defeat</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>X.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><b> <span class="smcap">The Awakening</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Man on Horseback</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><b> <span class="smcap">Love and Pride</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Spires of Richmond</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XIV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><b> <span class="smcap">The Retreat</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><b> <span class="smcap">Tangled Threads</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XVI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Challenge</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XVII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Day's Work</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XVIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII"><b> <span class="smcap">Diplomacy</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XIX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><b> <span class="smcap">The Rebel</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><b> <span class="smcap">The Insult</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Bloodiest Day</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><b> <span class="smcap">Beneath the Skin</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Usurper</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXIV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV"><b> <span class="smcap">The Conspiracy</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV"><b> <span class="smcap">The Tug of War</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXVI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Rest Hour</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXVII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII"><b> <span class="smcap">Deepening Shadows</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXVIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Moonlit River</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXIX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX"><b> <span class="smcap">The Panic</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX"><b> <span class="smcap">Sunshine and Storm</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI"><b> <span class="smcap">Between the Lines</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Whirlwind</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Brothers Meet</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXIV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIV"><b> <span class="smcap">Love's Pledge</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXV.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXV"><b> <span class="smcap">The Darkest Hour</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXVI.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVI"><b> <span class="smcap">The Assassin</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXVII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVII"><b> <span class="smcap">Mr. Davis Speaks</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXVIII.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVIII"><b> <span class="smcap">The Stolen March</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XXXIX.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIX"><b> <span class="smcap">Victory</span></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><b>XL.</b></td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XL"><b> <span class="smcap">With Malice Toward None</span></b></a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<table summary="illustrations" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" > +<tr><td> +<a href="#thousand">"From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the rear!'" <i>Frontispiece</i>.</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#man">'Be a man among men, for your mother's sake—'"</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#good">"'Good-bye—Ned!' she breathed softly."</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#betty">"Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#you">"'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"</a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#wav">"Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of his troops and charged."</a><br /> +</td></tr> +</table> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>LEADING CHARACTERS OF THE STORY</h2> +<p class="center">1809-1818<br /> +<br /> +<i>Scene: A Cabin in the Woods</i><br /> +</p><div class="blockquottt"> +<p class="noindent"> +<span class="smcap">Tom</span>, A Man of the Forest and Stream.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Nancy</span>, The Woman Who Saw a Vision.<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Boy</span>, Her Son.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Dennis</span>, His Cousin.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Boney</span>, A Fighting Coon Dog.<br /> +<br /></p></div> +<p class="center">1861-1865<br /> +<br /> +<i>Scene: The White House</i><br /> +</p><div class="blockquottt"> +<p class="noindent"> +<span class="smcap">Senator Gilbert Winter</span>, The Radical Leader.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Betty</span>, His Daughter.<br /> +<span class="smcap">John Vaughan</span>, A Union Soldier.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ned Vaughan</span>, His Brother, a Rebel.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Abraham Lincoln</span>, The President.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mrs. Lincoln</span>, His Wife.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Phœbe</span>, Her Maid.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Julius Cæsar Thornton</span>, Who Was Volunteered.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Colonel Nicolay</span>, The President's Secretary.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Major John Hay</span>, Assistant Secretary.<br /> +<span class="smcap">William Tecumseh Sherman</span>, Who Stole a March.<br /> +<span class="smcap">George B. McClellan</span>, The Man on Horseback.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Robert E. Lee</span>, The Southern Commander.<br /> +</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE SOUTHERNER</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="prologue" id="prologue"></a><a href="#contents">PROLOGUE</a></h2> + +<h3>I</h3> + + +<p>Tom seated himself at the table and looked into his wife's face with a +smile:</p> + +<p>"Nancy, it's a meal fit for a king!"</p> + +<p>The supper over, he smoked his pipe before the cabin fire of blazing +logs, while she cleared the wooden dishes. He watched her get the paper, +goose-quill pen and ink as a prisoner sees the scaffold building for his +execution.</p> + +<p>"Now we're all ready," she said cheerfully.</p> + +<p>The man laid his pipe down with a helpless look. A brief respite flashed +through his mind. Maybe he could sidestep the lessons before she pinned +him down.</p> + +<p>"Lord, Nancy, I forgot my gun. I must grease her right away," he cried.</p> + +<p>He rose with a quick decisive movement and took his rifle from the rack. +She knew it was useless to protest and let him have his way.</p> + +<p>Over every inch of its heavy barrel and polished walnut stock he rubbed +a piece of greased linen with loving care, drew back the flint-lock and +greased carefully every nook and turn of its mechanism, lifted the gun +finally to his shoulder and drew an imaginary bead on the head of a +turkey gobbler two hundred yards away. A glowing coal of hickory wood in +the fire served for his game.</p> + +<p>He lowered the gun and held it before him with pride:</p> + +<p>"Nancy, she's the dandiest piece o' iron that wuz ever twisted inter the +shape of a weepon. Old 'Speakeasy's her name! She's got the softest +voice that ever whispered death to a varmint or an Injun—hit ain't much +louder'n the crack of a whip, but, man alive, when she talks she says +somethin'. 'Kerpeow!' she whispers soft an' low! She's got a voice like +yourn, Nancy—kinder sighs when she speaks——"</p> + +<p>"Well," the wife broke in with a shake of her dark head, "has mother's +little boy played long enough with his toy?"</p> + +<p>"I reckon so," Tom laughed.</p> + +<p>"Then it's time for school." She gently took the rifle from his hands, +placed it on the buck horns and took her seat at the table.</p> + +<p>The man looked ruefully at the stool, suddenly straightened his massive +frame, lifted his hand above his head and cocked his eye inquiringly:</p> + +<p>"May I git er drink er water fust?"</p> + +<p>The teacher laughed in spite of herself:</p> + +<p>"Yes, you big lubber, and hurry up."</p> + +<p>Tom seized the water bucket and started for the door.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" she cried in dismay.</p> + +<p>"I'll jest run down to the spring fer a fresh bucket——"</p> + +<p>"O Tom!" she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"I'll be right back in a minute, Honey," he protested softly. "Hit's +goin' ter be powerful hot—I'll need a whole bucket time I'm through."</p> + +<p>Before she could answer he was gone.</p> + +<p>He managed to stay nearly a half hour. She put the baby to sleep and sat +waiting with her pensive young eyes gazing at the leaping flames. She +heard him stop and answer the call of an owl from the woods. A +whip-poor-will was softly singing from the bushes nearby. He stopped to +call him also, and then found an excuse to linger ten minutes more +fooling with his dogs.</p> + +<p>The laggard came at last and dropped on his stool by her side. He sat +for five minutes staring helplessly at the copy she had set. Big beads +of perspiration stood on his forehead when he took the pen. He held it +awkwardly and timidly as if it were a live reptile. She took his clumsy +hand in hers and showed him how to hold it.</p> + +<p>"My, but yo' hand's soft an' sweet, Nancy,—jest lemme hold that a +while——"</p> + +<p>She rapped his knuckles.</p> + +<p>"All right, teacher, I'll be good," he protested, and bent his huge +shoulders low over his task. He bore so hard on the frail quill pen the +ink ran in a big blot.</p> + +<p>"Not so hard, Tom!" she cried.</p> + +<p>"But I got so much strenk in my right arm I jist can't hold it back."</p> + +<p>"You must try again."</p> + +<p>He tried again and made a heavy tremulous line. His arm moved at a +snail's gait and wobbled frightfully.</p> + +<p>"Make the line quicker," she urged encouragingly. "Begin at the top and +come down——"</p> + +<p>"Here, you show me how!"</p> + +<p>She took his rough hand quietly in hers, and guided it swiftly from +right to left in straight smooth lines until a dozen were made, when he +suddenly drew her close, kissed her lips, and held the slender fingers +in a grip of iron. She lay still in his embrace for a moment, released +herself and turned from him with a sigh. He drew her quickly to the +light of the fire and saw the unshed tears in her eyes.</p> + +<p>"What's the use ter worry, Nancy gal?" he said. "Give it up ez a bad +job. I wouldn't fool with no sech scholar ef I wuz you. Ye can't teach +an old dog new tricks——"</p> + +<p>"I won't give up!" she cried with sudden energy. "I can teach you and I +will. I won't give up and be nobody. O Tom, you promised me before we +were married to let me teach you—didn't you promise?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Honey, I did——" he paused and his fine teeth gleamed through the +black beard—"but ye know a feller'll promise any thing ter git his +gal——"</p> + +<p>"Didn't you mean to keep your word?" She broke in sharply.</p> + +<p>"Of course I did, Nancy, I never wuz more earnest in my life—'ceptin +when I got religion. But I had no idee larnin' come so hard. I'd ruther +fight Injuns an' wil' cats or rob a bee tree any day than ter tackle +them pot hooks you're sickin' after me——"</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't give up," she interrupted impatiently, "and you'd just as +well make up your mind to stick to it. You can do what other men have +done. You're good, honest and true, you're kindhearted and popular. +They've already made you the road supervisor of this township. Learn to +read and write and you can make a good speech and go to the +Legislature."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Nancy, what do ye want me ter do that fur, anyhow, gal? I'd be the +happiest man in the world right here in this cabin by the woods ef you'd +jest be happy with me. Can't ye quit hankerin' after them things, +Honey?"</p> + +<p>She shook her dark head firmly.</p> + +<p>"You know, Nancy, we wuz neighbors to Dan'l Boone. We thought he wuz +about the biggest man that ever lived. Somehow the love o' the woods an' +fields is always singin' in my heart. Them still shinin' stars up in the +sky out thar to-night keep a callin' me. I could hear the music o' my +hounds in my soul ez I stood by the spring a while ago. Ye know what +scares me most ter death sometimes, gal?" He paused and looked into her +eyes intently.</p> + +<p>"No, what?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"That you'll make a carpenter outen me yit ef I don't mind."</p> + +<p>Again a smile broke through the cloud in her eyes: "I don't think +there's much danger of <i>that</i>, Tom——"</p> + +<p>"Yes ther is, too," he laughed. "Ye see, I love you so and try ter make +ye happy, an' ef there wuz ter come er time that there wuz plenty o' +work an' real money in it, I'd stick to it jist ter please you, an' be a +lost an' ruined soul! Yessir, they'd carve on my headstone jest one +line:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">BORN A MAN—AND DIED A JACKLEG CARPENTER.</span></p></div> + +<p>"Wouldn't that be awful?"</p> + +<p>The momentary smile on the woman's sensitive face faded into a look of +pain. She tried to make a good-natured reply, but her lips refused to +move.</p> + +<p>The man pressed on eagerly:</p> + +<p>"O Nancy, why can't ye be happy here? We've a snug little cabin nest, +we've enough to eat and enough to wear. The baby's laughin' at yer heels +all day and snugglin' in her little bed at night. The birds make music +fur ye in the trees. The creek down thar's laughin' an' singing' winter +an' summer. The world's too purty an' life's too short ter throw hit +away fightin' an' scramblin' fur nothin'."</p> + +<p>"For something—Tom—something big——"</p> + +<p>"Don't keer how big 'tis—what of it? All turns ter ashes in yer hands +bye an' bye an' yer life's gone. We can't live these young days over +again, can we? Ye know the preacher says: 'What shall hit profit a man +ef he gain the whole world an' lose his life?' Let me off'n these +lessons, Honey? I'm too old; ye can't larn me new tricks now. Let me off +fer good an' all, won't ye?"</p> + +<p>"No," was the firm answer. "It means too much. I won't give up and let +the man I love sign his name forever with a cross mark."</p> + +<p>"I ain't goin' ter sign no more papers nohow!" Tom broke in.</p> + +<p>"I signed our marriage bond with a mark, Tom," she went on evenly, "just +because you couldn't write your name. You've got to learn, I won't give +up!"</p> + +<p>"Well, it's too late to-night fur any more lessons, now <i>ain't</i> it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we'll make up for it next time."</p> + +<p>The tired hunter was soon sound asleep dreaming of the life that was the +breath of his nostrils.</p> + +<p>Through the still winter's night the young wife lay with wide staring +eyes. Over and over again she weighed her chances in the grim struggle +begun for the mastery of his mind. The longer she asked herself the +question of success or failure the more doubtful seemed the outcome. How +still the world!</p> + +<p>The new life within her strong young body suddenly stirred, and a +feeling of awe thrilled her heart. God had suddenly signalled from the +shores of Eternity.</p> + +<p>When her husband waked at dawn he stared at her smiling face in +surprise.</p> + +<p>"What ye laughin' about, Nancy?" he cried.</p> + +<p>She turned toward him with a startled look:</p> + +<p>"I had a vision, Tom!"</p> + +<p>"A dream, I reckon."</p> + +<p>"God had answered the prayer of my heart," she went on breathlessly, +"and sent me a son. I saw him a strong, brave, patient, wise, gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and great men came to do him homage. +With bowed head he led me into a beautiful home that had shining white +pillars. He bowed low and whispered in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel +mother. I bought it for you with my life. All that I am I owe to you.'"</p> + +<p>She paused a moment and whispered:</p> + +<p>"O Tom, man, a new song is singing in my soul!"</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p>The woman rose quietly and went the rounds of her daily work. She made +her bed to-day in trance-like silence. It was no gilded couch, but it +had been built by the hand of her lover and was sacred. It filled the +space in one corner of the cabin farthest from the fire. A single post +of straight cedar securely fixed in the ground held the poles in place +which formed the side and foot rail. The walls of the cabin formed the +other side and head. Across from the pole were fixed the slender hickory +sticks that formed the springy hammock on which the first mattress of +moss and grass rested. On this was placed a feather bed made from the +wild fowl Tom had killed during the past two years. The pillows were of +the finest feathers from the breasts of ducks. A single quilt of ample +size covered all, and over this was thrown a huge counterpane of bear +skins. Two enormous bear rugs almost completely covered the dirt floor, +and a carpet of oak leaves filled out the spaces.</p> + +<p>The feather bed beaten smooth, the fur covering drawn in place and the +pillows set upright against the cabin wall, she turned to the two bunks +in the opposite corner and carefully re-arranged them. They might be +used soon. This was the corner of her home set aside for guests. Tom had +skillfully built two berths boat fashion, one above the other, in this +corner, and a curtain drawn over a smooth wooden rod cut this space off +from the rest of the room when occupied at night by visitors.</p> + +<p>The master of this cabin never allowed a stranger to pass without urging +him to stop and in a way that took no denial.</p> + +<p>A savory dish of stewed squirrel and corn dumplings served for lunch. +The baby's face was one glorious smear of joy and grease at its finish.</p> + +<p>The mother took the bucket from its shelf and walked leisurely to the +spring, whose limpid waters gushed from a rock at the foot of the hill. +The child toddled after her, the little moccasined feet stepping +gingerly over the sharp gravel of the rough places.</p> + +<p>Before filling the bucket she listened again for the crack of Tom's +rifle, and could hear nothing. A death-like stillness brooded over the +woods and fields. He was probably watching for muskrat under the bluff +of the creek. He had promised to stay within call to-day.</p> + +<p>The afternoon dragged wearily. She tried to read the one book she +possessed, the Bible. The pages seemed to fade and the eyes refused to +see.</p> + +<p>"O Man, Man, why don't you come home!" she cried at last.</p> + +<p>She rose, walked to the door, looked and listened—only the distant +rattle of a woodpecker's beak on a dead tree in the woods. The snow +began to fall in little fitful dabs. It was two miles to the nearest +cabin, and her soul rose in fierce rebellion at her loneliness. It was +easy for a man who loved the woods, the fields and running waters, this +life, but for the woman who must wait and long and eat her heart out +alone—she vowed anew that she would not endure it. By the sheer pull of +her will she would lift this man from his drifting life and make him +take his place in the real battle of the world. If her new baby were +only a boy, he could help her and she would win. Again she stood +dreaming of the vision she had seen at dawn.</p> + +<p>The dark young face suddenly went white and her hand gripped the facing +of the door.</p> + +<p>She waited half doubting, half amused at her fears. It was only the +twinge of a muscle perhaps. She smiled at her sudden panic. The thought +had scarcely formed before she blanched the second time and the firm +lips came together with sudden energy as she glanced at the child +playing on the rug at her feet.</p> + +<p>She seized the horn that hung beside the door and blew the pioneer's +long call of danger. Its shrill note rang through the woods against the +hills in cadences that seemed half muffled by the falling snow.</p> + +<p>Again her anxious eyes looked from the doorway. Would he never come! The +trembling slender hand once more lifted the horn, a single wild note +rang out and broke suddenly into silence. The horn fell from her limp +grasp and she lifted her eyes to the darkening sky in prayer, as Tom's +voice from the edge of the woods came strong and full:</p> + +<p>"Yes, Honey, I'm comin'!"</p> + +<p>There was no question of doctor or nurse. The young pioneer mother only +asked for her mate.</p> + +<p>For two fearful hours she gripped his rough hands until at last her +nails brought the blood, but the man didn't know or care. Every +smothered cry that came from her lips began to tear the heart out of his +body at last. He could hold the long pent agony no longer without words.</p> + +<p>"My God, Nancy, what can I do for ye, Honey?"</p> + +<p>Her breath came in gasps and her eyes were shining with a strange +intensity.</p> + +<p>"Nothing, Tom, nothing now—I'm looking Death in the face and I'm not +afraid——"</p> + +<p>"Please lemme give ye some whiskey," he pleaded, pressing the glass to +her lips.</p> + +<p>"No—no, take it away—I hate it. My baby shall be clean and strong or I +want to die."</p> + +<p>The decision seemed to brace her spirit for the last test when the +trembling feet entered the shadows of the dim valley that lies between +Life and Death.</p> + +<p>The dark, slender figure lay still and white at last. A sharp cry from +lusty lungs, and the grey eyes slowly opened, with a timid wondering +look.</p> + +<p>"Tom!" she cried with quick eager tones.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Nancy, yes!"</p> + +<p>"A boy?"</p> + +<p>"Of course—and a buster he is, too."</p> + +<p>"Give him to me—quick!"</p> + +<p>The stalwart figure bent over the bed and laid the little red bundle in +her arms. She pressed him tenderly to her heart, felt his breath on her +breast and the joyous tears slowly poured down her cheeks.</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p>Before the first year of the boy's life had passed the task of teaching +his good-natured, stubborn father became impossible. The best the wife +could do was to make him trace his name in sprawling letters that +resembled writing and painfully spell his way through the simplest +passages in the Bible.</p> + +<p>The day she gave up was one of dumb despair. She resolved at last to +live in her boy. All she had hoped and dreamed of life should be his and +he would be hers. Her hands could make him good or bad, brave or +cowardly, noble or ignoble.</p> + +<p>He was a remarkable child physically, and grew out of his clothes faster +than she could make them. It was easy to see from his second year that +he would be a man of extraordinary stature. Both mother and father were +above the average height, but he would overtop them both. When he +tumbled over the bear rugs on the cabin floor his father would roar with +laughter:</p> + +<p>"For the Lord's sake, Nancy, look at them legs! They're windin' blades. +Ef he ever gits grown, he won't have ter ax fer a blessin', he kin jest +reach up an' hand it down hisself!"</p> + +<p>He was four years old when he got the first vision of his mother that +time should never blot out. His father was away on a carpenter job of +four days. Sleeping in the lower bunk in the corner, he waked with a +start to hear the chickens cackling loudly. His mother was quietly +dressing. He leaped to his feet shivering in the dark and whispered:</p> + +<p>"What is it, Ma?"</p> + +<p>"Something's after the chickens."</p> + +<p>"Not a hawk?"</p> + +<p>"No, nor an owl, or fox, or weasel—or they'd squall—they're cackling."</p> + +<p>The rooster cackled louder than ever and the Boy recognized the voice of +his speckled hen accompanying him. How weird it sounded in the darkness +of the still spring night! The cold chills ran down his back and he +caught his mother's dress as she reached for the rifle that stood beside +her bed.</p> + +<p>"You're not goin' out there, Ma?" the Boy protested.</p> + +<p>"Yes. It's a dirty thief after our horse."</p> + +<p>Her voice was low and steady and her hand was without tremor as she +grasped his.</p> + +<p>"Get back in bed. I won't be gone a minute."</p> + +<p>She left the cabin and noiselessly walked toward the low shed in which +the horse was stabled.</p> + +<p>The Boy was at her heels. She knew and rejoiced in the love that made +him brave for her sake.</p> + +<p>She paused a moment, listened, and then lifted her tall, slim form and +advanced steadily. Her bare feet made no noise. The waning moon was +shining with soft radiance. The Boy's heart was in his throat as he +watched her slender neck and head outlined against the sky. Never had he +seen anything so calm and utterly brave.</p> + +<p>There was a slight noise at the stable. The chickens cackled with louder +call. Five minutes passed and they were silent. A shadowy figure +appeared at the corner of the stable. She raised the rifle and flashed a +dagger-like flame into the darkness.</p> + +<p>A smothered cry, the shadow leaped the fence and the beat of swift feet +could be heard in the distance.</p> + +<p>The Boy clung close to her side and his voice was husky as he spoke:</p> + +<p>"Ain't you afraid, Ma?"</p> + +<p>The calm answer rang forever through his memory:</p> + +<p>"I don't know what fear means, my Boy. It's not the first time I've +caught these prowling scoundrels."</p> + +<p>Next morning he saw the dark blood marks on the trail over which the +thief had fled, and looked into his mother's wistful grey eyes with a +new reverence and awe.</p> + + +<h3>IV</h3> + +<p>The Boy was quick to know and love the birds of hedge and field and +woods. The martins that built in his gourds on the tall pole had opened +his eyes. The red and bluebirds, the thrush, the wren, the robin, the +catbird, and song sparrows were his daily companions.</p> + +<p>A mocking-bird came at last to build her nest in a bush beside the +garden, and her mate began to make the sky ring with his song. The +puzzle of the feathered tribe whose habits he couldn't fathom was the +whip-poor-will. His mother seemed to dislike his ominous sound. But the +soft mournful notes appealed to the Boy's fancy. Often at night he sat +in the doorway of the cabin watching the gathering shadows and the +flicker of the fire when supper was cooking, listening to the tireless +song within a few feet of the house.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you like 'em, Ma?" he asked, while one was singing with +unusually deep and haunting voice so near the cabin that its echo seemed +to come from the chimney jamb.</p> + +<p>It was some time before she replied:</p> + +<p>"They say it's a sign of death for them to come so close to the house."</p> + +<p>The Boy laughed:</p> + +<p>"You don't believe it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know."</p> + +<p>"Well, I like 'em," he stoutly declared. "I like to feel the cold +shivers when they sing right under my feet. You're not afraid of a +little whip-poor-will?"</p> + +<p>He looked up into her sombre face with a smile.</p> + +<p>"No," was the gentle answer, "but I want to live to see my Boy a fine +strong man," she paused, stooped, and drew him into her arms.</p> + +<p>There was something in her tones that brought a lump into his throat. +The moon was shining in the full white glory of the Southern spring. A +night of marvellous beauty enfolded the little cabin. He looked into her +eyes and they were shining with tears.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" he asked tenderly.</p> + +<p>"Nothing, Boy, I'm just dreaming of you!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The first day of the fall in his sixth year he asked his mother to let +him go to the next corn-shucking.</p> + +<p>"You're too little a boy."</p> + +<p>"I can shuck corn," he stoutly argued.</p> + +<p>"You'll be good, if I let you go?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"What's to hurt me there?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, unless you let it. The men drink whiskey, the girls dance. +Sometimes there's a quarrel or fight."</p> + +<p>"It won't hurt me ef I 'tend to my own business, will it?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing will ever hurt you, if you'll just do that, Boy," the father +broke in.</p> + +<p>"May I go?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we're invited next week to a quilting and corn-shucking. I'll go +with you."</p> + +<p>The Boy shouted for joy and counted the days until the wonderful event. +They left home at two o'clock in the wagon. The quilting began at three, +the corn-shucking at sundown.</p> + +<p>The house was a marvellous structure to the Boy's excited imagination. +It was the first home he had ever seen not built of logs.</p> + +<p>"Why, Ma," he cried in open-eyed wonder, "there ain't no logs in the +house! How did they ever put it together?"</p> + +<p>"With bricks and mortar."</p> + +<p>The Boy couldn't keep his eyes off this building. It was a simple, +one-story square structure of four rooms and an attic, with little +dormer windows peeping from the four sides of the pointed roof. +McDonald, the thrifty Scotch-Irishman, from the old world, had built it +of bricks he had ground and burnt on his own place.</p> + +<p>The dormer windows peeping from the roof caught the Boy's fancy.</p> + +<p>"Do you reckon his boys sleep up there and peep out of them holes?"</p> + +<p>The mother smiled.</p> + +<p>"Maybe so."</p> + +<p>"Why don't we build a house like that?" he asked at last. "Don't you +want it?"</p> + +<p>The mother squeezed his little hand:</p> + +<p>"When you're a man will you build your mother one?"</p> + +<p>He looked into her eyes a moment, caught the pensive longing and +answered:</p> + +<p>"Yes. I will."</p> + +<p>She stooped and kissed the firm mouth and was about to lead him into the +large work-room where the women were gathering around the quilts +stretched on their frames, when a negro slave suddenly appeared to take +her horse to the stable. He was fat, jolly and coal black. His yellow +teeth gleamed in their blue gums with a jovial welcome.</p> + +<p>The Boy stood rooted to the spot and watched until the negro +disappeared. It was the first black man he had ever seen. He had heard +of negroes and that they were slaves. But he had no idea that one human +being could be so different from another.</p> + +<p>In breathless awe he asked:</p> + +<p>"Is he folks?"</p> + +<p>"Of course, Boy," his mother answered, smiling.</p> + +<p>"What made him so black?"</p> + +<p>"The sun in Africa."</p> + +<p>"What made his nose so flat and his lips so thick?"</p> + +<p>"He was born that way."</p> + +<p>"What made him come here?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't. The slave traders put him in chains and brought him across +the sea and sold him into slavery."</p> + +<p>The little body suddenly stiffened:</p> + +<p>"Why didn't he kill 'em?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't know how to defend himself."</p> + +<p>"Why don't he run away?"</p> + +<p>"He hasn't sense enough, I reckon. He's got a home, plenty to eat and +plenty to wear, and he's afraid he'll be caught and whipped."</p> + +<p>The mother had to pull the Boy with her into the quilting room. His eyes +followed the negro to the stable with a strange fascination. The thing +that puzzled him beyond all comprehension was why a big strong man like +that, if he were a man, would submit. Why didn't he fight and die? A +curious feeling of contempt filled his mind. This black thing that +looked like a man, walked like a man and talked like a man couldn't be +one! No real man would grin and laugh and be a slave. The black fool +seemed to be happy. He had not only grinned and laughed, but he went +away whistling and singing.</p> + +<p>In three hours the quilts were finished and the men had gathered for the +corn-shucking.</p> + +<p>Before eight o'clock the last ear was shucked, and a long white pile of +clean husked corn lay glistening in the moonlight where the dark pyramid +had stood at sunset.</p> + +<p>With a shout the men rose, stretched their legs and washed their hands +in the troughs filled with water, provided for the occasion. They sat +down to supper at four long tables placed in the kitchen and work room, +where the quilts had been stretched.</p> + +<p>Never had the Boy seen such a feast—barbecued shoat, turkeys, ducks, +chickens, venison, bear meat, sweet potatoes, wild honey, corn dodgers, +wheat biscuit, stickies and pound cake—pound cake until you couldn't +eat another mouthful and still they brought more!</p> + +<p>After the supper the young folks sang and danced before the big fires +until ten o'clock, and then the crowd began to thin, and by eleven the +last man was gone and the harvest festival was over.</p> + +<p>It was nearly twelve before the Boy knelt at his mother's knee to say +his prayers.</p> + +<p>When the last words were spoken he still knelt, his eyes gazing into the +flickering fire.</p> + +<p>The mother bent low:</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking about, Boy? The house you're going to build for +me?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"That nigger—wasn't he funny? You don't want me to get you any niggers +with the house do you?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"I didn't think you would," he went on thoughtfully, "because you said +General Washington set his slaves free and wanted everybody else to do +it too."</p> + +<p>He paused and shook his head thoughtfully. "But he was funny—he was +laughin' and whistlin' and singin'!"</p> + + +<h3>V</h3> + +<p>The air of the Southern autumn was like wine. The Boy's heart beat with +new life. The scarlet and purple glory of the woods fired his +imagination. He found himself whistling and singing at his tasks. He +proudly showed a bee tree to his mother, the honey was gathered and +safely stored. A barrel of walnuts, a barrel of hickory-nuts and two +bushels of chestnuts were piled near his bed in the loft.</p> + +<p>But the day his martins left, he came near breaking down. He saw them +circle high in graceful sweeping curves over the gourds, chattering and +laughing with a strange new note in their cries.</p> + +<p>He watched them wistfully. His mother found him looking with shining +eyes far up into the still autumn sky. His voice was weak and unsteady +when he spoke:</p> + +<p>"I—can—hardly—hear—'em—now; they're so high!"</p> + +<p>A slender hand touched his tangled hair:</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, Boy, they'll come again."</p> + +<p>"You're sure, Ma?" he asked, pathetically.</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"Will they know when it's time?"</p> + +<p>"Some one always tells them."</p> + +<p>"Who?"</p> + +<p>"God. That's what the Bible means when it says, 'the stork knoweth her +appointed time.' I read that to you the other night, don't you +remember?"</p> + +<p>"But maybe God'll be so busy he'll forget my birds?"</p> + +<p>"He never forgets, he counts the beat of a sparrow's wing."</p> + +<p>The mother's faith was contagious. The drooping spirit caught the flash +of light from her eyes and smiled.</p> + +<p>"We'll watch for 'em next spring, won't we? And I'll put up new gourds +long before they come!"</p> + +<p>Comforted at last, he went to the woods to gather chinquapins. The +squirrels were scampering in all directions and he asked his father that +night to let him go hunting with him next day.</p> + +<p>"All right, Boy!" was the hearty answer. "We'll have some fun this +winter."</p> + +<p>He paused as he saw the mother's lips suddenly close and a shadow pass +over her dark, sensitive face.</p> + +<p>"Hit's no use ter worry, Nancy," he went on good-naturedly. "I promised +you not ter take him 'less he wanted ter go. But hit's in the blood, and +hit's got ter come out."</p> + +<p>Tom picked the Boy up and placed him on his knee and stroked his dark +head. Sarah crouched at his feet and smiled. He was going to tell about +the Indians again. She could tell by the look in his eye as he watched +the flames leap over the logs.</p> + +<p>"Did ye know, Boy," he began slowly, "that we come out to Kaintuck with +Daniel Boone?"</p> + +<p>"Did we?"</p> + +<p>"Yes sirree, with old Dan'l hisself. It wuz thirty years ago. I wuz a +little shaver no bigger'n you, but I remember jest as well ez ef it wuz +yistiddy. Lordy, Boy, thar wuz er man that wuz er man! Ye couldn't a +made no jackleg carpenter outen him——" He paused and cast a sly wink +at Nancy as she bent over her knitting.</p> + +<p>"Tell me about him?" the Boy cried.</p> + +<p>"Yessir, Dan'l Boone wuz a man an' no mistake. The Indians would ketch +'im an' keep er ketchin' 'im an' he'd slip through their fingers +slicker'n a eel. The very fust trip he tuck out here he wuz captured by +the Redskins. Dan'l wuz with his friend John Stuart.</p> + +<p>"They left their camp one day an' set out on a big hunt, and all of a +sudden they wuz grabbed by the Injuns."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't they shoot 'em?" the Boy asked.</p> + +<p>"They wuz too many of 'em an' they wuz too quick for Dan'l. He didn't +have no show at all. The Injuns robbed 'em of everything they had an' +kept 'em prisoners.</p> + +<p>"But ole Dan'l wuz a slick un. He'd been studyin' Injuns all his life +an' he knowed 'em frum a ter izard. They didn't have nothin' but bows +an' arrers then an' he had a rifle thes like mine. He never got +flustered or riled by the way they wuz treatin' him, but let on like he +wuz happy ez er June bug. Dan'l would raise his rifle, put a bullet +twixt a buffalo's eyes an' he'd drap in his tracks. The Injuns wuz +tickled ter death an' thought him the greatest man that ever lived—an' +he wuz, too. So they got ter likin' him an' treatin' 'im better. For +seven days an' nights him an' Stuart helped 'em hunt an' showed 'em how +ter work er rifle. The Injuns was plum fooled by Dan'l's friendly ways +an' didn't watch 'im so close.</p> + +<p>"So one night Dan'l helped 'em ter eat a bigger supper than ever. They +wuz all full enough ter bust, an' went ter sleep an' slept like logs. +Hit wuz a dark night an' the fire burned low, an' long 'bout midnight +Dan'l made up his mind ter give 'em the slip.</p> + +<p>"Hit wuz er dangerous job. Ef he failed hit wuz death shore-nuff, for +nothin' makes a Injun so pizen mad ez fer anybody ter be treated nice by +'em an' then try ter get away. The Redskins wuz all sleepin' round the +fire. They wuz used ter jumpin' in the middle o' the night or any +minute. Mebbe they wuz all ersleep, an' mebbe they wasn't.</p> + +<p>"Old Dan'l he pertended ter be sleepin' the sleep er the dead, an' I +tell ye he riz mighty keerful, shuck Stuart easy, waked him up an' +motioned him ter foller. Talk about sneakin' up on a wild duck er a +turkey—ole Dan'l done some slick business gettin' away frum that fire! +Man, ef they'd rustled a leaf er broke a twig, them savages would a all +been up an' on 'em in a minute. Holdin' tight to their guns—you kin bet +they didn't leave them—and a steppin' light ez feathers they crept away +from the fire an' out into the deep dark o' the woods. They stopped an' +stood as still ez death an' watched till they see the Injuns hadn't +waked——"</p> + +<p>The pioneer paused and his white teeth shone through his black beard as +he cocked his shaggy head to one side and looked into the Boy's wide +eyes.</p> + +<p>"And then what do you reckon Dan'l Boone done, sir?"</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"Waal, ye seed the way them bees made fer their trees, didn't ye, when +they got a load er honey?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's the way I found their home."</p> + +<p>"But you had the daylight, mind ye! And Dan'l was in pitch black night, +but, sir, he made a bee-line through them dark woods straight for his +camp he'd left seven days afore. And, man, yer kin bet they made tracks +when they got clear o' the Redskins! Hit wuz six hours till day an' when +the Injuns waked they didn't know which way ter look——"</p> + +<p>Tom paused and the Boy cried eagerly:</p> + +<p>"Did they get there?"</p> + +<p>"Git whar?" the father asked dreamily.</p> + +<p>"Get back to their own camp?"</p> + +<p>"Straight ez a bee-line I tell ye. But the camp had been busted and +robbed and the other men wuz gone."</p> + +<p>"Gone where?"</p> + +<p>Tom shook his shaggy head.</p> + +<p>"Nobody never knowed ter this day—reckon the Injuns scalped 'em——"</p> + +<p>He paused again and a dreamy look overspread his rugged face.</p> + +<p>"Like they scalped your own grandpa that day."</p> + +<p>"Did they scalp my grandpa?" the Boy asked in an awed whisper.</p> + +<p>"That they did. Your Uncle Mordecai an' me was workin' with him in the +new ground, cleanin' it fur corn when all of a sudden the Injuns riz +right up outen the ground. Your grandpa drapped dead the fust shot, an' +Mordecai flew ter the cabin fer the rifle. A big Redskin jumped over a +log an' scalped my own daddy before my eyes! He grabbed me an' started +pullin' me ter the woods, an' then, Sonny, somethin' happened——"</p> + +<p>Tom looked at the long rifle in its buck's horn rest and smiled:</p> + +<p>"Old 'Speakeasy' up thar stretched her long neck through a chink in the +logs an' said somethin' ter Mr. Redskin. She didn't raise her voice much +louder'n a whisper. She jist kinder sighed:</p> + +<p>"<i>Kerpeow!</i>"</p> + +<p>"I kin hear hit echoin' through them woods yit. That Injun drapped my +hands before I heerd the gun, an' she hadn't more'n sung out afore he +wuz lyin' in a heap at my feet. The ball had gone clean through him——"</p> + +<p>Tom paused again and looked for a long time in silence into the glowing +coals. The little cabin was very still. The Boy lifted his face to his +mother's curiously:</p> + +<p>"Ma, you said God counted the beat of a sparrow's wing?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, what was He doin' when that Indian scalped my grandpa?"</p> + +<p>The mother threw a startled look at the bold little questioner and +answered reverently:</p> + +<p>"Keeping watch in Heaven, my Boy. The hairs of your head are numbered +and not one falls without his knowledge. We had to pay the price of +blood for this beautiful country. Nothing is ever worth having that +doesn't cost precious lives."</p> + +<p>Again the cabin was still. An owl's deep cry boomed from the woods and a +solitary wolf answered in the distance. The Boy's brow was wrinkled for +a moment and then he suddenly looked up to his father's rugged face:</p> + +<p>"And what became of Dan'l Boone?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he lit on his feet all right. He always did. He moved on with +Stuart, built him another camp in the deepest woods he could find and +hunted there all winter—jest think, Boy, all winter—every day—thar +wuz a man that wuz a man shore nuff!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sirree!" the listener agreed.</p> + +<p>The mother lifted her head and thoughtfully watched the sparkling eyes.</p> + +<p>"And do you want to know why Daniel Boone was great, my son?" she +quietly asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, why?" was the quick response.</p> + +<p>"Because he used his mind and his hands, while the other men around him +just used their hands. He learned to read and write when he was a little +boy. He mixed brains with his powder and shot."</p> + +<p>"Did he, Pa?" the questioner cried.</p> + +<p>The father smiled. He could afford to be generous. The Boy looked to him +as the authority on Daniel Boone.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I reckon he did. He wuz smart. I didn't have no chance when I wuz +little."</p> + +<p>"Then I'm going to learn, too. Ma can teach me." He leaped from his +father's lap and climbed into hers. "You will, won't you, Ma?"</p> + +<p>The mother smiled us she slowly answered:</p> + +<p>"Yes, Honey, I'll begin to-morrow night when you get back from hunting."</p> + + +<h3>VI</h3> + +<p>Slowly but surely the indomitable will within the Boy's breast conquered +the cries of aching muscles, and he went about his daily farm tasks +with the dogged persistence of habit. He had learned to whistle at his +work and his eager mind began to look for new worlds to conquer.</p> + +<p>At the right moment the tempter appeared. It rained on Saturday and +Austin, his neighbor, came over to see him. They cracked walnuts and +hickory-nuts in the loft while the rain pattered noisily on the board +roof. Austin had a definite suggestion for Sunday that would break the +monotony of life.</p> + +<p>"Let's me an' you not go ter meetin' ter-morrow?" the neighbor ventured +for a starter.</p> + +<p>"All right!" the Boy agreed. "Preachin' makes me tired anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Me, too, an' I tell ye what I'll do. I'll get my Ma ter let me come ter +your house to stay all day, an' when your folks go off ter meetin', me +an' you'll have some fun!"</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"We'll stay all day on the creek banks, find duck nests, turkey and +quail nests, an',——" Austin paused and dropped his voice, "go in +swimmin' if we take a notion——"</p> + +<p>The Boy slowly shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, less don't do that."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"'Cause Ma don't 'low me to go in the creek till June—says I might +ketch my death o' cold."</p> + +<p>"Shucks! I've been in twice already!"</p> + +<p>"Have ye?"</p> + +<p>"Yep!"</p> + +<p>"And ye didn't get sick?"</p> + +<p>"Do I <i>look</i> sick?"</p> + +<p>"Not a bit."</p> + +<p>"Well, then?"</p> + +<p>"All right—we'll go."</p> + +<p>The spirit of freedom born of the fields and woods had grown into +something more than an attitude of mind. He was ready for the deed—the +positive act of adventure. He didn't like to disobey his mother. But he +couldn't afford to let Austin think that he was a molly-coddle, a mere +babe hanging to her skirts. He was doing a man's work. It was time he +took a few of man's privileges.</p> + +<p>He revelled in the situation of adventure that night and saw himself the +hero of stirring scenes.</p> + +<p>Next morning on Austin's arrival he asked his mother to let him stay at +home and play.</p> + +<p>"Don't you want to go to meeting and hear the new preacher?" she asked +persuasively.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm tired."</p> + +<p>The mother smiled indulgently. He was young—far too young yet to know +the meaning of true religion. She was a Baptist, and the first principle +of her religion was personal faith and direct relations of the +individual soul with God. She remembered her own hours of torture in +childhood.</p> + +<p>"All right, Boy," she said graciously. "Be good now, while we're gone."</p> + +<p>His big toe was digging in the dirt while he murmured:</p> + +<p>"Yes'm."</p> + +<p>The wagon had no sooner disappeared than he and Austin were flying with +swift bare feet along the path that led to the creek. It was the hottest +day of the spring—a close air and broiling sun to be remembered longer +than the hottest day of August.</p> + +<p>They ran for a mile without a pause, rolled in the sand on the banks of +the creek and shouted their joy in perfect freedom. They explored the +deep cane brakes and stalked imaginary buffaloes and bears without +number, encountering nothing bigger than a grey fox and a couple of +muskrats.</p> + +<p>"Let's cross over!" Austin cried. "I saw a bear track on that side one +day. We can trail him to his den and show him to your Pap when he comes +home. Here's a log!"</p> + +<p>The Boy looked dubiously, measured it with his eye, and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Nope—it's too little and too high in the air—it'll wobble," he +declared.</p> + +<p>"But we can coon it over!" Austin urged. "We can grab hold of a limb +over there and slide down—it's easy—come on!"</p> + +<p>Before he could make further objection, the young adventurer quickly +straddled the swaying pole, and, with the agility of a cat, hopped +across, grasped one of the limbs and slipped to the sand.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" he shouted. "See how easy it is!"</p> + +<p>The Boy looked doubtfully at the swaying sapling and wished he had gone +to hear that preacher after all. It would never do to say he was afraid. +The other fellow had done it so quickly. And it was no use to argue with +Austin that his legs were shorter, his body more compact and so much +easier to hold his balance. The idea of cowardice was something too vile +for thought. The Boy felt that he was doomed to fall before he moved +but he waved a brave little hand in answer:</p> + +<p>"All right, I'm comin'!"</p> + +<p>Half way across the pole began to tear its roots from the bluff. He felt +it sinking, stopped and held his breath as it suddenly broke with a +crash and fell.</p> + +<p>"Look out! Hold tight!" Austin yelled.</p> + +<p>He did his best, but lost his balance and toppled head downward into the +deep still water.</p> + +<p>His mouth flew open at the first touch of the chill stream; he gasped +for breath and drew into his lungs a strangling flood. The blood rushed +to his brain in a wild explosion of terror. He struck out madly with his +long arms and legs, fighting with desperation for breath and drinking in +only the agony and fear of death. His mother's voice came low and faint +and far away in some other world, saying softly:</p> + +<p>"Be good now, while we're gone!"</p> + +<p>Again he struck out blindly, fiercely, madly into the darkness that was +slowly swallowing him body and soul.</p> + +<p>His hand touched something as he sank, he grasped it with instinctive +terror and knew no more until he waked in the infernal regions with the +Devil sitting on his stomach glaring into his eyes and holding him by +the throat trying to choke him to death. His head was down a steep hill.</p> + +<p>With a mighty effort he threw the Devil off, loosed his hold and sucked +in a tiny breath of air, and then another and another, coughing and +spluttering and wheezing foam and water from his mouth and ears and nose +and eyes.</p> + +<p>At last a voice gasped:</p> + +<p>"Is—that—you—Austin?"</p> + +<p>"You bet it's me! I got ye a breathin' all right now—who'd ye think it +wuz?"</p> + +<p>The Boy coughed again and squeezed his lungs clear of water.</p> + +<p>"Why—I was afraid I was dead and you was the Old Scratch and had me."</p> + +<p>"Well, I thought you was a goner shore nuff till yer hand grabbed the +pole I stuck after ye. Man alive, but you did hold onto it! I lakened +ter never got yer hand loose so's I could pull ye up on the bank and +turn ye upside down and squeeze the water outen ye."</p> + +<p>"Did you sit on my stomach and choke me?" the Boy asked.</p> + +<p>"I set on yer and mashed the water out, but I didn't choke you."</p> + +<p>"I thought the Old Scratch had me!"</p> + +<p>For an hour they talked in awed whispers of Sin and Death and Trouble +and then the blood of youth shook off the nightmare.</p> + +<p>They were alive and unhurt. They were all right and it was a good joke. +They swore eternal secrecy. The day was yet young and it was a glorious +one. Their clothes were wet and they had to be dried before night. That +settled it. They would strip, hang their clothes in the hot sun and +wallow in the sand and play in the shallow water until sundown.</p> + +<p>"And besides," Austin urged, "this here's a warnin' straight from the +Lord—me and you must learn ter swim."</p> + +<p>"That's so, ain't it?" the Boy agreed.</p> + +<p>"It's what I calls a sign from on high—and it pints right into the +creek!"</p> + +<p>They agreed that the thing to do was to heed at once this divine +revelation and devote the whole Sabbath day to the solemn work—in the +creek.</p> + +<p>They found a beautifully sunny spot with an immense sand bar and wide +shallow safe waters. They carefully placed their clothes to dry and +basked in the bright sun. They practiced swimming in water waist deep +and Austin learned to make three strokes and reach the length of his +body before sinking.</p> + +<p>They rolled in the sun again and ate their lunch. They ran naked through +the woods to a branch that flowed into the creek, followed it to the +source and drank at a beautiful spring.</p> + +<p>Through the long afternoon they lived in a fairy world of freedom, of +dreams and make-believe. They talked of great hunters and discussed the +best methods of attacking all manner of wild beasts.</p> + +<p>The sun was sinking toward the western hills when they hastily picked up +their clothes and found a safe ford across which they could wade, +holding their things above their heads.</p> + +<p>The Boy reached the house just as the wagon drove up to the door. He +hurried to help his father with the horse. A sense of elation filled his +mind that he was shrewd enough to keep his own secrets. Of course, his +mother needn't know what had happened. He was none the worse for it.</p> + +<p>In answer to her question of how he had spent the day he vaguely +answered:</p> + +<p>"In the woods. They're awfully pretty now with the dogwood all in +bloom."</p> + +<p>He talked incessantly at supper, teasing Sarah about her jolly time at +the meeting. Toward the end of the meal he grew silent. A curious +sensation began on his back and shoulders and arms. He paid no attention +to it at first, but it rapidly grew worse. The more he tried to shake +off the feeling the more distinct and sharp it grew. At last every inch +of his body seemed to be on fire.</p> + +<p>He rose slowly from the table and walked to his stool in the corner +wondering—wondering and fearing. He sat in dead silence for half an +hour. The perspiration began to stand out on his forehead. It was no use +longer to try to fool himself, there was something the matter—something +big—something terrible! A fierce and scorching fever was burning him to +death. He dared not move. Every muscle quivered with agony when he +tried.</p> + +<p>The mother's keen eye saw the tears he couldn't keep back.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Boy?" she tenderly asked while his father was at the +stable putting the wagon under the shed.</p> + +<p>"I don't know 'm," he choked. "I'm all on fire—I'm burnin' up——"</p> + +<p>She touched his forehead and slipped her arm around his shoulders.</p> + +<p>He screamed with pain.</p> + +<p>The mother looked into his face with a sudden start.</p> + +<p>"Why, what on earth, child? What have you been doing to-day?"</p> + +<p>He hesitated and tried to be brave, but it was no use. He felt that he +would drop dead the next moment unless relief came. He buried his face +in her lap and sobbed his bitter confession.</p> + +<p>"Do you think I'm going to die?" he asked.</p> + +<p>She smiled:</p> + +<p>"No, my Boy, you're only sunburned. How long were you naked in the sun?"</p> + +<p>"From 'bout ten o'clock till nearly sundown——"</p> + +<p>He moved again and screamed with agony.</p> + +<p>The mother tenderly undressed the little, red, swollen body. The rough +clothes had stuck to the blistered skin in one place and the pain was so +frightful he nearly fainted before they were finally removed.</p> + +<p>For two days and nights she never left his side, holding his hand to +give him courage when he was compelled to move. Almost his entire body, +inch by inch, was blistered. She covered it with cream and allowed only +two greased linen cloths to touch him.</p> + +<p>On the second day as he lay panting for breath and holding her hand with +feverish grasp he looked into her pensive grey eyes through his own +bleared and bloodshot with pain and said softly:</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Ma."</p> + +<p>She pressed his hand:</p> + +<p>"It's all right, my Boy; your mother loves you."</p> + +<p>"I'm not sorry for the pain," he gasped. "What hurts me worse is that +you're so sweet to me!"</p> + +<p>The dark face bent and kissed his trembling lips:</p> + +<p>"It's all for the best. You couldn't have understood the preacher Sunday +when he took the text: 'The stars in their courses fought against +Sisera.' You learned it for yourself the only way we really learn +anything. God's in the wind and rain, the sun, the storm. All nature +works with him. You can easily fool your mother. It's not what you seem +to others; it's what you are that counts. God sees and knows. You see +and know in your little heart. I want you to be a great man—only a good +man can ever be great."</p> + +<p>And so for an hour she poured into his heart her faith in God and His +glory until He became the one power fixed forever in the child's +imagination.</p> + + +<h3>VII</h3> + +<p>The Boy lost his skin but grew another and incidentally absorbed some +ideas he never forgot.</p> + +<p>On the day he was able to put on his clothes, it poured down rain and +work in the fields was impossible. A sense of delicious joy filled him. +He worked because he had to, not because he liked it. He was too proud +to shirk, too brave to cry when every nerve and muscle of his little +body ached with mortal weariness, but he hated it.</p> + +<p>The sun rose bright and warm and shone clear in the Southern sky next +morning before he was called. He climbed down the ladder from his loft +wondering what marvellous thing had happened that he should be sleeping +with the sun already high in the heavens.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Ma?" he asked anxiously. "Why didn't you call me?"</p> + +<p>"It's too wet to plow. Your father's going to chop wood in the clearing. +He wanted you to pile brush after him, but I asked him to let you off to +go fishing for me."</p> + +<p>He ate breakfast with his heart beating a tattoo, rushed into the +garden, dug a gourd full of worms, drew his long cane rod from the +eaves of the cabin, and with old Boney trotting at his heels was soon on +his way to a deep pool in the bend of the creek.</p> + +<p>Fishing for <i>her</i>! His mother understood. He wondered why he had ever +been fool enough to disobey her that Sunday. He could die for her +without a moment's hesitation.</p> + +<p>It was glorious to have this marvellous day of spring all his own. The +birds were singing on every field and hedge. The trees flashed their +polished new leaves. The sweet languor of the South was in the air and +he drew it in with deep breaths that sent the joy of life tingling +through every vein.</p> + +<p>Four joyous hours flew on tireless wings. He had caught five catfish and +a big eel—more than enough for a good meal for the whole family.</p> + +<p>He held them up proudly. How his mother's eyes would sparkle! He could +see Sarah's admiring gaze and hear his father's good-natured approval.</p> + +<p>He had just struck the path for home when the forlorn figure of a rough +bearded man came limping to meet him.</p> + +<p>He stepped aside in the grass to let him pass. But the man stopped and +gazed at the fish.</p> + +<p>"My, my, Sonny, but you've got a fine string there!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Pretty good for one day," the Boy proudly answered.</p> + +<p>"An' just ter think I ain't had nothin' ter eat in 'most two days."</p> + +<p>"Don't you live nowhere?" the youngster asked in surprise.</p> + +<p>"I used ter have a home afore the war, but my folks thought I wuz dead +an' moved away. I'm tryin' ter find 'em. Hit's a hard job with a +Britisher's bullet still a-pinchin' me in the leg."</p> + +<p>"Did you fight with General Washington?"</p> + +<p>"Lordy, no, I ain't that old, ef I do look like a scarecrow. No, I fit +under Old Hickory at New Orleans. I tell ye, Sonny, them Britishers +burnt out Washington fur us but we give 'em a taste o' fire at New +Orleans they ain't goin' ter fergit."</p> + +<p>"Did we lick 'em good?"</p> + +<p>"Boy, ye ain't never heard tell er sich a scrimmage—we thrashed 'em +till they warn't no fight in 'em, an' they scrambled back aboard them +ships an' skeddaddled home. Britishers can't fight nohow. We've licked +'em twice an' we kin lick 'em agin. But the old soldier that does the +fightin'—everybody fergits him!"</p> + +<p>The Boy looked longingly at his string of fish for a moment with the +pride of his heart, and then held up his treasure.</p> + +<p>"You can have my fish if ye want 'em; they'll make you a nice supper."</p> + +<p>The old soldier stroked the tangled hair and took his string of fish.</p> + +<p>"You're a fine boy! I won't fergit you, Sonny!"</p> + +<p>The words comforted him until he neared the house. And then a sense of +bitter loss welled up in spite of all.</p> + +<p>"Did I do right, Ma?" he asked wistfully.</p> + +<p>She placed her hand on his forehead:</p> + +<p>"Yes—I'm proud of you. I know what that gift cost a boy's heart. It was +big because it was all you had and the pride of your soul was in it."</p> + +<p>The sense of loss was gone and he was rich and happy again.</p> + +<p>When the supper was over and they sat before the flickering firelight he +asked her a question over which his mind had puzzled since he left the +old soldier.</p> + +<p>"Why is it," he said thoughtfully, "British soldiers can't fight?"</p> + +<p>The mother smiled:</p> + +<p>"Who said they couldn't fight?"</p> + +<p>"The old soldier I gave my fish to. He said we just made hash out o' +them. We've licked 'em twice and we can do it again!"</p> + +<p>The last sentence he didn't quote. He gave it as a personal opinion +based on established facts.</p> + +<p>"We didn't win because the British couldn't fight," the mother gravely +responded.</p> + +<p>"Then why?" he persisted.</p> + +<p>"The Lord was good to us."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>The question came with an accent of indignation. Sometimes he couldn't +help getting cross with his mother when she began to give the Lord +credit for everything. If the Lord did it all why should he give his +string of fish to an old soldier!</p> + +<p>The grey eyes looked into his with wistful tenderness. She had been +shocked once before by the fear that there was something in this child's +eternal why that would keep him out of the church. The one deep desire +of her heart was that he should be good.</p> + +<p>"Would you like to hear," she began softly, "something about the +Revolution which my old school teacher told me in Virginia?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, tell me!" he answered eagerly.</p> + +<p>"He said that we could never have won our independence but for God. We +didn't win because British soldiers couldn't fight. We held out for ten +years because we outran them. We ran quicker, covered more ground, got +further into the woods and stayed there longer than any fighters the +British had ever met before. That's why we got the best of them. Our men +who fought and ran away lived to fight another day. General Washington +was always great in retreat. He never fought unless he was ready and +could choose his own field. He waited until his enemies were in snug +quarters drinking and gambling, and then on a dark night, so dark and +cold that some of his own men would freeze to death, he pushed across a +river, fell on them, cut them to pieces and retreated.</p> + +<p>"The number of men he commanded was so small he could not face his foes +in the open if he could avoid it. His men were poorly armed, poorly +drilled, half-clothed and half-starved at times. The British troops were +the best drilled and finest fighting men of the world in their day, +armed with good guns, well fed, well clothed, and well paid."</p> + +<p>She paused and smiled at the memory of her teacher's narrative.</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose happened on one of our battlefields?"</p> + +<p>"I dunno—what?"</p> + +<p>"When the Red-coats charged, our boys ran at the first crack of a gun. +They ran so well that they all got away except one little fellow who had +a game leg. He stumbled and fell in a hole. A big British soldier raised +a musket to brain him. The little fellow looked up and cried: 'All +right. Kill away, ding ye—ye won't get much!'</p> + +<p>"The Britisher laughed, picked him up, brushed his clothes and told him +to go home."</p> + +<p>The Boy laughed again and again.</p> + +<p>"He was a spunky one anyhow, wasn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the mother nodded, "that's why the Red-coat let him go. And we +never could have endured if God hadn't inspired one man to hold fast +when other hearts had failed."</p> + +<p>"And who was he?" the Boy broke in.</p> + +<p>"General Washington. At Valley Forge our cause was lost but for him. Our +men were not paid. They could get no clothes, they were freezing and +starving. They quit and went home in hundreds and gave up in despair. +And then, Boy——"</p> + +<p>Her voice dropped to a tense whisper:</p> + +<p>"General Washington fell on his knees and prayed until he saw the +shining face of God and got his answer. Next day he called his ragged, +hungry men together and said:</p> + +<p>"'Soldiers, though all my armies desert, the war shall go on. If I must, +I'll gather my faithful followers in Virginia, retreat to the mountains +and fight until our country is free!'</p> + +<p>"His words cheered the despairing men and they stood by him. We were +saved at last because help came in time. Lord Cornwallis had laid the +South in ashes, and camped at Yorktown, his army of veterans laden with +spoils. He was only waiting for the transports from New York to take his +victorious men North, join the army there and end the war, and then——"</p> + +<p>She drew a deep breath and her eyes sparkled:</p> + +<p>"And then, Boy, it happened—the miracle! Into the Chesapeake Bay in +Virginia, three big ships dropped anchor at the mouth of the York River. +Our people on the shore thought they were the transports and that the +end had come. But the ships were too far away to make out their flags, +and so they sent swift couriers across the Peninsula, to see if there +were any signs in the roadstead at Hampton. There—Glory to God! lay a +great fleet flying the flag of France. The French had loaned us twenty +millions of dollars, and sent their navy and their army to help us. Had +the Lord sent down a host from the sky we couldn't have been more +surprised. They landed, joined with General Washington's ragged men, and +closed in on Cornwallis. Surprised and trapped he surrendered and we +won.</p> + +<p>"But there never was a year before that, my Boy, that we were strong +enough to resist the British army had the mother country sent a real +general here to command her troops."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't she?" the Boy interrupted.</p> + +<p>Again the mother's voice dropped low:</p> + +<p>"Because God wouldn't let her—that's the only reason. If Lord Clive had +ever landed on our shores, Washington might now be sleeping in a +traitor's grave."</p> + +<p>The voice again became soft and dreamy—almost inaudible.</p> + +<p>"And he didn't come?" the Boy whispered.</p> + +<p>"No. On the day he was to sail he put the papers in his pocket, went +into his room, locked the door and blew his own brains out. This is +God's country, my son. He gave us freedom. He has great plans for us."</p> + +<p>The fire flickered low and the Boy's eyes glowed with a strange +intensity.</p> + + +<h3>VIII</h3> + +<p>A barbecue, with political speaking, was held at the village ten miles +away. The family started at sunrise. The day was an event in the lives +of every man, woman and child within a radius of twenty miles. Many came +as far as thirty miles and walked the whole distance. Before nine +o'clock a crowd of two thousand had gathered.</p> + +<p>The dark, lithe young mother who led her boy by the hand down the +crowded aisle of the improvised brush arbor that day performed a deed +which was destined to change the history of the world.</p> + +<p>The speaker who held the crowd spellbound for two hours was Henry Clay. +The Boy not only heard an eloquent orator. His spirit entered for all +time into fellowship with a great human soul.</p> + +<p>In words that throbbed with passion, he pictured the coming glory of a +mighty nation whose shores would be washed by two oceans, whose wealth +and manhood would be the hope and inspiration of the world. Never before +had words been given such wings. The ringing tones found the Boy's soul +and set his brain on fire. A big idea was born within his breast. This +was his country. His feet pressed its soil. Its hills and plains, its +rivers and seas were his. His hands would help to build this vision of a +great spirit into the living thing. He breathed softly and his eyes +sparkled. When the crowd cheered, he leaped to his feet, swung his +little cap into the air and shouted with all his might. When the last +glowing picture of the peroration faded into a silence that could be +felt, and the tumult had died away, he saw men and women crowding around +the orator to shake his hand.</p> + +<p>"Take me, Ma!" he whispered. "I want to see him close!"</p> + +<p>The mother lifted him in her arms above the crowd, pressed forward, and +the Boy's shining eyes caught those of the brilliant statesman. Over the +heads of the men by his side the orator extended his hand and grasped +the trembling outstretched fingers.</p> + +<p>He smiled and nodded, that was all. The Boy understood. From that moment +he had an ideal leader whose words were inspired.</p> + +<p>The mother's dark face was lit for a moment with tender pride. She made +no effort to reach the orator's side. It was enough that she had seen +the flash from her Boy's eyes. She was content. The day was filled with +a great joy.</p> + +<p>The summer camp meetings began the following week. The grounds were +located a mile from the straggling little village which was the center +of the county's activities. All religious denominations used the +spacious auditorium for their services. The Methodists camped there an +entire month. The Baptists stayed but two weeks. The Baptist temperament +frowned on the social frivolities which were inseparable from these long +intimate associations at close quarters. The more volatile temperament +of the Methodists revelled in them, and Methodism grew with astounding +rapidity under the system.</p> + +<p>The auditorium was simply a huge quadrangular shed with board roof +uphold by cedar posts. At one end of the shed stood the platform on +which was built the pulpit, a square box-like structure about four feet +high. The seats were made of rough-hewn half logs set on pegs driven in +augur holes. There were no backs to them. A single wide aisle led from +the end facing the pulpit, and two narrow ones intersected the main +aisle at the centre.</p> + +<p>In front of the pulpit were placed the mourner's benches facing the +three sides of the space left for the free movement of the mourners +under the stress of religious emotion.</p> + +<p>The Boy's mother and father were devout members of the Baptist Church, +but they were not demonstrative. They modestly and reverently took their +seats in an inconspicuous position about midway the building, entering +from one of the small aisles on the side. The Boy had often been to a +regular church service before, but this was his first camp meeting.</p> + +<p>Four preachers sat in grim silence behind the pulpit's solid box front. +The Boy could just see the tops of their heads over the board that held +the big gilt-edged Bible.</p> + +<p>The entire first two days and nights were given to a series of terrific +sermons on Death, Hell, and the Judgment, with a brief glimpse of the +pearly gates of Heaven and a few strains from the golden harps inside +for the damned to hear by way of contrast. The first purpose of the +preachers was to arouse a deep under-current of religious emotional +excitement that at the proper moment would explode and sweep the crowd +with resistless fire. Usually the fuse was timed to explode on the +morning of the third day. Sometimes, when sermons of extraordinary +power had followed each other in rapid succession, the fire broke out by +a sort of spontaneous combustion on the night of the second day.</p> + +<p>It did so this time. The mother had no trouble in keeping the Boy by her +side through these first two days. He felt instinctively the growing +emotional tension about him, and knew in his bones that something would +break loose soon. He was keyed to a high pitch of interest to see just +what it would be like.</p> + +<p>The storm broke in the middle of the second sermon on the second night. +The preacher had worked himself into a frenzy of emotional excitement. +His arms were waving over his head, his eyes blazing, his feet stamping, +his voice screaming in anguish as he described the agony of a soul lost +forever in the seething cauldron of eternal hell fire!</p> + +<p>A tremulous startled moan, half-wail, half-scream came from a girl just +in front of the Boy, as she dropped her head in her hands.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with her?" he whispered. "Has she got a pain?"</p> + +<p>His mother pressed his hand:</p> + +<p>"Sh!"</p> + +<p>And then the storm broke. From every direction came the startled cries +of long pent terror and anguish. The girl staggered to her feet and +started stumbling down the aisle to the mourners' bench without +invitation, and from every row of seats they tumbled, crowding on her +heels, sobbing, wailing, screaming, groaning.</p> + +<p>The preacher ceased to talk and, in a high tremulous voice, that rang +through the excited crowd as the peal of the Archangel's trumpet, began +to sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Come humble sinners in whose breasts<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A thousand thoughts revolve!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The crowd rose instinctively and all who were not mourning, joined in +the half-savage, terror-stricken wail of the song. The sinners that +hadn't given up at the first break of the storm could not resist the +thrill of this wild music. One by one they pushed their way through the +crowd, found the aisle and staggered blindly to the front.</p> + +<p>The Boy noticed curiously that it seemed to be the rule for them to +completely cover their streaming eyes with a handkerchief or with the +bare hands and go it blindly for the mourners' benches. If they missed +the way and butted into anything, a church member kindly took them by +the arm and guided them to a vacant place where they dropped on their +knees.</p> + +<p>The Boy had leaped on the bench and stood beside his mother to get a +better view of the turmoil. He couldn't keep his eyes off a tall, +red-headed, thick-bearded man just across the aisle three rows behind +who kept twitching his face, looking toward the door and struggling +against the impulse to follow the mourners. Presently he broke down with +a loud cry:</p> + +<p>"Lord, have mercy!"</p> + +<p>He placed his hands over his face and started on a run to the front.</p> + +<p>The Boy giggled, and his mother pinched him.</p> + +<p>"Did ye see that red-headed feller, Ma," he whispered. "He didn't do +fair. He peeked through his fingers—I saw his eyes!"</p> + +<p>"Sh!"</p> + +<p>The preachers had come down from the pulpit now and stood over the +wailing prostrated mourners and exhorted them to repent and believe +before it was forever and eternally too late. Three of them were talking +at the same time to different groups of mourners. The louder they +exhorted the louder the sinners cried. The fourth preacher walked down +the aisle searching for those who were yet hardening their hearts and +stiffening their necks. He paused beside a prim little old maid who had +lately arrived from Tidewater Virginia. Her bright eyes were dry.</p> + +<p>"Dear lady, are you a child of God?" the preacher cried.</p> + +<p>The prim figured stiffened indignantly:</p> + +<p>"No, sir! I'm an Episcopalian!"</p> + +<p>The preacher groaned and passed on and the Boy stuffed his fist in his +mouth.</p> + +<p>For half an hour the roar of the conflict was incessant, and its +violence indescribable. It was broken now and then by a kindly soul +among the elderly women raising a sweet old-fashioned hymn.</p> + +<p>Suddenly an exhorter threw his hands above his head and, in a voice that +soared above the roar of mourners and their attendants, cried:</p> + +<p>"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world!"</p> + +<p>Quick as a flash came an answering shout from the red-headed man who +leaped to his feet and with wide staring eyes looked up at the roof.</p> + +<p>"I see him! I see Jesus up a tree!"</p> + +<p>A fat woman lifted her head and shouted:</p> + +<p>"Hold him till I get there!"</p> + +<p>And she started for the red-headed man. There was a single moment of +strange silence and the Boy laughed aloud.</p> + +<p>His mother caught and shook him violently. He crammed his little fist +again into his mouth, but the stopper wouldn't hold.</p> + +<p>He dropped to his seat to keep the people from seeing him, buried his +face in his hands and laughed in smothered giggles in spite of all his +mother could do.</p> + +<p>At last he whispered:</p> + +<p>"Take me out quick! I'm goin' to bust—I'll bust wide open I tell ye!"</p> + +<p>She rose sternly, seized his arm and led him a half mile into the woods. +He kept looking back and laughing softly.</p> + +<p>She gazed at him sorrowfully:</p> + +<p>"I'm ashamed of you, Boy! How could you do such a thing!"</p> + +<p>"I just couldn't help it!"</p> + +<p>He sat down on a stone and laughed again.</p> + +<p>"What makes the fools holler so?" he asked through his tears.</p> + +<p>"They are praying God to forgive their sins."</p> + +<p>"But why holler so loud? He ain't deaf—is He? You said that God's in +the sun and wind and dew and rain—in the breath we breathe. Ain't He +everywhere then? Why do they holler at Him?"</p> + +<p>The mother turned away to hide a smile she couldn't keep back, and a +cloud overspread her dark face. Surely this was an evil sign—this +spirit of irreverent levity in the mind of a child so young. What could +it mean? She had forgotten that she had been teaching him to think, and +didn't know, perhaps, that he who thinks must laugh or die.</p> + +<p>After that she let him spend long hours at the spring playing with boys +and girls of his age. He didn't go into the meetings again. But he +enjoyed the season. The watermelons, muskmelons, and ginger cakes were +the best he had ever eaten.</p> + + +<h3>IX</h3> + +<p>During the Christmas holidays the father got ready for a coon hunt in +which the Boy should see his first battle royal in the world of sport.</p> + +<p>Dennis came over and brought four extra dogs, two of his own and two +which he had borrowed for the holidays.</p> + +<p>A sudden change came over the spirit of old Boney—short for Napoleon +Bonaparte. He understood the talk about coons as clearly as if he could +speak the English language. He was in a quiver of eager excitement. He +knew from the Boy's talk that he was going, too. He wagged his tail, +pushed his warm nose under his little friend's arm, whining and +trembling while he tried to explain what it meant to strike a coon's +trail in the deep night, chase him over miles of woods and swamps and +field, tree him and fight it out, a battle to the death between dog and +beast!</p> + +<p>At two o'clock, before day, his father's voice called and in a jiffy he +was down the ladder, his eyes shining. He had gone to sleep with his +clothes on and lost no time in dressing.</p> + +<p>Without delay the start was made. Down the dim pathway to the creek and +then along its banks for two miles, its laughing waters rippling soft +music amid the shadows, or gleaming white and mirror-like in the +starlit open spaces.</p> + +<p>In half an hour the stars were obscured by a thin veil of fleecy clouds, +and, striking no trail in the bottoms, they turned to the big tract of +woods on the hills and plunged straight into their depths for two miles.</p> + +<p>"Hush!"</p> + +<p>Tom suddenly stopped:</p> + +<p>Far off to the right came the bark of a dog on the run.</p> + +<p>"Ain't that old Boney's voice?" the father asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," the Boy answered.</p> + +<p>The note of wild savage music was one he had never heard before.</p> + +<p>"Yes it was, too," was the emphatic decision. He squared his broad +shoulders and gave the hunter's shout of answer-joy to the dog's call.</p> + +<p>Never had the Boy heard such a shout from human lips. It sent shivers +down his spine.</p> + +<p>The dog heard and louder came the answering note, a deep tremulous boom +through the woods that meant to the older man's trained ear that he was +on the run.</p> + +<p>"That's old Boney shore's yer born!" the father cried, "an' he ain't got +no doubts 'bout hit nother. He's got his head in the air. The trail's so +hot he don't have ter nose the ground. You'll hear somethin' in a minute +when the younger pups git to him."</p> + +<p>Two hounds suddenly opened with long quivering wails.</p> + +<p>"Thar's my dogs—they've hit it now!" Dennis cried excitedly.</p> + +<p>Another hound joined the procession, then another and another, and in +two minutes the whole pack of eight were in full cry.</p> + +<p>Again the hunter's deep voice rang his wild cheer through the woods and +every dog raised his answering cry a note higher.</p> + +<p>"Ain't that music!" Tom cried in ecstacy.</p> + +<p>They stood and listened. The dogs were still in the woods and with each +yelp were coming nearer. Evidently the trail led toward them, but in the +rear and almost toward the exact spot at which they had entered the +forest.</p> + +<p>"Just listen at old Boney!" the Boy cried. "I can tell him now. He can +beat 'em all!"</p> + +<p>Loud and clear above the chorus of the others rang the long savage boom +of Boney's voice, quivering with passion, defiant, daring, sure of +victory! It came at regular intervals as if to measure the miles that +separated him from the battle he smelled afar. He was far in the lead. +He was past-master of this sport. The others were not in his class.</p> + +<p>The Boy's heart swelled with pride.</p> + +<p>"Old Boney's showin' 'em all the way!" he exclaimed triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"Yer can bet he always does that, Sonny!" the father answered. "That's a +hot trail. Nigh ez I can figger we're goin' ter have some fun. There's +more'n one coon travelin' over that ground."</p> + +<p>"How can you tell?" Dennis asked incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Hit's too easy fer the other pups—they'd lose the scent now an' then +ef they weren't but one. They ain't lost it a minute since they struck +it—Lord, jest listen!"</p> + +<p>He paused and held his breath.</p> + +<p>"Did ye ever hear anything like hit on this yearth!" Dennis cried.</p> + +<p>Every dog was opening now at the top of his voice at regular intervals, +the swing and leap of their bodies over the brush and around the trees +registering in each stirring note.</p> + +<p>Again Tom gave a shout of approval.</p> + +<p>The sound of the leader's voice suddenly flattened and faded.</p> + +<p>"By Gum!" the old hunter cried, "they've left the woods, struck that +field an' makin' for the creek! Ye won't need that axe ter-night, +Dennis."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Wait an' see!" was the short answer.</p> + +<p>They hurried from the woods and had scarcely reached the edge of the +field when suddenly old Boney's cry stopped short and in a moment the +others were silent.</p> + +<p>"Good Lord, they've lost it!" Dennis groaned.</p> + +<p>And then came the quick, sharp, fierce bark of the leader announcing +that the quarry had been located.</p> + +<p>Tom gave a yell of triumph and started on a run for the spot.</p> + +<p>"Up one o' them big sycamores in the edge o' that water I'll bet!" +Dennis wailed.</p> + +<p>"You'll need no axe," was the older man's short comment.</p> + +<p>They pushed their way rapidly through the cane to the banks of the creek +and found the dogs scratching with might and main straight down into the +sand about ten feet from the water's edge.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be doggoned," Dennis cried, "if I ever seed anything like +that afore! They've gone plum crazy. They ain't no hole here. A coon +can't jist drap inter the ground without a hole."</p> + +<p>The old hunter laughed:</p> + +<p>"No, but a coon mought learn somethin' from a beaver now an' then an' +locate the door to his house under the water line an' climb up here ter +find a safe place, couldn't he?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it!" Dennis sneered.</p> + +<p>"You'll have ter go to the house an' git a spade," Tom said finally. +"It'll take one ter dig a hole big enough ter ever persuade one er these +dogs ter put his nose in that den. Hit ain't more'n a mile ter the +house—hurry back."</p> + +<p>Dennis started on a run.</p> + +<p>"Don't yer let 'em out an' start that fight afore I git here!" he +called.</p> + +<p>"You'll see it all," Tom reassured him.</p> + +<p>He made the dogs stop scratching and lie down to rest.</p> + +<p>"Jest save yer strenk, boys," Tom cried. "Yer'll need it presently."</p> + +<p>They sat down, the father lit his pipe and told the Boy the story of a +great fight he had witnessed on such a creek bank once before in his +life.</p> + +<p>Day was dawning and the eastern sky reddening.</p> + +<p>The Boy stamped on the solid ground and couldn't believe it possible +that any dog could smell game through six feet of earth.</p> + +<p>He lifted Boney's long nose and looked at it curiously. His wonderful +nostrils were widely distended and though he lay quite still in the sand +on the edge of the hole his muscles were quivering with excitement and +his wistful hound eyes had in them now the red glare of coming battle.</p> + +<p>It was quick work when Dennis arrived to throw the sand and soft earth +away and open a hole five feet in depth and of sufficient width to allow +all the dogs to get foothold inside.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the spade crashed through an opening below and the rasp of +sharp desperate teeth and claws rang against its polished surface.</p> + +<p>"Did you hear that?" Tom laughed.</p> + +<p>Another spadeful out and they could be plainly seen. How many it was +impossible to tell, but three pairs of glowing bloodshot eyes in the +shadows showed plainly.</p> + +<p>Tom straightened his massive figure and gave a shout to the dogs. They +all danced around the upper rim of the hole and barked with fierce +boastful yelps, but not one would venture his nose within two feet of +those grim shining eyes.</p> + +<p>"Well, Dennis," Tom sighed, "I reckon I'll have ter shove you down thar +an' hold ye by the heels while yer pull one of 'em out!"</p> + +<p>"I'll be doggoned ef yer do!" he remarked with emphasis.</p> + +<p>Tom laughed. "You wuz afeared ye wouldn't git here in time ye know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm in time all right!"</p> + +<p>The hunter put his hands in his pockets and gazed at the warriors below.</p> + +<p>"Waal, we'll try ter git a dog ter yank one of 'em out an' then they'll +all come. But I have my doubts. I don't believe that Godamighty ever yet +built a dog that'll stick his nose in that hole. Hit takes three dogs +ter kill one coon in a fair fight. Old Boney's the only pup I ever seed +do it by hisself. But it's askin' too much o' him ter stick his nose in +a place like that with three of 'em lookin' right at him ready ter tear +his eyes out. But they ain't nothin' like tryin'——"</p> + +<p>He paused and looked at the old warrior of a hundred bloody fields, +pointed at the bottom of the hole and in stern command shouted:</p> + +<p>"Fetch 'em out, Bone!"</p> + +<p>With a deep growl the faithful old soldier sprang to the front. With +teeth shining in white gleaming rows he scrambled within a foot of the +opening of the den, circled it twice, his eyes fixed on the flashing +lights below. They followed his every move. He tried the stratagem of +right and left flank movements, but the space was too narrow. He dashed +straight toward the opening once with a loud angry cry, hoping to get +the flash of a coward's back. He met three double rows of white +needle-like teeth daring him to come on.</p> + +<p>He squatted flat on his belly and growled with desperate fury, but he +wouldn't go closer. The hunter urged in vain.</p> + +<p>"Hit's no use!" he cried at last. "Jest ez well axe er dog ter walk into +a den er lions. I don't blame him."</p> + +<p>The Boy's pride was hurt.</p> + +<p>"I can make him bring one out," he said.</p> + +<p>Tom shook his head:</p> + +<p>"Not much. Less see ye?"</p> + +<p>The Boy stepped down to the dog's side.</p> + +<p>"Look out, ye fool, don't let yer foot slip in thar!" his father +warned.</p> + +<p>The Boy knelt beside the dog, patted his back and began to talk to him +in low tense tones:</p> + +<p>"Fetch 'im out, Bone! Go after 'm! Sick 'em, boy, sick 'em!"</p> + +<p>Closer and closer the brave old fighter edged his way, only a low mad +growl answering to the Boy's urging. His eyes were blazing now in the +red rays of the rising sun like two balls of fire. With a sudden savage +plunge he hurled himself into the den and quick as a flash of lightning +his short hairy neck gave a flirt, and a coon as large as one of the +hounds whizzed ten feet into the air, and, with his white teeth shining, +struck the ground, lighting squarely on his feet. A hound dashed for him +and one slap from the long sharp claws sent him howling and bleeding +into the canes.</p> + +<p>But old Boney had watched him in the air, and, circling the pack that +faced the coon, with a quick leap had downed him. Then every dog was +with him and the battle was on. Eight dogs to one coon and yet so sharp +were his claws, so keen the steel-like points of his teeth, he sometimes +had four dogs rolling in agony beside the growling mass of fur and teeth +and nails.</p> + +<p>The fight had scarcely begun when one of the remaining coons leaped out +of the den. Tom's watchful eye had seen him. He pulled three dogs from +the first battle group and hurled them on the new fighter. He had +scarcely started this struggle when the third sprang to the top of the +earthen breastwork, surveyed the field and with sullen deliberation, +trotted to the water's edge, jumped in and, placing two paws on a +swaying limb, dared any dog to come.</p> + +<p>Here was work for the veteran! Boney was the only dog in the pack who +would dare accept that challenge. Tom choked him off the first coon, +pulled him to the bank and showed him his enemy in the water. He looked +just a moment at the snarling, daring mouth and made the plunge.</p> + +<p>The boy had followed the dog and watched with bated breath. He circled +the coon twice, swimming in swift graceful curves. But his enemy was too +shrewd. A flank movement was impossible. The coon's fierce mouth was +squarely facing him at every turn and the dog plunged straight on his +foe.</p> + +<p>To his horror the Boy saw the fangs sink into his friend's head, four +sets of sharp claws circle his neck, a tense grey ball of fur hanging +its dead weight below. The water ran red for a moment as both slowly +sank to the bottom.</p> + +<p>Eyes wide with anguish he heard his father cry:</p> + +<p>"By the Lord, he'll kill that dog shore—he's a goner!"</p> + +<p>"No, he won't neither!" the Boy shouted, leaping into the water where he +saw them go down.</p> + +<p>Before his father could warn him of the danger his head disappeared in +the deep still eddy.</p> + +<p>"Look out for us, Dennis, with a pole I'm goin' ter dive fer 'em!"</p> + +<p>In a moment they came to the surface, the man holding the Boy, the Boy +grasping his dog, the coon fastened to the dog's head.</p> + +<p>"Well, don't that beat the devil!" Tom laughed, as he carried them to a +little rocky island in the middle of the creek.</p> + +<p>The Boy intent on saving his dog had held his breath and was not even +strangled. The dog had buried his nose in the coon's throat and was +chewing and choking with savage determination.</p> + +<p>Tom stood over them now on the little island with its smooth stone-paved +battle arena ringed with the music of laughing waters. He threw both +hands above his shaggy head and yelled himself hoarse—the wild cry of +the hunter's soul in delirious joy.</p> + +<p>"<i>Yaaaiih! Yaaaiiih!</i>"</p> + +<p>A moment's pause, and then the low snarl and growl and clash of tooth +and claw! Again the hunter's gnarled hands flew over his head.</p> + +<p>"<i>Yaaaiih! Yaaaaiiih! Yaaiih! Yaaaaiiiihhh!!</i>"</p> + +<p>On the shore Dennis stood first over one group of swirling, rolling, +snarling brutes, and then over the other, yelling and cheering.</p> + +<p>The coon on the island suddenly broke his assailant's death-like grip, +and, with a quick leap, reached the water. Boney was on him in a moment +and down they went beneath the surface again.</p> + +<p>The Boy sprang to the rescue.</p> + +<p>His father brushed him roughly aside:</p> + +<p>"Keep out! I'll git 'em!"</p> + +<p>Three times the coon made the dash for deep water and three times Tom +carried both dog and coon back to the little island yelling his battle +cry anew.</p> + +<p>The smooth stones began to show red. Fur and dog hair flew in little +tufts and struck the ground, sometimes with the flat splash of red +flesh.</p> + +<p>The Boy frowned and his lips quivered. At last he could hold in no +longer. Through chattering teeth he moaned:</p> + +<p>"He'll kill Boney, Pa!"</p> + +<p>"Let him alone!" was the sharp command. "I never see sich a dog in my +life. He'll kill that coon by hisself, I tell ye!"</p> + +<p>Again his enemy broke Boney's grim hold on his throat, sprang back four +feet and, to the dog's surprise, made no effort to reach the water. +Instead he stood straight and quivering on his hind legs and faced his +enemy, his white needle-like fangs gleaming in two rows and his savage +fore-claws opening and closing with deadly threat.</p> + +<p>The old warrior, taken completely by surprise by this new stratagem of +his foe, circled in a vain effort to reach the flank or rear. Each turn +only brought them again face to face, and at last he plunged straight on +the centre line of attack. With a quick side leap the coon struck the +dog's head a blow with his claw that split his ear for three inches as +cleanly and evenly as if a surgeon's knife had been used.</p> + +<p>With a low growl of rage and pain, Boney wheeled and repeated his +assault with the same results for the other ear. He turned in silence +and deliberately crept toward his foe. There would be no chance for a +side blow. He wouldn't plunge or spring. He might get another bloody +gash, but he wouldn't miss again.</p> + +<p>This time he found the body, they closed and rolled over and over in +close blood-stained grip. For the first time Tom's face showed doubts, +and he called to Dennis:</p> + +<p>"Choke off two dogs from that fust coon an' throw 'em in here!"</p> + +<p>They came in a moment and clinched with Boney's enemy. The charge of two +new troopers drove the coon to desperation. The sharp claws flew like +lightning. The new dogs ran back into the water with howls of pain and +scrambled up the bank to their old job.</p> + +<p>Boney paid no attention either to the unexpected assault of his friends +or their ignoble desertion. Every ounce of his dog-manhood was up now. +It was a battle to the death and he had no wish to live if he couldn't +whip any coon that ever made a track in his path.</p> + +<p>The Boy's pride was roused now and the fighting instinct that slumbers +in every human soul flashed through his excited eyes. He drew near and +watched with increasing excitement and joined with his father at last in +shouts and cheers.</p> + +<p>"Did ye ever see such a dog!" he cried through his tears.</p> + +<p>"He beats creation!" was the admiring answer.</p> + +<p>The Boy bent low over the squirming pair and his voice was in perfect +tune with his dog's low growl:</p> + +<p>"Eat him up, Bone! Eat him alive!"</p> + +<p>"Don't touch 'em!" Tom warned. "Let 'im have a fair fight—ef he don't +kill that coon I'll eat 'im raw, hide an' hair!"</p> + +<p>Boney had succeeded at last in fastening his teeth in a firm grip on the +coon's throat. He held it without a cry of pain while the claws ripped +his ears and gashed his head. Deeper and deeper sank his teeth until at +last the razor claws that were cutting relaxed slowly and the long lean +body with its beautiful fur lay full length on the red-marked stones.</p> + +<p>The dog loosed his hold instantly. His work was done. He scorned to +strike a fallen foe. He started to the water's edge to quench his thirst +and staggered in a circle. The blood had blinded him.</p> + +<p>The Boy sprang to his side, lifted him tenderly in his arms, carried him +to the water and bathed his eyes and head.</p> + +<p>"He's cut all to pieces!" he sobbed at last. "He'll die—I just know +it!"</p> + +<p>"Na!" his father answered scornfully. "Be all right in two or three +days."</p> + +<p>The Boy went back and looked at the slim body of the dead coon with +wonder.</p> + +<p>"Why did this one fight so much harder than the ones on the bank?" he +asked thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"'Cause she's their mother," Tom said casually, "an' them's her two +children."</p> + +<p>Something hurt deep down in the Boy's soul as he looked at the graceful +nose and the red-stained fur at her throat. He saw his mother's straight +neck and head outlined again against the starlit sky the night she stood +before him rifle in hand and shot at that midnight prowler.</p> + +<p>His mouth closed firmly and he spoke with bitter decision:</p> + +<p>"I don't like coon hunting. I'm not coming any more."</p> + +<p>"Good Lord, Boy, we got ter have skins h'ain't we?" was the hearty +answer.</p> + +<p>"I reckon so," he sorrowfully admitted. But all the way home he walked +in brooding silence.</p> + + +<h3>X</h3> + +<p>The following winter brought the event for which the mother had planned +and about which she had dreamed since her boy was born—a school!</p> + +<p>The men gathered on the appointed day, cut the logs and split the boards +for the house. Another day and it was raised and the roof in place.</p> + +<p>Tom volunteered to make the teacher's table and chair and benches for +the scholars. He had the best set of tools in the county and he wished +to do it because he knew it would please his wife. There was no money in +it but his life was swiftly passing in that sort of work. He was too +big-hearted and generous to complain. Besides the world in which he +lived—the world of field and wood, of dog and gun, of game and the open +road was too beautiful and interesting to complain about it. He was glad +to be alive and tried to make his neighbors think as he did about it.</p> + +<p>When the great day dawned the young mother eagerly prepared breakfast +for her children. She wouldn't allow Sarah to help this morning. It must +be a perfect day in her life. She washed the Boy's face and hands with +scrupulous care when the breakfast things were cleared away, and her +grey eyes were shining with a joy he had never seen before. He caught +her excitement and the spirit of it took possession of his imagination.</p> + +<p>"What'll school be like, Ma?" he asked in a tense whisper.</p> + +<p>"Oh, this one won't be very exciting; maybe in a little room built of +logs. But it's the beginning, Boy, of greater things. Just spelling, +reading, writing and arithmetic now—but you're starting on the way that +leads out of these silent, lonely woods into the big world where great +men fight and make history. Your father has never known this way. He's +good and kind and gentle and generous, but he's just a child, because +he doesn't know. You're going to be a man among men for your mother's +sake, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>She seized his arms and gripped them in her eagerness until he felt the +pain.</p> + +<p>"Won't you, Boy?" she repeated tensely.</p> + +<p>He looked up steadily and then slowly said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will."</p> + +<p>She clasped him impulsively in her arms and hurried from the cabin +leading the children by the hand. The Boy could feel her slender fingers +trembling.</p> + +<p>When they drew near the cross roads where the little log house had been +built, she stopped, nervously fixed their clothes, took off the Boy's +cap and brushed his thick black hair.</p> + +<p>They were the first to arrive, but in a few minutes others came, and by +nine o'clock more than thirty scholars were in their seats. The mother's +heart sank within her when she met the teacher and heard him talk. It +was only too evident that he was poorly equipped for his work. He could +barely read and could neither write nor teach arithmetic. The one +qualification about which there was absolute certainty, was that he +could lick the biggest boy in school whenever the occasion demanded it. +He conveyed this interesting bit of information to the assemblage in no +uncertain language.</p> + +<p>The mother could scarcely keep back her tears. By the end of the week it +was plain that her children knew as much as their teacher.</p> + +<p>"What's the use?" Tom asked in disgust. "Hit's a waste o' time an' +money. Let 'em quit!"</p> + +<p>"No, I can't take them out!" was the firm reply. "They may not learn +much, but if the school keeps going, don't you see, a better man will +come bye and bye, and then it will be worth while."</p> + +<p>Tom shook his head, but let her have her own way.</p> + +<p>"Besides," she went on, "he'll learn something being with the other +children."</p> + +<p>"Learn to fight, mebbe," the husband laughed.</p> + +<p>He did, too, and the way it came about was as big a surprise to the Boy +as it was to the youngster he fought.</p> + +<p>The small bully of the school lived in the same direction as the Boy and +Sarah. They frequently walked together for a mile going or coming and +grew to know one another well. The Boy disliked this tow-head urchin +from the moment they met. But he was quiet, unobtrusive and modest and +generally allowed the loud-mouthed one to have his way. The tow-head +took the Boy's quiet ways for submission and insisted on patronizing his +friend. The Boy good-naturedly submitted when it cost him nothing of +self-respect.</p> + +<p>At the close of school, the tow-head whispered:</p> + +<p>"Come by the spring with me, I want to show you somethin'!"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't want to," he replied.</p> + +<p>"Let Sarah go on an' we'll catch her—I got a funny trick ter show you. +You'll kill yourself a-laughin'."</p> + +<p>The Boy's curiosity was aroused and he consented.</p> + +<p>They hastened to the spring where the embers of a fire at which the +scholars were accustomed to warm their lunch, were still smouldering. +The tow-headed one drew from the corner of the fence a turtle which he +had captured and tied, scooped a red-hot coal from the fire with a +piece of board and placed it on the turtle's back.</p> + +<p>The poor creature, tortured by the burning coal, started in a scramble +trying to run from the fire. The tow-head roared with laughter.</p> + +<p>The Boy flushed with sudden rage, sprang forward and knocked the coal +off.</p> + +<p>The two faced each other.</p> + +<p>"You do that again an' I'll knock you down!" shouted the bully.</p> + +<p>"You do it again and I'll knock you down," was the sturdy answer.</p> + +<p>"You will, will you?" the tow-head cried with scorn. "Well, I'll show +you."</p> + +<p>With a bound he replaced the coal.</p> + +<p>The Boy knocked it off and pounced on him.</p> + +<p>The fight was brief. They had scarcely touched the ground before the Boy +was on top pounding with both his little, clinched fists.</p> + +<p>"Stop it—you're killin' me!" the under one screamed.</p> + +<p>"Will you let him alone?" the Boy hissed.</p> + +<p>"You're killin' me, I tell ye!" the tow-head yelled in terror. "Stop it +I say—would you kill a feller just for a doggoned old cooter?"</p> + +<p>"Will you let him alone?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, if ye won't kill me."</p> + +<p>The Boy slowly rose. The tow-head leaped to his feet and with a look of +terror started on a run.</p> + +<p>"You needn't run, I won't hit ye again!" the Boy cried.</p> + +<p>But the legs only moved faster. Never since he was born did the Boy see +a pair of legs get over the ground like that. He sat down and laughed +and then hurried on to join Sarah.</p> + +<p>He didn't tell his sister what had happened. His mother mustn't know +that he had been in a fight. But when he felt the touch of her hand on +his forehead that night as he rose from her knee he couldn't bear the +thought of deceiving her again and so he confessed.</p> + +<p>"It wasn't wrong, was it, to fight for a thing like that?" he asked +wistfully.</p> + +<p>"No," came the answer. "He needed a thrashing—the little scoundrel, and +I'm glad you did it."</p> + + +<h3>XI</h3> + +<p>The school flickered out in five weeks and the following summer another +lasted for six weeks.</p> + +<p>And then they moved to the land Tom had staked off in the heart of the +great forest fifteen miles from the northern banks of the Ohio. He would +still be in sight of the soil of Kentucky.</p> + +<p>The Boy's heart beat with new wonder as they slowly floated across the +broad surface of the river. He could conceive of no greater one.</p> + +<p>"There <i>is</i> a bigger one!" his father said. "The Mississippi is the +daddy of 'em all—the Ohio's lost when it rolls into her +banks—stretchin' for a thousand miles an' more from the mountains in +the north way down to the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans."</p> + +<p>"And it's all ours?" he asked in wonder.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and plenty more big ones that pour into hit from the West."</p> + +<p>The Boy saw again the impassioned face of the orator telling the +glories of his country, and his heart swelled with pride.</p> + +<p>They left the river and plunged into the trackless forest. No roads had +yet scarred its virgin soil. Only the blazed trail for the first ten +miles—the trail Tom had marked with his own hatchet—and then the +magnificent woods without a mark. Five miles further they penetrated, +cutting down the brush and trees to make way for the wagon.</p> + +<p>They stopped at last on a beautiful densely wooded hill near a stream of +limpid water. A rough camp was quickly built Indian fashion and covered +with bear skins.</p> + +<p>The next day the father put into the Boy's hand the new axe he had +bought for him.</p> + +<p>"You're not quite eight years old, Boy," he said, encouragingly, "but +you're big as a twelve-year-old an' you're spunky. Do you think you can +swing an axe that's a man's size?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the sturdy answer.</p> + +<p>And from that day he did it with a song on his lips no matter how heavy +the heart that beat in his little breast.</p> + +<p>At first they cut the small poles and built a half-faced camp, and made +it strong enough to stand the storms of winter in case a cabin could not +be finished before spring. This half-faced camp was made of small logs +built on three sides, with the fourth open to the south. In front of +this opening the log fire was built and its flame never died day or +night.</p> + +<p>To the soul of the Boy this half-faced camp with its blazing logs in the +shadow of giant trees was the most wonderful dwelling he had ever seen. +The stars that twinkled in the sky beyond the lacing boughs were set in +his ceiling. No king in his palace could ask for more.</p> + +<p>But into the young mother's heart slowly crept the first shadows of a +nameless dread. Fifteen miles from a human habitation in the depths of +an unmarked wilderness with only a hunter's camp for her home, and she +had dreamed of schools! To her children her face always gave good cheer. +But at night she lay awake for long, pitiful hours watching the stars +and fighting the battle alone with despair.</p> + +<p>Yet there was never a thought of surrender. God lived and her faith was +in Him. The same stars were shining above that sparkled in old Virginia +and Kentucky. Something within sang for joy at the sight of her +Boy—strong of limb and dauntless of soul. He was God's answer to her +cry, and always she went the even tenor of her way singing softly that +he might hear.</p> + +<p>His father set him to the task of clearing the first acre of ground for +the crop next spring. It seemed a joke to send a child with an axe into +that huge forest and tell him to clear the way for civilization. And yet +he went with firm, eager steps.</p> + +<p>He chose the biggest tree in sight for his first task—a giant oak three +feet in diameter, its straight trunk rising a hundred feet without a +limb or knot to mar its perfect beauty.</p> + +<p>The Boy leaped on the fallen monarch of the woods with a new sense of +power. Far above gleamed a tiny space in the sky. His hand had made it. +He was a force to be reckoned with now. He was doing things that counted +in a man's world.</p> + +<p>Day after day his axe rang in the woods until a big white patch of sky +showed with gleaming piles of clouds. And shimmering sunbeams were +warming the earth for the seed of the coming spring. His tall thin body +ached with mortal weariness, but the spirit within was too proud to +whine or complain. He had taken a man's place. His mother needed him and +he'd play the part.</p> + +<p>The winter was the hardest and busiest he had ever known. He shot his +first wild turkey from the door of their log camp the second week after +arrival. Proud of his marksmanship he talked of it for a week, and yet +he didn't make a good hunter. He allowed his father to go alone oftener +than he would accompany him. There was a queer little voice somewhere +within that protested against the killing. He wouldn't acknowledge it to +himself but half the joy of his shot at his turkey was destroyed by the +sight of the blood-stained broken wing when he picked it up.</p> + +<p>The mother watched this trait with deepening pride. His practice at +writing and reading was sheer joy now. Her interest was so keen he +always tried his best that he might see her smile.</p> + +<p>It was time to begin the spring planting before the heavy logs were +rolled and burned and the smaller ones made ready for the cabin. The +corn couldn't wait. The cabin must remain unfinished until the crop was +laid by.</p> + +<p>It had been a long, lonely winter for the mother. But with the coming of +spring, the wooded world was clothed in beauty so fresh and marvellous, +she forgot the loneliness in new hopes and joys.</p> + +<p>Settlers were moving in now. Every week Tom brought the news of another +neighbor. Her aunt came in midsummer bringing Dennis and his dogs with +fun and companionship for the Boy.</p> + +<p>The new cabin was not quite finished, but they moved in and gave their +kin their old camp for a home, all ready without the stroke of an axe.</p> + +<p>Dennis was wild over the hunting and proposed to the Boy a deer hunt all +by themselves.</p> + +<p>"Let's just me and you go, Boy, an' show Tom what we can do with a rifle +without him. You can take the first shot with old 'Speakeasy' an' then +I'll try her. The deer'll be ez thick ez bees around that Salt Lick +now."</p> + +<p>The Boy consented. Boney went with him for company. As a self-respecting +coon dog he scorned to hunt any animal that couldn't fight with an even +chance for his life. As for a deer—he'd as lief chase a calf!</p> + +<p>Dennis placed the Boy at a choice stand behind a steep hill in which the +deer would be sure to plunge in their final rush to escape the dogs when +close pressed in the valley.</p> + +<p>"Now the minute you see him jump that ridge let him have it!" Dennis +said. "He'll come straight down the hill right inter your face."</p> + +<p>The Boy took his place and began to feel the savage excitement of his +older companion. He threw the gun in place and drew a bead on an +imaginary bounding deer.</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll crack him!" he promised.</p> + +<p>"Now, for the Lord's sake, don't you miss 'im!" Dennis warned. "I don't +want Tom ter have the laugh on us."</p> + +<p>The Boy promised, and Dennis called his dogs and hurried into the +bottoms toward the Salt Lick. In half an hour the dogs opened on a hot +trail that grew fainter and fainter in the distance until they could +scarcely be heard. They stopped altogether for a moment and then took up +the cry gradually growing clearer and clearer. The deer had run the +limit of his first impulse and taken the back track, returning directly +over the same trail.</p> + +<p>Nearer and nearer the pack drew, the trail growing hotter and hotter +with each leap of the hounds.</p> + +<p>The Boy was trembling with excitement. He cocked his gun and stood +ready. Boney lay on a pile of leaves ten feet away quietly dozing. +Louder and louder rang the cry of the hounds. They seemed to be right +back of the hill now. The deer should leap over its crest at any moment. +His gun was half lifted and his eyes flaming with excitement when a +beautiful half grown fawn sprang over the hill and stood for a moment +staring with wide startled eyes straight into his.</p> + +<p>The savage yelp of the hounds close behind rang clear, sharp and +piercing as they reared the summit. The panting, trembling fawn glanced +despairingly behind, looked again into the Boy's eyes, and as the first +dog leaped the hill crest made his choice. Staggering and panting with +terror, he dropped on his knees by the Boy's side, the bloodshot eyes +begging piteously for help.</p> + +<p>The Boy dropped his gun and gathered the trembling thing in his arms. In +a moment the hounds were on him leaping and tearing at the fawn. He +kicked them right and left and yelled with all his might:</p> + +<p>"Down, I tell you! Down or I'll kill you!"</p> + +<p>The hounds continued to leap and snap in spite of his kicks and cries +until Boney saw the struggle, and stepped between his master and his +tormenters. One low growl and not another hound came near.</p> + +<p>When Dennis arrived panting for breath he couldn't believe his eyes. The +Boy was holding the exhausted fawn in his lap with a glazed look in his +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Well, of all the dam-fool things I ever see sence God made me, this +takes the cake!" he cried in disgust. "Why didn't ye shoot him?"</p> + +<p>"Because he ran to me for help—how could I shoot him?"</p> + +<p>Dennis sat down and roared:</p> + +<p>"Well, of all the deer huntin', this beats me!"</p> + +<p>The Boy rose, still holding the fawn in his arms.</p> + +<p>"You can take the gun and go on. Boney and me'll go back home——"</p> + +<p>"You ain't goin' ter carry that thing clean home, are you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am," was the quiet answer. "And I'll kill any dog that tries to +hurt him."</p> + +<p>Dennis was still laughing when he disappeared, Boney walking slowly at +his heels.</p> + +<p>He showed the fawn to his mother and told Sarah she could have him for a +pet. The mother watched him with shining eyes while he built a pen and +then lifted the still trembling wild thing inside.</p> + +<p>Next morning the pen was down and the captive gone. The Boy didn't seem +much surprised or appear to care. When he was alone with his mother she +whispered:</p> + +<p>"Didn't you go out there last night and let it loose when the dogs were +asleep?"</p> + +<p>He was still a moment and then nodded his head.</p> + +<p>His mother clasped him to her heart.</p> + +<p>"O my Boy! My own—I love you!"</p> + + +<h3>XII</h3> + +<p>The second winter in the wilderness was not so hard. The heavy work of +clearing the timber for the corn fields was done and the new cabin and +its furniture had been finished except the door, for which there was +little use.</p> + +<p>The new neighbors had brought cheer to the mother's heart.</p> + +<p>An early spring broke the winter of 1818 and clothed the wilderness +world in robes of matchless beauty.</p> + +<p>The Boy's gourds were placed beside the new garden and the noise of +chattering martins echoed over the cabin. The toughened muscles of his +strong, slim body no longer ached in rebellion at his tasks. Work had +become a part of the rhythm of life. He could sing at his hardest task. +The freedom and strength of the woods had gotten into his blood. In this +world of waving trees, of birds and beasts, of laughing sky and rippling +waters, there were no masters, no slaves. Millions in gold were of no +value in its elemental struggle. Character, skill, strength and manhood +only counted. Poverty was teaching him the first great lesson of human +life, that man shall eat his bread in the sweat of his brow and that +industry is the only foundation on which the moral and material universe +has ever rested or can rest.</p> + +<p>Solitude and the stimulus of his mother's mind were slowly teaching him +to think—to think deeply and fearlessly, and think for himself.</p> + +<p>Entering now in his ninth year, he was shy, reticent, over-grown, +consciously awkward, homely and ill clad—he grew so rapidly it was +impossible to make his clothes fit. But in the depths of his hazel-grey +eyes there were slumbering fires that set him apart from the boys of his +age. His mother saw and understood.</p> + +<p>A child in years and yet he had already learned the secrets of the toil +necessary to meet the needs of life. He swung a woodman's axe with any +man. He could plow and plant a field, make its crop, harvest and store +its fruits and cook them for the table. He could run, jump, wrestle, +swim and fight when manhood called. He knew the language of the winds +and clouds, and spoke the tongues of woods and field.</p> + +<p>And he could read and write. His mother's passionate yearning and +quenchless enthusiasm had placed in his hand the key to books and the +secrets of the ages were his for the asking.</p> + +<p>He would never see the walls of a college, but he had already taken his +degree in Industry, Patience, Caution, Courage, Pity and Gentleness.</p> + +<p>The beauty and glory of this remarkable spring brought him into still +closer communion with his mother's spirit. They had read every story of +the Bible, some of them twice or three times, and his stubborn mind had +fought with her many a friendly battle over their teachings. Always too +wise and patient to command his faith, she waited its growth in the +fulness of time. He had read every tale in "Æsop's Fables" and brought a +thousand smiles to his mother's dark face by his quaint comments. She +was dreaming now of new books to place in his eager hands. Corn was ten +cents a bushel, wheat twenty-five, and a cow was only worth six dollars. +Whiskey, hams and tobacco were legal tender and used instead of money. +She had ceased to dream of wealth in goods and chattels until conditions +were changed. Her one aim in life was to train the minds of her children +and to this joyous task she gave her soul and body. It was the only +thing worth while. That God would give her strength for this was all she +asked.</p> + +<p>And then the great shadow fell.</p> + +<p>The mother and children were walking home from the woods through the +glory of the Southern spring morning in awed silence. The path was +hedged with violets and buttercups. The sweet odor of grapevine, +blackberry and dewberry blossoms filled the air. Dogwood and black-haw +lit with white flame the farthest shadows of the forest and the music of +birds seemed part of the mingled perfume of flowers.</p> + +<p>The boy's keen ear caught the drone of bees and his sharp eye watched +them climb slowly toward their storehouse in a towering tree. All nature +was laughing in the madness of joy.</p> + +<p>The Boy silently took his mother's hand and asked in subdued tones:</p> + +<p>"What is the pest, Ma, and what makes it?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody knows," she answered softly. "It comes like a thief in the +night and stays for months and sometimes for years. They call it the +'milk-sick' because the cows die, too—and sometimes the horses. The old +Indian women say it starts from the cows eating a poison flower in the +woods. The doctors know nothing about it. It just comes and kills, +that's all."</p> + +<p>The little hand suddenly gripped hers with trembling hold:</p> + +<p>"O Ma, if it kills you!"</p> + +<p>A tender smile lighted her dark face as the warmth of his love ran like +fire through her veins.</p> + +<p>"It can't harm me, my son, unless God wills it. When he calls I shall be +ready."</p> + +<p>All the way home he clung to her hand and sometimes when they paused +stroked it tenderly with both his.</p> + +<p>"What's it like?" he asked at last. "Can't you take bitters for it in +time to stop it? How do you know when it's come?"</p> + +<p>"You begin to feel drowsy, a whitish coating is on the tongue, a burning +in the stomach, the feet and legs get cold. You're restless and the +pulse grows weak."</p> + +<p>"How long does it last?"</p> + +<p>"Sometimes it kills in three days, sometimes two weeks. Sometimes it's +chronic and hangs on for years and then kills."</p> + +<p>Every morning through the long black summer of the scourge he asked her +with wistful tenderness if she were well. Her cheerful answers at last +brought peace to his anxious heart and he gradually ceased to fear. She +was too sweet and loving and God too good that she should die. Besides, +both his father and mother had given him a lesson in quiet, simple +heroism that steadied his nerves.</p> + +<p>He looked at the rugged figure of his father with a new sense of +admiration. He was no more afraid of Death than of Life. He was giving +himself without a question in an utterly unselfish devotion to the +stricken community. There were no doctors within thirty miles, and if +one came he could but shake his head and advise simple remedies that did +no good. Only careful nursing counted for anything. Without money, +without price, without a murmur the father gave his life to this work. +No neighbor within five miles was stricken that he did not find a place +by that bedside in fearless, loving, unselfish service.</p> + +<p>And when Death came, this simple friend went for his tools, cut down a +tree, ripped the boards from its trunk, made the coffin, and with tender +reverence dug a grave and lowered the loved one. He was doctor, nurse, +casket-maker, grave-digger, comforter and priest. His reverent lips had +long known the language of prayer.</p> + +<p>With tireless zeal the mother joined in this ministry of love, and the +Boy saw her slender dark figure walk so often beside trembling feet as +they entered the valley of the great shadow, that he grew to believe +that she led a charmed life. Nor did he fear when Dennis came one +morning and in choking tones said that both his uncle and aunt were +stricken in the little half-faced camp but a few hundred yards away. He +was sorry for Dennis. He had never known father or mother—only this +uncle and aunt.</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry, Dennis," the Boy said tenderly. "You'll live with us +if they die."</p> + +<p>They both died within a few days. The night after the last burial, +Dennis crawled into the loft with the Boy to be his companion for many a +year.</p> + +<p>And then the blow fell, swift, terrible and utterly unexpected. He had +long ago made up his mind that God had flung about his mother's form the +spell of his Almighty power and the pestilence that walked in the night +dared not draw near. An angel with flaming sword stood beside their +cabin door.</p> + +<p>Last night in the soft moonlight a whip-poor-will was singing nearby and +he fancied he saw the white winged sentinel, and laughed for joy.</p> + +<p>When he climbed down from his loft next morning his mother was in bed +and Sarah was alone over the fire cooking breakfast.</p> + +<p>His heart stood still. He walked with unsteady step to her bedside and +whispered:</p> + +<p>"Are you sick, Ma?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, it has come."</p> + +<p>He grasped her hot outstretched hand and fell on his knees in sobbing +anguish. He knew now—it was the angel of Death he had seen.</p> + + +<h3>XIII</h3> + +<p>Death stood at the door with drawn sword to slay not to defend, but the +Boy resolved to fight. She should not give up—she should not die. He +would fight for her with all the hosts of hell and single-handed if he +must.</p> + +<p>He rose from his knees still holding her hand, his first hopeless burst +of despair over, his heart beating with desperate resolution.</p> + +<p>"You won't give up, will you, Ma?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>She smiled wanly and he rushed on with breathless intensity: "I'm not +going to let you die. I won't—I tell you I won't. I'll fight this +thing—and you've got to help me—won't you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm ready for God's will, my Boy," she said simply.</p> + +<p>"I don't want you to say that!" he pleaded. "I want you to fight and +never give up. Why you can't die, Ma—you just can't. You're my only +teacher now. There ain't no schools here. How can I learn books without +you to help me? Say you'll get well. Please say it for me—please, just +say it——"</p> + +<p>He paused and couldn't go on for a moment, "Say you'll try then—just +for me—please say it!"</p> + +<p>"I'll try, Boy," she said tenderly at last.</p> + +<p>He flew to the creek bank and in two hours came home with an armful of +fresh sarsaparilla roots. He cut and pounded them into a soft pulp and +made a poultice. Sarah helped him put it in place. He made his mother +drink the bitters every hour. He got stones ready and had them hot to +wrap in cloths and put to her feet the moment they felt cold. He +wouldn't take her word for it either. He kept slipping his little hands +under the cover to feel.</p> + +<p>The mother smiled at his tender, eager touch.</p> + +<p>"Now, Boy," she said softly. "I'm feeling comfortable, will you do +something for me?"</p> + +<p>"What is it?" he cried eagerly.</p> + +<p>She smiled again:</p> + +<p>"Read to me. I want to hear your voice."</p> + +<p>"All right—what?"</p> + +<p>"The Bible, of course."</p> + +<p>"What story?"</p> + +<p>"Not a story this time—the twenty-third Psalm."</p> + +<p>The Boy took the worn Bible from the shelf, sat down on the edge of the +bed, opened, and began in low tones to read:</p> + +<p>"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want——"</p> + +<p>His voice choked and he stopped:</p> + +<p>"O, Ma, I just can't read that now—why—why did he let this come to you +if He's your Shepherd—why—why—why!"</p> + +<p>He buried his face in his hands and her slender fingers touched his +hair:</p> + +<p>"He knows best, my son—read on—the words are sweet to my soul from +your lips."</p> + +<p>With an effort he opened the Book again:</p> + +<p>"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;</p> + +<p>"He leadeth me beside the still waters.</p> + +<p>"He restoreth my soul:</p> + +<p>"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.</p> + +<p>"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,</p> + +<p>"I will fear no evil; for thou art with me——"</p> + +<p>Again the voice choked into silence and he closed the Book.</p> + +<p>"I can't—I can't read it. I'm afraid you're going to give up!" he +sobbed. "O Ma, you won't, will you? Please say you won't?"</p> + +<p>"No, no, I won't give up, my Boy," she said soothingly. "I'm just ready +for anything He sends——"</p> + +<p>"But I don't want you to say that!" he broke in passionately. "You must +fight. You mustn't be ready. You mustn't think about dying. I won't let +you die—I tell you!"</p> + +<p>She stroked his forehead with gentle touch:</p> + +<p>"I won't give up for your sake——"</p> + +<p>"It's a promise now?" he cried.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I promise——"</p> + +<p>"Then I'm going for a doctor right away——"</p> + +<p>"You can't find him, Boy," his father said. "It's thirty miles across +the Ohio into Kentucky where he lives. An' in all this sickness he ain't +at home. Hit's foolishness ter go——"</p> + +<p>"I'll find him," was the firm response.</p> + +<p>The father made no further protest. He helped him saddle the horse, +buckled the stirrups to fit his little bare legs and gave him as clear +directions as he could.</p> + +<p>"The moon'll be shinin' all night, Boy," were his last words. "Yer can +cross the river before eight o'clock. Ef ye git lost on t'other side ax +yer way frum the fust house ye come to——"</p> + +<p>The Boy nodded, and when had fixed his bare toes in the stirrups he +leaned low and whispered:</p> + +<p>"You won't give up, Pa, will ye? You'll fight for her till I get back?"</p> + +<p>The big gnarled fist closed over the little hand on the pommel of the +saddle, and the father's voice was husky:</p> + +<p>"As long as there's breath in her body—hurry now."</p> + +<p>The last command was not needed. The horse felt the quiver of tense +suffering in the low voice and the nervous touch of the switch on his +side. With a quick bound he was off at a full gallop down the trail +toward the river.</p> + +<p>The sun had set before they reached the open country beyond the great +forest, but by seven o'clock the Boy saw from the hill top the shining +mirror of the river in the calm moonlit valley. Before night he had +succeeded in rousing the ferryman and reached the opposite shore.</p> + +<p>He lost the way once about nine o'clock and a settler whose light he saw +in the woods called sharply from the door with his rifle in hand:</p> + +<p>"Who are you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm just a little boy," the voice faltered. "I'm trying to find the +doctor's house. My mother's about to die and I'm lost. I want you to +show me the road."</p> + +<p>The rifle was lowered and the cabin stirred. The man dropped back and a +woman appeared in the door way.</p> + +<p>"Won't ye come in, Honey, and rest a minute and me give ye somethin' to +eat while Pa's gettin' ready to go with ye a piece?"</p> + +<p>"No'm I can't eat nuthin'——"</p> + +<p>He didn't dare go near that tender voice that spoke so clearly its +sympathy in the night. He would be crying in a minute if he did and he +couldn't afford that.</p> + +<p>The settler caught a horse and rode with him an hour to make sure he +wouldn't miss the way again.</p> + +<p>He reached the doctor's house by eleven o'clock, and to his joy found +him at home. The rough old man refused to move an inch until he had fed +his horse and eaten a hearty meal.</p> + +<p>The Boy tried to eat, but couldn't. The food stuck squarely in his +throat. It was no use.</p> + +<p>He went outside and waited beside his horse until the doctor was ready. +It seemed an eternity, the awful wait. How serene the still beauty of +the autumn night! Not a breath of wind stirred. The full moon hung in +the sky straight overhead, flooding the earth with silver radiance, +marking in clear and vivid lines the shadows of the trees on the ground.</p> + +<p>Bitter wonder and rebellion filled his young soul. How could God sit +unmoved among those shining stars and leave his mother to die!</p> + +<p>The doctor came at last and they started.</p> + +<p>In vain he urged that they gallop.</p> + +<p>"I won't do it, sir!" the old man snapped. "Your horse has come thirty +miles. I'll not let you kill him and I'm not going to kill myself +plunging over a rough road at night."</p> + +<p>They reached the cabin at daylight. The Boy saw the glow of the flame in +the big fireplace through the woods and his heart beat high with new +hope. Now that the doctor was here he felt sure her life could be saved.</p> + +<p>The Boy stood close by his side when he felt her pulse, and looked at +the strange whitish-brown coating on her tongue.</p> + +<p>"You can do something, Doctor?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the short answer.</p> + +<p>He asked for a towel and bowl and opened his saddlebags. He examined the +point of his lancet and bared the slender arm.</p> + +<p>"What are ye goin' ter do?" Tom asked with a frown.</p> + +<p>"Bleed her, of course. It's the only thing to do——"</p> + +<p>The Boy suddenly pushed himself between the doctor and the bed and +looked up into his stern face with a resolute stare:</p> + +<p>"You shan't do it. I don't know nothin' much about doctorin' but I got +sense enough to know that'll kill her—and you shan't do it!"</p> + +<p>The doctor looked angrily at the father.</p> + +<p>"I say so, too," Tom replied. "She's too weak for that."</p> + +<p>With a snort of anger, the old man threw the lancet into his saddlebags, +snapped them together and strode through the cabin door.</p> + +<p>The Boy followed him wistfully to the stable, and when he seized the +bridle to put on the horse, caught his hand and looked up:</p> + +<p>"Please don't go," he begged. "I'm mighty sorry I made you mad. I didn't +go to do it. You see——" his voice faltered—"I love her so I just +couldn't let you cut her arm open and see her bleed. I didn't mean to +hurt your feelings. Won't you stay and help us? Can't ye do somethin' +else for her? I'll pay ye. I'll go work for ye a whole year or five +years if ye want me—if you'll just save her—just save her, that's +all—don't go—please don't!"</p> + +<p>Something in the child's anguish found the rough old man's heart. His +eyes grew misty for a moment, he slipped one arm about the Boy's +shoulders and drew him close.</p> + +<p>"God knows I'd stay and do something if I could, Sonny, but I don't know +what to do. I'm not sure I'm right about the bleeding or I'd stay and +make you help me do it. But I'm not sure—I'm not sure—and I can do no +good by staying. Keep her warm, give her all the good food her stomach +will retain. That's all I can tell you. She's in God's hands."</p> + +<p>With a heavy heart the Boy watched him ride away as the sun rose over +the eastern hills. The doctor's last words sank into his soul. She was +in God's hands! Well, he would go to God and beg Him to save her. He +went into the woods, knelt behind a great oak and in the simple words of +a child asked for the desire of his heart. Three times every day and +every night he prayed.</p> + +<p>For four days no change was apparent. She was very weak and tired, but +suffered no pain. His prayer was heard and would be answered!</p> + +<p>The first symptom of failure in circulation, he promptly met by placing +the hot stones to her feet. And for hours he and Sarah would rub her +until the cold disappeared.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the seventh day she was unusually bright.</p> + +<p>"Why, you're better, Ma, aren't you?" he cried with joy.</p> + +<p>Her eyes were shining with a strange excitement:</p> + +<p>"Yes. I'm a lot better. I'm going to sit up awhile. I'm tired lying +down."</p> + +<p>She threw herself quickly on the side of the bed and her feet touched +the bear-skin rug. She rose trembling and smiling and took a step. She +tottered a bit, but the Boy was laughing and holding her arm. She +reached the chair by the fire and he wrapped a great skin about her feet +and limbs.</p> + +<p>"Look, Pa, she's getting well!" the Boy shouted.</p> + +<p>Tom watched her gravely without reply.</p> + +<p>She took the Boy's hand, still smiling:</p> + +<p>"I had such a wonderful dream," she began slowly—"the same one I had +before you were born, my Boy. God had answered my prayer and sent me a +son. I watched him grow to be a strong, brave, patient, wise and gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and the great from the ends of the +earth came to do him homage. With uncovered head he led me into a +beautiful home with white pillars. And then he bowed low and whispered +in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel mother. I bought it for you with my +life. All that I am I owe to you'——"</p> + +<p>Her voice sank to a whisper that was half a sob and half a laugh.</p> + +<p>"See how she's smiling, Pa," the Boy cried. "She's getting well!"</p> + +<p>"Don't ye understand!" the father whispered. "Look—at her eyes—she's +not tellin' you a dream—she's looking through the white gates of +heaven—it's Death, Boy—it's come—Lord God, have mercy!"</p> + +<p>With a groan he dropped by her side and her thin hand rested gently on +his shaggy head.</p> + +<p>The Boy stared at her in agonizing wonder as she felt for his hand and +feebly held it. She was gazing now into the depths of his soul with her +pensive hungry eyes.</p> + +<p>"He good to your father, my son——" she paused for breath and looked at +him tenderly. She knew the father was the child of the future—this Boy, +the man.</p> + +<p>"Yes!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"And love your sister——"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Be a man among men, for your mother's sake——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ma, I will!"</p> + +<p>The little head bent low and the voice was silent.</p> + +<p>They went to work to make her coffin at noon. An unused walnut log of +burled fibre had been lying in the sun and drying for two years, since +Tom had built the furniture for the cabin. Dennis helped him rip the +boards from this dark, rich wood, shape and plane it for the pieces he +would need.</p> + +<p>The Boy sat with dry eyes and aching heart, making the wooden nails to +fasten these boards together.</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly, walked to the bench at which his father was working +and laid by his side the first pins he had whittled.</p> + +<p>"I can't do it, Pa," he gasped. "I just can't make the nails for her +coffin. I feel like somebody's drivin' 'em through my heart!"</p> + +<p>The rugged face was lighted with tenderness as he slowly answered:</p> + +<p>"Why, we must make it, Boy—hit's the last thing we kin do ter show our +love fur her—ter make it all smooth an' purty outen this fine dark +wood. Yer wouldn't put her in the ground an' throw the cold dirt right +on her face, would you?"</p> + +<p>The slim figure shivered:</p> + +<p>"No—no—I wouldn't do that! Yes, I'll help—we must make it beautiful, +mustn't we?"</p> + +<p>And then he went back to the pitiful task.</p> + +<p>They dug her grave, these loving hands, father and son and orphan waif, +on a gentle hill in the deep woods. As the sun sank in a sea of scarlet +clouds next day, they lowered the coffin. The father lifted his voice in +a simple prayer and the Boy took his sister's hand and led her in +silence back to the lonely cabin. He couldn't stay to see them throw +the dirt over her. He couldn't endure it.</p> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="man" id="man"></a><img src="images/002.jpg" + alt=""'Be a man among men for your mother's sake—'"" title=""'Be a man among men for your mother's sake—'"" /> +<br />"'Be a man among men for your mother's sake—'"</p> + +<p>He had heard of ghosts in graveyards, and he wondered vaguely if such +things could be true. He hoped it was. When the others were asleep, just +before day, he slipped noiselessly from his bed and made his way to her +grave.</p> + +<p>The waning moon was shining in cold white splendor. The woods were +silent. He watched and waited and hoped with half-faith and half-fear +that he might see her radiant form rise from the dead.</p> + +<p>A leaf rustled behind him and he turned with a thrill of awful joy. He +wasn't afraid. He'd clasp her in his arms if he could. With firm step +and head erect, eyes wide and nostrils dilated, he walked straight into +the shadows to see and know.</p> + +<p>And there, standing in a spot of pale moonlight, stood his dog looking +up into his eyes with patient, loving sympathy. He hadn't shed a tear +since her death. Now the flood tide broke the barriers. He sank to the +ground, slipped his arm around the dog's neck, and sobbed aloud.</p> + +<p>He wrote a tear stained letter to the only parson he knew. It was his +first historic record and he signed his name in bold, well rounded +letters—"A. LINCOLN." Three months later the faithful old man came in +answer to his request and preached her funeral sermon. Something in the +lad's wistful eyes that day fired him with eloquence. Through all life +the words rang with strange solemn power in the Boy's heart:</p> + +<p>"O Death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! Blessed are +they that die in the Lord! Death is not the chill shadow of the +night—but the grey light of the dawn—the dawn of a new eternal day. +Lift up your eyes and see its beauty. Open your ears and hear the stir +of its wondrous life!"</p> + +<p>When the last friend had gone, the forlorn little figure stood beside +the grave alone. There was a wistful smile on his lips as he slowly +whispered:</p> + +<p>"I'll not forget, Ma, dear—I'll not forget. I'll live for you."</p> + +<p>Nor did he forget. In her slender figure a new force had appeared in +human history. The peasant woman of the old world has ever taught her +child contentment with his lot. And patient millions beyond the seas +bend their backs without a murmur to the task their fathers bore three +thousand years ago.</p> + +<p>Free America has given the race a new peasant woman. Born among the +lowliest of her kind, she walks earth's way with her feet in the dust, +her head among the stars.</p> + +<p>This one died young in the cabin beside the deep woods, but not before +her hand had kindled a fire of divine discontent in the soul of her son +that only God could extinguish.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><i>The Story</i></h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER I</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE MAN OF THE HOUR</a></h3> + + +<p>"It's positively uncanny——"</p> + +<p>Betty Winter paused on the top step of the Capitol and gazed over the +great silent crowd with a shiver.</p> + +<p>"The silence—yes," Ned Vaughan answered slowly. "I wondered if you had +felt it, too."</p> + +<p>"It's more like a funeral than an Inauguration."</p> + +<p>The young reporter smiled:</p> + +<p>"If you believe General Scott there may be several funerals in +Washington before the day's work is done."</p> + +<p>"And you <i>don't</i> believe him?" the girl asked seriously.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! All this feverish preparation for violence——"</p> + +<p>Betty laughed:</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you're not a good judge of the needs of the incoming +administration. As an avowed Secessionist—you're hardly in their +confidence."</p> + +<p>"Thank God, I'm not."</p> + +<p>"What are those horses doing over there by the trees?"</p> + +<p>"Masked battery of artillery."</p> + +<p>"Don't be silly!"</p> + +<p>"It's true. Old Scott's going to save the Capital on Inauguration Day +any how! The Avenue's lined with soldiers—sharpshooters posted in the +windows along the whole route of the Inaugural procession, a company of +troops in each end of the Capitol. He has built a wooden tunnel from the +street into the north end of the building and that's lined with guards. +A squad of fifty soldiers are under the platform where we're going to +sit——"</p> + +<p>"No!"</p> + +<p>"Look through the cracks and see for yourself!" Vaughan cried with +scorn.</p> + +<p>The sparkling brown eyes were focused on the board platform.</p> + +<p>"I do see them moving," she said slowly, as a look of deep seriousness +swept the fair young face. "Perhaps General Scott's right after all. +Father says we're walking on a volcano——"</p> + +<p>"But not that kind of a volcano, Miss Betty," Vaughan interrupted. +"Senator Winter's an Abolitionist. He hates the South with every breath +he breathes."</p> + +<p>Betty nodded:</p> + +<p>"And prays God night and morning to give him greater strength with which +to hate it harder—yes——"</p> + +<p>"But you're not so blind?"</p> + +<p>"There must be a little fire where there's so much smoke. A crazy fool +might try to kill the new President."</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan's slender figure stiffened:</p> + +<p>"The South won't fight that way. If they begin war it will be the most +solemn act of life. It will be for God and country, and what they +believe to be right. The Southern people are not assassins. When they +take Washington it will be with the bayonet."</p> + +<p>"And yet your brother had a taste of Southern feeling here the night of +the election when a mob broke in and smashed the office of the +<i>Republican</i>."</p> + +<p>"A gang of hoodlums," he protested. "Anything may happen on election +night to an opposition newspaper. The Southern men who formed that mob +will never give this administration trouble——"</p> + +<p>"I'm so anxious to meet your brother," Betty interrupted. "Why doesn't +he come?"</p> + +<p>"He's in the Senate Chamber for the ceremonies. He'll join us before the +procession gets here."</p> + +<p>"He's as handsome as everybody says?" she asked naïvely.</p> + +<p>"I'll admit he's a good-looking fellow if he is my brother."</p> + +<p>"And vain?"</p> + +<p>"As a peacock——"</p> + +<p>"Conceited?"</p> + +<p>"Very."</p> + +<p>"And a woman hater!"</p> + +<p>"Far from it—he's easy. He may not think so, but between us he's an +easy mark. I've always been afraid he'll make a fool of himself and +marry without the consent of his younger brother. He's a great care to +me."</p> + +<p>The brown eyes twinkled:</p> + +<p>"You love him very much?"</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan nodded his dark head slowly:</p> + +<p>"Yes. We've quarrelled every day since the election."</p> + +<p>"Over politics?"</p> + +<p>"What else?"</p> + +<p>"Love, perhaps."</p> + +<p>The dark eyes met hers.</p> + +<p>"No, he hasn't seen you yet——"</p> + +<p>Betty's laugh was genial and contagious.</p> + +<p>He had meant to be serious and hoped that she would give him the opening +he'd been sparring for. But she refused the challenge with such +amusement he was piqued.</p> + +<p>"You're from Missouri, but you're a true Southerner, Mr. Vaughan."</p> + +<p>"And you're a heartless Puritan," he answered with a frown.</p> + +<p>She shook her golden brown curls:</p> + +<p>"No—no—no! My name's an accident. My father was born in Maine on the +Canada line. But my mother was French. I'm her daughter. I love sunlight +and flowers, music and foolishness—and dream of troubadours who sing +under my window. I hate long faces and gloom. But my father has +ambition. I love him, and so I endure things."</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan looked at her timidly. For the life of him he couldn't make +her out. Was she laughing at him? He half suspected it, and yet there +was something sweet and appealing in the way she gazed into his eyes. He +gave it up and changed the subject.</p> + +<p>He had promised to bring John to-day and introduce him. He had been +prattling like a fool about this older brother. He wished to God now +something would keep him. The pangs of jealousy had already began to +gnaw at the thought of her hand resting in his.</p> + +<p>From the way Betty Winter had laughed she was quite capable of flying +two strings to her bow. And with all the keener interest because they +happened to be brothers. Why had she asked him so pointedly about John? +He had excited her curiosity, of course, by his silly +brother—hero-worship. He had told her of his brilliant career in New +York under Horace Greeley on the <i>Tribune</i>—of Greeley's personal +interest, and the flattering letter he had written to Colonel Forney, +which had made him the city editor of the New Party organ in +Washington—of his cool heroism the night the mob had attacked the +<i>Republican</i> office—and last he had hinted of an affair over a woman in +New York that had led to a challenge and a bloodless duel—bloodless +because his opponent failed to appear. It was his own fault, of course, +if Betty was keeping him at arm's length to-day. No girl could fail to +be interested in such a man—no matter who her father might be—Puritan +or Cavalier.</p> + +<p>His arm trembled in spite of his effort at self-control as he led her +down the stately steps of the eastern façade toward the Inaugural +platform. He paused on the edge of the boards and pointed to the huge +bronze figure of the statue of Liberty which had been cast to crown the +dome of the Capitol. It lay prostrate in the mud and the crowds were +climbing over it.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Miss Liberty will ever be lifted to her place on high?" he +said musingly.</p> + +<p>"If they do finish the dome," Betty replied, "and crown it with that +bronze, my father should sue for damages. One of his most eloquent +figures of speech will be ruined. That prostrate work of art lying in +the mud has given thousands of votes to the Republicans. I've caught +myself crying over his eloquence at times myself."</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan smiled:</p> + +<p>"A queer superstition has grown up in Washington that the dome of the +Capitol will never be completed——"</p> + +<p>"Do you believe it?"</p> + +<p>"No. It will be finished. But I'm not sure whether Abraham Lincoln or +Jefferson Davis will preside on that occasion."</p> + +<p>"And I haven't the slightest doubt on that point," Betty said with quick +emphasis.</p> + +<p>"I thought you were not a student of politics?" he dryly observed.</p> + +<p>"I'm not. It's just a feeling. Women know things by intuition."</p> + +<p>The young man glanced upward at the huge crane which swung from the +unfinished structure of the dome.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow, Miss Betty," he said smilingly, "your Black Republican +President has a beautiful day for the Inaugural."</p> + +<p>"We'll hope it's a sign for the future—shall we?"</p> + +<p>"I hope so," was the serious answer. "God knows there haven't been many +happy signs lately. It was dark and threatening at dawn this morning and +a few drops of rain fell up to eight o'clock."</p> + +<p>"You were up at dawn?" the girl asked in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes. The Senate has been in session all night over the new amendment to +the Constitution guaranteeing to the South security in the possession of +their slaves."</p> + +<p>"And they passed it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes——"</p> + +<p>"Over my father's prostrate form?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—an administrative measure, too. I've an idea from the 'moderation' +of your father's remarks that there'll be some fun between the White +House and the Senate Chamber during the next four years. For my part I +share his scorn for such eleventh hour repentance. It's too late. The +mischief has been done. Secession is a fact and we've got to face it."</p> + +<p>"But we haven't heard from the new President yet," Betty ventured.</p> + +<p>"No. That's why this crowd's so still. For the first time since the +foundation of the government, the thousands banked in front of this +platform really wish to hear what a President-elect has to say."</p> + +<p>"Isn't that a tremendous tribute to the man?"</p> + +<p>"Possibly so—possibly not. He has been silent since his election. Not a +word has fallen from his lips to indicate his policy. He has more real +power from the moment he takes the oath of office than any crowned head +of Europe. From his lips to-day will fall the word that means peace or +war. That's why this crowd's so still."</p> + +<p>"It's weird," Betty whispered. "You can feel their very hearts beat. Do +you suppose the new President realizes the meaning of such a moment?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think this one will. I interviewed Stanton, the retiring +Attorney General of Buchanan's Cabinet, yesterday. He knows Lincoln +personally—was with him in a lawsuit once before the United States +Court. Stanton says he's a coward and a fool and the ugliest white man +who ever appeared on this planet. He has already christened him 'The +Original Gorilla,' or 'The Illinois Ape'——"</p> + +<p>"I wonder," Betty broke in with petulance, "if such a man could be +elected President? I'm morbidly curious to see him. My father, as an +Abolitionist, had to vote for him and he must support his administration +as a Republican Senator. But his favorite name for the new Chief +Magistrate is, 'The Illinois Slave Hound.' I've a growing feeling that +his enemies have overdone their work. I'm going to judge him fairly."</p> + +<p>Vaughan's lips slightly curved.</p> + +<p>"They say he's a good stump speaker—a little shy on grammar, perhaps, +but good on jokes—of the coarser kind. He ought to get one or two good +guffaws even out of this sober crowd to-day."</p> + +<p>"You think he'll stoop to coarse jokes?"</p> + +<p>"Of course——"</p> + +<p>"Is that your brother?" Betty asked with a quick intake of breath, +lifting her head toward a stalwart figure rapidly coming down the wide +marble steps.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan looked up with a frown:</p> + +<p>"How did you recognize him?"</p> + +<p>"By his resemblance to you, of course."</p> + +<p>"Thanks."</p> + +<p>"You're as much alike as two black-eyed peas—except that you're more +slender and boyish."</p> + +<p>"And not quite so good-looking?"</p> + +<p>A low mischievous laugh was her answer as John lifted his hat and stood +smiling before them.</p> + +<p>"Miss Winter, this is my brother, whose praises I've long been chanting. +I've a little work to do in the crowd—I'll be back in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>There was just a touch of irony in the smile with which the younger man +spoke as he hurried away, but the girl was too much absorbed in the +striking picture John Vaughan made to notice. The sparkling brown eyes +took him in from head to foot in a quick comprehending flash. The fame +of his personal appearance was more than justified. He was the most +strikingly good-looking man she had ever seen, and to her surprise there +was not the slightest trace of self-consciousness or conceit about him. +His high intellectual forehead, thick black hair inclined to curl at the +ends and straight heavy eyebrows suggested at once a man of brains and +power. He looked older than he was—at least thirty, though he had just +turned twenty-six. The square strong jaw and large chin were eloquent of +reserve force. Two rows of white, perfect teeth smiled behind the black +drooping moustache and invited friendship. The one disquieting feature +about him was the look from the depths of his dark brown eyes—so dark +they were black in shadow. He had been a dreamer when very young and +followed Charles A. Dana to Brook Farm for a brief stay.</p> + +<p>Before he had spoken a dozen words the girl felt the charm of his +singular and powerful personality.</p> + +<p>"I needn't say that I'm glad to see you, Miss Winter," he began, with a +friendly smile. "Ned has told me so much about you the past month I'd +made up my mind to join the Abolitionists, and apply for a secretaryship +to the Senator if I couldn't manage it any other way."</p> + +<p>"And you'll be content to resume a normal life after to-day?"</p> + +<p>She looked into his eyes with mischievous challenge. She had recovered +her poise.</p> + +<p>He laughed, and a shadow suddenly swept his face:</p> + +<p>"I wonder, Miss Winter, if any of us will live a normal life after +to-day?"</p> + +<p>"You've seen the Rail-splitter, our new President?"</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't wait in the Senate Chamber. I came out here to make sure +of my seat beside you——"</p> + +<p>"To hear every word of the Inaugural, of course," Betty broke in.</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course——" he paused and the faintest suggestion of a smile +flickered about the corners of his eyes. "Ned told me you had three good +seats. I am anxious to hear what he says—but more anxious to see him +when he says it. I can read his Inaugural, but I want to see the soul of +the man behind its conventional phrases——"</p> + +<p>"He'll use conventional phrases?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. They all do. But no man ever came to the Presidential chair +with as little confidence back of him. The Abolitionists have already +begun to denounce him before he has taken the oath of office. The rank +and file of the party that elected him are not Abolitionists and never +for a moment believed that the Southern people were in earnest when they +threatened Secession during the campaign. We thought it bluff. To say +that the whole North and West is panic-stricken is the simple truth.</p> + +<p>"Horace Greeley and the <i>Tribune</i> are for Secession.</p> + +<p>"'Let our erring sisters go!' the editor tells the millions who hang on +his words as the oracle of heaven.</p> + +<p>"The North has been talking Secession for thirty years, and now that the +South is doing what they've been threatening, we wake up and try to +persuade ourselves that no such right exists in a sovereign state. Yet +we all know that Great Britain surrendered to the thirteen colonies as +sovereign states and named each one of them in her articles of surrender +and our treaty of peace. We know that there never would have been a +Constitution or a Union if the men who drew it and created the Union had +dared to question the right of either of these sovereign states to +withdraw when they wished. They didn't dare to raise the question. They +left it for their children to settle. Now we're facing it with a +vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Our fathers only dreamed a Union. They never lived to see it. This +country has always been an aggregation of jangling, discordant, +antagonistic sections. How is this man who comes into power to-day, this +humble rail-splitter, this County Court advocate, to achieve what our +greatest statesmen have tried for nearly a hundred years and failed to +do? Seward, the man he has called to be Secretary of State, has been +here for two months, juggling with his enemies. He's a Secessionist at +heart and expects the Union to be divided——"</p> + +<p>"Surely," Betty interrupted, "you can't believe that."</p> + +<p>"It's true. We don't dare say this in our paper, but we know it. So sure +is Seward of the collapse of the Lincoln administration that he withdrew +his acceptance of the post of Secretary of State, only day before +yesterday. It's uncertain at this hour whether he'll be in the +cabinet——"</p> + +<p>"Why?" Betty asked in breathless surprise.</p> + +<p>The young editor was silent a moment and spoke in low tones:</p> + +<p>"You can keep a secret?"</p> + +<p>"State secrets—easily."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Seward expects to be called to a position of greater power than +President——"</p> + +<p>"You mean?"</p> + +<p>"The Dictatorship. That's the talk in the inner circles. Nobody in the +North expects war or wants war——"</p> + +<p>"Except my father," Betty laughed.</p> + +<p>"The Abolitionists don't count. If we have war there are not enough of +them to form a corporal's guard—to say nothing of an army. The North is +hopelessly divided and confused. If the South unites—if North Carolina, +Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Maryland join the +Confederacy under Davis, the Union is lost. What's going to hinder them +from uniting? They are all Slave States. They believe the new President +is a Black Abolitionist Republican. He isn't, of course, but they +believe it. How can he reassure them? The States that have already +plunged into Secession have hauled the flag down from every fort and +arsenal except Sumter and Pickens. The new President can only retake +these forts by force. The first shot fired will sweep every Slave State +out of the Union and arraign the millions of Democratic voters in the +North solidly against the Government. God pity the man who takes the +oath to-day to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution!"</p> + +<p>When John Vaughan's voice died away at last into a passionate whisper, +Betty stood looking at him in a spell. She recovered herself with a +start and a smile.</p> + +<p>"You've mistaken your calling, Mr. Vaughan," she said with emotion.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say that?"</p> + +<p>"You're a statesman—not an editor—you should be in the Cabinet."</p> + +<p>"Much obliged, Miss Betty—but I'm not in this one, thank you. Besides, +you're mistaken. I'm only an intelligent observer and reporter of +events. I've never had the will to do creative things."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"The responsibility is too great. Fools rush in where angels fear to +tread. Only God Almighty can save this Nation to-day. It's too much to +expect of one man."</p> + +<p>"Yet God must use man, mustn't He?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. That's why my soul goes out in sympathy to the lonely figure who +steps out of obscurity and poverty to-day to do this impossible thing. +No such responsibility was ever before laid on the shoulders of one man. +In all the history of the world he has no precedent, no guide——"</p> + +<p>Ned interrupted the flow of John's impassioned speech by suddenly +appearing with uplifted hand.</p> + +<p>"Never such a crowd as this!"</p> + +<p>"Why, they say it's smaller than usual!" Betty exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"I don't mean size," Ned went on rapidly. "It's their temper that's +remarkable. An Inauguration crowd should support the administration. The +Lord help the Rail-splitter if that sullen dumb mob are his +constituents! Half of them are downright hostile——"</p> + +<p>"Washington's a Southern town," John remarked.</p> + +<p>"They are not Washington folks—not one in a hundred. And the only +honest backers old Abe seems to have are about a thousand serious young +fellows from the West, whom General Scott has armed as a special guard +to circle the crowd."</p> + +<p>He paused and pointed to a group of a dozen Westerners standing beside a +bush in the outer rim of the throng.</p> + +<p>"There's a bunch of them—and there's one stationed every ten yards. The +artillery in position, the infantry in line, the sharpshooters masked in +windows, the guard under the platform with muskets cocked, and a +thousand volunteers to threaten the crowd from without, I think the new +President should get a respectful hearing! The procession is coming up +the Avenue now with a guard of sappers and miners packed so closely +around the open carriage you can't even see the top of old Abe's +head——"</p> + +<p>"Let's get our seats!" Betty cried.</p> + +<p>They had scarcely taken them when a ripple of excitement swept the crowd +as every head was turned toward the aisle that led down the centre of +the platform.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's Mrs. Lincoln and the children and her sisters!" Betty +exclaimed. "What perfect taste in her dress! She knows how to wear it, +too. What a typical, plump, self-poised Southern matron she looks. And, +oh, those darling little boys—aren't they dears! She's a Kentuckian, +too—the irony of Fate! A Southerner with a Southern wife entering the +White House and eight great Southern States seceding from the Union +because of it. It's a funny world, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"The South hardly claims Mr. Lincoln as a Southerner," Ned remarked +dryly.</p> + +<p>"Claim it or not, he is," John declared, nodding toward Betty, "as truly +a Southerner as Jefferson Davis. They were both born in Kentucky almost +on the same day——"</p> + +<p>Another ripple of excitement and the Diplomatic Corps entered with +measured stately tread, their gorgeous uniforms flashing in the sun. +They took their seats on the left of the canopy, Lord Lyons, the British +minister, seated beside the representative of the Court of France, two +men destined to play their parts in the drama of Life and Death on whose +first act the curtain of history was slowly rising.</p> + +<p>The black-robed Supreme Court of the Republic, in cap and gown, slowly +followed and took their places on the right, opposite the Diplomatic +Corps.</p> + +<p>The Marine band struck the first notes of the National Hymn amid a +silence whose oppressiveness could be felt. The tension of a great fear +had gripped the hearts of the crowd with icy fingers. The stoutest soul +felt its spell and was powerless to shake it off.</p> + +<p>Was it the end of the Republic? Or the storm clouded dawn of a new and +more wonderful life? God only could tell, and there were few men present +who dared to venture a prediction.</p> + +<p>A wave of subdued excitement rippled the throng and every eye was +focused on the procession from the Senate Chamber.</p> + +<p>"They're coming!" Betty whispered excitedly.</p> + +<p>The contrast between the retiring President, James Buchanan, and Abraham +Lincoln was startling even at the distance of the first view from the +platform. The man of the old era was heavy and awkward in his movements, +far advanced in years, with thin snow white hair, his pallid full face +seamed and wrinkled and his head curiously inclined to the left +shoulder. An immense white cravat like a poultice pushed his high +standing collar up to the ears. The sharp contrast of the black +swallow-tailed coat, with the dead white of cravat, collar, face and +hair, suggested the uncanny idea of a moving corpse.</p> + +<p>With his eyes fixed on Buchanan, John suddenly exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"A man who's dead and don't know it!"</p> + +<p>Only for a moment did the actual President hold the eye. The man of the +hour loomed large at the head of the procession and instantly fixed the +attention of every man and woman within the range of vision. His giant +figure seemed to tower more than a foot above his surroundings. +Everything about him was large—an immense head, crowned with thick +shock of coarse black hair, his strong jaws rimmed with bristling new +whiskers, long arms and longer legs, large hands, big features, every +movement quick and powerful. The first impression was one of enormous +strength. He looked every inch the stalwart backwoods athlete, capable +of all the feats of physical strength campaign stories had credited to +his record. One glance at his magnificent frame and no one doubted the +boast of his admirers that he could lift a thousand pounds, five hundred +in each hand, or bend an iron poker by striking it across the muscle of +his arm.</p> + +<p>As he reached the speaker's stand beneath the crowded canopy, there was +an instant's awkward pause. In his new immaculate dress suit with black +satin vest, shining silk hat and gold-headed cane, he seemed a little +ill at ease. He looked in vain for a place to put his hat and cane and +finally found a corner of the railing against which to lean the stick, +but there seemed no place left for his new hat. Senator Stephen A. +Douglas, his defeated Northern opponent for the Presidency, with a +friendly smile, took it from his hands.</p> + +<p>As Douglas slipped gracefully back to his seat, he whispered to the lady +beside him:</p> + +<p>"If I can't be President, at least I can hold his hat!"</p> + +<p>The simple, but significant, act of courtesy from the great leader of +the Northern Democracy was not lost on the new Chief Magistrate. He +could hardly believe what his eyes had seen at first, and then he +smiled. Instantly the rugged features were transformed and his whole +being was lighted with a strange soft radiance whose warmth was +contagious.</p> + +<p>Betty's eyes were dancing with excitement.</p> + +<p>"He's not ugly at all!" she whispered.</p> + +<p>Ned softly laughed:</p> + +<p>"He certainly is not a beauty?"</p> + +<p>"Who expects beauty in a real man?" she answered, with a touch of scorn. +And Ned shot a look of inquiry at John's handsome face. But the older +brother was too intent on the drama before him to notice. The editor's +eyes were riveted on the new President, studying every detail of his +impressive personality. He had never seen him before and was trying to +form a just and accurate judgment of his character. Beyond a doubt he +was big physically—this impression was overwhelming—everything +large—the head with its high crown of skull and thick, bushy hair, deep +cavernous eyes, heavy eyebrows which moved in quick sympathy with every +emotion, large nose, large ears, large mouth, large, thick under lip, +very high cheek bones, massive jaw bones with upturned chin, a sinewy +long neck, long arms, and large hands, long legs, and big feet. A giant +physically—and yet somehow he gave the impression of excessive +gauntness and about his face there dwelt a strange impression of sadness +and spiritual anguish. The hollowness of his cheeks accented by his +swarthy complexion emphasized this.</p> + +<p>The crowd had recognized him instantly, but without the slightest +applause. The silence was intense, oppressive, painful. John glanced up +and saw the huge figure of Senator Wigfall, of Texas, looking down on +the scene from the base of one of the white columns of the central +façade. He waved his arm defiantly and laughed. His presence in the +Senate after all his associates had withdrawn was the subject of keen +speculation. He was believed to be a spy of the Confederate Government. +He had asked General Scott, half in jest, if he would dare to arrest a +Senator of the United States for treason. The answer was significant of +the times. Looking the Senator straight in the eye the old hero slowly +said:</p> + +<p>"No—I'd blow him to hell!"</p> + +<p>Evidently the Senator was not as yet unduly alarmed. His expression of +triumphant contempt for the evident lack of enthusiasm could not be +mistaken. When John Vaughan recalled the confusion in the ranks of the +triumphant party he knew that the Senator's scorn would he redoubled if +he but knew half the truth. Again he turned toward the tall, lonely man +with sinking heart.</p> + +<p>The ceremony moved swiftly. The silence was too oppressive to admit +delay. Senator Baker, of Oregon, the warm personal friend of Lincoln, +stepped quickly to the edge of the platform. With hand outstretched in +an easy graceful gesture, he said:</p> + +<p>"Fellow Citizens: I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, the +President-elect of the United States of America."</p> + +<p>Again the silence of death, as the once ragged, lonely, barefoot boy +from a Kentucky cabin stepped forward into the fiercest light that ever +beat on human head.</p> + +<p>He quickly adjusted his glasses, drew his tall figure to its full +height, and began to read his address, his face suddenly radiant with +the poise of conscious reserve power, oblivious of crowd, ceremony, +hostility or friendship. His voice was strong, high pitched, clear, +ringing, and his articulation singularly and beautifully perfect. His +words carried to the outer edge of the vast silent throng.</p> + +<p>Betty watched his mobile features with increasing fascination. His bushy +eyebrows and the muscles of his sensitive face moved and flashed in +sympathy with every emotion. In a countenance of such large and rugged +lines every movement spoke unusual power. The lift of an eyebrow, the +curve of the lip, the flash of the eye were gestures more eloquent than +the impassioned sweep of the ordinary orator's arm. He made no gesture +with hand or arm or the mass of his towering body. No portrait of this +man had ever been made. She had seen many pictures and not one of them +had suggested the deep, subtle, indirect expression of his +face—something that seemed to link him with the big forces of nature.</p> + +<p>The crowd was feeling this now and men were leaning forward from their +seats on the platform. The venerable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, +Roger B. Taney, whose clear, accurate and mercilessly logical decision +on Slavery had created the storm which swept Lincoln into power, was +watching him with bated breath, and not for an instant during the +Inaugural address did he lower his sombre eyes from the face of the +speaker.</p> + +<p>John C. Breckenridge, the retiring Vice-President, his defeated opponent +from the Southern States, the proud Kentucky chevalier, was listening +with keen and painful intensity, his handsome cultured features pale +with the consciousness of coming tragedy.</p> + +<p>His opening words had been reassuring to the South, but woke no response +from the silent thousands who stood before him as he went on:</p> + +<p>"I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have +no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."</p> + +<p>The simplicity, directness and clearness of this statement could find no +parallel in the pompous words of his predecessors. The man was talking +in the language of the people. It was something new under the sun.</p> + +<p>And then, with the clear ring of a trumpet, each syllable falling clean +cut and sharp with marvellous distinctness, he continued:</p> + +<p>"I hold that the Union of these States is perpetual——"</p> + +<p>He paused for an instant, his voice suddenly failing from deep emotion +and then, as if stung by the silence with which this thrilling thought +was received, he uttered the only words not written in his manuscript, +and made the only gesture of his entire address. His great fist came +down with a resounding smash on the table and in tones heard by the last +man who hung on the edge of the throng, he said:</p> + +<p>"No State has the right to secede!"</p> + +<p>And still no cheer came from the strangely silent crowd—only a vague +shiver swept the hearts of the Southern people before him. If the North +loved the Union they were giving no tokens to the tall, lonely figure on +that platform.</p> + +<p>At last the sentences, big with the fate of millions, were slowly and +tenderly spoken:</p> + +<p>"I shall take care that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in +all the States. Doing this I deem to be a simple duty on my part, and I +shall perform it——"</p> + +<p>At last he had touched the hidden powder magazine with an electric +spark, and a cheer swept the crowd. It died away at last—rose with new +power and rose a third time before it subsided, and the clear voice went +on:</p> + +<p>"I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as the declared +purpose of the Union that it will constitutionally defend and maintain +itself. In doing this there needs be no bloodshed or violence; and there +shall be none unless it be forced upon the National authority. The power +confided in me will be used to hold and occupy and possess the property +and places belonging to the Government."</p> + +<p>Again the powder mine exploded, and a cheer rose. The grim walls of Fort +Sumter and Pickens, in far off Southern waters, flashed red before every +eye.</p> + +<p>The applause suddenly died away into the old silence, and a man in the +crowd before the platform yelled:</p> + +<p>"We're for Jefferson Davis!"</p> + +<p>There was no answer and no disorder—only the shrill cry of the +Southerner through the silence, and the speaker continued his address. +Senator Douglas looked uneasily over the crowd toward the spot from +whence came the cry. His brow wrinkled with a frown.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan leaned toward Betty and whispered half to himself:</p> + +<p>"I wonder if those cheers were defiance after all?"</p> + +<p>But the girl was too intent on the words of the speaker to answer. His +next sentence brought a smile and a nod of approval from Senator +Douglas.</p> + +<p>"But beyond what may be necessary for those objects, there will be no +invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere——"</p> + +<p>Again and again Douglas nodded his approval and spoke it in low tones:</p> + +<p>"Good! Good! That means no coercion."</p> + +<p>And then, followed in solemn tones, the fateful sentences:</p> + +<p>"In <i>your</i> hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in <i>mine</i> +is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail +<i>you</i> unless you <i>first</i> assail <i>it</i>. You can have no conflict without +yourselves being the aggressors. <i>You</i> have no oath registered in Heaven +to destroy the Government, while <i>I</i> shall have the most solemn one to +'preserve, protect and defend' it. <i>You</i> can forbear the <i>assault</i> upon +it; <i>I</i> can <i>not</i> shrink from the <i>defense</i> of it——"</p> + +<p>Again he paused, and the crowd hung spellbound as he began his closing +paragraph in tender persuasive accents throbbing with emotion, his clear +voice breaking for the first time:</p> + +<p>"I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be +enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds +of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every +battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all +over this broad land will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again +touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."</p> + +<p>The closing words fell from his sensitive lips with the sad dreamy eyes +blinded by tears.</p> + +<p>At last he had touched the hearts of all. The sincerity and beauty of +the simple appeal for the moment hushed bitterness and passion and the +cheer was universal.</p> + +<p>The black-robed figure of the venerable Chief Justice stepped forward +with extended open Bible. His bony, trembling fingers and cadaverous +intellectual face gave the last touch of dramatic contrast between the +old and new régimes.</p> + +<p>The tall, dark man reverently laid his left hand on the open Book, +raised his right arm, and slowly repeated the words of the oath:</p> + +<p>"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of +President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, +preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so +help me God!"</p> + +<p>The words had scarcely died on his lips when the distant boom of cannon +proclaimed the new President. The crowd on the platform rose and stood +with uncovered heads, while the procession formed in the same order as +at its entrance and returned to the White House.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of it?" Betty asked breathlessly, turning to Ned.</p> + +<p>The firm young lips came together with sudden passion:</p> + +<p>"The argument has ended. To your tents, O Israel! It means war——"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," John broke in impetuously. "It means anything or nothing. +It's hot and cold—a straddle, a contradiction——"</p> + +<p>He paused and turned to Betty:</p> + +<p>"What do you think?"</p> + +<p>"Of the President?" she asked dreamily.</p> + +<p>"Of his Inaugural," John corrected.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether it means peace or war, not being a statesman, but +of one thing I'm sure——"</p> + +<p>She paused and Ned leaned close:</p> + +<p>"Yes?"</p> + +<p>"That a great man has appeared on the scene——"</p> + +<p>Both men laughed and she went on with deep earnestness:</p> + +<p>"I mean it—he's splendid—he's wonderful! He's a poet—a dreamer—and +so typically Southern, Mr. Ned Vaughan. I could easily picture him +fighting a duel over a fine point of honor, as he did once. He's +patient, careful, wise, cautious—very tender and very strong. To me +he's inspired——"</p> + +<p>Again both men laughed.</p> + +<p>"I honestly believe that God has sent him into the Kingdom for such a +time as this."</p> + +<p>"You get that impression from his rambling address with its obvious +effort to straddle the Universe?" John asked incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Not from what he said," Betty persisted, "so much as the way he said +it—though I got the very clear idea that his purpose is to save the +Union. He made that thought ring through my mind over all others."</p> + +<p>"You really like him?" Ned asked with a cold smile.</p> + +<p>"I love him," was the eager answer. "He's adorable. He's genuine—a man +of the people. We've had many Presidents who wore purple and fine linen +and professed democracy—now we've the real thing. I wonder if they'll +crucify him. All through his address I could see the little ragged +forlorn boy standing beside his mother's grave crying his heart out in +despair and loneliness. He's wonderful. And he's not overawed by these +big white pillars above us, either. The man who tries to set up for a +Dictator while he's in the White House will find trouble——"</p> + +<p>"The two leading men he has called to his cabinet," John broke in +musingly, "hold him in contempt."</p> + +<p>"There's a surprise in store for Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase," Betty +ventured.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid your father will not agree with you, Miss Betty," Ned +laughed, glancing toward Senator Winter. "I foresee trouble for you."</p> + +<p>"No danger. My father never quarrels with me over politics. He just +pities my ignorance and lets it go at that. He never condescends to my +level——"</p> + +<p>She stopped suddenly and waved her hand toward the group of excited men +who had gathered around Senator Winter.</p> + +<p>A smile of recognition lighted the sombre Puritan face, as he pushed his +friends aside and rapidly approached.</p> + +<p>"How's my little girl?" he cried tenderly. "Enjoy the show?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, immensely—you know Mr. John Vaughan, Father, don't you?"</p> + +<p>The old man smiled grimly as he extended his hand:</p> + +<p>"I know who he is—though I haven't had the honor of an introduction. +I'm glad to see you, Mr. Vaughan—though I don't agree with many of your +editorials."</p> + +<p>"We'll hope for better things in the future, Senator," John laughed.</p> + +<p>"What's your impression of the Inaugural, Senator?" Ned asked, with a +twinkle of mischief in his eye.</p> + +<p>"You are asking me that as a reporter, young man, or as a friend of my +daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Both, sir."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll give you two answers. One for the public and one for you. +I've an idea you're going to be a rebel, sir——"</p> + +<p>"We hope not, Senator," John protested.</p> + +<p>"I've my suspicions from an interview we had once. But you're a good +reporter, sir. I trust your ability and honesty however deeply I suspect +your patriotism. As a Republican Senator I say to you for publication: +The President couldn't well have said less. It might have been unwise to +say more. To you, as a budding young rebel and a friend of my daughter, +I say, with the utmost frankness, that I have no power to express my +contempt for that address. From the lips of the man we elected to +strangle Slavery fell the cowardly words:</p> + +<p>"'I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists'——"</p> + +<p>The grim blue-grey eyes flashed with rage, he paused for breath and +then, livid with suppressed emotion, continued:</p> + +<p>"For fifty years every man who has stood on this platform to take the +oath as President has turned his face to the South and bowed the knee to +Baal. We hoped for better things to-day——" He paused a moment and his +eyes filled with angry tears:</p> + +<p>"How long, O Lord! How long!"</p> + +<p>"But you mustn't forget, Senator, that he didn't run and we didn't win +on an Abolition platform. We only raised the issue of the extension of +Slavery into the new territories——"</p> + +<p>"Yes!" the old man sneered. "But you didn't fool the South! They are +past masters in the art of politics. The South is seceding because they +know that the Republican Party was organized to destroy Slavery—and +that its triumph is a challenge to a life and death fight on that issue. +It's a waste of time to beat the devil round the stump. We've got to +face it. I hate a trimmer and a coward!—But don't you dare print that +for a while, young man——"</p> + +<p>"Hardly, sir," Ned answered with a smile.</p> + +<p>"I've got to support my own administration for a few days at least—and +then!—well, we won't cross any bridges till we come to them."</p> + +<p>He stopped abruptly and turned to John:</p> + +<p>"Come to see us, Mr. Vaughan. Your paper should be a power before the +end of the coming four years. I know Forney, your chief. I'd like to +know you better——"</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Senator," the young editor responded cordially.</p> + +<p>"Can't you dine with us to-morrow night, Mr. Vaughan?" Betty asked, +unconsciously bending toward his straight, well poised figure. Ned +observed her with a frown, and heard John's answer in a sudden surge of +anger.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Miss Betty, with pleasure."</p> + +<p>To Ned's certain knowledge it was the first invitation of the kind he +had accepted since his advent in Washington. Again he cursed himself for +a fool for introducing them.</p> + +<p>Betty beamed her friendliest look straight into his eyes and softly +said:</p> + +<p>"You'll come, of course, Mr. Ned?"</p> + +<p>For the life of him he couldn't get back his conventional tones for an +answer. His voice trembled in spite of his effort.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said slowly, "it will not be possible. I've an +assignment at the White House for that evening."</p> + +<p>He turned abruptly and left them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER II</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">JANGLING VOICES</a></h3> + + +<p>The roar of the Inauguration passed, and Washington was itself again—an +old-fashioned Southern town of sixty thousand inhabitants, no longer +asleep perhaps, but still aristocratic, skeptical, sneering in its +attitude toward the new administration.</p> + +<p>Behind the scenes in his Cabinet reigned confusion incredible. The tall +dark backwoodsman who presided over these wrangling giants appeared at +first to their superior wisdom a dazed spectator.</p> + +<p>He had called them because they were indispensable. Now that the issues +were to be faced, Mr. Seward, Mr. Chase, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Bates +realized that the country lawyer who had won the Presidency over their +superior claims knew his weakness and relied on their strength, +training, and long experience in public affairs.</p> + +<p>Certainly it had not occurred to one of them that his act in calling the +greatest men of his party, and the party of opposition as well, into his +Cabinet was a deed of such intellectual audacity that it scarcely had a +parallel in history.</p> + +<p>Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, had reluctantly consented to enter +the Cabinet at the last moment as an act of patriotism to save the +country from impending ruin too great for any other man to face. His +attitude was a reasonable one. He was the undoubted leader of the +triumphant party.</p> + +<p>Without a moment's hesitation on the first day of his service as +Secretary of State he assumed the position of a Prime Minister, whose +duties included a general supervision of all the Departments of +Government, as well as a Regent's supervision over the Executive.</p> + +<p>Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, at once took up the +gauntlet thrown down by his rival. He not only regarded the President +with contempt, but he extended it to the political trickster who dared +to assume the airs of Premiership in a Democratic Republic.</p> + +<p>To these Cabinet meetings came no voices of comfort from the country. +The Abolitionist press, which represented the aggressive conscience of +the North, continued to ridicule and denounce the Inaugural address in +unmeasured terms.</p> + +<p>The simple truth was soon apparent to the sombre eyes of the President. +He was facing the gravest problem that ever confronted a statesman +without an organized party on which he could depend for support. But two +of his Cabinet had any confidence in his ability or genuine +loyalty—Gideon Welles, a Northern Democrat, and Montgomery Blair, a +Southern aristocrat.</p> + +<p>The problem before him was bigger than faction, bigger than party, +bigger than Slavery. Could a government founded on the genuine +principles of Democracy live? Could such a Union be held together +composed of warring sections with vast territories extending over +thousands of miles, washed by two oceans extending from the frozen +mountains of Canada to the endless summers of the tropics?</p> + +<p>If the Southern people should unite in a slave-holding Confederacy, it +was not only a question as to whether he could shape an army mighty +enough to conquer them, the more urgent and by far the graver problem +was whether he could mould into unity the warring factions of the +turbulent, passion-torn North. These people who had elected him—could +he ever hope to bind them into a solid fighting unit? If their +representatives in his Cabinet were truly representatives the task was +beyond human power.</p> + +<p>And yet the tall, lonely figure calmly faced it without a tremor. In the +depths of his cavernous eyes there burned a steady flame but few of the +men about him saw, or understood if they saw—that flame was something +new in the history of the race—a faith in the common man which dared to +give a new valuation to the individual and set new standards for the +Democracy of the world. He believed that the heart of the masses of the +people North, South, East and West was sound at the core and that as +their Chief Magistrate he could ultimately appeal to them over the heads +of all traditions—all factions, and all accepted leaders.</p> + +<p>He was the most advised man and the worst advised man in history. It +became necessary to think for himself or cease to think at all.</p> + +<p>General Scott, the venerable hero of Lundy Lane, in command of the army, +had suggested as a solution of the turmoil the division of the country +into four separate Confederacies and had roughly drawn their outlines!</p> + +<p>Horace Greeley had made the <i>Tribune</i> the most powerful newspaper in the +history of America. The Republicans throughout the country had been +educated by its teachings and held its authority second only to the Word +of God. And yet from the moment of Lincoln's election the chief +occupation of this powerful paper was to criticize and condemn the +measures and policies of the President.</p> + +<p>Over and over he repeated the deadly advice to the Nation:</p> + +<p>"If the Cotton States shall decide that they can do better out of the +Union than in it, we insist on letting them go in peace."</p> + +<p>He serenely insisted:</p> + +<p>"If eight Southern States, having five millions of people, choose to +separate from us, they cannot be permanently withheld from doing so by +Federal cannon. The South has as good right to secede from the Union as +the Colonies had to secede from Great Britain. If they choose to form an +independent Nation they have a clear moral right to do so, and we will +do our best to forward their views."</p> + +<p>Is it to be wondered at that the Southern people were absolutely clear +in their conception of the right to secede if such doctrines were taught +in the North by the highest authority within the party which had elected +Abraham Lincoln?</p> + +<p>If his own party leaders were boldly proclaiming such treason to the +Union how could he hope to stem the tide that had set in for its ruin?</p> + +<p>The thousands of conservative men North and South who voted for Bell and +Everett demanded peace at any price. An orator in New York at a great +mass meeting dared to say:</p> + +<p>"If a revolution of force is to begin it shall be inaugurated at home! +It will be just as brutal to send men to butcher our brothers of the +South as it will be to massacre them in the Northern States."</p> + +<p>The business interests of the Northern cities were bitterly and +unanimously arrayed against any attempt to use force against the South. +The city of New York was thoroughly imbued with Secession sentiment, and +its Mayor, through Daniel E. Sickles, one of the members of Congress, +demanded the establishment of a free and independent Municipal State on +the island of Manhattan.</p> + +<p>Seward had just written to Charles F. Adams, our minister to England:</p> + +<p>"Only an imperial and despotic government could subjugate thoroughly +disaffected and insurrectionary members of the State. This Federal +Republican country of ours is, of all forms of Government, the very one +which is the most unfitted for such a labor."</p> + +<p>This letter could only mean one of two things, either that the first +member of the Cabinet was a Secessionist and meant to allow the South to +go unmolested, or he planned to change our form of Government by a <i>coup +d'état</i> in the crisis and assume the Dictatorship. In either event his +attitude boded ill for the new President and his future.</p> + +<p>Wendell Phillips, the eloquent friend of Senator Winter, declared in +Boston in a public address:</p> + +<p>"Here are a series of states who think their peculiar institutions +require that they should have a separate government. They have the right +to decide that question without appealing to you or me. Standing with +the principles of '76 behind us, who can deny them the right? Abraham +Lincoln has no right to a soldier in Fort Sumter. There is no longer a +Union. You can not go through Massachusetts and recruit men to bombard +Charleston or New Orleans. Nothing but madness can provoke a war with +the Gulf States."</p> + +<p>The last member of his distracted, divided, passion-ridden Cabinet had +gone at the close of its first eventful sitting. The dark figure of the +President stood beside the window looking over the mirror-like surface +of the Potomac to the hills of Virginia.</p> + +<p>The shadow of a great sorrow shrouded his face and form. The shoulders +drooped. But the light in the depths of his sombre eyes was growing +steadily in intensity.</p> + +<p>Old Edward, the veteran hallman, appeared at the door with his endless +effort to wash his hands without water.</p> + +<p>"A young gentleman wishes to see you, sir, a reporter I think—Mr. Ned +Vaughan, of the <i>Daily Republican</i>."</p> + +<p>Without lifting his eyes from the Virginia hills, the quiet voice said:</p> + +<p>"Let him in."</p> + +<p>In vain the wily diplomat of the press sought to obtain a declaration of +policy on the question of the relief of Fort Sumter. In his easy, +friendly way the President made him welcome, but only smiled and slowly +shook his head in answer to each pointed question, or laughed aloud at +the skillful traps he was invited to enter.</p> + +<p>"It's no use, my boy," he said at last, with a weary gesture. "I'm not +going to tell you anything to-day——" he paused, and the light suddenly +flashed from beneath his shaggy brows, "——except this—you can say to +your readers that my course is as plain as a turnpike road. It is marked +out by the Constitution. I am in no doubt which way to go. I am going to +try to save the Union."</p> + +<p>"In short," Ned laughed, "you propose to stand by your Inaugural?"</p> + +<p>"That's a pretty good guess, young man! I'm surprised that you paid such +close attention to my address."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I had an interpreter?"</p> + +<p>"Did you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Who?"</p> + +<p>"A very beautiful young woman, Mr. President," Ned answered serenely.</p> + +<p>The hazel-grey eyes twinkled:</p> + +<p>"What's her name, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Betty Winter."</p> + +<p>"Not the daughter of that old grizzly bear who's always camping on my +trail?"</p> + +<p>"The same, sir."</p> + +<p>The swarthy face lighted with a radiant smile:</p> + +<p>"What did she say about my Inaugural?"</p> + +<p>"That it was the utterance of a wise, patient, great man."</p> + +<p>Two big hands suddenly closed on Ned's and the tall figure bent low.</p> + +<p>"Thank you for telling me that, my boy. It helps me after a hard day!"</p> + +<p>"She said many other things, too, sir," Ned added.</p> + +<p>"Did she?"</p> + +<p>"With enthusiasm."</p> + +<p>"Tell her to come to me," the President said slowly. "I want to talk to +her."</p> + +<p>He paused, turned to his desk and seized a pen:</p> + +<p>"I'll send a subpœna for her—that's better."</p> + +<p>On one of his cards he quickly wrote:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">My Dear Miss Winter</span>:</p> + +<p>"You are hereby summoned to immediately appear before the Chief +Magistrate to testify concerning grave matters of State.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">A. Lincoln. +</p> + +<p>He slipped his long arm around Ned's shoulder and walked with him to the +door:</p> + +<p>"Serve that on her for me, will you, right away?"</p> + +<p>With a nod and a smile, the reporter bowed and turned his steps toward +the Senator's house.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER III</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">IN BETTY'S GARDEN</a></h3> + + +<p>Ned Vaughan paused with a moment of indecision before the plain, +old-fashioned, brick house in which Senator Winter lived on the Capitol +Hill. It was a confession of abject weakness to decline her invitation +to dinner with his brother and jump at the first chance to butt in +before the dinner hour.</p> + +<p>Why should he worry? She was too serious and honest to play with any +man, to say nothing of an attempt to flirt with two at the same time.</p> + +<p>He refused to believe in the seriousness of any impression she had made +on his brother's conceited fancy. His light love affairs had become +notorious in his set. He was only amusing himself with Betty and she was +too simple and pure to understand. Yet to warn her at this stage of the +game against his own brother was obviously impossible.</p> + +<p>He suddenly turned on his heel:</p> + +<p>"I'm a fool. I'll wait till to-morrow!"</p> + +<p>He walked rapidly to the corner, stopped abruptly, turned back to the +door and rang the bell.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow, I'm not a coward!" he muttered.</p> + +<p>The pretty Irish maid who opened the door smiled graciously and +knowingly. It made him furious. She mistook his rage for blushes and +giggled insinuatingly.</p> + +<p>"Miss Betty's in the garden, sor; she says to come right out there——"</p> + +<p>"What?" Ned gasped.</p> + +<p>"Yiss-sor; she saw you come up to the door just now and told me to tell +you."</p> + +<p>Again the girl giggled and again he flushed with rage.</p> + +<p>He found her in the garden, busy with her flowers. The border of tall +jonquils were in full bloom, a gorgeous yellow flame leaping from both +sides of the narrow walkway which circled the high brick wall covered +with a mass of honeysuckle. She held a huge pair of pruning shears, +clipping the honeysuckle away from the budding violet beds.</p> + +<p>She lifted her laughing brown eyes to his.</p> + +<p>"Do help me!" she cried. "This honeysuckle vine is going to cover the +whole garden and smother the house itself, I'm afraid."</p> + +<p>He took the shears from her pink fingers and felt the thrill of their +touch for just a moment.</p> + +<p>His eyes lingered on the beautiful picture she made with flushed face +and tangled ringlets of golden brown hair falling over forehead and +cheeks and white rounded throat. The blue gingham apron was infinitely +more becoming than the most elaborate ball costume. It suggested home +and the sweet intimacy of comradeship.</p> + +<p>"You're lovely in that blue apron, Miss Betty," he said with +earnestness.</p> + +<p>"Then I'm forgiven for making home folks of you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm very happy in it."</p> + +<p>"Well, you see I had no choice," she hastened to add. "I just had to +finish these flowers before dressing for dinner. I'm expecting that +handsome brother of yours directly and I must look my best for him, now +mustn't I?"</p> + +<p>She smiled into his eyes with such charming audacity he had to laugh.</p> + +<p>"Of course, you must!" he agreed, and bent quickly to the task of +clearing her violet bed of entangled vines. In ten minutes his strong +hand had done the work of an hour for her slender fingers.</p> + +<p>"How swiftly and beautifully you work, Ned!" she exclaimed as he rose +with face flushed and gazed a moment admiringly on the witchery of her +exquisite figure.</p> + +<p>"How would you like me for a steady gardener?"</p> + +<p>"I hope you're not going to lose your job on your brother's paper?"</p> + +<p>"It's possible."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"We don't agree on politics."</p> + +<p>"A reporter don't have to agree with an editor. He only obeys orders."</p> + +<p>"That's it," Ned answered, with a firm snap of his strong jaw. "I'm not +going to take orders from this Government many more days from the +present outlook."</p> + +<p>Betty looked him straight in the eye in silence and slowly asked:</p> + +<p>"You're not really going to join the rebels?"</p> + +<p>The slender boyish figure suddenly straightened and his lips quivered:</p> + +<p>"Perhaps."</p> + +<p>"You can't mean it!" she cried incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Would you care?" he asked slowly.</p> + +<p>"Very much," was the quick answer. "I should be shocked and disappointed +in you. I've never believed for a moment that you meant what you said. I +thought you were only debating the question from the Southern side."</p> + +<p>"Tell me," Ned broke in, "does your father mean half he says about +Lincoln and the South?"</p> + +<p>"Every word he says. My father is made of the stuff that kindles martyr +fires. He will march to the stake for his principles when the time +comes."</p> + +<p>"You admire that kind of man?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. And for that reason I can't understand why you admire a trimmer +and a time server."</p> + +<p>"You mean?"</p> + +<p>"The Rail-splitter in the White House."</p> + +<p>"But he's not!" Betty protested. "I can feel the hand of steel beneath +his glove—wait and see."</p> + +<p>Ned laughed:</p> + +<p>"Let Ephraim alone, he's joined to his idols! As our old preacher used +to say in Missouri. Your delusion is hopeless. It's well the President +is safely married."</p> + +<p>Betty's eyes twinkled. Ned paused, blushed, fumbled in his pocket and +drew out the card the President had given him to deliver.</p> + +<p>"I am ordered by the administration," he gravely continued, "to serve +this document on the daughter of Senator Winter."</p> + +<p>Betty's eyes danced with amazement as she read the message in the +handwriting of the Chief Magistrate.</p> + +<p>"He sent this to me?"</p> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="good" id="good"></a><img src="images/003.jpg" + alt=""'Good-bye—Ned!' she breathed softly."" title=""'Good-bye—Ned!' she breathed softly."" /> +<br /> +"'Good-bye—Ned!' she breathed softly."</p> + +<p>"Ordered me to serve it on you at once—my excuse for coming at this +unseemly hour."</p> + +<p>"But why?"</p> + +<p>"I gave him a hint of your opinion of his Inaugural. I think it's a case +of a drowning man grasping a straw."</p> + +<p>"Well, this is splendid!" she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"You take it seriously?"</p> + +<p>"It's a great honor."</p> + +<p>"And are you going?"</p> + +<p>"I'd go to-night if it were possible—to-morrow sure——"</p> + +<p>She looked at the card curiously.</p> + +<p>"I've a strange presentiment that something wonderful will come of this +meeting."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it. When Senator Winter's daughter becomes the champion of +the 'Slave Hound of Illinois' there'll be a sensation in the Capital +gossip to say nothing of what may happen at home."</p> + +<p>"I'll risk what happens at home, Ned! My father has two great passions, +the hatred of Slavery and the love of his frivolous daughter. I can +twist him around my little finger——"</p> + +<p>She paused, snapped her finger and smiled up into his face sweetly:</p> + +<p>"Do you doubt it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"No," he answered with a frown, dropping his voice to low tender tones. +"But would you mind telling me, Miss Betty, why you called me 'Mr. Ned' +the other day when I introduced you to John?"</p> + +<p>The faintest tinge of red flashed in her cheeks:</p> + +<p>"I must have done it unconsciously."</p> + +<p>"Please don't do it again. It hurts. You've called me Ned too long to +drop it now, don't you think?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she took his hand in parting.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye—Ned!" she breathed softly.</p> + +<p>And then he did a foolish thing, but the impulse was resistless. He bent +low, reverently kissed the tips of her fingers and fled without daring +to look back.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER IV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">A PAIR OF YOUNG EYES</a></h3> + + +<p>When Betty's card was sent in at the White House next morning, a smile +lighted the sombre face of the President. He waved his long arms +impulsively to his Secretaries and the waiting crowd of Congressmen:</p> + +<p>"Clear everybody out for a few minutes, boys; I've an appointment at +this hour."</p> + +<p>The tall figure bowed with courtly deference over the little hand and +his voice was touched with deep feeling:</p> + +<p>"I want to thank you personally, Miss Betty, for your kind words about +my Inaugural. They helped and cheered me in a trying moment."</p> + +<p>"I'm glad," was the smiling answer.</p> + +<p>"Tell me everything you said about it?" he urged laughingly.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid Mrs. Lincoln might not like it!" she said demurely.</p> + +<p>"We'll risk it. I'm going to take you in to see her in a minute. I want +her to know you. Tell me, what else did you say?"</p> + +<p>He spoke with the eager wistfulness of a boy. It was only too plain that +few messages of good cheer had come to lighten the burden his +responsibilities had brought.</p> + +<p>A smile touched her eyes with tender sympathy:</p> + +<p>"You won't be vain if I tell you exactly what I said, Mr. President?"</p> + +<p>"After all the brickbats that have been coming my way?" he laughed. No +man could laugh with more genuine hearty enjoyment. His laughter +convulsed his whole being for the moment and fairly hypnotized his +hearer into sympathy with his mood.</p> + +<p>"Out with it, Miss Betty, I need it!" he urged.</p> + +<p>"I said, Mr. President, that you were very tender and very strong——" +she paused and looked straight into his deep set eyes "——and that a +great man had appeared in our history."</p> + +<p>He was still for a moment and a mist veiled the light at which she +gazed. He took her hand in both his, pressed it gently and murmured:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Miss Betty, I shall try to prove worthy of my little +champion."</p> + +<p>"I think you do things without trying, Mr. President," she answered.</p> + +<p>"And you don't want an office, do you?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"You have no favors to ask for your friends, have you?"</p> + +<p>"None whatever."</p> + +<p>"And you're Senator Winter's daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"The old grizzly bear! He hates me—but I've always liked him——"</p> + +<p>"I hope you'll always like him," Betty quickly broke in.</p> + +<p>"Of course I will. I've never cherished resentments. Life's too short, +and the office I fill is too big for that. Do you know why I've sent for +you?"</p> + +<p>Betty smiled:</p> + +<p>"To have me flatter you, of course. All men are vain. The greater the +man, the greater his vanity."</p> + +<p>Again he laughed with every muscle of his face and body.</p> + +<p>"Honestly—no, that's not the reason," he said confidentially. "I want +you to accept a position in my Cabinet."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know that women were admitted?"</p> + +<p>"They're not, but I've always been in favor of votes for women and I'm +going to make a place for you."</p> + +<p>Betty's lips trembled with a smile:</p> + +<p>"What's the salary?"</p> + +<p>"No salary, save the eternal gratitude of your Chief—will you accept?"</p> + +<p>"I'll consider it—what duty?"</p> + +<p>He looked steadily into her brown eyes:</p> + +<p>"You have very bright, clear eyes, Miss Betty, I can see myself in them +now more distinctly than in that mirror over the mantel. I'd like to +borrow your eyes now and then to see things with. Will you accept the +position?"</p> + +<p>"If I can be of service, yes."</p> + +<p>"The White House is open to you at all hours, and I shall send for you +sometimes when I'm blue and puzzled and want a pair of pure, beautiful, +young eyes—you understand?"</p> + +<p>Betty extended her hand and her voice trembled:</p> + +<p>"You have conferred on me a very great honor, Mr. President."</p> + +<p>"For instance now," he said dreamily: "You endorse my Inaugural?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it was wise, firm, friendly, dignified."</p> + +<p>"I couldn't have said less than that I must possess and hold the +property of the Government, could I? Well, I must now order a fleet to +sail for Charleston Harbor to relieve our fort or allow the men who wear +our uniform and fly our flag to die of starvation or surrender. Pretty +poor Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy if I do that, am I not? +Suppose I send a fleet to provision our men in Fort Sumter, not +reinforce it—mind you, merely provisions for the handful of men who are +there,—and suppose the Southern troops manning those land batteries +open fire on our flag and force Major Anderson to surrender—what would +happen in the North?"</p> + +<p>He paused and looked at her steadily. The fine young figure suddenly +stiffened:</p> + +<p>"Every man, woman and child would say fight!"</p> + +<p>The big jaws came together with firm precision and his huge fist struck +the table:</p> + +<p>"That's what I think. And at the same time something else would be +happening over there——" His long arm swept toward the hills of +Virginia, dark and threatening on the horizon. "The moment that shot +crashes against our fort, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and +Tennessee will join the Confederacy, to say nothing of what may happen +in Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Missouri—all Slave States. The +shock will be felt on both sides with precisely opposite effects. +Sometimes we must do our duty and leave the rest to God, mustn't we? +Yes—of course we must—and now, I've kept you too long, Miss Betty. +It's a bargain, isn't it? You accept the position in my Cabinet?"</p> + +<p>"Of course, Mr. President,—but if my duties are no heavier than I find +them on this occasion, I fear I shall be of little help."</p> + +<p>"You've been of the greatest service to me. You've confirmed my decision +on a great problem of State. Come now and see Mother and the children. I +want you to know them and like them."</p> + +<p>He led her quickly into the family apartment and introduced her to Mrs. +Lincoln. He found her in the midst of a grave discussion with Lizzie +Garland, her colored dressmaker.</p> + +<p>"This is old Grizzly's lovely daughter, Miss Betty Winter, Mother. She +has joined the administration, stands squarely with us against the +world, the flesh, the devil—and her father! I told her you'd give her +the keys to the house——"</p> + +<p>With a wave of his big hand he was gone.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lincoln's greeting was simple and hearty. In half an hour Betty had +found a place in her heart for life, the boys were claiming her as their +own, and a train of influences were set in motion destined to make +history.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER V</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE FIRST SHOT</a></h3> + + +<p>The first month of the new administration passed in a strange peace that +proved to be the calm before the storm. On the first day of April, All +Fool's Day, Mr. Seward decided to bring to a definite issue the question +of supreme authority in the government. That Abraham Lincoln was the +nominal President was true, of course. Mr. Seward generously decided to +allow him to remain nominally at the head of the Nation and assume +himself the full responsibilities of a Dictatorship.</p> + +<p>The Secretary of State strolled leisurely into the executive office more +careless in dress than usual, the knot of his cravat under his left ear, +a huge lighted cigar in his hand. He handed the President a folded sheet +of official paper, bowed carelessly and retired.</p> + +<p>He had drawn up his proclamation under the title:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S CONSIDERATION.</span></p> + +<p>In this remarkable document he proposed to assume the Dictatorship and +outlined his policy as director of the Nation's affairs.</p> + +<p>He would immediately provoke war with Great Britain, Russia, Spain and +France!</p> + +<p>The dark-visaged giant adjusted his glasses and read this paper with a +smile of incredulous amazement. He wiped his glasses and read it again. +And then without consultation with a single human being, and without a +moment's hesitation he wrote a brief reply to the great man and his +generous offer. There was no bluster, no wrath, no demand for an apology +to his insulted dignity, but in the simplest and friendliest and most +direct language he informed his Secretary that if a dictator were needed +to save the country he would undertake the dangerous and difficult job +himself inasmuch as he had been called by the people to be their +Commander-in-Chief, and that he expected the coöperation, advice and +support of <i>all</i> the members of his Cabinet.</p> + +<p>He did not even refer to the wild scheme of plunging the country into +war with two-thirds of the civilized world. The bare announcement of +such a suggestion would have driven the Secretary from public life. The +quiet man who presided over the turbulent Cabinet never hinted to one of +its members that such a document had reached his hands.</p> + +<p>But as the shades of night fell over the Capitol on that first day of +April, 1861, there was one distinguished statesman within the city who +knew that a real man had been elected President and that he was going to +wield the power placed in his hands without a tremor of fear or an +instant's hesitation.</p> + +<p>It took many months for other members of his Cabinet to learn this—but +there was no more trouble with his Secretary of State. He became at once +his loyal, earnest and faithful counsellor.</p> + +<p>On April the 6th, the fleet was sent to sea under sealed orders to +relieve Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. The +President had been loath to commit the act which must inevitably provoke +war—unless the whole movement of Secession in the South was one of +political bluff. The highest military authority of the country had +advised him that the fort could not be held by any force at present +visible, and that its evacuation was inevitable in any event.</p> + +<p>His Cabinet, with two exceptions, were against any attempt to relieve +it. The sentiment of the people of the North was bitterly opposed to war +on the South.</p> + +<p>On April the 7th, the fleet was at sea on its way to the Southern coast, +its guns shotted, its great battle flags streaming in the wind.</p> + +<p>In accordance with the amenities of war the President notified General +Beauregard, Commander of the Southern forces in Charleston Harbor, that +he had sent his fleet to put provisions into Sumter, but not at present +to put in men, arms or ammunition, <i>unless the fort should be attacked</i>.</p> + +<p>On the night this message was dispatched Roger A. Pryor, of Virginia, +made a speech in Charleston, from the balcony of the Mills Hotel to +practically the entire white population of the city. Its message was +fierce, direct, electric. It was summed up in a single sentence:</p> + +<p>"Strike the first armed blow in defense of Southern rights and within +one hour by Shrewsbury clock, old Virginia will stand, her battle flags +flying, by your side!"</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 11th General Beauregard sent Pryor as a special +messenger to Major Anderson demanding the surrender of Fort Sumter, and +on his refusal, which was a matter of course, instructed him to go at +once to the nearest battery and order its Commander to open fire.</p> + +<p>The formalities at Sumter quickly ended, Pryor repaired to Battery +Johnson, met the young Captain of artillery in command and presented his +order.</p> + +<p>With a shout the Captain threw his arms around the messenger and with +streaming eyes cried:</p> + +<p>"Your wonderful speech last night made this glorious thing possible! You +shall have the immortal honor of firing the first gun!"</p> + +<p>And then a strange revulsion of fooling—or was it a flash of foreboding +from the hell-lit, battle-scorched future! The orator hesitated and +turned pale. It was an honor he could not now decline and yet he +instinctively shrank from it.</p> + +<p>He mopped the perspiration from his brow and looked about in a helpless +way. His eye suddenly rested on a grey-haired, stalwart sentinel passing +with quick firm tread. He recognized him immediately as a distinguished +fellow Virginian, a man of large wealth and uncompromising opinions on +Southern rights.</p> + +<p>When Virginia had refused to secede, he cursed his countrymen as a set +of hesitating cowards, left the State and moved to South Carolina. He +had volunteered among the first and carried a musket as a private +soldier in spite of his snow-white hairs.</p> + +<p>Pryor turned to the Commandant:</p> + +<p>"I appreciate, sir, the honor you would do me, but I could not think of +taking it from one more worthy than myself. There is the man whose +devotion to our cause is greater than mine."</p> + +<p>He introduced Edmund Ruffin and gave a brief outline of his career. The +boyish Commandant faced him:</p> + +<p>"Will you accept the honor of firing the first shot, sir?"</p> + +<p>The square jaw closed with a snap:</p> + +<p>"By God, I will!"</p> + +<p>The old man seized the lanyard and waited for the Captain and messenger +to reach the front to witness the effect of the shot.</p> + +<p>They had scarcely cleared the enclosure when the first gun of actual +civil war thundered its fateful message across the still waters of the +beautiful Southern harbor.</p> + +<p>They watched the great screaming shell rise into the sky, curve downward +and burst with sullen roar squarely over the doomed fort.</p> + +<p>The deed was done!</p> + +<p>Instantly came the answering cry of fierce, ungovernable wrath from the +millions of the North. The four remaining Southern States wheeled into +line, flung their battle flags into the sky, and the bloodiest war in +the history of the world had begun.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER VI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE PARTING OF THE WAYS</a></h3> + + +<p>The wave of fiery enthusiasm for the Union which swept the North was +precisely what the clear eyes of the President had foreseen. A half +million men would have sprung to their arms if there had been any to +spring to. The whole country, North, South, East and West was utterly +unprepared for war. The regular army of the United States consisted of +only sixteen thousand men scattered over a vast territory.</p> + +<p>The President called for seventy-five thousand volunteer militiamen for +three months' service to restore order in the Southern States. Even this +number was more than the War Department could equip before their terms +would expire and the President had no authority to call State troops for +a longer service.</p> + +<p>On the day following the call, Massachusetts started three fully +equipped regiments to the front. The first reached Baltimore on the +19th. On their march through the streets to change cars for Washington, +they were attacked by a fierce mob and the first battle of the Civil War +was fought. The regiment lost four killed and thirty-six wounded and the +mob, twelve killed and a great number wounded. Grimed with blood and +dirt the troops reached Washington at five o'clock in the afternoon, the +first armed rescuers of the Capital. They were quartered in the +magnificent Senate Chamber on the Capitol Hill.</p> + +<p>The President was immediately confronted by the gravest crisis. The +first blood had stained the soil of the only Slave State, which lay +between Washington and the loyal North. If Maryland should join the +Confederacy it would be impossible to hold the Capital. The city would +be surrounded and isolated in hostile territory.</p> + +<p>From the first he had believed that the only conceivable way to save the +Union was to prevent the Border Slave States of Maryland, Kentucky and +Missouri from joining the South. For the moment it seemed that Maryland +was lost, and with it the Capital of the Nation. A storm of fury swept +through the city of Baltimore and the whole State over the killing of +her unarmed citizens by the "Abolition" troops from Massachusetts!</p> + +<p>The Mayor of Baltimore sent a committee to the President who declared in +the most solemn tones:</p> + +<p>"It is not possible for more soldiers to pass through Baltimore unless +they fight their way at every step."</p> + +<p>And to make sure that the attempt would not be repeated he burned the +railroad bridges connecting the North and cut every telegraph wire +completely isolating the Capital.</p> + +<p>Gilbert Winter, with his cold blue eyes flashing their slumbering fires +of hate, stalked into the White House as the Baltimore committee were +passing down the steps. Without announcement he confronted the +President.</p> + +<p>"In the name of the outraged dignity of this Republic," he thundered, "I +demand that these traitors be arrested, tried by drumhead court-martial +and hanged as spies!"</p> + +<p>The patient giant figure lifted a big hand in a gesture of mild protest:</p> + +<p>"Hardly, Senator!"</p> + +<p>"And what was your answer?"</p> + +<p>"I have written the Governor and the Mayor," the quiet voice went on, +"that for the future troops <i>must</i> be brought here, but I make no point +of bringing them through Baltimore——"</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" Winter sneered.</p> + +<p>"All I want is to get them here. I have ordered them to march around +Baltimore. And in fulfilment of this promise I've sent a regiment back +to Philadelphia to come by water——"</p> + +<p>"Great God—could cowardice sink to baser crawling!"</p> + +<p>The tall man merely smiled—his furious visitor starting for the door, +turned and growled:</p> + +<p>"It is absolutely useless to discuss this question further?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely, Senator."</p> + +<p>"And you will not order our regular troops to take Baltimore immediately +at the point of the bayonet?"</p> + +<p>"I will not."</p> + +<p>"Good day, sir!"</p> + +<p>"Good day, Senator."</p> + +<p>With a muttered explosion of wrath Gilbert Winter shook the dust of the +White House floor from his feet and solemnly promised God it would be +many moons before he degraded himself by again entering its portals.</p> + +<p>The President had need of all his patience and caution in dealing with +Maryland. The next protest demanded that troops should not pass by way +of Annapolis or over any other spot of the soil of the State.</p> + +<p>He calmly but firmly replied:</p> + +<p>"My troops must reach Washington. They can neither fly over the State of +Maryland nor burrow under it: therefore, they must cross it, and your +people must learn that there is no piece of American soil too good to be +pressed by the foot of a loyal soldier on his march to the defense of +the Capital and his country."</p> + +<p>During these anxious days while the fate of Maryland hung in the balance +the Government was given a startling revelation of what it would mean to +have Maryland hostile territory.</p> + +<p>For a week the President and his Cabinet were in a state of siege. They +got no news. They could send none save by courier. The maddest rumors +were daily afloat. The President was supposed to be governing a country +from which he was completely isolated.</p> + +<p>The tension at last became unbearable. The giant figure stood for hours +alone before his window in the White House, his sombre hazel-grey eyes +fixed on the hills beyond the Potomac. When the silence could no longer +be endured the anguish of his heart broke forth in impassioned protest:</p> + +<p>"Great God! Why don't they come? Why don't they come! Is our Nation a +myth? Is there no North?"</p> + +<p>And then the tide turned and the troops poured into the city.</p> + +<p>His patient, careful and friendly treatment of the Marylanders quickly +proved its wisdom. A reaction in favor of the Union set in and the State +remained loyal to the flag. The importance of this fact could not be +exaggerated. Without Maryland, Washington could not have been held. And +the moment the Capital should fall Europe would recognize the +Confederacy.</p> + +<p>The saving of Maryland for the Union, in fact, established Washington as +the real seat of Government, though it was destined to remain for years +but an armed fortress on the frontiers of a new Nation.</p> + +<p>The stirring events at Sumter and Baltimore brought more than one family +to the grief and horror of brother against brother and father against +son.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan stood in his room livid with rage confronting Ned on the +first day that communication was opened with the outside world.</p> + +<p>"You are not going to do this insane thing I tell you, Ned!"</p> + +<p>The boyish figure stiffened:</p> + +<p>"I am going home to Missouri on the first train out of Washington, raise +a company and fight for the South."</p> + +<p>The older man's voice dropped to persuasive tones:</p> + +<p>"Isn't there something bigger than fighting for a section? Let's stand +by the Nation!"</p> + +<p>"That's just what I refuse to do. The United States have never been a +Nation. This country is a Republic of Republics—not an Empire. The +South is going to fight for the right of local self-government and the +liberties our fathers won from the tyrants of the old world. The South +is right eternally and forever right. The States of this Union have +always been sovereign."</p> + +<p>"All right—all right," John growled impatiently, "granted, my boy. +Still Secession is impossible. A Nation can't jump out of its own skin +once it has grown it. This country has become a Nation. Steam and +electricity have made it so. Railroads have bound us together in iron +bands. Can't you see that?"</p> + +<p>"No, I can't. Right is right."</p> + +<p>"But if we have actually grown into a mighty united people with one +tongue and one ideal is it right to draw the sword to destroy what God +has joined together? Silently, swiftly, surely during the past thirty +years we have become one people and the love of the Union has become a +deathless passion——"</p> + +<p>"You've had a poor way of showing it!" Ned sneered.</p> + +<p>"Still, boy, it's true. I didn't realize it myself until that fort was +fired on and the flag hauled down. And then it came to me in a blinding +flash. Old Webster's voice has been hushed in death, but his soul lives +in the hearts of our boys. There's hardly one of us who hasn't repeated +at school his immortal words. They came back to me with thrilling power +the day I read of that shot. They are ringing in my soul to-day——"</p> + +<p>John paused and a rapt look crept into his eyes, as he began slowly to +repeat the closing words of Webster's speech:</p> + +<p>"'When mine eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in +heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments +of a once glorious Union; on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; +or a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, with +fratricidal blood! Let their last feeble and lingering glance rather +behold the gracious ensign of the Republic, now known and honored +throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies +streaming in their original lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, not +a single star obscured, bearing for its motto no such miserable +interrogatory as "What is all this worth?" nor those other words of +delusion and folly, "Liberty first and Union afterward," but everywhere, +spread all over with living light, blazing in all its ample folds, as +they float over the sea and over the land and in every wind under the +whole heavens, that other sentiment dear to every American +heart—"Liberty <i>and</i> Union, now and forever, one and inseparable——"'"</p> + +<p>He paused, his voice choking with emotion, as he seized Ned's arm:</p> + +<p>"O, Boy, Boy, isn't that a greater ideal? That's all the President is +asking to-day—to stand by the Union——"</p> + +<p>"He is making war on the South!"</p> + +<p>"But only as the South is forcing him reluctantly to defend the Union by +force. The South is mad. She will come to her senses after the shock of +the first skirmish is over. With the Southern members in their places, +they have a majority in Congress against the President. He can move +neither hand nor foot. What has the South to gain by Secession? They +always controlled the Union and can continue to do so if they stand +united with their Northern friends. In the end their defeat is as sure +as that twenty millions of free white Americans can whip five millions +of equal courage and daring. They have everything to lose and nothing to +gain. It's madness—it surpasses belief!"</p> + +<p>"That's why I'm going to fight for them!" Ned's answer flashed. "They +stand for a principle—their equal rights under the Republic their +fathers created. They haven't paused to figure on success or failure. +Five million freemen have drawn the sword against twenty millions +because their rights have been invaded. Might has never yet made right. +The South's daring is sublime and, by God, I stand with them!"</p> + +<p>His words had the ring of steel in their finality. The two men faced +each other for a moment, tense, earnest, defiant.</p> + +<p>The younger extended his hand:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, John."</p> + +<p>The handsome face of the older brother went suddenly white and he shook +his head:</p> + +<p>"No. From to-day we are no longer brothers—we can't be friends!"</p> + +<p>Ned smiled, waved his hand and from the door firmly answered:</p> + +<p>"As you like—from to-day—foes——"</p> + +<p>He closed the door and with swift step turned his face toward the house +of Senator Winter.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER VII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">LOVE AND DUTY</a></h3> + + +<p>The pretty Irish maid nodded and smiled with such a sympathetic look as +she ushered Ned into the cosy back parlor, he wondered if it meant +anything. Could she have guessed Betty's secret? She might give him a +hint that would lift the fear from his heart.</p> + +<p>He smiled back into her laughing eyes and began awkwardly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I say, Peggy——"</p> + +<p>She dropped a pretty courtesy:</p> + +<p>"Yiss-sor?"</p> + +<p>Somehow it wouldn't work. The words refused to come. Love was too big +and sweet and sacred. It couldn't be hinted at to a third person. And so +he merely stammered:</p> + +<p>"Will you—er—please—tell Miss Betty I'm here?"</p> + +<p>"Yiss-sor!" Peggy giggled.</p> + +<p>He was glad to be rid of her. He drew his handkerchief, mopped the +perspiration from his brow and sat down by the open window to wait. His +heart was pounding. He looked about the room with vague longing. He had +spent many a swift hour of pain and joy in this room. The sight and +sound of her had grown into his very life—he couldn't realize how +intimately and how hopelessly until this moment of parting perhaps +forever.</p> + +<p>The portrait of her mother hung over the mantel—a life-size oil +painting by a noted French artist, the same brilliant laughing eyes, the +same deep golden brown hair, its wayward ringlets playing loosely about +her fine forehead and shell-like ears.</p> + +<p>Beyond a doubt this pretty mother with the sunshine of France in her +blood had known how to flirt in her day—and her beautiful daughter was +enough like that picture to have been her twin sister.</p> + +<p>On the mantel beneath this portrait sat photographs in solid silver +frames, one of Wendell Phillips, one of William Lloyd Garrison and one +of John C. Fremont, the first Republican candidate for President. +Directly opposite on the wall hung an oil painting of John Brown. Ned +caught the flash of the fanatic in the old madman's eye and was startled +at the striking resemblance to Senator Winter. He had never thought of +it before. Gilbert Winter might have been his brother in the flesh as he +undoubtedly was in spirit.</p> + +<p>The thought chilled. He looked out the window with a sigh and wondered +how far the old tyrant would carry his hatred of the South into his +daughter's life. His eye rested for a moment on the row of lilacs in +full bloom in the garden and caught the flash of the big new leaves of +the magnolia which shadowed the rear wall. The early honeysuckle had +begun to blossom on the south side, and the violet beds were a solid +mass of gorgeous blue. Through the open window came the rich odor of the +long rows of narcissus in full white glory where the jonquils had flamed +a month ago.</p> + +<p>What a beautiful world to be beaten into a scarred battlefield!</p> + +<p>For just a moment the thought wrung the heart of youth and love. It was +hard just when the tenderest and sweetest impulses that ever filled his +soul wore clamoring for speech, to turn his back on all, say good-bye +and go—to war—perhaps to kill his own brother.</p> + +<p>And there could be no mistake, war had come. Overhead he caught the +steady tramp of Senator Winter's feet, a caged lion walking back and +forth with hungry eyes turned toward the South. He could feel his deadly +hostility through the very walls.</p> + +<p>A battery of artillery suddenly roared through the streets, the dull +heavy rattle of its wheels over the cobblestones, and the crack of the +driver's whip echoing and reëchoing through the house. Behind it came +the steady tramp, tramp, of a regiment of infantry, the loud call of +their volunteer officers ringing sharply their orders at the turn of the +street. Far off on the Capitol Hill he heard the sharp note of a bugle +and the rattle of horses' hoofs. Every hour the raw troops were pouring +into the city from the North, the East and the West.</p> + +<p>He wondered with a strange catch in his throat what difference this was +going to make between him and the girl he loved. There was no longer any +question about the love. He marvelled that he had been too stupid to +realize it and speak before this shadow had fallen between them. She +knew that his sympathies were with the South and he knew with equal +certainty she had never believed that he would fight to destroy the +Union when the test should come. He dreaded the shock when he must tell +her.</p> + +<p>His heart grew sick with fear. What chance had he with everything +against him—her old, fanatical father who loved her with the tender +devotion of his strong manhood—her own blind admiration for the new +President, whose coming had brought war—and worst of all he must go and +leave John by her side! His brother had given no hint of his real +feelings, but his deeds had been more eloquent than words. He had seen +Betty every week since the day they had met—sometimes twice. This he +knew. There may have been times he didn't know.</p> + +<p>All the more reason why he must put the thing to the test. Besides he +<i>must</i> speak. His hour had struck. His country was calling, and he must +go—to meet Death or Glory. The woman he loved must know.</p> + +<p>He heard the soft rustle of her dress on the stairs and sprang to his +feet. She paused in the doorway a vision of ravishing beauty in full +evening dress, her bare arms and exquisite neck and throat gleaming in +the shadows.</p> + +<p>She smiled graciously, her brown eyes sparkling with the conscious power +which youth and beauty can never conceal.</p> + +<p>She held out her soft warm hand and his trembling cold fingers grasped +it.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to have kept you, Ned," she began softly, "but I was dressing +for the reception at the White House. I promised Mrs. Lincoln to help +her."</p> + +<p>"I didn't mind the wait, Miss Betty," he answered soberly. "Come into +the garden—I can talk better there among your flowers—I never mind +waiting for you."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"I've time to dream."</p> + +<p>"Before you must wake?" she laughed.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid it's so this time——"</p> + +<p>"Why so serious—what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"I'm going to the front."</p> + +<p>"So are thousands of brave men, Ned. I've always known you'd go when the +test came."</p> + +<p>He bit his lips and was silent. It was hard, but he had to say it:</p> + +<p>"I am going to fight for the South, Miss Betty."</p> + +<p>The silence was painful. She looked steadily into his dark earnest eyes. +There was something too big and fine in them to be met with anger or +reproach. He was deadly pale and waited breathlessly for her to speak.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry," she breathed softly.</p> + +<p>"You know that it costs me something to say this to you," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know——"</p> + +<p>"But it must be. It's a question of principle—a question that cuts to +the bone of a fellow's life and character. A man must be true to what he +believes to be right, mustn't he?"</p> + +<p>His voice was tender, wistful, pleading. The sweet, young face upturned +to his caught his mood:</p> + +<p>"Yes, Ned."</p> + +<p>"I couldn't be a real man and do less, could I?"</p> + +<p>"No—but I'm sorry"—she paused and suddenly asked, "Your brother agrees +with you?"</p> + +<p>Ned frowned: "Why do you ask that question?"</p> + +<p>"Because I was sure that he was on our side——"</p> + +<p>"Is that all?"</p> + +<p>"And I've always supposed he was a sort of guardian——"</p> + +<p>"Only because he has always been my big brother and I've loved and +admired him very much. I cried my eyes out the day he left home out in +Missouri and came East to college."</p> + +<p>"And you're going to fight him?"</p> + +<p>"It's possible."</p> + +<p>"It's horrible!"</p> + +<p>"And yet, men who are not savages could only do such things drawn by the +mightiest forces that move a human soul—you must know that, Miss +Betty."</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"There's only one thing in life that's bigger——"</p> + +<p>"And that?"</p> + +<p>"Is love. I've held it too high and holy a word to speak lightly. I +shall tell but one woman that I love her——"</p> + +<p>She looked at him tenderly:</p> + +<p>"You glorious, foolish boy!"</p> + +<p>Pale and trembling he took her hand, led her to a seat and sank on his +knees by her side.</p> + +<p>"I love you, Betty!" he gasped. "I've loved you from the moment we met, +tenderly, madly, reverently. I've been afraid to touch your hand lately +lest you feel the pounding of my heart and know. And now it's come—this +hour when I must say I love you and good-bye in the same breath! Be +gentle and sweet to me. I'm afraid to ask if you love me. It's too good +to be true. I'm not worthy to even touch your little hand—and yet I'm +daring to hold it in mine——"</p> + +<p>He paused and bowed his head, overcome with emotion.</p> + +<p>Betty gently pressed his trembling fingers. Her voice was low.</p> + +<p>"I'm proud of your love, Ned. It's very beautiful——"</p> + +<p>"But you don't love me?" he groaned.</p> + +<p>"Not as you love me."</p> + +<p>He looked searchingly and hungrily into her brown eyes:</p> + +<p>"Is it John?"</p> + +<p>She shook her head slowly and thoughtfully:</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"And it's no one else?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then I won't take that answer!" he cried with desperate earnestness. +"I'm going to win you. I'll love you with a love so big and true I'll +make you love me. Everything's against me now. Your father's against me. +I'm going to fight your country and your people. You admire the new +President. I despise him. The passions of war have separated us, that's +all. But I won't give up. The war can't last long. You'll see things in +a different way when it ends."</p> + +<p>Betty smiled into his pleading eyes:</p> + +<p>"How little you know me, Boy! Nothing on this earth could separate me +from the man I love——" she paused and breathed quickly "——I'd follow +him blindfold to the bottomless pit once I'd given him my heart!"</p> + +<p>Ned rose suddenly to his foot and drew Betty with him. His hand now was +hot with the passion that fired his soul.</p> + +<p>"Then you're worth fighting for. And I'm going to fight—fight for what +I believe to be right and fight for you——"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and his slender figure straightened:</p> + +<p>"I'm coming back to you, Betty!" he said with clear ringing emphasis. +"I'm coming back to Washington. I'll be with an army conquering, +triumphant, because they are right. There'll be a new President in the +White House and I'll win!"</p> + +<p>He bowed and reverently kissed the tips of her fingers.</p> + +<p>"You glorious boy!" she sighed. "It's beautiful to be loved like that! +I'm proud of it—I'll hold my head a little higher with every thought of +you——"</p> + +<p>"And you'll think of me sometimes when war has separated us?"</p> + +<p>"I'll never forget!"</p> + +<p>"And remember that I'm fighting my way back to your side?"</p> + +<p>A tender smile played about the corners of her eyes and mouth:</p> + +<p>"I'll remember."</p> + +<p>With a quick, firm movement he turned, passed through the house, and +strode toward the iron gate.</p> + +<p>He suddenly confronted John entering.</p> + +<p>The two brothers faced each other for a moment angrily and awkwardly, +and then the anger slowly melted from the younger man's eyes.</p> + +<p>"You are taking dinner with Miss Betty to-night?" Ned asked in friendly +tones.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm going with her to the White House," was the cold reply.</p> + +<p>"I'm leaving in an hour. Don't you think it's foolish for two brothers +who have been what you and I have been to each other to part like this? +We may not see one another again."</p> + +<p>John hesitated and then slowly slipped his arm around the younger man, +holding him in silence. When his voice was steady he said:</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, Boy. I was blind with anger. It meant so much to me. But +we'll face it. We'll have to fight it out—as God gives us wisdom to see +the right——"</p> + +<p>Ned's hand found his, and clasped it firmly:</p> + +<p>"As God gives us to see the right, John—Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Boy,—it's hard to say it!"</p> + +<p>They clung to each other for a moment and slowly drew apart as the +shadows of the soft spring night deepened.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER VIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE TRIAL BY FIRE</a></h3> + + +<p>The troops transformed Washington from a lazy Southern town of sixty +thousand inhabitants into an armed fortress of the frontier, swarming +with a quarter of a million excited men and women. Soldiers thronged the +streets and sidewalks and sprawled over every inch of greensward, their +uniforms of every cut and color on which the sun of heaven had shone +during the past two hundred years of history.</p> + +<p>When the tumult and the shouts of departing regiments had died away from +the home towns in the North and the flags that were flying from every +house had begun to fade under the hot rays of the advancing summer, the +patriotic orators and editors began to demand of their President why his +grand army of seventy-five thousand lingered at the Capital. When he +mildly suggested the necessity of drilling, equipping and properly +arming them he was laughed at by the wise, and scoffed at as a coward by +the brave.</p> + +<p>Mutterings of discontent grew deeper and more threatening. They demanded +a short, sharp, decisive campaign. Let the army wheel into line, march +straight into Richmond, take Jefferson Davis a prisoner, hang him and a +few leaders of the "rebellion," and the trouble would be over. This +demand became at length the maddened cry of a mob:</p> + +<p>"On to Richmond!"</p> + +<p>Every demagogue howled it. Every newspaper repeated it. As city after +city, and State after State took up the cry, the pressure on the man at +the helm of Government became resistless. It was a political necessity +to fight a battle and fight at once or lose control of the people he had +been called to lead.</p> + +<p>The Abolitionists only sneered at this cry. They demanded an answer to a +single insistent question:</p> + +<p>"What are you going to fight about?"</p> + +<p>A battle which does not settle the question of Slavery they declared to +be a waste of blood and treasure. If the slave was not the issue, why +fight? The South would return to the Union which they had always ruled +if let alone. Why fight them for nothing?</p> + +<p>Gilbert Winter, their spokesman at Washington, again confronted the +President with his uncompromising demand:</p> + +<p>"An immediate proclamation of emancipation!"</p> + +<p>And the President with quiet dignity refused to consider it.</p> + +<p>"Why?" again thundered the Senator.</p> + +<p>His answer was always the same:</p> + +<p>"I am not questioning the right or wrong of Slavery. If Slavery is not +wrong, nothing is wrong. But the Constitution, which I have sworn to +uphold in the Border States of Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky, +guarantees to their people the right to hold slaves if they choose. We +have already eleven Southern States solidly arrayed against us. Add the +Border States by such a proclamation, and the contest is settled before +a blow is struck. I know the power of State loyalty in the South. I was +born there. Many a mother in Richmond wept the days the stars and +stripes were lowered from their Capitol. And well they might—for their +sires created this Republic. But they brushed their tears away and sent +their sons to the front next day to fight that flag in the name of +Virginia. So would thousands of mothers in these remaining Slave States +if I put them to the test. I'm going to save them for the Union. In +God's own time Slavery will be destroyed."</p> + +<p>Against every demand of the heart of the party which had given him +power, he stood firm in the position he had taken.</p> + +<p>But there was no resisting the universal demand for a march on Richmond. +The cry was literally from twenty millions. He must heed it or yield the +reins of power to more daring hands.</p> + +<p>To add to the President's burden, his Secretary of State was still +dreaming of foreign wars. He had drawn up a letter of instruction to our +Minister to Great Britain which would have provoked an armed conflict. +When the backwoodsman from Southern Illinois read this document he was +compelled to lay aside his other duties and practically rewrite it. His +work showed a freedom of mind, a balance of judicial temperament, an +insight into foreign affairs, a skill in the use of language, a delicacy +of criticism, a mastery of the arts of diplomacy which placed him among +the foremost statesmen of any age, and all the ages.</p> + +<p>He saved the Nation from a second disastrous war, as a mere matter of +the routine of his office, and at once turned to the pressing work of +the approaching battle.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan had joined the army as correspondent for his paper, and +Betty had been his companion on many tours of inspection through camp, +hospitals and drill grounds. Her quick wit and brilliant mind were an +inspiring stimulus. She was cool and self-possessed and it rested him to +be near her. She was the only restful woman he had ever encountered at +short range. He was delighted that she seemed content without +love-making. There was never a moment when he could catch the challenge +of sex in a word or attitude. He might have been her older brother, so +perfect and even, so free and simple her manner.</p> + +<p>Betty had watched him with the keenest caution. The first glance at +John's handsome face had convinced her of his boundless vanity and +beneath it a streak of something cruel. She would have liked him +instantly but for this. His vanity she could forgive. All good-looking +men are vain. His character was a study of which she never tired. He +strangely distressed and disturbed her—and this kept puzzling and +piquing her curiosity. Every time she determined to end their +association this everlasting question of the man's inner character came +to torment her imagination.</p> + +<p>She was a little disappointed at his not volunteering at the first call +as his gallant young brother had done. Yet his reasoning was sound.</p> + +<p>"What's the use?" he replied to her question. "Five men have already +volunteered for every one who can be used. I'm not a soldier by +profession or inclination. A campaign of thirty days, one big battle and +the war's over. The President has more men than he can arm or equip. My +paper needs me——"</p> + +<p>The army encamped along the banks of the Potomac received orders to +advance for the long expected battle in the hills of Virginia.</p> + +<p>Betty stood with the crowds of sweethearts and wives and sisters and +mothers and watched them march away through the dust and heat and grime +of the Southern summer, drums throbbing, banners streaming, bayonets +flashing and bands playing.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan was in the ranks of a New York regiment. He pressed Betty's +hand with a lingering touch he hadn't intended. She seemed unconscious +that he was holding it.</p> + +<p>"You are going to march in the ranks?" she asked in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I want to see war as it is. These boys are my friends from New +York."</p> + +<p>"You will fight with them?"</p> + +<p>"No—just see with their eyes—that's all. And then tell you exactly +what happened. I can hide behind a barn or a tree without being +court-martialed."</p> + +<p>She looked at him quickly with a new interest, pressed his hand again +and said:</p> + +<p>"Good luck!"</p> + +<p>"And home again soon!" he cried with a wave of his arms as he hurried to +join his marching men.</p> + +<p>The army camped at Centreville, seven miles from Beauregard's lines, and +spent the 19th and 20th of July resting and girding their loins for the +first baptism of fire. The volunteers were eager for the fray. The first +touch of the skirmishers had resulted in fifteen or twenty killed. But +the action had been too far away to make any serious impression.</p> + +<p>Between the two armies crept the silvery thread of the little stream of +Bull Run, its clear beautiful waters flashing in the July sun.</p> + +<p>Saturday night, the 20th, orders were issued to John's regiment to be in +readiness to advance against the enemy at two o'clock before day on +Sunday morning. A thrill of fierce excitement swept the camp. They were +loaded down with overcoats, haversacks, knapsacks and baggage, baggage, +baggage without end. The single New York regiment to which he had +attached himself required forty wagons to move its baggage. They had a +bakery and cooking establishment that would have done credit to +Broadway. They hurriedly packed all they could carry in readiness for +the march into battle. What would happen to the rest God only knew, but +they hoped for the best. Of course, the battle couldn't last long. It +was only necessary for this grand army to make a demonstration with its +drums throbbing, its fifes screaming, its bayonets flashing and its +magnificent uniforms glittering in the sun—the plumes, the Scotch +bonnets, the Turkish fez, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey and +gold, the black and yellow, and the red and blue of the fire +Zouaves—when the rebel mob saw these things they would take to their +heels.</p> + +<p>What the boys were really afraid of was that every rebel would escape +before they could use their handcuffs and ropes. This would be too bad +because the procession through the crowded streets at home would be +incomplete without captives as a warning to future traitors. They were +going to have a load to carry with their blanket rolls, haversack and +knapsack and the full fighting rounds of cartridges, but they were not +going to leave the handcuffs. If they had to drop anything on the march +they might ease up on a blanket or half their heavy cartridges.</p> + +<p>John found sleep impossible, and was ready to move at one o'clock. The +dust was rising already in parched clouds from the dry Virginia roads. +He walked to the edge of the woods and gazed over the dark moonlit hills +around Centreville. A gentle breeze began to stir the leaves overhead +but it was hot and lifeless. He caught the smell of sweating horses in a +battery of artillery, hitched for the march. It was going to be a day of +frightful heat under the clear blazing sun of the South, this Sunday, +the 21st of July, 1861. He could see already in his imagination the long +lines of sweating half fainting marchers staggering under the strain. +Yet not for a moment did he doubt the result.</p> + +<p>From a store on the hill at Centreville came the plaintive strains of a +negro's voice accompanied by a banjo. A crowd of Congressmen had driven +out from Washington on a picnic to see the spectacle of the first and +last battle of the "Rebellion." They were drinking good whiskey and +making merry.</p> + +<p>For the first time a little doubt crept into his mind. Were they all too +cocksure? It might be a serious business after all. It was only for a +moment and his fears vanished. He was glad Ned was not in those grey +lines in front. His company had been formed promptly, and he had been +elected first lieutenant, but they were still in Southern Missouri under +General Sterling Price. He shouldn't like to come on his brother's body +dead or wounded after the battle—the young dare-devil fool!</p> + +<p>Promptly at two o'clock the sharp orders rang from the regimental +commander:</p> + +<p>"Forward march!"</p> + +<p>The lines swung carelessly into the powdered dust of the road and moved +forward into the fading moonlight, talking, laughing, chatting, joking. +War was yet a joke and the contagious fire of patriotism had flung its +halo even over this night's work. Except here and there a veteran of the +Mexican War, not one of these men had ever seen a battle or had the +remotest idea what it was like.</p> + +<p>John was marching with Sherman's brigade of Tyler's division. At six +o'clock they reached the stone bridge which crossed Bull Run. On the +hills beyond stretched a straggling line of grey figures. It couldn't be +an army. Only a few skirmishers thrown out to warn off an attempt to +cross the bridge. A white puff of smoke flashed on a hill toward the +South, and the deep boom of a Confederate cannon echoed over the valley. +Tyler's guns answered in grim chorus. The men gripped their muskets and +waited the word of command. John's brigade was deployed along the edge +of a piece of woods on the right of the Warrenton turnpike and stood for +hours. A rumble of disgust swept the lines:</p> + +<p>"What t'ell are we waitin' for?"</p> + +<p>"Why don't we get at 'em?"</p> + +<p>"And this is war!"</p> + +<p>And no breakfast either. An hour passed and only an occasional crack of +a musket across the shining thread of silver water and the slow sullen +echo of the artillery. They seemed to be just practising. The shots all +fell short and nobody was hurt.</p> + +<p>Another hour—it was eight o'clock and still they stood and looked off +into space. Nine o'clock passed and the fierce rays of the climbing +July sun drove the men to the shelter of the trees.</p> + +<p>"If this is war," yelled a red-breeched, fierce young Zouave, "I'll take +firecrackers and a Fourth of July for mine!"</p> + +<p>"Keep your shirt on, Sonny," observed a corporal. "We <i>may</i> have some +fun yet before night."</p> + +<p>At ten o'clock something happened.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a thousand grey clad men leaped from their cover over the hills +and swept up stream at double quick. A solid mass of dust-covered +figures were swarming below the stone bridge.</p> + +<p>The regiment's battery dashed into position, its guns were trained and +their roar shook the earth. The swarming grey lines below the bridge +paid no attention. The shots fell short and Sherman sent for heavier +guns.</p> + +<p>The men in grey had formed a new line of battle and faced the Sudley and +New Market road. Far up this road could now be seen a mighty cloud of +dust which marked the approach of the main body of McDowell's Union +army. He had made a wide flank movement, crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford +and was attempting to completely turn the Confederate position, while +Sherman held the stone bridge with a demonstration of force.</p> + +<p>A cheer swept the line as the dust rose higher and denser and nearer.</p> + +<p>Banks of storm clouds were rising from the horizon. The air was thick +and oppressive, as the two armies drew close in tense battle array. The +turning movement had only been partly successful. It had been discovered +before complete and a grey line had wheeled, gripped their muskets and +stood ready to meet the attack.</p> + +<p>The dust, cloud suddenly fell. McDowell's two divisions of eighteen +thousand men spread out in the woods and made ready for the shock.</p> + +<p>The sun burst through the gathering clouds for a moment and the edge of +the woods flashed with polished steel.</p> + +<p>A Federal battery dashed into position and placed one of its big +black-wheeled guns in the front yard of a little white-washed farmhouse. +The farmer's wife faced the commander with indignant fury:</p> + +<p>"Take that thing outen my front yard!"</p> + +<p>The dust-and sweat-covered men paid no attention. They quickly sunk the +wheels into the ground and piled their shells in place for work.</p> + +<p>The old woman stamped her foot and shouted again: "Take that thing away +I tell you—I won't have it here!"</p> + +<p>The captain seized his lanyard, trained his piece and the big black lips +roared.</p> + +<p>With a scream of terror the woman covered her ears, rushed inside and +slammed the door. They found her torn and mangled body there after the +battle. An answering shell had crashed through the roof and exploded.</p> + +<p>Sherman's men, standing in the woods before the stone bridge waiting +orders, saw the white and blue fog of battle rise above the tree tops +and felt the earth tremble beneath their feet.</p> + +<p>And then came to John's ears the first full crash of musketry fire in +close deadly range. As company, regiment and brigade joined in volley +after volley, it was like the sound of the continuous ripping of heavy +canvas, magnified on the scale of a thousand. As the storm cloud swept +over the smoke-choked field the rattle of musketry sounded as if an +angry God rode somewhere in their fiery depths, and with giant hand was +ripping the heavens open!</p> + +<p>An hour passed and a shout of triumph swept the Federal lines. They +charged and drove the Confederate forces back a half mile from their +first stand. There was a lull—a strange silence brooded over the +flaming woods and the guns opened from their new position—the +artillery's deep thunder and the ripping crash of muskets. Another hour +and another wild shout of victory. They had driven the Southerners three +quarters of a mile further.</p> + +<p>The shouts suddenly stopped. They had struck something.</p> + +<p>The grim dust-covered figure of a Southern Brigadier General on a little +sorrel horse had barred the way. His bulging forehead with its sombre +blue eyes hung ominously over the pommel of his saddle.</p> + +<p>General Bee, of South Carolina, rallying his shattered, broken brigade, +pointed his sword to the strange figure and shouted to his men:</p> + +<p>"See Jackson standing like a stone wall—rally to the Virginians!"</p> + +<p>A bursting shell struck him dead in the next instant, but the world had +heard and the name "Stonewall" became immortal.</p> + +<p>With the last shout, the cry of victory had swept the field to the +farthest line of reserves. John Vaughan secured a horse, galloped to the +nearest telegraph line and sent the thrilling news to his paper. Already +the wires were flashing it to the farthest cities of the North and +West.</p> + +<p>Victory! The first and last battle of the war had been settled. He +spurred his horse through the blistering heat back to his regiment to +join in the pursuit of the flying enemy.</p> + +<p>They were just dashing across Bull Run going into action, their battle +flag flying and their band playing. They were not long in finding the +foe. The obstruction still remained in the path of the advancing hosts. +The grim figure on the little sorrel horse had just ordered his brigade +to fix bayonets.</p> + +<p>In sharp tones his command was snapped:</p> + +<p>"Charge and take that battery!"</p> + +<p>A low grey cloud rose from the hill, swept over the crack Federal +battery of Ricketts and Griffin and captured their guns.</p> + +<p>John's regiment reached the field just in time to see the cannoneers +fall in their tracks at the first deadly volley from the charging men.</p> + +<p>Every horse was down dead or wounded. The pitiful cries of the stricken +horses rang over the field above the roar of the battle, pathetic, +heartrending, sickening.</p> + +<p>The two armies had clinched now in the grim struggle which meant defeat +or victory. It was incredible that the army which swept the field for +four terrible hours should fail. The new regiments formed in line and +with a shout of desperation charged Jackson's men and retook the +captured battery.</p> + +<p>Again the men in grey rallied and tore the guns a second time from the +hands of their owners.</p> + +<p>John saw a shell explode directly beneath a magnificent horse on which +a general sat directing his men. The horse was blown to atoms, the +general was hurled twenty feet into the air and struck the ground on his +feet. He was unhurt, called for another horse, mounted and led the third +charge to recover the guns. For a moment the two battle lines mingled in +deadly hand to hand combat and once more the guns were retaken.</p> + +<p>It had scarcely been done before Jackson's men rallied, turned and swift +as a bolt of lightning from the smoke-covered hill captured the guns the +third time and held them.</p> + +<p>And then the unexpected, unimaginable thing happened. A new dust cloud +rose over the hill toward Manassas Junction. The Southerners were hoping +against hope that it might be Kirby Smith with his lost regiment from +the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment had been expected since noon. It was +now half past three o'clock. General McDowell, the Union Commander, was +hoping against hope that Patterson's army from the Shenandoah would join +his.</p> + +<p>They were not long in doubt. The fresh troops suddenly swung into +position on McDowell's right flank. If they were allies all was well. If +they were foes! Suddenly from this line of battle rose a new cry on the +face of the earth. From two thousand dusty throats came a +heaven-piercing, soul-shivering shout, the cry of the Southern hunter in +sight of his game, a cry that was destined to ring over many a field of +death—the fierce, wild "Rebel Yell."</p> + +<p>They charged McDowell's right flank with resistless onslaught. Kirby +Smith fell desperately wounded and Elzey took command. Beckham's battery +unlimbered and poured into the ranks from the rear a storm of shell. +McDowell swung his battle line into a fiery crescent and made his last +desperate stand.</p> + +<p>Jubal Early, Elzey's brigade, and Stonewall Jackson charged at the same +signal—and then—pandemonium!</p> + +<p>Blind, unreasoning panic seized the army of the North. They broke and +fled. Brave officers cursed and swore in vain. The panic grew. Men +rushed pell mell over one another, white with terror. They threw down +their muskets, their knapsacks, their haversacks and ran for their +lives, every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost. In vain +the regular army, with splendid discipline, formed a rear guard to +effect an orderly retreat. The crack of their guns only made the men run +faster.</p> + +<p>The wildest rumors flew from parched tongue to throbbing ear.</p> + +<p>An army of a hundred thousand fresh troops had fallen on their tired, +bloody ranks. They were led by Jeb Stuart at the head of four thousand +Black Horse Cavalry. If a single man escaped alive it would be for one +reason, only they could outrun them. It was a crime for officers to try +to round them up for a massacre. That's all it was—a massacre! With +each mad thought of the rushing mob the panic grew. They cut the traces +of horses from guns and left them on the field. The frantic mob engulfed +the buggies and carriages of the Congressmen and picnickers from +Washington who had come out to see the Rebellion put down at a single +blow. The road became a mass of neighing, plunging horses, broken and +tangled wagons, ambulances and riderless artillery teams. Horses neighed +in terror more abject than that which filled the hearts of men. Men +once had reason—the poor horse had never claimed it. The blockades on +the road formed no barrier to the flying men on foot. They streamed +around and overflowed into the woods and fields and pressed on with new +terror. God in Heaven! They pitied the poor fools engulfed in those +masses of maddened plunging brutes and smashing wagons. It was only a +question of a few minutes when Stuart's sabres would split every skull.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan was swept to the rear on the crest of this wave of terror. +Up to the moment it began he had scarcely thought of danger. After the +first few minutes of nerve tension under fire his spirit had risen as +the combat raged and deepened. It didn't seem real, the falling of men +around him. He had no time to realize that they were being torn to +pieces by shot and shell and the hail of lead that whistled from those +long sheets of flaming smoke-banks before him.</p> + +<p>And then the panic had seized him. He had caught its mad unreasoning +terror from the men who surged about him. And it was every man for +himself. The change was swift, abject, complete from utter +unconsciousness of fear to the blindest terror. Some ran mechanically, +with their eyes set in front as if stiff with fear, expecting each +moment to be struck dead, knowing it was useless to try but going on and +on because involuntary muscles were carrying them.</p> + +<p>A fat man caught hold of John's coat and held on for half a mile before +he could shake him off. He begged piteously for help.</p> + +<p>"Don't leave me, partner!" he panted. "I'm a sinful man. I ain't fit to +die. You're young and strong—save me!"</p> + +<p>The dead weight was pulling him down and John shook the fellow off with +an angry jerk.</p> + +<p>"To hell with you!"</p> + +<p>They suddenly came to a lot of horses hid in the woods, rearing and +plunging and neighing madly.</p> + +<p>John swerved out of their way and an officer rushed up to him crying:</p> + +<p>"Why don't you take a horse?"</p> + +<p>He looked at him in a dazed way before he could realize his meaning.</p> + +<p>"Take a horse!" he yelled. "The rebels will get 'em if you don't——"</p> + +<p>The men were too intent on running to try to save horses. Horses would +have to look out for themselves.</p> + +<p>It suddenly occurred to John that a horse might go faster. Funny he +hadn't thought of it at once. He turned, seized one, mounted, and +galloped on. There was a quick halt. A panting mob came surging back +over the way they had just fled. A ford in front had been blocked, and +in the scramble the cry was raised that Stuart's cavalry were on them +and cutting every soul down in his tracks at the crossing.</p> + +<p>John leaped from his horse, turned, and ran straight for the woods. He +didn't propose to be captured by Stuart's cavalry, that was sure. He +turned to look back and ran into a tree. He climbed it. If he could only +get to the top before they saw him. He had been an expert climber when a +boy in Missouri and he thanked God now for this. He never paused for +breath until he had reached the very top, where he drew the swaying +branches close about his body to hide from the coming foe. The sun was +yet hanging over the trees in the woods—a ball of sullen red fire +lighting up the hiding place of the last poor devil for the eyes of the +avenging hosts who were sweeping on. If it were night it would be all +right. But this was no place for a man with an ounce of sense in broad +daylight. The sharpshooters would see him in that tall tree sure. They +couldn't take him prisoner up there—they would shoot him like a +squirrel just to see him tumble and, by the Lord Harry, they would do +it, too!</p> + +<p>He got down from the tree faster than he climbed up and from the edge of +the woods spied a dense swamp. He never stopped until he reached the +centre of it, and dropped flat on his stomach.</p> + +<p>"Thank God, at last!" he sighed.</p> + +<p>The Northern army fleeing for Washington had left on the field +twenty-eight guns, four thousand muskets, nine regimental flags, four +hundred and eighty-one dead, a thousand and eleven wounded and fourteen +hundred captured. The road to the rear was literally sown with pistols, +knapsacks, blankets, haversacks, wagons, tools and hospital stores.</p> + +<p>And saddest of all the wreck, lay the bright new handcuffs with coils of +hang-man's rope scattered everywhere.</p> + +<p>The Southern army had lost three hundred and eighty-seven killed, +including two brigadier generals, Bee and Barton, and fifteen hundred +wounded. They were so completely scattered and demoralized by their +marvellous and overwhelming victory that any systematic pursuit of their +foe was impossible.</p> + +<p>The strange silent figure on the little sorrel horse turned his blue +eyes toward Washington from the last hilltop as darkness fell, lifted +his head suddenly toward the sky, and cried:</p> + +<p>"Ten thousand fresh troops and I'd be in Washington to-morrow night!"</p> + +<p>The troops were not to be had, and Stonewall Jackson ordered his men to +bivouac for the night and sent out his details to bury the dead and care +for the wounded of both armies.</p> + +<p>Monday morning dawned black and lowering and before the sun rose the +rain poured in steady torrents. Through every hour of this desolate +sickening day the weary, terror-stricken stragglers trailed through the +streets of Washington—their gorgeous plumes soaked and drooping, the +Scotch bonnets dripping the rain straight down their necks and across +their dirty foreheads, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey, the +black and yellow and gold and blazing Zouave uniforms rain-soaked and +mud-smeared.</p> + +<p>Betty Winter bought out a peddler's cake and lemonade stand on the main +line of this ghastly procession and through every bitter hour from +sunrise until dark stood there cheering and serving the men without +money and without price, while the tears slowly rolled down her flushed +cheeks.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER IX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">VICTORY IN DEFEAT</a></h3> + + +<p>The President had risen at daylight on the fateful Sunday morning. He +was sorry this first action must be fought on Sunday. It seemed a bad +omen. The preachers from his home town of Springfield, Illinois, had +issued a manifesto against his election without regard to their party +affiliations on account of his supposed hostility to religion. It had +hurt and stung his pride more than any single incident in the campaign. +His nature was profoundly religious. He was not a church member because +his religion had the unique quality of a personal faith which refused +from sheer honesty to square itself with the dogmas of any sect. The +preachers had not treated him fairly, but he cherished no ill will. He +knew their sterling worth to the Republic and he meant to use them in +the tremendous task before him. He had hoped the battle would not be +joined until Monday. But he knew at dawn that a clash was inevitable.</p> + +<p>At half past ten o'clock, though keenly anxious for the first news from +the front, he was ready to accompany Mrs. Lincoln to church. The breeze +was from the South—a hot, lazy, midsummer heavy air.</p> + +<p>The Commander-in-Chief bent his giant figure over a war map, spread on +his desk, fixed the position of each army by colored pins, studied them +a moment and quietly walked with his wife to the Presbyterian Church to +hear Dr. Gurley preach. He sat in reverent silence through the service, +his soul hovering over the distant hills.</p> + +<p>Before midnight the panic stricken Congressmen began to drop into the +White House, each with his story of unparalleled disaster. At one +o'clock the President stood in the midst of a group of excited, +perspiring statesmen who had crowded into the executive office, the one +cool, shrewd, patient, self-possessed courageous man among them. He +reviewed their stories quietly and with no sign of excitement, to say +nothing of panic.</p> + +<p>They marvelled at his dull intellect.</p> + +<p>He was listening in silence, shaping the big new policy of his +administration.</p> + +<p>He spent the entire night calmly listening to all these stories, +speaking a word of good cheer where it would be of service.</p> + +<p>Mr. Seward entered as he had just finished a light breakfast.</p> + +<p>The Secretary's hair was disheveled, his black string tie under his ear, +and he was taking two pinches of snuff within the time he usually took +one.</p> + +<p>In thirty minutes the outlines of his message to Congress and his new +proclamation were determined. Mr. Seward left with new courage and a +growing sense of reliance on the wisdom, courage and intellectual power +of the Chief he had thought to supplant without a struggle.</p> + +<p>At eight o'clock the man with a grievance made his first appearance. His +wrath was past the boiling point, in spite of the fact that his +handsome uniform was still wet from the night's wild ride.</p> + +<p>He went straight to the point. He was a volunteer patriot of high +standing in his community. As a citizen of the Republic, wearing its +uniform, he represented its dignity and power. He had been grossly +insulted by a military martinet from West Point and he proposed to test +the question whether an American citizen had any rights such men must +respect.</p> + +<p>The President lifted his calm, deep eyes to the flushed angry face, +glanced at the gold marks of his rank, and said:</p> + +<p>"What can I do for you, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"I've come to ask you, Mr. President," he began with subdued intensity, +"whether a volunteer officer of this country, a man of culture and +position, is to be treated as a dog or a human being?"</p> + +<p>The quiet man at the desk slipped his glasses from his ears, polished +them with his handkerchief, readjusted them, and looked up again with +kindly interest:</p> + +<p>"What's the trouble?"</p> + +<p>"A discussion arose in our regiment on the day we were ordered into +battle over the expiration of our enlistment. I held, as a lawyer, sir, +that every day of rotten manual labor we had faithfully performed for +our country should be counted in our three months military service. Our +time had expired and I demanded that we be discharged then and +there——"</p> + +<p>"On the eve of a battle?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, sir—what had that to do with our rights? We could have +reënlisted on the spot. I refused to take orders from the upstart who +commanded our brigade."</p> + +<p>"And what happened?" the calm voice asked.</p> + +<p>"He dared to threaten my life, sir!"</p> + +<p>"Who was he?"</p> + +<p>"A Colonel in command of our brigade—named Sherman!"</p> + +<p>"William Tecumseh Sherman?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"What did he say to you?"</p> + +<p>"Swore that if I moved an inch to leave his command he'd shoot me——"</p> + +<p>"He said that to you?"</p> + +<p>"Swore he'd shoot me down in my tracks like a dog!"</p> + +<p>The President gravely rose, placed a big hand on the young officer's +shoulder and in serious, friendly tones said:</p> + +<p>"If I were in your place, Captain, I wouldn't trust that man Sherman—I +believe he'll do it!"</p> + +<p>The astonished volunteer looked up with a puzzled sheepish expression, +turned and shot out of the room.</p> + +<p>The long figure dropped into a chair and doubled with laughter. He rose +and walked to his window, looking out on the trees swaying beneath the +storm, still laughing.</p> + +<p>"They say that every cloud has its silver lining!" he laughed again. +"I'll remember that fellow Sherman."</p> + +<p>Late in the day a report reached him of a beautiful young woman serving +refreshments without pay to the straggling, broken men.</p> + +<p>He turned to Nicolay, his secretary:</p> + +<p>"Get my carriage, find her, and bring her to me. I want to see her."</p> + +<p>Betty's eyes were still red when she walked into his office.</p> + +<p>He sprang to his feet, and with long strides met her. He grasped her +hand in both his and pressed it tenderly.</p> + +<p>"So it's <i>you</i>!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>Betty nodded.</p> + +<p>"My little Cabinet comforter——"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I'll be no good to-day," she faltered.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll cheer <i>you</i>," he cried. "I just wanted to thank the woman +who's been standing behind a lemonade counter through this desolate day +giving her time, her money, and her soul to our discouraged boys——"</p> + +<p>"And you are not discouraged?" Betty asked pathetically.</p> + +<p>"Not by a long shot, my child! Brush those tears away. Jeffy D.'s the +man to be discouraged to-day. This will be a dearly bought victory. Mark +my word. For the South it's the glorious end of the war. While they +shout, I'll be sawing wood. It needed just this shock and humiliation to +bring the North to their senses. Watch them buckle on their armor now in +deadly earnest. The demagogues howled for a battle. They pushed us in +and they got it. Some of the Congressmen who yelled the loudest for a +march straight into Richmond without a pause even to water the horses +got tangled up in that stampede from Bull Run. They thought Jeb Stuart's +cavalry were on them and lost their lunch baskets in the scramble. +They've seen a great light. I'll get all the money I ask Congress for +and all the soldiers we need for any length of time. I've asked for four +hundred million dollars and five hundred thousand men for three years. +I shouldn't be surprised if they voted more. The people will have sense +enough to see that this defeat was exactly what they should have +expected under such conditions."</p> + +<p>His spirit was contagious. Betty forgot her shame and fear.</p> + +<p>"You're wonderful, Mr. President," the girl cried in rapt tones. "Now I +know that you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this."</p> + +<p>"And so have you, my child," he answered reverently. "And so has every +brave woman who loves this Union. That's what I wanted to say to you and +thank you for your example."</p> + +<p>Betty left the White House with a new sense of loyal inspiration. She +walked on air unconscious of the pouring rain. She paused before a +throng that blocked the sidewalk.</p> + +<p>Some of them were bareheaded, the rain drops splashing in their faces, +apparently unconscious of anything that was happening.</p> + +<p>She pushed her way into the crowd. They were looking at the bulletin +board of the <i>Daily Republican</i>, reading the first list of the dead and +wounded. Her heart suddenly began to pound. John Vaughan had not +reported his return. He might be lying stark and cold with the rain +beating down on his mangled body. She read each name in the list of the +dead, and drew a sigh of relief. But the last bulletin was not cheering. +It promised additional names for a later edition. Besides, the War +Department might not be relied on for reports of non-combatants. A +newspaper correspondent was not enrolled as a soldier. His death might +remain unrecorded for days.</p> + +<p>On a sudden impulse she started to enter the office and ask if he had +returned, stopped, blushed, turned and hurried home with a new fear +mingled with a strange joy beating in her heart.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER X</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE AWAKENING</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan had secured a loose horse on emerging from his friendly +swamp. The shadows of night had given him the chance to escape. His +horse was fresh, the rain had begun to fall, the heat had abated and he +made good time.</p> + +<p>He reached the office before midnight, took his seat at his desk, pale +and determined to tell the truth. He wrote an account of the battle and +the panic in which it had ended so vivid, so accurate, so terrible in +its confession of riot and dismay, the editor refused to print it.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" John sternly demanded.</p> + +<p>"It won't do."</p> + +<p>"It's true!"</p> + +<p>"Then the less said about it the better. Let's hush it up."</p> + +<p>John smiled:</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry. I would like to see that thing in type just as I saw and +felt and lived it. It's a good story and it's my last—it's a pity to +kill it——"</p> + +<p>"Your last? What do you mean?" the chief broke in.</p> + +<p>"That I'm going into the ranks, and see if I am a coward—" he paused +and scowled—"it looked like it yesterday for a while, and my +curiosity's aroused. Besides, the country happens to need me."</p> + +<p>"Rubbish," the editor cried, "the country will get all the men it needs +without you. You're a trained newspaper man. We need you here."</p> + +<p>"Thanks. My mind's made up. I'm going to Missouri and raise a company."</p> + +<p>The chief laid a hand on John's shoulder. "Don't be a fool. Stand by the +ship. I'll put your damned story in just as you wrote it if that's what +hurts."</p> + +<p>John flushed and shook his head:</p> + +<p>"But it isn't. You may be right about the stuff. If I were editor I'd +kill it myself. No. My dander's up. I want a little taste of the real +thing. I saw enough yesterday to interest me. The country's calling and +I've got to go."</p> + +<p>The boys crowded around him and shook hands. From the door he waved his +good-bye and they shouted in chorus:</p> + +<p>"Good luck!"</p> + +<p>Arrived at his room, he wrote a note to Betty Winter. He read it over +and it seemed foolishly cold and formal. He tore it up and wrote a +simpler one. It was flippant and a little presumptuous. He destroyed +that and decided on a single line:</p> + +<div class="blockquott"><p>"<span class="smcap">My Dear Miss Betty</span>:</p> + +<p>"Can I see you a few minutes before leaving to-night?</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"John Vaughan." +</p> + +<p>He sent it and began hurriedly to dress, his mind in a whirl of nervous +excitement. His vanity had not even paused to ask whether her answer +would be yes. He was sure of it. The big exciting thing was that he had +made a thrilling discovery in the midst of that insane panic. He was in +love—for the first time in life foolishly and madly in love. Fighting +and elbowing his way through that throng of desperate terror-stricken +men and horses it had come to him in a flash that life was sweet and +precious because Betty Winter was in it. The more he thought of it the +more desperate became his determination not to be killed until he could +see and tell her. Through every moment of his wild scramble through +woods and fields and crowded road, up that tree and down again, his +heart was beating her name:</p> + +<p>"<i>Betty—Betty—Betty!</i>"</p> + +<p>What a blind fool he had been not to see it before! She, too, had been +blind. It was all clear now—this mysterious power that had called them +from the first, neither of them knowing or understanding.</p> + +<p>When Betty took his note from the maid's hand her eyes could see nothing +for a moment. She turned away that Peggy should not catch her white +face. She knew instinctively the message was from John Vaughan. It may +have been written with his last breath and sent by a friend. She broke +the seal with slow, nervous dread, looked quickly, and laughed aloud +when she had read, a joyous, half hysterical little laugh.</p> + +<p>"The man's waiting for an answer, Miss," the maid said.</p> + +<p>Betty looked at her stupidly, and blushed:</p> + +<p>"Why, of course, Peggy, in a moment tell him."</p> + +<p>She wrote half a page in feverish haste, telling him how happy she was +to know that he had safely returned, read it over twice, flushed with +anger at her silly confusion and tore it into tiny bits. She tried +again, but afraid to trust herself, spread John's note out and used it +for a model,</p> + +<div class="blockquottt"><p>"<span class="smcap">My Dear Mr. Vaughan</span>:</p> + +<p>"Certainly, as soon as you can call.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r"> +Betty Winter." +</p> + +<p>And then she sat down by her window and listened to the splash of the +rain against the glass, counting the minutes until he should ring her +door bell.</p> + +<p>And when at last he came, she had to stand before her clock and count +the seconds off for five minutes lest she should disgrace herself by +rushing down stairs.</p> + +<p>Their hands met in a moment of awkward silence. The play of mind on mind +had set each heart pounding. The man of easy speech found for the first +time that words were difficult.</p> + +<p>"You've heard the black news, of course," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Yes——"</p> + +<p>Her eyes caught the haggard drawn look of his face with a start.</p> + +<p>"You saw it all?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I saw so much that I can never hope to forget it," he answered +bitterly.</p> + +<p>He led her to a seat and she flushed with the sudden realization that he +had been holding her hand since the moment they met. She drew it away +with a quick, nervous movement, and sat down abruptly.</p> + +<p>"Was it really as bad as it looks to-day?" she asked with an attempt at +conventional tones.</p> + +<p>"Worse, Miss Betty. You can't imagine the sickening shame of it all. I +was never in a battle before. I wouldn't mind repeating that experience +at close quarters—but the panic——"</p> + +<p>"The President is the coolest and most courageous man in the country +to-day," she put in eagerly. "It's inspiring to talk to him."</p> + +<p>A bitter speech against a Commander-in-Chief who could allow himself to +be driven into a battle by the chatter of fools rose to his lips, but he +remembered her admiration and was silent. He fumbled at his watch chain +and pulled the corner of his black moustache with growing embarrassment. +The thing was more difficult than he had dreamed.</p> + +<p>"I have resigned from the paper," he said at last.</p> + +<p>"Resigned?" she repeated mechanically.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I'm going back home to-night and help raise a company in answer to +the President's proclamation."</p> + +<p>The room was very still. Betty turned her eyes toward the window and +listened to the splash of the wind driven rain.</p> + +<p>"To your home town?" she faltered.</p> + +<p>"Yes. To Palmyra."</p> + +<p>"Where your brother went to raise a company to fight us—strange, isn't +it?" Her voice had a far-away sound as if she were talking to herself.</p> + +<p>"Yes—to fight us," he repeated in low tones.</p> + +<p>Again a silence fell between them. He looked steadily into her brown +eyes that were burning now with a strange intensity, tried to speak, and +failed. He caught the gasp of terror in the deep breath with which she +turned from his gaze.</p> + +<p>"My chief was bitter against my going—I—I hope you approve—Miss +Betty?" He spoke with pauses which betrayed his excitement.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm glad——"</p> + +<p>She stopped short, turned pale and fumbled at the lace handkerchief she +carried.</p> + +<p>"Every brave man who loves the Union must feel as you do to-day—and +go—no matter how hard it may be for those who—for those he leaves at +home——"</p> + +<p>She paused in embarrassment at the break she had almost made, and +flushed scarlet.</p> + +<p>He leaned close:</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I'm not brave, Miss Betty. I ran with the rest of them +yesterday, ran like a dog for my life"—he paused and caught his +breath—"but I'm not sorry for it now. In the madness of that scramble +to save my skin I had a sudden revelation of why life was sweet——"</p> + +<p>He stopped and she scarcely breathed. Her heart seemed to cease beating. +Her dry lips refused to speak the question she would ask. The sweet +moment of pain and of glory had come. She felt his trembling hand seize +her ice-cold fingers as he went on impetuously:</p> + +<p>"Life was sweet because—because—I love you, Betty."</p> + +<p>She sprang to her feet trembling from head to foot. He followed, +whispering:</p> + +<p>"My own, I love you—I love you——"</p> + +<p>With sudden fierce strength he clasped her in his arms and covered her +lips with kisses.</p> + +<p>She lifted her trembling hands:</p> + +<p>"Please—please——"</p> + +<p>Again he smothered her words and held her in mad close embrace.</p> + +<p>"Let me go—let me go!" she cried with sudden fury, thrusting him from +her, breathless, her eyes blinded with tears.</p> + +<p>"Tell me that you love me!" he cried with desperate pleading.</p> + +<p>The splendid young figure faced him tense, quivering with rage.</p> + +<p>"How dare you take me in your arms like that without a word?" Her eyes +were flashing, her breast rising and falling with quick furious +breathing.</p> + +<p>He seized her hand and held it with cruel force. Her eyes blazed and he +dropped it. She was thinking of the scene with his slender chivalrous +brother. She could feel the soft kiss on the tips of her fingers and the +blood surged to her face at the thought of this man's lips pressed on +hers in mad, strangling passion without so much as by your leave! She +could tear his eyes out.</p> + +<p>He looked at her now in a hopeless stupor of regret.</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, Betty," he faltered. "I—I couldn't help it."</p> + +<p>Her eyes held his in a cold stare:</p> + +<p>"I suppose that's all any woman has ever meant to you, and you took me +for granted——"</p> + +<p>He lifted his hand in protest.</p> + +<p>"Please, please, Miss Betty," he groaned.</p> + +<p>"You may go now," she said with slow emphasis.</p> + +<p>He looked at her a moment dazed, and a wave of sullen anger slowly +mounted his face to the roots of his black tangled hair, which he +suddenly brushed from his forehead.</p> + +<p>Without a word he walked out into the storm, his jaws set. The door had +scarcely closed, when the trembling figure crumpled on the lounge in a +flood of bitter tears.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE MAN ON HORSEBACK</a></h3> + + +<p>Before the sun had set on the day of storm which followed the panic at +Bull Run, the President had selected and summoned to Washington the man +who was to create the first Grand Army of the Republic—a man destined +to measure the full power of his personality against the Chief +Magistrate in a desperate struggle for the supremacy of the life of the +Nation itself.</p> + +<p>General George Brinton McClellan, in answer to the summons, reached +Washington on July the 20th, and immediately took command of the Army of +the Potomac—or of what was left of it.</p> + +<p>The President did not make this selection without bitter opposition and +grave warning. He was told that McClellan was an aggressive pro-slavery +Democrat, a political meddler and unalterably opposed to him and his +party on every essential issue before the people. These arguments found +no weight with the man in the White House. He would ask but one +question, discuss but one issue:</p> + +<p>"Is McClellan the man to whip this new army of 500,000 citizens into a +mighty fighting machine and level it against the Confederacy?"</p> + +<p>The all but unanimous answer was:</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll appoint him," was the firm reply. "I don't care what his +religion or his politics. The question is not <i>whether I shall save the +Union—but that the Union shall be saved</i>. My future and the future of +my party can take care of themselves—if they can't, let them die!"</p> + +<p>The new Commander was a man of striking and charming personality, but +thirty-four years old, and graduated from West Point in 1846. He had +served with distinction in the war against Mexico, studied military +science in Europe under the great generals in command at the Siege of +Sebastopol, and had achieved in West Virginia the first success won in +the struggle with the South. He had been opposed in West Virginia by +General Robert E. Lee, the man of destiny to whom the President, through +General Scott, had offered the command of the Union army before Lee had +drawn his sword for Virginia. He was a past master of the technical +science of engineering, defense and military drill.</p> + +<p>In spite of his short physical stature, he was of commanding appearance. +On horseback his figure was impressively heroic. It took no second +glance to see that he was a born leader of men.</p> + +<p>On the first day of his active command he had already conceived the idea +that he was a man of destiny. He wrote that night to his wife:</p> + +<p>"I find myself in a new and strange position here—President, Cabinet, +General Scott and all deferring to me. By some strange operation of +magic, I seem to have become the power of the land——"</p> + +<p>Three days later he wrote again of his sensational reception in the +Senate Chamber:</p> + +<p>"I suppose half a dozen of the oldest members made the remark I am +becoming so much used to:</p> + +<p>"'Why how young you look and yet an old soldier!'</p> + +<p>"They give me my way in everything, full swing and unbounded confidence. +All tell me that I am held responsible for the fate of the Nation, and +that all its resources shall be placed at my disposal. It is an immense +task that I have on my hands, but I believe I can accomplish it. When I +was in the Senate Chamber to-day and found those old men flocking around +me; when I afterward stood in the library looking over the Capital of a +great Nation, and saw the crowd gathering to stare at me, I began to +feel how great the task committed to me. How sincerely I pray God that I +may be endowed with the wisdom and courage necessary to accomplish the +work. Who would have thought when we were married, that I should so soon +be called upon to save my country?"</p> + +<p>Nor was McClellan the only man who saw this startling vision. He made +friends with astounding rapidity, and held men to him with hooks of +steel.</p> + +<p>With utter indifference to his own fame or future, the President joined +the public in praise of the coming star. The big heart at the White +House rejoiced in the strength of his Commanding General. But the man +who measured the world by the fixed standards of an exact science had no +powers of adjustment to the homely manners, simple unconventional ways, +and whimsical moods of Abraham Lincoln.</p> + +<p>McClellan's one answer to all inquiries about his relation to the Chief +Executive was:</p> + +<p>"The President is honest and means well!"</p> + +<p>The smile that played about the corners of his fine, keen, blue eyes +when he said this left no doubt in the mind of his hearer as to his real +opinion of the poor country lawyer who had by accident been placed in +the White House.</p> + +<p>And so the inevitable happened. The suggestions of the President and his +War Department were early resented as meddling with affairs which did +not concern them.</p> + +<p>The President saw with keen sorrow that there were brewing schemes +behind the compelling blue eyes of the "Napoleon" he had created. The +talk of McClellan's aspirations to a military dictatorship, which would +include the authority of the Executive and the Legislative branches of +the Government, had been current for more than two months. His recent +manner and bearing had given color to these reports.</p> + +<p>The splendor and ceremony of his headquarters could not have been +surpassed by Alexander or Napoleon. His growing staff already included a +Prince of the Royal Blood, the distinguished son of the Emperor of +France, and the Comte de Paris his attendant. His baggage train was +drawn by one hundred magnificent horses perfectly matched, hitched in +teams of four to twenty-five glittering new vans. His Grand Army spread +over mile after mile of territory far back into the hills of Virginia. +The autumnal days were brilliant with fresh uniforms, stars, sabres, +swords, spurs, plate, dinners, wines, cigars, the pomp and pride and +glory of war.</p> + +<p>Men stood in little groups and discussed in whispers the significance of +his continued stay in the Capital.</p> + +<p>"If the President has any friends, the hour has come when they've got +to stand by him!" The speaker was a man of fifty, a foreigner who had +made Washington his home and liked Lincoln.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, my dear fellow," a tall Westerner replied, "we may have to +get a few rifles and guard the White House from somebody's attempt to +occupy it, but we'll not need any big guns."</p> + +<p>"If you'd heard the talk last night," the foreigner replied, with a +shrug of his shoulder, "you'd change your mind——"</p> + +<p>The Westerner shook his head:</p> + +<p>"No! The General's not that big a fool and the men around him have +better sense. And if they haven't—if they all should go crazy—it +couldn't be done. They couldn't control the army."</p> + +<p>"Did you ever hear the army cheer as 'Little Mac' rides along the line?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it don't mean an Emperor for all that——"</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure!"</p> + +<p>And there were men of National reputation who considered the chances of +the man on horseback good at this moment. Such a man had openly attached +himself to the General as his attorney—no less a personage than the +distinguished Attorney General of the late Cabinet, Edwin M. Stanton. +During the closing days of Buchanan's crumbling administration Stanton +had become the dominating force of the Capital. His daring and his skill +had defeated the best laid schemes of the Southern party and broken its +grip on the administration. He had remained in Washington as a lawyer +practicing before the Supreme Court and had become the most aggressive +observer and critic of Lincoln and his Cabinet. His scorn for the +President knew no bounds.</p> + +<p>"No one," he wrote to General John A. Dix, "can imagine the deplorable +condition of this city and the hazard of the Government, who did not +witness the weakness and the panic of the administration and the painful +imbecility of Lincoln."</p> + +<p>To Buchanan, his ex-Chief, he wrote:</p> + +<p>"A strong feeling of distrust in the candor and sincerity of Lincoln's +personality and of his Cabinet has sprung up. It was the imbecility of +this administration which culminated in the catastrophe of Bull Run. +Irretrievable misfortune and National disgrace never to be forgotten are +to be added to the ruin of all peaceful pursuits and National bankruptcy +as the result of Lincoln's running the machine for five months. +Jefferson Davis will soon be in possession of Washington."</p> + +<p>Not only in letters to the leaders of public opinion in the Nation did +the aggressive and powerful lawyer seek to destroy the Government, but +in his conversation in Washington he was equally daring, venomous and +personal in his abuse of the President. "A low, cunning clown" and "the +original gorilla" were his choice epithets.</p> + +<p>Stanton's influence over McClellan was decided and vital from the moment +of their introduction. It was known among the General's intimate friends +that he had advised again and again that he use his power as Commander +of the Army to declare a Dictatorship, depose the President and dissolve +the sittings of Congress until the war should be ended.</p> + +<p>How far McClellan had dallied with this dangerous and alluring scheme +was a matter of conjecture. It is little wonder that the wildest rumors +of intrigues, of uprisings, of mutiny, filled the air.</p> + +<p>McClellan had doggedly refused either to move his army or to formally go +into winter quarters until the middle of December, when he took to his +bed and announced that he was suffering from an attack of typhoid fever.</p> + +<p>The President was further embarrassed by the course of his Secretary of +War, Cameron, who, while laboring under the censure of Congress for the +conduct of his office, had allowed Senator Winter to stab his chief in +the back by recommending in his report that the slaves be armed by the +Government and put into the ranks of the armies. Senator Winter, as the +Radical leader, knew that to meet such an issue once raised the +President must rebuke his Secretary and apologize to the Border Slave +States. He would thus alienate from his support all Cameron's friends, +and all friends of the negro. The Senator did not believe the President +would dare to fight on such an issue.</p> + +<p>He had misjudged his man. The President not only rebuked his Secretary +by suppressing his report and revising its language, he demanded and +received his resignation, notwithstanding the fact that Cameron was the +most powerful politician in the most powerful State of the North.</p> + +<p>He at once sought a new Secretary of War, free from all party +entanglements, who could not be influenced by contractors or jobbers or +scheming politicians, who was absolutely honest and who had a boundless +capacity for work.</p> + +<p>Strangely enough, his eye rested on Edward M. Stanton, his arch enemy, +the man who had become McClellan's confidential attorney.</p> + +<p>As an aggressive patriotic Democrat, Stanton had won the confidence of +the public in the last administration. His capacity for work had proved +limitless. He was under no obligations to a living soul who could ask +aught of Lincoln's administration. He was savagely honest. At the moment +the discovery of gigantic frauds practiced on the War Department by +thieving contractors, coupled with fabulous expenditures in daily +expenses, had destroyed the confidence of the money lenders in the +integrity of the Government. The Treasury was facing a serious crisis.</p> + +<p>And then the astounding thing happened. Without consulting a soul inside +his Cabinet or out, Abraham Lincoln appointed his bitterest foe from the +party of his enemies his Secretary of War. He offered the place to Edwin +M. Stanton.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the most astonished man in America was Stanton himself. To the +amazement of his friends, as well as his critics, he promptly accepted +the position.</p> + +<p>Senator Winter, whose radical temperament had found in Stanton a +congenial spirit, though as wide as the poles apart in politics, met him +in the lobby of the Senate Chamber on the day his appointment was +confirmed.</p> + +<p>He broke into a cynical laugh and asked:</p> + +<p>"And what will you do?"</p> + +<p>Stanton's keen spectacled eyes bored him through in silence as he +snapped:</p> + +<p>"I may make Abe Lincoln President of the United States."</p> + +<p>Evidently another man was entering the Cabinet under the impression that +the hands of an impotent Chief Magistrate needed strengthening. The +merest glance at this man's burly thick set body, his big leonine head +with its shock of heavy black hair, long and curling, his huge grizzly +beard and full resolute lips, was enough to convince the most casual +observer that he could be a dangerous enemy or a powerful ally.</p> + +<p>The President was warned of this appointment, but his confidence was +unshaken. His reply was a revelation of personality:</p> + +<p>"I have faith in affirmative men like Stanton. They stand between a +nation and perdition. He has shown a loyalty to the Union that rose +above his own partisan creed of a lifetime. I like that kind of a man."</p> + +<p>"He'll run away with the whole concern," was his friend's laconic reply.</p> + +<p>The President's big generous mouth moved with a smile:</p> + +<p>"Well, we may have to treat him as they sometimes did a Methodist +minister I knew out West. He was a mighty man in prayer and exhortation. +At times his excitement rose to such threatening heights the elders put +brick bats in his pockets to hold him down. We may be obliged to serve +Stanton the same way——"</p> + +<p>He paused and laughed.</p> + +<p>"But I guess we'll let him jump awhile first!"</p> + +<p>The men who knew the inner secrets of Stanton's relations to McClellan +watched this drama with keen interest. Had he gone into the Cabinet to +place the General in supreme power in a moment of crisis? Or had he at +heart deserted the Commander with the intention of using the enormous +power of the War Department to further a scheme of equal daring for +himself? They could only watch the swiftly moving scenes of the war +pageant for their answer.</p> + +<p>One fact was standing out each day with sharp and clean cut +distinctness, a struggle of giants was on beneath the surface. Startling +surprise had followed startling surprise during the past months. Men +everywhere were asking one another, what next? The air of Washington was +foul with the breath of passion and intrigue. Purposes and methods were +everywhere assailed. Men high in civil life were believed to be plotting +with military conspirators to advance their personal fortunes on the +ruins of the Republic.</p> + +<p>Around two men were gathering the forces whose clash would decide the +destiny of the Nation—the struggle between the supremacy of civil +authority in the President, and the war-created strength of the Military +Commander represented by McClellan. Could the Republic survive this war +within a war?</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">LOVE AND PRIDE</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter had found her fierce resolution to blot John Vaughan from +her life a difficult one to keep. The first two weeks were not so hard. +Every instinct of her pure young girlhood had cried out against the +conceit which had imagined her conquest so easy. The memory of his arms +about her crushing with cruel force, his hot lips on hers in mad, +unasked kisses brought the angry blood mounting to her cheeks. She +walked the floor in rage and dropped at last exhausted:</p> + +<p>"I could kill him!"</p> + +<p>The memory which stung deepest was the terror she had felt in his +arms—the sudden fear of the brute quivering in tense muscles and +throbbing in passionate kisses. She had thought this man a gentleman. In +that flash of self-revealing he was simply a beast. It had unsettled her +whole attitude toward life. For the first time she began to suspect the +darker side of passion. If this were love, she would have none of it.</p> + +<p>Again she resolved for the hundredth time, to banish the last thought of +him. If there were no cleaner, more chivalrous men in the world she +could live without them. But there were men with holier ideals. Ned +Vaughan was one. She drew from the drawer the only letter she had +received from him and the last she would probably get in many a day, as +he had crossed the dead line of war and was now somewhere in the great +silent South. She read it over and over with tender smiles:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Miss Betty</span>;</p> + +<p>"I can't disappear behind the battle lines without a last word to +you. I just want to tell you that every hour, waking or dreaming, +the memory of you is my inspiration. The hardest task is easy +because my heart is beating with your name with every stroke. For +me the drums throb it, the bugle calls it. I hear it in the tramp +of soldiers, the rumble of gun, the beat of horses' hoofs and the +rattle of sabre,—for I am fighting my way back, inch by inch, hour +by hour, to you, my love!</p> + +<p>"You cannot answer this. There will be no more mails from the +South—no more mails from the North until I see you again on the +Capitol Hill in Washington. There has never been a doubt in my +heart that the South shall win—that I shall win. And when I stand +before you then it will not be as conqueror, though victorious. I +shall bow at your feet your willing slave. And I shall kiss my +chains because your dear hands made them. I can expect no answer to +this. I ask none. I need none. My love is enough. It's so big and +wonderful it makes the world glorious.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r"> +"Ned." +</p> + +<p>How sharp and bitter the contrast between the soul of this chivalrous +boy and his vain conceited brother! She loathed herself for her blind +stupidity. Why had she preferred him? Why—why—why! The very question +cut her. It was not because John Vaughan had chosen to cast his lot with +her people of the North. Rubbish! She had a sneaking admiration for Ned +because he had dared her displeasure in making his choice. There must be +something perverse in her somewhere. She could see it now. It must be so +or the evil in John Vaughan's character would not have drawn her as a +magnet from the first. She hadn't a doubt now that all the stories about +his fast life and his contempt for women were true and much more than +gossip had dreamed.</p> + +<p>He would write a letter of apology, of course, in due season. He was too +shrewd a man of the world, too skillful an interpreter of the whims of +women to write at once. He was waiting for her to cool—waiting until +she should begin to be anxious. It was too transparent. She would give +him a surprise when his letter came. The shock would take a little of +the conceit out of him. She would return his letter unopened by the next +mail.</p> + +<p>When four weeks passed without a word the first skirmish between love +and pride began. Perhaps she had been unreasonable after all. Was it +right to blame a man too harshly for being mad about the woman he loved? +In her heart of hearts did she desire any other sort of lover? Tears of +vexation came in spite of every effort to maintain her high position. +She had to face the plain truth. She didn't desire a cold lover. She +wished him to be strong, manly, masterful—yes, masterful, that was +it—yet infinitely tender. This man was simply a brute. And yet the +memory of his mad embrace and the blind violence of his kisses had +become each day more vivid and terrible—terrible because of their +fascination. She accepted the fact at last in a burst of bitter tears.</p> + +<p>And then came the announcement in the <i>Daily Republican</i> of his return +to the city and his attachment to the company of cavalry at McClellan's +headquarters. The thought of his presence sent the blood surging in +scarlet waves to her face. There was no longer any question in her mind +that she had wounded him too deeply for forgiveness. Her dismissal had +been so cold, so curt, it had been an accusation of dishonor. She could +see it clearly now. He had poured out his confession of utter love in a +torrent of mad words and clasped her in his arms without thought or +calculation, an act of instinctive resistless impulse. He had justly +resented the manner in which she had repulsed him. Yet she had simply +followed the impulse of her girlish heart, and she would die sooner than +apologize.</p> + +<p>She accepted the situation at last with a dull sense of pain and +despair, and tried to find consolation in devotion to work in the +hospitals which had begun to grow around the army of drilling +volunteers.</p> + +<p>Events were moving now with swift march, and her championship of the +President gave her days of excitement which brought unexpected relief +from her gloomy thoughts. She was witnessing the first movements of the +National drama from the inside and its passion had stirred her +imagination. Her father's growing hatred of Abraham Lincoln left her in +no doubt as to whose master hand had guided the assaults on the rear of +his distracted administration.</p> + +<p>The fall of Cameron, the Secretary of War, had been the work of her +father, with scarcely a suggestion from without. The Abolitionist had +determined to force Lincoln to free the slaves at once or destroy him +and his administration. They also were whispering the name of their +chosen dictator who would assume the reins of power on his downfall.</p> + +<p>The President was equally clear in his determination not to allow his +hand to be forced and lose control of the Border Slave States, whose +influence and power were becoming each day more and more essential to +the preservation of the Union. He had succeeded in separating the +counties of Western Virginia and had created a new State out of them. +His policy of conciliation and forbearance was slowly, but surely, +welding Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland to the Nation.</p> + +<p>Any tinkering at this moment with the question of Slavery would imperil +the loyalty of these four States. He held them now and he refused to +listen to any man or faction who asked him to loosen that grip.</p> + +<p>The true policy of the Radicals, Senator Winter realized, was to fire +into the President's back through his generals in the field in an +emancipation crusade which would work the North into a frenzy of +passion. He had shrewdly calculated the chances, and he did not believe +that Lincoln would dare risk his career on a direct order revoking such +a proclamation.</p> + +<p>General Hunger was the first to accept the mutinous scheme. He issued a +proclamation declaring all slaves within the lines of the Union army +forever free, and a wave of passionate excitement swept the North. The +quiet self-contained man in the White House did not wait to calculate +the force of this storm. He revoked Hunter's order before the ink was +dry on it.</p> + +<p>Again Senator Winter invaded the Executive office:</p> + +<p>"You dare, sir," he thundered, "to thus spit in the face of the +millions of the loyal North who are pouring their blood and treasure +into this war?"</p> + +<p>"I do," was the even answer. "I am the President of the United States +and as Commander-in-Chief of its Army and Navy I will not be disobeyed +by my subordinates on an issue I deem vital to the Nation's existence. +If in the fulness of God's time an emancipation proclamation must be +issued in order to save the Union, I know my duty and I'll do it without +the interference of any of my generals in the field——"</p> + +<p>He paused and glanced over the rims of his spectacles with a sudden +flash from his deep set eyes:</p> + +<p>"Do I make myself clear?"</p> + +<p>Winter's face went white with anger as he slowly answered:</p> + +<p>"Perfectly. It seems you have learned nothing from the wrath with which +your sacrifice of John C. Fremont to appease the slave power was +received?"</p> + +<p>"So it seems," was the laconic response. "Fremont issued, without +consulting me, his famous proclamation last August. I saw your hand, +Senator, in that clause 'freeing' the slaves in the State of Missouri."</p> + +<p>"And I warn you now," the Senator growled, "that the storm of +indignation which met that act was nothing to one that will break about +your head to-morrow! The curses of Fremont's soldiers still ring in your +ears. The press, the pulpit, the platform and both Houses of Congress +gave you a taste of their scorn you will not soon forget. Thousands of +sober citizens who had given you their support, whose votes put you in +this office, tore your picture down from their walls and trampled it +under their feet. For the first time in the history of the Republic the +effigy of a living President was burned publicly in the streets of an +American city amid the jeers and curses of the men who elected him. Your +sacrifice of Fremont has made him the idol of the West. He is to them +to-day what Napoleon in exile was to France. This is a Government of the +people. Even a President may go too far in daring to override public +opinion!"</p> + +<p>The giant figure slowly rose and faced his opponent, erect, controlled, +dignified:</p> + +<p>"But the question is, Senator, who is a better judge of true public +opinion, you or I? It remains to be seen. In the meantime I must tell +you once more that I am not the representative of a clique, or faction. +I am the Chief Magistrate of all the people—I am going to save this +Union for them and their children. I hope to live to see the death of +Slavery. That is in God's hands. My duty to-day is as clear as the +noonday sun. I can't lose the Border Slave States at this stage of the +game and save the Union—therefore I must hold them at all hazards. Let +the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things if they will——"</p> + +<p>"Then it's a waste of breath to talk!" the Senator suddenly shouted.</p> + +<p>The rugged head bowed gracefully:</p> + +<p>"I thought so from the first—but I've tried to be polite——"</p> + +<p>"Good day, sir!"</p> + +<p>"Good day, Senator," the President laughed, "come in any time you want +to let off steam. It'll make you feel easier and it won't hurt me."</p> + +<p>Abraham Lincoln knew the real cause of public irritation and loss of +confidence. The outburst of wrath over Fremont was but a symptom. The +disease lay deeper. The people had lost confidence in his War Department +through the failure of his first Secretary and the inactivity of the +army under McClellan. He had applied the remedy to the first cause in +the dismissal of Cameron and the appointment of Stanton. It remained to +be seen whether he could control his Commanding General, or whether +McClellan would control the Government.</p> + +<p>The situation was an intolerable one—not only to the people who were +sacrificing their blood and money, but to his own inherent sense of +honor and justice. He had no right to organize and drill a mighty army +to go into winter quarters, drink and play cards, and dance while a +victorious foe flaunted their flag within sight of the Capitol.</p> + +<p>Besides, the Western division under two obscure Generals, Grant and +Sherman, had moved in force in mid-winter and with a mere handful of men +compared to the hosts encamped in Washington had captured Fort Henry and +Fort Donelson and taken fourteen thousand prisoners. The navy had +brilliantly coöperated on the river, and this fact only made more +painful the disgrace of the Confederate blockade of the Capital by its +half dozen batteries on the banks of the Potomac.</p> + +<p>The President was compelled to test the ugly question of the extent and +power of General McClellan's personal support.</p> + +<p>He returned from a tour of inspection and stood on the hilltop +overlooking McClellan's miles of tents and curling camp fires. He turned +to Mrs. Lincoln, who had accompanied him:</p> + +<p>"You know what that is?"</p> + +<p>"The Army of the Potomac, of course, Father."</p> + +<p>"No!" he replied bitterly, "that's only McClellan's body guard—a +hundred and eighty thousand."</p> + +<p>The General had persistently refused to take any suggestion from his +superior as to the movement of his army. Would Lincoln dare to force the +issue between them and risk the mutiny of this Grand Army undoubtedly +devoted to their brilliant young leader? There were many who believed +that if he dared, the result would be a <i>coup d'état</i> which would place +the man on horseback in supreme power.</p> + +<p>The moment the President reached the point where he saw that further +delay would mean grave peril to the Nation, he acted with a promptness +which stunned the glittering military court over which the young +Napoleon presided. From the White House, as Commander-in-Chief of the +Army and Navy, he issued a military order for the advance of McClellan's +forces on Richmond!</p> + +<p>The idea of such an order coming from a backwoods lawyer without +military training was preposterous. Its audacity for a moment stunned +the Commander of all the divisions of the army, but when the excitement +had subsided on the day it was done, General McClellan, for the first +time, squarely faced the fact that there was a real man in the White +House.</p> + +<p>The issue was a square one. He must obey that order or march on the +Capital with his army, depose the President, and declare a dictatorship.</p> + +<p>He decided to move on Richmond. He wrangled over the route he would +take, but he moved, when once in motion, with remarkable swiftness.</p> + +<p>Within two weeks a magnificent army of one hundred and twenty thousand +men, fourteen thousand horses, forty-four batteries with endless trains +of wagons, supplies, and pontoon bridges were transported by water two +hundred miles to the Virginia Peninsula without the loss of a life.</p> + +<p>The day was a glorious one toward the end of March, when Betty stood on +the hill above Alexandria and watched, with heavy heart, the magnificent +pageant of the embarking army. The spring was unusually early. The grass +was already a rich green carpet in the shaded lanes. Jonquils were +flaming from every walkway, the violets beginning to lift their blue +heads from their dark green leaves and the trees overhead were hanging +with tassels behind which showed the clusters of fresh buds bursting +into leaf.</p> + +<p>The armed host covered hill and plain and stretched out in every +direction as far as the eye could reach. Four hundred ships had moved up +the river to receive them. Companies and regiments of magnificently +equipped soldiers were marching to the throb of drum and the scream of +fife. Thousands of cavalrymen, in gay uniforms, their golden yellow +shining in the sun, were dashing across a meadow at the foot of the +hill. The long lines of infantry stretched from the hills through the +streets of Alexandria down to the water's edge. Everywhere the +regimental bands were playing martial music.</p> + +<p>Somewhere among those marching, cheering, laughing, shouting thousands +was the man she loved, leaving without a word.</p> + +<p>An awkward private soldier passed with his arm around his sweetheart. +Her eyes were red and she leaned close. They were not talking any more. +But a few minutes were left and he must go—perhaps to die. Words had +ceased to mean anything.</p> + +<p>Her heart rose in fierce rebellion against the wall of silence her pride +had reared. A group of magnificently equipped young officers passed on +horseback. Perhaps of General McClellan's staff! She looked in vain +among them for his familiar face. If he passed she would disgrace +herself—she felt it with increasing certainty. Why had she come here, +anyway? As well tell the truth—in the vague hope of a meeting.</p> + +<p>The quick beat of a horse's hoof echoed along the road. She looked and +recognized John Vaughan! He was coming straight toward her. +Instinctively and resistlessly she moved to meet him.</p> + +<p>She waved her hand in an awkward little gesture as if she had tried to +stop after beginning the movement. His eye had been quick to see and +with a graceful pull on his horse's bridle he had touched the pommel of +the saddle, leaped to his feet, cap in hand, and stood trembling before +her.</p> + +<p>"It's too good to be true!" he exclaimed breathlessly.</p> + +<p>She extended her bare hand and he held it without protest. It was +trembling violently.</p> + +<p>"You were going to leave without an effort to see me?" she asked in low +tones.</p> + +<p>"I was just debating that problem when I saw you standing by the road," +he answered soberly. "I don't think I could have done it. It's several +hours before we embark. I was just figuring on how I could reach you in +time."</p> + +<p>"Really?" she murmured.</p> + +<p>"Honestly."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you had gone without a word, I couldn't have blamed you"—she +paused and bit her lips—"I was very foolish that day."</p> + +<p>"It was my fault," he broke in, "all my fault. I was a brute. I realized +it too late. I'd have eaten my pride and gone back to see you the day I +reached Washington if I had thought it any use. I have never seen such a +look in the eyes of a woman as you gave me that day, Miss Betty. If +there had been any love in your heart I knew that I had killed it——"</p> + +<p>She looked into his eyes with a tender smile:</p> + +<p>"I thought you had——"</p> + +<p>He pressed her hand tenderly.</p> + +<p>"But now?"</p> + +<p>"I know that love can't be killed by a kiss."</p> + +<p>She stopped suddenly, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He +held her close for a moment, murmuring:</p> + +<p>"My sweetheart—my darling!"</p> + +<p>Through four swift beautiful hours they sat on a log, held each other's +hands, and told over and over the old sweet story. Another long, tender +embrace and he was gone. She stood on the little wharf, among hundreds +of weeping sisters and mothers and sweethearts, and watched his boat +drift down the river. He waved his handkerchief to her until the big +unfinished dome of the Capitol began to fade on the distant horizon.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE SPIRES OF RICHMOND</a></h3> + + +<p>To meet three great armies converging on Richmond along the James under +McClellan, from the North under McDowell, and the West by the Shenandoah +Valley, the South had barely fifty-eight thousand men commanded by +Joseph E. Johnston and eighteen thousand under Stonewall Jackson.</p> + +<p>The Southern people were still suffering from the delusion of Bull Run +and had not had time to adjust themselves to the amazing defeats +suffered at Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, to say nothing of the +stunning victory of the <i>Monitor</i> in Hampton Roads, which had opened the +James to the gates of the Confederate Capital.</p> + +<p>Jackson was ordered into the Shenandoah Valley to execute the apparently +impossible task of holding in check the armies of Fremont, Milroy, Banks +and Shields, and at the same time prevent the force of forty thousand +men under McDowell from reaching McClellan. The combined forces of the +Federal armies opposed thus to Jackson were eight times greater than his +command. And yet, by a series of rapid and terrifying movements which +gained for his little army the title of "foot cavalry," he succeeded in +defeating, in quick succession, each army in detail.</p> + +<p>McDowell was despatched in haste to join Fremont and crush Jackson. And +while his army was rushing into the Shenandoah Valley, Jackson withdrew +and quietly joined the army before Richmond which moved to meet +McClellan.</p> + +<p>Little Mac, with his hundred and twenty thousand men, had moved up the +Peninsula with deliberate but resistless force, Johnston's army retiring +before him without serious battle until the Army of the Potomac lay +within sight of the spires of Richmond. Faint, but clear, the breezes +brought the far-off sound of her church bells on Sunday morning.</p> + +<p>The two great armies at last faced each other for the first clash of +giants, McClellan with one hundred and ten thousand men in line, +Johnston with seventy thousand Southerners.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan rode along the lines of the Federal host on the afternoon +of May 30th, to inspect and report to his Commander. Through the opening +in the trees the Confederate army could be plainly seen on the other +side of the clearing. The Federal scouts had already reported the +certainty of an attack.</p> + +<p>The Confederates that night lay down on their arms with orders to attack +at daylight. Dark clouds had swirled their storm banks over the sky +before sunset and the heavens were opened. The rain fell in blinding +torrents, until the sluggish little stream of the Chickahominy had +become a rushing, widening, treacherous river which threatened to sweep +away the last bridge McClellan had constructed.</p> + +<p>The Confederate Commander was elated. The army of his enemy was divided +by a swollen river. The storm increased until it reached the violence of +a hurricane. Through the entire night the lightning flashed and the +thunder pealed without ceasing. At times the heavens were livid with +blinding, dazzling light. Tents were a mockery. The earth was +transformed into a vast morass.</p> + +<p>The storm had its compensations for the Northern army though divided. +Its frightful severity had so demoralized the Confederates that it was +nearly noon before General A. P. Hill moved to the attack.</p> + +<p>The entrenched army was ready. The Union pickets lay in the edge of the +woods and every soldier in the pits had been under cover for hours +awaiting the onset.</p> + +<p>With a shout the men in grey leaped from their shelter, pouring their +volleys from close charging columns. The rifle balls whistled through +the woods, clipping boughs, barking the trees, and hurling the Federal +pickets back on their support. In front of the abatis had been planted a +battery of four guns. The grey men had fixed their eyes on them. General +Naglee saw their purpose and threw his four thousand men into the open +field to meet them. Straight into each other's faces their muskets +flamed, paused, and flamed again. The Northern men fixed their bayonets, +charged, and drove the grey line slowly back into the woods. Here they +met a storm of hissing lead that mowed their ranks. They broke quickly +and rushed for the cover of their rifle pits.</p> + +<p>The grey lines charged, and for three hours the earth trembled beneath +the shock of their continued assaults.</p> + +<p>Suddenly on the left flank of the Federal army a galling fire was poured +from a grey brigade. The movement had been quietly and skillfully +executed. At the same moment General Rodes' brigade rushed on their +front with resistless force. The officers tried to spike their guns and +save them, but were shot down in their tracks to a man. Their guns were +lost, and in a moment the men in grey had wheeled them and were pouring +a terrible fire on the retreating lines.</p> + +<p>The Confederates now charged the Federal centre, and for an hour and a +half the fierce conflict raged—charge and countercharge by men of equal +courage led by dauntless officers. The Union right wing had already been +crumpled in hopeless confusion, the centre had yielded, the left wing +alone was holding its own. It looked as if the whole Union army on the +South side of the Chickahominy would be wiped out.</p> + +<p>At Seven Pines Heintzelman had made a stubborn stand. General Keyes saw +a hill between the lines of battle which might save the day if he could +reach it in time. He must take men between two battle lines to do so. +The Confederate Commander, divining his intention, poured a galling fire +into his ranks and began a race with him for the heights. Keyes won the +race and formed his line in the nick of time. The tremendous fire poured +down from this new position was too much for the assaulting Southern +column and it halted.</p> + +<p>The Confederate forces had forced the Federal lines back two miles as +the river fog and the darkness slowly rose and enveloped the field. +General Johnston ordered his men to sleep on the fields and camps they +had captured. A minute later he was hurled from his horse by an +exploding shell and was borne from the field dangerously wounded. The +first day's struggle had ended in reverses for the invading enemy. The +Confederates had captured ten guns, six thousand muskets, and five +hundred prisoners, besides driving McClellan's forces two miles from the +opening battle lines.</p> + +<p>Between the two smoke-grimed, desperate armies locked thus in close +embrace there could be no truce for burying the fallen or rescuing the +wounded. Over the rain-soaked fields and woods for two miles behind the +Confederate front lay the dead, the dying, and the wounded, the blue +side by side with their foes in grey. Dim fog-ringed lanterns flickered +feebly here and there like wounded fireflies over the dark piles on the +ground.</p> + +<p>The Southern ambulance corps did its best at its new trade. Their long +lines of wagons began to creep into Richmond and fill the hospitals. +Shivering white-faced women, wives, sweethearts, mothers, sisters were +there looking for their own, praying and hoping. All day they had +shivered in their rooms at the deep boom of cannon, whose thunder +rattled the glass in the windows through which they gazed on the +deserted streets. It was the first lesson in real war, this hand to hand +grip of the two giants whose struggle must decide the fate of Richmond.</p> + +<p>The wagons left their loads and rattled back over the rough cobble +stones and out on the muddy roads to the front again. The night would be +all too short for their work.</p> + +<p>In their field hospital, the surgeons, with bare, bloody arms, were busy +with knife and saw. Boys who had faced death in battle without a tremor, +now pale and trembling, watched the growing pile of legs and arms. Alone +in the darkness beyond the voice or touch of a loved hand they must face +this awful thing and hobble through life maimed wrecks. They looked +over their shoulders into the murky darkness and envied the silent forms +that lay there beyond the reach of pain and despair. All night the grim +tragedy of the knife and saw, and the low moans that still came from the +darkness of the woods!</p> + +<p>Sunday morning, the second day of June, dawned over the battle-scarred +earth—an ominous day for the armies of the Republic—for the sun rose +on a new figure in command of the men in grey. Robert E. Lee had taken +the place of Joseph E. Johnston.</p> + +<p>General G. W. Smith, second in command when Johnston fell, had formed +his plan of battle, and the new head of the Confederacy, with his high +sense of courtesy and justice, permitted his subordinate to direct the +conflict for the day.</p> + +<p>As the sun rose, red and ominous through the dark pine forest, General +Smith quickly advanced his men at Fair Oaks Station, down the railroad, +and fell with fury on the men in blue, who crouched behind the +embankment. The men were less than fifty yards apart, and muskets blazed +in long level sheets of yellow flame. No longer could the ear catch the +effect of ripping canvas in the fire of small arms. The roar was +endless. For an hour and a half the two blazing lines mowed each other +down in their tracks without pause. The grey at last gave way and fell +back to the shelter of their woods and gathered reinforcements. The +Union lines had been cut to pieces and suddenly ceased firing while +their support advanced.</p> + +<p>The roaring hell had died into a strange ominous stillness. John Vaughan +had just dashed up to the embankment with orders from McClellan to hold +this position until Haskin's division arrived. He sprang on the +embankment and looked curiously at the long piles of grey bodies lying +in an endless row as far as the eye could reach. Over the tree tops, +faintly mingling with the low cry of a dying boy of sixteen, came the +sweet distant notes of a church bell in Richmond.</p> + +<p>"God in heaven—the mockery of it!" he cried.</p> + +<p>A great shout swept the blue lines. Hooker's magnificent division of +fresh troops swept into view, eager for the fray. They rapidly deployed +to the right and left. In front of them lay the open blood-soaked field, +and beyond the deep woods bristling with Southern bayonets. The new +division leaped into this open field, with a wild shout, their eyes set +on the woods. They paused, only to fire, and their double quick became a +race.</p> + +<p>The Southern batteries followed and tore great holes in their ranks. +They closed them with low quick sullen orders sweeping on. They reached +the edge of the woods and poured into its friendly shelter. And then +above the tops of oak and pine and beech and ash and tangled undergrowth +came the soul-piercing roar of two great armies, fearless, daring, +scorning death, fighting hand to hand, man to man, for what they +believed to be right.</p> + +<p>The people in church turned anxious faces toward the sound. Its roar +rang above the sob of organ and the chant of choir.</p> + +<p>Bayonet clashed on bayonet, as regiment after regiment were locked in +close mortal combat. Hour after hour the stubborn unyielding hosts held +fast on both sides. The storm weakened and slowly died away. Only the +intermittent crack of a rifle here and there broke the stillness.</p> + +<p>There was no shout of victory, no sweep of cheering hosts—only silence. +The Confederate General in command for the day had lost faith in his +battle plan and withdrew his army from the field. The men in blue could +move in and camp on the ground they had held the day before if they +wished.</p> + +<p>But there was something more important to do now than maneuver for +position in history. The dead and the dying and wounded crying for water +were everywhere—down every sunlit aisle of the forest they lay in +heaps. In the open fields they lay faces up, the scorching Southern sun +of June beating piteously down in their eyes—the blue and the grey side +by side in death as they fought hand to hand in life.</p> + +<p>The trenches were opened and they piled the bodies in one on top of the +other, where they had fallen. They turned their faces downward, these +stalwart, brave American boys that the grave-diggers might not throw the +wet dirt into their eyes and mouths. O, aching hearts in far-away homes, +at least you were not there to see!</p> + +<p>Both armies paused now to gird their loins for the crucial test. General +Lee was in the saddle gathering every available man into his ranks for +his opening assault on McClellan's host. Jackson was in the Shenandoah +Valley holding three armies at bay, defeating them in detail and +paralyzing the efficiency of McDowell's forty thousand men at +Fredericksburg, by the daring uncertainty of his movements.</p> + +<p>The first act of Lee was characteristic of his genius. Wishing to know +the exact position of McClellan's forces, and with the further purpose +of striking terror into his antagonist's mind for the safety of his +lines of communication, he conceived the daring feat of sending a picked +body of cavalry under the gallant J. E. B. Stuart completely around the +Northern army of one hundred and five thousand men.</p> + +<p>On June the 12th, Stuart with twelve hundred troopers, fighting, +singing, dare-devil riders to a man, slipped from Lee's lines and +started toward Fredericksburg. The first night he bivouacked in the +solemn pines of Hanover. At the first streak of dawn the men swung into +their saddles in silence.</p> + +<p>Turning suddenly to the east he surprised and captured the Federal +pickets without a shot. In five minutes he confronted a squadron of +Union cavalry. With piercing rebel yell his troopers charged and +scattered their foes.</p> + +<p>Sweeping on with swift, untiring dash they struck the York River +Railroad, which supplied McClellan's army, surprised and captured the +company of infantry which guarded Tunstall's Station, cut the wires and +attacked a train passing with troops.</p> + +<p>Riding without pause through the moonlit night they reached the +Chickahominy at daybreak. The stream was out of its banks and could not +be forded. They built a bridge, crossed over at dawn, and the following +day leaped from their saddles before Lee's headquarters and reported.</p> + +<p>A thrill of admiration and dismay swept the ranks of the Northern army +and started in Washington a wave of bitter criticism against McClellan. +No word of reply reached the world from the little Napoleon. He was busy +digging trenches, felling trees and pushing his big guns steadily +forward and always behind impregnable works. He was a born engineer and +his soul was set on training his great siege guns on the Confederate +Capital.</p> + +<p>On the 25th of June his advance guard had pressed within five miles of +the apparently doomed city. His breastworks bristled from every point of +advantage. His army was still divided by the Chickahominy River, but he +had so thoroughly bridged its treacherous waters he apparently had no +fear of coming results.</p> + +<p>On June the 27th Stonewall Jackson had slipped from the Shenandoah +Valley, baffling two armies converging on him from different directions, +and with a single tiger leap had landed his indomitable little army by +Lee's side.</p> + +<p>Anticipating his arrival, the Confederate general had hurled Hill's +corps against the Union right wing under Porter. Throughout the day of +the 26th and until nine o'clock at night the battle raged with unabated +fury. The losses on both sides were frightful and neither had gained a +victory. But at nine o'clock the Federal Commander ordered his right +wing to retreat five miles to Gaines Mill and cover his withdrawal of +heavy guns and supplies. They were ordered at all hazards to hold +Jackson's fresh troops at bay until this undertaking was well under way. +It was a job that called for all his skill in case of defeat. It +involved the retreat of an army of one hundred thousand men with their +artillery and enormous trains of supplies across the mud-scarred marshy +Peninsula. Five thousand wagons loaded to their utmost capacity, their +wheels sinking in the springy earth, had to be guarded and transported. +His siege guns, so heavy it was impossible to hitch enough horses to +move them over roads in which they sank to the hubs, had to be saved. +Three thousand cattle were there, to be guarded and driven, and it was +more than seventeen miles to the shelter of his gunboats on the James.</p> + +<p>During the night his wagon trains and heavy guns were moved across the +Chickahominy toward his new base on the James.</p> + +<p>The morning of the 27th dawned cool and serene. Under the cover of the +night the silent grey army had followed the retiring one in blue. The +Southerners lay in the dense wood above Gaines Mill dozing and waiting +orders.</p> + +<p>A balloon slowly rose from the Federal lines and hung in the scarlet +clouds that circled the sun. The signal was given to the artillery that +the enemy lay in the deep woods within range and a storm of shot and +shell suddenly burst over the heads of the men in grey and the second +day's carnage had begun.</p> + +<p>For once Jackson, the swift and mysterious, was late in reaching the +scene. It was two o'clock when Hill again unsupported hurled his men on +the Federal lines in a fierce determined charge. Twenty-six guns of the +matchless artillery of McClellan's army threw a stream of shot and shell +into his face. Never were guns handled with deadlier power. And back of +them the infantry, thrilled at the magnificent spectacle, poured their +hail of hissing lead into the approaching staggering lines.</p> + +<p>The waves of grey broke and recoiled. A blue pall of impenetrable smoke +rolled through the trees and clung to the earth. Under the protection of +their great guns the dense lines of blue pushed out into the smoke fog +and charged their foe. For two hours the combat raged at close quarters. +A division of fresh troops rushed to the Northern line, and Lee +observing the movement from his horse on an eminence, ordered a general +attack on the entire Union front.</p> + +<p>It was a life and death grapple for the mastery. Jackson's corps was now +in action. A desperate charge of Hood's division at last broke the Union +lines and the grey men swarmed over the Federal breastworks. The lines +broke and began to roll back toward the bridges of the Chickahominy. The +retreat threatened to become a rout. The twilight was deepening over the +field when a shout rose from the tangled masses of blue stragglers by +the bridge. Dashing through them came the swift fresh brigades of French +and Meager. General Meager, rising from his stirrups in his shirt +sleeves, swung his bare sword above his head, hurled his troops against +the advancing Confederate line and held it until darkness saved Porter's +division from ruin.</p> + +<p>McClellan's one hope now was to pull his army out of the deadly swamps +in which he had been caught and save it from destruction. He must reach +the banks of the James and the shelter of his gunboats before he could +stop to breathe. At every step the charging grey lines crashed on his +rear guard. Retreating day and night, turning and fighting as a hunted +stag, he was struggling only to escape.</p> + +<p>That there was no panic, no rout, was a splendid tribute to his +organizing and commanding powers. His army was an army at last in fact +as well as in name—a compact and terrible fighting machine. The +oncoming Confederate hosts learned this to their sorrow again and again +in the five terrible days which followed.</p> + +<p>On July 1st, McClellan reached the shelter of his gunboats and +intrenched himself on the heights of Malvern Hill. On its summit he +placed tier after tier of batteries swung in crescent line, commanding +every approach. Surmounting those on the highest point he planted seven +of his great siege guns. His army surrounded this hill, its left flank +resting on the James and covered by his gunboats.</p> + +<p>It was late in the afternoon before Lee ordered a general attack. The +grey army was floundering in the mud in a vain effort to reach its +fleeing enemy in force. At noon they were still burying the dead on the +blood-soaked field of Glendale where McClellan's gallant rear guard had +stood until the last wagon train had safely arrived at Malvern Hill.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan's company had been hurried from the West to the defense of +Richmond, and reached the field on the night of the 30th, too late for +the battle of Glendale, but in time to walk over its scarred soil in the +soft moonlight and get his first glimpse of war. He was yet to see a +battle.</p> + +<p>A group of grey schoolboy comrades were burying one of their number +beneath a tall pine in the edge of an old field. He joined the circle +and watched them. They dug the grave with their bayonets, tenderly +wrapped the body in the battle flag of the South and covered it with +their hands. One of them recited a beautiful Psalm from memory, and not +a word was spoken as they drew the damp earth up into a mound. A +whip-poor-will began his song in the edge of the woods as he passed on.</p> + +<p>A few yards further a man in grey was cutting a forked limb into a +crutch. Something dark lay huddled on the brown straw. It was a wounded +man in blue. The Southerner lifted his enemy, and placed the crutch +under him.</p> + +<p>"Now, partner," he said cheerfully, "you're all right. You'll find the +hospital down there by them lights. They'll look out for ye."</p> + +<p>Ned wondered vaguely how he would really feel under his first baptism of +fire. He was only a private soldier in this company which had been +ordered East. He had resigned from the first he had helped to raise—the +ambitions and intrigues of its officers had aroused his disgust and he +had taken a place in the ranks of the first company sent to Virginia. He +had made up his mind he would wear no signs of rank that were not fairly +won on the field of battle.</p> + +<p>To-morrow he was going to face it at short range. Everywhere were strewn +canteens, knapsacks, broken guns and blankets. He came suddenly on a +trench behind which the men in blue had fought from dark to dark. It was +full of dead soldiers.</p> + +<p>His regiment was up before day to move at dawn. His company had been +assigned to a regiment of veterans who had fought at Bull Run and had +been in three of the battles before Richmond. Their ranks were thin and +the Western boys were given a royal welcome.</p> + +<p>The seasoned men were in good humor, the new company serious. Ned was +carefully shaving by the flickering light of the camp fire.</p> + +<p>"What the divil are you doin' that for?" his Irish messmate asked in +amazement.</p> + +<p>"You want to know the truth, Haggerty?" Ned drawled.</p> + +<p>"That's what I want——"</p> + +<p>"We're going into our first battle, aren't we?"</p> + +<p>"Praise God, we are!"</p> + +<p>"And we may come out a corpse?"</p> + +<p>"Yis——"</p> + +<p>"I'm going to be a decent one."</p> + +<p>"Ah, go'long wid ye—ye bloody young spalpeen—ye're no more afraid than +I am!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe not, Haggerty, but it's a solemn occasion, and I'm going to look +my best."</p> + +<p>"Ye'll live ter see many a scrap, me bye!"</p> + +<p>"Same to you, old man! But I'm going to be clean for this one, anyhow."</p> + +<p>The regiment marched toward Malvern Hill at the first streak of dawn. It +was slow work. Always the artillery ahead were sticking in the mud and +the halts were interminable.</p> + +<p>The new company grew more and more nervous:</p> + +<p>"What's up ahead?"</p> + +<p>They asked it at every halt the first three hours. And then their +disgust became more pronounced.</p> + +<p>"What in 'ell's the matter?" Ned groaned.</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, Sonny," an old corporal called, "you'll get there in time +to see more than you want."</p> + +<p>The regiment reached the battle lines at one o'clock. The morning hours +had been spent in driving in the skirmishers and feeling the enemy's +positions. Lee had given orders for a general charge on a signal yell +from Armistead's brigade. He was now waiting the arrival of all his +available forces before attacking.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon General D. H. Hill heard a shout followed by a +roar of musketry and immediately ordered his division to charge. No +other General seemed to have heard it and the charge was made without +support. It was magnificent, but it was not war, it was sheer butchery. +No army could have stood before the galling fire of those massed +batteries.</p> + +<p>Ned's regiment had deployed in a wood on the edge of a wide field at the +foot of the hill. Their movement caught the eye of a battery on the +heights which opened with six guns squarely on their heads.</p> + +<p>The struggling, shattered remnants of a regiment which had been all but +annihilated fell back through these woods, stumbling against the waiting +men.</p> + +<p>Ned saw a soldier with a Minie ball sticking in the centre of his +forehead, the blood oozing from the round, clean-cut hole beside the +lead. He was walking steadily backward, loading and firing with +incredible rapidity. The company halted behind the troops held in +reserve, but the man with the ball in his forehead refused to go to the +rear. He wouldn't believe that he was seriously hurt. He jokingly asked +a comrade to dig the ball out. He did so, and the fellow dropped in his +tracks, the blood gushing from the wound in a stream.</p> + +<p>The uncanny sight had sickened Ned. He looked at his hand and it was +trembling like a leaf.</p> + +<p>And this division was charging up that awful hill again. Ned saw a +private soldier who belonged to one of its regiments deliberately walk +across the field alone and join his comrades as if nothing of importance +were going on. And yet the bullets were whistling so thickly that their +"Zip! Zip!" on the ground kept the air filled with flying dirt and tufts +of grass—a veritable hail of lead through which a sparrow apparently +couldn't fly.</p> + +<p>The fellow was certainly a fool! No man with a grain of sense would do +such a thing <i>alone</i>—maybe with a crowd of cheering men, but only a +maniac <i>could</i> do it alone—Ned was sure of that.</p> + +<p>A shell smashed through the top of a tree, clipped its trunk in two and +down it came with a crash that sent the men scampering.</p> + +<p>A solid shot came bounding leisurely down the hill and rolled into the +woods. A man just in front put out his foot playfully to stop it and it +broke his leg.</p> + +<p>The shriek of shell and the whistle of lead increased in terrifying roar +each moment and Ned felt a queer sensation in his chest—a sort of +shortness of breath. In a moment he was going to bolt for the rear! He +felt it in his bones and saw no way to stop it. He lifted his eyes +piteously toward the Colonel who sat erect in his saddle stroking the +neck of a restless horse with his left hand.</p> + +<p>The veteran saw the boy's terror under his trial of fire and his heart +went out to him in a wave of fatherly sympathy.</p> + +<p>He rode quickly up to Ned:</p> + +<p>"Won't you hold my horse's bridle a minute, young man, while I use my +glasses?" he asked coolly.</p> + +<p>Ned's trembling hand caught the reins as a drowning man a straw. The act +steadied his shaking nerves. As the Colonel slowly lowered his glasses +Ned cried through chattering teeth:</p> + +<p>"D-d-d-on't y-you think—I-I-I—am d-d-doing p-pretty well, C-colonel, +f-f-f-for my f-f-ffirst battle?"</p> + +<p>The Colonel nodded encouragingly:</p> + +<p>"Very well, my boy. It's a nasty situation. You'll make a good +soldier."</p> + +<p>And then the order to charge!</p> + +<p>Across the level field torn by shot and shell, the regiment swept in +grey waves. The gaps filled up silently. They started up the hill and +met the sleet of hissing death. The hill top blazed streams of yellow +flame through the pall of smoke. Men were falling—not one by one, but +in platoons and squads, rolling into heaps of grey blood-soaked flesh +and rags. The regiment paused, staggered, reeled and rallied.</p> + +<p>Haggerty fell just in front of Ned, who was loading and firing with the +precision of a machine. If he had a soul—he didn't know it now. The men +were ordered to lie down and fire from the ground.</p> + +<p>Haggerty caught Ned's eye as it glanced along his musket searching for +his foe through the cloud of blue black smoke that veiled the world.</p> + +<p>"Roll me around, Bye," the Irishman cried, "and make a fince out of +me—I'm done for."</p> + +<p>Ned paid no attention to his call, and Haggerty pulled his mangled body +down the hill and doubled himself up in front of his friend.</p> + +<p>"Keep down behind me, Bye," he moaned. "I'll make a good fort for ye!"</p> + +<p>It was useless to protest, he had erected the fort to suit himself and +Ned was fighting now behind it. The sight of his dying friend steadied +his nerves and sent a thrill of fierce anger like living fire through +his veins. His eye searched the hilltop for his foe. The smoke rolled in +dark grey sulphurous clouds down the slope and shut out the sky line. He +waited and strained his bloodshot eyes to find an opening. It was no use +to waste powder shooting at space. He was too deadly angry now for +that.</p> + +<p>A puff of wind lifted the clouds and the blue men could be seen leaping +about their guns. They looked like giants in the smoke fog. Again he +fired and loaded, fired and loaded with clock-like, even steady, hand. +It was tiresome this ramming an old-fashioned muzzle-loading musket +lying flat on the ground. But with each round he was becoming more and +more expert in handling the gun. His mouth was black with powder from +tearing the paper ends of the cartridges. The sulphurous taste of the +powder was in his mouth.</p> + +<p>From the centre of the field rose the awful Confederate yell again. A +regiment of Georgians, led by Gordon were charging. Waiting again for +the smoke to clear in front Ned could see the grey waves spread out and +caught the sharp word of command as the daring young officers threw +their naked swords toward the sky crying:</p> + +<p>"Forward!"</p> + +<p>And then they met the storm. From grim, black lips on the hill crest +came the answer to their yell—three hundred and forty mighty guns were +singing an oratorio of Death and Hell in chorus now from those heights. +Half the men seemed to fall at a single crash and still the line closed +up and rushed steadily on, firing and loading, firing and +loading,—running and staggering, then rallying and pressing on again.</p> + +<p>On the right ten thousand men under Hill slipped out into line as if on +dress parade—long lines of handsome boyish Southerners. The big guns +above saw and found them with terrible accuracy. A wide lane of death +was suddenly torn through them before they moved. They closed like clock +work and with a cheer swept forward to the support of the men who were +dying on the blood-soaked slope.</p> + +<p>Ned's heart was thumping now. He felt it coming, that sharp low order +from the Colonel before the words rang from his lips. His hour had come +for the test—coward or hero it had to be now. It was funny he had +ceased to worry. He had entered a new world and this choking, blinding +smoke, the steady thunder of guns, the long sheets of orange fire that +flashed and flashed and blazed in three rings from the hill, the ripping +canvas of musketry fire in volleys, the dull boom of the great guns on +the boats below, were simply a part of the routine of the new life. He +had lived a generation since dawn. The years that had gone before seemed +a dream. The one real thing was Betty's laughing eyes. They were looking +at him now from behind that flaming hill. He must pass those guns to +reach her. Not a doubt had yet entered his soul that he would do it. Men +were falling around him like leaves in autumn, but this had to be. He +saw the end. No matter how fierce this battle, McClellan was only +fighting to save his army from annihilation. Lee was destroying him.</p> + +<p>The order came at last. The Colonel walked along in front of his men +with bared head.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys,—that battery on the first crest—we've half their +men—charge and take those guns!"</p> + +<p>The regiment leaped to their feet and started up the hill. They had lost +two hundred men in their first sweep. There were six hundred left.</p> + +<p>"Hold your fire until I give the word!" the Colonel shouted.</p> + +<p>The smoke was hanging low, and they had made two hundred yards before +the blue line saw them through the haze. The hill blazed and hissed in +their faces. The massed infantry behind the guns found their marks. Men +dropped right and left, sank in grey heaps or fell forward on their +faces—some were knocked backwards down the slope. Yet without a pause +they climbed.</p> + +<p>Three hundred yards more and they would be on the guns. And then a sheet +of blinding flame from every black-mouthed gun in line double shotted +with grape and canister! The regiment was literally knocked to its +knees. The men paused as if dazed by the shock. The sharp words of cheer +and command from their officers and they rallied. From both flanks +poured a murderous hail of bullets—guns to the right, left and front, +all screaming, roaring, hissing their call of blood.</p> + +<p>The Colonel saw the charge was hopeless and ordered his men to fire and +fall back fighting. The grey line began to melt into the smoke mists +down the hill and disappeared—all save Ned Vaughan. His eyes were fixed +on that battery when the order to fire was given. He fired and charged +with fixed bayonet alone. He never paused to see how many men were with +him. His mind was set on capturing one of those guns. He reached the +breastworks and looked behind him. There was not a man in sight. A blue +gunner was ramming a cannon. With a savage leap Ned was on the boy, +grabbed him by the neck and rushed down the hill in front of his own gun +before the astounded Commander realized what had happened. When he did +it was too late to fire. They would tear both men to pieces.</p> + +<p>The regiment had rallied in the woods at the edge of the field from +which they had first charged.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan led his prisoner, in bright new uniform of blue, up to the +Colonel and reported.</p> + +<p>"A prisoner of war, sir!"</p> + +<p>The Colonel took off his hat and gazed at the pair:</p> + +<p>"Aren't you the boy who held my horse?"</p> + +<p>Ned saluted:</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Then in the name of Almighty God, where did you get that man?"</p> + +<p>Ned pointed excitedly to the hilltop:</p> + +<p>"Right yonder, sir,—there's plenty more of 'em up there!"</p> + +<p>The Colonel scratched his head, looked Ned over from head to heel and +broke into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be damned," he said at last. "Take him to the rear and +report to me to-night. I want to see you."</p> + +<p>Ned saluted and hurried to the rear with his prisoner.</p> + +<p>The sun was slowly sinking in a sea of blood. The red faded to purple, +the purple to grey, the grey into the shadows of night and still the +guns were thundering from their heights. It was nine o'clock before they +were silent and Lee's torn and mangled army lay down among their dead +and wounded to wait the dawn and renew the fight. They had been +compelled to breast the most devastating fire to which an assaulting +army had been subjected in the history of war. The trees of the woods +had been literally torn and mangled as if two cyclones had met and +ripped them to pieces.</p> + +<p>The men dropped in their tracks to snatch a few hours' sleep.</p> + +<p>The low ominous sounds that drifted from the darkness could not be +heeded till to-morrow. Here and there a lantern flickered as they picked +up a wounded man and carried him to the rear. Only the desperately +wounded could be helped. The dead must sleep beneath the stars. The low, +pitiful cries for water guided the ambulance corps as they stumbled over +the heaps of those past help.</p> + +<p>The clouds drew a veil over the stars at midnight and it began to pour +down rain before day. The sleeping, worn men woke with muttered oaths +and stood against the trees or squatted against their trunks seeking +shelter from the flood. As the mists lifted, they looked with grim +foreboding but still desperate courage to the heights. Every rampart was +deserted. Not one of those three hundred and forty guns remained. +McClellan had withdrawn his army under the cover of the night to +Harrison's Landing.</p> + +<p>It would be difficult to tell whose men were better satisfied.</p> + +<p>"Thank God, he's gone from there anyhow!" the men in grey cried with +fervor.</p> + +<p>Now they could get something to eat, bury their dead and care for all +the wounded. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign had ended. His Grand Army +had melted from a hundred and ten thousand fighting men in line to +eighty-six thousand. The South had lost almost as many.</p> + +<p>From the wildest panic into which the advance of his army had thrown +Richmond, the Confederate Capital now swung to the opposite extreme of +rejoicing for the deliverance, mingled with criticism of their leaders +for allowing the Federal army to escape at all.</p> + +<p>The gloom in Washington was profound.</p> + +<p>An excited General rushed to the White House at two o'clock in the +morning, roused the President from his bed and pleaded for the immediate +dispatch of a fleet of transports to Harrison's Landing as the only +possible way to save the army from annihilation.</p> + +<p>The President soothed his fears and sent him home. He was not the man to +be thrown into a panic. Yet the incredible thing had happened. His army +of more than two hundred thousand men, under able generals, had been +hurled back from the gates of Richmond in hopeless, bewildering defeat, +and he must begin all over again.</p> + +<p>One big ominous fact loomed in tragic menace from the smoke and flame of +this campaign—the South had developed two leaders of matchless military +genius—Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. It was a fact the President +must face and that without fear or favor to any living man in his own +army.</p> + +<p>He left Washington for the front at once. He must see with his own eyes +the condition of the army. He must see McClellan. The demand for his +removal was loud and bitter. And fiercest of all those who asked for his +head was the iron-willed Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, his former +champion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XIV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE RETREAT</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan had become one of his General's trusted aides. His services +during the month's terrific struggle had proven invaluable. The +Commander was quick to discern that he was a man of culture and +possessed a mind of unusual power. More than once the General had called +him to his headquarters to pour into his ears his own grievances against +the authorities in Washington. Naturally his mind had been embittered +against the man in the White House. The magnetic personality of +McClellan had appealed to his imagination from their first meeting.</p> + +<p>The General was particularly bitter on the morning the President was +expected. His indignation at last broke forth in impassioned words to +his sympathetic listener.</p> + +<p>The tragic consequence of the impression made in that talk neither man +could dream at the moment.</p> + +<p>Pacing the floor with the tread of a caged lion McClellan suddenly +paused and his fine blue eyes flashed.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, Vaughan, the wretches have done their worst. They can't do +much more——"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and drew from his pocket the copy of a dispatch he +had sent to the war office. He read it carefully and looked up with +flashing eyes:</p> + +<p>"I'll face the President with this dispatch to Stanton in my hands, too. +They would have removed me from my command for sending it—if they had +dared!"</p> + +<p>He slowly repeated its closing words:</p> + +<p>"I know that a few thousand more men would have changed this battle from +a defeat to a victory. As it is, the Government must not and cannot hold +me responsible for the result. I feel too earnestly to-night. I have +seen too many dead and wounded comrades to feel otherwise than that the +Government has not sustained this army. If you do not do so now, the +game is lost. If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no +thanks to you, or to any other person in Washington. You have done your +best to sacrifice this army——"</p> + +<p>He paused and his square jaws came together firmly.</p> + +<p>"And if that be treason, they can make the most of it!"</p> + +<p>"I am curious to know how he meets you to-day," John said with a smile.</p> + +<p>An orderly announced the arrival of the President and the Commanding +General promptly boarded his steamer. In ten minutes the two men were +facing each other in the stateroom assigned the Chief Magistrate.</p> + +<p>Lincoln's tall, rugged figure met the compact General with the easy +generous attitude of a father ready to have it out with a wayward boy. +His smile was friendly and the grip of his big hand cordial.</p> + +<p>"I am satisfied, sir, that you, your officers and men have done the best +you could. All accounts say that better fighting was never done. Ten +thousand thanks, in the name of the people for it."</p> + +<p>The words were generous, but the commander put in a suggestion for more.</p> + +<p>"Never, Mr. President," he said emphatically, "did such a change of +base, involving a retrogressive movement under incessant attacks from a +vastly more numerous foe partake of so little disaster. When all is +known you will see that the movement just completed by this army is +unparalleled in the annals of war. We have preserved our trains, our +guns, our material, and, above all, our honor."</p> + +<p>"Rest assured, General," the quiet voice responded, "the heroism and +skill of yourself, officers and men, is and forever will be +appreciated."</p> + +<p>The President returned to Washington profoundly puzzled as to his duty. +He was alarmed at the display of self esteem which his defeated General +had naïvely made, and his loyalty was boldly and opened questioned by +his advisers, and yet he was loath to remove him from command. Down in +his square, honest heart he felt that with all his faults, McClellan was +a man of worth, that he had never been thoroughly whipped in a single +battle and that he hadn't had a fair trial.</p> + +<p>Any other man in power than Abraham Lincoln would have removed him +instantly on the receipt of his insolent and insulting dispatch. +Instead, the President had gone to see him with an open mind. He +returned determined to strengthen his military council by the addition +of an expert in Washington as his Commander-in-Chief.</p> + +<p>He called to this post Henry W. Halleck. Although McClellan had waived +the crown of such power aside with lofty words of unselfish patriotism, +he received the announcement of Halleck's promotion and his +subordination with sullen rage.</p> + +<p>"In this thing," he wrote his wife, "the President and those around him +have acted so as to make the matter as offensive as possible to me."</p> + +<p>And yet against every demand that McClellan should be removed from +command the President was obdurate. Again and again his friends urged:</p> + +<p>"McClellan is playing for the Presidency."</p> + +<p>The tall man merely nodded:</p> + +<p>"All right. Let him. I am perfectly willing that he shall have it if he +will only put an end to this war."</p> + +<p>But if the President refused to remove him from command, Halleck and +Stanton managed quickly to strip him of half his army by detaching and +sending it to join the new army of General Pope. McClellan, with the +remainder of his men, had been sent by transport back to Alexandria. +General John Pope was summoned from the West to take command of the new +"Army of Virginia," composed of the divisions of Fremont, Banks and +McDowell, and the detached portion of McClellan's men.</p> + +<p>All eyes were now centred on the new Commander. The West had only seen +success—Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Shiloh, and Island No. +10.</p> + +<p>The new General on the day he began his advance against Lee and Jackson +issued an address to his army which sent a chill to the heart of the +President.</p> + +<p>"I have come to you from the West," he proclaimed, "where we have always +seen the backs of our enemies—from an army whose business has been to +seek the adversary and beat him when found. I desire you to dismiss from +your minds certain phrases which I am sorry to find much in vogue among +you. I hear constantly of 'lines of retreat' and 'bases of supplies.' +Let us discard such ideas. Let us look before us, not behind. From +to-day my headquarters will be in the saddle."</p> + +<p>Every man in the Army of the Potomac which McClellan had created and +fought with such fierce and terrible, if unsuccessful power, resented +this address as an insult. McClellan himself was furious. For some +reason only part of the forces from his army which were detached ever +reached Pope, and those who did were not enthusiastic. It was expecting +too much of human nature to believe that they could be.</p> + +<p>The outlook for the coming battle was ominous.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">TANGLED THREADS</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter received a telegram from John Vaughan announcing his +arrival at Alexandria with McClellan on the last day of August. Her +heart gave a bound of joy. She could see him to-morrow. It had been five +years instead of five months since she had stood on that little pier and +watched him float away into the mists of the river! All life before the +revelation which love had brought was now a shadowy memory. Only love +was real. His letters had been her life. They hadn't come as often as +she had wished. She demanded his whole heart. There could be no +compromise. It must be all, <i>all</i> or nothing.</p> + +<p>She tried to sleep and couldn't. Her brain was on fire.</p> + +<p>"I must sleep and look my best!" she laughed softly, buried her face in +the pillow and laughed again for joy. How could she sleep with her lover +standing there alive and strong with his arms clasping her to his heart!</p> + +<p>She rose at daylight and threw open her window. The air was crisp with +the breath of fall. She watched the sun rise in solemn glory. A division +of cavalry dashed by, the horses' hoofs ringing sharply on the cobble +stones, sabres clashing. Behind them came another and another, and in a +distant street she heard the rumble of big guns, the crack of their +drivers' whips and the sharp cries of the men urging the horses to a +run.</p> + +<p>Something unusual was on foot. The sun was barely up and the whole city +seemed quivering with excitement.</p> + +<p>She dressed hurriedly, snatched a bite of toast and drank a cup of +coffee. In twenty minutes she entered the White House to get her pass to +the front. She wouldn't go to the War Department. Stanton was rude and +might refuse. The hour was absurd, but she knew that the President rose +at daylight and that he would see her at any hour.</p> + +<p>She found him seated at his desk alone pretending to eat an egg and +drink his coffee from the tray that had been placed before him. His +dishevelled hair, haggard look and the pallor of his sorrowful face +showed only too plainly that he had not slept.</p> + +<p>"You have bad news, Mr. President?" Betty gasped.</p> + +<p>He rose, took her hand and led her to a seat.</p> + +<p>"Not yet, dear, but I'm expecting it."</p> + +<p>"We lost the battle yesterday?" she eagerly asked.</p> + +<p>"Apparently not. You may read that. I trust you implicitly."</p> + +<p>He handed her the dispatch he had received from General Pope after the +first day's fight at Manassas. Betty read it quickly:</p> + +<p>"We fought a terrific battle here yesterday with the combined forces of +the enemy, which lasted with continuous fury from daylight until dark, +by which time the enemy was driven from the field which we now occupy. +The enemy is still in our front, but badly used up. We lost not less +than eight thousand men killed and wounded, but from the appearance of +the field the enemy lost two to one. The news has just reached me from +the front that the enemy is retreating toward the mountains."</p> + +<p>Betty looked up surprised:</p> + +<p>"Isn't that good news?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing to brag about. It's the last sentence that worries me——"</p> + +<p>"But that seems the best!"</p> + +<p>"It might be but for the fact that Jackson is leading that retreat +toward the mountains! I've an idea that he will turn up to-day on Pope's +rear with Lee's whole army on his heels. Jackson is in the habit of +appearing where he's least expected——"</p> + +<p>He paused, paced the floor a moment in silence and threw his long arms +suddenly upward in a hopeless gesture:</p> + +<p>"If God would only give me such a man to lead our armies!"</p> + +<p>"Is General McClellan at Alexandria to-day?" Betty suddenly asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm wondering myself. He should be on that field with every soldier +under his command."</p> + +<p>"I've come to ask you for a pass to Alexandria——"</p> + +<p>"Then my worst fears are confirmed!" he broke in excitedly. "Your +sweetheart's on McClellan's staff—his men will never reach the field in +time!"</p> + +<p>He dropped into a chair, hurriedly wrote the pass and handed it to +Betty.</p> + +<p>"God bless you, child. See me when you get back and tell me all you +learn of McClellan and his men to-day. The very worst is suspected——"</p> + +<p>"You mean?"</p> + +<p>"That this delay and deliberate trifling with the most urgent and +positive orders is little short of treason. Unless his men reach Pope +to-day and fight, the Capital may be threatened to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Surely!" Betty protested.</p> + +<p>"It's just as I tell you, child, but I'll hope for the best. Be eyes and +ears for me to-day and you may help me."</p> + +<p>The agony of his face and the deep note of tragedy in his voice had +taken the joy out of her heart. She threw the feeling off with an +effort.</p> + +<p>"What has it all to do with my love!" she cried with a toss of her +pretty head as she sprang into the saddle for the gallop to Alexandria.</p> + +<p>The cool, bracing air of this first day of September, 1862, was like +wine. The dew was yet heavy on the tall grass by the roadside and a song +was singing in her heart that made all other music dumb.</p> + +<p>John had dismounted and was standing beside the road, the horse's bridle +hanging on his arm in the very position he had stood and looked into her +soul that day.</p> + +<p>She leaped to the ground without waiting for his help and sprang into +his arms.</p> + +<p>"I like you better with that bronzed look—you're handsomer than ever," +she sighed at last.</p> + +<p>His answer was another kiss, to which he added:</p> + +<p>"No amount of sunburn could make you any prettier, dear—you've been +perfect from the first."</p> + +<p>"Your General is here?" Betty asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And you can give me the whole day?"</p> + +<p>"Every hour—the General is my friend."</p> + +<p>The moment was too sweet to allow any shadow to cloud it. The girl +yielded to its spell without reserve. They mounted and rode side by side +over the hills. And the man poured into her ears the unspoken things he +had felt and longed to say in the lonely nights of camp and field. The +girl confessed the pain and the longing of her waiting.</p> + +<p>They mounted the crest of a hill and the breeze from the southwest +brought the sullen boom of a cannon.</p> + +<p>Instinctively they drew rein.</p> + +<p>"The battle has begun again," John said casually.</p> + +<p>"It stirs your blood, doesn't it?" she whispered.</p> + +<p>A frown darkened his brow:</p> + +<p>"Not to-day."</p> + +<p>The girl looked with quick surprise.</p> + +<p>"You don't mean it?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. Why get excited when you know the end before it begins."</p> + +<p>"You know it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Victory?"</p> + +<p>He laughed cynically:</p> + +<p>"Victory for a pompous braggart who could write that address to an army +reflecting on the men who fought Lee and Jackson before Richmond with +such desperate courage?"</p> + +<p>"You are sure of defeat then?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely."</p> + +<p>Betty looked at him with a flush of angry excitement:</p> + +<p>"General McClellan is counting on Pope's defeat to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then it's true that he is not really trying to help him?"</p> + +<p>"Why should he wish to sacrifice his brave men under the leadership of a +fool?"</p> + +<p>"He is, in fact, defying the orders of the President, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"You might say that if you strain a point," John admitted.</p> + +<p>Again the long roar of guns boomed on the Western horizon, louder, +clearer. The dull echoes became continuous now, and the quickening +breeze brought the faint din from the vast field of death whose blazing +smoke covered lines stretched over seven miles.</p> + +<p>"<i>Boom-boom-boom, boom!—boom! boom!</i>"</p> + +<p>Again they drew rein and listened.</p> + +<p>John's brow wrinkled and his right ear was thrown slightly forward.</p> + +<p>"Those are our big guns," he said with a smile. "The Confederate +artillery can't compare with ours—their infantry is a terror—stark, +dead game fighters——"</p> + +<p>"<i>Boom—Boom!—--Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>"</p> + +<p>"How do you know those are our guns?" Betty asked with a shiver.</p> + +<p>"The rebels have none so large. They'll have some to-night."</p> + +<p>Again an angry flush mounted her cheeks:</p> + +<p>"You wish them to be captured?"</p> + +<p>"It will be a wholesome lesson."</p> + +<p>Betty leaned closer and grasped his hand with trembling eagerness.</p> + +<p>"O John—John, dear, this is madness! General McClellan has been +accused of treason already—this surely is the basest betrayal of his +country——"</p> + +<p>The man shook his head stubbornly:</p> + +<p>"No—it's the highest patriotism. My Commander is brave enough to dare +the authorities at Washington for the good of his country. The sooner +this farce under Pope ends the better—no man of second rate ability can +win against the great Generals of the South."</p> + +<p>The girl's keen brown eyes looked steadily into his and her lips +trembled.</p> + +<p>"I call it treachery—the betrayal of his country for his selfish +ambitions! I'm surprised that you sympathize with him."</p> + +<p>John frowned, was silent and then turned to her with a smile:</p> + +<p>"Let's not talk about it, dear. The day's too beautiful. We're alone +together. This is not your battle—nor mine—it's Pope's—let him fight +it out. I love you—that's all I want to think about to-day."</p> + +<p>The golden brown curls were slowly shaken:</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> your battle and it's mine—O John dear, I'm heartsick over it! +The President's anguish clouded the morning for me, but the thought of +you made me forget. Now I'm scared. You've surprised and shocked me."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, dear!" he pleaded.</p> + +<p>She looked at him with quick, eager yearning.</p> + +<p>"You love me?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Can you doubt it?"</p> + +<p>"With every beat of your heart?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Will you do something for me?" she begged.</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"Just for me, because I ask it, John, and you love me?"</p> + +<p>"If I can."</p> + +<p>"I want you to resign immediately from McClellan's staff, report at the +War Department and let the President give you new duties——"</p> + +<p>The man shot her a look of angry amazement:</p> + +<p>"You can't mean this?"</p> + +<p>Again the soft, warm hand that had slipped its glove grasped his. He +could feel her slim, little fingers tremble. She had turned very pale:</p> + +<p>"I'm in dead earnest. I love you, dear, with my whole heart, and it's my +love that asks this. I can't think of you betraying a solemn trust. The +very thought of it cuts me to the quick. If this is true, General +McClellan should be court-martialed."</p> + +<p>The man's square jaws closed with a snap:</p> + +<p>"Let them try it if they dare——"</p> + +<p>"The President will dare if he believes it his duty."</p> + +<p>"Then he'll hear something from the hundred and fifty thousand soldiers +who have served under McClellan."</p> + +<p>The little hand pressed harder.</p> + +<p>"Won't you, for my sake, dear,—just because I'm your sweetheart and you +love me?"</p> + +<p>The stalwart figure suddenly stiffened:</p> + +<p>"And you could respect a man who would do a thing like that?"</p> + +<p>"For my sake?—Yes."</p> + +<p>"No, you think you could. But you couldn't. No woman can really love a +poltroon or a coward."</p> + +<p>"I'm not asking you to do a cowardly thing——"</p> + +<p>"To desert my leader in a crisis?"</p> + +<p>"To wash your hands of treachery and selfish ambitions."</p> + +<p>"But it's not true," he retorted. "You mustn't say that. McClellan's a +leader of genius—brave, true, manly, patriotic."</p> + +<p>"I've a nobler ideal of patriotism——"</p> + +<p>"Your blundering backwoodsman in the White House?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. He has but one thought—that the Union shall be saved. He has no +other ambition. If McClellan succeeds, he rejoices. If he fails, he is +heartbroken. I know that he has defended him against the assaults of his +enemies. He has refused to listen to men who assailed his loyalty and +patriotism. This generous faith your Chief is betraying to-day. That you +defend him is horrible—O John, dear, I can't—I won't let you stay! You +must break your connection with this conspiracy of vain ambition. The +country is calling now for every true, unselfish man—please!"</p> + +<p>He lifted his hand in firm protest:</p> + +<p>"And for that very reason I stand firmly by the man I believe destined +to save my country."</p> + +<p>"You won't change Commanders because I ask it?"</p> + +<p>He was silent a moment and a smile played about the corners of his lips:</p> + +<p>"Would you change because I asked it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then come over from Lincoln to McClellan," he laughed.</p> + +<p>"And join your group of conspirators—never!"</p> + +<p>"Not if I ask it, because I love you?"</p> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="betty" id="betty"></a><img src="images/004.jpg" + alt=""Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."" title=""Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."" /> +<br /> +"Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."</p> + +<p>Her brown eyes sparkled with anger:</p> + +<p>"You'll not find this a joke!"</p> + +<p>"That's why I treat it seriously, my dear," was the firm reply. "If I +could throw up my position in this war on the sudden impulse of my +sweetheart, I'd be ashamed to look a man in the face—and you would +despise me!"</p> + +<p>"If your Commander succeeds to-day in bringing disaster to our army I'll +despise you for aiding him——"</p> + +<p>"Let's not discuss it—please, dear!" he begged with a frown.</p> + +<p>"As you please," was the cold reply.</p> + +<p>They rode on in silence, broken only by the increasing roar of the great +guns at Manassas. Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips. +Her anger steadily rose with every throb of Pope's cannon. Each low +thunder peal on the horizon now was a cry for help from dying mangled +thousands and the man she loved refusing to hear.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the picture of his brother flashed before her vision, the +high-strung, clean young spirit, chivalrous, daring, fighting for what +he knew to be right—right because right is right, and wrong is wrong.</p> + +<p>She looked at John Vaughan with a feeling of fierce anger. Between the +two men she preferred the enemy who was fighting in the open to win or +die. Her soul went out to Ned in a wave of tender admiration. Her wrath +against his brother steadily rose.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she drew her rein:</p> + +<p>"You need come no further. I'll ride back home alone."</p> + +<p>He bit his lips without turning and was silent. She touched her horse +with her whip and galloped swiftly toward Washington.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The last day of Pope's brief campaign ended in the overwhelming disaster +of the second battle of Bull Run. The sound of his cannon reached +McClellan's ears, but the organizer of the Army of the Potomac, though +ordered to do so, never joined his rival.</p> + +<p>Once more the army of the Union was hurled back on Washington in panic, +confusion and appalling disaster. Lee and Jackson had crushed Pope's +hosts with a rapidity and case that struck terror to the heart of the +Nation. General Pope lost fifteen thousand men in a single battle. Lee +and Jackson lost less than half as many.</p> + +<p>The storm broke over McClellan's head at Washington on his arrival. +Stanton and Halleck and Pope accused him of treachery. The hot heads +demanded his arrest and trial by court-martial.</p> + +<p>The President shook his head, but sadly added:</p> + +<p>"He has acted badly toward Pope. He really wanted him to fail."</p> + +<p>And then began the search to find the man once more to weld the +shattered army into an efficient fighting force.</p> + +<p>Abraham Lincoln asked himself this question with a sense of the deepest +and most solemn responsibility. He must answer at the bar of his +conscience before God and his country. Again he brushed aside every +adviser inside and outside his Cabinet and determined on his choice +absolutely alone.</p> + +<p>Early on the morning of September 2nd John Vaughan looked from the +window of General McClellan's house and saw the giant figure of the +President approaching, accompanied by Halleck.</p> + +<p>When his aide announced this startling fact, the General coolly said:</p> + +<p>"It means my arrest, no doubt. I'm ready. Let them come."</p> + +<p>The President was not kept waiting this time. His General was there to +receive him.</p> + +<p>The rugged face was pale and drawn.</p> + +<p>"General McClellan," he began without ceremony, "I have come to ask you +to take command of all the returning troops for the defense of +Washington."</p> + +<p>The short, stalwart figure of the General suddenly straightened, his +blue eyes flashed with amazement and then softened into a misty +expression. He bowed with dignity and quietly said:</p> + +<p>"I accept the position, sir."</p> + +<p>"I need not repeat," the President went on, "that I disapprove some +things you have done. I have made this plain to you. I do this because I +believe it's best for our country. I assume its full responsibility and +I expect great things of you."</p> + +<p>The President bowed and left the astonished General and his still more +astonished aide gazing after his long swinging legs returning to the +White House.</p> + +<p>He had done the most unpopular act of his entire administration. His +decision had defied the fiercest popular hostility. He faced a storm of +denunciation which would have appalled a less simple and masterful man. +The Cabinet meeting which followed the startling news was practically a +riot. He listened to all his excited Ministers had to say with +patience. When they had spoken their last word of bitter disapproval he +quietly rose and ended the tumultuous session with two or three +sentences which none could answer:</p> + +<p>"There is no one in the army who can man these fortifications and lick +these troops of ours into shape half as well as he can. McClellan is a +great engineer—of the stationary type, perhaps. But we must use the +tools we have! If he cannot fight himself, at least he excels in making +others ready to fight."</p> + +<p>He waited for an answer and none came. He had not only averted a Cabinet +crisis but his remorseless common sense and his unswerving adherence to +what he saw was best had strengthened his authority over all his +councillors.</p> + +<p>When the rest had gone he turned to the young man who knew him best, his +Secretary, John Nicolay, and gripped his arm with a big hand which was +trembling:</p> + +<p>"The most painful duty of my official life, Boy! There has been a +design, a purpose in breaking down Pope without regard to the +consequences to the country that is atrocious. It's shocking to see and +know this, but there is no remedy at present. McClellan has the army +with him and I must use him."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XVI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE CHALLENGE</a></h3> + + +<p>"One war at a time," the President said to his Secretary of State when +he proposed a foreign fight. He must now strangle Northern public +opinion to enforce this principle.</p> + +<p>Captain Wilkes had overhauled the British Steamer <i>Trent</i> on the high +seas, searched her and taken the Confederate Commissioners Mason and +Slidell by force from her decks.</p> + +<p>The people of the North were mad with joy over the daring act. Congress, +swept off its feet by the wave of popular hysteria, proclaimed Wilkes a +hero and voted their thanks. The President did not move with current +opinion. He had formed the habit in boyhood of thinking for himself, and +had never allowed himself to take his cues for action from second-hand +suggestions. From the first he raised the question of Wilkes' right to +stop the vessel of a friendly nation on the high seas, search her and +take her passengers prisoners by force of arms.</p> + +<p>The backwoods lawyer questioned, too, the right of a naval officer to +turn his quarter-deck into a court and decide questions of international +law offhand. He raised the point at once whether these men thus captured +might not be white elephants on the hands of the Government. Moreover +he reminded his Cabinet that we had fought England once for daring to do +precisely this thing.</p> + +<p>Great Britain promptly drew her sword and made ready for war.</p> + +<p>Queen Victoria's Government not only demanded that the return of these +passengers be made at once with an apology, but did it in a way so +offensive that a less balanced man in power would have lost his head and +committed the fatal blunder.</p> + +<p>The tall, quiet Chief Magistrate was equal to the occasion. Great +Britain had ordered her navy on a war footing, dispatched eight thousand +troops to Canada to strike by land as well as sea, allowing us but seven +days in which to comply with all her demands or hand Lord Lyons his +passports.</p> + +<p>The President immediately dictated a reply which forced her Prime +Minister to accept it and achieved for the Nation the establishment of a +principle for which we had fought in vain in 1812.</p> + +<p>He ordered the prisoners returned and an apology expressed. His apology +was a two-edged sword thrust which Great Britain was compelled to take +with a groan.</p> + +<p>"In 1812," the President said, "the United States fought because you +claimed the right to stop our vessels on the high seas, search them and +take by force British subjects found thereon. Our country in making this +surrender, adheres to the ancient principle for which we contended and +we are glad to find that Her Majesty's Government in demanding this +surrender thereby renounces an error and accepts our position."</p> + +<p>Lord Palmerston made a wry face, but was compelled to accept the +surrender, and with it seal his own humiliation as a beaten diplomat. +War with England at this moment would have meant unparalleled disaster. +France had ambitions in Mexico and she was bound in friendship to +England. The two great Nations of Europe would have been hurled against +our divided country with the immediate recognition of the Confederacy.</p> + +<p>The President forced this return of the prisoners and apparent surrender +to Great Britain in the face of the blindest and most furious outbursts +of popular rage.</p> + +<p>Gilbert Winter rose in the Senate and in thunderous oratory voiced the +well-nigh unanimous feeling of the millions of the North of all parties +and factions:</p> + +<p>"I warn the administration against this dastardly and cowardly surrender +to a foreign foe! The voice of the people demand that we stand firm on +our dignity as a Sovereign Nation. If the President and his Cabinet +refuse to listen they will find themselves engulfed in a fire that will +consume them like stubble. They will find themselves helpless before a +power that will hurl them from their places!"</p> + +<p>The President was still under the cloud of public wrath over this affair +when the crisis of the problem of emancipation became acute. The gradual +growth of the number of his bitter foes in Washington he had seen with +deep distress. And yet it was inevitable. No man in his position could +administer the great office whose power he was wielding without fear or +favor and not make enemies. And now both friend and foe were closing in +on him with a well-nigh resistless demand for emancipation.</p> + +<p>Hour after hour he sat patiently in his office receiving these +impassioned delegations.</p> + +<p>Old Edward was standing at the door again smiling and washing his hands:</p> + +<p>"A delegation of editors, presenting Mr. Horace Greeley's 'Prayer of +Twenty Millions.'"</p> + +<p>The patient eyes were lifted front his desk, and the strong mouth firmly +pressed:</p> + +<p>"Let them in."</p> + +<p>The President rose in his easy, careless manner:</p> + +<p>"I'm glad to see you, gentlemen. You are the leaders of public opinion. +The people rule this country and I am their servant. What is it?"</p> + +<p>The Chairman of the Committee stepped forward and gravely handed him an +engrossed copy of Greeley's famous editorial, "The Prayer of Twenty +Millions," demanding the immediate issue of a proclamation of +emancipation.</p> + +<p>The Chairman bowed and spoke in earnest tones:</p> + +<p>"As the representatives of millions of readers we present this 'Prayer' +with our endorsement and the request that you act. In particular we call +your attention to these paragraphs:</p> + +<p>"'A great portion of those who brought about your election and all those +who desire the unqualified suppression of the rebellion, are sorely +disappointed, pained and surprised by the policy you seem to be pursuing +with regard to the slaves of rebels. I write to set before you +succinctly and unmistakably what we require, what we have a right to +expect and of what we complain.</p> + +<p>"'We think you are unduly influenced by the counsels, the +representations and the menaces of certain fossil politicians from the +Border Slave States, knowing as you do, that the loyal citizens of these +States do not expect that Slavery shall be upheld, to the prejudice of +the Union.</p> + +<p>"'We complain that the Union cause has suffered and is now suffering +immensely from the mistaken course which you are pursuing and +persistently cling to, in defense of slavery. We complain that the +confiscation act which you approved is being wantonly and wholly +disregarded by your Generals, apparently with your knowledge and +consent.</p> + +<p>"'The seeming subserviency of your policy to the slave holding, slave +upholding interest is the perplexity and the despair of statesmen of all +parties. Whether you will choose to listen to their admonishment or wait +for your verdict through future history, or at the bar of God, I do not +know. I can only hope.'"</p> + +<p>The President's sombre eyes met his with a penetrating flash and rested +on Senator Winter who remained in the background. He took the paper, +laid it carefully on his desk, threw his right leg across the corner of +the long table in easy, friendly attitude and began his reply +persuasively:</p> + +<p>"The editor of the <i>Tribune</i>, gentleman, if on my side, is equal to an +army of a hundred thousand men in the field. I've known this from the +first. Against me he throws this army in the rear and fires into my +back. My grievance is that his Prayer which you have made yours is being +used for ammunition in this rear attack. It should have been presented +to me first, if it were a genuine prayer. I have read it carefully. It +is full of blunders of fact and reasoning, but it fairly expresses the +discontent in the minds of many. Its unfair assumptions will poison +millions of readers against me——"</p> + +<p>He paused, opened a drawer in his desk, took from it a sheet of paper on +which he had written in firm, clear hand a brief message in reply, and +turned to his petitioners:</p> + +<p>"And therefore, gentlemen, I have written a few words in answer to this +attack. I ask you to give it the same wide hearing you have accorded the +assault. I'll read it to you:</p> + +<p>"'Dear Sir:—I have just read yours of the 19th instant addressed to +myself through the <i>New York Tribune</i>.</p> + +<p>"'If there be in it any statements or assumptions of fact, which I know +to be erroneous, I do not now and here controvert them.</p> + +<p>"'If there be any influences which I believe to be falsely drawn, I do +not now and here argue against them.</p> + +<p>"'If there be perceptible in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I +waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always +supposed to be right.</p> + +<p>"'As to the policy I seem to be pursuing, as you say, I have not meant +to leave anyone in doubt. I would save the Union. I would save it in the +shortest way under the Constitution.</p> + +<p>"'The sooner the National authority can be restored, the nearer the +Union will be,—the Union as it was.</p> + +<p>"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time save Slavery, I do not agree with them.</p> + +<p>"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time destroy Slavery, I do not agree with them.</p> + +<p>"'<i>My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to save or +destroy Slavery</i>.</p> + +<p>"'If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it. And +if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it. And if I +could save it by freeing some, and leaving others alone, I would also do +that.</p> + +<p>"'What I do about Slavery and the colored race I do because I believe it +helps to save the Union, and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not +believe it would help to save the Union.</p> + +<p>"'I shall do less whenever I believe what I am doing hurts the cause, +and I shall do more, whenever I believe doing more will help the cause.</p> + +<p>"'I shall try to correct errors, when shown to be errors, and I shall +adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.</p> + +<p>"'I have stated my purpose, according to my view of official duty, and I +intend no modification of my oft expressed personal wish, that all men +everywhere could be free.'"</p> + +<p>A moment of death-like stillness followed the reading. The members of +the committee had unconsciously pressed nearer. Some of them stood with +shining eyes gazing at the rugged, towering figure as if drawn by a +magnet. The stark earnestness and simplicity of his defense had found +their hearts. The daring of it fairly took their breath.</p> + +<p>Senator Winter turned to his nearest neighbor and growled:</p> + +<p>"Bah! The trouble is Lincoln's a Southerner—born in the poisoned slave +atmosphere of the South. He grew up in Southern Indiana and Illinois. +His neighbors there were settlers from the South. He has never breathed +anything but Southern air and ideals. It's in his blood. Only a man born +in the South could have written that document——"</p> + +<p>The listener looked up suddenly:</p> + +<p>"I believe you are right. Excuse me—I want to speak to the long-legged +Southerner. I've never seen him before."</p> + +<p>To the astonishment of the Senator, the editor pushed his way into the +group who were shaking hands with the President.</p> + +<p>He paused an instant, extended his hand and felt the rugged fingers +close on it with a hearty grip. Before he realized it he was saying +something astounding—something the farthest possible removed from his +thoughts on entering the room.</p> + +<p>"I want to thank you, sir, for that document. The heart of an unselfish +patriot speaks through every word. I came here to criticise and find +fault. I'm going home to stand by you through thick and thin. You've +given us a glimpse inside."</p> + +<p>Both big hands were now clasping his and a mist was clouding the +hazel-grey eyes.</p> + +<p>"The Senator accuses you," he went on, "of being a Southerner. He must +be right. No Northern man could have seen through the clouds of passion +to-day clearly enough to have written that letter. You can see things +for all the people, North, South, East and West. God bless you—I'm +going home to fight for you and with you——"</p> + +<p>In angry amazement Senator Winter saw most of the men he had led to +this carefully planned attack walk up and pledge their loyalty to his +smiling foe. He turned on his heel and left, his jaw set, his blue eyes +dancing with fury.</p> + +<p>Old Edward was again rubbing his hands apologetically at the door:</p> + +<p>"A body of clergymen from Chicago, sir——"</p> + +<p>"Clergymen from Chicago?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know they ever used such things in Chicago!"</p> + +<p>He caught his knee in his big hands, leaned back and laughed heartily. +The doorman looked straight ahead and managed to keep his solemn +countenance under control.</p> + +<p>"All right, let them in, Edward."</p> + +<p>The reverend gentlemen solemnly filed into the executive office. They +looked around in evident amazement at its bare poverty-stricken +appearance. They had been shocked at the threadbare appearance of the +White House grounds as they entered. This room was a greater shock—this +throbbing nerve centre of the Nation. In the middle stood the long, +plain table around which the storm-racked Cabinet were wont to gather. +There was not a single piece of ornamental or superfluous furniture +visible. It appeared almost bare. A second-hand upright desk stood by +the middle window. In the northwest corner of the room there were racks +with map rollers, and folios of maps on the floor and leaning against +the wall.</p> + +<p>The well-dressed, prosperous-looking gentlemen gazed about in a critical +way.</p> + +<p>Their spokesman was a distinguished Bishop who knew that he was +distinguished and conveyed the information in every movement of his +august body.</p> + +<p>"We have come, Mr. President," he solemnly began, "as God's messengers +to urge on you the immediate and universal emancipation of every slave +in America."</p> + +<p>The faintest suggestion of a smile played about the corners of the big, +firm mouth as he rose and began a reply which greatly astonished his +visitors. They had come to lecture him and before they knew it the lamb +had risen to slay the butchers.</p> + +<p>"I am approached, gentlemen," he said softly, "with the most opposite +opinions and advice, and that by religious men, who are equally certain +that they represent the Divine Will. I am sure that either one or the +other class is mistaken in that belief, and perhaps in some respects, +both. I hope it will not be irreverent for me to say that if it is +probable that God would reveal His will to others on a point so +connected with my duty, it might be supposed He would reveal it directly +to me——"</p> + +<p>He paused just an instant and his bushy eyebrows were raised a trifle as +if in search of one friendly face in which the sense of humor was not +dead. He met with frozen silence and calmly continued:</p> + +<p>"Unless I am more deceived in myself than I often am, it is my earnest +desire to know the will of Providence in this matter. And if I can learn +what it is I will do it! These are not, however, the days of miracles, +and I suppose it will be granted that I am not to expect a direct +revelation. I must study the plain physical facts of the case, ascertain +what is possible, and learn what appears to be wise and right. The +subject is difficult and good men do not agree——"</p> + +<p>"We are all agreed to-day!" the leader interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Even so, Bishop, but we are not all here to-day."</p> + +<p>The gentle irony was lost on the great man, and the President went on +good-naturedly:</p> + +<p>"What good would a proclamation of emancipation do as we are now +situated? Shall I issue a document that the whole world will see must be +of no more effect that the Pope's bull against the comet? Will my words +free the slaves when I cannot even enforce the Constitution in the rebel +States? Is there a single court or magistrate, or individual that will +be influenced by it there? I approved the law of Congress which offers +protection and freedom to the slaves of rebel masters who come within +our lines. Yet I can not learn that the law has caused a single slave to +come over to us.</p> + +<p>"Now then, tell me, if you please, what possible result of good would +follow the issuing of such a proclamation as you desire? The greatest +evils might follow it—among them the revolt of the Border Slave States +which we have held loyal with so much care, and the desertion from the +ranks of our armies of thousands of Democratic soldiers who tell us +plainly that they are not fighting and they're not going to fight to +free negroes!</p> + +<p>"Understand me, I raise no objection against it on legal grounds. As +Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy in time of war, I suppose I have +a right to take any measure which may best subdue the enemy. Nor do I +urge objections of a moral nature in view of possible consequences of +servile insurrection and massacre in the South. I view this matter now +as a practical war measure. Has the moment arrived when I can best +strike with this weapon?</p> + +<p>"Do not misunderstand me because I have mentioned objections. They +indicate some of the difficulties that have thus far prevented my action +in some such way as you desire. I have not decided against a +proclamation of liberty to the slaves. I hold the matter under +advisement. And I can assure you that the subject is on my mind, by day +and night more than any other. What shall appear to be God's will I will +do——"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and a smile illumined his dark face:</p> + +<p>"But I cannot see, gentlemen, why God should be sending his message to +me by so roundabout route as the sinful city of Chicago. I trust that in +the freedom with which I have canvassed your views and expressed my own, +I have not in any respect injured your feelings."</p> + +<p>The ice was broken at last and the men of God began to smile, press +forward and shake his hand. They came his critics, and left his friends.</p> + +<p>And yet no hint was given to a single man present that his Emancipation +Proclamation had been written two months before and at this moment was +lying in the drawer of the old desk before which he sat. Long before the +revelation of God's will through these clergymen he had discussed its +provisions before his Cabinet and enjoined absolute secrecy. Men from +all walks of life came to advise the backwoods lawyer on how to save the +country. He listened to all and then did exactly what he believed to be +best.</p> + +<p>His plan had long been formed on the subject of the destruction of +Slavery. His purpose was to accomplish this great task in a way which +would give his people a just and lasting peace. He held the firm +conviction that the North was equally responsible with the South for the +existence of Slavery, and that the Constitution which he had sworn to +defend and uphold guaranteed to the slave owner his rights. He was +determined to free the slaves if possible, but to do it fairly and +honestly and then settle the question for all time by colonizing the +negro race and removing them forever from physical contact with the +white.</p> + +<p>At his request Congress had already passed a bill providing for the +colonization of emancipated slaves. He now sent for a number of +representative negroes to hear his message and deliver it to their +people.</p> + +<p>Old Edward ushered them into his office with a look of unmistakable +superiority.</p> + +<p>It was a strange meeting—this facing for the first time between the +supreme representative of the dominant race of the new era and the freed +black men whose very existence the President held to be an eternal +menace against the Nation's future. It is remarkable that the first +words Abraham Lincoln ever addressed as President to an assemblage of +negroes should have been the words which fell from his lips.</p> + +<p>The ebony faces, their cream-colored teeth showing with smiles and their +wide rolling eyes roaming the room made a striking and dramatic contrast +to the rugged face and frame of the man who addressed them.</p> + +<p>"Your race is suffering," he began with distinct, clean cut emphasis, +"in my judgment the greatest wrong inflicted on any people. But even +when you cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed from being placed +on an equality with the white race. On this broad continent not a +single man of your race is made the equal of a single man of ours. Go +where you are treated best and the ban is still upon you. I cannot alter +it if I would.</p> + +<p>"It is better for us both, therefore, to be separated. One of the +principal difficulties in the way of colonization is that the free +colored man cannot see that his comfort would be advanced by it. For the +sake of your race you should sacrifice something of your present +comfort. In the American Revolution sacrifices were made by the men +engaged in it. They were cheered by the future.</p> + +<p>"The Colony of Liberia is an old one, is in a sense a success and it is +open to you. I am arranging to open another in Central America. It is +nearer than Liberia—within seven days by steamer. You are intelligent +and know that success does not so much depend on external help as on +self-reliance. Much depends on yourself. If you will engage in the +enterprise, I will spend some of the money intrusted to me. This is the +practical part of my wish to see you. I ask you then to consider it +seriously, not for yourselves merely, <i>nor for your race and ours for +the present time, but for the good of mankind</i>."</p> + +<p>He dismissed his negro hearers and sent again for the representatives of +the Border Slave States. Here his plan must be set in motion. He +proposed to pay for the slaves set free and arrange for their +colonization.</p> + +<p>He spoke with deep emotion. His soul throbbed with passionate tenderness +in every word.</p> + +<p>"You are patriots and statesmen," he solemnly declared, "and as such I +pray you to consider this proposition, and at the least commend it to +the consideration of your States and people. Our common country is in +grave peril demanding the loftiest views and boldest action to bring it +speedy relief. You can make it possible to accomplish the just +destruction of this curse of our life. It will bring emancipation as a +voluntary process, leaving the least resentment in the minds of our +slave-holders. It will not be a violent war measure, to be remembered +with fierce rebellious anger. It will pave the way for good feeling at +last between all sections when reunited. It is reasonable. It is just. +It will leave no cause for sectional enmity. This plan of gradual +emancipation with pay for each slave to his owner will secure peace more +speedily and maintain it more permanently than can be done by force +alone. Its cost could be easier paid than the additional cost of war and +would sacrifice no blood at all.</p> + +<p>"In giving freedom to the <i>slave</i>, we <i>assure</i> freedom to the +<i>free</i>—honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall +nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. Other means may +succeed. This could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, +just—a way which if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God +must forever bless."</p> + +<p>His tender, eloquent appeal fell on deaf ears. The men who represented +the Border Slave States refused to permit the question of tampering with +Slavery to be submitted to their people—no matter by what process, with +or without pay.</p> + +<p>They demanded with sullen persistence that the President defy all shades +of Northern opinion and stand squarely by his Inaugural address. In vain +he pointed out to them that the fact of a desperate and terrible war, +costing two million dollars a day and threatening the existence of the +Government itself, had changed the conditions under which he made that +pledge.</p> + +<p>When the President at last introduced into Congress through his +spokesman the bill appropriating fifteen million dollars with which to +pay for their slaves, the men from the Border States united with the +Democrats and defeated it!</p> + +<p>With a sorrowful heart and deep forebodings of the future he turned to +his desk and drew forth the document he had written declaring as an act +of war against the States in rebellion that their slaves should be free.</p> + +<p>He read its provisions again with the utmost care. He made no attack on +Slavery, or the slave-holder. He was striking the blow against the +wealth and power of the South for the sole purpose of crippling her +resources and weakening her power to continue the struggle to divide the +Union. There was in it not one word concerning the rights of man or the +equal rights of black and white men. His mind was absolutely clear on +that point. The negro when freed would be an alien race so low in the +scale of being, so utterly different in temperament and character from +the white man that their remaining in physical contact with each other +in our Republic was unthinkable. In the Emancipation Proclamation +itself, therefore, he had written the principles of the colonization of +the negro race. The two things were inseparable. He could conceive of no +greater calamity befalling the Nation than to leave the freed black man +within its borders as an eternal menace to its future happiness and +progress.</p> + +<p>He called his Secretary and ordered a Cabinet meeting to fix the date on +which to issue this momentous document to the world—a challenge to +mortal combat to his foes in all sections.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XVII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE DAY'S WORK</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter held John Vaughan's note in her hand staring at its message +with increasing amazement:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Little Sweetheart</span>:</p> + +<p>"The President has just called General McClellan again to the chief +command. His act vindicates my loyalty. Our quarrel is too absurd. +Life is too short, dear, for this—it's only long enough for love. +May I see you at once?</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"John." +</p> + +<p>Could it be true? For a moment she refused to believe it. The President +had expressed to her his deep conviction of McClellan's guilt. How could +he reverse his position on so vital and tremendous a matter over night? +And yet John Vaughan was incapable of the cheap trick of lying to make +an engagement.</p> + +<p>A newsboy passed yelling an extra.</p> + +<p>"Extra—Extra! General McClellan again in the saddle! Extra!"</p> + +<p>It was true—he had made the appointment. What was its meaning? Had they +forced the President into this humiliating act? If the General were +really guilty of destroying Pope and overwhelming the army in defeat, +his treachery had created the crisis which forced his return to power. +The return under such conditions would not be a vindication. It would be +a conviction of crime.</p> + +<p>She would see the President at once and know the truth. The question cut +the centre of John Vaughan's character. The orderly who brought the note +was waiting for an answer.</p> + +<p>She called from the head of the stairs:</p> + +<p>"Tell Mr. Vaughan there is no answer to-day."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss."</p> + +<p>With quick salute he passed out and Betty stood irresolute as she +listened to the echo of his horse's hoof-beat growing fainter. It was +only six o'clock, but the days were getting shorter and it was already +dark. She could walk quickly down Pennsylvania Avenue and reach the +White House before dinner. He would see her at any hour.</p> + +<p>In five minutes she was on the way her mind in a whirl of speculation on +the intrigue which might lie behind that sensational announcement. She +was beginning to suspect her lover's patriotism. A man could love the +South, fight and die for it and be a patriot—he was dying for what he +believed to be right—God and his country. But no man could serve two +masters. Her blood boiled at the thought of a conspiracy within the +lines of the Union whose purpose was to betray its Chief. If John +Vaughan were in it, she loved him with every beat of her heart, but she +would cut her heart out sooner than sink to his level!</p> + +<p>She became conscious at last of the brazen stares of scores of +brutal-looking men who thronged the sidewalks of the Avenue.</p> + +<p>Gambling dens had grown here like mushrooms during the past year of +war's fevered life. The vice and crime of the whole North and West had +poured into Washington, now swarming with a quarter of a million strange +people.</p> + +<p>The Capital was no longer a city of sixty thousand inhabitants, but a +vast frontier post and pay station of the army. And such a pay station! +Each day the expenditures of the Government were more than two millions. +The air was electric with the mad lust for gain which the scent of +millions excites in the nostrils of the wolves who prey on their fellow +men. The streets swarmed with these hungry beasts, male and female. They +pushed and crowded and jostled each other from the sidewalks. The roar +of their whiskey-laden voices poured forth from every bar-room and +gambling den on the Avenue.</p> + +<p>A fat contractor who had made his pile in pasteboard soles for army +shoes and sent more boys to the grave from disease than had been killed +in battle, touched elbows with the hook-nosed vulture who was sporting a +diamond pin bought with the profits of shoddy clothes that had proven a +shroud for many a brave soldier sleeping in a premature grave.</p> + +<p>They were laughing, drinking, smoking, swearing, gambling and all +shouting for the flag—the flag that was waving over millions they hoped +yet to share.</p> + +<p>A feeling of sickening fear swept the girl's heart. For the first time +in her life she was afraid to be alone on the brightly lighted streets +of Washington at dusk. The poison of death was in the air. Every +desperate passion that stirs the brute in man was written in the +bloodshot eyes that sought hers. The Nation was at war. To cheat, +deceive, entrap, maim, kill the enemy and lay his home in desolation was +the daily business now of the millions who backed the Government. +Whatever the lofty aims of either of the contending hosts, they sought +to win by war and this was war. It was not to be wondered at that this +spirit should begin to poison the springs of life in the minds of the +weak and send them forth to prey on their fellows. It was not to be +wondered at that men planned in secret to advance their own interests at +the expense of their fellows, to climb the ladder of wealth and fame in +this black hour no matter on whose dead bodies they had to walk.</p> + +<p>With a pang of positive terror Betty asked herself the question whether +the man she loved had been touched by this deadly pestilence? A wave of +horror swept her. A drunken brute brushed by and thrust his bloated face +into hers.</p> + +<p>With a cry of rage and fear she turned and ran for two blocks, left the +Avenue at the corner and hurried back to her home.</p> + +<p>She would wait until morning and see the President before the crowd +arrived.</p> + +<p>He greeted her with a joyous shout:</p> + +<p>"Come right in, Miss Betty!"</p> + +<p>With long, quick stride he met her and grasped her hand, a kindly +twinkle in his eye:</p> + +<p>"And how's our old grizzly bear, your father, this morning?"</p> + +<p>"He's still alive and growling," she laughed.</p> + +<p>The President joined heartily:</p> + +<p>"I'll bet he is," he said, "and hates me just as cordially as ever?"</p> + +<p>Betty nodded.</p> + +<p>"But his beautiful daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Was never more loyal to her Chief!"</p> + +<p>"Good. Then my administration is on a sound basis. You want no office. +You ask no favors. Such clear, pure, young eyes in the morning of life +don't make mistakes. They know."</p> + +<p>"But I've come to ask you something this morning——"</p> + +<p>The smile faded into a look of seriousness.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" he asked quickly.</p> + +<p>Betty hesitated and the red blood slowly mounted to her cheeks. He led +her to a seat, beside his chair, touched her hand gently and whispered:</p> + +<p>"Tell me."</p> + +<p>"I hope you won't think me presumptuous, Mr. President, if I ask you to +tell me why you recalled General McClellan?"</p> + +<p>The rugged face suddenly flashed with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Presumptuous?" he laughed. "My dear child, if you could have heard a +few things my Cabinet had to say to me in this room on that subject! The +tender deference with which you put the question is the nearest thing to +an endorsement I have so far received! Go as far as you like after that +opening. It will be a joy to discuss it with you. Presumptuous—Oh, my +soul!"</p> + +<p>He caught his knee between his hands and rocked with laughter at the +memory of his Cabinet scene.</p> + +<p>Reassured by his manner Betty leaned closer:</p> + +<p>"You remember the morning you gave me the pass to Alexandria?"</p> + +<p>"To see a certain young man?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>"You distinctly gave me the impression that morning that you were sure +General McClellan was betraying his trust in his failure to support +General Pope and that your confidence in him was gone forever."</p> + +<p>"Did I?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then it wasn't far from the truth," he gravely admitted.</p> + +<p>"And yet you recalled him to the command of the army?"</p> + +<p>"I had to."</p> + +<p>"Had to?"</p> + +<p>"It was the only thing to do."</p> + +<p>Betty spoke in a whisper:</p> + +<p>"You mean that their conspiracy had become so dangerous there was no +other way?"</p> + +<p>He threw her a searching look, was silent a moment and slowly said:</p> + +<p>"That's a pointed question, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"I'm a member of your Cabinet, you know——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know—but why do <i>you</i> happen to ask me such a dangerous +question at this particularly trying moment? Come, my little bright +eyes, out with it?"</p> + +<p>"The certain young man and I are not very happy——"</p> + +<p>"You've quarrelled?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"About what?"</p> + +<p>"You."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean it, Miss Betty?" he said incredulously.</p> + +<p>Her eyes were dim and she nodded.</p> + +<p>"But why about me?"</p> + +<p>"I saw things which confirmed your suspicions. He admitted his desire +that General Pope should fail and defended McClellan's indifference. We +quarrelled. I asked him to resign from the staff of his Chief——"</p> + +<p>"You didn't!" he exclaimed softly, his deep eyes shining.</p> + +<p>"I did—and he refused."</p> + +<p>Again the big hands both closed on hers:</p> + +<p>"God bless you, child! So long as I hold such faith from hearts like +yours, I know that I'm right. They can say what they please about +me——"</p> + +<p>"You see," she broke in, "if he is in this conspiracy and they have +forced you to this surrender, he is equally guilty of treachery——"</p> + +<p>"And you hold him responsible for his Commander's ambitions?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The President sprang to his feet and paced the floor a moment, stopped +and gazed at her with a look of curious tenderness:</p> + +<p>"By jinks, Miss Betty, if I had a few more like you in my Cabinet I +wouldn't be so lonesome!"</p> + +<p>"They did force you?" she demanded.</p> + +<p>"Not as you mean it, my child. I'm not going to pretend to you that I +don't understand the seriousness of the situation. The Army of the +Potomac is behind McClellan to a man. It amounts to infatuation. I +sounded his officers. I sounded his men. To-day they are against me and +with him. If the issue could be sprung—if the leaders dared to risk +their necks on such a revolution, they might win. They don't know this +as clearly as I do. Because they are not so well informed they are +afraid to move. I have chosen to beat them at their own game——"</p> + +<p>He paused and laughed:</p> + +<p>"I hate to shatter your ideal, Miss Betty, but I'm afraid there's +something of the fox in my make-up after all. Will it shock you to learn +this?"</p> + +<p>"I shall be greatly relieved to know it," she responded firmly.</p> + +<p>"Think, then, for a moment. I suspend McClellan for his failure and +replace him with a man I believe to be his superior. The army sullenly +resent this change. They do not agree with me. They believe McClellan +the greatest General in sight. It's a marvellous thing this power over +men which he possesses. It can be used to create a Nation or destroy +one. It's a dangerous force. I must handle it with the utmost care. So +long as their idol is a martyr the army is unfit for good service. The +moment I restore the old commander, in whom both officers and men have +unbounded faith, I show them that I am beyond the influence of the +political forces which demand his destruction—don't I?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And the moment I dare to brave popular disapproval and restore their +commander don't you see that I win the confidence of the army in my +fairness and my disinterested patriotism?"</p> + +<p>"Of course."</p> + +<p>"See then what must happen. Now mind you, I would never have restored +McClellan to command if I did not know that at this moment he can do the +work of putting this disorganized and defeated army into fighting shape +better than any other. McClellan thus returned to power must fight. He +must win or lose. If he wins I am vindicated and his success is mine. If +he loses, he loses his power over the imagination of his men and at last +I am master of the situation. I shall back him with every dollar and +every man the Nation can send into his next campaign. No matter whether +he wins or loses, I <i>must</i> win because the supremacy of the civil power +will be restored."</p> + +<p>"I see," Betty breathed softly.</p> + +<p>She rose with a new look of reverence for a great mind.</p> + +<p>"And the civil power was not supreme when you restored McClellan to his +command?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Betty, you'd make a good lawyer!" he laughed.</p> + +<p>"Was it?" she persisted.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," she said, rising and extending her hand. "I learned exactly +what I wished to know."</p> + +<p>"And you'll stop quarreling?"</p> + +<p>"If he's reasonable——"</p> + +<p>He lifted his long finger in solemn warning.</p> + +<p>"Remember now! This administration is honestly and sincerely backing +General McClellan for all it's worth. It has always done this. We are +going to try to make even a better record in the next campaign——"</p> + +<p>"When will it open?"</p> + +<p>"Sooner than any of us wish it, if our scouts report the truth. Flushed +with his great victory over Pope, General Lee is sure to invade +Maryland. The campaign will be a dangerous and crucial one. The moment +Lee crosses the Potomac, his communications with Richmond will be +imperiled. If he dares to do it we can crush his army in a great battle, +cut his communications with Richmond, drive his men into the Potomac and +end the war. I have given McClellan the opportunity of his life. I pray +God to give success——"</p> + +<p>Edward appeared at the door.</p> + +<p>"Well, what is it?"</p> + +<p>"The crowd, sir—they are clamoring to get in."</p> + +<p>Betty hurried into the family apartments to speak to Mrs. Lincoln, her +mind in a whirl of resentment against John Vaughan.</p> + +<p>The President turned to the crowd which had already poured into the +room.</p> + +<p>As usual, the cranks and inventors led the way. The inventors found the +President an easy man to talk to. His mind was quick to see a good point +and always open to conviction. He had once patented a device for getting +flat boats over shoals himself. His immediate approval of the first +model of Ericsson's famous <i>Monitor</i> had led to its adoption in time to +meet and destroy the <i>Merrimac</i> in Hampton Roads on the very day the +iron terror had sent his big ships to the bottom. He allowed no inventor +to be turned from the door of the White House no matter how ridiculous +his hobby might appear. The inventions relating to the science of war he +would test himself on the big open field between the White House grounds +and the river.</p> + +<p>The first inventor in line carried the model of a new rifle which would +shoot sixteen times. The army officers believed in the idea of a single +shell breech loader on account of the simplicity of its mechanism. Our +muskets were still muzzle loaders and the men were compelled to use +ramrods to load.</p> + +<p>The President examined the new gun with keen interest, pulled his black, +shaggy beard thoughtfully, looked at the breathless inventor, and slowly +mused:</p> + +<p>"Well, now as the fat girl said when she pulled on her stocking, it +strikes me there's something in it!"</p> + +<p>The inventor laughed with nervous joy, and watched him write a card of +endorsement:</p> + +<p>"Take that to the War Department, and tell them I like your idea—I want +them to look into it."</p> + +<p>His face wreathed in smiles, the man pushed his way through the crowd, +and hurried to the War Department.</p> + +<p>The next one was a little fellow who had a gun of marvellous model, +double-barrelled, with the barrels crossed. The President adjusted his +spectacles and took a second look before he made any comment. He lifted +his bristling eyebrows:</p> + +<p>"What's it for?"</p> + +<p>"For cross-eyed men, sir!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"You don't say?" he roared.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the little man continued eagerly. "The cross-eyed men ain't +never had no chance in this war. They turn 'em all down. They won't take +'em as soldiers. That gun'll fix 'em. Push a regiment o' good cross-eyed +men to the front with that gun a-pourin' hot lead from two barrels at +the same time an' every man er cross firin' at the enemy an' we'll jist +natchally make hash outen 'em, sir——"</p> + +<p>"And we may need the cross-eyed men, too, before the war ends." The +sombre eyes twinkled thoughtfully. "Thank you, my friend, when I draft +the cross-eyed men come in again and we'll talk it over. Your heart's +in the right place, anyhow."</p> + +<p>He glanced doubtfully at the little skillet-shaped head and reached over +his shoulder for the next one. It was a bullet proof shirt for +soldiers—a coat of mail which weighed fifty pounds.</p> + +<p>"How long do you think a man could march with that thing on and the +thermometer at ninety-eight in the shade?"</p> + +<p>He handed it back with a shake of his head and grasped the next one—a +model water-tight canoe to fit the foot like a snow shoe.</p> + +<p>"What's the idea?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Shoe the army with <i>my</i> canoes, sir, and they can all walk on +water——"</p> + +<p>"And yet they say the age of miracles has passed! Take it over to old +Neptune's office. He's a sad man at times and I like him. This ought to +cheer him."</p> + +<p>The next one was a man of unusually interesting face. A typical Yankee +farmer with whiskers spilling over his collar from his neck and +bristling up against his clean shaven chin. He handed the President a +model of a new musket. He examined it with care and fixed the man with +his gaze:</p> + +<p>"Well, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Hit's the rekyle, sir," he explained softly. "Hit's the way she's hung +on the stock."</p> + +<p>"Oh——"</p> + +<p>"Ye see, sir," he went on earnestly, "a gun ought not to rekyle, and ef +hit rekyles at all, hit ought to rekyle a leetle forred——"</p> + +<p>"Right you are!" the President roared with laughter. "Your logic's sound +whether your gun kicks or not. I say so, too. A gun ought <i>not</i> to +rekyle at all, and if it does rekyle, by jinks, it ought to rekyle and +hit the other fellow, not us!"</p> + +<p>The tall figure dropped into the chair by his desk and laughed again.</p> + +<p>"Come in again, Brother 'Rekyle' and we'll talk it over when I've got +more time."</p> + +<p>The stocky, heavy set figure of the Secretary of War suddenly pushed +through the crowd and up to the desk. Stanton's manner had always been +rude to the point of brusqueness and insult. The tremendous power he was +now wielding in the most important Department of the Government had not +softened his temper or improved his manners. The President had learned +to appreciate his matchless industry and sterling honesty and overlooked +his faults as an indulgent father those of a passionate and willful +child.</p> + +<p>Stanton's eyes were flashing through his gold rimmed glasses the wrath +he found difficult to express.</p> + +<p>The President looked up with a friendly smile:</p> + +<p>"Well, Mars, what's the trouble now?"</p> + +<p>Stanton shook his leonine locks and beard in fury at the use of the +facetious word. He loathed levity of any kind and the one kind he could +not endure was the quip that came his way.</p> + +<p>He regarded himself seriously every day, every hour, every minute in +every hour. He was the incarnate soul of Mars on earth. He knew and felt +it. He raged at the President's use of the term because he had a +sneaking idea that he was being laughed at—and that by a man who was +his inferior and yet to whom he was rendering indispensable service.</p> + +<p>An angry retort rose to his lips, but he suppressed the impulse. It was +a waste of breath. The President was a fool—he would only laugh again +as he had done before. And so he plunged straight to the purpose of his +call:</p> + +<p>"Before you get to your usual batch of passes and pardons this morning I +want to protest again, Mr. President, against your persistent +interference with the discipline of the army and the affairs of my +Department. Your pardons are hamstringing the whole service, sir. It +must stop if you expect your generals to control their men!"</p> + +<p>"Is that all, Mars?" the even voice asked.</p> + +<p>"It is, sir!"</p> + +<p>"Thanks for the spirit that prompts your rage. I know you're right about +most of these things. I'll do my best to help and not hinder you——"</p> + +<p>"There's a woman coming here this morning to present a petition over my +head."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see——"</p> + +<p>"I have refused it and I demand that you support, not make a fool of +me."</p> + +<p>He turned without waiting for an answer and strode from the room.</p> + +<p>The President whispered to Nicolay:</p> + +<p>"We may have to put a few bricks in Stanton's pocket yet, John!"</p> + +<p>He glanced toward the waiting crowd and whispered again:</p> + +<p>"Any news to-day from the front before I go on?"</p> + +<p>Nicolay drew a telegram from his file:</p> + +<p>"Only this dispatch, sir, announcing the capture of fifty mules and two +brigadier generals by Stuart's cavalry——"</p> + +<p>"Fifty mules?"</p> + +<p>"And two brigadier generals."</p> + +<p>"Fifty mules—and they're worth two hundred dollars a piece. Tell 'em to +send a regiment after those mules. Jeffy D. can have the generals."</p> + +<p>A slender little dark-haired girl about fifteen years old, with big +wistful blue eyes, had taken advantage of the pause to slip close. When +the President lifted his head she caught his eyes. He rose immediately +and drew her to his side.</p> + +<p>"You're all alone, little girl?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," she faltered.</p> + +<p>"And what can I do for you?"</p> + +<p>"If you please, I want to pass through the lines to Virginia—my +brother's there—he was shot in the last battle. I want to see him."</p> + +<p>"Of course you do," the kindly voice agreed, "and you shall."</p> + +<p>He wrote the pass and handed it to her.</p> + +<p>She murmured her thanks and he placed his big hand on her dark head and +asked casually:</p> + +<p>"Of course you're loyal?"</p> + +<p>The young lips quivered, she hesitated, looked up into his face through +dimmed eyes, and the slender body suddenly stiffened, as she slowly +said:</p> + +<p>"Yes—to the heart's core—to Virginia!"</p> + +<p>The trembling fingers handed the pass back and the tears rolled down her +cheeks.</p> + +<p>The tall man dared not look down again. Something about this slim +wistful girl brought back over the years the memory of the young mother +who had come from the hills of old Virginia.</p> + +<p>He was still for a moment, stooped, and took her hand in his. His voice +was low and tender and full of feeling:</p> + +<p>"I know what it cost you to say that, child. You're a brave, glorious +little girl, if you are a rebel. I love you for this glimpse you've +given me of a great spirit. I'm sure I can trust you. If I let you go, +will you promise me faithfully that no word shall pass your lips of what +you've seen inside our lines?"</p> + +<p>"I promise!" she cried, smiling through her tears.</p> + +<p>He handed her back the pass and slowly said:</p> + +<p>"May God bless you—and speed the day when your people and mine shall be +no longer enemies."</p> + +<p>He turned again to his desk, and beside it stood a quiet woman dressed +in black.</p> + +<p>He bowed to her with easy grace:</p> + +<p>"And how can I serve you, Madam?"</p> + +<p>She smiled hopefully:</p> + +<p>"You have children, Mr. President?"</p> + +<p>A look of sorrow overspread the dark face.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said reverently, "I have two boys now. I had three, but God +has just taken one of them."</p> + +<p>"I had two," the mother responded. "Both of them went into the army to +fight for their country and left me alone. One has been killed in +battle. I tried to be brave about it. I said over and over again, 'the +Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed is the name of the Lord!' +But I had to give up. I'm all alone in my little place in the mountains +of Pennsylvania and I can't endure it. I know they say I have no right +to ask, but I want my last boy to come home. All night I lie there alone +and cry. Can't you let me have my boy back? He's all I've got on +earth—others have more. I have only this one. I'm just a +woman—lonely, heartsick and afraid. They say I can't have him. But I've +come to ask you. I've heard that you have a loving heart——"</p> + +<p>She stopped suddenly.</p> + +<p>"You have seen Stanton?" the President asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. He wouldn't listen. He swore I shouldn't have him."</p> + +<p>The hazel-grey eyes gazed thoughtfully out the window across the shining +river for a moment.</p> + +<p>"I have two," he murmured, "and you have only one. It isn't fair. You +shall have your boy."</p> + +<p>He turned to his desk and wrote the order for his discharge. The mother +pressed close, gently touched with the tips of her fingers his thick +black hair and softly cried while he was writing.</p> + +<p>She took the precious paper, tried to speak and choked.</p> + +<p>"Go away now," the President whispered, "or you'll have me crying in a +minute."</p> + +<p>When the last man had gone he stood alone before his window in brooding +silence. A tender smile overspread his face and he drew a deep breath. +In the hills of Pennsylvania he saw a picture—a mother in the door of a +humble home waiting for her boy. He is coming down the road with swift, +strong step. She sees and rushes to meet him with a cry of joy, holds +him in her arms without words a long, long while and will not let him +go. And then she leads him into the house, falls on her knees and thanks +God.</p> + +<p>He smiles again and forgets the burden of the day.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XVIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">DIPLOMACY</a></h3> + + +<p>In the whirlwind of passion, intrigue, slander and hate which had +circled the head of the new President since the day of his Inauguration, +the mother of his children had not been spared.</p> + +<p>The First Lady of the Land had found her position as difficult in its +way as her husband had found his. She had met the cynical criticism at +first with dignity, reserve, and contempt. But as it increased in +violence and virulence she had more than once lost her temper. She had +never been blessed with the serenity of spirit that with Lincoln in his +trying hours touched the heights of genius.</p> + +<p>She was just a human little woman who loved her husband devotedly and +hated every man and woman who hated him. And when her patience was +exhausted she said things as she thought them, with a contempt for +consequences as sublime as it was dangerous.</p> + +<p>From the moment of the opening of the war she hated the South, not only +because the Southern people had flung the shadow of death over her +splendid social career and blighted the brightest dream of her life by +war, but she had a more intimate and personal reason for this hatred. +Her own flesh and blood had gone into the struggle against her and the +husband she loved. Both her brothers born in the South, were in the +Confederate army fighting to tear the house down over her head. One of +these brothers had been made the Commandant of Libby Prison in Richmond. +The woman in her could never forgive them.</p> + +<p>And yet men in the North who sought the destruction of her husband saw +how they might use the fact of her Southern kin to their own gain, and +did it with the most cruel and bitter malignity.</p> + +<p>One thing she was determined to do—maintain her position in a way to +put it beyond the reach of petty spite and gossip. She had always +resented the imputation of boorishness and lack of culture his enemies +had made against the man she loved. She held it her first duty, +therefore, to maintain her place as the First Lady of the Land in a way +that would still those slanderous tongues. For this reason her dresses +had been the most elaborate and expensive the wife of any Chief +Magistrate of the Republic had ever worn. Her big-hearted, careless +husband had no more idea of the cost of such things than a new-born +babe.</p> + +<p>Lizzie Garland, the negro dressmaker, to whom she had given her +patronage, practically spent her entire time with the President's wife, +who finally became so contemptuous of unreasonable public criticism in +Washington that she was often seen going to Lizzie Garland's house to be +fitted.</p> + +<p>As Lizzie bent over her work basting the new seams in fitting her last +dress, the Mistress of the White House suddenly stopped the nervous +movement of her rocking-chair.</p> + +<p>"He demands a thousand dollars to-night, Lizzie?"</p> + +<p>"Swears he'll take the whole account to the President to-morrow unless +he gets it, Madam."</p> + +<p>"You tried to make him reasonable?"</p> + +<p>"Begged him for an hour."</p> + +<p>"That's what I get for trading with a little rat in Philadelphia. I'll +stick to Stewart hereafter."</p> + +<p>She rose with a gesture of nervous rage:</p> + +<p>"Well, there's no help for it then. I must ask him. I dread it. Mr. +Lincoln calls me a child—a spoiled child. He's the child. He has no +idea of what these things cost. Why can't a Nation that spends two +millions a day on contractors and soldiers give its President a salary +he can live on?"</p> + +<p>She threw herself on the lounge and gave way for a moment to despair.</p> + +<p>"He'll give it to you, of course, when you ask it," Lizzie ventured +cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"If I'm diplomatic, yes. But I hate to do it. He's harassed enough. I +wonder sometimes if he's human to stand all he does. If he knew the +truth—O my God——"</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, Madam," Lizzie pleaded. "It will come out all right. The +President is sure to be re-elected."</p> + +<p>"That's it, is he? I'm beginning to lose faith. He'll never win if the +scoundrels in Washington can prevent it. There's just one man in +Congress his real friend. I can't make him see that the hypocrites he +keeps in his Cabinet are waiting and watching to stab him in the back. +But what's the use to talk, I've got to face it to-day—ask Phœbe to +come here."</p> + +<p>"Let me go, Madam," Lizzie begged. "I hate the sight of that woman. I +suspect her of nosing into our affairs."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" was the contemptuous answer. "Phœbe's just a big, fat, +black, good-natured fool. It rests me to look at her—she's so much +fatter than I am."</p> + +<p>With a shrug of her shoulders the dressmaker rose and rang for the +colored maid, who had just entered Mrs. Lincoln's service.</p> + +<p>Phœbe walked in with a glorious smile lighting her dusky face. Seeing +her mistress lying down at the unusual hour of eleven o'clock in the +morning, she rushed to her side:</p> + +<p>"Laws of mussy, Ma'am, ain't you well!"</p> + +<p>"Just a little spell of nerves, Phœbe, something that never worries +your happy soul——"</p> + +<p>"No, Ma'am, dat dey don't!" the black woman laughed.</p> + +<p>"Hand me a pencil and pad of paper."</p> + +<p>Phœbe executed her order with quick heavy tread, and stood looking +while her mistress scribbled a note to her husband.</p> + +<p>"Take that to the President, and see that he comes."</p> + +<p>Phœbe courtesied heavily:</p> + +<p>"Yassam, I fetch him!"</p> + +<p>The Hon. Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, was engaged with +the President when Phœbe presented herself at the door of the executive +office.</p> + +<p>John Hay tried in vain to persuade her to wait <i>a</i> few minutes. Phœbe +brushed the young diplomat aside with scant ceremony.</p> + +<p>"G'way fum here, Boy!" she laughed. "Miss Ma'y sent me ter fetch 'im +right away. An' I gwine ter fetch 'im!"</p> + +<p>She threw her ponderous form straight through the door and made for the +Chief Magistrate.</p> + +<p>Mr. Chase was delivering an important argument, but it had no weight +with her.</p> + +<p>She bowed and courtesied to the President.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, Governor," he said with a smile. "Good morning, Phœbe."</p> + +<p>"Good mornin', sah."</p> + +<p>She extended the note with a second dip of her ponderous form:</p> + +<p>"Yassah, Miss Ma'y send dis here excommunication ter you, sah!"</p> + +<p>"You don't say so?" the President cried, breaking into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Yassah."</p> + +<p>"Then I'm excommunicated, Governor!" he nodded to Chase. "I must read +the edict." He adjusted his glasses and glanced at the note:</p> + +<p>"Your mistress is lying down?"</p> + +<p>"Yassah, she's sufferin' fum a little spell er nervous prosperity, +sah—dat's all—sah——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all?"</p> + +<p>"Yassah."</p> + +<p>The President roared with laughter, in which Phœbe joined.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Phœbe, tell her I'll be there in a minute——"</p> + +<p>"Yassah."</p> + +<p>"And Phœbe——"</p> + +<p>The maid turned as she neared the door:</p> + +<p>"Yassah?"</p> + +<p>"I hope you'll always bring my messages from your mistress——"</p> + +<p>"Yassah."</p> + +<p>"I like you, Phœbe. You're cheerful!"</p> + +<p>"I tries ter be, sah!" she laughed, swinging herself through the door.</p> + +<p>The President threw his big hands behind his head, leaned back, and +laughed until his giant frame shook.</p> + +<p>The dignified and solemn Secretary of the Treasury scowled, rose, and +stalked from the room.</p> + +<p>"Sorry I couldn't talk longer, Chase."</p> + +<p>"It's all right," the Secretary replied, with a wave of his hand.</p> + +<p>The President found his wife alone.</p> + +<p>"I hope nothing serious, Mother?" he said tenderly.</p> + +<p>"I've a miserable headache again. Why were you so long?"</p> + +<p>"I was with Governor Chase."</p> + +<p>"And what did the old snake in the grass want this time?"</p> + +<p>The President glanced toward the door uneasily, sat down by her side and +touched her hand:</p> + +<p>"You should be more careful, Mother. Servants shouldn't hear you say +things like that——"</p> + +<p>The full lips came together with bitter firmness:</p> + +<p>"I'll say just what I think when I'm talking to you, Father—what did he +want?"</p> + +<p>"He offered his resignation as my Secretary of the Treasury."</p> + +<p>His wife sprang up with flashing eyes:</p> + +<p>"And you?"</p> + +<p>"Refused to accept it."</p> + +<p>"O my Lord, you're too good and simple for this world! You're a babe—a +babe in the woods with wolves prowling after you from every tree and you +won't see them! You know that he's a candidate against you for the +Presidency, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"You know that he never loses an opportunity to sneer at you behind your +back?"</p> + +<p>"I've heard so."</p> + +<p>"You know that he's hand in glove with the conspirators in Congress who +are trying to pull you down?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps."</p> + +<p>"You know that he's the greatest letter writer of the age? That he +writes as many letters to your generals in the field as old Winter—that +he writes to every editor he knows and every politician he can +influence, and that the purpose of these letters is always the same—to +pull you down?"</p> + +<p>"Possibly."</p> + +<p>"You have this chance to put your foot on this frozen snake's head and +yet you bring him into your house again to warm him into life?"</p> + +<p>"Chase is a great Secretary of the Treasury, my dear. The country needs +him. I can't afford to take any chances just now of a change for the +worse."</p> + +<p>"He has no idea of leaving. He's only playing a game with you to +strengthen himself—can't you see this?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe."</p> + +<p>"And yet you submit to such infamy in your own Cabinet?"</p> + +<p>"It's not a crime, Mother, to aspire to high office. The bee is in poor +Chase's bonnet. He can't help it. I've felt the thing tickle myself. If +he can beat me let the best man win——"</p> + +<p>"Don't—don't—don't say such fool things," his wife cried. "I'll +scream! You need a guardian. You have three men in your Cabinet who are +using their positions to climb into the Presidency over you—old Seward, +Chase and now Stanton, and you smile and smile and let them think you +don't know. You'll never have a united and powerful administration until +you kick those scoundrels out——"</p> + +<p>"Mother—Mother—you mustn't——"</p> + +<p>"I will—I'll tell you the truth—nobody else does. I tell you to kick +these scoundrels out and put men in their places who will loyally +support you and your policies!"</p> + +<p>"I've no right in such an hour to think of my own ambitions, my dear," +was the even, quiet answer. "Seward is the best man for his place I know +in the country. Stanton is making the most efficient War Secretary we +have ever had. Chase is a great manager of our Treasury. I'm afraid to +risk a new man. If these men can win over me by rendering their country +a greater service than I can, they ought to win——"</p> + +<p>"But can't you see, you big baby, that it isn't the man who really gives +the greatest service that may win? It's the liar and hypocrite +undermining his Chief who may win. Won't you have common sense and send +those men about their business? Surely you won't lose this chance to get +rid of Chase. Won't you accept his resignation?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>There was a moment's tense silence. The wife looked up appealingly and +the rugged hand touched hers gently.</p> + +<p>"I think, Father, you're the most headstrong man that God ever made!"</p> + +<p>The dark, wistful face brightened:</p> + +<p>"And yet they say I'm a good-natured, easy-going fellow with no +convictions?"</p> + +<p>"They don't know you——"</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Mother, we don't see it the same way, but one of us has to +decide these things, and I suppose I'm the one."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," she admitted wearily.</p> + +<p>"But tell me," he cried cheerfully, "what can I do right now to make you +happy? You sent for me for something. You didn't know that Chase was +there, did you?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated and answered cautiously:</p> + +<p>"It doesn't matter whether I did or not. You refuse to listen to my +advice."</p> + +<p>He bent nearer in evident distress:</p> + +<p>"What can I do, Mother?"</p> + +<p>"I need some money. Since Willie's death last winter I've thought +nothing of my dresses for the next season. I must begin to attend to +them. I need a thousand dollars."</p> + +<p>"To-day?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>He looked at her with a twinkle playing around the corner of his eyes as +he slowly rose:</p> + +<p>"Send Phœbe in for the check."</p> + +<p>"Ring for her, please."</p> + +<p>He pulled the old-fashioned red cord vigorously, walked back to the +lounge, put his hands in his pockets and looked at his wife in a comical +way.</p> + +<p>"Mother," he said at last, "you're a very subtle woman. You'd make a +great diplomat if you didn't talk quite so much."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XIX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE REBEL</a></h3> + + +<p>While Betty Winter was still brooding in angry resentment over the +problem of John Vaughan's guilt in sharing the treason of his Chief, the +army was suddenly swung into the field to contest Lee's invasion of +Maryland.</p> + +<p>The daring venture of the Confederate leader had developed with +startling rapidity. The President was elated over the probable +annihilation of his army. He knew that half of them were practically +barefooted and in rags. He also knew that McClellan outnumbered Lee and +Jackson two to one and that the Southerners, no longer on the defensive, +but aggressors, would be at an enormous disadvantage in Maryland +territory.</p> + +<p>That Lee was walking into a death trap he was morally sure.</p> + +<p>The Confederate leader was not blind to the dangers of his undertaking. +Conditions in the South practically forced the step. It was of the +utmost importance that he should have full and accurate information +before his move, and a group of the coolest and bravest young men in his +army were called on to go into Washington as scouts and spies and bring +this report. Men who knew the city were needed.</p> + +<p>Among the ten selected for the important mission was Ned Vaughan. He had +been promoted for gallantry on the field at Malvern Hill, and wore the +stripes of a lieutenant. He begged for the privilege of risking his life +in this work and his Colonel could not deny him. He had proven on two +occasions his skill on secret work as a scout before the second battle +of Bull Run. His wide circle of friends in Washington and the utter +change in his personal appearance by the growth of a beard made his +chances of success the best of any man in the group.</p> + +<p>He was anxious to render his country the greatest possible service in +such a crisis, but there was another motive of resistless power. He was +mad to see Betty Winter. He knew her too well to believe that if he took +his life in his hand to look into her eyes she could betray him.</p> + +<p>His disguise in the uniform of a Federal Captain was perfect, his forged +pass beyond suspicion. He passed the lines of the Union army +unchallenged and spent his first night in Washington in Joe Hall's +famous gambling saloon on Pennsylvania Avenue. He arrived too late to +make any attempt to see Betty. He stood for half an hour on the corner +of the street, gazing with wistful eyes at the light in her window. He +dared not call and involve her in the possibility of suspicion. He must +wait with caution until she left the house and he could speak to her +without being recognized. If he failed to get this chance he would write +her as a last resort.</p> + +<p>In Hall's place he found scores of Congressmen and men from every +department of the Government service. Old Thaddeus Stevens, the leader +of the war party in the House, was playing for heavy stakes, his sullen +hard face set with grim determination.</p> + +<p>He watched a young clerk from the War Department stake his last dollar, +lose, and stagger from the table with a haunted, desperate look. Ned +followed him into two saloons and saw the bartenders refuse him credit. +He walked through the door of the last saloon, his legs trembling and +his white lips twitching, stopped and leaned against the wall of the +little bookstore on the corner, the flickering street lamp showing dimly +his ghastly face and eyes.</p> + +<p>Ned glanced uneasily behind him to see that he had not been followed. He +had left under the impression that a secret service man had seen them +both leave. He knew that Baker, the head of the Department, might know +the name of every clerk who frequented a gambling den. No one was in +sight and he debated for a moment the problem of offering this boy the +bribe to get from Stanton's office the information he wanted.</p> + +<p>It was a question of character and his judgment of it. Could he speak +the word to this boy that might send one or both to the gallows? He was +well born. His father was a man of sterling integrity and a firm +supporter of the Union. The boy was twenty-two years old and had been a +pet in the fast circle of society in which he had moved for the last +three years. If his love for his country were the real thing, he would +hand Ned over as a spy without a moment's hesitation. If the mania for +gambling had done its work he would do anything for money.</p> + +<p>Ned's own life was in the decision. He took another look into the +haggard face and made up his mind.</p> + +<p>He started on as if to pass him, stopped suddenly and extended his hand:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Dick, what's up?"</p> + +<p>The boy glowered at him and answered with a snarl:</p> + +<p>"I don't know you——"</p> + +<p>Ned drew a sigh of relief. One danger was passed. He couldn't recognize +him. The rest should be easy.</p> + +<p>"You don't need to, my boy," he whispered. "You're looking for a +friend—money?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I'll sell my soul into hell for it right now," he gasped.</p> + +<p>"You don't need to do that." Ned drew two hundred dollars in gold from +his pocket and clinked the coin.</p> + +<p>"You see that gold?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes—what do you want for it?"</p> + +<p>"I want you to get for me to-morrow morning the exact number of men in +McClellan's army. I want the figures from Stanton's office—you +understand. I want the name of each command, its numbers and its +officers. I know already half of them. So you can't lie to me. Give me +this information here to-morrow night and the gold is yours. Will you do +it?"</p> + +<p>The boy glanced at Ned for a moment:</p> + +<p>"I'll see you in hell first. I've a notion to arrest you—damned if I +don't——"</p> + +<p>He wheeled and started toward the corner.</p> + +<p>Ned's left hand gripped his with the snap of a steel trap, his right +holding his revolver.</p> + +<p>"Don't you be a fool. I know that you're ruined. I saw you in Joe +Hall's——"</p> + +<p>The boy's jaw dropped.</p> + +<p>"You saw me?" he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Yes. You're done for, and you know it. Bring me those figures and I'll +double the pile—four hundred dollars."</p> + +<p>The weak eyes shifted uneasily. He hesitated and faltered:</p> + +<p>"All right. Meet me here at seven o'clock. For God's sake, don't speak +to me if there's anyone in sight."</p> + +<p>All next day Ned watched Betty's house in vain. At dark, in despair and +desperation, he wrote a note.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Miss Betty:</span></p> + +<p>"For one look into your dear eyes I am here. I've tried in vain to +meet you. I can't leave without seeing you. I'll wait in the park +at the foot of the avenue to-morrow night at dusk. Just one touch +of your hand and five minutes near you is all I ask——"</p></div> + +<p>There was no signature needed. She would know. He mailed it and hurried +to his appointment.</p> + +<p>The boy was prompt. There was no one in sight. Ned hurriedly examined +the sheet of paper, verified the known commands and their numbers and, +convinced of its genuineness, handed the money to the traitor.</p> + +<p>"For God's sake, never speak to me again or recognize me in any way," he +begged through chattering teeth. "I got those things from Stanton's desk +and copied them."</p> + +<p>Ned nodded, placed the precious document in his pocket, and watched the +fool hurry with swift feet straight to Joe Hall's place and disappear +within.</p> + +<p>Betty failed to come at the appointed time and he was heartsick. He +would finish his work in six hours to-morrow and he should not lose a +moment in passing the Federal lines. The precious figures he had bought +were memorized and the paper destroyed. In six hours next day he +completed the drawings of the fort on which information had been asked +and was ready to leave.</p> + +<p>But he had not seen Betty. He tried to go and each effort only led him +to the corner from which he watched her house. He lingered until night +and waited an hour again in the dark. And still she had not come. And +then it slowly dawned on him that she must have realized from the moment +she read his message the peril of his position and the danger of his +betrayal in their meeting.</p> + +<p>He turned with quick, firm tread to pass the Federal lines without +delay, and walked into the arms of two secret service men.</p> + +<p>Without a word he was manacled and led to prison. The boy he had bribed +had been under suspicion since his first visits to Joe Hall's. Stanton +had discovered that his desk had been rummaged. Five of his nine +Southern comrades had been arrested and he was the sixth. The rage of +the Secretary of War had been boundless. He had thrown out a dragnet of +detectives and every suspicious character in the city was passing +through it or landing in prison.</p> + +<p>The men stripped him and searched with the touch of experts every stitch +of his clothing, ripped the lining of his coat, opened the soles of his +shoes, split the heels and found nothing. He had been ordered to dress +and given permission to go, when suddenly the officer conducting the +search said:</p> + +<p>"Wait!"</p> + +<p>Ned stopped in the doorway. It was useless to protest.</p> + +<p>"Excuse my persistence, my friend," he said apologetically. "You seem +all right and my men have apparently made a mistake, all the same I'm +going to examine your mouth——"</p> + +<p>Ned's eyes suddenly flashed and his figure unconsciously stiffened.</p> + +<p>"I thought so!" the officer laughed.</p> + +<p>The door was closed and the guard stepped before it.</p> + +<p>And then, with quick sure touch as if he saw the object of his search +through the flesh, the detective lifted Ned Vaughan's upper lip and drew +from between his lips and teeth the long, thin, delicately folded +tinfoil within which lay the tissue drawing of the fort.</p> + +<p>The drumhead court-martial which followed was brief and formal. The +prisoner refused to give his name or any clue to his identity. He was +condemned to be hanged as a spy at noon the next day and locked in a +cell in the Old Capitol Prison.</p> + +<p>On his way they passed Senator Winter's house. Six hours' delay just to +look into her face had cost him his life, but his one hopeless regret +now was that he had failed to see her.</p> + +<p>Betty Winter read the account of the sensational arrest and death +sentence. He had been arrested at the trysting place he had appointed. +She dropped the paper with a cry and hurried to the White House. She +thanked God for the loving heart that dwelt there.</p> + +<p>Without a moment's hesitation the President ordered a suspension of +sentence and directed that the papers be sent to him for review.</p> + +<p>In vain Stanton raged. He shook his fist in the calm, rugged face at +last:</p> + +<p>"Dare to interfere with the final execution of this sentence and I shall +resign in five minutes after you issue that pardon! I'll stand for some +things—but not for this—I warn you!"</p> + +<p>"I understand your position, Stanton," was the quiet answer. "And I'll +let you know my decision when I've reached it."</p> + +<p>With a muttered oath, the Secretary of War left the room.</p> + +<p>Betty bent close to his desk and whispered:</p> + +<p>"You'll give me three days to get his mother here?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I will, child, six days if it's necessary. Get word to her. +If I can't save him, she can say good-bye to her boy. That can't hurt +anybody, can it?"</p> + +<p>With a warm grasp of his hand Betty flew to the telegraph office and +three days later she saw for the first time the broken-hearted mother. +The resemblance was so startling between the mother and both sons she +couldn't resist the impulse to throw her arms around her neck.</p> + +<p>"I came alone, dear," the mother said brokenly, "because his father is +so bitter. You see we're divided at home, too. I'm with John in his love +for the Union—but his father is bitter against the war. It would do no +good for him to come. He hates the President and says he's responsible +for all the blood and suffering—and so I'm alone—but you'll help me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'll help and we'll fight to win."</p> + +<p>The mother held her at arms' length a moment:</p> + +<p>"How sweet and beautiful you are! How happy I am that you love my John! +I'm proud of you. Is John here?"</p> + +<p>Betty's face clouded:</p> + +<p>"No. I telegraphed him to come. He answered that a great battle was +about to be fought and that it was absolutely useless to ask for +pardon——"</p> + +<p>"But it isn't—is it, dear?"</p> + +<p>"No, we'll fight. John doesn't know the President as I do. We'll never +give up—you and I—Mother!"</p> + +<p>Again they were in each other's arms in silence. The older woman held +her close.</p> + +<p>And then came the long, hard fight.</p> + +<p>The President heard the mother's plea with tender patience and shook his +head sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, dear Madam," he said at last, "to find this case so +dangerous and difficult. Our army is approaching a battle. Tremendous +issues hang on the results. It looks now as if this battle may end the +war. The enemy have as good right to send their brave scouts and spies +among us to learn our secrets as we have to send ours to learn theirs. +They kill our boys without mercy when captured. I have just asked +Jefferson Davis to spare the life of one of the noblest and bravest men +I have ever known. He was caught in Richmond on a daring errand for his +country. They refused and executed him. How can I face my Secretary of +War with such a pardon in my hands?"</p> + +<p>The mother's head drooped lower with each sorrowful word and when the +voice ceased she fell on her knees, with clasped hands and streaming +eyes in a voiceless prayer whose dumb agony found the President's heart +more swiftly and terribly than words.</p> + +<p>"O my dear little mother, you mustn't do that!" he protested, seizing +her hands and lifting her to her feet. "You mustn't kneel to me, I'm not +God—I'm just a distracted man praying from hour to hour and day to day +for wisdom to do what's right! I can't stand this—you mustn't do such +things—they kill me!"</p> + +<p>He threw his big hands into the air with a gesture of despair, his face +corpse-like in its ashen agony. He took a step from her and leaned +against the long table in the centre of the room for support.</p> + +<p>Betty whispered something in the mother's ear and led her near again.</p> + +<p>"If you'll just give my boy to me alive," she went on in low anguish, +"I'll take him home and keep him there and I'll pledge my life that he +will never again take up arms against the Union——"</p> + +<p>"You can guarantee me that?" he interrupted, holding her gaze.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure of it. He's noble, high-spirited, the soul of honor. He was +always good and never gave me an hour's sorrow in his life until this +war came——"</p> + +<p>The long arm suddenly swung toward his Secretary:</p> + +<p>"Have the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, brought here immediately. When he +comes, Madam, I'll see what can be done."</p> + +<p>With a sob of joy the mother leaned against Betty, who took her out into +the air until the wagon from the jail should come.</p> + +<p>They had led Ned quickly into the President's office before his mother +and Betty knew of his arrival. His wrists were circled with handcuffs. +The President looked over his spectacles at the irons and spoke sharply:</p> + +<p>"Take those things off him——"</p> + +<p>The guard hesitated, and the high pitched voice rang with angry +authority:</p> + +<p>"Take off those handcuffs, I tell you. His mother'll be here in a +minute—take 'em off!"</p> + +<p>The guard quickly removed the manacles and the President turned to him +and his attendants:</p> + +<p>"Clear out now. I'll call you when I want you."</p> + +<p>Ned bowed:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir."</p> + +<p>"I hope I can do more than that for you, my boy. It all depends on +you——"</p> + +<p>The mother's cry of joy stopped him short as she walked into the door. +With a bound she reached Ned's side, clasped him in her arms and kissed +him again and again with the low caressing words that only a mother's +lips can breathe. He loosened her hands tenderly:</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you came, dear. It's all right. You mustn't worry. This is +war, you know."</p> + +<p>"But we're going to save you, my darling. The President's going to +pardon you. I feel it—I know it. That's why he sent for you. God has +heard my prayer."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you don't understand these things, dear," Ned replied +tenderly. "The President can't pardon me—no one understands that better +than I do——"</p> + +<p>"But he will, darling! He will——"</p> + +<p>Ned soothed her and turned to Betty.</p> + +<p>"Just a moment, Mother, I wish to speak to Miss Betty."</p> + +<p>He took her hand and looked into her face with wistful intensity.</p> + +<p>"One long look at the girl of my dreams and I'll wait for you on the +other side! This is not the way I told you I would return, is it? But +it's war. We must take it as it comes—good-bye—dearest——"</p> + +<p>"O Ned, Boy, the President will pardon you if you'll be reasonable. You +must, for her sake, if not because I ask it."</p> + +<p>"It's sweet of you to try this, dearest, but of course, it's useless. +The President must be just."</p> + +<p>The tall figure rose and Ned turned to face his desk.</p> + +<p>"Young man," he began gently, "you're a soldier of exceptional training +and intelligence. You knew the danger and the importance of your +mission. You have failed and your life is forfeited to the Nation, but +for your mother's sake, because of her love and her anguish and her +loyalty, I have decided to trust you and send you home on parole in her +custody if you take the oath of allegiance——"</p> + +<p>The mother gave a sob of joy.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, Mr. President," was the firm reply, "for your generous +offer for my mother's sake, but I cannot take your oath. I have sworn +allegiance to another Government in the righteousness and justice of +whose cause I live and am ready to die——"</p> + +<p>"Ned—Ned!" the mother moaned.</p> + +<p>"I must, Mother, dear," he firmly went on. "Life is sweet when it's +worth living. But man can not live by bread alone. They have only the +power to kill my body. You ask me to murder my soul."</p> + +<p>He paused and turned to the President, whose eyes were shining with +admiration.</p> + +<p>"I believe, sir, that I am right and you are wrong. This is war. We must +fight it out. I'm a soldier and a soldier's business is to die."</p> + +<p>The tall figure suddenly crossed the space that separated them and +grasped his hand:</p> + +<p>"You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan, the kind of man that saves this world +from hell—the kind that makes this Nation great and worth saving whole! +I wish I could keep you here—but I can't. You know that—good-bye——"</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, sir," was the firm answer.</p> + +<p>The mother began to sob piteously until Betty spoke something softly in +her ear.</p> + +<p>Ned turned, pressed her to his heart, and held her in silence. He took +Betty's hand and bent to kiss it.</p> + +<p>"You shall not die," she whispered tensely. "I'm going to save you."</p> + +<p>She felt the answering pressure and knew that he understood.</p> + +<p>Betty held the mother at the door a moment and spoke in low tones:</p> + +<p>"I can get permission from the President to delay the execution until +his sister may arrive and say good-bye to him in prison the night before +the execution. Wait and I'll get it now."</p> + +<p>The mother stood and gazed in a stupor of dull despair while Betty +pressed to his desk and begged the last favor. It was granted without +hesitation.</p> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="you" id="you"></a><img src="images/005.jpg" + alt=""'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"" title=""'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"" /> +<br /> +"'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"</p> + +<p>The President wrote the order delaying the death for three days and +handed her his card on which was written:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Admit the bearer, the sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, the +night before his execution to see him for five minutes.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"A. Lincoln." +</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, little girl, I couldn't do more for <i>your</i> sake—but you +understand?"</p> + +<p>Betty nodded, returned the pressure of his hand and hurriedly left the +room.</p> + +<p>The hanging was fixed for the following Friday at noon. The pass would +admit his sister on Thursday night. Betty had three days in which to +work. She drew every dollar of her money and went at her task swiftly, +silently, surely, until she reached the guard inside the grim old +prison, who held the keys to the death watch.</p> + +<p>She couldn't trust the sister with her daring plan. She might lose her +nerve. She must impersonate her. It was a dangerous piece of work, but +it was not impossible. She had only to pass the inspectors. The guards +inside were her friends.</p> + +<p>On Thursday night at eight o'clock a carriage drew up at the little red +brick house, on whose door flashed the brass plate sign:</p> + +<p class="center"> <span class="smcap">Elizabeth Garland, Modiste</span> + +She had made an appointment with Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and arranged +for it at this late hour. She must not be seen leaving her father's +house to-night.</p> + +<p>She drove rapidly to the Capitol, stopped her carriage at the north end, +entered the building through the Senate wing, quickly passed out again, +and in a few minutes had presented her pass to the commandant of the Old +Capitol Prison.</p> + +<p>The woman inspector made the most thorough search and finding nothing +suspicious, allowed her to enter the dimly lighted corridor of the death +watch.</p> + +<p>The turnkey loudly announced:</p> + +<p>"The sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan!"</p> + +<p>She met him face to face in the large cell in which the condemned were +allowed to pass their last night on earth. The keen eyes of a guard from +the Inspector's office watched her every act and every movement of her +body.</p> + +<p>Ned stared at her. His heart beat with mad joy. She was going to play +his sister's part! He would take her in his arms for the first time and +feel the beat of her heart against his and their lips would meet. He +laughed at death as he looked into her eyes with the hunger of eternity +gleaming in his own.</p> + +<p>There could be no hesitation on her part.</p> + +<p>She threw both arms around his neck crying:</p> + +<p>"Brave, foolish boy!"</p> + +<p>He held her close, crushed her with one mad impulse, and slowly relaxed +his arms. She would forgive him for this moment of delirium on the brink +of the grave, but he must be reasonable.</p> + +<p>"I am ready to die, now, dearest," he murmured.</p> + +<p>She slowly lifted her lips to his in a long kiss—a kiss that thrilled +body and soul—and pressed into his mouth a tiny piece of tissue paper.</p> + +<p>She stood holding both his hands for a moment and hesitated, glancing at +the guard from the corner of her eye. He was watching with steady +stolid business-like stare. She must play her part to the end carefully +and boldly.</p> + +<p>"I've only this moment just to say good-bye, Boy," she faltered. "I +promised not to stay long." Slowly her arms stole round his neck, and +the blood rushed to his face in scarlet waves.</p> + +<p>"Love has made death glorious, dearest," he breathed tenderly. "God +bless you for coming, for all you have done for me, and for all this +holy hour means to my soul—you understand."</p> + +<p>The tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The plan might fail after +all—the gallows was there in the jail yard lifting its stark arms in +the lowering sky. She pressed his hands hysterically:</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I understand."</p> + +<p>She turned and hurried to the guard:</p> + +<p>"Take me out quickly. I'm going to faint. I can't endure it."</p> + +<p>The guard caught her arm, supporting her as she made her way to the +street.</p> + +<p>In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker's and from there +called another carriage and went home.</p> + +<p>The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened +and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape.</p> + +<p>When the sentinel on his corridor was changed at midnight the blond, +blue-eyed boy would be his friend and explain.</p> + +<p>When he found the rope ladder concealed on the roof it was raining. He +fastened it carefully in the shadow of an offset in the outer wall and +waited for the appearance of the guard. As he passed the gas lamp post +and the flickering light fell on his face he studied it with care. He +was stupid and allowed the rain to dash straight into his fat face. It +should be easy to reach the shadows by a quick leap when he turned +against the rain and reached the length of his beat.</p> + +<p>He calculated to a second the time required to make the descent, threw +himself swiftly to the end of his rope and dropped to the pavement.</p> + +<p>In his eagerness to strike the ground on the run, his foot slipped and +he fell. The guard heard and ran back, blinking his stupid eyes through +the rain. He found a young sport who had lost his way in the storm.</p> + +<p>"I shay, partner," the fallen drunk blubbered. "What'ell's the matter +here? Ain't this Joe Hall's place?"</p> + +<p>"Not by a dam sight."</p> + +<p>"Ah, g'long with yer, f-foolishness—man—and open the door—I'm an old +customer—I ain't no secret service man—I'm all right—open her up——"</p> + +<p>"Here, here, get up an' move on now, I can't fool with you," the guard +growled good-naturedly. He lifted Ned to his feet and helped him to the +end of his beat, waved him a jolly good-night, and turned to his steady +tramp. The rope was still dangling next morning ten feet above his head.</p> + +<p>The sensation that thrilled the War Department was one that made history +for the Nation, as well as the individuals concerned, and for some +unfortunately who were not concerned.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE INSULT</a></h3> + + +<p>The day General Lee's army turned toward the north for the Maryland +shore, the President, with the eagerness of a boy, hurried to +McClellan's house to shake his hand, bid him God's speed and assure him +of his earnest support and good wishes.</p> + +<p>The absurdity of the ruler of a mighty Nation hurrying on foot to the +house of one of his generals never occurred to his mind.</p> + +<p>The autocratic power over the lives and future of millions to which he +had been called had thrown no shadow of vanity or self pride over his +simple life. Responsibility had only made clearer his judgment, +strengthened his courage, broadened and deepened his love for his fellow +man.</p> + +<p>He wished to see his Commanding General and bid him God's speed. The +General was busy and he wished to take up but a few minutes of his time. +And so without a moment's hesitation he walked to his house accompanied +only by Hay, his Assistant Secretary.</p> + +<p>On the way he was jubilant with hope:</p> + +<p>"We've got them now, Boy—we've got them, and this war must speedily +end! Lee will never get into Maryland with fifty thousand effective men. +With the river hemming him in on the rear I'll have McClellan on him +with a hundred thousand well shod, well fed, well armed and with the +finest artillery that ever thundered into battle. We're bound to win."</p> + +<p>"If McClellan can whip him, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course, he's got to do that," was the thoughtful answer. "And +you know I believe he'll do it. McClellan's on his mettle now. His army +will fight like tigers to show their faith in him. He's vain and +ambitious, yes—many great men are. Ambition's a mighty human motive."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid it's bad diplomacy, sir, to go to his house like this—he is +vain, you know," the younger man observed with a frown.</p> + +<p>"Tut, tut, Boy, it's no time for ceremony. Who cares a copper!"</p> + +<p>The clock in the church tower struck ten as Hay sprang up the steps and +rang the bell.</p> + +<p>"I hope he hasn't gone to bed," the Secretary said.</p> + +<p>"At ten o'clock?" the President laughed, "a great general about to march +on the most important campaign of his life—hardly."</p> + +<p>The straight orderly saluted and ushered them into the elegant reception +room—the room so often graced by the Prince de Joinville and the Comte +de Paris, of the General's staff.</p> + +<p>The orderly sniffed the air in a superior butler style:</p> + +<p>"The General has not come in yet, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"We'll wait," was the President's quick response.</p> + +<p>They sat in silence and the minutes dragged.</p> + +<p>The young Secretary, in rising wrath, looked again and again at the +clock.</p> + +<p>"Don't be so impatient, John," the quiet, even voice said. "Great bodies +move slowly, they say—come here and sit down—I'll tell you a secret. +The Cabinet knows it—and you can, too."</p> + +<p>He leaned his giant figure forward in his chair and touched an official +document which he had drawn from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Great events hang on this battle. I've written out here a challenge to +mortal combat for all our foes, North, South, East and West. I'm going +to free the slaves if we win this battle and we're sure to win it——"</p> + +<p>Hay glanced at the door with a startled look.</p> + +<p>"McClellan and I don't agree on this subject and he mightn't fight as +well if he knew it. It's a thing of doubtful wisdom at its best to hurl +this challenge into the face of my foe. But the time has come and it +must be done. We have made no headway in this war, and we must crush the +South to end it. If the Copperhead leaders should get control of the +Democratic party because of it—well, it means trouble at home. Douglas +is dead and the jackal is trying to wear the lion's skin. He may +succeed, but then I must risk it. I'll lose some good soldiers from the +army but I've got to do it. All I'm waiting for now is a victory on +which to launch my thunderbolt——"</p> + +<p>A key clicked in the front door and the quick, firm step of McClellan +echoed through the hall.</p> + +<p>The orderly was reporting his distinguished visitor. They could hear his +low words, and the sharp answer.</p> + +<p>The General mounted the stairs and entered the front room overhead. He +was there, of course, to arrange his toilet. He was a stickler for +handsome clothes, spotless linen and the last detail of ceremony.</p> + +<p>Again the minutes dragged. The tick of the clock on the mantel rang +through the silent room and the face of the younger man grew red with +rage.</p> + +<p>Unable to endure the insolence of a subordinate toward the great +Chieftain, whom he loved with a boy's blind devotion, Hay sprang to his +feet:</p> + +<p>"Let's go, sir!"</p> + +<p>The big hand was quietly raised in a gesture of command and he sank into +his seat.</p> + +<p>Five minutes more passed and the sound of approaching footsteps were +heard quickly, firmly pressed with military precision.</p> + +<p>The President nodded:</p> + +<p>"You see, my son!"</p> + +<p>But instead of the General the handsome figure of his aide, John +Vaughan, appeared in the doorway:</p> + +<p>"The General begs me to say, Mr. President, that he is too much fatigued +to see any one this evening and has retired for the night."</p> + +<p>The orderly stepped pompously to the door to usher them out and John +Vaughan bowed and returned to his commander.</p> + +<p>Hay sprang to his feet livid with rage and spoke to his Chief with +boyish indignation.</p> + +<p>"You are not going to take this insult from him?"</p> + +<p>The tall figure slowly rose and stood in silence.</p> + +<p>"Remove him from his command," the younger man pleaded. "For God's sake +do it now. Write the order for his removal this minute—give it to me! +I'll kick his door open and hand it to him."</p> + +<p>The deep set dreamy eyes were turned within as he said in slow intense +tones:</p> + +<p>"No—I'll hold McClellan's horse for him if he'll give us one victory!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE BLOODIEST DAY</a></h3> + + +<p>The struggle opened with disaster for the Union army. Though Lee's plan +of campaign fell by accident into McClellan's hands, it was too late to +frustrate the first master stroke. Relying on Jackson's swift, +bewildering marches, Lee, in hostile territory and confronted by twice +his numbers, suddenly divided his army and hurled Jackson's corps +against Harper's Ferry. The garrison, after a futile struggle of two +days, surrendered twelve thousand five hundred and twenty men and their +vast stores of war material.</p> + +<p>The contrast between General White, the Federal officer in command who +surrendered, and Jackson, his conqueror, was strikingly dramatic. The +Union General rode a magnificent black horse, was carefully dressed in +shining immaculate uniform—gloves, boots and sword spotless. The +Confederate General sat carelessly on his little shaggy sorrel, dusty, +travel-stained and carelessly dressed.</p> + +<p>The curiosity of the Union army which had surrendered was keen to see +the famous fighter. The entire twelve thousand prisoners of war lined +the road as Jackson silently rode by.</p> + +<p>A voice from the crowd expressed the universal feeling as they gazed:</p> + +<p>"Boys, he ain't much for looks, but, by God, if we'd had him we +wouldn't have been caught in this trap!"</p> + +<p>The first shock of Lee's and McClellan's armies was at South Mountain, +where the desperate effort was made to break through and save Harper's +Ferry. The attempt failed, though the Union forces won the fight. Lee +lost twenty-seven hundred men, killed and wounded and prisoners, and the +Federal general, twenty-one hundred.</p> + +<p>Lee withdrew to Sharpsburg on the banks of the Antietam to meet +Jackson's victorious division sweeping toward him from Harper's Ferry.</p> + +<p>On the first day the Confederate commander made a display of force only, +awaiting the alignment of Jackson's troops. His men were so poorly shod +and clothed they could not be brought into line of battle. When the +fateful day of September 17th, 1862, dawned, still and clear and +beautiful over the hills of Maryland, more than twenty thousand of Lee's +men had fallen by the roadside barefooted and exhausted. When the first +roar of McClellan's artillery opened fire in the grey dawn, they hurled +their shells against less than thirty-seven thousand men in the +Confederate lines. The Union commander had massed eighty-seven thousand +tried veterans behind his guns.</p> + +<p>The President received the first news of the battle with a thrill of +exultation. That Lee's ragged, footsore army hemmed in thus with +Antietam Creek on one side and the broad, sweeping Potomac on the other +would be crushed and destroyed he could not doubt for a moment.</p> + +<p>As the sun rose above the eastern hills a gleaming dull-red ball of +blood, the Federal infantry under Hooker swept into action and drove +the Confederates from the open field into a dense woods, where they +rallied, stood and mowed his men down with deadly aim. Hooker called for +aid and General Mansfield rushed his corps into action, falling dead at +the head of his men as they deployed in line of battle.</p> + +<p>For two hours the sullen conflict raged, blue and grey lines surging in +death-locked embrace until the field was strewn with the dead, the dying +and the wounded.</p> + +<p>Hooker was wounded. Sedgwick's corps swept into the field under a sharp +artillery fire and reached the shelter of the woods only to find +themselves caught in a trap between two Confederate brigades massed at +this point. In the slaughter which followed Sedgwick was wounded and his +command was saved from annihilation with the loss of two thousand men.</p> + +<p>While this desperate struggle raged in the Union right, the centre was +the scene of a still bloodier one. French and Richardson charged the +Confederate position with reckless valor. A sunken road lay across the +field over which they rushed. For four terrible hours the men in grey +held this sunken road until it was piled with their bodies, and when the +last charge of the resistless blue lines took it, they found but three +hundred living men who had been holding it against the assaults of five +thousand—and "Bloody Lane" became immortal in American history.</p> + +<p>It was now one o'clock and the men had fought almost continuously since +the sun rose. The infantry fire slowly slackened and ceased in the Union +right and centre.</p> + +<p>Burnside, who held the Union left, was ordered to advance by the +capture of the stone bridge over the Antietam. But a single brigade +under General Toombs guarding this bridge held an army at bay and it was +one o'clock before the bridge was captured.</p> + +<p>Burnside now pushed his division up the heights against Sharpsburg to +cut Lee's line of retreat. The Confederates held their ground with +desperate courage, though outnumbered here three to one. At last the +grey lines melted and the men in blue swept triumphantly through the +village and on its edge suddenly ran into a line of men clad in their +own blue uniform.</p> + +<p>They paused in wonder. How had their own men gotten in such a position? +They were not left long in doubt. The blue line suddenly blazed with +long red waves of flame squarely in their faces. It was Hill's division +of Jackson's corps from Harper's Ferry. The ragged men had dressed +themselves in good blue suits from the captured Federal storehouse. The +shock threw the Union men into confusion and a desperate charge of the +strange blue Confederates drove them back through the village, and night +fell with its streets still held by Lee's army.</p> + +<p>For fourteen hours five hundred pieces of artillery and more than one +hundred thousand muskets had thundered and hissed their cries of death. +On the hills and valleys lay more than twenty thousand men killed and +wounded.</p> + +<p>Lee's little army of thirty-seven thousand had been cut to pieces, +having lost fourteen thousand. He had but twenty-three thousand left. +McClellan had lost twelve thousand, but had seventy-five thousand left. +And yet so desperate had been the deadly courage with which the grey +tattered army had fought that McClellan lay on his arms for three days.</p> + +<p>The day's work had been a drawn battle, but the President's heart was +broken as he watched in anguish the withdrawal of Lee's army in safety +across the river. It was the last straw. McClellan had been weighed and +found wanting. He registered a solemn promise with God that if the great +Confederate Commanders succeeded in making good their retreat from this +desperate situation he would remove McClellan.</p> + +<p>The Confederates withdrew, rallied their shattered forces safely in +Virginia, and Jeb Stuart once more rode around the Northern army!</p> + +<p>The President issued his Emancipation Proclamation, challenging the +South to war to the death, and flung down the gauntlet to his rival, the +coming leader of Northern Democracy, George Brinton McClellan, by +removing him from command.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">BENEATH THE SKIN</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan saw the blow fall on McClellan's magnificent headquarters +in deep amazement. The idol of the army was ordered to turn over his +command to General Burnside and the impossible had happened.</p> + +<p>Instead of the brilliant <i>coup d'état</i> which he and the entire staff had +predicted, the fallen leader obeyed and took an affectionate leave of +his men.</p> + +<p>McClellan knew, what his staff could not understand, that for the moment +the President was master of the situation. He still held the unbounded +confidence of his officers, but the rank and file of his soldiers had +become his wondering critics. They believed they had crushed Lee's army +at Antietam and yet they lay idle until the skillful Southern Commander +had crossed the Potomac, made good his retreat, and once more insulted +them by riding around their entire lines. The volunteer American soldier +was a good fighter and a good critic of the men who led him. He had his +own ideas about how an army should be fought and maneuvered. As the idol +of fighting men, McClellan had ceased to threaten the supremacy of the +civil law. There was no attempt at the long looked for <i>coup d'état</i>. It +was too late. No one knew this more clearly than McClellan himself.</p> + +<p>But his fall was the bitterness of death to the staff who adored him and +the generals who believed in him. Burnside, knowing the condition of +practical anarchy he must face, declined the command. The President +forced him to accept. He took it reluctantly with grim forebodings of +failure.</p> + +<p>John received his long leave of absence from his Chief and left for +Washington the night before the formal farewell. His rage against the +bungler who ruled the Nation with autocratic power was fierce and +implacable.</p> + +<p>His resentment against the woman he loved was scarcely less bitter. It +was her triumph, too. She believed in the divine inspiration of the man +who sat in the chair of Washington and Jefferson. Great God, could +madness reach sublimer folly! She had written him a letter of good +wishes and all but asked for a reconciliation before the battle. Love +had fought with pride through a night and pride had won. He hadn't +answered the letter.</p> + +<p>He avoided his newspaper friends and plunged into a round of +dissipation. Beneath the grim tragedy of blood in Washington flowed the +ever widening and deepening torrent of sensual revelry—of wine and +women, song and dance, gambling and intrigue.</p> + +<p>The flash of something cruel in his eye which Betty Winter had seen and +feared from the first burned now with a steady blaze. For six days and +nights he played in Joe Hall's place a desperate game, drinking, +drinking always, and winning. Hour after hour he sat at the roulette +table, his chin sunk on his breast, his reddened eyes gleaming beneath +his heavy black brows, silent, surly, unapproachable.</p> + +<p>A reporter from the <i>Republican</i> recognized him and extended his hand:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Vaughan!"</p> + +<p>John stared at him coldly and resumed his play without a word. At the +end of six days he had won more than two thousand dollars from the +house, put it in his pocket, and, deaf to the blandishments of smooth, +gentlemanly proprietor, pushed his way out into the Avenue.</p> + +<p>It was but four o'clock in the afternoon and he was only half drunk. He +wandered aimlessly down the street and crossed in the direction of +hell's half-acre below the Baltimore depot. His uniform was wrinkled, +his boots had not been blacked for a week, his linen was dirty, his hair +rumpled, his handsome black moustache stained with drink, but he was +hilariously conscious that he had two thousand dollars of Joe Hall's +ill-gotten money in his pocket. There was a devil-may-care swing to his +walk and a look in his eye that no decent woman would care to see twice.</p> + +<p>He ran squarely into Betty Winter in the crowd emerging from the depot. +The little bag she was carrying fell from her hands, with a cry of +startled anguish:</p> + +<p>"John—my God!"</p> + +<p>He made no effort to pick up the fallen bag or in any way return the +greeting. He merely paused and stared—deliberately stood and stared as +if stupefied by the apparition. In fact, he was so startled by her +sudden appearance that for a moment he felt the terror of a drunkard's +first hallucination. The thought was momentary. He knew better. He was +not drunk. The girl was there all right—the real thing—living, +beautiful flesh and blood. For one second's anguish the love of her +strangled him. The desire to take her in his arms was all but resistless +in its fierce madness. He bit his lips and scowled in her face.</p> + +<p>"John—John—dearest," she gasped.</p> + +<p>The scowl darkened and he spoke with insulting deliberation: "You have +made a mistake. I haven't the honor of your acquaintance."</p> + +<p>Before Betty could recover from the horror of his answer he had brushed +rudely past her and disappeared in the crowd. She picked up her bag in a +stupor of dumb rage and started home. She was too weak for the walk she +had hoped to take. She called a hack and scarcely had the strength to +climb into the high, old-fashioned seat.</p> + +<p>Never in all her life had blind anger so possessed her soul and body. In +a moment of tenderness she had offered to forgive and forget. It was all +over now. The brute was not worth a tear of regret. She would show him!</p> + +<p>Two weeks later John Vaughan stared into the ebony face of a negro who +had attached himself to his fortune somewhere in the revelry of the +night before. Washington was swarming with these foolish black children +who had come in thousands. They had no money and it had not occurred to +them that they would need any. Their food and clothes had always been +provided and they took no thought for the morrow.</p> + +<p>John had forgotten the fact that he had taken the negro in his hack for +two hours and finally adopted him as his own.</p> + +<p>He sat up, pressed his hand over his aching head and stared into the +grinning face:</p> + +<p>"And what are you doing here, you imp of the devil?"</p> + +<p>Julius laughed and rolled his eyes:</p> + +<p>"I'se yo' man. Don't you min' takin' me up in de hack wid you las' +night?"</p> + +<p>"What's your name?"</p> + +<p>"Julius Cæsar, sah."</p> + +<p>"Then it's all right! You're the man I'm looking for. You're the man +this country's looking for. You're a born fighter——"</p> + +<p>"Na, sah, I'se er cook!"</p> + +<p>"Sh! Say not so—we're going back to war!"</p> + +<p>"All right, sah, I'se gwine wid you."</p> + +<p>"I warn you, Julius Cæsar, don't do it unless you're in for a fight! I'm +going back to fight—to fight to kill. No more red tape and gold braid +for me. I'm going now into the jaws of hell. I'm going into the ranks as +a private."</p> + +<p>"Don't make no difference ter me, sah, whar yer go. I'se gwine wid yer. +I kin look atter yer shoes an' cook yer sumfin' good ter eat."</p> + +<p>"I warn you, Julius! When they find your torn and mangled body on the +field of Death, don't you sit up and blame me!"</p> + +<p>"Don't yer worry, sah. Dey ain't gwine fin' me dar, an' ef dey do, dey +ain't gwine ter be nuttin' tore er mangled 'bout me, I see ter dat, +sah!"</p> + +<p>Three weeks later Burnside's army received a stalwart recruit. Few +questions were asked. The ranks were melting.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE USURPER</a></h3> + + +<p>The answer which the country gave the President's Proclamation of +Emancipation was a startling one, even to the patient, careful +far-seeing man of the people in the White House. For months he had +carried the immortal document in his pocket without even allowing his +Cabinet to know it had been written. He had patiently borne the abuse of +his party leaders and the fierce assaults of Horace Greeley until he +believed the time had come that he must strike this blow—a blow which +would rouse the South to desperation and unite his enemies in the North. +He had finally issued it with grave fears.</p> + +<p>The results were graver than he could foresee. More than once he was +compelled to face the issue of its repeal as the only way to forestall a +counter revolution in the North.</p> + +<p>Desertions from the army became appalling—the number reached frequently +as high as two hundred a day and the aggregate over eight thousand a +month. His Proclamation had provided for the enlistment of negroes as +soldiers. Not only did thousands of men refuse to continue to fight when +the issue of Slavery was injected, but other thousands felt that the +uniform of the Republic had been dishonored by placing it on the backs +of slaves. They refused to wear it longer, and deserted at the risk of +their lives.</p> + +<p>The Proclamation had united the South and hopelessly divided the North. +How serious this Northern division was destined to become was the +problem now of a concern as deep as the size and efficiency of General +Lee's army.</p> + +<p>The election of the new Congress would put his administration to a +supreme fight for existence. If the Democratic Party under its new +leader, Clay Van Alen of Ohio, should win it meant a hostile majority in +power whose edict could end the war and divide the Union. They had +already selected in secret George B. McClellan for their coming standard +bearer.</p> + +<p>For the first time the question of Union or Disunion was squarely up to +the North in an election. And it came at an unlucky moment for the +President. The army in the West had ceased to win victories. The +Southern army under Lee was still defending Richmond as strongly as +ever.</p> + +<p>There was no evading the issue at the polls. The Proclamation had +committed the President to the bold, far-reaching radical and aggressive +policy of the utter destruction of Slavery. The people were asked to +choose between Slavery on the one hand and nationality on the other. The +two together they could not again have.</p> + +<p>The President had staked his life on his faith that the people could be +trusted on a square issue of right and wrong.</p> + +<p>This time he had underestimated the force of blind passions which the +hell of war had raised.</p> + +<p>Maine voted first and cut down her majority for the administration from +nineteen thousand to a bare four thousand. The fact was ominous.</p> + +<p>Ohio spoke next and Van Alen's ticket against the administration swept +the State, returning fourteen Democrats and only five Republicans to +Congress.</p> + +<p>Indiana, the State in which the President's mother slept, spoke in +thunder tones against him, sending eight Democrats and three +Republicans. Even the rockribbed Republican stronghold of Pennsylvania +was carried by the opposition by a majority of four thousand, reversing +Lincoln's former majority of sixty thousand.</p> + +<p>In New York the brilliant Democratic leader, Horatio Seymour, was +elected Governor on a platform hostile to the administration by more +than ten thousand majority. New Jersey turned against him, Michigan +reduced his majority from twenty to six thousand. Wisconsin evenly +divided its delegates to Congress.</p> + +<p>Illinois, the President's own State, gave the most crushing blow of all. +His big majority there was completely reversed and the Democrats carried +the State by over seventeen thousand and the Congressional delegates +stood eleven to three against him.</p> + +<p>And then his Border State Policy, against which the leaders of his party +had raged in vain was vindicated in the most startling way. True to his +steadfast purpose to hold these States in the Union at all hazards, he +had not included them in his Emancipation Proclamation.</p> + +<p>One of the reasons for which they had refused his offer of United States +bonds in payment for their slaves was they did not believe them worth +the paper they were written on. A war costing two million dollars a day +was sure to bankrupt the Nation before the end could be seen.</p> + +<p>And yet because he had treated them with patience and fairness, with +justice and with generosity, the Border States and the new State of West +Virginia born of this policy, voted to sustain the President, saved his +administration from ruin and gave him another chance to fight for the +life of the Union.</p> + +<p>It was a close shave. His working majority in Congress was reduced to a +narrow margin, the opposition was large, united and fierce in its +aggression, but he had been saved from annihilation.</p> + +<p>The temper of the men elected to the Legislatures, both State and +National, in the great Northern States was astounding.</p> + +<p>So serious was the situation in Indiana that Governor Morton hastened to +Washington to lay the crisis before the President.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to have to tell you," the Governor began, "but we must face +it. The Democratic politicians of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois now called +to power assume that the rebellion will not be crushed——"</p> + +<p>"And therefore?"</p> + +<p>"That their interests are antagonistic to New England and in harmony +with the South. Another three months like the last six and we are lost, +sir—hopelessly lost!"</p> + +<p>"Is it as bad as that Governor?" the sad even voice asked.</p> + +<p>A smile flickered across the stern, fine face of the war Governor:</p> + +<p>"If you think me a pessimist remember that Van Alen their leader, has +just presided over a Democratic jubilee meeting in Ohio which was swept +again and again by cheers for Jefferson Davis—curses and jeers for the +Abolitionists. His speech has been put in the form of a leaflet which is +being mailed in thousands to our soldiers at the front——"</p> + +<p>"You know that to be a fact?" the President asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"The fact is notorious, sir. It will be disputed by no one. The outlook +is black. Meeting after meeting is being held in Indiana demanding peace +at any price, with the recognition of the Southern Confederacy—and, +mark you, what is still more significant the formation of a Northwestern +Confederacy with its possible Capital at your home town of Springfield, +Illinois——"</p> + +<p>"No, no!" the President groaned.</p> + +<p>"Your last call for three hundred thousand volunteers," the Governor +went on, "as you well know was an utter failure. Only eighty-six +thousand men have been raised under it. I was compelled to use a draft +to secure the number I did in Indiana. It is useless to call for more +volunteers anywhere——"</p> + +<p>"Then we'll have to use the draft," was the firm response.</p> + +<p>"If we can enforce it!" the Governor warned. "A meeting has just been +held in my State in which resolutions were unanimously passed demanding +that the war cease, denouncing the attempt to use the power to draft +men, declaring that our volunteers had been induced to enter the army +under the false declaration that war was waged solely to maintain the +Constitution and to restore the Union——"</p> + +<p>"And so it is!" the President interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Until you issued your Proclamation, freeing the slaves——"</p> + +<p>"But only as a war measure to weaken the South, give us the victory and +restore the Constitution!"</p> + +<p>"They refuse to hear your interpretation; they make their own. Van Alen +boldly declares that ninety-nine men out of every hundred whom he +represents in Congress breathe no other prayer than to have an end of +this hellish war. When news of victory comes, there is no rejoicing. +When news of our defeat comes there is no sorrow——"</p> + +<p>"Is that statement really true?" the sorrowful lips asked.</p> + +<p>"Of the majority who elected him, yes. In the Northwest, distrust and +despair are strangling the hearts of the people. More and more we hear +the traitorous talk of arraying ourselves against New England and +forming a Confederacy of our own. More than two thousand six hundred +deserters have been arrested within a few weeks in Indiana. It generally +requires an armed detail. Most of the deserters, true to the oath of the +order of the Knights of the Golden Circle, desert with their arms——"</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?"</p> + +<p>"And in one case seventeen of these fortified themselves in a log cabin +with outside paling and ditch for protection, and were maintained by +their neighbors. Two hundred armed men in Rush County resisted the +arrest of deserters. I was compelled to send infantry by special train +to take their ringleaders. Southern Indiana is ripe for Revolution.</p> + +<p>"I have positive information that the incoming Democratic Legislature of +my State is in quick touch with the ones gathering in Illinois and +Ohio. In Illinois, your own State, they have already drafted the +resolutions demanding an armistice and a convention of all the States to +agree to an adjustment of the war. It is certain to pass the Illinois +House.</p> + +<p>"My own Legislature has put this resolution into a more daring and +dangerous form. They propose boldly and at once to acknowledge the +Southern Confederacy and demand that the Northwest dissolve all further +relations with New England. When they have passed this measure in +Indiana, they expect Ohio and Illinois to follow suit.</p> + +<p>"Their secret order which covers my State with a network of lodges, +whose purpose is the withdrawal of the Northwestern States from the +Union, has obtained a foothold in the army camps inside the city of +Washington itself——"</p> + +<p>The President rose with quick, nervous energy and paced the floor. He +stopped suddenly in front of Morton, his deep set eyes burning a steady +flame:</p> + +<p>"And what do you propose?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't decided yet. I have the best of reasons to believe that the +first thing my Legislature will do when it convenes is to pass a +resolution refusing to receive any message from me as Governor of the +State!"</p> + +<p>"Will they dare?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure of it. It will be composed of men sworn to oppose to the +bitter end any prosecution of this war. They intend to recognize the +Southern Confederacy, and dissolve their own Federal relation with the +United States. It may be necessary, sir——" he paused and fixed the +President with compelling eyes, "—-it may be necessary to suspend the +civil government in the North in order to save the Union!"</p> + +<p>The President lifted his big hand in a gesture of despair:</p> + +<p>"God save us from that!"</p> + +<p>"I came here to tell you just this," the Governor gravely concluded. "If +the crisis comes and I must use force I expect you to back me——"</p> + +<p>Two big rugged hands grasped the one outstretched:</p> + +<p>"God bless you, Governor Morton,—we've got to save the Union, and we're +going to do it! Since the day I came into this office I have fought to +uphold the supremacy of the civil law. My enemies may force me to use +despotic powers to crush it for larger ends!—--But I hope not. I hope +not. God knows I have no vain ambitions. I have no desire to use such +power——"</p> + +<p>The Governor left him gazing dreamily over the river toward Virginia a +great new sorrow clouding his soul.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXIV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE CONSPIRACY</a></h3> + + +<p>Lord Lyons, the British Minister, was using smooth words to the +Secretary of State. Mr. Seward, our wily snuff dipper, was fully his +equal in expressions of polite friendship. What he meant to say, of +course, was that he could plunge a poisoned dagger into the British Lion +with the utmost pleasure. What he said was:</p> + +<p>"I am pleased to hear from your lordship the expressions of good will +from her Gracious Majesty's Government."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry to say, however," the Minister hastened to add, "that the +Proclamation of Emancipation was not received by the best people of +England as favorably as we had hoped."</p> + +<p>"And why not?" Seward politely asked.</p> + +<p>"Seeing that it could have no effect in really freeing the slaves until +the South is conquered it appeared to be merely an attempt to excite a +servile insurrection."</p> + +<p>The Secretary lifted his eyebrows, took another dip of snuff, and softly +inquired:</p> + +<p>"And may I ask of your lordship whether this would not have been even +more true in the earlier days of the war than now?"</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly."</p> + +<p>"And yet I understand that her Gracious Majesty's Government was cold +toward us because we had failed to take such high moral grounds at once +in the beginning of the war?"</p> + +<p>His lordship lifted his hands in polite admission of the facts.</p> + +<p>"The trouble you see is," he went on softly, "Europe begins to feel that +the division of sentiment in the North will prove a fatal weakness to +the administration in so grave a crisis. Unfortunately, from our point +of view, of course, your Government is a democracy, the sport of every +whim of the demagogue of the hour——"</p> + +<p>Seward lifted his eyes with a quick look at his lordship and smiled:</p> + +<p>"Allow me to reassure her Gracious Majesty's Government on that point +immediately. The administration will find means of preserving the +sovereign power the people have entrusted to it. For example, my lord, I +can touch the little bell on my right hand and order the arrest without +warrant of a citizen of Ohio. I can touch the little bell on my left +hand and order the imprisonment of a citizen of New York; and no power +on earth except that of the President, can release them. Can the Queen +of Great Britain do as much?"</p> + +<p>His lordship left apparently reassured.</p> + +<p>The tinkle of the little bell on the desk of the Secretary of State +which had begun to fill the jails of the North with her leading +Democratic citizens did not have the same soothing effect on American +lawmakers, however. These arrests were made without warrant and the +victim held without charges, the right to bail or trial.</p> + +<p>The President had dared to suspend the great <i>writ of habeas corpus</i> +which guaranteed to every freeman the right to meet his accuser in open +court and answer the charge against him.</p> + +<p>The attitude of the bold aggressive opposition was voiced on the floor +of the House of Representatives in Washington in no uncertain language +by Daniel Voorhees of Indiana, in a speech whose passionate eloquence +was only equalled by its reckless daring.</p> + +<p>"The present Executive of the Government," he declared, "has usurped the +powers of Law and Justice to an extent subversive of republican +institutions, and not to be borne by any free people. He has given +access to the vaults of prisons but not to the bar of justice. It is a +part of the nature of frail men to sin against laws, both human and +divine; but God Himself guarantees him a fair trial before punishment. +Tyrants alone repudiate the justice of the Almighty. To deny an accused +man the right to be heard in his own defense is an echo from the dark +ages of brutal despotism. We have in this the most atrocious tyranny +that ever feasted on the groans of a captive or banqueted on the tears +of the widow and the orphan.</p> + +<p>"And yet on this spectacle of shame and horror American citizens now +gaze. The great bulwark of human liberty which generations in bloody +toil have built against the wicked exercise of unlawful power has been +torn away by a parricidal hand. Every man to-day from the proudest in +his mansion to the humblest in his cabin—all stand at the mercy of one +man, and the fawning minions who crouch before him for pay.</p> + +<p>"We hear on every side the old cry of the courtier and the parasite. At +every new aggression, at every additional outrage, new advocates rise +to defend the source of patronage, wealth and fame—the department of +the Executive! Such assistance has always waited on the malignant +efforts of tyranny. Nero had his poet laureate, and Seneca wrote a +defense even for the murder of his mother. And this dark hour affords us +ample evidence that human nature is the same to-day as two thousand +years ago."</p> + +<p>Such speeches could not be sent broadcast free of charge through the +mails without its effect on the minds of thousands. The great political +party in opposition to the administration was now arrayed in solid +phalanx against the war itself on whose prosecution the existence of the +Nation depended.</p> + +<p>Again the Radical wing of his party demanded of the President the +impossible.</p> + +<p>The Abolitionists had given a tardy and lukewarm support in return for +the issue of the Proclamation of Emancipation. Their support lasted but +a few days. Through their spokesman, Senator Winter, they demanded now +the whole loaf. They had received but half of their real program. They +asked for a policy of reconstruction in the parts of Louisiana and +Tennessee held by the Union army in accordance with their ideas. They +demanded the ballot for every slave, the confiscation of the property of +the white people of the South and its bestowment upon negroes and +camp-followers as fast as the Union army should penetrate into the +States in rebellion.</p> + +<p>Senator Winter's argument was based on sound reasoning theoretically +whatever might be said of its wisdom as a National policy.</p> + +<p>"Your Emancipation Proclamation," he declared to the President, +"provides for the arming and drilling of negro soldiers to fight for the +Republic. If they are good enough to fight they are good enough to vote. +The ballot is only another form of the bayonet which we use in time of +peace——"</p> + +<p>"Correct, Senator," was the calm reply, "if we are to allow the negro +race to remain in America in physical contact with ours. But we are not +going to do this. No greater calamity could befall our people. +Colonization and separation must go hand in hand with the emancipation +of these children of Africa. I incorporated this principle in my act of +emancipation. I have set my life on the issue of its success. As a +matter of theory and abstract right we may grant the suffrage to a few +of the more intelligent negroes and the black soldiers we may enroll +until they can be removed——"</p> + +<p>"Again we deal with a Southerner, Mr. President!" the Senator sneered.</p> + +<p>"So be it," was the quiet answer. "I have never held any other views. +They were well known before the war. But two years before my election I +said in my debate with Douglas:</p> + +<p>"'I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way, +the social and political equality of the white and black races. I am +not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, +nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to inter-marry with white +people. I will say in addition to this that there is a physical +difference between the white and black races which, I believe, will +forever forbid the two living together on terms of social and political +equality."</p> + +<p>"Yet," the Senator sneered, "you can change your mind. You said in your +Inaugural that you had no intention or right to interfere with the +institution of Slavery. You did so just the same."</p> + +<p>"As an act of war to save the Union only. But mark you, I have always +hated Slavery from principle for the white man's sake as well as the +negro's. I am equally determined <i>on principle</i> that the negro race +after it is free shall never be absorbed into our social or political +life!"</p> + +<p>"You'll change your principles or retire to private life!" the old man +snapped.</p> + +<p>"When I have saved the Union we shall see. Time will indicate the wisdom +of my position. I have no longer any ambition except to give the best +that's in me to my people."</p> + +<p>The breach between the President and the most powerful leaders of his +own party was now complete. It was a difference that was fundamental and +irreconcilable. They asked him to extend the autocratic power he wielded +to preserve the Union in a time of war to a program of revenge and +proscription against the South as it should fall before the advancing +army. His answer was simple:</p> + +<p>"Secession was void from the beginning. The South shall not be laid +waste as conquered territory when the Union is restored. They shall +return as our brethren to live with us in peace and good will with the +curse of Slavery lifted from them and their children. Nor will I permit +the absorption of this black blood into our racial stock to degrade our +National character. When free, the negro must return to his own."</p> + +<p>With fierce, sullen determination the Radical wing of his party +organized a secret powerful conspiracy to drive Abraham Lincoln from +public life.</p> + +<p>Behind this first line of attack stood the Democratic party with its +millions of loyal voters now united under George B. McClellan. The +Radicals and the Democrats hated each other with a passion second only +to their hatred of the President. They agreed to remove him first and +then settle their own differences.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE TUG OF WAR</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter, having made up her mind to put John Vaughan out of her +life for all time, volunteered for field service as a nurse and by +permission of the President joined Burnside's army before +Fredericksburg.</p> + +<p>The General had brought its effective fighting force to a hundred and +thirteen thousand. Lee's army confronted him on the other side of the +Rappahannock with seventy-five thousand men. A great battle was +impending.</p> + +<p>Burnside had reluctantly assumed command. He was a gallant, genial, +cultured soldier, a gentleman of the highest type, a pure, unselfish +patriot with not a trace of vulgar ambition or self-seeking. He saw the +President hounded and badgered by his own party, assaulted and denounced +in the bitterest terms by the opposition, and he knew that the remedy +could be found only in a fighting, victorious army. A single decisive +victory would turn the tide of public opinion, unite the faction-ridden +army and thrill the Nation with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>He determined to fight at once and risk his fate as a commander on the +issue of victory or defeat. His council of war had voted against an +attack on Lee's army in Fredericksburg. Burnside brushed their decision +aside as part of the quarrel McClellan has left. Even the men in the +ranks were fighting each other daily in these miserable bickerings and +intrigues. A victory was the remedy for their troubles, and he made up +his mind to fight for it.</p> + +<p>The General received Betty with the greatest courtesy:</p> + +<p>"You're more than welcome at this moment, Miss Winter. The surgeons +won't let you in some of their field hospitals. But there's work to be +done preparing our corps for the battle we're going to fight. You'll +have plenty to do."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, General," she gravely answered.</p> + +<p>Burnside read for the second time the gracious letter from the President +which Betty presented.</p> + +<p>"You're evidently pretty strong with this administration, Miss Betty," +he remarked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. The patience and wisdom of the President is a hobby of mine."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll ask you to review the army with me. You can report to him."</p> + +<p>Within an hour they were passing in serried lines before the Commander. +Betty watched them march with a thrill of patriotic pride, a hundred and +thirteen thousand men, their dark blue uniforms pouring past like the +waters of a mighty river, the December sun gleaming on their polished +bayonets as on so many icicles flashing on its surface.</p> + +<p>Her heart suddenly stood still. There before her marched John Vaughan in +the outer line of a regiment, his eyes straight in front, looking +neither to the right nor the left. He was a private in the ranks, clean +and sober, his face rugged, strong and sun-tanned.</p> + +<p>For a moment there was a battle inside that tested her strength. He had +not seen her and was oblivious of her existence apparently. But she had +noted the regiment under whose flag he marched. It would be easy to find +him if she wished.</p> + +<p>When the first moment of love-sickness and utter longing passed, she had +no desire to see him. The dead could bury its dead. Her love was a thing +of the past. The cruel thing in this man's nature she had seen the first +day was there still. She saw it with a shudder in his red, half-drunken +eyes the day they met in Washington, saw it so plainly, so glaringly, +the memory of it could never fade. He was sober and in his right mind +now, his cheeks bronzed with the new life of sunshine and open air the +army had given. The thing was still there. It spoke in the brute +strength of his powerful body as his marching feet struck the ground, in +the iron look about his broad shoulders, the careless strength with +which he carried his musket as if it were a feather, and above all in +the hard cold glint from his shining eyes set straight in front.</p> + +<p>She lay awake for hours on the little white cot at the headquarters of +the ambulance corps reviewing her life and dropped to sleep at last with +a deep sense of gratitude to God that she was free, and could give +herself in unselfish devotion to her country. Her last waking thoughts +were of Ned Vaughan and the sweet, foolish worship he had laid at her +feet. She wondered vaguely if he were in those grey lines beyond the +river. Ned Vaughan was there this time—back with his regiment.</p> + +<p>Lee, Jackson and Longstreet had known for days that a battle was +imminent. Their scouts from over the river had brought positive +information. The Confederate leaders had already planned the conflict. +Their battle lines circled the hills beyond Fredericksburg, spread out +in a crescent, five miles long. Nature had piled these five miles of +hills around Fredericksburg as if to build an impregnable fortress. On +every crest, concealed behind trees and bushes, the Confederate +artillery was in place—its guns trained to sweep the wide plain with a +double cross fire, besides sending a storm of shot and shell straight +from the centre. Sixty thousand matchless grey infantry crouched among +those bushes and lay beside stone walls, in sunken roadways or newly +turned trenches.</p> + +<p>The great fan-shaped death-trap had been carefully planned and set by a +master mind. Only a handful of sharpshooters and a few pieces of +artillery had been left in Fredericksburg to dispute the passage of the +river and deceive Burnside with a pretense of defending the town.</p> + +<p>The Confederate soldier was ragged and his shoes were tied together with +strings. His uniform consisted of an old hat or cap usually without a +brim, a shirt of striped bed-ticking so brown it seemed woven of the +grass. The buttons were of discolored cow's horn. His coat was the color +of Virginia dust and mud, and it was out at the elbow. His socks were +home-made, knit by loving hands swift and tender in their endless work +of love. The socks were the best things he had.</p> + +<p>The one spotless thing about him was his musket and the bayonet he +carried at his side. His spirits were high.</p> + +<p>A barefooted soldier had managed to get home and secure a pair of boots. +He started back to his regiment hurrying to be on time for the fight. +The new boots hurt him so terribly he couldn't wear them. He passed +Ned's regiment with his precious footgear hanging on his arm.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Sonny, what command?" Ned cried.</p> + +<p>"Company E, 12th Virginia, Mahone's brigade!" he proudly answered.</p> + +<p>"Yes, damn you," a soldier drawled from the grass, "and you've pulled +your boots off, holdin' 'em in yer hand, ready to run now!"</p> + +<p>The laugh ran along the line and the boy hurried on to escape the chaff.</p> + +<p>A well-known chaplain rode along a narrow path on the hillside. He was +mounted on an old horse whose hip bones protruded like two deadly fangs. +A footsore Confederate was hobbling as fast as he could in front of him, +glancing back over his shoulder now and then uneasily.</p> + +<p>"You needn't be afraid, my friend," the parson called, "I'm not going to +run over you."</p> + +<p>"I know you ain't," the soldier laughed, "but ef I wuz ter let you pass +me, and that thing wuz ter wobble I'll be doggoned ef I wouldn't be +gored ter death!"</p> + +<p>The preacher reined his steed in with dignity and spoke with wounded +pride:</p> + +<p>"My friend, this is a better horse than our Lord rode into Jerusalem +on!"</p> + +<p>The soldier stepped up quickly, opened the animal's mouth and grinned:</p> + +<p>"Parson, that's the very same horse!"</p> + +<p>A shout rose from the hill in which the preacher joined.</p> + +<p>"Dod bam it, did ye ever hear the beat o' that!" shouted a pious fellow +who was inventing cuss words that would pass the charge of profanity.</p> + +<p>A distinguished citizen of Fredericksburg passed along the lines wearing +a tall new silk hat. He didn't get very far before he changed his line +of march. A regular fusillade poured on him from the ranks.</p> + +<p>"Say, man, is dat a hat er a bee gum?"</p> + +<p>"Come down now!"</p> + +<p>"Come down outen that hat an' help us with these Yanks!"</p> + +<p>"Come down I say—I know you're up there for I can see your legs!"</p> + +<p>When the silk hat vanished, a solemn country boy with slight knowledge +of books began to discuss the great mysteries of eternity.</p> + +<p>Ned had won his unbounded faith and admiration by spelling at the first +trial the name of his native village in the Valley of +Virginia—McGaheysville. Tom held this fact to be a marvellous +intellectual achievement.</p> + +<p>"What I want to know, Ned, is this," he drawled, "who started sin in +this world, anyhow? What makes a good thing good and what makes a bad +thing bad, and who said so first?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I'd like to know myself, Tom," Ned gravely answered.</p> + +<p>"An' ye don't know?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do not."</p> + +<p>"I don't see why any man that can spell like you don't know everything."</p> + +<p>He paused, picked up a pebble and threw it at a comrade's foot and +laughed to see him jump as from a Minie ball.</p> + +<p>"You know, Ned," he went on slowly, "what I think is the prettiest piece +of poetry?"</p> + +<p>"No—what?"</p> + +<p>"Hit's this:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'The men of high condition<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That rule affairs of State;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their purpose is ambition,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Their practice only hate.'"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"Pretty good, Tom," was the quick reply, "but I think I can beat it with +something more hopeful. I got it in Sunday School out in Missouri:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'The sword and spear, of needless worth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall prune the tree and plough the earth;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Peace shall smile from shore to shore<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Nations learn to war no more.'"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The country boy's eyes gleamed with eager approval. He had fought for +nearly two years and the glory of war was beginning to lose its glamour.</p> + +<p>"Say that again, Ned," he pleaded. "Say it again! That's the prettiest +thing I ever heard in my life!"</p> + +<p>He was silent a moment:</p> + +<p>"Yes, I used to think it would be glorious to hear the thunder of guns +and the shriek of shells. I've changed my mind. When I hear one of 'em +comin' now, I begin to sing to myself the old-fashioned tune I used to +hear in the revivals:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'Hark from the tomb a doleful sound!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'My thoughts in dreadful subjects roll damnation and the dead——'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"I've an idea we're going to sing some o' them old songs on this field +pretty soon."</p> + +<p>Again Ned thought of John and offered a silent prayer that he might not +be in those blue lines that were going to charge into the jaws which +Death had opened for them in the valley below.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan in his tent beyond the Rappahannock was wasting no energy +worrying about the coming battle. Death had ceased to be a matter of +personal concern. He had seen so many dead and wounded men as he had +ridden over battlefields he had come to take them as a matter of course. +He was going into action now for the first time in the ranks as a +private soldier and he would see things happen at closer range—that was +all. He wished to see them that way. He had reached the point of utter +indifference to personal danger and it brought a new consciousness of +strength that was inspiring. He had stopped dreaming of the happiness of +love after the exhibition he had made of himself before Betty Winter and +the brutal insult with which he met her advances. Some girls might +forgive it, but not this proud, sensitive, high strung daughter of the +snows of New England and the sunlight of France. And so he had +resolutely put the thought out of his heart.</p> + +<p>Julius had proven himself a valuable servant. He was the best cook in +the regiment, and what was still more important, he was the most +skillful thief and the most plausible liar in the army. He could defend +himself so nobly from the insinuations of the suspicious that they would +apologize for the wrong unwittingly done his character. John had not +lived so well since he could remember.</p> + +<p>"Julius, you're a handy man in war!" he exclaimed after a hearty supper +on fried chicken.</p> + +<p>"Yassah—I manage ter git 'long, sah."</p> + +<p>Julius took up his banjo and began to tune it for an accompaniment to +his songs. He had a mellow rhythmical voice that always brought the +crowd. He began with his favorite that never failed to please his +master. The way he rolled his eyes and sang with his hands and feet and +every muscle of his body was the source of unending interest to his +Northern audience.</p> + +<p>He ran his fingers lightly over the strings and the men threw down their +dirty packs of cards and crowded around John's tent. Julius only sang +one line at a time and picked his banjo between them to a low wailing +sound of his own invention:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"O! far' you well, my Mary Ann;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Far' you well, my dear!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I've no one left to love me now<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And little do I care——"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>He paused between the stanzas and picked his banjo to a few prose +interpolations of his own.</p> + +<p>"Dat's what I'm a tellin' ye now, folks—little do I care!"</p> + +<p>He knew his master had been crossed in love and he rolled his eyes and +nodded his woolly head in triumphant approval. John smiled wanly as he +drifted slowly into his next stanza.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"An' ef I had a scoldin' wife<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I'd whip her sho's yer born,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I'd take her down to New Orleans<br /></span> +<span class="i0">An' trade her off fer corn——"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Julius stopped with a sudden snap and whispered to John:</p> + +<p>"Lordy, sah, I clean fergit 'bout dat meetin' at de cullud folks' +church, sah, dat dey start up. I promise de preacher ter fetch you, +sah—An' ef we gwine ter march ter-morrow, dis here's de las' night +sho——"</p> + +<p>The concert was adjourned to the log house which an old colored preacher +had converted into a church. It was filled to its capacity and John +stood in the doorway and heard the most remarkable sermon to which he +had ever listened.</p> + +<p>The grey-haired old negro was tremendously in earnest. He could neither +read nor write but he opened the Bible to comply with the formalities of +the occasion and pretended to read his text. He had taken it from his +master who was a clergyman. Ephraim invariably chose the same texts but +gave his people his own interpretation. It never failed in some element +of originality.</p> + +<p>The text his master had evidently chosen last were the words:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And he healeth them of divers diseases."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Old Ephraim's version was a free one. From the open Bible he solemnly +read:</p> + +<p>"An' he healed 'em of all sorts o' diseases an' even er dat wust o' +complaints called de Divers!"</p> + +<p>He plunged straight into a fervent exhortation to sinners to flee from +the Divers.</p> + +<p>"I'm gwine ter tell ye now, chillun," he exclaimed with uplifted arms, +"ye don't know nuttin' 'bout no terrible diseases till dat wust er all +called de Divers git ye! An' hit's a comin' I tell ye. Hit's gwine ter +git ye, too. Ye can flee ter the mountain top, an' hit'll dive right up +froo de air an' git ye dar. Ye kin go down inter de bowels er de yearth +an' hit'll dive right down dar atter ye. Ye kin take de wings er de +mornin' an' fly ter de ends er de yearth—an' de Divers is dar. Dey kin +dive anywhar!</p> + +<p>"An' what ye gwine ter do when dey git ye? I axe ye dat now? What ye +gwine ter do when hit's forever an' eternally too late? Dese doctors +roun' here kin cure ye o' de whoopin'-cough—mebbe—I hain't nebber seed +'em eben do dat—but I say, mebbe. Dey kin cure ye o' de measles, mebbe. +Er de plumbago or de typhoid er de yaller fever sometimes. But I warns +ye now ter flee de wrath dat's ter come when dem Divers git ye! Dey +ain't no doctor no good fer dat nowhar—exceptin' ye come ter de Lord. +For He heal 'em er all sorts er diseases an' de wust er all de +complaints called de Divers!</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Come, humble sinners, in whose breast er thousand thoughts revolve!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>John Vaughan turned away with a smile and a tear.</p> + +<p>"In God's name," he murmured thoughtfully, "what's to become of these +four million black children of the tropic jungles if we win now and set +them free! Their fathers and mothers were but yesterday eating human +flesh in naked savagery."</p> + +<p>He walked slowly back to his tent through the solemn starlit night. The +new moon, a silver thread, hung over the tree tops. He thought of that +dusky grey-haired child of four thousand years of ignorance and +helplessness and the tragic role he had played in the history of our +people. And for the first time faced the question of the still more +tragic role he might play in the future.</p> + +<p>"I'm fighting to free him and the millions like him," he mused. "What am +I going to do with him?"</p> + +<p>The longer he thought the blacker and more insoluble became this +question, and yet he was going into battle to-morrow to fight his own +brother to the death on this issue. True the problem of national +existence was at stake, but this black problem of the possible +degradation of our racial stock and our national character still lay +back of it unsolved and possibly insoluble.</p> + +<p>The red flash of a picket's gun on the shore of the river and the quick +answer from the other side brought his dreaming to a sudden stop before +the sterner fact of the swiftly approaching battle.</p> + +<p>He snatched but a few hours sleep before his regiment was up and on the +march to the water's edge. A dense grey fog hung over the river and +obscured the town. The bridge builders swung their pontoons into the +water and soon the sound of timbers falling into place could be heard +with the splash of the anchors and the low quick commands of the +officers.</p> + +<p>The grey sharpshooters, concealed on the other shore, began to fire +across the water through the fog. The sound was strangely magnified. The +single crack of a musket seemed as loud as a cannon.</p> + +<p>The work went quickly. The bullets flew wide of the mark. The fog +suddenly lifted and a steady fusillade from the men hidden in the hills +of Fredericksburg began to pick off the bridge builders with cruel +accuracy. At times every man was down. New men were rushed to take their +places and they fell.</p> + +<p>The signal was given to the artillery and a hundred and forty-seven +great guns suddenly began to sweep the doomed town. Houses crumpled like +egg-shells and fires began to blaze.</p> + +<p>The sharpshooters fell back. The bridges were laid and the grand army of +a hundred and thirteen thousand began to pour across. The caissons, with +their huge black, rifled-barrel guns rumbling along the resounding +boards in a continuous roar like distant thunder.</p> + +<p>On the southern shore the deep mud cut hills put every team to the test +of its strength and the utmost skill of their drivers. Hundreds of men +were in the mud at the wheels and still they would stick.</p> + +<p>And then the patient heavens above heard the voices of army teamsters in +plain and ornamental swearing! Such profanity was probably never heard +on this earth before and it may well be hoped will not be heard again.</p> + +<p>The driver whose wheels had stuck, cracked his whip first and yelled. He +yelled again and cracked his whip. And then he began to swear, loudly, +and angrily at first and then in lower, steadier, more polite terms—but +always in an unending nerve-racking torrent.</p> + +<p>He cursed his mules individually by name and the whole team +collectively, and consigned it to the lowest depth of the deepest hell +and then the devil for not providing a deeper one. Each trait of each +mule, good and bad, he named without fear or favor and damned each alike +with equal emphasis. He named each part of each mule's anatomy and +damned it individually and as a whole, with full bill of particulars.</p> + +<p>He swore in every key in the whole gamut of sound and last of all he +damned himself for his utter inability to express anything he really +felt.</p> + +<p>The last big gun up the hill and the infantry poured into the town of +Fredericksburg, halting in regiments and brigades in its streets. Only a +few shots had been exchanged with the men in grey. They had withdrawn to +the heights a mile beyond. The assault had been a mere parade. Many of +the inhabitants had fled in terror at the approach of the men in blue. +Some of the lower types of soldiers in the Northern army broke into +these deserted houses and began to rob and pillage.</p> + +<p>Julius "found" many delicacies lying about on lawns and in various +unheard-of places. His master never pressed him with rude questions when +his zeal bore such good results for their table.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan had been very much amused at an old woman who had been +driven from her home by marauders. She had piled such goods and chattels +as she could handle into an ox cart and drove past the grey battle +lines, hurrying as fast as she could Southward. Her wrinkled old face +beamed with joy at the sight of their burnished muskets and her eyes +flashed with the gleam of an Amazon as she shouted:</p> + +<p>"Give it to the damned rascals, boys! Give 'em one fer me—one fer me +and don't you forget it!"</p> + +<p>Far down the line she could be heard delivering her fierce exhortation. +The men smiled and answered her good-naturedly. The day of wrath and +death had dawned. It was too solemn an hour for boastful words.</p> + +<p>For two days the grand army in blue poured across the river and spread +out through the town of Fredericksburg. The fateful morning of the 13th +of December, 1862, dawned in another heavy fog. Its grey mantle of +mystery shrouded the town, clung wet and heavy to the ground in the +silent valley before the crescent-shaped hills and veiled the face of +their heights.</p> + +<p>Under the cover of this fog the long waves of blue spread out in the +edge of the valley and took their places in battle line. The grey men in +the brown grass on the hills crouched behind their ditches and stone +walls, gripped their guns and waited for the foe to walk into the trap +their commanders had set.</p> + +<p>An unseen hand slowly lifted the misty curtain and the sun burst on the +scene. The valley lay like the smooth ground of some vast arena prepared +for a pageant and back of it rose the silent hills, tier on tier like +the seats of a mighty amphitheatre. But the men crouching on those seats +were not spectators—they were the grimmest actors in the tragedy.</p> + +<p>For a moment it was a spectacle merely—the grandest display of the +pageantry of war ever made on a field of death.</p> + +<p>Franklin's division suddenly wheeled into position for its united +assault on the right.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan, from his lair on the hill, could see the officers in their +magnificent new uniforms, their swords flashing as they led their men. A +hundred thousand bayonets were gleaming in the sparkling December sun. +Magnificent horses in rich tasselled trappings were plunging and +prancing with the excitement of marching hosts, some of them keeping +time to the throb of regimental bands.</p> + +<p>The bands were playing now, all of them, a band for every thousand men, +the shrill scream of their bugles and the roar of their drums sending a +mighty chorus into the heavens that echoed ominously against the silent +hills.</p> + +<p>And flags, flags, flags, were streaming in billowy waves of red, white +and blue, as far as the eye could reach!</p> + +<p>"Isn't that pretty, boys!" Ned sighed admiringly.</p> + +<p>Tom lifted his solemn eyes from the grass.</p> + +<p>"Lord, Lord, look at them new warm clothes, an' my elbows a-freezin' in +this cold wind!"</p> + +<p>"Ain't it a picture?"</p> + +<p>"What a pity to spile it!"</p> + +<p>A ripple of admiration ran along the crouching lines as fingers softly +felt for the triggers of their guns.</p> + +<p>A quick order from John Vaughan's Colonel sent their battery of +artillery rattling and bounding into position. The cannoneers sprang to +their mounts. A handsome young fellow missed his foothold and fell +beneath the wheels. The big iron tire crushed his neck and the blood +from his mouth splashed into John's face. The men on the guns didn't +turn their heads to look back. Their eyes were searching the brown hills +before them.</p> + +<p>The long roll beat from a thousand drums, the call of the buglers rang +over the valley—and then the strange, solemn silence that comes before +the shock—the moment when cowards collapse and the brave falter.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan's soul rose in a fierce challenge to fate. If he died it +was well; if he lived it was the same. He had ceased to care.</p> + +<p>At exactly eight-thirty, General Meade hurled his division, supported by +Doubleday and Gibbon, against Jackson's weakest point, the right of the +Confederate lines. Their aim was to seize an opposing hill. The curving +lines of grey were silent until the charging hosts were well advanced in +deadly range and then the brown hills flamed and roared in front and on +their flanks.</p> + +<p>The blue lines were mowed down in swaths as though the giant figure of +Death had suddenly swung his scythe from the fog banks in the sky.</p> + +<p>Again and again came those awful volleys of musketry and artillery +cross-firing on the rushing lines. The men staggered and recovered, +reformed and charged again over the dead bodies of their comrades +carrying the crest for a moment. They captured a flag and a handful of +prisoners only to be driven back down the hill with losses more +frightful in retreat than when they breasted the storm.</p> + +<p>In the centre the tragedy was repeated with results even more terrible. +As the charging lines fell back, staggering, bleeding and cut to pieces, +fresh brigades threw down their knapsacks, fixed their bayonets and +charged through their own melting ranks into the jaws of Death to fall +back in their turn.</p> + +<p>With a mighty shout the blue line swept across the railroad, took the +ditches at the point of the bayonet and captured two hundred grey +prisoners. But only for a moment. From the supporting line rang the +rebel yell and they were hurled back, shattered and cut to pieces. +These retreats were veritable shambles of slaughter. The curved lines on +the hills raking them with their deadly accurate cross-fire.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan's regiment leaped to the support of the falling blue waves.</p> + +<p>A wounded soldier had propped himself against a stone and smiled as the +cheering men swept by. He could rest a while now.</p> + +<p>A battery of artillery suddenly blazed from the hill-crest and his +Colonel threw his command flat on their stomachs until the storm should +slacken. John heard the shrill deadly swish of the big shots passing two +feet above.</p> + +<p>He lifted his eyes to the hill and a frightened pigeon suddenly swooped +straight down toward his head. He ducked quickly, sure he had escaped a +cannon ball until the laugh of the man at his side told of his mistake.</p> + +<p>They rose to charge. The knapsack of the man who had laughed was struck +by a ball and a deck of cards sent flying ten feet in the air.</p> + +<p>"Deal me a winning hand!" John shouted.</p> + +<p>A shot cut the sword belt of the first lieutenant, left him uninjured, +glanced and killed the captain. The lieutenant picked up his sword, took +his captain's place and led the charge.</p> + +<p>Men were falling on the right and left and John Vaughan loaded and fired +with steady, dogged nerve without a scratch.</p> + +<p>Four times the blue billows had dashed against the hills only to fall +back in red confusion. The din and roar were indescribable. The +color-bearer of the regiment confused by conflicting orders paused and +asked for instructions. The Colonel, mistaking his act for retreat, +tore the colors from his hand and gave them to another man. The boy +burst into tears. The new color-bearer had scarcely lifted the flag +above his head when he fell. The disgraced soldier snatched the +tottering flagstaff and, lifting it on high, dashed up the hill ahead of +his line of battle.</p> + +<p>The men were ducking their heads low beneath the fierce hail of lead and +staggering blindly.</p> + +<p>John saw this boy waving his flag and shaking his fist back at the +halting line. He was not a hundred feet from the Confederate trenches.</p> + +<p>"Come on there!" he shouted. "Damn it, what's the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan and his grey men behind the little mound of red dirt were +watching this drama with flashing eyes. Beside him crouched a boy whose +early piety had marked him for the ministry. But he had wandered from +the fold in the stress of army life. Ned heard his voice now in low, +eager prayer:</p> + +<p>"O Lord, drive 'em back! Drive 'em back, O Lord!"</p> + +<p>He fired his musket down the hill and prayed harder:</p> + +<p>"Lord, drive 'em back! I've sinned and come short, but drive 'em, O +Lord!"</p> + +<p>He paused and whispered to Ned as he reached for another cartridge:</p> + +<p>"Are they comin' or goin'?"</p> + +<p>"Coming!"</p> + +<p>Again he prayed with fervor:</p> + +<p>"Drive 'em back, Lord Goddermighty, we're weak and you're strong—help +us now! Drive 'em—just this time, O Lord, and you can have me—I'll be +good!"</p> + +<p>He paused for breath and turned to Ned:</p> + +<p>"Now look!—Comin' or goin'?"</p> + +<p>"That follow with the flag cussin' the men has dropped——"</p> + +<p>"Thank God!"</p> + +<p>"Another's lifted it——"</p> + +<p>"Lord, save us!"</p> + +<p>"Why don't you lie down, ye damn fool," Tom shouted. "I'm huggin' the +ground so close now I don't want a piece of paper under me, and if +there's got to be a piece I don't want no writin' on it!"</p> + +<p>"Now look, are they comin'?" the pious boy gasped.</p> + +<p>Ned made no answer. His wide set eyes were staring at the man who had +caught that color-bearer in his arms and was carrying him to the rear.</p> + +<p>It was John Vaughan!</p> + +<p>His lips were moving now in silent prayer and his sword hung limp in his +hands.</p> + +<p>Through chattering teeth he cried:</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot that fellow carrying his friend down the hill, boys!"</p> + +<p>"They're runnin' now?" the pious one asked.</p> + +<p>"It isn't war—it's a massacre!" Ned sighed.</p> + +<p>The man of prayer leaped on the ditch bank suddenly and shook his fist +defiantly.</p> + +<p>"Come back here, you damned cowards!" he yelled. "Come back and we'll +whip hell out o' you!"</p> + +<p>Slowly the shattered regiment fell back down the bloody slope, stumbling +over their dead and wounded. The dim smoke-bound valley was a slaughter +pen. Where magnificent lines of blue had marched with flashing bayonets +and streaming banners at eight o'clock, the dead lay in mangled heaps, +and the wounded huddled among them slowly freezing to death.</p> + +<p>John saw a magnificent gun a heap of junk with four dead horses and +every cannoneer on the ground dead or freezing where they fell. A single +shell had done the work. Riderless horses galloped wildly over the +field, shying at the grim piles of dark blue bodies, sniffing the blood +and neighing pitifully.</p> + +<p>Twelve hundred men in his regiment had charged up that hill. But two +hundred and fifty came down.</p> + +<p>From the steeple of the Court House in Fredericksburg General Couch, in +command of the Second Corps, stood with his glasses on this frightful +scene. He whispered to Howard by his side:</p> + +<p>"The whole plain is covered with our men fallen and falling—I've never +seen anything like it!"</p> + +<p>He paused, his lips quivering as he gasped:</p> + +<p>"O my God! see them falling—poor fellows, falling—falling!"</p> + +<p>He signalled Burnside for reinforcements.</p> + +<p>General Sumner's division on the Union right had charged into the +deadliest trap of all.</p> + +<p>Down the road toward the foot of Marye's Heights his magnificent army +swept at double quick. The Confederate batteries had been specially +trained to rake this road from three directions, right, and left flank +and centre.</p> + +<p>Steadily, stoically the men in blue pressed into this narrow way in +silence and met the flaming torrent from three directions. Rushing on +over the bodies of their fallen comrades the thinning ranks reached the +old stone wall at the foot of the hill. General Cobb lay concealed +behind it with three thousand infantry. The low quick order ran along +his line:</p> + +<p>"Fire!"</p> + +<p>Straight into the faces of the heroic Union soldiers flashed a level +blinding flame from three thousand muskets, slaying, crushing, tearing +to pieces the proud army of an hour ago. A thousand men in blue fell in +five minutes. The ground was piled with their bodies until it was +impossible to charge over them effectively.</p> + +<p>For a moment a cloud of smoke pitifully drew a soft grey veil over the +awful scene while the men who were left fell back in straggling broken +groups.</p> + +<p>Five times the Union hosts had charged those terrible brown hills and +five times they had been rolled back in red waves of blood.</p> + +<p>Late in the day a fierce bitter wind was blowing from the north. There +was yet time to turn defeat into victory. The desperate Union Commander +ordered the sixth charge.</p> + +<p>The men in blue pulled their hats down low as if to shut out the pelting +hail of lead and iron and without a murmur charged once more into the +mouth of hell. The winds had frozen stiff the bodies of their dead. The +advancing blue lines snatched these dead men from the ground, carried +them in front, stacked them in long piles for bulwarks, and fought +behind them with the desperation of madmen. There was no escape. The +keen eyes of the Confederate Commanders had planted their right and left +flanking lines to pour death into these ranks no matter how high their +corpses were piled. The crescent hill blazed and roared with unceasing +fury. Only the darkness was kind at last.</p> + +<p>And then the men in blue planted the frozen bodies of their comrades +along the outer battle line as dummy sentinels, and under cover of the +night began to slip back through Fredericksburg and across the silver +mirror of the Rappahannock to their old camp, shattered, broken, +crushed.</p> + +<p>It was four o'clock in the morning before John Vaughan's regiment would +give up the search for their desperately wounded. Only the strongest +could endure that bitter cold. Through the long, desolate hours the +pitiful cries of the wounded men rang through the black, freezing night, +and few hands stirred to save them. A great army was fighting to save +its flags and guns and reach the shelter beyond the river.</p> + +<p>Amid the few flickering lanterns could be heard the greetings of friends +in subdued tones as they clasped hands:</p> + +<p>"Is that you, old boy?"</p> + +<p>"God bless you—yes—I'm glad to see you!"</p> + +<p>A dying man in blue was pitifully calling for water somewhere, in the +darkness in front of Ned Vaughan's ditch. He took his canteen, got a +lantern and went to find him. It might be John. If not, no matter, he +was some other fellow's brother.</p> + +<p>As the light fell on his drawn face Ned murmured:</p> + +<p>"Thank God!"</p> + +<p>He pressed the canteen to his lips and held his head in his lap. It was +only too plain from the steel look out of the eyes that his minutes were +numbered. He moved and turned his dying face up to Ned:</p> + +<p>"Why is it you always whip us, Johnny?"</p> + +<p>He paused for breath:</p> + +<p>"I wonder—every battle I've been in we've been defeated—why—why—why, +O God, why——"</p> + +<p>His head drooped and he was still.</p> + +<p>Ned wondered if some waiting loved one on the shores of eternity had +given him the answer. He wrapped him tenderly in his blanket and left +him at rest at last.</p> + +<p>As he turned toward his lines the unmistakable wail of a baby came +faintly through the darkness—a wee voice, the half smothered cry +sounding as if it were nestling in a mother's arms. He followed the +sound until his lantern flashed in the wild eyes of a young woman who +had fled from her home in terror during the battle and was hugging her +baby frantically in her arms.</p> + +<p>Ned led her gently to an officer's quarters and made her comfortable.</p> + +<p>The glory of war was fast fading from his imagination. A grim spectre +was slowly taking its place.</p> + +<p>John's shattered regiment lay down on the field with the rear guard at +four o'clock to snatch an hour's sleep, their heads pillowed on the +bodies of the dead. The cold moderated and a light mantle of snow fell +softly just before day and covered the field, the living and the dead. +When the reveille sounded at dawn, the bugler looked with awe at the +thousands of white shrouded figures and wondered which would stir at his +note. The living slowly rose as from the dead and shook their white +shrouds. Thousands lay still, cold and immovable to await the +archangel's mightier call at the last.</p> + +<p>Beyond the river, through the long night, Burnside, wild with anguish, +had paced the floor of his tent. Again and again he threw his arms in a +gesture of despair toward the freezing blood-stained field:</p> + +<p>"Oh, those men—those men over there! I'm thinking of them all the +time——"</p> + +<p>As the rear guard turned from the field at sunrise, John Vaughan looked +back across the valley of Death and saw the ragged brown and grey +figures shivering in the cold, as they swarmed down from the hills and +began to shake the frost from the new, warm clothes they were stripping +from the dead.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXVI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE REST HOUR</a></h3> + + +<p>For two terrible days and nights Betty Winter saw the endless line of +ambulances creep from the field of Fredericksburg. Some of these men lay +on the frozen ground for forty-eight hours before relief came. Many of +the wounded might have lived but for the frightful exposure to cold +which followed the battle. They died in hundreds.</p> + +<p>Thousands were placed on the train for Washington and so great was the +pitiful suffering among them Betty left with the first load. There would +be more work in the hospitals there than in Burnside's camp. It would be +many a day before his shattered army could be ready again to give +battle.</p> + +<p>The worst trouble with it was not the bleeding gap torn through its +ranks by Lee's shot and shell. Not only was its body wounded, its soul +was crushed. Its commanding generals were divided into warring factions, +the rank and file of its stern fighting men discouraged.</p> + +<p>Again an epidemic of desertions broke out and ten thousand men were lost +in a single month.</p> + +<p>Burnside assumed the full responsibility for the disaster and asked to +be relieved of his command. The third Union General had gone down before +Lee—McClellan, Pope and Burnside.</p> + +<p>The President, heartsick but undismayed, called to the head of the army +the most promising general in sight, Joseph Hooker, popularly known as +"Fighting Joe Hooker." There was inspiration to the thoughtless in the +name, yet the Chief had misgivings.</p> + +<p>On sending him the appointment he wrote his new general a remarkable +letter:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">General</span>:</p> + +<p>"I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of +course, I have done this upon what appears to me to be sufficient +reasons; and yet I think it best for you to know that there are +some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you.</p> + +<p>"I believe you to be a brave and skillful soldier—which of course +I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your +profession—in which you are right. You have confidence in +yourself—which is a valuable if not indispensable quality. You are +ambitious—which within reasonable bounds does good rather than +harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the +army you have taken counsel of your ambition and thwarted him as +much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, +and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer.</p> + +<p>"I have heard in such a way as to believe of you recently saying +that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course +it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I gave you the +command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up as +dictators.</p> + +<p>"What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the +dictatorship.</p> + +<p>"The Government will support you to the utmost of its +ability—which is neither more nor less than it has done and will +do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have +aided to infuse into the army of criticising their commander and +withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall +assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor +Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army +while such a spirit prevails in it.</p> + +<p>"And now beware of rashness—but with energy and sleepless +vigilance go forward and give us victories."</p></div> + +<p>While Hooker lay in winter quarters reorganizing his army his picket +lines in speaking distance with those of his opponent across the river, +the President bent his strong shoulders to the task of cheering the +fainting spirits of the people. On his shaggy head was heaped the blame +of all the sorrows, the failures and the agony of the ever deepening +tragedy of war. Deeper and deeper into his rugged kindly face were cut +the lines of life and death, and darker grew the shadows through which +his sensitive lonely soul was called to walk.</p> + +<p>And yet, through it all, there glowed with stronger radiance the charm +of his quaint genius and his magnetic personality—tragic, homely, +gentle, humorous, honest, merciful, wise, laughable and lovable.</p> + +<p>He found time to run down to Hampton Roads with Gideon Welles, his loyal +Secretary of the Navy, to inspect the ships assembled there. He saw a +narrow door bound with iron.</p> + +<p>"What is that?" he asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that is the sweat box," the Secretary replied, "used for +insubordinate seamen——"</p> + +<p>"Oh," the rugged giant exclaimed, "how do you work it?"</p> + +<p>"The man to be punished is put inside and steam heat is turned on. It +brings him to terms quickly."</p> + +<p>The tall figure bent curiously examining the contrivance:</p> + +<p>"And we apply this to thousands of brave American seamen every year?"</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly."</p> + +<p>"Let me try it and see what it's like."</p> + +<p>It was useless to protest. He had already taken off his tall silk hat +and there was a look of quiet determination in his hazel-grey eyes.</p> + +<p>He stepped quickly into the enclosure, which he found to be about three +feet in length and about the same in width. His tall figure of six feet +four was practically telescoped.</p> + +<p>"Close your door now and turn on the steam," he ordered. "I'll give you +the signal when I've had enough."</p> + +<p>The door was closed and the steam turned on.</p> + +<p>He stood it three minutes and gave the signal of release.</p> + +<p>He stepped out, stretched his long legs, and breathed deeply. He mopped +his brow and there was fire in his sombre eyes as he turned to Welles:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Secretary, I want every one of those things dumped into the sea. +Never again allow it to be found on a vessel flying the American flag!"</p> + +<p>In an hour every sailor in the harbor had heard the news. The old salts +who had felt its shame and agony lifted their caps and stood with bared +heads, cheering and crying as he passed.</p> + +<p>One by one, every country of Europe heard the news and the sweat box +ceased to be an instrument of discipline on every sea of the civilized +world.</p> + +<p>Seated at his desk in the White House, he received daily the great and +the humble, and no man or woman came and left without a patient hearing. +There were over thirty thousand cases of trial and condemnations by +court-martial every year now—only a small portion with the death +penalty attached—but all had the right to appeal. They were not slow in +finding the road to the loving heart.</p> + +<p>Stanton, worn out by vain protests against his pardons, sent Attorney +General Bates at last.</p> + +<p>The great lawyer was very stern as he faced his Chief:</p> + +<p>"I regret to say it, Mr. President, but you are not fit to be trusted +with the pardoning power, sir!"</p> + +<p>A smile played about the corner of the big kindly mouth as he glanced +over his spectacles at his Attorney General:</p> + +<p>"It's my private opinion, Bates, that you're just as pigeon-hearted as I +am!"</p> + +<p>Judge Advocate General Holt was sent to labor with him and insist that +he enforce the law imposing the death penalty.</p> + +<p>"Your reasons are good, Holt," he answered kindly, "but I can't promise +to do it. You see, so many of my boys have to be shot anyhow. I don't +want to add another one to that lot if I can help it——"</p> + +<p>He paused and went on whimsically:</p> + +<p>"I don't see how it's going to make a man better to shoot him, +anyhow—give them another trial."</p> + +<p>In spite of all Holt's protests he steadfastly refused to sanction any +death warrant against a man for cowardice under fire. "Many a man," he +calmly argued, "who honestly tries to do his duty is overcome by fear +greater than his will—I'm not at all sure how I'd act if Minie balls +were whistling and those big shells shrieking in my ears. How can a poor +man help it if his legs just carry him away?"</p> + +<p>All these he marked "leg cases," put them in a separate pigeon hole and +always suspended their sentence.</p> + +<p>He would smile gently as he filed each death warrant away:</p> + +<p>"It would frighten that poor devil too terribly to shoot him. They +shan't do it."</p> + +<p>On one he wrote:</p> + +<p>"Let him fight again—maybe the enemy will shoot him—I won't."</p> + +<p>Betty Winter came with two cases. The first was a mother to plead for +her boy sentenced to die for sleeping at his post on guard.</p> + +<p>"You see, sir," the mother pleaded, "he'd been on watch once that night +and had done his duty faithfully. He volunteered to take a sick +comrade's place. He was so tired he fell asleep. He was always a +big-hearted, generous boy—you won't let them shoot him?"</p> + +<p>"No, I won't," was the quick response.</p> + +<p>The mother laughed aloud through her tears and threw her arms around +Betty's neck.</p> + +<p>The President bent over the paper and wrote across its back:</p> + +<p>"Pardoned. This life is too precious to be lost."</p> + +<p>Betty waited until the crowd had passed out and he was alone with +Colonel Nicolay. She hurried to his desk with her second case which she +had kept outside in the corridor until the time to enter.</p> + +<p>A young mother walked timidly in, smiling apologetically. She carried a +three-months-old baby in her arms. She was evidently not in mourning, +though her eyes were red from weeping.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter now?" the President laughed, nodding to Betty.</p> + +<p>"Tell him," she whispered.</p> + +<p>"If you please, sir," the woman began timidly, "we ain't been married +but a little over a year. My husband has never seen the baby. He's in +the army. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I come down to Washington +to get a pass to take the baby to him. But they wouldn't let me have it. +I've been wandering 'round the streets all day crying till I met this +sweet young lady and she brought me to you, sir——"</p> + +<p>The President turned to his secretary:</p> + +<p>"Let's send her down!"</p> + +<p>The Colonel smiled and shook his head:</p> + +<p>"The strictest orders have been given to allow no more women to go to +the front——"</p> + +<p>The big gentle hand stroked the shaggy beard.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll tell you what we can do," he cried joyfully, "give her +husband a leave of absence and let him come to see them here!"</p> + +<p>The secretary left at once for the Adjutant General's office and the +President turned to the laughing young mother, who was trying to thank +Betty through her tears:</p> + +<p>"And where are you stopping, Madam?"</p> + +<p>"Nowhere yet, sir. I went straight from the depot to the War Department +and then walked about blind with crying eyes until I came here."</p> + +<p>"All right then, we'll fix that. I'll give Miss Betty an order to take +you and your baby to her hospital and care for you until your husband +comes and he can stay there a week with you——"</p> + +<p>The mother's voice wouldn't work. She tried to speak her thanks and +could only laugh.</p> + +<p>The big hand pressed Betty's as she left:</p> + +<p>"Thank you for bringing her, little girl, things like that rest me."</p> + +<p>The hour was swiftly coming when he was going to need all the strength +that rest could bring body and soul. His enemies were sleepless. The +press inspired by Senator Winter had begun to strike below the belt.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXVII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">DEEPENING SHADOWS</a></h3> + + +<p>Again the eyes of the Nation were fixed on the Army of the Potomac and +its new General. The President went down to his headquarters at Falmouth +Heights opposite Fredericksburg to review his army of a hundred and +thirty thousand men.</p> + +<p>Riding up to Hooker's headquarters through the beautiful spring morning +his weary figure was lifted with new hope as he breathed the perfume of +the flowers and blooming hedgerows.</p> + +<p>The driver only worried him for the moment. He was swearing eloquently +at his team in the pride of his heart at the honor of hauling the Chief +Magistrate of the Nation. He swore both plain and ornamental oaths with +equal unction.</p> + +<p>The President endured it a while in amused silence. He was deeply +annoyed, but too much of a gentleman to hurt his patriotic driver's +feelings.</p> + +<p>At last he observed:</p> + +<p>"I see you are an Episcopalian, driver."</p> + +<p>The man turned in surprise:</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, sir, I'm Methodist."</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, Methodist—why, sir?"</p> + +<p>A whimsical smile played about the big kindly mouth:</p> + +<p>"I thought you must be an Episcopalian because you swear exactly like +Mr. Seward, and he's a churchwarden!"</p> + +<p>A deep silence fell on the sweet spring air. The driver glanced over his +shoulder with a sheepish grin, and cracked his whip without an oath:</p> + +<p>"G'long there, boys!"</p> + +<p>As the serried lines of blue, with bayonets flashing in the warming sun +of April, marched past the tall giant on horseback, they were in fine +spirits. They cheered the President with rousing enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan did not join. He marched past with eyes straight in front.</p> + +<p>The President hurried back to Washington to keep his vigil from his +window overlooking the Potomac, and Hooker began the execution of his +skillful plan of attack. On the day his advance began he had one hundred +and thirty thousand men and four hundred and forty-eight great guns in +seven grand divisions. Lee, still lying on the crescent hills behind +Fredericksburg, had sixty-two thousand men and one hundred and seventy +guns. He had detached Longstreet's corps for service in Tennessee.</p> + +<p>The Federal Commander was absolutely sure that he could throw the flower +of this magnificent army across the river seven miles above +Fredericksburg, get into Lee's rear, hurl the remainder of his forces +across the river as Burnside had done, and crush the grey army like an +egg shell. It was well planned, but in war the unexpected often happens.</p> + +<p>Again the unexpected thing turned up in the shape of the strange, dusty +figure on his little sorrel horse.</p> + +<p>The night before Hooker moved, Julius met with an accident which +delayed John's supper. He was just approaching the camp after a +successful stroll over the surrounding territory, carrying on his back a +sheep he meant to cook for the coming march. A rude and unsympathetic +guard arrested him. Julius was greatly grieved at his unkind remarks.</p> + +<p>"Lordy, man, you ought not ter say things lak dat ter me! I nebber steal +nutting in my life. I wasn't even foragin' dis time——"</p> + +<p>"The hell you weren't!"</p> + +<p>"Na, sah. I wasn't even foragin'. I know dat de General done issue dem +orders agin hit, an' I quit long ergo——"</p> + +<p>"This sheep looks like it——"</p> + +<p>"Dat sheep?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I said, you black thief!"</p> + +<p>"Say, man, don't talk lak dat ter me—you sho hurts my feelin's. I +nebber stole dat sheep. I nebber go atter de sheep, an' I weren't +studyin' 'bout no animals. I was des walkin' long de road past a man's +house whar dis here big, devilish-lookin' old sheep come er runnin' +right at me wid his head down—an' I lammed him wid er stick ter save my +life, sah. An' den when he fell, I knowed hit wuz er pity ter leave him +dar ter spile, an' so I des nachelly had ter fetch him inter de camp ter +save him. Man, you sho is rude ter talk dat way."</p> + +<p>The guard was obdurate until Julius began to describe how he cooked +roast mutton. He finally agreed to accept his version of the battle with +the sheep as authentic if he would bring him a ten pound roast to test +the truth of his conversation.</p> + +<p>Julius was still harping on the rudeness of this guard as he fanned the +flies off John's table with a sassafras brush at supper.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what dey ebber let sech poor white trash ez dat man git in +er army for, anyhow!" he exclaimed indignantly.</p> + +<p>"We have to take 'em as they come now, Julius. There's going to be a +draft this summer. No more volunteers now. Wait till you see the +conscripts."</p> + +<p>"Dey can't be no wus dan dat man. He warn't no gemman 'tall, sah."</p> + +<p>John rose from his hearty supper and strolled along the line of his +regiment, recruited again to its full strength of twelve hundred men.</p> + +<p>Two fellows who were messmates were scrapping about a question of gravy. +One wanted lots of gravy and his meat done brown. The other insisted on +having his meat decently cooked, but not swimming in grease. The man in +favor of gravy was on duty as cook at this meal and stuck to his own +ideas. They suddenly clinched, fell to the ground, rolled over, knocked +the pan in the fire and lost both meat and gravy.</p> + +<p>John smiled and passed on.</p> + +<p>A lieutenant was sitting on a stump holding a letter from his sweetheart +to the flickering camp fire. He bent and kissed the signature—the fool! +For a moment the old longing surged back through his soul. He wondered +if she ever thought of him now. She had loved him once.</p> + +<p>He started back to his tent to write her a letter before they broke camp +to-morrow morning. Nature was calling in the balmy spring night wind +that floated over the waters of the river.</p> + +<p>Nature knew naught of war. She was pouring out her heart in budding leaf +and blossom in the joy of living.</p> + +<p>And then the bitterness of shame and stubborn pride welled up to kill +the tender impulse. There were slumbering forces beneath the skin the +scenes through which he was passing had called into new life. They were +bringing new powers both of mind and body. They added nothing to the +gentler, sweeter sources of character. He began to understand how men +could feed their ambitions on the bodies of fallen hosts and still +smile.</p> + +<p>He had felt the brutalizing touch of war. With a cynical laugh he threw +off his impulse to write and turned into his blanket dreaming of the red +carnival toward which they would march at dawn.</p> + +<p>As the sun rose over the new sparkling fields of the South on the +morning of the 27th of April, 1863, the great movement began.</p> + +<p>The Federal commander ordered Sedgwick's division to cross the +Rappahannock below Fredericksburg and deploy in line of battle to +deceive Lee as to his real purpose while he secretly marched his main +army through the woods seven miles above to throw them on his rear.</p> + +<p>As the men stood, thousands banked on thousands, awaiting the order to +march, John Vaughan saw, for the first time, the grim procession pass +along the lines carrying a condemned deserter, to be shot to death +before his former comrades. His hands were tied across his breast with +rough knotted rope and he was seated on his coffin.</p> + +<p>The War Department had gotten around the tender heart in the White +House at last. The desertions had become so terrible in their frequency +it was absolutely necessary to make examples of some of these men. The +poor devil who sat forlornly on his grim throne riding through the sweet +spring morning had no mother or sister or sweetheart to plead his cause.</p> + +<p>The men stared in silence as the death cart rumbled along the lines. It +halted and the man took his place before the firing squad but a few feet +away.</p> + +<p>A white cloth was bound over his eyes. The sergeant dealt out the +specially prepared round of cartridges—all blank save one, that no +soldier might know who did the murder.</p> + +<p>In low tones they were ordered to fire straight at the heart of the +blindfolded figure. The muskets flashed and the man crumpled in a heap +on the soft young grass, the blood pouring from his breast in a bright +red pool beside the quivering form.</p> + +<p>And then the army moved.</p> + +<p>The stratagem of the Commander was executed with skill. But there was an +eagle eye back of those hills of Fredericksburg. Lee was not only a +great stark fighter, he was a past master in the arts of war. He had +divined his opponent's plan from the moment of his first movement.</p> + +<p>By April the 30th, Hooker had effected his crossing and slipped into the +rear of Lee's left wing. The Southerner had paid little attention to +Sedgwick's menace on his front. He left but nine thousand men on Marye's +Heights to hold in check this forty thousand, and by a rapid night march +suddenly confronted Hooker in the Wilderness before Chancellorsville.</p> + +<p>So strong was the Union General's position he issued an exultant order +to his army in which he declared:</p> + +<p>"The enemy must now flee shamefully or come out of his defences to +accept battle on our own ground, to his certain destruction."</p> + +<p>The enemy had already slipped out of his defenses before Fredericksburg +and at that moment was feeling his way through the tangled vines and +undergrowth with sure ominous tread.</p> + +<p>The soul of the Confederate leader rose with elation at the prospect +before him. In this tangle called the Wilderness, broken only here and +there by small, scattered farm houses and fields, the Grand Army of the +Republic had more than twice his numbers, and nearly three times as many +big guns, but his artillery would be practically useless. It was utterly +impossible to use four hundred great guns in such woods. Lee's one +hundred and seventy were more than he could handle. It would be a fight +between infantry at close range. The Southerner knew that no army of men +ever walked the earth who would be the equal, man for man, with these +grey veteran dead shots, who were now silently creeping through the +undergrowth of their native woods.</p> + +<p>On May the 1st, their two lines came into touch and Lee felt of his +opponent by driving in his skirmishers in a desultory fire of artillery.</p> + +<p>On the morning of May the 2nd, the two armies faced each other at close +range.</p> + +<p>With Sedgwick's division of forty thousand men now threatening Lee's +rear from Fredericksburg, his army thus caught between two mighty lines +of blue, Hooker was absolutely sure of victory. The one thing of which +he never dreamed was that Lee would dare, in the face of such a death +trap, to divide his own small army. And yet this is exactly what the +Southerner decided to do contrary to all the rules of military science +or the advice of the strange, silent figure on the little sorrel horse.</p> + +<p>When Lee, Jackson and Stuart rode along the lines of Hooker's front that +fatal May morning, Jackson suddenly reined in his little sorrel and +turned his keen blue eyes on his grey-haired Chief:</p> + +<p>"There's just one way, General Lee. The front and left are too strong. I +can swing my corps in a quick movement to the rear while you attack the +front. They will think it a retreat. Out of sight, I'll turn, march for +ten miles around their right wing, and smash it from the rear before +sundown."</p> + +<p>Lee quickly approved the amazing plan of his lieutenant, though it +involved the necessity of his holding Hooker's centre and left in check +and that his nine thousand men behind the stone wall on Marye's Heights +should hold Sedgwick's forty thousand. He believed it could be done +until Jackson had completed his march.</p> + +<p>He immediately ordered his attack on the centre and left of his enemy. +The artillery horses were cropping the tender dew-laden grass with +eagerness. They had had no breakfast. The riders sprang to their backs +at seven o'clock and they dashed into position.</p> + +<p>Lee's guns opened the fateful day. For hours his lines blazed with the +steady sullen boom of artillery and rattle of musketry. Hooker's hosts +replied in kind.</p> + +<p>At noon a shout swept the Federal lines that Lee's army was in retreat. +Sickles' division could see the long grey waves hurrying to the rear. +They were close enough to note the ragged, dirty, nondescript clothes +Jackson's men wore. No man in all the Union hosts doubted for a moment +that Lee had seen the hopelessness of his position and was hurrying to +save his little army of sixty-two thousand men from being crushed into +pulp by the jaws of a hundred and thirty thousand in two grand divisions +closing in on him. It was a reasonable supposition—always barring the +utterly unexpected—another name for Stonewall Jackson, whom they seemed +to have forgotten for the moment.</p> + +<p>Sickles, seeing the "retreat," sent a courier flying to Hooker, asking +for permission to follow the fugitives with his twenty thousand men. +Hooker consented, and Sickles leaped from his entrenchments and set out +in mad haste to overtake the flying columns. He got nearly ten miles in +the woods away from the battle lines before he realized that the ghostly +men in grey had made good their escape. Certainly they had disappeared +from view.</p> + +<p>It was five o'clock in the afternoon when Jackson's swift, silent +marchers began to draw near to the unsuspecting right wing of Hooker's +army under the command of General Howard.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan was in Jackson's skirmish line feeling the way through the +tender green foliage of the spring. The days were warm and the leaves +far advanced—the woods so dense it was impossible for picket or +skirmisher to see more than a hundred yards ahead—at some points not a +hundred feet.</p> + +<p>The thin, silent line suddenly swept into the little opening of a negro +cabin with garden and patch of corn. A kindly old colored woman was +standing in the doorway.</p> + +<p>She looked into the faces of these eager, slender Southern boys and they +were her "children." The meaning of war was real to her only when it +meant danger to those she loved.</p> + +<p>She ran quickly up to Ned, her eyes dancing with excitement:</p> + +<p>"For de Lawd's sake, honey, don't you boys go up dat road no fudder!"</p> + +<p>"Why, Mammy?" he asked with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Lordy, chile, dey's thousan's, an' thousan's er Yankees des over dat +little hill dar—dey'll kill every one er you all!"</p> + +<p>"I reckon not, Mammy," Ned called, hurrying on.</p> + +<p>She ran after him, still crying:</p> + +<p>"For Gawd's sake, come back here, honey—dey kill ye sho!"</p> + +<p>She was calling still as Ned disappeared beyond the cabin into the woods +redolent now with the blossoms of chinquepin bushes and the rich odors +of sweet shrub.</p> + +<p>They climbed the little ridge on whose further slope lay an open field, +and caught their first view of Howard's unsuspecting division. They +halted and sent their couriers flying with the news to Jackson.</p> + +<p>Ned looked on the scene with a thrill of exultation and then a sense of +deepening pity. The boys in blue had begun to bivouac for the night, +their camp fires curling through the young green leaves. The men were +seated in groups laughing, talking, joking and playing cards. The horses +were busy cropping the young grass.</p> + +<p>"God have mercy on them!" Ned exclaimed.</p> + +<p>It was nearly six o'clock before Jackson's men had all slipped silently +into position behind the dense woods on this little slope—in two long +grim battle lines, one behind the other, with columns in support, his +horse artillery with their big guns shotted and ready.</p> + +<p>Ned saw a slight stir in the doomed camp of blue. The men were standing +up now and looking curiously toward those dense woods. A startled flock +of quail had swept over their heads flying straight down from the lull +crest. A rabbit came scurrying from the same direction—and then +another. And then another flock of quail swirled past and pitched among +the camp fires, running and darting in terror on the ground.</p> + +<p>An officer drew his revolver and potted one for his supper.</p> + +<p>The men glanced uneasily toward the woods but could see nothing.</p> + +<p>"What'ell ye reckon that means?"</p> + +<p>"What ails the poor birds?"</p> + +<p>"And the rabbits?"</p> + +<p>They were not long in doubt. The sudden shrill note of a bugle rang from +the woods and Jackson's yelling grey lines of death swept down on their +unprotected rear.</p> + +<p>The first regiments in sight were blown into atoms and driven as chaff +before a whirlwind. Behind them lay twenty regiments in their trenches +pointed the wrong way. The men leaped to their guns and fought +desperately to stay the rushing torrent. Beyond them was a ragged gap of +a whole mile without a man, left bare by the chase of Sickles' division +now ten miles away. Without support the shattered lines were crushed +and crumpled and rolled back in confusion. Every regiment was cut to +pieces and pushed on top of one another, men, horses, mules, cattle, +guns, in a tangled mass of blood and death.</p> + +<p>Ned was sent to bring the supporting column to drive them on and on. He +mounted a horse and dashed back to the reserve line yelling his call:</p> + +<p>"Hurry! Hurry up, men!"</p> + +<p>"What's the hurry?" growled a grey coat.</p> + +<p>"Hurry! Hurry!" Ned shouted. "We've captured fifty pieces of artillery +and ten thousand prisoners!"</p> + +<p>"Then what'ell's the use er hurryin' us on er empty stomach—but we're +a-comin', honey—we're a-comin'!"</p> + +<p>The colonel of a regiment snatched his hat off and was getting his men +ready for the charge. He waved his hand toward Ned:</p> + +<p>"Make that damn-fool get out of the way. I'm going to charge. Now you +men listen—listen to me, I say! not to that fellow—listen to me!"</p> + +<p>Ned could hear him still talking excitedly to his eager men as he dashed +back to the battle line.</p> + +<p>General Hooker sat on the porch of the Chancellor House, his +headquarters. On the east there was heavy firing where his men were +attempting to carry out his orders to flank Lee's retreating army. +Sickles' and Pleasanton's cavalry were already in pursuit. By some +curious trick of the breeze or atmospheric conditions not a sound had +reached him from the direction of his right wing. A staff officer +suddenly turned his glasses to the west.</p> + +<p>"My God, here they come!"</p> + +<p>Before the astounded Commander could leap from the porch to his horse +the flying stragglers of his shattered right were pouring into +view—men, wagons, ambulances, in utter confusion. Hooker swung his old +division under General Berry into line and shouted to his veterans:</p> + +<p>"Forward with the bayonet!"</p> + +<p>The sturdy division plowed its way through the receding blue waves of +panic-stricken men and dashed into the face of the overwhelming hosts.</p> + +<p>Major Keenan, in command of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry, charged with +his gallant five hundred into the face of almost certain death and held +the grey lines in check until the artillery of the Third Corps was saved +and turned on the advancing Confederates. He fell at the head of his +men.</p> + +<p>The fighting now became a battle. It was no longer a rout.</p> + +<p>Ned saw a lone deaf man in blue standing bareheaded, fighting a whole +army so intent on his work he hadn't noticed that his regiment had +retreated and left him.</p> + +<p>Two men in grey raised their muskets and fired point blank at this man +at the same instant. The unconscious hero fell.</p> + +<p>"I hit him!" cried one.</p> + +<p>"No, I hit him!" said the other.</p> + +<p>And they both rushed up and tenderly offered him help.</p> + +<p>A grey soldier came hurrying by taking two prisoners to the rear. A +cannon ball from the rescued battery cut off his leg and he dropped +beside Ned shouting hysterically:</p> + +<p>"Pick me up! Pick me up! Why don't you pick me up?"</p> + +<p>The blue prisoner looked back in terror at the battery and started to +run. A grey soldier stopped them:</p> + +<p>"Here! Here! What'ell's the matter with you? Them's your own guns. What +are ye tryin' to get away from 'em for?"</p> + +<p>Men were falling now at every step.</p> + +<p>Ned had advanced a hundred yards further when the boy on his right +suddenly threw his hands over his head and his leg full to the ground, +cut off by a cannon ball, Ned leaped to his side and caught him in his +arms. A look of anguish swept his strong young face as he gasped:</p> + +<p>"My poor old mother! O my God, what'll she do now?"</p> + +<p>Ned tied his handkerchief around the mangled leg, twisted the knot, and +stayed the blood gushing from the severed arteries, and rushed back to +his desperate work.</p> + +<p>Four horses dashed by his side dragging through the woods a big gun to +train on the battery that was plowing through their lines. A solid shot +crashed straight through a horse's head, blinding Ned with blood and +brains.</p> + +<p>He threw his hand to his face and buried it in the hot quivering mass, +exclaiming:</p> + +<p>"My God, boys, my brains are out!"</p> + +<p>"You've got the biggest set I ever saw then!" the Captain said, helping +him to clear his eyes.</p> + +<p>A shell exploded squarely against the gun carriage, hurling it into junk +and piling all four horses on the ground. Their dying cries rang +pitifully through the smoke-wreathed woods. One horse lifted his head, +placed both fore feet on the ground and tried to rise. His hind legs +were only shreds of torn flesh. He neighed a long, quivering, +soul-piercing shriek of agony and a merciful officer drew his revolver +and killed him.</p> + +<p>A cannoneer lay by this horse's side with both his legs hopelessly +crushed so high in the thick flesh of the thighs there was no hope. He +was moaning horribly. He turned his eyes in agony to the officer who had +shot the horse:</p> + +<p>"Please, Captain—for the love of God—shoot me, too, I can't live——"</p> + +<p>The Captain shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Have mercy on me—for Jesus' sake—kill me—you were kind to my +horse—can't you do as much for me?"</p> + +<p>The Captain turned away in anguish. He couldn't even send for morphine. +The South had no more morphine. The blockade's iron hand was on her +hospitals now.</p> + +<p>Ned fought for half an hour behind a tree. Twice the bullets striking +the hark knocked pieces into his eyes. He was sure at least fifty Minie +balls struck it.</p> + +<p>A bald-headed Colonel rushed by at double quick leading a fresh regiment +into action to support them. The hell of battle was not so hot the +Southern soldier had lost his sense of humor. They were glad to see this +dashing old fighter and they told him so in no uncertain way.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah for Baldy!"</p> + +<p>"Sick 'em, Baldy—sick 'em——"</p> + +<p>"I'll bet on old man Baldy every time——"</p> + +<p>"Hurrah for the bald-headed man!"</p> + +<p>The Colonel paid no attention to their shouts. The flash of his muskets +in the deepening twilight turned the tide in their favor. The big guns +had been unlimbered and pulled back deeper into the blue lines.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan's line was swung to support the charge of Hooker's old +division which first halted the rush of Jackson's men. In the field +beyond the Chancellor House stood a huge straw stack. As the regiment +rushed by at double quick the Colonel spied a panic-stricken officer +crouching in terror behind the pile.</p> + +<p>The Colonel slapped him across the shoulders with his sword:</p> + +<p>"What sort of a place is this for you, sir?"</p> + +<p>Through chattering teeth came the trembling response:</p> + +<p>"W-w-hy, m-my God, do you think the bullets can come through?"</p> + +<p>The Colonel threw up his hands in rage and pressed on with his men.</p> + +<p>A wagon loaded with entrenching tools, on which sat half a dozen negroes +rattled by on its way to the rear. A solid shot plumped squarely into +the load.</p> + +<p>John saw picks, spades, shovels and negroes suddenly fill the air. Every +negro lit on his feet and his legs were running when he struck the +ground. They reached the tall timber before the last pick fell.</p> + +<p>The regiments were going into battle double quick, but they were not +going so fast they couldn't laugh.</p> + +<p>"Hurry up men!" the Colonel called. "Hurry up, let's get in there and +help 'em!"</p> + +<p>A moment more and they were in it.</p> + +<p>The man beside John threw up both hands and dropped with the dull, +unmistakable thud of death—the soldier who has been in battle knows the +sickening sound.</p> + +<p>They were thrown around the Third Corps battery to protect their guns +which had been dragged to a place more securely within the lines. Still +their gunners kept falling one by one—falling ominously at the crack of +a single gun in the woods. A Confederate sharpshooter had climbed a tree +and was picking them off.</p> + +<p>A tall Westerner spoke to the Colonel:</p> + +<p>"Let me go huntin' for him!"</p> + +<p>The Commander nodded and John went with him—why? He asked himself the +question before he had taken ten steps through the shadowy underbrush. +The answer was plain. He knew the truth at once. The elemental brutal +instinct of the hunter had kindled at the flash in that Westerner's eye. +It would be a hunt worth while—the game was human.</p> + +<p>For five minutes they crept through the bushes hiding from tree to tree +in the open spaces. They searched the tops in vain, when suddenly a +piece of white oak bark fluttered down from the sky and struck the +ground at their feet.</p> + +<p>The Westerner smiled at John and stood motionless:</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm damned!"</p> + +<p>They waited breathlessly, afraid to look up into the boughs of the +towering oak beneath which they were standing.</p> + +<p>"Don't move now!" the man from the West cried, "and I'll pot him."</p> + +<p>Slowly he stepped backward, softly, noiselessly, his eye fixed in the +treetop, his gun raised and finger on the trigger.</p> + +<p>He stopped, aimed, and fired.</p> + +<p>John looked up and saw the grey figure fall back from the tree trunk and +plunge downward, bounding from limb to limb and striking the ground +within ten feet of where he stood with heavy thud. The blood was gushing +in red streams from his nose and mouth.</p> + +<p>They turned and hurried back to their lines—another fierce attack was +being made on those guns. The men in grey charged and drove them a +hundred feet before they rallied and pushed them back with frightful +loss on both sides.</p> + +<p>John's Captain fell, dangerously wounded, and lay fifty feet beyond +their battle line. The dry leaves in the woods had taken fire from a +shell and the blaze was nearing the wounded men. The Westerner coolly +leaped from his position behind a tree, walked out in a hail of lead, +picked up his wounded Commander, and carried him safely to the rear. He +had just stepped back to take his stand in line by John's side when a +flying piece of shrapnel tore a hole in his side. He dropped to his +knees, sank lower to his elbow, turned his blue eyes to the darkening +sky and slowly muttered as if to himself:</p> + +<p>"Poor—little—wife—and—babies!"</p> + +<p>The night was drawing her merciful veil over the scene at last. Jackson +having crushed and mangled Hooker's right wing and rolled it back in red +defeat over five miles in two hours, was slowly feeling his way on his +last reconnaissance for the day to make his plans for the next. Through +a fatal misunderstanding he was fired on by his own men and borne from +the field fatally wounded.</p> + +<p>A shiver of horror thrilled the Southerners when the news of +Jackson's fall was whispered through the darkness.</p> + +<p>At midnight Sickles led his division back into the dense woods and for +three terrible hours the men on both sides fought as demons in the +shadows. The long lines of blazing muskets in the darkness looked like +the onward rush of a forest fire. At times two solid walls of flame +seemed to leap through the tree tops into the starlit heavens. A small +portion of the captured ground was recovered at a frightful loss—and no +man knows to this day how many gallant men in blue were shot down by +their own comrades in the darkness and confusion of that mad assault.</p> + +<p>Hooker sent a desperate call to Sedgwick to hurry to his relief by +carrying out his plan of sweeping Marye's Heights and falling on Lee's +rear.</p> + +<p>At dawn Stuart in command of Jackson's corps led the new charge on +Hooker's lines, his grey veterans shouting:</p> + +<p>"Remember Jackson!"</p> + +<p>Through the long hours of the terrible third day of May the fierce +combat of giants raged. During the morning Hooker's headquarters were +reached by the Confederate artillery and the old Chancellor House, +filled with the wounded, was knocked to pieces and set on fire. The +women and children and slaves of the Chancellor family were shivering in +its cellar while the shells were hurling its bricks and timbers in +murderous fury on the helpless wounded who lay in hundreds in the yard. +The men from both armies rushed into this hell and carried the wounded +to a place of safety.</p> + +<p>General Hooker was wounded and the report flew over the Federal army +that he had been killed. To allay their fears the General had himself +lifted into the saddle and rode down his lines and out of sight, when he +was taken unconscious from his horse.</p> + +<p>Sedgwick was fighting his way with desperation now to force Marye's +Heights and strike Lee's rear.</p> + +<p>Once more the stone wall blazed with death for the gallant men in blue. +They dashed themselves against it wave on wave, only to fall back in +confusion. They tried to flank it and failed. Hour after hour the mad +charges rolled against this hill and broke in deep red pools at its +base. There were but nine thousand men holding it against forty +thousand, but it was afternoon before the grey lines slowly gave way and +Sedgwick's victorious troops poured over the hill toward Lee's lines. +Hooker had asked him to appear at daylight. The long rows and mangled +heaps of the dead left on Marye's bloody slopes was sufficient answer to +all inquiries as to his delay.</p> + +<p>But the way was still blocked. The receding line of grey was suddenly +supported by Early's division detached from Lee's reserves. Again +Sedgwick was stopped and fought until dark.</p> + +<p class="center"> + <a name="wav" id="wav"></a><img src="images/006.jpg" + alt=""Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of +his troops and charged."" title=""Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of +his troops and charged."" /> +<br /> +"Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of +his troops and charged."</p> + +<p>As the sun was sinking over the smoke-wreathed spring-clothed trees of +the wilderness, Stuart gathered Jackson's corps for a desperate assault +on Hooker's last line of defense. Waving his plumed hat high above his +handsome bearded face, he put himself at the head of his troops and +charged, chanting with boyish enthusiasm his improvised battle song:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Old—Joe—Hooker,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Won't you come out o' the Wilderness!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Come out o' the Wilderness!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Come out o' the Wilderness!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Old—Joe—Hooker—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Come out o' the Wilderness—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Come—come—I say!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The cheering grey waves swept all before them and left Lee in full +possession of Chancellorsville and the whole position the Federal army +had originally held.</p> + +<p>As the Confederates rolled on, driving the fiercely fighting men in blue +before them, Lee himself rode forward to encourage his men and then it +happened—the thing for which the great have fought, and longed, and +dreamed since time dawned—the spontaneous tribute of the brave to a +trusted leader.</p> + +<p>His victorious troops went wild at the sight of him. Above the crash and +roar of battle rose the shouts of the Southerners:</p> + +<p>"Hurrah for Lee!"</p> + +<p>"Lee!"</p> + +<p>"Lee!"</p> + +<p>From lip to lip the thrilling name leaped until the wounded and the +dying turned their eyes to see and raised their feeble voices:</p> + +<p>"Lee!—Lee!—Lee!"</p> + +<p>It was at this moment that he received the note from Jackson announcing +that he was badly wounded. With the shouts of his men ringing in his +ears, he drew his pencil and wrote across the pommel of his saddle:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">General</span>: I have just received your note informing me that you are +wounded. I cannot express my regret at the occurrence. Could I have +directed events, I should have chosen, for the good of the country, +to be disabled in your stead.</p> + +<p>"I congratulate you upon the victory which is due to your skill and +energy.</p> + +<p>"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p></div> + +<p class="smcap s">"R. E. Lee,</p> +<p class="smcap t">General." +</p> + +<p>It was quick, bloody work next day for the Southerner to turn and spring +on Sedgwick with the ferocity of a tiger, crush and hurl his battered +and bleeding corps back on the river.</p> + +<p>Under cover of a storm General Couch, in command of Hooker's army, +retreated across the Rappahannock. The blue and grey picket lines that +night were so close to each other the men could talk freely. The +Southern boys were chaffing the Northerners over their oft repeated +defeats. Through the darkness a Yankee voice drawled:</p> + +<p>"Ah, Johnnie, shut up—you make us tired! You're not so much as you +think you are. Swap Generals with us and we'll come over and lick hell +out of you!"</p> + +<p>A silence fell over the boasting ones and then the listening Yankee +heard a low voice chuckle to his comrade:</p> + +<p>"I'm damned if they wouldn't, too!"</p> + +<p>When the grey dawn broke through the storm they began to bury the dead +and care for the wounded. The awful struggle had ended at last.</p> + +<p>The Northern army had lost seventeen thousand men, the Southerners +thirteen thousand.</p> + +<p>It was a great victory for the South, but a few more such victories and +there would be none of her brave boys left to tell the story.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan's company had been detailed to help in cleaning the field. +The day before, on Sunday morning, they had eaten their breakfast seated +on the ground among hundreds of dead bodies whose odor poisoned the air. +It is needless to say, Julius was not present. He had kept the river +between him and the roar of contending hosts.</p> + +<p>The suffering of the wounded had been terrible. Some of them had fallen +on Friday, thousands on Saturday, and it was now Monday. All through the +blood-soaked tangled woods they lay groaning and dying. And everywhere +the flap of black wings. The keen-eyed vultures had seen from the sky +where they fell.</p> + +<p>John found a brave old farmer from Northern New York lying beside his +son. He had met them in the fight at Fredericksburg in December.</p> + +<p>"Well, here we are, Vaughan," the father cried feebly. "My boy's dead, +and I'll be with him soon—but it's all right—it's all right—my +country's worth it!"</p> + +<p>They were lying in a bright open space, where the warm sun of May had +pushed the wood violets into blossom in rich profusion. The dead boy's +head lay in a bed of blue flowers.</p> + +<p>Some of the bodies further on were black and charred by the flames that +had swept the woods again and again during the battles. Some of them had +been wounded men and they had been burned to death. Their twisted bodies +and the agony on their cold faces told the hideous story more plainly +than words. The odor of burning flesh still filled the air in these +black spots.</p> + +<p>With a start John suddenly came on the crouching figure of a Confederate +soldier kneeling behind a stump, the paper end of the cartridge was in +his teeth and his fingers still grasped the ball. He was just in the act +of tearing the paper as a bullet crashed straight through his forehead. +A dark streak of blood marked his face and clothes. His gun was in his +other hand, the muzzle in place to receive the cartridge, the body cold +and rigid in exactly the position death had called him.</p> + +<p>A broad-shouldered, bearded man in blue had just fallen asleep nearby. +The body was still warm, the blue eyes wide open, staring into the +leaden sky. On his breast lay an open Bible with a bloody finger mark on +the lines:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The Lord is my shepherd,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I shall not want<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He maketh me to lie down in green pastures—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He restoreth my soul."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>A hundred yards further lay a dead boy from his own company. The stiff +hands were still holding a picture of his sweetheart before the staring +eyes. Near him lay a boy in grey with a sweetheart's letter clasped in +his hand. They had talked and tried to cheer one another, these dying +boys—talked of those they loved in far off villages as the mists of +eternity had gathered about them.</p> + +<p>It was late that night before the wounded had all been moved. Through +every hour of its black watches the surgeons, with their sleeves rolled +high, their arms red, bent over their tasks, until legs and arms were +piled in ghastly heaps ten feet high.</p> + +<p>As John Vaughan turned from the scene where he had laid a wounded man to +wait his turn, his eye caught the look of terror on the face of a +wounded Southern boy. He was a slender little dark-haired fellow, under +sixteen, a miniature of Ned. The surgeon had just taken up his knife to +cut into the deep flesh wound for the Minie ball embedded there. John +saw the slender face go white and the terror-stricken young eyes search +the room for help. His breath came in quick gasps and he was about to +faint.</p> + +<p>John slipped his arm around him:</p> + +<p>"Just a minute, Doctor——"</p> + +<p>He pressed his hand and whispered:</p> + +<p>"Come now, little man, you're among your enemies. You've got to be +brave. Show your grit for the South. I've got a brother in your army who +looks like you. No white feather now when these Yankees can see you."</p> + +<p>The slender figure stiffened and his eyes flashed:</p> + +<p>"All right!" the sturdy lips cried. "Let him go ahead—I'm ready now!"</p> + +<p>John held his hand, while the knife cut through the soft young flesh and +found the lead. The grip of the slim fingers tightened, but he gave no +cry. John handed him the bullet to put in his pocket and left him +smiling his thanks.</p> + +<p>He began to wonder vaguely if he had lost his cook forever. Julius +should have found the regiment before this. It was just before day that +he came on him working with might and main at a job that was the last +one on earth he would have selected.</p> + +<p>He had been seized by a burying squad and put to work dragging corpses +to the trenches from the great piles where the wagons had dumped them.</p> + +<p>The black man rolled his eyes in piteous appeal to his master:</p> + +<p>"For Gawd's sake, Marse John, save me—dese here men won't lemme go. I +been er throwin' corpses inter dem trenches since dark. I'se most dead +frum work, let 'lone bein' scared ter death."</p> + +<p>"Sorry, Julius," was the quick answer, "we've all got to work at a time +like this. There's no help for it."</p> + +<p>Julius bent again to his horrible task. The thing that appalled him was +the way the dead men kept looking at him out of their eyes wide and +staring in the flickering light of the lanterns.</p> + +<p>John stood watching him thoughtfully. He had finished one pile of +bodies, dragging them by the heels one by one, and throwing them into +the trenches. He was just about to begin on the last stack when he saw +that he had left one lying a little further back in the shadows.</p> + +<p>Julius looked at it dubiously and scratched his head. He didn't like the +idea of going so far back in the dark, away from the light, but there +was no help for it. The guard stood with his musket scowling:</p> + +<p>"Get a move on you—damn you, don't stand there!" he growled.</p> + +<p>Julius walled his eyes at his tormentor and ran for the body. It +happened to be the sleeping form of a tired guard who had been up three +nights. The negro grabbed his legs and rushed toward the lights and the +trenches.</p> + +<p>He had almost reached the grave when the corpse gave a vicious kick and +yelled:</p> + +<p>"Here—what'ell!"</p> + +<p>Julius didn't stop to look or to answer. What he felt in his hands was +enough. With a yell of terror he dropped the thing and plunged straight +ahead.</p> + +<p>"Gawd, save me!" he gasped.</p> + +<p>His foot slipped on the edge of the trench and he rolled in the dark +hole. With the leap of a frightened panther he reached the solid earth +and flew, each leap a muttered prayer:</p> + +<p>"Save me! Lawd, save me!"</p> + +<p>Standing there beside the grim piles of his dead comrades John Vaughan +joined the guard in uncontrollable laughter. It was many a day before he +saw his cook again.</p> + +<p>The laughter suddenly stopped, and he turned from the scene with a +shudder.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," he muttered, "if I live through this war, whether I'll come +out of it with a soul!"</p> + +<p>The report from Chancellorsville drifted slowly, ominously, appallingly, +over Washington with the clouds and mists of the storm which swept up +the Potomac and shrouded the city in a grey mantle of mourning. The +White House was still. The dead were walking through its great rooms of +state. The anguished heart who watched by the window toward the hills of +Virginia saw and heard each muffled footfall.</p> + +<p>He walked to the table with stumbling, uncertain step at last, his face +ghastly and rigid, its color grey ashes, his deep set eyes streaming +with tears, sank helplessly into a chair, and for the first time gave +way to despair:</p> + +<p>"O my God! My God! what will the country say!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXVIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE MOONLIT RIVER</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter was quick to answer the hurry call for more nurses in the +field hospital at Chancellorsville. The results at the end of three +days' carnage had paralyzed the service.</p> + +<p>She left the Carver Hospital on receipt of the first cry for help and +hurried to her home to complete her preparations to leave for the front.</p> + +<p>Her father was at breakfast alone.</p> + +<p>She called her greeting from the hall, rushed to her room, packed a bag, +and quickly came down.</p> + +<p>She slipped her arm around his neck, bent and kissed him good-bye. He +held her a moment:</p> + +<p>"You must leave so early, dear?"</p> + +<p>"I must catch the first bout for Aquia. The news from the front is +hideous. The force there is utterly inadequate. They've asked for every +nurse that can be spared for a week. The wounded lay on the ground for +three days and nights, and hundreds of them can't be moved to +Washington. The woods took fire dozens of times and many of the poor +boys were terribly burned. The suffering, they say, is indescribable."</p> + +<p>The old man suddenly rose, with a fierce light flashing in his eyes:</p> + +<p>"Oh, the miserable blunderer in the White House—this war has been one +grim and awful succession of his mistakes!"</p> + +<p>Betty placed her hand on his arm in tender protest:</p> + +<p>"Father, dear, how can you be so unreasonable—so insanely unjust? Your +hatred of the President is a positive mania——"</p> + +<p>"I'm not alone in my affliction, child; Arnold is his only friend in +Congress to-day——"</p> + +<p>"Then it's a shame—a disgrace to the Nation. Every disaster is laid at +his door. In his big heart he is carrying the burden of millions—their +suffering, their sorrows, their despair. You blamed him at first for +trifling with the war. Now you blame him for the bloody results when the +army really fights. You ask for an effective campaign and when you get +these tragic battles you heap on his head greater curses. It isn't +right. It isn't fair. I can't understand how a man with your deep sense +of justice can be so cruelly inconsistent——"</p> + +<p>The Senator shook his grey head in protest:</p> + +<p>"There! there! dear—we won't discuss it. You're a woman and you can't +understand my point of view. We'll just agree to disagree. You like the +man in the White House. God knows he's lonely—I shouldn't begrudge him +that little consolation. His whole attitude in this war is loathsome to +me. To him the Southerners are erring brethren to be brought back as +prodigal sons in the end. To me they are criminal outlaws to be hanged +and quartered—their property confiscated, the foundations of their +society destroyed, and every trace of their States blotted from the +map——"</p> + +<p>"Father!"</p> + +<p>"Until we understand that such is the purpose of the war we can get +nowhere—accomplish nothing. But there, dear—I didn't mean to say so +much. There is always one thing about which there can be no dispute—I +love my little girl——"</p> + +<p>He slipped his arm about her tenderly again.</p> + +<p>"I'm proud of the work you're doing for our soldiers. They tell me in +the big hospital that you're an angel. I've always known it, but I'm +glad other people are beginning to find it out. In all the horrors of +this tragedy there's one ray of sunshine for me—the light that shines +from your eyes!"</p> + +<p>He bent and kissed her again:</p> + +<p>"Run now, and don't miss your boat."</p> + +<p>In the five swift days of tender service which followed, Betty Winter +forgot her own heartache and loneliness in the pity, pathos, and horror +of the scenes she witnessed—the drawn white faces—the charred flesh, +the scream of pain from the young, the sigh of brave men, the last +messages of love—the gasp and the solemn silences of eternity.</p> + +<p>When the strain of the first rush had ended and the time to follow the +lines of ambulance wagons back to Washington drew near, the old anguish +returned to torture her soul. She told herself it was all over, and yet +she knew that somewhere in that vast city of tents, stretching for miles +over the hills and valleys about Falmouth Heights, was John Vaughan. She +had put him resolutely out of her life. She said this a hundred +times—yet she was quietly rejoicing that his name was not on that black +roll of seventeen thousand. All doubt had been removed by the +announcement in the <i>Republican</i> of his promotion to the rank of +Captain for gallantry on the field of Chancellorsville.</p> + +<p>She hoped that he had freed himself at last from evil associates. She +couldn't be sure—there were ugly rumors flying about the hospital of +the use of whiskey in the army. These rumors were particularly busy with +Hooker's name.</p> + +<p>Seated alone in the quiet moonlight before the field hospital, the balmy +air of the South which she drew in deep breaths was bringing back the +memory of another now. The pickets had been at their usual friendly +tricks of trading tobacco and coffee and exchanging newspapers. From a +Richmond paper she had just learned that Ned Vaughan had fought in Lee's +army at Chancellorsville. Somewhere beyond the silver mirror of the +Rappahannock he was with the men in grey to-night. Her heart in its +loneliness went out to him in a wave of tender sympathy. Again she lived +over the tragic hours when she had fought the battle for his life and +won at last at the risk of her own.</p> + +<p>A soldier saluted and handed her a piece of brown wrapping paper, neatly +folded. Its corner was turned down in the old-fashioned way of a +schoolboy's note to his sweetheart.</p> + +<p>She went to the light and saw with a start it was in Ned Vaughan's +handwriting. She read, with eager, sparkling eyes.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dearest</span>: I've just seen in a Washington paper which our boys +traded for that you are here. I must see you, and to-night. I can't +wait. There will be no danger to either of us. Our pickets are on +friendly terms. I've arranged everything with some good tobacco +for your fellows. Follow the man who hands you this note to the +river. A boat will be ready for you there with one of my men to row +you across. I will be waiting for you at the old mill beside the +burned pier of the railroad bridge.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"Ned." +</p> + +<p>Betty's heart gave a bound of joy, and in half an hour she was standing +on the shining shore of the river before the old mill. Its great wheel +was slowly turning, the water falling in broken crystals sparkling in +the moonlight. Through the windows of the brick walls peered the +black-mouthed guns trained across the water.</p> + +<p>She looked about timidly for a moment while the man in grey who had +rowed her over made fast his boat.</p> + +<p>He tipped his old slouch hat:</p> + +<p>"This way, Miss."</p> + +<p>He led her down close, to the big wheel, crossed the stream of water +which poured from its moss-covered buckets, and there, beneath an apple +tree in bloom, stood a straight, soldierly figure in the full blue +uniform of a Federal Captain, exactly as she had seen Ned Vaughan that +night in the Old Capitol Prison.</p> + +<p>The soldier saluted and Ned said:</p> + +<p>"Wait, Sergeant, at the water's edge with your boat."</p> + +<p>He was gone and Ned grasped both Betty's hands and kissed them tenderly:</p> + +<p>"My glorious little heroine! I just had to tell you again that the life +you saved is all, all yours. You are glad to see me—aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you how glad, Boy! How brown and well you look!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, the hard life somehow agrees with me. It's a queer thing, this +army business. It makes some men strong and clean, and others into +beasts."</p> + +<p>"And why did you wear that dangerous uniform, sir?" she asked, with a +smile.</p> + +<p>"In honor of a beautiful Yankee girl, my guest. I've not worn it since +that night, Betty, until now——"</p> + +<p>His voice dropped to a whisper:</p> + +<p>"It has been a holy thing to me, this blue uniform that cost me the life +which you gave back at the risk of your own——"</p> + +<p>"I was in no danger. I had powerful friends."</p> + +<p>"They might not have been powerful enough—but it's sacred for another +reason—as precious to me as the seamless robe for which the Roman +soldiers cast lots on Calvary—I wore it in the one glorious moment in +which I held you in my arms, dearest."</p> + +<p>"O Ned, Boy, you shouldn't be so foolish!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not. I'm sensible. I've done no more scout work since. I said that +my life was yours and I had no right to place it again in such mad +danger——"</p> + +<p>"And so you face death on the field!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, come sit here, dearest, I've made a seat for you of the broken +timbers from the bridge. We can see the moonlit river and the lazy turn +of the old wheel while we talk."</p> + +<p>He led her to the seat in the edge of the moonlight and Betty drew a +deep breath of joy as she drank in the beauty of the entrancing scene. +The shadows of night had hidden the scars of war. Only the tall stone +piers standing, lone sentinels in the river, marked its ravages where +the bridge had fallen. The moon had flung her sparkling silver veil over +the blood-stained world.</p> + +<p>"You know," Ned went on eagerly, "those big pillars won't stand there +naked long. We'll put the timbers back on them soon and run our trains +through to Washington——"</p> + +<p>"Sh, Ned," Betty whispered, touching his arm lightly, "be still a +moment, I want to feel this wonderful scene!"</p> + +<p>The air was sweet with the perfume of apple blossoms, the water from the +old wheel fell with silvery echo and ran rippling over the stones into +the river. Somewhere above the cliff a negro was playing a banjo and far +down the river, beside a little cottage torn with shot and shell, but +still standing, a mocking-bird was singing in the lilac bushes.</p> + +<p>The girl looked at Ned with curious tenderness, and wondered if she had +known her own heart after all—wondered if the fierce blinding passion +she had once felt for his brother had been the divine thing that links +the soul to the eternal? A strange spiritual beauty enveloped this +younger man and drew her to-night with new power. There was something +restful in its mystery. She wondered vaguely if it were possible to love +two men at the same moment. She could almost swear it were. If she had +never really loved John Vaughan at all! Why had his powerful, brutal +personality drawn her with such terrible power? Was such a force love? +It was something different from the tender charm which enveloped the +slender straight young figure by her side now. She felt this with +increasing certainty.</p> + +<p>Ned took her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers.</p> + +<p>The touch of his lips sent a thrill through her heart. It was sweet to +be worshipped in this old-fashioned, foolish way. Whatever her own +feeling's might be, this was love—in its divinest flowering. It drew +her to-night with all but resistless tug.</p> + +<p>"May I break the silence now, dearest, to ask you something?" he said +softly.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Haven't you realized yet that you are going to be mine?"</p> + +<p>"Not in the way you mean——"</p> + +<p>"But you are, dearest, you are!" he whispered rapturously. "You love me. +You just haven't really faced the thing yet and put it to the test in +your heart. War has separated us, that's all. But there's never been a +moment's doubt in my soul since I looked into your eyes that night in +the old prison. Their light made the cell shine with the glory of +heaven! And when you kissed me, dearest——"</p> + +<p>"You know why I did that, Ned," she murmured.</p> + +<p>"You're fooling yourself, darling! You couldn't have done what you did, +if you hadn't loved me. It came to me in a flash as I held you in my +arms and pressed you to my heart. There can be no other woman on earth +for me after that moment. I lived a life time with it. Say you'll be +mine, dearest?"</p> + +<p>"But I don't love you, Ned, as you love me——"</p> + +<p>"I don't ask it now. I can wait. The revelation will come to you at last +in the fullness of time—promise me, dearest—promise me!"</p> + +<p>For an hour he poured into her ears his passionate tender plea, until +the rapture of his love, the perfumed air of the spring night, and the +shimmer of moonlit waters stole into her lonely heart with resistless +charm.</p> + +<p>She lifted her lips to his at last and whispered:</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXIX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE PANIC</a></h3> + + +<p>The morning after Betty returned to Carver Hospital from the front, a +mother was pouring out her heart in a burst of patriotic joy over a +wounded boy.</p> + +<p>She thought of the lonely figure in the White House treading the wine +press of a Nation's sorrow alone and asked the mother to go with her to +the President, meet him and repeat what she had said. She consented at +once.</p> + +<p>For the first time Betty failed to gain admission promptly. Mr. +Stoddard, his third Secretary, was at the door.</p> + +<p>"We must let him eat something, Miss Winter," he whispered. "All night +the muffled sound of his footfall came from his room. I heard it at +nine, at ten, at eleven. At midnight Stanton left his door ajar and his +steady tramp, tramp, tramp, came with heavier sound. The last thing I +heard as I left at three was the muffled beat upstairs. The guard told +me it never stopped for a moment all night."</p> + +<p>Betty was surprised to see his face illumined by a cheerful smile as she +entered. She gazed with awe into the deep eyes of the man whose single +word could stop the war and divide the Union. She wondered if he had +fought the Nation's battle alone with God through the night until his +prophetic vision had seen through cloud and darkness the dawn of a new +and more wonderful life.</p> + +<p>She spoke softly:</p> + +<p>"I've brought you a good mother who lost a son at Fredericksburg. She +has a message for you."</p> + +<p>The tall form bent reverently and pressed her hand. A wonderful smile +transfigured his rugged face as he listened:</p> + +<p>"God help you in your trials, Mr. President, as he has helped me in +mine——"</p> + +<p>"And you lost your son at Fredericksburg?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. It was long before I could feel reconciled. But I've been praying +for you day and night since——"</p> + +<p>"For me?"</p> + +<p>"You must be strong and courageous, and God will bring the Nation +through!"</p> + +<p>"You say that to me, standing beside the grave of your son?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and beside the cot of my other boy who is here wounded from +Chancellorsville. I'm proud that God gave me such sons to lay on the +altar of my country. Remember, I am praying for you day and night!"</p> + +<p>Both big hands closed over hers and he was silent a moment.</p> + +<p>"It's all right then. I'll get new strength when I remember that such +mothers are praying for me."</p> + +<p>He pressed Betty's hand at the door:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, child. You bring medicine that reaches soul and body!"</p> + +<p>The hour of despair had passed and the President returned to his task +patient, watchful, strong.</p> + +<p>Daily the shadows deepened over the Nation's life. Blacker and denser +rose the clouds. Four Northern Generals had now gone down before Lee's +apparently invincible genius—McClellan, Pope, Burnside, and Hooker, and +with each fall the corpses of young men were piled higher.</p> + +<p>Again the clamor rose for the return of McClellan to command. This cry +was not only heard in the crushed Army of the Potomac, it was backed by +the voice of two million Democrats who had chosen the man on horseback +as their leader.</p> + +<p>It was for precisely this reason that McClellan could not be considered +again for command. His party had fallen under the complete control of +its Copperhead leaders who demanded the ending of the war at once and at +any sacrifice of principle or of the Union.</p> + +<p>The only way the President could stop desertions and prevent the actual +secession of the great Northern States of the Middle West, now under the +control of these men, was to use his arbitrary power to suspend the +civil law and put them in prison. Through the State and War Departments +he did this sorrowfully, but promptly.</p> + +<p>His answer to his critics was the soundest reasoning and it justified +him in the judgment of thinking men.</p> + +<p>"I make such arrests," he declared, "because these men are laboring to +prevent the raising of troops and encouraging desertion. Armies cannot +be maintained unless desertion shall be punished by the penalty of +death.</p> + +<p>"I will not shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who deserts, and refuse to +touch a wily agitator who induces him to commit the crime. To silence +the agitator and save the boy is not only Constitutional, but withal a +great mercy."</p> + +<p>Volunteers were no longer to be had and a draft of five hundred thousand +men had been ordered for the summer. The Democratic leaders in solid +array were threatening to resist this draft by every means in their +power, even to riot and revolution.</p> + +<p>The masses of the North were profoundly discouraged at the unhappy +results of the war. In thousands of patriotic loyal homes, men and women +had begun to ask themselves whether it were not cruel folly to send +their brave boys to be slaughtered.</p> + +<p>The prestige of the Southern army was at its highest point and its +terrible power was nowhere more gravely realized than in the North, +whose thousands of mourning homes attested its valor.</p> + +<p>Europe at last seemed ready to spring on the throat of America. Distinct +reports were in circulation in the Old World that the Emperor of France, +Napoleon III, intended to interfere in our affairs. On the 9th of +January, the French Government denied this. The Emperor himself, +however, sent to the President an offer of mediation so blunt and +surprising it could not be doubted that it was a veiled hint of his +purpose to intervene. Beyond a doubt he expected the Union to be +dismembered and he proposed to form an alliance between the Latin Empire +which he was founding in Mexico and the triumphant Confederate States.</p> + +<p>Great Britain was behind this Napoleonic adventure. Outwitted by the +President in the affair of the <i>Trent</i>, the British Government was eager +for the chance to strike the Republic.</p> + +<p>To cap the climax of disasters Lee was preparing to invade the North +with his victorious army. The announcement struck terror to the Northern +cities and produced a condition among them little short of panic.</p> + +<p>The move would be the height of audacity and yet Lee had good reasons +for believing its success possible and probable. His grey veterans were +still ragged and poorly shod. With Southern ports blockaded and no +manufacturing this was inevitable, but they had proven in two years' +test of fire Lee's proud boast:</p> + +<p>"There never were such men in an army before. They will go anywhere and +do anything if properly led."</p> + +<p>This opinion was confirmed to the President by Charles Francis Adams, a +veteran of his own Army of the Potomac, whom he summoned to the White +House for a conference.</p> + +<p>"I do not believe," said Adams gravely, "that any more formidable or +better organized and animated force was ever set in motion than that +which Lee is now leading toward the North. It is essentially an army of +fighters—men who individually, or in the mass, can be depended on for +any feat of arms in the power of mere mortals to accomplish. They will +blanch at no danger. Lee knows this from experience and they have full +confidence in him."</p> + +<p>He could not hope to enter Pennsylvania with more than sixty-five +thousand men, but his plan was reasonable. With such an army he had +hurled McClellan's hundred and ten thousand soldiers back from the gates +of Richmond and scattered them to the winds. With a less number he had +all but annihilated Pope's men and flung them back into Washington a +disorganized rabble. With thirty-seven thousand grey soldiers he had +repelled in a welter of blood McClellan's eighty-six thousand at +Antietam and retired at his leisure. With seventy thousand men he had +crushed Burnside's host of one hundred and thirteen thousand at +Fredericksburg. With sixty thousand he had just struck Hooker's grand +army of a hundred and thirty thousand men and four hundred and +thirty-eight guns, rolled it up as a scroll and thrown it across the +Rappahannock in blinding, bewildering defeat.</p> + +<p>From every prisoner taken at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville he knew +the Northern army was discouraged and heartsick. That he could march his +ragged men, the flower of Southern manhood, into Pennsylvania and clothe +and feed them on her boundless resources he couldn't doubt. Virginia was +swept bare, and the demoralization of Hooker's army with the profound +depression of the North left his way open.</p> + +<p>To say that Lee's invasion, as it rapidly developed under such +conditions, struck terror to the Capital of the Republic is to mildly +express it. The movement of his army from Culpepper in June indicated +clearly that his objective point was Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If the +Capital of the State fell, nothing could withstand the onward triumphant +rush of his army into Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.</p> + +<p>To meet the extraordinary danger the President called for one hundred +thousand militia for six months' emergency service from the five States +clustering around Pennsylvania. And yet as the two armies drew near to +each other, General George Meade, the new Union Commander who had +succeeded Hooker, had but one hundred and five thousand against Lee's +sixty-two thousand. So terrible had been the depression following +Chancellorsville, so rapid the desertions, so numerous the leaves of +absence, that the combined forces of the Army of the Potomac with the +State troops under the new call reached only this pitiful total.</p> + +<p>Lee's swift column penetrated almost to the gates of Harrisburg before +Meade's advance division of twenty-five thousand men had caught up with +his rear at Gettysburg on July 1st.</p> + +<p>Seeing that a battle was inevitable, Lee drew in his advance lines and +made ready for the clash. The Northern army was going into this fight +with the smallest number of men relatively which he had ever met—though +outnumbering him nearly two to one. The difference was that here the +North was defending her own soil.</p> + +<p>It was not surprising that on the eve of such a battle in the light of +the frightful experiences of the past two years that Washington should +be in a condition of panic. A single defeat now with Lee's victorious +army north of the Capital meant its fall, the inevitable dismemberment +of the Union, and the bankruptcy and ruin of the remaining Northern +States.</p> + +<p>Brave men in Congress who had fought heroically with their mouths +inveighing with bitter invective against the weak and vacillating policy +of the President in temporizing with the South were busy packing their +goods and chattels to fly at a moment's notice.</p> + +<p>The President realized, as no other man could, the deep tragedy of the +crisis. He sat by his window for hours, his face a grey mask, his +sorrowful eyes turned within, the deep-cut lines furrowed into his +cheeks as though burned with red hot irons.</p> + +<p>He was struggling desperately now to forestall the possible panic which +would follow defeat.</p> + +<p>He had sent once more for McClellan and in painful silence, all others +excluded from the Executive Chamber, awaited his coming.</p> + +<p>"You are doubtless aware, General," the President began, "that a defeat +at Gettysburg might involve the fall of the Capital and the +dismemberment of the Union?"</p> + +<p>"I am, sir."</p> + +<p>"First, I wish to speak to you with perfect frankness about some ugly +matters which have come to my ears—may I?"</p> + +<p>The compelling blue eyes flashed and the General spoke with an accent of +impatience:</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"A number of Secret Societies have overspread the North and Northwest, +whose purpose is to end the war at once and on any terms. I have the +best of reasons for believing that the men back of these Orders are now +in touch with the Davis Government in Richmond. I am informed that a +coterie of these conspirators, a sort of governing board, have gotten +control or may get control of the organization of your Party. I have +heard the ugly rumor that they are counting on you——"</p> + +<p>"Stop!" McClellan shouted.</p> + +<p>The General sprang to his feet, the President rose and the two men +confronted each other in a moment of tense silence.</p> + +<p>The compact figure of McClellan was trembling with rage—the tall man's +sombre eyes holding his with steady purpose.</p> + +<p>"No man can couple the word treason with my name, sir!" the General +hissed.</p> + +<p>"Have I done so?"</p> + +<p>"You are insinuating it—and I demand a retraction!"</p> + +<p>The President smiled genially:</p> + +<p>"Then I apologize for my carelessness of expression. I have never +believed you a traitor to the Union."</p> + +<p>"Thank you!"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it now, General. That's why I've sent for you."</p> + +<p>"Then I suggest that you employ more caution in the use of words if this +conversation is to continue."</p> + +<p>"Again I apologize, General, with admiration for your manner of meeting +the ugly subject. I'm glad you feel that way—and now if you will be +seated we can talk business."</p> + +<p>McClellan resumed his seat with a frown and the President went on:</p> + +<p>"I have sent for you to ask an amazing thing——"</p> + +<p>"Hence the secrecy with which I am summoned?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly. I'm going to ask you to take my place and save the Union."</p> + +<p>McClellan's handsome face went white:</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly what I've said."</p> + +<p>"And your conditions?" the General asked, with a quiver in his voice.</p> + +<p>"They are very simple: Preside to-morrow night at a great Democratic +Union Mass Meeting in New York and boldly put yourself at the head of +the Union Democracy——"</p> + +<p>"And you?"</p> + +<p>"I will withdraw from the race."</p> + +<p>"What race?"</p> + +<p>"For the next term of the Presidency."</p> + +<p>"Oh——"</p> + +<p>"My convention is but ten months off. Yours can meet a day earlier. I +will withdraw in your favor and force my Party to endorse you. Your +election will be a certainty."</p> + +<p>The General lifted his hand with a curious smile:</p> + +<p>"You're in earnest?"</p> + +<p>"I was never more so. It is needless for me to say that I came into this +office with high ambitions to serve my country. My dream of glory has +gone—I have left only agony and tears——" He paused and drew a deep +breath.</p> + +<p>"I did want the chance," he went on wistfully, "to stay here another +term to see the sun shine again, to heal my country's wounds, and show +all my people, North, South, East, and West, that I love them! But I +can't risk this new battle, if you will agree to take my place and save +the Union. Will you preside over such a meeting?"</p> + +<p>"No," was the sharp, clear answer.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry—why?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I am already certain of that election without your assistance?"</p> + +<p>"Oh—I see."</p> + +<p>"Besides, what right have you to ask anything of me?"</p> + +<p>"Only the right of one who sinks all thought of himself in what he +believes to be the greater good."</p> + +<p>"You who, with victory in my grasp before Richmond, snatched it away! +You, who nailed me to the cross on the bloody field of Antietam with +your accursed Proclamation of Emancipation and removed me from my +command before I could win my campaign!"</p> + +<p>The big hand rose in kindly protest:</p> + +<p>"Can't you believe me, General, when I tell you, with God as my witness, +that I have never allowed a personal motive or feeling to enter into a +single appointment or removal I have made? What I've done has always +been exactly what I believed was for the best interests of the country. +Can't you believe this?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"In spite of the fact that I risked the dissolution of my Cabinet and +the united opposition of my party when I restored you to command?"</p> + +<p>"No—you had to do it."</p> + +<p>"Grant then," the persuasive voice went on, "that I have treated you +unfairly, that I had personal feelings. Surely you should in this hour +of my reckoning, this hour of my Golgotha, when I climb the hill alone +and ask the man I have wronged to take my place—surely you should be +content with my humiliation? I shall not hesitate to proclaim it from +the housetop when I ask for your election. If I have wronged you, my +anguish could not be more pitifully complete! Will you do as I ask, and +assure the safety of our country?"</p> + +<p>"I'll do my best to save my country," was the slow, firm answer, "but in +my own way."</p> + +<p>The General rose, bowed stiffly and left the President standing in +sorrowful silence, his deep eyes staring into space and seeing nothing.</p> + +<p>On the morning of July 1st the two armies were rapidly approaching each +other, marching in parallel lines stretched over a vast distance—the +extreme wings more than forty miles apart.</p> + +<p>Buford, commanding the advance guard of the Union army, struck Hill's +division of the Confederates before the town of Gettysburg and the first +gun of the great battle echoed over the green hills and valleys of +Pennsylvania.</p> + +<p>The President caught the flash of the shock from the telegraph wires +with a sense of sickening dread. The rear guard of his army was yet +forty miles away. What might happen before they were in line God alone +could tell. He could not know, of course, that but twenty-two thousand +Confederates had reached the field and stood confronting twenty-four +thousand under John F. Reynolds, one of the ablest and bravest generals +of the Union army.</p> + +<p>Through every hour of this awful day he sat in the telegraph office of +the War Department and read with bated breath the news.</p> + +<p>The brief reports were not reassuring. The battle was raging with +unparalleled fury. At ten o'clock General Reynolds fell dead from his +horse in front of his men, and when the news was flashed to Meade he +sent Hancock forward riding at full speed to take command.</p> + +<p>The President read the message announcing Reynolds' death with quivering +lip. He put his big hand blindly over his heart as if about to faint.</p> + +<p>At three o'clock the smoke which had enveloped the battle line was +lifted by a breeze as Hancock dashed on the field. He had not arrived a +moment too soon. His superb bearing on his magnificent horse, his +shouts of confidence, his promise of heavy reinforcements, stayed the +tide of retreat and brought order out of chaos.</p> + +<p>The day had been won again by Lee's apparently invincible men. They had +driven the Union army from their line a mile in front of Gettysburg back +through the town and beyond it, captured the town, taken five thousand +men in blue prisoners with two generals, besides inflicting a loss of +three thousand killed and wounded, including among the dead the gallant +and popular commander, John F. Reynolds.</p> + +<p>When this message reached the President late at night he had eaten +nothing since breakfast. He rose from his seat in the telegraph office +and walked from the building alone in silence. His step was slow, +trance-like, and uncertain as if he were only half awake or had risen +walking in his sleep.</p> + +<p>He went to his bedroom, locked the door and fell on his knees in prayer. +Hour after hour he wrestled alone with God in the darkness, while his +tired army rushed through the night to plant themselves on the Heights +beyond Gettysburg, before Lee's men could be concentrated to forestall +them.</p> + +<p>Over and over again, through sombre eyes that streamed with tears, the +passionate cry was wrung from his heart:</p> + +<p>"Lord God of our fathers, have mercy on us! I have tried to make this +war yours—our cause yours—if I have sinned and come short, forgive! We +cannot endure another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. Into thy +hands, O Lord, I give our men and our country this night—save them!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">SUNSHINE AND STORM</a></h3> + + +<p>When the sun rose over Gettysburg on the second day of July, the Union +army, rushing breathlessly through the night to the rescue of its +defeated advance corps, had reached the heights beyond the town. Before +Longstreet had attempted to obey Lee's command to take these hills, +General Meade's blue host had reached them and were entrenching +themselves.</p> + +<p>The Confederate Commander discovered that in the death of Jackson, he +had lost his right arm.</p> + +<p>It was one o'clock before Longstreet moved to the attack, hurling his +columns in reckless daring against these bristling heights. When +darkness drew its kindly veil over the scene, Lee's army had driven +General Sickles from his chosen position to his second line of defense +on the hill behind, gained a foothold in the famous Devil's Den at the +base of the Round Tops, broken the lines of the Union right and held +their fortifications on Culp's Hill.</p> + +<p>The day had been one of frightful slaughter.</p> + +<p>The Union losses in the two days had reached the appalling total of more +than twenty thousand men. Lee had lost fifteen thousand.</p> + +<p>The brilliant July moon rose and flooded this field of blood and death +with silent glory. From every nook and corner, from every shadow and +across every open space, through the hot breath of the night, came the +moans of thousands, and louder than all the long agonizing cries for +water. Many a man in grey crawled over the ragged rocks to press his +canteen to the lips of his dying enemy in blue, and many a boy in blue +did as much for the man in grey.</p> + +<p>Fifteen thousand wounded men lay there through the long black hours.</p> + +<p>At ten o'clock a wounded Christian soldier began to sing one of the old, +sweet hymns of faith, whose words have come ringing down the ages wet +with tears and winged with human hopes. In five minutes ten thousand +voices of blue and grey, some of them quivering with the agony of death, +had joined. For two hours the woods and hills rang with the songs of +these wounded men.</p> + +<p>All through this pitiful music the Confederates were massing their +artillery on Seminary Ridge, replacing their wounded horses and +refilling their ammunition chests.</p> + +<p>The Union army were burrowing like moles and planting their terrible +batteries on the brows of the hills beyond the town.</p> + +<p>At Lee's council of war that night Longstreet advised his withdrawal +from Gettysburg into a more favorable position in the mountains. But the +Confederate Commander, reinforced now by the arrival of Pickett's +division of fifteen thousand men and Stuart's cavalry, determined to +renew the battle.</p> + +<p>At the first grey streak of dawn on the 3rd the Federal guns roared +their challenge to the Confederate forces which had captured their +entrenchments on Culp's Hill. Seven terrible hours of bombardment, +charge and counter charge followed until every foot of space had claimed +its toll of dead, before the Confederates yielded the Hill.</p> + +<p>At noon there was an ominous lull in the battle. At one o'clock a puff +of smoke from Seminary Ridge was followed by a dull roar. The signal gun +had pealed its call of death to thousands. For two miles along the crest +of this Ridge the Confederates had planted one hundred and fifty guns. +Two miles of smoke-wreathed flame suddenly leaped from those hills in a +single fiery breath.</p> + +<p>The longer line of big Federal guns on Seminary Ridge were silent for a +few minutes and then answered gun for gun until the heavens were +transformed into a roaring hell of bursting, screaming, flaming shells. +For two hours the earth trembled beneath the shock of these volcanoes, +and then the two storms died slowly away and the smoke began to lift.</p> + +<p>An ominous sign. The grey infantry were deploying in line under Pickett +to charge the heights of Cemetery Ridge. Fifteen thousand gallant men +against an impregnable hill held by seventy thousand intrenched +soldiers, backed by the deadliest and most powerful artillery.</p> + +<p>They swept now into the field before the Heights, their bands playing as +if on parade—their grey ranks dressed on their colors. Down the slope +across the plain and up the hill the waves rolled, their thinning ranks +closing the wide gaps torn each moment by the fiery sleet of iron and +lead.</p> + +<p>A handful of them lived to reach the Union lines on those heights. +Armistead, with a hundred men, broke through and lifted his battle flag +for a moment over a Federal battery, and fell mortally wounded.</p> + +<p>And then the shattered grey wave broke into a spray of blood and slowly +ebbed down the hill. The battle of Gettysburg had ended.</p> + +<p>For the first time the blue Army of the Potomac had won a genuine +victory. It had been gained at a frightful cost, but no price was too +high to pay for such a victory. It had saved the Capital of the Nation. +The Union army had lost twenty-three thousand men, the Confederate +twenty thousand. Meade had lost seventeen of his generals, and Lee, +fourteen.</p> + +<p>When the thrilling news from the front reached Washington on July 4th, +the President lifted his big hands above his head and cried to the crowd +of excited men who thronged the Executive office:</p> + +<p>"Unto God we give all the praise!"</p> + +<p>None of those present knew the soul significance of that sentence as it +fell from his trembling lips. He seated himself at his desk and quickly +wrote a brief proclamation of thanks to Almighty God, which he +telegraphed to the Governor of each Union State, requesting them to +repeat it to their people.</p> + +<p>While the North was still quivering with joy over the turn of the tide +at Gettysburg, Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy, hurried into +the President's office and handed him a dispatch from the gunboat under +Admiral Porter coöperating with General Grant announcing the fall of +Vicksburg, the surrender of thirty-five thousand Confederate soldiers of +its garrison, and the opening of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of +Mexico.</p> + +<p>The President seized his hat, his dark face shining with joy:</p> + +<p>"I will telegraph the news to General Meade myself!"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and threw his long arms around Welles:</p> + +<p>"What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious +intelligence? He is always giving us good news. I cannot tell you my joy +over this result. It is great, Mr. Welles, it is great!"</p> + +<p>With the eagerness of a boy he rushed to the telegraph office and sent +the message to Meade over his own signature.</p> + +<p>For the first time in dreary months the sun had burst for a moment +through the clouds that had hung in endless gloom over the White House. +The sorrowful eyes were shining with new hope. The President felt sure +that General Lee could never succeed in leading his shattered army back +into Virginia. He had lost twenty thousand men out of his sixty-two +thousand—while Meade was still in command of a grand army of eighty-two +thousand soldiers flushed with victory. The Potomac River was in flood +and the Confederate army was on its banks unable to recross.</p> + +<p>It was a moral certainty that the heroic Commander who had saved the +Capital at Gettysburg could, with his eighty-two thousand men, capture +or crush Lee's remaining force, caught in this trap by the swollen +river, and end the war.</p> + +<p>The men who crowded into the Executive office the day after the news of +Vicksburg, found the Chief Magistrate in high spirits. Among the cases +of deserters, court-martialed and ordered to be shot, he was surprised +to find a negro soldier bearing the remarkable name of Julius Cæsar +Thornton. John Vaughan had telegraphed the President asking his +interference with the execution of this cruel edict.</p> + +<p>The President was deeply interested. It was the beginning of the use of +negro troops. He had consented to their employment with reluctance, but +they were proving their worth to the army, both in battle and in the +work of garrisons.</p> + +<p>Julius was brought from prison for an interview with the Chief +Magistrate.</p> + +<p>Stanton had sternly demanded the enforcement of the strictest military +discipline as the only way to make these black troops of any real +service to the Government. He asked that an example be made of Julius by +sending him back to the army to be publicly shot before the assembled +men of his race. He was convicted of two capital offenses. He had been +caught in Washington shamelessly flaunting the uniform he had disgraced.</p> + +<p>Julius faced the President with an humble salute and a broad grin. The +black man liked the looks of his judge and he threw off all +embarrassment his situation had produced with the first glance at the +kindly eyes gazing at him over the rims of those spectacles.</p> + +<p>"Well, Julius Cæsar Thornton, this is a serious charge they have lodged +against you?"</p> + +<p>"Yassah, dat's what dey say."</p> + +<p>"You went forth like a man to fight for your country, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Na, sah!"</p> + +<p>"How'd you get there?"</p> + +<p>"Dey volunteered me, sah."</p> + +<p>"Volunteered you, did they?" the President laughed.</p> + +<p>"Yassah—dat dey did. Dey sho' volunteered me whether er no——"</p> + +<p>"And how did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"Dey done hit so quick, sah, I scacely know how dey did do hit. I was in +de war down in Virginia wid Marse John Vaughan—an' er low-lifed +Irishman on guard dar put me ter wuk er buryin' corpses. I hain't nebber +had no taste for corpses nohow, an' I didn't like de job—mo' specially, +sah, when one ob 'em come to ez I was pullin' him froo de dark ter de +grave——"</p> + +<p>"Come to, did he?" the President smiled.</p> + +<p>"Yassah—he come to all of er sudden an' kicked me! An' hit scared me +near 'bout ter death. I lit out fum dar purty quick, sah, an' go West. +An' I ain't mor'n got out dar 'fore two fellers drawed dere muskets on +me an' persuaded me ter volunteer, sah. Dey put dese here cloze on me +an' tell me dat I wuz er hero. I tell 'em dey must be some mistake 'bout +dat, but dey say no—dey know what dey wuz er doin'. Dey keep on tellin' +me dat I wuz er hero an', by golly, I 'gin ter b'lieve hit myself till +dey git me into trouble, sah."</p> + +<p>"You were in a battle?"</p> + +<p>Julius scratched his head and walled his eyes:</p> + +<p>"I had er little taste ob it, sah,——"</p> + +<p>"Well, you tried to fight, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"No, sah,—I run."</p> + +<p>"Ran at the first fire?"</p> + +<p>"Yas, <i>sah</i>! An' I'd a ran sooner ef I'd er known hit wuz comin'——"</p> + +<p>Julius paused and broke into a jolly laugh:</p> + +<p>"Dey git one pop at me, sah, 'fore I seed what dey wuz doin'!"</p> + +<p>The President suppressed a laugh and gazed at Julius with severity:</p> + +<p>"That wasn't very creditable to your courage."</p> + +<p>"Dat ain't in my line, sah,—I'se er cook."</p> + +<p>"Have you no regard for your reputation?"</p> + +<p>"Dat ain't nuttin' ter me, sah, 'side er life!"</p> + +<p>"And your life is worth more than other people's?"</p> + +<p>"Worth er lot mo' ter me, sah."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid they wouldn't have missed you, Julius, if you'd been +killed."</p> + +<p>"Na, sah, but I'd a sho missed myself an' dat's de pint wid me."</p> + +<p>The President fixed him with a comical frown:</p> + +<p>"It's sweet and honorable to die for one's country, Julius!"</p> + +<p>"Yassah—dat's what I hear—but I ain't fond er sweet things—I ain't +nebber hab no taste fer 'em, sah!"</p> + +<p>"Well, it looks like I'll have to let 'em have you, Julius, for an +example. I've tried to save you—but there doesn't seem to be any thing +to take hold of. Every time I grab you, you slip right through my +fingers. I reckon they'll have to shoot you——"</p> + +<p>The negro broke into a hearty laugh:</p> + +<p>"G'way fum here, Mr. President! You can't fool me, sah. I sees yer +laughin' right now way back dar in yo' eyes. You ain't gwine let 'em +shoot me. I'se too vallable a nigger fer dat. I wuz worth er thousan' +dollars 'fore de war. I sho' oughter be wuth two thousan' now. What's de +use er 'stroyin' er good piece er property lak dat? I won't be no good +ter nobody ef dey shoots me!"</p> + +<p>The President broke down at last, leaned back in his chair and laughed +with every muscle of his long body. Julius joined him with unction.</p> + +<p>When the laughter died away the tall figure bent over his desk and wrote +an order for the negro's release, and discharge from the army.</p> + +<p>One of the things which had brought the President his deepest joy in the +victory of Vicksburg was not the importance of the capture of the city +and the opening of the Mississippi so much as the saving of U. S. Grant +as a commanding General.</p> + +<p>From the capture of Fort Donelson, the eyes of the Chief Magistrate had +been fixed on this quiet fighter. And then came the disaster to his army +at Shiloh—the first day's fight a bloody and overwhelming defeat—the +second the recovery of the ground lost and the death of Albert Sydney +Johnston, his brilliant Confederate opponent.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, in its results, the battle had been a crushing +disaster to the South. But Grant had lost fourteen thousand men in the +two days' carnage and it was the first great field of death the war had +produced. McClellan had not yet met Lee before Richmond. The cry against +Grant was furious and practically universal.</p> + +<p>Senator Winter, representing the demands of Congress, literally stormed +the White House for weeks with the persistent and fierce demand for +Grant's removal.</p> + +<p>The President shook his head doggedly:</p> + +<p>"I can't spare this man—he fights!"</p> + +<p>The Senator submitted the proofs that Grant was addicted to the use of +strong drink and that he was under the influence of whiskey on the +first day of the battle of Shiloh.</p> + +<p>In vain Winter stormed and threatened for an hour. The President was +adamant.</p> + +<p>He didn't know Grant personally. But he had felt the grip of his big +personality on the men under his command and he refused to let him go.</p> + +<p>He turned to his tormentor at last with a quizzical look in his eye:</p> + +<p>"You know, Winter, that reminds me of a little story——"</p> + +<p>The Senator threw up both hands with a gesture of rage. He knew what the +wily diplomat was up to.</p> + +<p>"I won't hear it, sir," he growled. "I won't hear it. You and your +stories are sending this country to hell—it's not more than a mile from +there now!"</p> + +<p>The sombre eyes smiled as he slowly said:</p> + +<p>"I believe it <i>is</i> just a mile from here to the Senate Chamber!"</p> + +<p>The Senator faced him a moment and the two men looked at each other +tense, erect, unyielding.</p> + +<p>"There may or may not be a grain of truth in your statements, Winter," +the quiet voice continued, "but your personal animus against Grant is +deeper. He is a Democrat married to a Southern woman, and is a +slave-holder. You can't be fair to him. I can, I must and I will. I am +the President of all the people. The Nation needs this man. I will not +allow him to be crushed. You have my last word."</p> + +<p>The Senator strode to the door in silence and paused:</p> + +<p>"But you haven't mine, sir!"</p> + +<p>The tall figure bowed and smiled.</p> + +<p>The President found the task a greater one than he had dreamed. So +furious was the popular outcry against Grant, so dogged and persistent +was the demand for his removal he was compelled to place General Halleck +in nominal command of the district in which his army was operating until +the popular furor should subside. In this way he had kept Grant as +Second in Command at the head of his army, and Vicksburg with +thirty-five thousand prisoners was the answer the silent man in the West +had sent to his champion and protector in the White House.</p> + +<p>The thrilling message had come at an opportune moment. The new commander +of the army of the Potomac had defeated General Lee at Gettysburg and +for an hour his name was on every lip. The President and the Nation had +taken it for granted that he would hurl his eighty-two thousand men on +Lee's army hemmed in by the impassable Potomac.</p> + +<p>So sure of this was Stanton that he declared to the President:</p> + +<p>"If a single regiment of Lee's army ever gets back into Virginia in an +organized condition it will prove that I am totally unfit to be +Secretary of War."</p> + +<p>Once more the impossible happened. Lee did get back into Virginia, his +army marching with quick step and undaunted spirit, ready to fight at +any moment his rear guard came in touch with Meade's advancing hosts. He +not only crossed the Potomac with his army in perfect fighting form with +every gun he carried, but with thousands of fat cattle and four thousand +prisoners of war captured on the field of Gettysburg.</p> + +<p>The President's day of rejoicing was brief. As Lee withdrew to his old +battle ground with his still unconquered lines of grey, the man in the +White House saw with aching heart his dream of peace fade into the +mists of even a darker night than the one through which his soul had +just passed.</p> + +<p>Slowly but surely the desperate South began to recover from the shock of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg and filled once more her thinning battle lines. +General Lee, sorely dissatisfied with himself for his failure to win in +Pennsylvania, tendered his resignation to the Richmond Government, +asking to be relieved by a younger and abler man. As no such man lived, +Jefferson Davis declined his resignation, and he continued his +leadership with renewed faith in his genius by every man, woman and +child in the South.</p> + +<p>General Meade, stung to desperation by the bitter disappointment of the +President and the people of the North, also tendered his resignation.</p> + +<p>For the moment the President refused to consider it, though his eyes +were fixed with growing faith on the silent figure of Grant. One more +victory from this stolid fighter and he had found the great commander +for which he had sought in vain through blood and tears for more than +two years.</p> + +<p>The first task to which he must turn his immediate attention was the +filling of the depleted ranks of the Northern armies. Volunteering had +ceased, the terms of the enlisted men would soon expire, and it was +absolutely necessary to enforce a draft for five hundred thousand +soldiers.</p> + +<p>The President had been warned by the Democratic Party, at present a +powerful and aggressive minority in Congress, that such an act of +despotism would not be tolerated by a free people.</p> + +<p>The President's answer was simple and to the point:</p> + +<p>"The South has long since adopted force to fill her ranks. If we are to +continue this war and save the Union it is absolutely necessary, and +therefore it shall be done."</p> + +<p>The great city of New York was the danger point. The Government had been +warned of the possibility of a revolution in the metropolis, whose +representatives in Congress had demanded the right to secede in the +beginning of the war. And yet the warning had not been taken seriously +by the War Department. No effort had been made to garrison the city +against the possibility of an armed uprising to resist the draft. +Demagogues had been haranguing the people for months, inflaming their +minds to the point of madness on the subject of this draft.</p> + +<p>On the night before the drawing was ordered in New York the leading +speaker had swept the crowd off their feet by the daring words with +which he closed his appeal:</p> + +<p>"We will resist this attempt of Black Republicans and Abolitionists to +force the children of the poor into the ranks they dare not enter. Will +you give any more of your sons to be food for vultures on the hills of +Virginia? Will you allow them to be torn from your firesides and driven +as dumb cattle into the mouths of Southern cannon? If you are slaves, +yes,——if you are freemen, no!"</p> + +<p>When the lottery wheel began to turn off its fatal names at the +Government Draft Office at the corner of Forty-sixth Street and Third +Avenue on the morning of July 14th, a sullen, determined mob packed the +streets in front of the building. Among them stood hundreds of women +whose husbands, sons and brothers were listed on the spinning wheel of +black fortune.</p> + +<p>Their voices were higher and angrier than the men's:</p> + +<p>"This is a rich man's war—but a poor man's fight——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, if you've got three hundred dollars you can hire a substitute from +the slums——"</p> + +<p>"But if you happen to be a working man, you can stand up and be shot for +these cowards and sneaks!"</p> + +<p>"Down with the draft!"</p> + +<p>"To hell with the hirelings and their wheel!"</p> + +<p>"Smash it——"</p> + +<p>"Burn the building!"</p> + +<p>A tough from the East Side waved his hand to the crowd of frenzied men +and women:</p> + +<p>"Come on, boys,——"</p> + +<p>With a single mighty impulse the mob surged toward the doors, and +through them. A sound of smashing glass, blows, curses. A man rushed +into the street holding the enrollment books above his head:</p> + +<p>"Here are your names, men—the list of white slaves!"</p> + +<p>The mob tore the sheets from his grasp and fell on them like hungry +wolves. In ten minutes the books were only scraps of paper trampled into +the filth of Third Avenue. Wherever a piece could be seen men and women +stamped and spit on it.</p> + +<p>They smashed the wheel and furniture into kindling wood, piled it in the +middle of the room and set fire to it. No policemen or firemen were +allowed to approach. Every officer of the law, both civil and military, +had been chased and beaten and disappeared.</p> + +<p>Half the block was in flames before the firemen could break through and +reach the burning buildings.</p> + +<p>Down the Avenue, the maddened mob swept with resistless impulse, +jelling, cursing, shouting its defiance.</p> + +<p>"Down with the Abolitionists!"</p> + +<p>"Hang Horace Greeley on a sour apple tree!"</p> + +<p>"To the <i>Tribune</i> Office!"</p> + +<p>Howard, a reporter of the <i>Tribune</i>, was recognized:</p> + +<p>"Kill him!"</p> + +<p>"Hang him!"</p> + +<p>The mob seized the reporter, dragged him to a lamp post and were about +to put the rope around his neck when a blow from a cobblestone felled +him to the sidewalk, the blood trickling down his neck.</p> + +<p>A man bending over his body, shouted to the crowd:</p> + +<p>"He's dead—we'll take the body away!"</p> + +<p>A friend helped and they carried him into a store and saved his life.</p> + +<p>For three days and nights this mob burned and killed at will and fought +every officer of the law until the streets ran red with blood. They +burned the Negro Orphan Asylum, beat, killed or hanged every negro who +showed his face, sacked the home of Mayor Opdyke, at 79 Fifth Avenue, +and attempted to burn it. They smashed in the <i>Tribune</i> building, gutted +part of it and would have reduced it to ashes but for the brave defense +put up by some of its men.</p> + +<p>On the third day the announcement was made that the draft was suspended. +Five thousand troops reached the city and partly succeeded in restoring +order.</p> + +<p>More than a thousand men had been killed and three thousand +wounded—among them many women.</p> + +<p>The Democratic papers now boldly demanded that the draft should be +officially suspended until its constitutionality could be tested by the +courts. The State and Municipal authorities of New York appealed to the +President to suspend the draft.</p> + +<p>He answered:</p> + +<p>"If I suspend the draft there can be no army to continue the war and the +days of the Republic are numbered. The life of the Nation is at stake."</p> + +<p>They begged for time, and he hesitated for a day. The victories of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg were forgotten in the grim shadow of a possible +repetition of the French Revolution on a vast scale throughout the +North. The mob had already sacked the office of the <i>Times</i> in Troy, +broken out in Boston, and threatened Cincinnati.</p> + +<p>The President gave the Governor of New York his final answer by sending +an army of ten thousand veterans into the city. He planted his artillery +to sweep the streets with grape and cannister, and ordered the draft to +be immediately enforced.</p> + +<p>The new wheel was set up, and turned with bayonets. The mobs were +overawed and the ranks of the army were refilled.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">BETWEEN THE LINES</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty Winter found to her sorrow that the memory of a dead love could be +a troublesome thing. Ned Vaughan's tender and compelling passion had +been resistless in the moonlight beneath a fragrant apple tree with the +old mill wheel splashing its music at their feet. She had returned to +her cot in the hospital that night in a glow of quiet, peaceful joy. +Life's problem had been solved at last in the sweet peace of a tender +and beautiful spiritual love—the only love that could be real.</p> + +<p>All this was plain, while the glow of Ned's words were in her heart and +the memory of his nearness alive in the fingers and lips he had kissed. +And then to her terror came stealing back the torturing vision of his +brother. Why, why, why could she never shut out the memory of this man!</p> + +<p>Over and over again she repeated the angry final word:</p> + +<p>"He isn't worth a moment's thought!"</p> + +<p>And yet she kept on thinking, thinking, always in the same blind circle. +At last came the new resolution,</p> + +<p>"Worthy or unworthy, I've given my word to a better man and that settles +it."</p> + +<p>The fight had become in her inflamed imagination the struggle between +good and evil. The younger man with his chivalrous boyish ideals was +God, Love, Light. The older with his iron will, his fierce ungovernable +passion, was the Devil, Lust and Darkness. She trembled with new terror +at the discovery that there was something elemental deep within her own +life that answered the challenge of this older voice with a strange +joyous daring.</p> + +<p>She had just risen from her knees where she had prayed for strength to +fight and win this battle when the maid knocked on her door. She had +left the hospital and returned home for a week's rest, tottering on the +verge of a nervous collapse since her return from the meeting with Ned.</p> + +<p>"A letter, Miss Betty," the maid said with a smile.</p> + +<p>She tore the envelope with nervous dread. It bore no postmark and was +addressed in a strange hand.</p> + +<p>Inside was another envelope in Ned's handwriting, and around it a sheet +of paper on which was scrawled,</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Miss Winter</span>: The bearer of this letter is a trusted spy of +both Governments. I have friends in Washington and in Richmond. In +Richmond I am supposed to betray the Washington Government. In +Washington it is known that I am at heart loyal to the Union, and +all my correspondence from Richmond to the Confederate agents in +Canada and the North I deliver to the President and Stanton. This +one is an exception. I happened to have met Mr. Ned. Vaughan and +like him. I deliver this letter to you unopened by any hand. I've a +sweetheart myself."</p></div> + +<p>With a cry of joy, Betty broke the seal and read Ned's message. It was +written just after the battle of Gettysburg.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dearest</span>: I am writing to you to-night because I must—though this +may never reach you. The whole look of war has changed for me since +that wonderful hour we spent in the moonlight beside the river and +you promised me your life. It's all a pitiful tragedy now, and +love, love, love seems the only thing in all God's universe worth +while! I don't wish to kill any more. It hurts the big something +inside that's divine. I'm surprised at myself that I can't see the +issues of National life as I saw them at first. Somehow they have +become dwarfed beside the new wonder and glory that fills my heart. +And now like a poor traitor, I am praying for peace, peace at any +price. Oh, dearest, you have brought me to this. I love you so +utterly with every breath I breathe, every thought of mind and +every impulse of soul and body, how can I see aught else in the +world?</p> + +<p>"In every scene of these three days of horror through which we've +just passed, my thought was of you. The signal gun that called the +men to die boomed your name for me. I heard it in the din and roar +and crash of armies. The louder came the call of death, the sweeter +life seemed because life meant you. Life has taken on a new and +wonderful meaning. I love it as I never loved it before and I've +grown to hate death and I whisper it to you, my love, my own—to +hate war! I want to live now, and I'm praying, praying, praying for +peace. My mind is yet clear in its conviction of right or I could +not stay here a moment longer. But I'm longing and hoping and +wondering whether God will not show us the way out of your tragic +dilemma.</p> + +<p>"During the battle I found a handsome young Federal officer who had +fallen inside out lines. With his last strength he was trying to +write a message to his bride who was waiting for him behind the +Union lines. I couldn't pass by. I stopped and got his name, gave +him water and made him as comfortable as possible. I got +permission from my General while the battle raged and sent his +message with a flag of truce to his wife. She came flying to his +side at the risk of her life, got to the rear and saved him. +Perhaps I wasn't an ideal soldier in that pause in my fight. But I +had to do it, dearest. It was your sweet spirit that stopped me and +sent the white flag of love and mercy.</p> + +<p>"And the strangest of all the things of the war happened that +night. I spent six hours among the wounded, helping the poor boys +all I could—both blue and grey—and I suddenly ran into John at +the same pitiful work. It's curious how all the bitterness is gone +out of my heart.</p> + +<p>"I grabbed him and hugged him, and we both cried like two fools. We +sat down between the lines in the brilliant moonlight and talked +for an hour. I told him of you, dearest, and he wished me all the +happiness life could give, but with a queer hitch in his voice, and +after a long silence, which made me wonder if he, too, had not been +loving you in secret. I shouldn't wonder if every man who sees you +loves you. The wonder to me is they don't.</p> + +<p>"Our band is playing an old-fashioned Southern song that sets my +heart to beating with joyous madness again. I'm dreaming through +that song of the home I'm going to build for you somewhere in the +land of sunshine. Don't worry about me. I'm not going to die. I +know I'm immortal now. I had faith once. Now I know—because I love +you and time is too short to tell and all too short to live my +love.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"Ned." +</p> + +<p>She read it over twice through eyes that grew dim with each foolish, +sweet extravagance. And then she went back and read for the third time +the line about John, threw herself across her bed and burst into tears.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE WHIRLWIND</a></h3> + + +<p>The draft of half a million men was scarcely completed when Rosecrans' +Western army, advancing into Georgia, met with crushing defeat at +Chickamauga, "The River of Death." His shattered hosts were driven back +into Chattanooga with the loss of eighteen thousand men in a rout so +complete and stunning that Charles A. Dana, the Assistant Secretary of +War, telegraphed the President from the front that it was another "Bull +Run."</p> + +<p>Rosecrans himself wired that he had met with a terrible disaster. The +White House sent him words of cheer. The Confederate Commander, General +Bragg, rapidly closed in and began to lay siege to Chattanooga, and the +defeated Federal army were put on short rations.</p> + +<p>The President turned his eyes now from Meade and his army of the Potomac +which Lee's strategy had completely baffled and gave his first thought +to the armies of the West. He sent Sherman hurrying from the Mississippi +to Rosecrans' relief and Hooker from the East. In the place of Rosecrans +he promoted George H. Thomas, whose gallant stand had saved the army +from annihilation and won the title, "The Rock of Chickamauga." And most +important of all he placed in supreme command of the forces in Tennessee +the silent man whom his patience and faith had saved to the Nation, the +conqueror of Vicksburg—Ulysses S. Grant.</p> + +<p>On November the 24th and 25th, the new Commander raised the siege of +Chattanooga, and drove Bragg's army from Missionary Ridge and Lookout +Mountain back into Georgia.</p> + +<p>At last the President had found the man of genius for whom he had long +searched. Grant was summoned to Washington and given command of all the +armies of the United States East and West.</p> + +<p>The new General at once placed William Tecumseh Sherman at the head of +an army of a hundred thousand men at Chattanooga for the purpose of +reinvading Georgia, sent General Butler with forty thousand up the +Peninsula against Richmond along the line of McClellan's old march, +raised the Army of the Potomac to one hundred and forty thousand +effective fighters, took command in person and faced General Lee on the +banks of the Rapidan but a few miles from the old ground in the +Wilderness around Chancellorsville where Hooker's men had baptized the +earth in heroic blood the year before.</p> + +<p>Grant's army was the flower of Northern manhood and with its three +hundred and eighteen great field guns the best equipped body of fighting +men ever brought together on our continent. His baggage train was over +sixty miles long and would have stretched the entire distance to +Richmond.</p> + +<p>By the spring of 1864 when he reached the Rapidan Lee's army had been +recruited again to its normal strength of sixty-two thousand.</p> + +<p>A great religious revival swept the Southern camps during the winter +and its meetings lasted into the spring almost to the hour of the +opening guns of the Wilderness campaign. Had whispers from the Infinite +reached the souls of the ragged men in grey and told them of coming +Gethsemane and Calvary?</p> + +<p>Certain it is that though Lee's army were ragged and poorly fed their +courage was never higher, their faith in their Commander never more +sublime than in those beautiful spring mornings in April when they +burnished their bayonets to receive Grant's overwhelming host.</p> + +<p>The Chaplain of Ned Vaughan's regiment was leading a prayer meeting in +the moonlight. An earnest brother was praying fervently for more +manhood, and more courage.</p> + +<p>A ragged Confederate kneeling nearby didn't like the drift of his +petition and his patience gave out. He raised his head and called.</p> + +<p>"Say, hold on there, brother! You're getting that prayer all wrong. We +don't need no more courage—got so much now we're skeered of ourselves +sometimes. What we need is provisions. Ask the Lord to send us something +to eat. That's what we want now——"</p> + +<p>The leader took the interruption in good spirit and added an eloquent +request for at least one good meal a day if the Lord in his goodness and +mercy could spare it.</p> + +<p>No persimmon tree was ever stripped without the repetition of their old +joke. They all knew the words by heart,</p> + +<p>"Don't eat those persimmons—they're not good for you!"</p> + +<p>"I know it, man, I'm just doin' it to pucker my stomach to fit my +rations!"</p> + +<p>Ned was passing the door of a cabin in which a prayer meeting of +officers was being held. He was walking with his Colonel who was fond of +a sip of corn whiskey at times. He was slightly deaf.</p> + +<p>The leader of the meeting called from the door:</p> + +<p>"Won't you join us in prayer, Colonel?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you, no, I've just had a little!" he answered innocently.</p> + +<p>Ned roared and the brethren inside the cabin joined the laugh.</p> + +<p>No body of men of any race ever marched to death with calmer faith than +those ragged lines of grey now girding their loins for the fiercest, +bloodiest struggle in the annals of the world.</p> + +<p>Lee allowed Grant to cross the Rapidan unopposed and penetrate the +tangled wilds of the Wilderness. The Southerner knew that in these dense +woods the effectiveness of his opponent's superior numbers would be +vastly reduced. Longstreet's corps had not yet arrived from Gordonsville +where he had been sent to obtain food, and he must concentrate his +forces.</p> + +<p>The days were oppressively hot, as the men in blue tramped through the +forest aisles of the vast Virginia jungle—a maze of trees, underbrush +and dense foliage. A pall of ominous silence hung over this labyrinth of +desolation, broken only by the chirp of bluebird or the distant call of +the yellowhammer.</p> + +<p>Not waiting for the arrival of Longstreet on his forced march from +Gordonsville, Lee suddenly threw the half of his army on Grant's +advancing men with savage energy. Their march was halted and through +every hour of the day and far into the night the fierce conflict raged. +As darkness fell the Confederates had pushed the blue lines back, +captured four guns and a number of prisoners.</p> + +<p>But Longstreet had not come and Lee's army of barely forty thousand men +were in a dangerous position before Grant's legions.</p> + +<p>Both Generals renewed the fight at daylight. The Federals attacked Lee's +entire line with terrific force. Just as the Confederate right wing was +being crushed and rolled back in disorder, Longstreet reached the field +and threw his men into the breach. Lee himself rode to the front to lead +the charge and reëstablish his yielding lines.</p> + +<p>From a thousand throats rose the cry:</p> + +<p>"Lee to the rear!"</p> + +<p>"Go back, General Lee!"</p> + +<p>"This is no place for you!"</p> + +<p>"We'll settle this!"</p> + +<p>The men refused to move until their Commander had withdrawn. And then +with their fierce yell they charged and swept the field.</p> + +<p>Lee repeated the brilliant achievement of Jackson at Chancellorsville. +Longstreet was sent around Hancock's left to turn and assail his flank. +The movement was a complete success. Hancock's line was smashed and +driven back a mile to his second defenses.</p> + +<p>General Wadsworth at the head of his division was mortally wounded and +fell into the hands of the on-sweeping Confederates. Just as the +movement had reached the moments of its triumph which would have +crumpled Grant's army in confusion back on the banks of the river, +Longstreet fell dangerously wounded, struck down by a volley from his +own men in exactly the same way and almost in the same spot where +Jackson had fallen. General Jenkins, who was with him, was instantly +killed.</p> + +<p>The charging hosts were halted by the change of Commanders and the +movement failed of its big purpose, though at sunset General John B. +Gordon broke through Sedgwick's Union lines, rolled back his right +flank, drove him a mile from his entrenchments and captured six hundred +prisoners with two brigadier generals.</p> + +<p>The mysterious fate which had pursued the South had once more stricken +down a great commander in the moment of victory, and snatched it from +his grasp—at Shiloh, Albert Sydney Johnston; at Seven Pines, Joseph E. +Johnston; at Chancellorsville, Jackson, and now Longstreet.</p> + +<p>Grant in two days lost seventeen thousand six hundred and sixty-six men, +a larger number than fell under Hooker when he had retreated in despair. +Any other General than Grant, the stolid bulldog fighter, would have +retreated across the Rapidan to reorganize his bleeding lines.</p> + +<p>As one of his Generals rode up the following morning out of the +confusion and horror of the night, Grant, chewing on his cigar, waved +his right arm with a quick movement:</p> + +<p>"It's all right, Wilson; we'll fight again!"</p> + +<p>Next day the two armies lay in their trenches facing each other in grim +silence. Grant determined again to turn Lee's right flank and get +between him and Richmond.</p> + +<p>Lee divined his purpose before a single regiment had begun to march. +Spottsylvania Court House lay on his right. The Confederate Commander +hurried his advance guard to the spot and lay in wait for his opponent.</p> + +<p>The day of the 19th was spent by both armies in adjusting lines and +constructing breastworks. These fortifications were made by digging huge +ditches and on the top of their banks fastening heavy logs. In front of +these, abatis were made by filling the trees and cutting their limbs in +such a way that the sharp spikes projected toward the breasts of the +advancing foe.</p> + +<p>While placing his guns in position General Sedgwick was killed by a +sharpshooter's bullet—a commander of high character and fearless +courage and loved by every man in his army.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 10th Hancock attempted to turn Lee's rear by +crossing the Po. The movement failed and he was recalled with heavy +losses under Early's assault as he recrossed the river.</p> + +<p>Warren led his division in a determined charge on the Confederate front +and they were mowed down in hundreds by Longstreet's men behind their +entrenchments. They reached the abatis and one man leaped on the +breastworks before they fell back in bloody confusion. General Rice was +mortally wounded in this charge.</p> + +<p>On the left of Warren, Colonel Emory Upton charged and broke through the +Confederate lines capturing twelve hundred prisoners, but was driven +back at last with the loss of a thousand of his men. Grant made him a +Brigadier General on the field.</p> + +<p>The first day at Spottsylvania ended with a loss of four thousand Union +men. Lee's losses were less than half that number.</p> + +<p>The 11th they paused for breath, and Grant sent his famous dispatch to +Washington:</p> + +<p>"I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer."</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 12th Hancock was ordered to charge at daylight. +Lee's lines were spread out in the shape of an enormous letter V. +Hancock's task was to capture the angle which formed the key to this +position.</p> + +<p>In pitch darkness under pouring rain his four divisions under Birney, +Mott, Barlow and Gibbon slipped through the mud and crept into position +within a few hundred yards of the Confederate breastworks.</p> + +<p>As the first streaks of dawn pierced the murky clouds, without a shot, +the solid, silent lines of blue rushed this angle and leaped into the +entrenchments before the astounded men in grey knew what had happened.</p> + +<p>So swift was the blow, so surprising, so overwhelming in numbers, the +angle was captured practically without a struggle and the three thousand +men within it were forced to surrender with every cannon, their muskets, +colors and two Generals. It was the most brilliant single achievement of +"Hancock the Superb."</p> + +<p>Pressing on, Hancock's men advanced against the second series of +trenches a half mile beyond. Here the fight really began.</p> + +<p>Into their faces poured a terrific volley of musketry and General John +B. Gordon led his men in a desperate charge to drive the invaders back.</p> + +<p>Lee, seeing the dangerous situation, rode to the front with the evident +intention of joining in this charge.</p> + +<p>Again the cry rang from the hearts of the men who loved him:</p> + +<p>"Lee to the rear!"</p> + +<p>They refused to move until he was led out of range of the fire. Gordon's +men charged and drove the Federal hosts back until at last they stood +against the entrenchments they had captured. Reinforcements now poured +in from both sides and the fighting became indescribable in its mad +desperation. Thousands of men in blue and men in grey fought face to +face and hand to hand. Muskets blazed in one another's eyes and blew +heads off. The dead were piled in rows four and five deep, blue and grey +locked in each other's arms. The trenches were filled with the dead and +cleared of bodies again and again to make room for the living until they +in turn were thrown out.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan saw a grey color-bearer's arm shot away at the shoulder, the +quivering flesh smeared with mud, stained with powder and filled with +the shreds of his grey sleeve—and yet, without blenching, he grasped +his colors with the other hand and swept on into the jaws of this +flaming hell at the head of his men. The rain of musketry fire against +the trees came to Ned's ears in low undertone like the rattle of myriads +of hail stones on the roof of a house.</p> + +<p>A grey soldier was fighting a duel to the death with a magnificently +dressed officer in blue, bare bayonet against bare sword. The soldier, +with a sudden plunge, ran his opponent through. With a shudder, Ned +looked to see if it were John.</p> + +<p>A company of men in blue were caught and cut off by a grey wave and +were trying to surrender. Their officers with drawn revolvers refused to +let them.</p> + +<p>"Shoot your officers!" a grey man shouted. In a moment every Commander +dropped and the men were marched to the rear.</p> + +<p>Hour after hour the flames of hell swirled in an endless whirlwind +around this "Bloody Angle." Battle line after battle line rushed in +never to return. Ned saw an oak tree two feet in diameter gnawed down by +musket balls. It fell with a crash, killing and wounding a number of +men.</p> + +<p>Color-bearers waved their flags in each other's faces, clinched and +fought like demons. Two soldiers, their ammunition spent, choked each +other to death on top of the entrenchment and rolled down its banks +among the torn and mangled bodies that filled the ditch.</p> + +<p>In the edge of this red whirlwind Ned Vaughan saw a grim man in grey +standing beside a tree using two guns. His wounded comrade loaded one +while he took deliberate aim and fired the other. With each crack of his +musket a man in blue was falling.</p> + +<p>In the centre of this mass of struggling maniacs the men were fighting +with gun swabs, handspikes, clubbed muskets, stones and fists.</p> + +<p>The night brought no rest, no pause to succor the wounded or bury the +dead. Through the black murk of the darkness they fought on and on until +at last the men who were living sank in their tracks at three o'clock +before day and neither line had given from this "Bloody Angle."</p> + +<p>The rain ceased to fall, the clouds lifted and the waning moon came out.</p> + +<p>Ned Vaughan passing over the outer field saw a long line of men lying +in regular ranks in an odd position. He turned to the Commander.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you move that line of battle now to make it conform to your +own?"</p> + +<p>"They're all dead men," was the quiet answer. "They are Georgia +soldiers."</p> + +<p>John Vaughan, on the other side, crossing an open space, came on a blue +battle line asleep rank on rank, skirmishers in front and battle line +behind, all asleep on their arms. There was no one near to answer a +question. They were all dead.</p> + +<p>The blue and grey men were talking to one another now.</p> + +<p>"Well, Johnnie," a Yankee called through the shadows, "I can't admit +that you're inspired of God, but after to-day I must say that you are +possessed of the devil."</p> + +<p>"Same to you, Yank! Your papers say we're all demoralized anyhow—so +to-morrow you oughtn't have no trouble finishin' us!"</p> + +<p>"Ah, shut up now, Johnnie, and go to sleep!"</p> + +<p>"All right, good-night, Yank, hope ye'll rest well. We'll give ye hell +at daylight!"</p> + +<p>For five days Grant swung his blue lines in circles of blood trying in +vain to break Lee's ranks and gave it up. He had lost at Spottsylvania +eighteen thousand more men. The stolid, silent man of iron nerves was +terribly moved by the frightful losses his gallant army had sustained. +He watched with anguish the endless lines of wagons bearing his stricken +men from the field. Lee's forces had been handled with such consummate +and terrible skill, his crushing numbers had made little impression.</p> + +<p>Grant was facing a new force in the world. The ordinary methods of war +which he had used with success in the West went here for nothing. The +devotion of Lee's men was a mania. Small as his army was the bulldog +fighter saw with amazement that it was practically unconquerable in a +square, hand-to-hand struggle.</p> + +<p>Once more he was forced to maneuver for advantage in position. He +ordered a new flank movement by the North Anna River.</p> + +<p>He had opened his fight with Lee on the 5th, and in two weeks he had +lost thirty-six thousand men, without gaining an inch in the execution +of his original plan of thrusting himself between the Confederate leader +and his Capital. Lee's army was apparently as terrible a fighting +machine as on the day they had met.</p> + +<p>A truce now followed to bury the dead and care for the wounded. So sure +had Grant been of crushing his opponent he had refused to agree to this +during the struggle.</p> + +<p>They found them piled six layers deep in the trenches, blue and grey, +blue and grey. Black wings were spread over the top with red beaks +tearing at eyes and lips while deep down below, yet groaned and moved +the living wounded.</p> + +<p>God of Love and Pity, draw the veil over the scene! No pen can tell its +story—no heart endure to hear it.</p> + +<p>The stop was brief. Already the cavalry were skirmishing for the next +position.</p> + +<p>Again the keen eye of Lee had divined his enemy's purpose. By a shorter +road his men had reached the North Anna before Grant. When the Union +leader arrived on the scene he found the position of his advance +division dangerous and quickly withdrew with the loss of two thousand +men.</p> + +<p>Once more he determined to turn Lee's flank and hurled his army toward +Cold Harbor. This time he reached his chosen ground before his opponent +and on the 31st, Sheridan's cavalry took possession of the place. The +two armies had rushed for this point in waving parallel lines, flashing +at each other death-dealing volleys as they touched.</p> + +<p>Both armies immediately began to entrench in their chosen positions. +Lee, familiar with his ground, had chosen his position with consummate +skill. On June the 1st, the preliminary attack was made at six o'clock +in the afternoon. It was short and bloody. The Northern division under +Smith and Wright charged and lost two thousand two hundred men in an +hour.</p> + +<p>Again Lee had placed his guns and infantry in a fiery crescent on the +hills arranged to catch both flanks and front of an advancing army.</p> + +<p>Grant's soldiers knew that grim work had been cut out for them on that +fatal morning the third day of June. As John Vaughan walked along the +lines the night before he saw thousands of silent men busy with their +needle and thread sewing their names on their underclothing.</p> + +<p>The hot, close weather of the preceding days had ended in a grateful +rain at five o'clock, which continued through the night and brought the +tired, suffering men gracious relief.</p> + +<p>Grant decided to assault the whole Confederate front and gave his orders +for the attack at the first streak of dawn at four-thirty.</p> + +<p>The charging blue hosts literally walked into the crater of a volcano +flaming in their faces and pouring tons of steel and lead into their +stricken flanks. Nothing like it had ever before been seen in the +history of war.</p> + +<p><i>Ten thousand men in blue fell in twenty minutes!</i></p> + +<p>The battle was practically over at half past seven o'clock.</p> + +<p>General Smith received an order from Meade to renew the assault and +flatly refused.</p> + +<p>The scene which followed has no parallel in the records of human +suffering. Its horror is inconceivable and unthinkable. Through the +summer nights the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying rose in +pitiful endless waves. And no hand was lifted to save. For three days +they lay begging for water, groaning and dying where they had fallen. It +was certain death to venture in that storm-swept space. Only a few brave +men fought their way through to rescue a fallen comrade.</p> + +<p>It was not until the 7th that a truce was arranged to clear this shamble +and then every man in blue was dead save two. Everywhere blood, blood, +blood in dark slippery pools—dead horses—dead men—smashed guns, legs, +arms, torn and mangled pieces of bodies—the earth plowed with shot and +shell.</p> + +<p>Thirty days had passed since Grant met Lee in the tangled Wilderness and +the Northern army had lost sixty thousand men, two thousand a day.</p> + +<p>It is small wonder that he decided not to try longer "to fight it out on +that line."</p> + +<p>Lee had put out of combat as many men for his opponent as he had under +his command at any time and his army with the reinforcements he had +received was now as strong as the day he met Grant.</p> + +<p>For twelve days the two armies lay in their entrenchments on this field +of death while the Federal Commander arranged a new plan of campaign. +The sharpshooting was incessant. No man in all the line of blue could +stand erect and live an instant. Soldiers whose time of service had +expired and were ordered home, had to crawl on their hands and knees +through the trenches to the rear.</p> + +<p>The new Commander, on whose genius the President and the people had +planted their brightest hopes, had just reached the spot where McClellan +stood in June, 1862. And he might have gotten there by the James under +cover of his gunboats without the loss of a single life.</p> + +<p>Again John Vaughan's memory turned to McClellan with desperate +bitterness. The longer he brooded over the hideous scenes of the past +month, the higher rose his blind rage against the President.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE BROTHERS MEET</a></h3> + + +<p>When Julius, who had returned to John Vaughan's service, saw those piles +of dead men on the field of Cold Harbor he lost faith in the Union +Cause. He made up his mind that the past month's work had more than paid +for that letter to the President and he took to the woods on his own +hook.</p> + +<p>He lay down to sleep the night he deserted in a clump of trees near the +Confederate outposts and rested his head on a pillow of pine straw. When +he waked in the morning at dawn he felt something tickle his nose. He +cautiously reached one hand up to see what it was and felt a lock of +hair. He rose slowly, fearing to look till he had gained his feet. He +turned his eyes at last and saw that he had been sleeping on a dead +man's head protruding through the shallow dirt and pine straw that had +been hastily thrown over it the first day of the battle.</p> + +<p>With a yell of terror he started on a run for his life.</p> + +<p>He never stopped until he had flanked Lee's army by a wide swing, made +his way to the rear and joined the Confederacy.</p> + +<p>Grant had now changed his plan of campaign. He determined to capture +Petersburg by a <i>coup</i> and cut the communication of Lee and Richmond +with the South. The <i>coup</i> failed. The ragged remnants of Lee's army +which had been left there to defend it, held the trenches until +reinforcements arrived.</p> + +<p>He determined to take it by a resistless concerted assault. On the 16th +he threw three of his army corps on Beauregard's thin lines before +Petersburg, capturing four redoubts. At daylight, on the 17th, he again +hurled his men on Beauregard and drove his men out of his first line of +defense. All day the defenders held their second line, though Grant's +crack divisions poured out their blood like water. As night fell the +dead were once more piled high on the Federal front and the Confederate +dead filled the trenches.</p> + +<p>As the third day dawned the fierce, assault was renewed, but Lee had +brought up Anderson's Corps with Kershaw and Field's division and the +blue waves broke against the impregnable grey ranks and rolled back, +leaving the dead in dark heaps.</p> + +<p>As the shadows of night fell, Grant withdrew his shattered lines to +their trenches.</p> + +<p><i>He had lost ten thousand five hundred more men and had failed.</i></p> + +<p>He began to burrow his fortifications into the earth around Petersburg +and try by siege what had been found impossible by assault. Further and +further crept his blue lines with pick and axe and spade and shovel, +digging, burrowing, piling their dirt and timbers. Before each blue +rampart silently grew one in grey until the two siege lines stretched +for thirty-seven miles in bristling, flaming semicircle covering both +Richmond and Petersburg.</p> + +<p>Again Grant planned a <i>coup</i>. He chose the role of the fox this time +instead of the lion. He selected the key of Lee's long lines of defense +and set a regiment of Pennsylvania miners to work digging a tunnel under +the Confederate fort known as "Elliot's Salient," which stood but two +hundred yards in front of Burnside's corps.</p> + +<p>The tunnel was finished, the mine ready, the fuses set, and eight +thousand pounds of powder planted in the earth beneath the unsuspecting +Confederates.</p> + +<p>Hancock's division with Sheridan's cavalry were sent to make a +demonstration against Richmond and draw Lee's main army to its defense. +The ruse was partly successful. There were but eighteen thousand behind +the defenses of Petersburg on the dark night when Grant massed fifty +thousand picked men before the doomed fort. The pioneers with their axes +cleared the abatis and opened the way for the charging hosts. Heavy guns +and mortars were planted to sweep the open space beyond the Salient and +beat back any attempted counter charge.</p> + +<p>The time set for the explosion was just before dawn. The fuse was lit +and fifty thousand men stood gripping their guns, waiting for the shock. +A quarter of an hour passed and nothing happened. An ominous silence +brooded over the dawning sky. The only sounds heard were the twitter of +waking birds in the trees and hedgerows. The fuse had failed. Two heroic +men crawled into the tunnel and found it had spluttered out in a damp +spot but fifty feet from the powder. It required an hour to secure and +plant a new fuse. Day had dawned. Just in front of John Vaughan's +regiment a Confederate spy was caught. He could hear every word of the +pitiful tragedy.</p> + +<p>He was a handsome, brown-eyed youngster of eighteen.</p> + +<p>He glanced pathetically toward the doomed fort, and shook his head:</p> + +<p>"Fifteen minutes more and I'd have saved you, boys!"</p> + +<p>He turned then to the executioners:</p> + +<p>"May I have just a minute to pray?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>He knelt and lifted his head, the fine young lips moving in silence as +the first rays of the rising sun flooded the scene with splendor.</p> + +<p>"May I write just a word to my mother and to my sweetheart?" he asked +with a smile. "They're just over there in Petersburg."</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>They gave him a piece of paper and he wrote his last words of love, and +in a moment was swinging from the limb of a tree. Only a few of the more +thoughtful men paid any attention. It was nothing. Such things happened +every day. God only kept the records.</p> + +<p>The new fuse was set and lighted. The minutes seemed hours as the men +waited breathlessly. With a dull muffled roar from the centre of the +earth beneath their very feet the fort rose two hundred feet straight +into the sky, driven by a tower of flame that stood stark and red in the +heavens. And then with blinding crash the mighty column of earth, guns, +timbers and three hundred grey bodies sank into the yawning crater. The +pit was sixty-five feet wide and three hundred feet long.</p> + +<p>The explosion had been a complete success. The undermined fort had been +wiped from the landscape. A great gap opened in Lee's lines marked by +the grave of three hundred of his men.</p> + +<p>Burnside's division rushed into the crater and climbed through the +breach. His men were met promptly by Ransom's brigade of North +Carolinians and held. The Union support became entangled in the hole, +stumbled and fell in confusion.</p> + +<p>General Mahone's brigades hastily called, rushed into position, and a +general Confederate charge was ordered. In silence, their arms trailing +by their sides, they quickly crossed the open space and fell like demons +on the confused blue lines which were driven back into the crater and +slaughtered like sheep. The Confederate guns were trained on this +yawning pit whose edges now bristled with flaming muskets. Regiment +after regiment of blue were hurled into this hell hole to be torn and +cut to pieces.</p> + +<p>A division of negro troops were hurried in and the sight of them drove +the Southerners to desperation. It took but a moment's grim charge to +hurl these black regiments back into the pit on the bodies of their +fallen white comrades. The crater became a butcher's shambles.</p> + +<p>When the smoke cleared four thousand more of Grant's men lay dead and +wounded in the grave in which had been buried three hundred grey +defenders.</p> + +<p>Lee's losses were less than one third as many. Grant asked for a truce +to bury his dead and from five until nine next morning there was no +firing along the grim lines of siege for the first time since the day +Petersburg had been invested.</p> + +<p>So confident now was Lee that he could hold his position against any +assault his powerful opponent could make, he detached Jubal Early with +twenty thousand men and sent him through the Shenandoah Valley to strike +Washington.</p> + +<p>Grant was compelled to send Sheridan after him. In the meantime he +determined to take advantage of Lee's reduced strength and cut the +Weldon railroad over which were coming all supplies from the South.</p> + +<p>Warren's corps was sent on this important mission. His attack failed and +he was driven back with a loss of three thousand men. He entrenched +himself and called for reinforcements. Hancock's famous corps was +hurried to the assistance of Warren.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan's regiment was now attached to Hancock's army. As they were +strapping on their knapsacks for this march, to his amazement Julius +suddenly appeared, grinning and bustling about as if he had never +strayed from the fold. His clothes were in shreds and tatters.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been all this time, nigger?" John asked.</p> + +<p>"Who, me?"</p> + +<p>"And where'd you get that new suit of clothes?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm gwine tell ye Gawd's truf, Marse John. Atter dat Cold Harbor +business I lit out fur de odder side. I wuz gittin' 'long very well dar +wid General Elliot in de Confederacy when all of er sudden somfin' +busted an' blowed me clean back inter de Union. An' here I is—yassah. +An' I'se gwine ter stick by you now. 'Pears lak de ain't no res' fur de +weary no whar."</p> + +<p>John was glad to have his enterprising cook once more and received the +traitor philosophically.</p> + +<p>Lee threw A. P. Hill's corps between Warren and Hancock's advancing +division. Hancock entrenched himself along-the railroad which he was +destroying.</p> + +<p>Hill trained his artillery on these trenches and charged them with swift +desperation late in the afternoon. The Union lines were broken and +crushed and the men fled in panic. In vain "Hancock the Superb," who had +seen his soldiers fall but never fail, tried to rally them. In agony he +witnessed their utter rout. His trenches were taken, his guns captured +and turned in a storm of death on his fleeing men. He lost twelve stands +of colors, nine big guns and twenty-five hundred men.</p> + +<p>As the darkness fell General Nelson A. Miles succeeded in rallying a new +line and stayed the panic by a desperate countercharge.</p> + +<p>Once more the grapple was hand to hand, man to man, in the darkness. +John Vaughan had fired the last load, save one, from his revolver, and +sword in hand, was cheering his men in a mad effort to regain their lost +entrenchments. Blue and grey were mixed in black confusion. Only by the +light of flashing guns could friend be distinguished from foe. A musket +flamed near his face and through the deep darkness which followed a +sword thrust pierced his side. He sprang back with an oath and clinched +with his antagonist, feeling for his throat in silence. For a minute +they wheeled struggled and fought in desperation, stumbling over +underbrush, slipping to their knees and rising. Every instinct of the +fighting brute in man was up now and the battle was to the death for +one—perhaps both.</p> + +<p>John succeeded at last in releasing his right hand and drawing his +revolver. His enemy sprang back at the same moment and through the +darkness again came the sword into his breast. He felt the blood +following the blade as it was snatched away, raised his revolver and +fired his last shot squarely at his foe. The muzzle was less than two +feet from his face and in the flash he saw Ned's look of horror, both +brothers recognizing each other in the same instant.</p> + +<p>"John—my God, it's you!"</p> + +<p>"Yes—yes—and it's you—God have mercy if I've killed you!"</p> + +<p>In a moment the older brother had caught Ned's sinking body and lowered +it gently on the leaves.</p> + +<p>"It's all right, John, old man," he gasped. "If I had to die it's just +as well by your hand. It's war—it's hell—all hell—anyhow—what's the +difference——"</p> + +<p>"But you mustn't die, Boy!" John whispered fiercely. "You mustn't, I +tell you!"</p> + +<p>"I didn't want to die," Ned sighed. "Life +was—just—becoming—real—beautiful—wonderful——"</p> + +<p>He stopped and drew a deep breath.</p> + +<p>John bent lower and Ned's arm slipped toward his neck and his fingers +touched the warm blood soaking his clothes.</p> + +<p>"I'm—afraid—I—got—you,—too,—John——"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm all right—brace up, Boy. Pull that devil will of yours +together—we've both got it—and live!"</p> + +<p>The younger man's head had sunk on his brother's blood-stained breast.</p> + +<p>"Now, look here, Ned, old man—this'll never do—don't—don't—give up!"</p> + +<p>The answer came faint and low:</p> + +<p>"Tell—Betty—when—you—see—her—that—with—my—last—breath—I—spoke—her—name—her—face—lights—the—dark—way——"</p> + + +<p>"You're going, Ned?"</p> + +<p>"Yes——"</p> + +<p>"Say you forgive me!"</p> + +<p>"There's—nothing—to—forgive—it's—all—right—John—good-bye——"</p> + +<p>The voice stopped. The battle had ceased. The woods were still. The +older brother could feel the slow rising and falling of the strong young +chest as if the muscles in the glory of their perfect life refused to +hear the call of Death.</p> + +<p>He bent in the darkness and kissed the trembling lips and they, too, +were still. He drew himself against the trunk of a tree and through the +beautiful summer night held the body of his dead brother in his arms.</p> + +<p>His fevered eyes were opened at last and he saw war as it is for the +first time. It had meant nothing before this reckoning of the dead and +wounded after battle—sixty thousand men from the Rapidan to Cold Harbor +in thirty days—ten thousand five hundred in the futile dash against +Petersburg—four thousand in the crater—five thousand five hundred more +now on this torn, twisted railroad, and all a failure—not an inch of +ground gained.</p> + +<p>These torn and mangled bundles of red rags he had watched the men dump +into trenches and cover with dirt had meant nothing real. They were only +loathsome things to be hidden from sight before the bugles called the +army to move.</p> + +<p>Now he saw a vision. Over every dark bundle on those blood-soaked fields +bent a brother, a father, a mother, a sister or sweetheart. He heard +their cries of anguish until all other sounds were dumb.</p> + +<p>The heaps of amputated legs and arms he had seen so often without a sigh +were bathed now in tears. The surgeons with their hands and arms and +clothes soaked with red—he saw them with the eyes of love—scene on +scene in hideous review—the young officer at Cold Harbor whose leg they +were cutting off without the use of chloroform, his face convulsed, his +jaws locked as the knife crashed through nerve and sinew, muscle and +artery. And those saws gnawing through bones—God in heaven, he could +hear them all now—they were cutting and tearing those he loved.</p> + +<p>He heard their terrible orders with new ears. For the first time he +realized what they meant.</p> + +<p>"Give them the bayonet now——"</p> + +<p>The low, savage, subdued tones of the officer had once thrilled his +soul. The memory sickened him.</p> + +<p>He could hear the impassioned speech of the Colonel as the men lay flat +on their faces in the grass—the click of bayonets in their places—the +look on the faces of the men eager, fierce, intense, as they sprang to +their feet at the call:</p> + +<p>"Charge!"</p> + +<p>And the fight. A big, broad-shouldered brute is trying to bayonet a boy +of fifteen. The boy's slim hand grips the steel with an expression of +mingled rage and terror. He holds on with grim fury. A comrade rushes to +his rescue. His bayonet misses the upper body of the strong man and +crashes hard against his hip bone. The man with his strength seizes the +gun, snatches it from his bleeding thigh and swings it over his head to +brain his new antagonist, when the first boy, with a savage laugh, +plunges his bayonet through the strong man's heart and he falls with a +dull crash, breaking the steel from the musket's muzzle and lies +quivering, with the blood-spouting point protruding from his side. He +understood now—these were not soldiers obeying orders—they were +fathers and brothers and playmates, killing and maiming and tearing each +other to pieces.</p> + +<p>Lord God of Love and Mercy, the pity and horror of it all!</p> + +<p>It was one o'clock before Julius, searching the field with a lantern, +came on him huddled against the tree with Ned's body still in his arms, +staring into the dead face.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXIV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">LOVE'S PLEDGE</a></h3> + + +<p>Again Betty Winter found in her work relief from despair. She had hoped +for peace in the beauty and tenderness of Ned's chivalrous devotion. Yet +his one letter reporting the meeting had revealed her mistake. The +moment she had read his confession the impulse to scream her protest to +John was all but resistless. She had tried in vain to find a way of +writing to Ned to tell him that she had deceived him and herself, and +ask his forgiveness.</p> + +<p>It was impossible to write to John under such conditions and she had +suffered in silence. And then the wounded began to pour into Washington +from Grant's front. The like of that procession of ambulances from the +landing on Sixth Street to the hospitals on the hills back of the city +had never been seen. The wounded men were brought on swift steamers from +Aquia Creek. Floors and decks were covered with mattresses on which they +lay as thickly as they could be placed. As the wounded died on the way +they were moved to the bow and their faces covered.</p> + +<p>At the landing tender hands were lifting them into the ambulances which +slowly moved out in one line to the hospitals and back in a circle by +another. These ambulances stretched in tragic, unbroken procession for +three miles and never ceased to move on and on in an endless circle for +three days and nights.</p> + +<p>In an agony of anxiety Betty asked to be transferred to the landing that +she might watch them fill the wagons. Her soul was oppressed with the +certainty that John Vaughan would be found in one of them.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the third day they were still coming in never-ending +streams from the steamer decks. She wrung her hands in a moment of +despair:</p> + +<p>"Merciful God! Are they bringing back Grant's whole army?"</p> + +<p>The patience of these suffering men was sublime. Only a sigh from one +who would rise no more. Only a groan here and there from parched lips +that asked for water.</p> + +<p>At last came the ominous news for which she had watched and waited with +sickening forebodings. The <i>Republican</i> printed the name of Captain John +Vaughan among the wounded in the fight of Warren and Hancock's corps +over the Weldon Railroad. There were only two thousand wounded men sent +in on the steamers from the front after this battle, and they arrived at +night.</p> + +<p>Betty hurried to the landing and found that the ambulances had begun to +move. She searched every face in vain, and when the last stretcher had +passed out walked with trembling steps and scanned each silent covered +face in the bow.</p> + +<p>"Thank God," she murmured, "he's not there!"</p> + +<p>She must begin now the patient search among the eighty thousand sick and +wounded men in the city of sorrows on the hills.</p> + +<p>She secured a hack and tried to reach the head of the procession and +find the destination of the first wagons that had left before her +arrival.</p> + +<p>It was after midnight. A thunder storm suddenly rolled its dense clouds +over the city and smothered the street lamps in a pall of darkness. The +rain burst with a flash of lightning and poured in torrents. The +electric display was awe-inspiring. The horses in one of the ambulances +in the long line stampeded and smashed the vehicle in front. The +procession was stopped in the height of the storm. The vivid flame was +now continuous and Betty could see the wagons standing in a mud-splashed +row for a mile, the lightning play bringing out in startling outline +each horse and vehicle.</p> + +<p>From every ambulance was hanging a fringe of curious objects shining +white against the shadows when suddenly illumined. Betty looked in pity +and awe. They were the burning fevered arms and legs and heads of the +suffering wounded men eager to feel the splash of the cooling rain.</p> + +<p>A full week passed before her search ended and she located him in one of +the big new buildings hastily constructed of boards.</p> + +<p>With trembling step she started to go straight to his cot. The memory of +his brutal stare that day stopped her and she scribbled a line and sent +it to him:</p> + +<div class="blockquottt"><p>"John, dear, may I see you a moment?</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r"> +"Betty." +</p> + +<p>The doctor assured her that he was rapidly recovering, though restless +and depressed. She caught her breath in a little gasp of surprise at the +sight of his white face, pale and spiritual looking now from the loss of +blood.</p> + +<p>Her eyes were shining with intense excitement as she swiftly crossed the +room, dropped on her knees beside his cot and seized his hands:</p> + +<p>"O John, John, can you ever forgive me!"</p> + +<p>He slipped his arm around her neck and held her a long time in silence.</p> + +<p>The men in the room paid no attention to the little drama. It was +happening every day around them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dearest," she went on eagerly, "I tried to put you out of my heart, +but I couldn't. I am yours, all yours, body and soul. Love asks but one +question—do you love me?"</p> + +<p>"Forever!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"In my loneliness and despair I tried to give myself to Ned, but I +couldn't, dear. I would have told him so had I been able to reach +him—though I dreaded to hurt him."</p> + +<p>John drew her hands down and looked at her with a strange expression.</p> + +<p>"He's beyond the reach of pain and disappointment now, dear——"</p> + +<p>"Dead?" she gasped.</p> + +<p>The man only nodded, and clung desperately to her hands while her head +sank in a flood of tears.</p> + +<p>"We'll cherish his memory," he said in a curiously quiet voice, "as one +of the sweetest bonds between us, my love——"</p> + +<p>"Yes—always!" was the low answer.</p> + +<p>For the life of him John Vaughan couldn't tell the terrible fact that +his hand had struck him down. God alone should know that.</p> + +<p>When she had recovered from the shock of the announcement Betty caressed +his hand gently:</p> + +<p>"We just love whom we love, dearest, and we can't help it. I am yours +and you are mine. It's not a question of good or bad, right or wrong. We +love—that's all."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we love—that's all and it's everything. There's no more doubt, +dear?"</p> + +<p>"Not one," she cried. "I'm going to bring back the red blood to your +cheeks now and take that fevered look out of your eyes——"</p> + +<p>The weeks of convalescence were swift and beautiful to Betty—her +ministry to his slightest whim a continuous joy. The only cloud in her +sky was the strange, feverish, unquiet look in his eyes. On the day of +his discharge he received a letter from his mother which deepened this +expression to the verge of mania.</p> + +<p>"What is it, dear?" Betty asked in alarm.</p> + +<p>"One of those unfortunate things that have been happening somewhere +every day for the past year—an arrest and imprisonment for treasonable +utterances——"</p> + +<p>"Who has been arrested?"</p> + +<p>"This time my father in Missouri."</p> + +<p>"Your father?" she gasped.</p> + +<p>"Yes. He has been a bitter critic of the war. He seems to have gone too +far. There was a riot of some sort in the village and he took the wrong +side."</p> + +<p>There was an ominous quiet in the way he talked.</p> + +<p>"I'll take you to see the President, dearest," she said soothingly. +"We'll ask for his release. It's sure to be granted."</p> + +<p>John's eyes suddenly flashed.</p> + +<p>"You think so?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely sure of it."</p> + +<p>"We'll try it then," he said, with a cold ring in his voice that chilled +Betty's heart, and sent her home wondering at its meaning.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXV</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE DARKEST HOUR</a></h3> + + +<p>In the summer of 1864 the President saw the darkest hours of his life. +The change in his appearance was startling and pitiful. His sombre eyes +seemed to have sunk into their caverns beneath the bushy brows and all +but disappeared. Their gaze was more and more detached from earth and +set on some dim, invisible shore. Deeper and deeper sank the furrows in +his ashen face. The shoulders drooped beneath a weight too great for any +human soul to bear.</p> + +<p>To Betty Winter's expression of loyalty and sympathy he answered sadly:</p> + +<p>"It's success I need, child,—not sympathy. My own burdens of cares are +as nothing to my soul. It's our cause—our cause—the Union must live or +I shall die!"</p> + +<p>He sat sometimes by his window for hours immovable as a marble statue, +his deep, hungry eyes gazing, gazing forever over the shining river +toward the Southern hills. His Secretaries stepped softly about the room +in silent sympathy with the Chief they loved with passionate devotion.</p> + +<p>Grant had crossed the Rapidan on that glorious spring morning in May +with his magnificent army accompanied by the highest hopes of millions. +And there had followed those awful sickening battles, one after +another, until he had fallen back in failure before the impassable +trenches around Petersburg.</p> + +<p>The star of Grant, the conquering hero of the West, had apparently set +in a sea of blood.</p> + +<p>Lee, with inferior numbers, alert, resourceful, vigilant, had checked +and baffled him at every turn, and Richmond's fall was no nearer to +human eye than in 1862.</p> + +<p>The miles and miles of hospital barracks in Washington, crowded to their +doors with wounded, dying men, were the living witnesses of the Nation's +mortal agony. Every city, town, village, hamlet and county in the North +was in mourning. Death had literally flung its pall over the world.</p> + +<p>From these thousands of stricken homes there had slowly risen a storm of +protest against the new leader of the Army. The word "Butcher" was on +every lip. General Grant, they said, possessed merely the qualities of +the bulldog fighter—tenacity and persistence. He held what he had won +so long as men were poured into his ranks by tens of thousands to take +the place of the dead. They declared that he possessed no genius, no +strategic skill, no power to originate plans and devise means to +overcome his skillful and brilliant antagonist. The demand was pressed +on the President for his removal.</p> + +<p>His refusal had brought on him the blame for all the blood and all the +suffering and all the failures of the past bitter year.</p> + +<p>His answer to his critics was remorseless in its common sense, but added +nothing to his hold on the people.</p> + +<p>"We must fight to win," he firmly declared. "Grant is the ablest general +we have yet developed. His losses have been appalling—but the struggle +is now to the bitter end. Our resources are exhaustless. The South can +not replace her fallen soldiers—her losses are fatal, ours are not."</p> + +<p>In the face of a political campaign he prepared a call by draft for five +hundred thousand more men and issued a proclamation appointing a day of +Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer.</p> + +<p>The spirits of the people touched the lowest tide ebb of despair.</p> + +<p>The war debt had reached the appalling total of two thousand millions of +dollars and its daily cost was four millions. The paper of the Treasury +was rapidly depreciating and the premium on gold rising until the value +of a one dollar green-back note was less than fifty cents in real money. +The bankers, fearing the total bankruptcy of the Nation, had begun to +refuse further loans on bonds at any rate of interest.</p> + +<p>The bounty offered to men for reënlistment in the army when their terms +expired amounted to the unheard of sum of one thousand five hundred +dollars cash on signing for the new term. Bounty jumping had become the +favorite sport of adventurous scoundrels. Millions of dollars were being +stolen by these men without the addition of a musket to the fighting +force. Grant was hanging them daily, but the traitor's work continued. +The enlisted man deserted in three weeks and reappeared at the next post +and reënlisted again, collecting his bounty with each enrollment.</p> + +<p>The enemies of the President in his own party, led by Senator Winter, to +make sure of his defeat before the convention, which was about to meet +in Baltimore, held a National convention of Radical Republicans in +Cleveland and nominated John C. Fremont for the Presidency. Their +purpose was by this party division to make Lincoln's nomination an +impossibility. Fremont's withdrawal was the weapon with which they would +fight the President before the regular Republican convention and after. +Senator Winter voiced the feeling of this convention in a speech of +bitter and vindictive eloquence.</p> + +<p>"I denounce the administration of Abraham Lincoln," he declared, "as +imbecile and vacillating. We demand not only the crushing of Lee's army, +but a program of vengeance against the rebels, which will mean their +annihilation when conquered. We demand the confiscation of their +property, the overthrow of every trace of local government and the +reduction of their States to conquered provinces under the control of +Congress. The milk and water policy of Lincoln is both a civil and a +military failure, and his renomination would be the greatest calamity +which could befall our Nation!"</p> + +<p>A week later the regular party convention met at Baltimore. On the night +before this meeting the President's renomination was not certain.</p> + +<p>On every hand his enemies were assailing him with unabated fury. Every +check to the National arms was laid at his door—every mistake of civil +or military management. The ravages of the Confederate cruisers which +were built in England and had swept the seas of our commerce were blamed +on him. He should have called Great Britain to account for these +outrages and had two wars instead of one!</p> + +<p>The cost of the great struggle mounting and mounting into billions was +his fault. The draft might have been avoided with the Government in +abler hands. The emancipation policy had not freed a single negro and +driven the whole Democratic Party into opposition to the war. His Border +State policy had held four Slave States in the Union, but crippled the +moral power of his position as anti-Slavery man. Every lie, every +slander of four years were now repeated and magnified.</p> + +<p>A competent man must be put into the White House. The Rail-splitter must +go!</p> + +<p>The real test of strength would come in the secret meeting of the Grand +Council of the Union League—the Secret Society which had been organized +to defeat the schemes of the Knights of the Golden Circle. In this +meeting men will say exactly what they think. In the big convention +to-morrow all will be harmony and peace. The convention will do what +these powerful leaders from every State in the North tell them to do.</p> + +<p>The assembly is dignified and orderly. The men who compose it are the +eyes and ears and brains of the party they represent. They are the real +rulers of the Nation. The party will obey their orders. These are the +men who do the executive thinking for millions. The millions can only +reject or ratify their wills. We are a democracy in theory, but in +reality here is assembled the aristocracy of brains which constitutes +our government.</p> + +<p>The Grand President Edmunds raps for order and faces a crowd of keen, +intelligent leaders of men his equal in culture and will.</p> + +<p>The meeting is called for but one purpose. With swift, direct action the +battle begins. A friend of the President offers a resolution endorsing +his administration, preceded by a preamble which declares it to be +unwise to swap horses while crossing a stream.</p> + +<p>The big guns open on this battle line without a moment's hesitation. +Senator Winter has not thought it wise to make this opening speech. The +prominent part he took in organizing and launching the Fremont +convention has put him in the position of an avowed bolter. He has +already put forward a colleague from the Senate who is supposed to be +friendly to the administration.</p> + +<p>The Senator is a man of blunt speech and dominating personality. He +speaks with earnestness, conviction and eloquence. He does not mince +words. All the petty grievances and mistakes and disappointments of his +four years under the tall, quiet man's strong hand are firing his soul +now with burning passion.</p> + +<p>He boldly accuses the President of tyranny, usurpation, illegal acts, of +abused power, of misused advantages, of favoritism, stupidity, frauds in +administration, timidity, sluggish inaction, oppression, the willful +neglect of suffering and the willful refusal to hear the cry of the +down-trodden slave.</p> + +<p>He turns the battery of his scorn now on his personal peculiarities, his +drawn and haggard and sorrow marked face, his heartlessness in reading +and telling funny stories, and last of all his selfish ambition which +asks a second term at the sacrifice of his party and his country.</p> + +<p>A Congressman of unusual brilliance and power follows this assault with +one of even greater eloquence and bitterness.</p> + +<p>Two more in quick succession and all demand with one accord the same +thing:</p> + +<p>"Down with Lincoln!"</p> + +<p>Not a voice has been lifted in his favor. If he has a friend he is +apparently afraid to open his mouth.</p> + +<p>And then the giant form of Jim Lane slowly rises. He looks quietly over +the crowd as if passing in review the tragic events of four years. Is he +going to add his voice to this chorus of rage? A year ago in the same +Grand Council he had a bitter grievance against the President and +assailed him furiously. Yesterday he was at the White House and came +away with a shadow on his strong face.</p> + +<p>He stood for a long time in silence and seemed to be scanning each +individual in the crowd of tense listeners.</p> + +<p>And then his deep voice broke the stillness. His words rang like the +boom of cannon and their penetrating power seemed to pierce the brick +walls of the room.</p> + +<p>"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Grand Council:</p> + +<p>"To stir up sore and wounded hearts to bitterness requires no skill or +power of oratory. To address the minds of men sickened by disaster, +wearied by long trial, heated by passion, bewildered by uncertainty, +heavy with grief, and cunningly to turn them into one vindictive +channel, into one blind rush of senseless fury requires no great power +of oratory and no great mastery of the truth. It may be the trick of a +charlatan!"</p> + +<p>He paused and gazed with deliberate and offensive insolence into the +faces of the men who had spoken. Their eyes blazed with wrath, and a +fierce thrill of excitement swept the crowd.</p> + +<p>"For a man to address himself to an assembly like this, however, goaded +to madness by suffering, sorrow, humiliation, perplexity—and now roused +by venomous arts to an almost unanimous condemnation of the innocent—I +say to address you, turn you in your tracks and force you to go the +other way—that would indeed be a feat of transcendent oratorical power. +I am no orator—but I am going to tell you the truth and the truth will +make you do that thing!"</p> + +<p>Men began to lean forward in their seats now as with impassioned faith +he told the story of the matchless work the great lonely spirit had +wrought for his people in the White House during the past passion-torn +years. His last sentence rang like the clarion peal of a trumpet:</p> + +<p>"Desert him now and the election of <i>George B. McClellan</i> on a +'Peace-at-any-Price' platform is a certainty—the Union is dissevered, +the Confederacy established, the slaves reshackled, the dead dishonored +and the living disgraced!"</p> + +<p>His last sentence was an angry shout whose passion swept the crowd to +its feet. The resolution was passed and Lincoln's nomination became a +mere formality.</p> + +<p>But Senator Winter had only begun to fight. His whole life as an +Abolitionist had been spent in opposition to majorities. He had no +constructive power and no constructive imagination. His genius was +purely destructive, but it was genius. Without a moment's delay he began +his plans to force the President to withdraw from his own ticket in the +midst of his campaign.</p> + +<p>The one ominous sign which the man in the White House saw with dread was +the rapid growth through these dark days of a "Peace-at-any-Price" +sentiment within his own party lines in the heart of the loyal North. +Again Horace Greeley and his great paper voiced this cry of despair.</p> + +<p>The mischief he was doing was incalculable because he persisted in +teaching the millions who read his paper that peace was at any time +possible if Abraham Lincoln would only agree to accept it. As a +Southern-born man, the President knew the workings of the mind of +Jefferson Davis as clearly as he understood his own. Both these men were +born in Kentucky within a few miles of each other on almost the same +day. The President knew that Jefferson Davis would never consider any +settlement of the war except on the basis of the division of the Union +and the recognition of the Confederacy. When Greeley declared that the +Confederate Commissioners were in Canada with offers of peace, the +President sent Greeley himself immediately to meet them and confer on +the basis of a restored Union with compensation for the slaves. The +Conference failed and Greeley returned from Canada angrier with the +President than ever for making a fool of him.</p> + +<p>In utter disregard for the facts he continued to demand that the +Government bring the war to an end. The thing which made his attack +deadly was that he was rousing the bitterness of hopeless sorrow in +thousands of homes whose loved ones had fallen.</p> + +<p>Thoughtful men and women had begun to ask themselves new questions:</p> + +<p>"Is not the price we are paying too great?"</p> + +<p>"Can any cause be worth this ocean of tears, this endless deluge of +blood?"</p> + +<p>The President must answer this bitter cry with the positive assurance +that he would make peace at any moment on terms consistent with the +Nation's preservation or both he and his party must perish.</p> + +<p>He determined to draw from Mr. Davis a positive declaration of the terms +on which the South would accept peace. He dared not do this openly, as +it would be a confession to Europe of defeat and would lead to the +recognition of the Confederacy.</p> + +<p>He accordingly sent Colonel Jaquess, a distinguished Methodist clergyman +in the army, and J. R. Gilmore, of the <i>Tribune</i>, on a secret mission to +Richmond for this purpose. They must go without credentials or +authority, as private individuals and risk life and liberty in the +undertaking.</p> + +<p>Both men promptly accepted the mission and left for Grant's headquarters +to ask General Lee for a pass through his lines.</p> + +<p>The Democratic Party was now a militant united force inspired by the +Copperhead leaders, who had determined to defeat the President squarely +on a peace platform and put General McClellan into the White House. +Behind them in serried lines stood the powerful Secret Orders clustered +around the Knights of the Golden Circle.</p> + +<p>Positive proofs were finally laid before the President that these +Societies had planned an uprising on the night of the election and the +establishment of a Western Confederacy.</p> + +<p>Edmunds, the President of the Union League, handed him the names of the +leaders.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir, you can strike!" he urged.</p> + +<p>The tall, sorrowful man slowly shook his head.</p> + +<p>"You doubt the truth of these statements?" Edmunds asked.</p> + +<p>"No. They are too true. Let sleeping dogs lie. One revolution at a time. +We have all we can manage at present. If we win the election they won't +dare rise. If we lose, it's all over anyhow—and it makes no difference +what they do."</p> + +<p>With patient wisdom he refused to stir the dangerous hornet's nest.</p> + +<p>And to cap the climax of darkness, Jubal Early's army suddenly withdrew +from Lee's lines, swept through the Shenandoah Valley and invaded +Maryland and Pennsylvania.</p> + +<p>With three-quarters of a million blue soldiers under arms, the daring +men in grey were once more threatening the Capital. They seized and cut +the Northern railroads, burning their bridges and capturing trains; they +threatened Baltimore, captured Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, burned it, +spread terror throughout the State and surrounding territory, and +brushing past Lew Wallace's six thousand men at Monocacy, were bearing +down on Washington with swift ominous tread.</p> + +<p>It was incredible! It was unthinkable, and yet the reveille of Early's +drums could be heard from the White House window.</p> + +<p>John Bigelow, our <i>Chargé d'Affaires</i> at Paris, had sent warning of a +conversation with the Emperor of France, at which the President had only +smiled.</p> + +<p>"Lee will take Washington," the Emperor had declared, "and then I shall +recognize the Confederacy. I have just received news that Lee is +certain to take the Capital."</p> + +<p>The message was flashed to Grant for help. The city was practically at +Early's mercy if he should strike. He couldn't hold the Capital, of +course, but if he took it even for twenty-four hours the Government +would lose all prestige and standing in the Courts of Europe.</p> + +<p>For twenty-four hours the panic in Washington was complete. The +Government clerks were rushed into the trenches and hastily armed.</p> + +<p>Early threw one shell into the city, which crashed through a house, his +cavalry dashed into the corporate limits and took a prisoner and later +burned the house of Blair, a member of the Cabinet.</p> + +<p>The Sixth Corps arrived from Petersburg; a thousand men were killed and +wounded in the skirmishing of two days, but the Capital escaped by the +skin of its teeth.</p> + +<p>Grant laconically remarked:</p> + +<p>"If Early had been one day earlier he would have entered the Capital."</p> + +<p>While he had not actually taken Washington, Lee's strategy was a +masterly stroke. He had cleared the Shenandoah Valley, which was his +granary, and enabled the farmers to reap their crops. He had showed the +world that his army was still so terrible a weapon that with it he could +hold Grant at bay, drive his enemy from the Valley, invade two Northern +States, burn their cities and destroy their railroads, and throw his +shells into Washington.</p> + +<p>A wave of incredulous sickening despair swept the North. If this could +be done after three and a half years of blood and tears and two +billions of dollars spent, where could the end be?</p> + +<p>Early had done in Washington what neither McDowell, McClellan, Pope, +Burnside, Hooker, Meade nor Grant had yet succeeded in doing for +Richmond—thrown shells into the city and taken a prisoner from its very +streets. Had he arrived a day earlier—in other words, had not Lew +Wallace's gallant little army of six thousand delayed him twenty-four +hours—he could have entered the city, raided the Treasury and burned +the Capitol.</p> + +<p>Senator Winter was not slow to strike the blow for which he had been +eagerly waiting a favorable moment. He succeeded in detaching from the +President in this moment of panic a group of men who had stood squarely +for his nomination at Baltimore. He agreed to withdraw Fremont's name if +they would induce the President to withdraw and a new convention be +called.</p> + +<p>So deep was the depression, so black the outlook, so certain was +McClellan's election, that the members of the National Republican +Executive Committee met and conferred with this Committee of traitors to +their Chief.</p> + +<p>No more cowardly and contemptible proposition was ever submitted to the +chosen leader of a great party. It was not to be wondered at that Winter +and his Radical associates could stoop to it. They were theorists. To +them success was secondary. They would have gladly and joyfully damned +not only the Union—they would have damned the world to save their +theories. But that his own party leaders should come to him in such an +hour and ask him to withdraw cut the great patient heart to the quick.</p> + +<p>He agreed to consider their humiliating proposition and give them an +answer in two weeks. Nicolay, his first Secretary, wrote to John Hay, +who was in Illinois:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Major</span>: Hell is to pay. The politicians have a stampede on +that is about to swamp everything. The National Committee are here +to-day. Raymond thinks a commission to Richmond is the only salt to +save us. The President sees and says it would be utter ruin. The +matter is now undergoing consultation. Weak-kneed damned fools are +on the move for a new candidate to supplant the President. +Everything is darkness and doubt and discouragement. Our men see +giants in the airy and unsubstantial shadows of the opposition, and +are about to surrender without a blow. Come to Washington on the +first train. Every man who loves the Chief must lay off his coat +now and fight to the last ditch. He's too big and generous to be +trusted alone with these wolves. He is the only man who can save +this Nation, and we must make them see it."</p></div> + +<p>Worn and angry after the long discussion with his cowardly advisers, the +President retired to his bedroom, locked the door, laid down, and tried +to rest. Opposite the lounge on which he lay was a bureau with a +swinging mirror. He gazed for a moment at his long figure, which showed +full length, his eye resting at last on the deep cut lines of the +haggard face. Gradually two separate and distinct images grew—one +behind the other, pale and death-like but distinct. He looked in wonder, +and the longer he looked the clearer stood this pale second reflection.</p> + +<p>"That's funny!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>He rose, rubbed his eyes, and walked to the mirror, examining it +curiously. He had always been a man of visions—this child of the woods +and open fields.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if it's an illusion?" he muttered. "I'll try again."</p> + +<p>He returned to the couch and lay down. Again it grew a second time +plainer than before, if possible. He watched for a long time with a +feeling of awe.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if I'm looking into the face of my own soul?" he mused.</p> + +<p>He studied this second image with keen interest. It was five shades +paler than the first. The thing had happened to him once before and his +wife had declared it a sign that he would be elected to a second term, +but the paleness of the second image meant that he would not live +through it. It was uncanny. He rose and paced the floor, laid down +again, and the image vanished. What did it mean?</p> + +<p>Only that day a secret service man had come to warn him of a new plot of +assassination and beg him to double the guard.</p> + +<p>"What is the use, my dear boy, in setting up the gap when the fence is +down all around?"</p> + +<p>"Remember, sir, they shot a hole through your hat one night last week on +your way to the Soldiers' Home."</p> + +<p>"Well, what of it? If a man really makes up his mind to kill me he can +do it——"</p> + +<p>"You can take precautions."</p> + +<p>"But I can't shut myself up in an iron box—now, can I? If I am killed I +can die but once. To live in constant dread of it is to die over and +over again. I decline to die until the time comes—away with your extra +guards! I've got too many now. They bother me."</p> + +<p>He threw off his depression and took up a volume of Artemus Ward's funny +sayings to refresh his soul with their quaint humor. He must laugh or +die. He had promised to see Betty Winter with a friend who had a +petition to present at ten o'clock. He would rest until she came.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan had insisted on her coming at this unusual hour. She +protested, but he declared the chances of success in asking for his +father's release would be infinitely better if she took advantage of the +President's good nature and saw him alone at night when they would not +be interrupted.</p> + +<p>As they neared the White House grounds, crossing the little park on the +north side, Betty's nervousness became unbearable. She stopped and put +her hand on John's arm.</p> + +<p>"Let's wait until to-morrow?" she pleaded.</p> + +<p>"The President is expecting us——"</p> + +<p>"I'll send him word we couldn't come."</p> + +<p>"But, why?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated and glanced at him uneasily:</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I'm just nervous. I don't feel equal to the strain of +such an interview to-night. It means so much to you. It means so much to +me now that love rules my life——"</p> + +<p>He took her hands in his and drew her into the friendly shadows beside +the walk.</p> + +<p>"Love does rule life, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely. I'm frightened when I realize it," she sighed.</p> + +<p>"You are all mine now? In life, in death, through evil report and good +report?"</p> + +<p>"In life, in death, through evil report and good report——yours +forever, dearest!"</p> + +<p>He took her in his arms and held her in silence. She could feel him +trembling with deep emotion.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing to be nervous about then," he said, reassuringly, as +his arms relaxed. "Come, we'll hurry. I want to send a message to my +father to-night announcing his release."</p> + +<p>At the entrance to the White House grounds they passed a man who shot a +quick glance at John, and Betty thought his head moved in a nod of +approval or recognition.</p> + +<p>"You know him?" she asked nervously.</p> + +<p>"One of Baker's men, I think—attempt on the President's life last week. +They've doubled the guard, no doubt."</p> + +<p>They passed another, strolling carelessly from the shadows of the white +pillars of the portico.</p> + +<p>"They seem to be everywhere to-night," John laughed carelessly.</p> + +<p>The White House door was open and they passed into the hall and ascended +the stairs to the Executive Chamber without challenge. Little Tad, the +President's son, who ran the House to suit himself at times, was in his +full dress suit of a lieutenant of the army and had ordered the guard to +attend a minstrel show he was giving in the attic.</p> + +<p>The President had agreed to meet Betty in his office at ten o'clock and +told her to bring her friend right upstairs and wait if he were not on +time.</p> + +<p>They sat down and waited five minutes in awkward silence. Betty was +watching the strange glittering expression in John Vaughan's eyes with +increasing alarm.</p> + +<p>She heard a muffled footfall in the hall, stepped quickly to the door, +and saw the man they had passed at the entrance to the grounds.</p> + +<p>She returned trembling.</p> + +<p>"The man we passed at the gate is in that hall," she whispered.</p> + +<p>"What of it?" was the careless answer. "Baker's secret service men come +and go when they please here——"</p> + +<p>He paused and glanced at the door.</p> + +<p>"He has his eye on us maybe," he added, with a little laugh.</p> + +<p>He studied Betty's flushed face for a moment, curiously hesitated as if +about to speak, changed his mind, and was silent. He drew his watch from +his pocket and looked at it.</p> + +<p>"I've ordered a carriage to wait for you at the gate at a quarter past +ten," he said quickly. "I forgot to tell you."</p> + +<p>"Why—it may take us longer than half an hour?"</p> + +<p>"That's just it. We may be talking two hours. Such things can't be +threshed out in a minute. You can introduce me, say a good word, and +leave us to fight it out——"</p> + +<p>"I want to stay," she interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, dear, it may take hours. Besides, I may have some things to +say to the President, and he some things to say to me that it were +better a sweet girl's ears should not hear——"</p> + +<p>"That's exactly what I wish to prevent, John, dear," she pleaded. "You +must be careful and say nothing to offend the President. It means too +much. We must win."</p> + +<p>"I'll be wise in the choice of words. But you mustn't stay, dear. I'm +not a child. I don't need a chaperone."</p> + +<p>"But you may need a friend——"</p> + +<p>"He does wield the power of kings—doesn't he?"</p> + +<p>"With the tenderness and love of a father, yes."</p> + +<p>"And yet I've wondered," he went on in a curious cold tone, "why he +hasn't been killed—when the death of one man would end this carnival of +murder——"</p> + +<p>"John, how can you say such things?" Betty gasped.</p> + +<p>"It's true, dear," he answered calmly. "This man's will alone has +prevented peace and prevents it now. The soldiers on both sides joke +with one another across the picket lines. They get together and play +cards at night. Before the battle begins, our boys call out:</p> + +<p>"'Get into your holes, now, Johnnie, we've got to shoot.'</p> + +<p>"Left to themselves, the soldiers would end this war in thirty minutes. +It's the one man at the top who won't let them. It's hellish—it's +hellish——"</p> + +<p>"And you would justify an assassin?" Betty asked breathlessly.</p> + +<p>"Who is an assassin, dear?" he demanded tensely. "The man who wields a +knife or the tyrant who calls the fanatic into being? Brutus or Cæsar, +William Tell or Gessler? Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God——"</p> + +<p>"John, John—how can you say such things—you don't believe in +murder——"</p> + +<p>"No!" he breathed fiercely. "I don't now. I used to until I had a +revelation——"</p> + +<p>He stopped short as if strangled.</p> + +<p>"Revelation—what do you mean?" Betty whispered, watching his every +movement, with growing terror.</p> + +<p>He looked at her with eyes glittering.</p> + +<p>"I didn't want to tell you this," he began slowly. "I meant to keep the +black thing hidden in my own soul. But you'll understand better if I +speak. I killed Ned Vaughan with my own hands——"</p> + +<p>"You're mad——" Betty shivered.</p> + +<p>"I wish I were—no—I was never sane before that flash of red from hell +showed me the truth—showed me what I was doing. We fought in the +darkness of a night attack, hand to hand, like two maddened beasts. He +ran me through with his sword and I sent the last ball left in my +revolver crashing through his breast. In the glare of that shot I saw +his face—the face of my brother! I caught him in my arms as he fell and +held him while the life blood ebbed away through the hole I had torn +near his heart. And then I saw what I'd been doing, saw it all as it +is—war—brother murdering his brother—the shout and the tumult, the +drums and bugles, the daring and heroism of it all, just that and +nothing more—brother cutting his brother's throat——"</p> + +<p>His head sank into his hands in a sob that strangled speech.</p> + +<p>Betty slipped her arm tenderly around his shoulder and stroked the heavy +black hair.</p> + +<p>"But you didn't know, dear—you wouldn't have fired that shot if you +had——"</p> + +<p>He lifted himself suddenly and recovered his self-control.</p> + +<p>"No. That's just it," he answered bitterly. "I wouldn't have done it had +I known—nor would he, had he known. But I should have seen before that +every torn and mangled body I had counted in the reckoning of the glory +of battle was some other man's brother, some other mother's boy——"</p> + +<p>He paused and drew himself suddenly erect:</p> + +<p>"Well I'm awake now—I know and see things as they are!"</p> + +<p>His hand unconsciously felt for his revolver, and Betty threw her arms +around his neck with a smothered cry of horror:</p> + +<p>"Merciful God—John—my darling—you are mad—what are you going to do?"</p> + +<p>"Why nothing, dear," he protested, "nothing! I'm simply going to ask the +President whose power is supreme to give my father a fair trial or +release him—that's all—you needn't stay longer—the carriage is +waiting. I can introduce myself and plead my own cause. If he's the +fair, great-hearted man you believe, he'll see that justice is done——"</p> + +<p>"You are going to kill the President!" Betty gasped.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense—but if I were—what is the death of one man if thousands +live? I saw sixty thousand men in blue fall in thirty days—two thousand +a day—besides those who wore the grey. At Cold Harbor I saw ten +thousand of my brethren fall in twenty minutes. Why should you gasp over +the idea that one man may die whose death would stop this slaughter?"</p> + +<p>"John, you're mad!" she cried, clinging to him desperately. "You're mad, +I tell you. You've lost your reason. Come with me, dear—come at +once——"</p> + +<p>"No. I was never more sane than now," he answered firmly.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll warn the President——"</p> + +<p>He held her with cruel force:</p> + +<p>"You understand that if it's true, my arrest, court-martial and death +follow?"</p> + +<p>"No. I'll warn him not to come. I alone know——"</p> + +<p>She broke his grip on her arm and started toward the door. He lifted his +hand in quick commanding gesture:</p> + +<p>"Wait! my men are in that hall—it's his life or mine now. You can take +your choice——"</p> + +<p>The girl's figure suddenly straightened:</p> + +<p>"Take your men out and go with them at once!"</p> + +<p>"No. If he does justice, I may spare his life. If he does not——"</p> + +<p>"You shall not see him——"</p> + +<p>"It's my life or his—I warn you——"</p> + +<p>"Then it's yours—I choose my country!"</p> + +<p>She walked with quick, firm step to the door leading into the family +apartments of the President. On the threshold her feet faltered. She +grasped the door facing, turned, and saw him standing with folded arms +watching her—with the eyes of a madman. Her face went white. She lifted +her hand to her heart and slowly stumbled back into his arms.</p> + +<p>"God have mercy!" she sobbed. "I'm just a woman—my love—my +darling—I—I—can't—kill you——"</p> + +<p>Her arms relaxed and she would have fallen to the floor had he not +caught the fainting form and carried her into the hall.</p> + +<p>Two men were at his side instantly.</p> + +<p>"Take Miss Winter downstairs," he whispered. "There's a carriage at the +gate. Bring it quietly to the door—one of you take her to the Senator's +home. The other must return here immediately and wait my orders. There's +no guard in this outer hall at night. The one inside is with the boy. +Keep out of sight if any one passes."</p> + +<p>The men obeyed without a word and John Vaughan stepped quickly back into +the Executive office, drew the short curtains across the window, turned +the lights on full, examined his revolver, and sat down in careless +attitude beside the President's desk. He could hear his heavy step +already approaching the door.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXVI</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE ASSASSIN</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan's face paled with the sudden realization of the tremendous +deed he was about to do. It had seemed the only solution of the Nation's +life and his own, an hour ago. The air of Washington reeked with deadly +hatred of the President. Every politician who could not control his big, +straightforward, honest mind was his enemy. The gloom which shrouded the +country over Grant's losses and the failure of his campaign had set +every hound yelping at his heels in full cry. He spent much of his time +in the hospitals visiting and cheering the wounded soldiers. These men +were his friends. They believed in his honesty, his gentleness and his +humanity, and yet so deadly had grown the passions of war and so bitter +the madness of political prejudice that the majority of the wounded men +were going to vote against him in the approaching election.</p> + +<p>An informal vote taken in Carver Hospital had shown the amazing result +of three to one in favor of McClellan!</p> + +<p>John Vaughan, in his fevered imagination, had felt that he was rendering +a heroic service to the people in removing the one obstacle to peace. +The President was the only man who could possibly defeat McClellan and +continue the war. He was denounced by the opposition as usurper, tyrant, +and dictator. He was denounced by thousands of men in his own party as +utterly unfit to wield the power he possessed.</p> + +<p>And yet, as he heard the slow, heavy footfall approaching the door, a +moment of agonizing doubt gripped his will and weakened his arm. His eye +rested on a worn thumbed copy of the Bible which lay open on the desk. +This man, who was not a church member, in the loneliness of his awful +responsibilities, had been searching there for guidance and inspiration. +There was a pathos in the thought that found his inner conscience +through the mania that possessed him.</p> + +<p>Well, he'd test him. He would try this tyrant here alone before the +judgment bar of his soul—condemn him to death or permit him to live, as +he should prove true or false to his mighty trust.</p> + +<p>His hand touched his revolver again and he set his square jaws firmly.</p> + +<p>The tall figure entered and closed the door.</p> + +<p>A flash of blind rage came from the depths of John Vaughan's dark eyes +at the first sight of him. He moved forward a step and his hand trembled +in a desperate instinctive desire to kill. He was a soldier. His enemy +was before him advancing. To kill had become a habit. It seemed the one +natural thing to do.</p> + +<p>He stopped with a shock of surprise as the President turned his haggard +eyes in a dazed way and looked about the room.</p> + +<p>The light fell full on his face increasing its ghost-like pathetic +expression. The story of anxiety and suffering was burnt in letters of +fire that left his features a wrinkled mask of grey ashes. The drooping +eyelids were swollen, and dark bags hung beneath them. The muscles of +his massive jaws were flaccid, the lines about his large expressive +mouth terrible in their eloquence. His sombre eyes seemed to gaze on the +world with the anguish of millions in their depths.</p> + +<p>For a moment John Vaughan was held in a spell by the unexpected +apparition.</p> + +<p>"You are alone, sir?" the quiet voice slowly asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I had expected Miss Winter——"</p> + +<p>"She came with me and was compelled to leave."</p> + +<p>"Oh—will you pull up a chair."</p> + +<p>The tall form dropped wearily at his desk. His voice had a far-away +expression in its tones.</p> + +<p>"And what can I do for you, sir?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"My name is Vaughan—John Vaughan——"</p> + +<p>The dark head was lifted with interest:</p> + +<p>"The brother of Ned Vaughan, who escaped from prison?"</p> + +<p>John nodded:</p> + +<p>"The son of Dr. Richard Vaughan, of Palmyra, Missouri."</p> + +<p>"Then you're our boy, fighting with Grant's army—yes, I heard of you +when your brother was in trouble. You've been ill, I see—wounded, of +course?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The President rose and took his visitor's hand, clasping it with both +his own:</p> + +<p>"There's nothing I won't do for one of our wounded boys if I can—what +is it?"</p> + +<p>"My mother writes me that my father has been arrested without warrant, +is held in prison without bail and denied the right to trial——"</p> + +<p>He paused and leaned on the desk, trembling with excitement which had +increased as he spoke.</p> + +<p>"I have come to ask you for justice—that he shall be confronted by his +accusers in open court and given a fair trial——"</p> + +<p>A frown deepened the shadows in the dark, kindly face:</p> + +<p>"And for what was he arrested?"</p> + +<p>"For exercising the right of free speech. In a public address he +denounced the war——"</p> + +<p>The President shook his head sorrowfully:</p> + +<p>"You see, my boy, your house is divided against itself—the symbol in +the family group of our unhappy country. Of course, I didn't know of +this arrest. Such things hurt me, so I refuse to know of them unless I +must. They tell me that Seward and Stanton have arrested without warrant +thirty-five thousand men. I hope this is an exaggeration. Still it may +be true——"</p> + +<p>He stopped, sighed, and shook his head again:</p> + +<p>"But come, now, my son, and put yourself in my place. What can I do? +I've armed two million men and spend four millions a day to fight the +South because they try to secede and disrupt the Union. My opponents in +the North, taking advantage of our sorrows, harangue the people and +elect a hostile legislature in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. They are +about to pass an ordinance of secession and strike the Union in the +back. If secession is wrong in the South it is surely wrong in the +North. Shall I fight secession in the South and merely argue politely +with it here? Instead of shooting these men, I've consented to a more +merciful thing, I just let Seward and Stanton lock them up until the +war is over and then I'll turn them all loose.</p> + +<p>"Understand, my boy, I don't shirk responsibility. No Cabinet or +Congress could conduct a successful war. There must be a one man power. +I have been made that power by the people. I am using it reverently but +firmly. And I am backed by the prayers, the good will and the confidence +of the people—the silent millions whom I don't see, but love and trust.</p> + +<p>"This war was not of my choosing. Once begun, it must be fought to the +end and the Nation saved. It will then be proved that among free men +there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and +that they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case and pay the +cost. To preserve the life of the Constitution I must strain some of its +provisions in time of war——"</p> + +<p>"And you will not interfere to give these accused men a trial?" John +Vaughan interrupted in hard tones.</p> + +<p>"I cannot, my boy, I dare not interfere. The civil law must be suspended +temporarily in such cases. I cannot shoot a soldier for desertion and +allow the man to go free who, by denouncing the war, causes him to +desert. It cuts to the very heart of the Nation—its life is +involved——"</p> + +<p>He rose again and paced the floor, turning his back on his visitor in +utter unconsciousness of the dangerous glitter in his eyes.</p> + +<p>He paused and placed his big hand gently on John's arm:</p> + +<p>"I know in doing this I am wielding a dangerous power—the power of +kings—not because I love it, but because I must save my country. And +I'm the humblest man who walks God's earth to-night!"</p> + +<p>In spite of his bitterness, the simplicity and honesty of the President +found John Vaughan's heart. No vain or cruel or selfish man could talk +or feel like that. In the glow of his eager thought the ashen look of +his face disappeared and it became radiant with warmth and tenderness. +In dreamy, passionate tones he went on as if talking to convince himself +he must not despair. The younger man for the moment was swept +resistlessly on by the spell of his eloquence.</p> + +<p>"They are always asking of me impossible things. Now that I shall remove +Grant from command. I know that his battles have been bloody. Yet how +else can we win? The gallant, desperate South has only a handful of men, +ragged and half starved, yet they are standing against a million and I +have exhaustless millions behind these. With Lee they seem invincible +and every move of his ragged men sends a shiver of horror and of +admiration through the North. Yet, if Grant fights on he must win. He +will wear Lee out—and that is the only way he can beat him.</p> + +<p>"Besides, his plan is bigger than the single campaign against Richmond. +There's a grim figure at the head of a hundred thousand men fighting his +way inch by inch toward Atlanta. If Sherman should win and take Atlanta, +Lee's army will starve and the end is sure. I can't listen to this +clamor. I will not remove Grant—though I've reasons for believing at +this moment that he may vote for McClellan for President.</p> + +<p>"Don't think, my son, that all this blood and suffering is not mine. It +is. Every shell that screams from those big guns crashes through my +heart. The groans of the wounded, the sighs of the dying, the tears of +widows and orphans, of sisters and mothers—all—blue and grey—they are +mine. I see and hear it all, feel all, suffer all.</p> + +<p>"No man who lives to-day is responsible for this war. I could not have +prevented it, nor could Jefferson Davis. We are in the grip of mighty +forces sweeping on from the centuries. We are fighting the battle of the +ages.</p> + +<p>"But our country's worth it if we can only save it. Out of this agony +and tears will be born a united people. We have always been cursed with +the impossible contradiction of negro slavery.</p> + +<p>"There has never been a real Democracy in the world because there has +never been one without the shadow of slavery. We must build here a real +government of the people, by the people, for the people. It's not a +question merely of the fate of four millions of black slaves. It's a +question of the destiny of millions of freemen. I hear the tread of +coming generations of their children on this continent. Their destiny is +in your hand and mine—a free Nation without a slave—the hope, refuge +and inspiration of the world.</p> + +<p>"This Union that we must save will be a beacon light on the shores of +time for mankind. It will be worth all the blood and all the tears we +shall give for it. The grandeur of our sacrifice will be the birthright +of our children's children. It will be the end of sectionalism. We can +never again curse and revile one another, as we have in the past. We've +written our character in blood for all time. We've met in battle. The +Northern man knows the Southerner is not a braggart. The Southerner +knows the Yankee is not a coward.</p> + +<p>"There can be but one tragedy, my boy, that can have no ray of +light—and that is that all this blood should have flowed in vain, all +these brave men died for nought, that the old curse shall remain, the +Union be dismembered into broken sections and on future bloody fields +their battles be fought over again——"</p> + +<p>He paused and drew a deep breath:</p> + +<p>"This is the fear that's strangling me! For as surely as George B. +McClellan is elected President, surrounded by the men who at present +control his party, just so surely will the war end in compromise, +failure and hopeless tragedy——"</p> + +<p>"Why do you say that?" John asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"Because standing here on this very spot, before the battle of +Gettysburg I offered him the Presidency if he would preside at a great +mass meeting of his party and guarantee to save the Union. I offered to +efface myself and give up the dearest ambition of my soul to heal the +wounds of my people—and he refused——"</p> + +<p>"Refused?" John gasped.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The younger man gazed at the haggard face for a moment through dimmed +eyes, sank slowly to a seat and covered his face in his hands in a cry +of despair!</p> + +<p>The reaction was complete and his collapse utter.</p> + +<p>The President gazed at the bent figure with sorrowful amazement, and +touched his head gently with the big friendly hand:</p> + +<p>"Why, what's the matter, my boy? I'm the only man to despair. You're +just a captain in the army. If to be the head of hell is as hard as +what I've had to undergo here I could find it in my heart to pity Satan +himself. And if there's a man out of hell who suffers more than I do, I +pity him. But it's my burden and I try to bear it. I wish I had only +yours!"</p> + +<p>John Vaughan sprang to his feet and threw his hands above his head in a +gesture of anguish:</p> + +<p>"O my God, you don't understand!"</p> + +<p>He quickly crossed the space that separated them and faced the President +with grim determination:</p> + +<p>"But I'm going to tell you the truth now and you can do what you think's +right. In the last fight before Petersburg I killed my brother in a +night attack and held his dying body in my arms. I think I must have +gone mad that night. Anyhow, when I lay in the hospital recovering from +my wounds, I got the letter about my father and made up my mind to kill +you——"</p> + +<p>He paused, but the sombre eyes gave no sign—they seemed to be gazing on +the shores of eternity.</p> + +<p>"And I came here to-night for that purpose—my men are in that hall +now!"</p> + +<p>He stopped and folded his hands deliberately, waiting for his judge to +speak.</p> + +<p>A long silence fell between them. The tall, sorrowful man was looking at +him with a curious expression of wonder and self pity.</p> + +<p>"So you came here to-night to kill me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>Again a long silence—the deep eyes looking, looking with their strange +questioning gaze.</p> + +<p>"Well," the younger man burst out at last, "what is my fate? I deserve +it. Even generosity and gentleness have their limit. I've passed it. +And I've no desire to escape."</p> + +<p>The kindly hand was lifted to John Vaughan's shoulder:</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you do it?"</p> + +<p>"Because for the first time you made me see things as you see them—I +got a glimpse of the inside——"</p> + +<p>"Then I won you—didn't I?" the President cried with elation. "I've been +talking to you just to keep my courage up—just to save my own soul from +the hell of despair. But you've lifted me up. If I can win you I can win +the others if I could only get their ear. All I need is a little time. +And I'm going to fight for it. Every act of my life in this great office +will stand the test of time because I've put my immortal soul into the +struggle without one thought of saving myself.</p> + +<p>"I've told you the truth, and the truth has turned a murderer into my +friend. If only the people can know—can have time to think, I'll win. +You thought me an ambitious tyrant—now, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Great God!—I had my ambitions, yes—as every American boy worth his +salt has. And I dared to dream this vision of the White House—I, the +humblest of the humble, born in a lowly pioneer's cabin in the woods of +Kentucky. My dream came true, and where is its glory? Ashes and blood. +And I, to whom the sight of blood is an agony unendurable, have lived +with aching heart through it all and envied the dead their rest on your +battlefields——"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and fixed John with a keen look:</p> + +<p>"You'll stand by me, now, boy, through thick and thin?"</p> + +<p>"I'd count it an honor to die for you——"</p> + +<p>"All right. I give you the chance. I'm going to send you on a dangerous +mission. I need but two things to sweep the country in this election and +preserve the Union—a single big victory in the field to lift the people +out of the dumps and make them see things as they are, and a declaration +from Mr. Davis that there can be no peace save in division. I know that +he holds that position, but the people in the North doubt it. I've sent +Jaquess and Gilmore there to obtain his declaration. Technically they +are spies. They may be executed or imprisoned and held to the end of the +war. They go as private citizens of the North who desire peace.</p> + +<p>"I want another man in Richmond whose identity will be unknown to report +the results of that meeting in case they are imprisoned. You must go as +a spy at the double risk of your life——"</p> + +<p>"I'm ready, sir," was the quick response.</p> + +<p>The big hand fumbled the black beard a moment:</p> + +<p>"You doubtless said bitter things in Washington when you returned?"</p> + +<p>"Many of them."</p> + +<p>"Then you were approached by the leaders of Knights of the Golden +Circle?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Good! You're the man I want without a doubt. You can use their signs +and pass words in Richmond. Besides, you have a Southern accent. Your +chances of success are great. I want you to leave here in an hour. Go +straight through as a scout and spy in Confederate uniform. If Jaquess +and Gilmore are allowed to return and tell their story—all right, your +work with them is done. If they are imprisoned, get through the lines to +Grant's headquarters, report this fact and Mr. Davis' answer, and it +will be doubly effective—you understand?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, sir."</p> + +<p>"That's your first job. But I want you to go to Richmond for a double +purpose—to take the train for Atlanta, get through the lines and give a +message to a man down South I've been thinking about for the past month. +The world has forgotten Sherman in the roar of the great battles Grant +has fought. I haven't. Slowly but surely his grim figure has been +growing taller on the horizon as the smoke lifts from each of his +fights. Grant says he is our biggest general. Only a great man could say +that about a subordinate commander. That's another reason I won't listen +to people who demand Grant's removal.</p> + +<p>"Sherman is now a hundred and fifty miles in Georgia before Atlanta. His +road is being cut behind him every other day. You might be weeks trying +to get to him by Chattanooga. The trains run through from Richmond. I +want you to reach him quick, and give him a message from me. I can't +send a written order. It wouldn't be fair to Grant. I'll give you +credentials that he'll accept that will cost you your life in Richmond +if their meaning is discovered.</p> + +<p>"Tell General Sherman that if he can take Atlanta the blow will thrill +the Nation, carry the election, and save the Union. Grant is deadlocked +at Petersburg and may be there all winter. If he can fight at once and +give us a victory, it's all that's needed. I'll send him an order to +strike. Tell him to destroy it if he wins. If he loses—I'll publish it +and take the blame on myself. Can you do this?"</p> + +<p>"I will or die in the effort," was the quick reply.</p> + +<p>"All right. Take this card at once to Stanton's office. Ask him to send +you by boat to Aquia—by horse from there. Return here for your papers."</p> + +<p>In ten minutes John had dispatched a note to Betty:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dearest:</span> God saved me from an act of madness. He sent His message +through your sweet spirit. I am leaving for the South on a +dangerous mission for the President. If I live to return I am all +yours—if I die, I shall still live through eternity if only to +love you.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"John." +</p> + +<p>Within an hour he had communicated with the commander of the Knights, +his arrangements were complete, and he was steaming down the river on +his perilous journey.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXVII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">MR. DAVIS SPEAKS</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan arrived in Richmond a day before Jaquess and Gilmore. His +genial Southern manner, his perfect accent and his possession of the +signs and pass words of the Knights of the Golden Circle made his +mission a comparatively easy one.</p> + +<p>He had brought a message from the Washington Knights to Judah P. +Benjamin, which won the confidence of Mr. Davis' Secretary of State and +gained his ready consent to his presence on the occasion of the +interview.</p> + +<p>The Commissioners left Butler's headquarters with some misgivings. +Gilmore took the doughty General by the hand and said: "Good-bye, if you +don't see us in ten days you may know we have 'gone up.'"</p> + +<p>"If I don't see you in less time," he replied, "I'll demand you, and if +they don't produce you, I'll take two for one. My hand on that."</p> + +<p>Under a flag of truce they found Judge Ould, the Exchange Commissioner, +who conducted them into Richmond under cover of darkness.</p> + +<p>They stopped at the Spottswood House and the next morning saw Mr. +Benjamin, who agreed to arrange an interview with Jefferson Davis.</p> + +<p>Mr. Benjamin was polite, but inquisitive.</p> + +<p>"Do you bring any overtures from your Government, gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," answered Colonel Jaquess. "We bring no overtures and have no +authority from our Government. As private citizens we simply wish to +know what terms will be acceptable to Mr. Davis."</p> + +<p>"Are you acquainted with Mr. Lincoln's views?"</p> + +<p>"One of us is fully," said Colonel Jaquess.</p> + +<p>"Did Mr. Lincoln in any way authorize you to come here?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," said Gilmore. "We came with his pass, but not by his request. +We came as men and Christians, not as diplomats, hoping, in a frank talk +with Mr. Davis, to discover some way by which this war may be stopped."</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen," said Benjamin, "I will repeat what you say to the +President, and if he follows my advice, he will meet you."</p> + +<p>At nine o'clock the two men had entered the State Department and found +Jefferson Davis seated at the long table on the right of his Secretary +of State.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan was given a seat at the other end of the table to report +the interview for Mr. Benjamin.</p> + +<p>He studied the distinguished President of the Confederate States with +interest. He had never seen him before. His figure was extremely thin, +his features typically Southern in their angular cheeks and high cheek +bones. His iron-grey hair was long and thick and inclined to curl at the +ends. His whiskers were small and trimmed farmer fashion—on the lower +end of his strong chin. The clear grey eyes were full of vitality. His +broad forehead, strong mouth and chin denoted an iron will. He wore a +suit of greyish brown, of foreign manufacture, and as he rose, seemed +about five feet ten inches. His shoulders slightly stooped.</p> + +<p>His manner was easy and graceful, his voice cultured and charming.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to see you, gentlemen," he said. "You are very welcome to +Richmond."</p> + +<p>"We thank you, Mr. Davis," Gilmore replied.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Benjamin tells me that you have asked to see me to——"</p> + +<p>He paused that the visitors might finish the sentence.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," Jaquess answered. "Our people want peace, your people do. We +have come to ask how it may be brought about?"</p> + +<p>"Withdraw your armies, let us alone and peace will come at once."</p> + +<p>"But we cannot let you alone so long as you repudiate the Union——"</p> + +<p>"I know. You would deny us what you exact for yourselves—the right of +self-government."</p> + +<p>"Even so," said Colonel Jaquess, "we can not fight forever. The war must +end sometime. We must finally agree on something. Can we not agree now +and stop this frightful carnage?"</p> + +<p>"I wish peace as much as you do," replied Mr. Davis. "I deplore +bloodshed. But I feel that not one drop of this blood is on my hands. I +can look up to God and say this. I tried all in my power to avert this +war. I saw it coming and for twelve years I worked day and night to +prevent it. The North was mad and blind, and would not let us govern +ourselves and now it must go on until the last man of this generation +falls in his tracks and his children seize his musket and fight our +battle, <i>unless you acknowledge our right to self-government</i>. We are +not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for independence, and that or +extermination we <i>will</i> have."</p> + +<p>"We have no wish to exterminate you," protested the Colonel. "But we +must crush your armies. Is it not already nearly done? Grant has shut +you up in Richmond. Sherman is before Atlanta."</p> + +<p>"You don't seem to understand the situation," Mr. Davis laughed. "We're +not exactly shut up in Richmond yet. If your papers tell the truth it is +your Capital that is in danger, not ours. Lee, whose front has never +been broken, holds Grant in check and has men enough to spare to invade +Maryland and Pennsylvania and threaten Washington. Sherman, to be sure, +is before Atlanta. But suppose he is, the further he goes from his base +of supplies, the more disastrous defeat must be. And defeat may come."</p> + +<p>"But you cannot expect," Gilmore said, "with only four and one half +millions to hold out forever against twenty?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Davis smiled:</p> + +<p>"Do you think there are twenty millions at the North determined to crush +us? I do not so read the returns of your elections or the temper of your +people."</p> + +<p>"If I understand you, then," Jaquess continued, "the dispute with your +government is narrowed to this, union or disunion?"</p> + +<p>"Or, in other words, independence or subjugation. We will be free. We +will govern ourselves. We will do it if we have to see every Southern +plantation sacked and every Southern city in flames."</p> + +<p>The visitors rose, and after a few pleasant remarks, took their leave. +Mr. Davis was particularly cordial to Colonel Jaquess, whom he knew to +have been a clergyman.</p> + +<p>John was surprised to see him repeat the habit of Abraham Lincoln, of +taking the hand of his visitor in both his in exactly the same cordial +way.</p> + +<p>He had forgotten for the moment that both Lincoln and Davis were +Southerners, born in the same State and reared in precisely the same +school of thought and social usage.</p> + +<p>"Colonel," the thin Southerner said in his musical voice, "I respect +your character and your motives and I wish you well—every good wish +possible consistent with the interests of the Confederacy."</p> + +<p>As they were passing through the door, he added:</p> + +<p>"Say to Mr. Lincoln that I shall at any time be pleased to receive +proposals for peace on the basis of our independence. It will be useless +to approach me with any other."</p> + +<p>Next morning the visitors waited in vain for the appearance of Judge +Ould to convey them once more into the Union lines. Visions of a long +term in prison, to say nothing of a possible hang-man's noose, began to +float before their excited fancy. They had expected the Judge at eight +o'clock. It was three in the afternoon when he entered with the laconic +remark:</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen, if you are ready, we'll walk around to Libby Prison."</p> + +<p>Certain of their doom, the two men rose and spoke in concert:</p> + +<p>"We are ready."</p> + +<p>They followed the Judge downstairs and found the same coal black driver +with the rickety team that had brought them into Richmond.</p> + +<p>Gilmore smiled into the Judge's face:</p> + +<p>"Why were you so long coming?"</p> + +<p>Ould hesitated and laughed:</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you when the war's over. Now I'll take you through the Libby +and the hospitals, if you'd like to go."</p> + +<p>When they had visited the prison and hospitals, Gilmore again turned to +the Judge:</p> + +<p>"Now, explain to us, please, your delay this morning—we're curious."</p> + +<p>Ould smiled:</p> + +<p>"I suppose I'd as well tell you. When I called on Mr. Davis for your +permit, Mr. Benjamin was there impressing on the President of the +Confederate States the absolute necessity of placing you two gentlemen +in Castle Thunder until the Northern elections are over. Mr. Benjamin is +a very eloquent advocate, and Mr. Davis hesitated. I took issue with the +Secretary of State and we had a very exciting argument. The President +finally reserved decision until two o'clock and asked me to call and get +it. He handed me your pass with this remark:</p> + +<p>"It's probably a bad business for us, but it would alienate many of our +Northern friends if we should hold on to these gentlemen."</p> + +<p>In two hours the visitors had reached the Union lines, John Vaughan had +obtained his passes and was on his way to Atlanta.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVIII"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXVIII</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">THE STOLEN MARCH</a></h3> + + +<p>John Vaughan's entrance into Atlanta was simple. His credentials from +Richmond were perfect. His exit proved to be a supreme test of his +nerve.</p> + +<p>The two lines of siege and battle stretched in wide semicircle for miles +over the ragged wood tangled hills about the little Gate City of the +South.</p> + +<p>Sherman had fought his way from Chattanooga one hundred and fifty miles +since May with consummate skill. His march had been practically a +continuous series of battles, and yet his losses had been small compared +to General Grant's. In killed, wounded and prisoners he had only lost +thirty-two thousand men in four months. The Confederate losses had been +greater—at least thirty-five thousand.</p> + +<p>Hood, the new Southern Commander, had given him battle a month before +and suffered an overwhelming defeat, losing eight thousand men, Sherman +but thirty-seven hundred. The Confederate forces had retired behind the +impregnable fortifications of Atlanta and Sherman lay behind his +trenches watching in grim silence.</p> + +<p>The pickets at many places were so close together they could talk. John +Vaughan attempted to slip through at night while they were chaffing one +another.</p> + +<p>He lay for an hour in the woods near the Southern picket line watching +his chance. The men were talking continuously.</p> + +<p>"Why the devil don't you all fight?" a grey man called.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Billy says it's cheaper to flank you and make you Johnnies run to +catch up with us."</p> + +<p>"Yes—damn you, and we've got ye now where ye can't do no more flankin'. +Ye got ter fight!"</p> + +<p>"Trust Uncle Billy for that when the time comes——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we've got Billy Sherman whar we want him now. We're goin' to +blow up every bridge behind ye and ye'll never see home no more——"</p> + +<p>"Uncle Billy's got duplicates of all your bridges fast as ye blow 'em +up."</p> + +<p>"All right, we're goin' ter blow up the tunnels through the +mountains——"</p> + +<p>"That's nothin'—we got duplicates to all the tunnels, too!"</p> + +<p>John Vaughan began to creep toward the Federal lines and muskets blazed +from both sides. He dropped flat on the ground and it took two hours to +crawl to a place of safety.</p> + +<p>He felt these lines next morning where they were wider apart and found +them too dangerous to attempt. The pickets, at the point he approached, +were in an ugly mood and a desultory fire was kept up all day. The men +had bunched up two together and entrenched themselves, keeping a deadly +watch for the men in blue. He stood for half an hour close enough to see +every movement of two young pickets who evidently had some score to pay +and were hunting for their foe with quiet, deadly purpose.</p> + +<p>"There's a Yank behind that clump," said one.</p> + +<p>"Na—nothin' but a huckleberry bush," the other replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes there is, too. We'll decoy and pot him. I'll get ready now and you +raise your cap on a ramrod above the hole. He'll lift his head to fire +and I'll get him."</p> + +<p>The speaker cautiously slipped his musket in place and drew a bead on +the spot. His partner placed his hat on his ramrod and slowly lifted it +a foot above their hiding place.</p> + +<p>The hat had scarcely cleared the pile of dirt before the musket flashed.</p> + +<p>"I got him! I told you he was there!"</p> + +<p>John turned from the scene with a sense of sickening horror. He would +die for his country, but he hoped he would not be called on to kill +again.</p> + +<p>He made a wide detour and attempted to cross the lines five miles +further from the city and walked suddenly into a squad of grey soldiers +in command of a lieutenant.</p> + +<p>The officer eyed him with suspicion.</p> + +<p>"What's your business here, sir?" he asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"Looking over the lines," John replied casually.</p> + +<p>"So I see. That's why I asked you. Show your pass."</p> + +<p>"Why, I haven't one."</p> + +<p>"I thought not. You're a damned spy and you'd just as well say your +prayers. I'm going to hang you."</p> + +<p>The men pressed near. Among them was a second lieutenant, a big, +strapping, quiet-looking fellow.</p> + +<p>"You've made a mistake, gentlemen," John protested.</p> + +<p>"I'm a newspaper man from Atlanta. The chief sent me out to look over +the lines and report."</p> + +<p>"It's a lie. We've forbidden every paper in town to dare such a +thing——"</p> + +<p>John smiled:</p> + +<p>"That's just why my office sent me, I reckon."</p> + +<p>"Well, he sent you once too often——"</p> + +<p>He turned to his orderly:</p> + +<p>"Get me a bridle rein off my horse."</p> + +<p>In vain John protested. The Commander shook his head:</p> + +<p>"It's no use talking. You've passed the deadline here to-day. This is a +favorite spot for scouts to cross. I'm not going to take any chances; +I'm going to hang you."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you search me first?"</p> + +<p>He was sure that his dangerous message was so skillfully sewed in the +soles of his shoes they would not be discovered.</p> + +<p>"I can search you afterwards," was the laconic reply.</p> + +<p>He quickly tied the leather strap around his neck and threw the end of +it over a limb. The touch of his hand and the rough way in which he had +tied the leather stirred John Vaughan's rage to boiling point. All sense +of danger was lost for the moment in blind anger. He turned suddenly and +faced his executioner:</p> + +<p>"This is a damned outrage, sir! Even a spy is entitled to a trial by +drumhead court-martial!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's what I say," the big, quiet fellow broke in.</p> + +<p>"I'm in command of this squad!" thundered the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"I know you are," was the cool answer, "that's why this outrage is going +to be committed."</p> + +<p>The executioner dropped the rein and faced his subordinate:</p> + +<p>"You're going to question my authority?"</p> + +<p>"I've already done it, haven't I?"</p> + +<p>A quick blow followed. The quiet man, in response, knocked his commander +down and the men sprang on them as they drew their revolvers.</p> + +<p>John Vaughan, with a sudden leap, reached the dense woods and in five +minutes was inside Sherman's lines.</p> + +<p>The bridle rein was still around his neck and the blue picket helped him +untie the ugly knot.</p> + +<p>"I've had a close call," he panted, with a glance toward the woods.</p> + +<p>"You look it, partner. You'll be wantin' to see General Sherman, I +guess?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—to headquarters quick—you can't get there too quick to suit me."</p> + +<p>He had recovered his composure before reaching the farm house where +General Sherman and his staff were quartered.</p> + +<p>The day was one of terrific heat—the first of September. The +President's description of the famous fighter and the tremendous +responsibility which was now being placed on his shoulders had roused +John's curiosity to the highest pitch.</p> + +<p>The General was seated in an arm chair in the yard under a great oak. +His coat was unbuttoned and he had tilted back against the tree in a +comfortable position reading a newspaper. His black slouch hat was +pulled far down over his face.</p> + +<p>John saluted:</p> + +<p>"This is General Sherman?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the quick, pleasant answer as the tall, gaunt form slowly +rose.</p> + +<p>John noted his striking and powerful personality—the large frame, +restless hazel eyes, fine aquiline nose, bronzed features and cropped +beard. His every movement was instinct with the power of perfect +physical manhood, forty-four years old, the incarnation of health and +wiry strength.</p> + +<p>"I come from Washington, General," John continued, "and bear a special +message from the President."</p> + +<p>"From the President! Oh, come inside then."</p> + +<p>The tall figure moved with quick, nervous energy. In ten minutes +couriers were dashing from his headquarters in every direction.</p> + +<p>At one o'clock that night the big movement of his withdrawal from the +siege lines began. He had no intention of hurling his men against those +deadly trenches. He believed that with a sure, swift start undiscovered +by the Confederates he could by a single battle turn their lines at +Jonesboro, destroy the railroad and force General Hood to evacuate +Atlanta.</p> + +<p>His sleeping men were carefully waked. Not a single note from bugle or +drum sounded. The wheels of the artillery and wagons were wrapped with +cloth and every sound muffled.</p> + +<p>Through pitch darkness in dead silence the men were swung into marching +lines. The moving columns could be felt but not seen. Each soldier +followed blindly the man before. Somewhere in the black night there must +be a leader—God knew—they didn't. They walked by faith. The wet +grounds, soaked by recent rains, made their exit easier. The sound of +horses' hoofs and tramping thousands could scarcely be heard.</p> + +<p>The ranks were strung out in long, ragged lines, each man going as he +pleased. Something blocked the way ahead and the columns butted into one +another and pinched the heels of the men in front.</p> + +<p>In their anger the fellows smarting with pain forgot the orders for +silence. A storm of low muttering and growling rumbled through the +darkness.</p> + +<p>"What 'ell here!"</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you——"</p> + +<p>"Keep off my heels!"</p> + +<p>"What 'ell are ye runnin' over me for?"</p> + +<p>"Hold up your damned gun——"</p> + +<p>"Keep it out of my eye, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"Damn your eye!"</p> + +<p>They start again and run into a bog of mud knee deep cut into mush by +the artillery and wagons which have passed on.</p> + +<p>The first men in line were in to their knees and stuck fast before they +could stop the lines surging on in the dark. They collide with the +bogged ones and fall over them. The ranks behind stumble in on top of +the fallen before word can be passed to halt.</p> + +<p>The night reeks with oaths. The patient heavens reverberate with them. +The mud-soaked soldiers damned with equal unction all things visible and +invisible on the earth, under it and above it. They cursed the United +States of America and they damned the Confederate States with equal +emphasis and wished them both at the bottom of the lowest depths of the +deepest pit of perdition.</p> + +<p>As one fellow blew the mud from his mouth and nose he bawled:</p> + +<p>"I wish Sherman and Hood were both in hell this minute!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and fightin' it out to suit themselves!" his comrade answered.</p> + +<p>On through the black night the long blue lines crept under lowering +skies toward their foe, the stern face of William Tecumseh Sherman +grimly set on his desperate purpose.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXXIX"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XXXIX</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">VICTORY</a></h3> + + +<p>Betty had found the President at the War Telegraph office in the old +Army and Navy building. He was seated at the desk by the window where in +1862 he had written his first draft of his Emancipation Proclamation on +pieces of pasteboard.</p> + +<p>"You have heard nothing yet from General Sherman?" she asked +pathetically.</p> + +<p>"Nothing, child."</p> + +<p>"And no message of any kind from John Vaughan since he left!" she +exclaimed hopelessly.</p> + +<p>"But I'm sure, remember, sure to a moral certainty—that he reached +Richmond safely and left there safely."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?"</p> + +<p>"Gilmore has just arrived with his reply from Jefferson Davis. It will +be worth a half million votes for us. From his description of the +'reporter' with Benjamin I am sure it was our messenger."</p> + +<p>"But you don't know—you don't know!" Betty sighed.</p> + +<p>The President bent and touched her shoulder gently:</p> + +<p>"Come, dear, it's not like you to despair——"</p> + +<p>The girl smiled wanly.</p> + +<p>"How long since any message arrived from General Sherman?"</p> + +<p>"Three days, my child. I know the hole he went in at, but I can't tell +where he's going to come out——"</p> + +<p>"If he ever comes out," Betty broke in bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll come out somewhere!" the President laughed. "It's a habit of +his. I've watched him for months—sometimes I can't hear from him for a +week—but he always bobs up again and comes out with a whoop, too——"</p> + +<p>"But we've no news!" she interrupted.</p> + +<p>"No news has always been good news from Sherman——"</p> + +<p>He paused and looked at his watch:</p> + +<p>"Wait here. I'll be back in a few moments. We're bound to hear something +to-day. I've an engagement with my Committee of Undertakers. They are +waiting for me to deliver my corpse to them—and they are very restless +about it because I haven't given up sooner, I'm full of foolish hopes. +I'm going to adjourn them until we can get a message of some kind——"</p> + +<p>He returned in half an hour and sat in silence for a long time listening +to the steady, sharp click of the telegraph keys.</p> + +<p>Betty was too blue to talk—too heartsick to move.</p> + +<p>At last the tall figure rose and walked back among the operators. They +knew that he was waiting for the magic call, "Atlanta, Georgia." It had +been three years and more since that heading for a message had flashed +over their wires. Every ear was keen to catch it.</p> + +<p>The President bent over the table of Southern wires and silently +watched:</p> + +<p>"You can't strain a little message through for me, can you, my boy?"</p> + +<p>The operator smiled:</p> + +<p>"I wish I could, sir."</p> + +<p>The President returned to the front room and shook his head to Betty:</p> + +<p>"Nothing."</p> + +<p>"He entered Atlanta a spy, didn't he?" she said despairingly.</p> + +<p>"Yes—of course."</p> + +<p>"They couldn't execute him without our knowing it, could they?"</p> + +<p>"If they trap him—yes—but he's a very intelligent young man. He'll be +too smart for them. I feel it. I know it——"</p> + +<p>He stopped and looked at her quizzically:</p> + +<p>"I've a sort of second sight that tells me such things. I saw General +Sickles in the hospital after Gettysburg. They said he couldn't live. I +told him he would get well and he did."</p> + +<p>Again the President returned restlessly to the operator's room and Betty +followed him to the door. He waited a long time in silence, shook his +head and turned away. He had almost reached the door when suddenly the +operator sprang to his feet livid with excitement:</p> + +<p>"Wait—Mr. President!—It's come—my God, it's here!"</p> + +<p>Every operator was on his feet listening in breathless excitement to the +click of that Southern wire.</p> + +<p>The President had rushed back to the table.</p> + +<p>"It's for you, sir!"</p> + +<p>"Read it then—out with it as you take it!" he cried.</p> + +<p>"Atlanta, Georgia, September 3rd, 1864."</p> + +<p>"Glory to God!" the President shouted.</p> + +<p>"Atlanta is ours and fairly won. W. T. Sherman."</p> + +<p>"O my soul, lift up thy head!" the sorrowful lips shouted. "Unto thee, O +God, we give all the praise now and forever more!"</p> + +<p>He seated himself and quickly wrote his thanks and congratulations:</p> + +<p class="smcap center"> +Executive Mansion,<br /> +</p><p class="smcap r"> +Washington, D. C.<br /> +"September 3, 1864. +</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The National thanks are rendered by the President to Major General +W. T. Sherman and the gallant officers and soldiers of his command +before Atlanta, for the distinguished ability and perseverance +displayed in the campaign in Georgia, which under Divine favor has +resulted in the capture of Atlanta. The marches, battles and sieges +that have signalized this campaign must render it famous in the +annals of war, and have entitled you to the applause and thanks of +the Nation.</p></div> + +<p class="smcap r">"Abraham Lincoln,</p> +<p class="t">"<i>President of the United States</i>." +</p> + +<p>His sombre eyes flamed with a new light. He took the copy of his message +from Sherman and started to the White House with long, swift strides.</p> + +<p>Betty greeted him outside with tearful joy still mixed with deep +anxiety.</p> + +<p>"You have no word from him, of course?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet, child, but it will come—cheer up—it's sure to come. You see +that he reached Atlanta and delivered my message!"</p> + +<p>"We are not sure. The city may have fallen, anyhow——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, but it didn't just fall, anyhow. Sherman took it. He got my +message. I know it. I felt it flash through the air from his soul to +mine!"</p> + +<p>His faith and enthusiasm were contagious and Betty returned home with +new hope.</p> + +<p>In half an hour the Committee who were waiting for his resignation from +the National Republican ticket filed into his office to receive as they +supposed his final surrender.</p> + +<p>The Chairman rose with doleful countenance:</p> + +<p>"Since leaving you, Mr. President, we have just heard a most painful and +startling announcement from the War Department. We begged you to +withhold the new draft for five hundred thousand men until after the +election. Halleck informs us of the discovery of a great combination to +resist it by armed force and General Grant must detach a part of his +army from Lee's front in order to put down this counter revolution. This +is the blackest news yet. We trust that you realize the impossibility of +your administration asking for indorsement at the polls——"</p> + +<p>With a sign of final resignation he sat down and the tall, dark figure +rose with quick, nervous energy.</p> + +<p>"I, too, have received important news since I saw you an hour ago."</p> + +<p>He held the telegram above his head:</p> + +<p>"I'll read it to you without my glasses. I know it by heart. I have just +learned that my administration will be indorsed by an overwhelming +majority, that the defeat of George B. McClellan and his platform of +failure is a certainty. The war to preserve the Union is a success. The +sword has been driven into the heart of the Confederacy. Sherman has +captured Atlanta—the Union is saved!"</p> + +<p>The Committee leaped to their feet with a shout of applause and crowded +around him to congratulate and praise the man they came to bury. There +was no longer a question of his resignation. The fall of Atlanta would +thrill the North. A wave of wild enthusiasm would sweep into the sea the +last trace of gloom and despair. They were practical men—else, as rats, +they would never have tried to desert their own ship. They knew that the +tide was going to turn, but it was a swift tide that could turn before +they could!</p> + +<p>They wrung the President's hands, they shouted his praise, they had +always gloried in his administration, but foolish grumblers hadn't been +able to see things as they saw them—hence this hue and cry! They +congratulated him on his certain triumph and the President watched them +go with a quiet smile. He was too big to cherish resentments. He only +pitied small men, he never hated them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XL" id="CHAPTER_XL"></a><a href="#contents">CHAPTER XL</a></h2> + +<h3><a href="#contents">WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE</a></h3> + + +<p>General Grant fired a salute in honor of the Atlanta victory with +shotted guns from every battery on his siege lines of thirty-seven miles +before Richmond and Petersburg. To Sherman he sent a remarkable +message—the kind which great men know how to pen:</p> + +<p>"You have accomplished the most gigantic undertaking given to any +General in this war, with a skill and ability which will be acknowledged +in history as unsurpassed if not unequaled."</p> + +<p>From the depths of despair the North swung to the wildest enthusiasm and +in the election which followed Abraham Lincoln was swept into power +again on a tidal wave. He received in round numbers two million five +hundred thousand votes, McClellan two millions. His majority by States +in the electoral college was overwhelming—two hundred and twelve to his +opponent's twenty-one.</p> + +<p>The closing words of his second Inaugural rang clear and quivering with +emotion over the vast crowd:</p> + +<p>"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the +right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the +work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who +shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan—to do all +which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves +and with all nations."</p> + +<p>As the last echo died away among the marble pillars above, the sun burst +through the clouds and flooded the scene. A mighty cheer swept the +throng and the guns boomed their second salute. The war was closing in +lasting peace and the sun shining on the finished dome of the Capitol of +a new nation.</p> + +<p>Betty Winter, leaning on John Vaughan's arm, was among the first to +grasp his big, outstretched hand:</p> + +<p>"A glorious day for us, sir," she cried, "a proud one for you!"</p> + +<p>With a far-away look the President slowly answered:</p> + +<p>"And all that I am in this world, Miss Betty, I owe to a woman—my angel +mother—blessings on her memory!"</p> + +<p>"I trust her spirit heard that beautiful speech," the girl responded +tenderly.</p> + +<p>She paused, looked up at John, blushed and added:</p> + +<p>"We are to be married next week, Mr. President——"</p> + +<p>"Is it so?" he said joyfully. "I wish I could be there, my children—but +I'm afraid 'Old Grizzly' might bite me. So I'll say it now—God bless +you!"</p> + +<p>He took their hands in his and pressed them heartily. His eyes suddenly +rested on a shining black face grinning behind John Vaughan.</p> + +<p>"My, my, can this be Julius Cæsar Thornton?" he laughed.</p> + +<p>"Yassah," the black man grinned. "Hit's me—ole reliable, sah, right +here—I'se gwine ter cook fur 'em!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>From the moment of Abraham Lincoln's election the end of the war with a +restored Union was a foregone conclusion.</p> + +<p>In the fall of Atlanta the heart of the Confederacy was pierced, and it +ceased to beat. Lee's army, cut off from their supplies, slowly but +surely began to starve behind their impregnable breastworks. Sherman's +march to the sea and through the Carolinas was merely a torchlight +parade. The fighting was done.</p> + +<p>When Lee's emaciated men, living on a handful of parched corn a day, +staggered out of their trenches in the spring and tried to join +Johnston's army they marched a few miles to Appomattox, dropping from +exhaustion, and surrendered.</p> + +<p>When the news of this tremendous event reached Washington, the Cabinet +was in session. Led by the President, in silence and tears, they fell on +their knees in a prayer of solemn thanks to Almighty God.</p> + +<p>General Grant won the gratitude of the South by his generous treatment +of Lee and his ragged men. He had received instructions from the loving +heart in the White House.</p> + +<p>Long before the surrender in April, 1865, the end was sure. The +President knowing this, proposed to his Cabinet to give the South four +hundred millions of dollars, the cost of the war for a hundred days, in +payment for their slaves, if they would lay down their arms at once. His +ministers unanimously voted against his offer and he sadly withdrew it. +Among all his councillors there was not one whose soul was big enough to +understand the far-seeing wisdom of his generous plan. He would heal at +once one of the Nation's ugliest wounds by soothing the bitterness of +defeat. He knew that despair would send the older men of the South to +their graves.</p> + +<p>Edmund Ruffin, who had fired the first shot against Sumter and returned +to his Virginia farm when his State seceded, was a type of these ruined, +desperate men. On the day that Lee surrendered he placed the muzzle of +his gun in his mouth, pulled the trigger with his foot, and blew his own +head into fragments.</p> + +<p>When Senator Winter demanded proscription and vengeance against the +leaders of the Confederacy, the President shook his head:</p> + +<p>"No—let down the bars—let them all go—scare them off!"</p> + +<p>He threw up his big hands in a vivid gesture as if he were shooing a +flock of troublesome sheep out of his garden.</p> + +<p>"Triumphant now, you will receive our enemies with open arms?" the +Senator sneered.</p> + +<p>"Enemies? There are no such things. The Southern States have never +really been out of the Union. Their Acts of Secession were null and +void. They know now that the issue is forever settled. The restored +Union will be a real one. The Southern people at heart are law-abiding. +It was their reverence for the letter of the old law which led them to +ignore progress and claim the right to secede under the Constitution. +They will be true to Lee's pledge of surrender. I'm going to trust them +as my brethren. Let us fold up our banners now and smelt the guns—Love +rules—let her mightier purpose run!"</p> + +<p>So big and generous, so broad and statesmanlike was his spirit that in +this hour of victory his personality became in a day the soul of the New +Republic. The South had already unconsciously grown to respect the man +who had loved yet fought her for what he believed to be her highest +good.</p> + +<p>He was entering now a new phase of power. His influence over the people +was supreme. No man or set of men in Congress, or outside of it, could +defeat his policies. Even through the years of stunning defeats and +measureless despair his enemies had never successfully opposed a measure +on which he had set his heart.</p> + +<p>His first great work accomplished in destroying slavery and restoring +the Union, there remained but two tasks on which his soul was set—to +heal the bitterness of the war and remove the negro race from physical +contact with the white.</p> + +<p>He at once addressed himself to this work with enthusiasm. That he could +do it he never doubted for a moment.</p> + +<p>His first care was to remove the negro soldiers from the country as +quickly as possible. He summoned General Butler and set him to work on +his scheme to use these one hundred and eighty thousand black troops to +dig the Panama Canal. He summoned Bradley, the Vermont contractor, and +put him to work on estimates for moving the negroes by ship to Africa or +by train to an undeveloped Western Territory.</p> + +<p>His prophetic soul had pierced the future and seen with remorseless +logic that two such races as the Negro and Caucasian could not live side +by side in a free democracy. The Radical theorists of Congress were +demanding that these black men, emerging from four thousand years of +slavery and savagery should receive the ballot and the right to claim +the white man's daughter in marriage. They could only pass these +measures over the dead body of Abraham Lincoln.</p> + +<p>The assassin came at last—a vain, foolish dreamer who had long breathed +the poisoned air of hatred. It needed but the flash of this madman's +pistol on the night of the 14th of April to reveal the grandeur of +Lincoln's character, the marvel of his patience and his wisdom.</p> + +<p>The curtains of the box in Ford's theatre were softly drawn apart by an +unseen hand. The Angel of Death entered, paused at the sight of the +smile on his rugged, kindly face, touched the drooping shoulders, called +him to take the place he had won among earth's immortals and left to us +"the gentlest memory of our world."</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Southerner, by Thomas Dixon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + +***** This file should be named 19135-h.htm or 19135-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/1/3/19135/ + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Southerner + A Romance of the Real Lincoln + +Author: Thomas Dixon + +Illustrator: J. N. Marchand + +Release Date: August 28, 2006 [EBook #19135] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + + + + +THE SOUTHERNER + +_A ROMANCE OF THE REAL LINCOLN_ + +BY + +THOMAS DIXON + +_"Have you never realized it, my friends, that Lincoln, though grafted +on the West, is essentially, in personnel and character, a Southern +contribution?"_--WALT WHITMAN. + +ILLUSTRATED BY J. N. MARCHAND + +NEW YORK AND LONDON +D. APPLETON AND COMPANY +1913 + +COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY THOMAS DIXON + +_All rights reserved, including that of translation into all +foreign languages, including the Scandinavian_ + +Printed in the United States of America + + * * * * * +DEDICATED TO + +OUR FIRST SOUTHERN-BORN PRESIDENT SINCE LINCOLN, +MY FRIEND AND COLLEGEMATE WOODROW WILSON + + * * * * * +THE SOUTHERNER + +BOOKS BY MR. DIXON + +The Southerner +The Sins of the Father +The Leopard's Spots +The Clansman +The Traitor + +*** + +The One Woman +Comrades +The Root of Evil + +*** + +The Life Worth Living + +[Illustration: "From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee to the +rear!'"] + + + + +TO THE READER + + +_Lest my readers should feel that certain incidents of this story are +startling and improbable, I wish to say that every word in it relating +to the issues of our national life has been drawn from authentic records +in my possession. Nor have I at any point taken a liberty with an +essential detail in historical scenes._ + + THOMAS DIXON. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PROLOGUE + +CHAPTER + + I. THE MAN OF THE HOUR + II. JANGLING VOICES + III. IN BETTY'S GARDEN + IV. A PAIR OF YOUNG EYES + V. THE FIRST SHOT + VI. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS + VII. LOVE AND DUTY + VIII. THE TRIAL BY FIRE + IX. VICTORY IN DEFEAT + X. THE AWAKENING + XI. THE MAN ON HORSEBACK + XII. LOVE AND PRIDE + XIII. THE SPIRES OF RICHMOND + XIV. THE RETREAT + XV. TANGLED THREADS + XVI. THE CHALLENGE + XVII. THE DAY'S WORK + XVIII. DIPLOMACY + XIX. THE REBEL + XX. THE INSULT + XXI. THE BLOODIEST DAY + XXII. BENEATH THE SKIN + XXIII. THE USURPER + XXIV. THE CONSPIRACY + XXV. THE TUG OF WAR + XXVI. THE REST HOUR + XXVII. DEEPENING SHADOWS + XXVIII. THE MOONLIT RIVER + XXIX. THE PANIC + XXX. SUNSHINE AND STORM + XXXI. BETWEEN THE LINES + XXXII. THE WHIRLWIND + XXXIII. THE BROTHERS MEET + XXXIV. LOVE'S PLEDGE + XXXV. THE DARKEST HOUR + XXXVI. THE ASSASSIN + XXXVII. MR. DAVIS SPEAKS +XXXVIII. THE STOLEN MARCH + XXXIX. VICTORY + XL. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"From a thousand throats rose the cry: 'Lee +to the rear!'" _Frontispiece_. + +"'Be a man among men, for your mother's +sake--'" + +"'Good-bye--Ned!' she breathed softly." +"Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm +lips." + +"'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'" + +"Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at +the head of his troops and charged." + + + + +LEADING CHARACTERS OF THE STORY + + +1809-1818 + +_Scene: A Cabin in the Woods_ + +TOM, A Man of the Forest and Stream. +NANCY, The Woman Who Saw a Vision. +THE BOY, Her Son. +DENNIS, His Cousin. +BONEY, A Fighting Coon Dog. + + +1861-1865 + +_Scene: The White House_ + +SENATOR GILBERT WINTER, The Radical Leader. +BETTY, His Daughter. +JOHN VAUGHAN, A Union Soldier. +NED VAUGHAN, His Brother, a Rebel. +ABRAHAM LINCOLN, The President. +MRS. LINCOLN, His Wife. +PHOEBE, Her Maid. +JULIUS CAESAR THORNTON, Who Was Volunteered. +COLONEL NICOLAY, The President's Secretary. +MAJOR JOHN HAY, Assistant Secretary. +WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN, Who Stole a March. +GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, The Man on Horseback. +ROBERT E. LEE, The Southern Commander. + + + + +THE SOUTHERNER + + + +PROLOGUE + +I + + +Tom seated himself at the table and looked into his wife's face with a +smile: + +"Nancy, it's a meal fit for a king!" + +The supper over, he smoked his pipe before the cabin fire of blazing +logs, while she cleared the wooden dishes. He watched her get the paper, +goose-quill pen and ink as a prisoner sees the scaffold building for his +execution. + +"Now we're all ready," she said cheerfully. + +The man laid his pipe down with a helpless look. A brief respite flashed +through his mind. Maybe he could sidestep the lessons before she pinned +him down. + +"Lord, Nancy, I forgot my gun. I must grease her right away," he cried. + +He rose with a quick decisive movement and took his rifle from the rack. +She knew it was useless to protest and let him have his way. + +Over every inch of its heavy barrel and polished walnut stock he rubbed +a piece of greased linen with loving care, drew back the flint-lock and +greased carefully every nook and turn of its mechanism, lifted the gun +finally to his shoulder and drew an imaginary bead on the head of a +turkey gobbler two hundred yards away. A glowing coal of hickory wood in +the fire served for his game. + +He lowered the gun and held it before him with pride: + +"Nancy, she's the dandiest piece o' iron that wuz ever twisted inter the +shape of a weepon. Old 'Speakeasy's her name! She's got the softest +voice that ever whispered death to a varmint or an Injun--hit ain't much +louder'n the crack of a whip, but, man alive, when she talks she says +somethin'. 'Kerpeow!' she whispers soft an' low! She's got a voice like +yourn, Nancy--kinder sighs when she speaks----" + +"Well," the wife broke in with a shake of her dark head, "has mother's +little boy played long enough with his toy?" + +"I reckon so," Tom laughed. + +"Then it's time for school." She gently took the rifle from his hands, +placed it on the buck horns and took her seat at the table. + +The man looked ruefully at the stool, suddenly straightened his massive +frame, lifted his hand above his head and cocked his eye inquiringly: + +"May I git er drink er water fust?" + +The teacher laughed in spite of herself: + +"Yes, you big lubber, and hurry up." + +Tom seized the water bucket and started for the door. + +"Where are you going?" she cried in dismay. + +"I'll jest run down to the spring fer a fresh bucket----" + +"O Tom!" she exclaimed. + +"I'll be right back in a minute, Honey," he protested softly. "Hit's +goin' ter be powerful hot--I'll need a whole bucket time I'm through." + +Before she could answer he was gone. + +He managed to stay nearly a half hour. She put the baby to sleep and sat +waiting with her pensive young eyes gazing at the leaping flames. She +heard him stop and answer the call of an owl from the woods. A +whip-poor-will was softly singing from the bushes nearby. He stopped to +call him also, and then found an excuse to linger ten minutes more +fooling with his dogs. + +The laggard came at last and dropped on his stool by her side. He sat +for five minutes staring helplessly at the copy she had set. Big beads +of perspiration stood on his forehead when he took the pen. He held it +awkwardly and timidly as if it were a live reptile. She took his clumsy +hand in hers and showed him how to hold it. + +"My, but yo' hand's soft an' sweet, Nancy,--jest lemme hold that a +while----" + +She rapped his knuckles. + +"All right, teacher, I'll be good," he protested, and bent his huge +shoulders low over his task. He bore so hard on the frail quill pen the +ink ran in a big blot. + +"Not so hard, Tom!" she cried. + +"But I got so much strenk in my right arm I jist can't hold it back." + +"You must try again." + +He tried again and made a heavy tremulous line. His arm moved at a +snail's gait and wobbled frightfully. + +"Make the line quicker," she urged encouragingly. "Begin at the top and +come down----" + +"Here, you show me how!" + +She took his rough hand quietly in hers, and guided it swiftly from +right to left in straight smooth lines until a dozen were made, when he +suddenly drew her close, kissed her lips, and held the slender fingers +in a grip of iron. She lay still in his embrace for a moment, released +herself and turned from him with a sigh. He drew her quickly to the +light of the fire and saw the unshed tears in her eyes. + +"What's the use ter worry, Nancy gal?" he said. "Give it up ez a bad +job. I wouldn't fool with no sech scholar ef I wuz you. Ye can't teach +an old dog new tricks----" + +"I won't give up!" she cried with sudden energy. "I can teach you and I +will. I won't give up and be nobody. O Tom, you promised me before we +were married to let me teach you--didn't you promise?" + +"Yes, Honey, I did----" he paused and his fine teeth gleamed through the +black beard--"but ye know a feller'll promise any thing ter git his +gal----" + +"Didn't you mean to keep your word?" She broke in sharply. + +"Of course I did, Nancy, I never wuz more earnest in my life--'ceptin +when I got religion. But I had no idee larnin' come so hard. I'd ruther +fight Injuns an' wil' cats or rob a bee tree any day than ter tackle +them pot hooks you're sickin' after me----" + +"Well, I won't give up," she interrupted impatiently, "and you'd just as +well make up your mind to stick to it. You can do what other men have +done. You're good, honest and true, you're kindhearted and popular. +They've already made you the road supervisor of this township. Learn to +read and write and you can make a good speech and go to the +Legislature." + +"Ah, Nancy, what do ye want me ter do that fur, anyhow, gal? I'd be the +happiest man in the world right here in this cabin by the woods ef you'd +jest be happy with me. Can't ye quit hankerin' after them things, +Honey?" + +She shook her dark head firmly. + +"You know, Nancy, we wuz neighbors to Dan'l Boone. We thought he wuz +about the biggest man that ever lived. Somehow the love o' the woods an' +fields is always singin' in my heart. Them still shinin' stars up in the +sky out thar to-night keep a callin' me. I could hear the music o' my +hounds in my soul ez I stood by the spring a while ago. Ye know what +scares me most ter death sometimes, gal?" He paused and looked into her +eyes intently. + +"No, what?" she asked. + +"That you'll make a carpenter outen me yit ef I don't mind." + +Again a smile broke through the cloud in her eyes: "I don't think +there's much danger of _that_, Tom----" + +"Yes ther is, too," he laughed. "Ye see, I love you so and try ter make +ye happy, an' ef there wuz ter come er time that there wuz plenty o' +work an' real money in it, I'd stick to it jist ter please you, an' be a +lost an' ruined soul! Yessir, they'd carve on my headstone jest one +line: + + "BORN A MAN--AND DIED A JACKLEG CARPENTER. + +"Wouldn't that be awful?" + +The momentary smile on the woman's sensitive face faded into a look of +pain. She tried to make a good-natured reply, but her lips refused to +move. + +The man pressed on eagerly: + +"O Nancy, why can't ye be happy here? We've a snug little cabin nest, +we've enough to eat and enough to wear. The baby's laughin' at yer heels +all day and snugglin' in her little bed at night. The birds make music +fur ye in the trees. The creek down thar's laughin' an' singing' winter +an' summer. The world's too purty an' life's too short ter throw hit +away fightin' an' scramblin' fur nothin'." + +"For something--Tom--something big----" + +"Don't keer how big 'tis--what of it? All turns ter ashes in yer hands +bye an' bye an' yer life's gone. We can't live these young days over +again, can we? Ye know the preacher says: 'What shall hit profit a man +ef he gain the whole world an' lose his life?' Let me off'n these +lessons, Honey? I'm too old; ye can't larn me new tricks now. Let me off +fer good an' all, won't ye?" + +"No," was the firm answer. "It means too much. I won't give up and let +the man I love sign his name forever with a cross mark." + +"I ain't goin' ter sign no more papers nohow!" Tom broke in. + +"I signed our marriage bond with a mark, Tom," she went on evenly, "just +because you couldn't write your name. You've got to learn, I won't give +up!" + +"Well, it's too late to-night fur any more lessons, now _ain't_ it?" + +"Yes, we'll make up for it next time." + +The tired hunter was soon sound asleep dreaming of the life that was the +breath of his nostrils. + +Through the still winter's night the young wife lay with wide staring +eyes. Over and over again she weighed her chances in the grim struggle +begun for the mastery of his mind. The longer she asked herself the +question of success or failure the more doubtful seemed the outcome. How +still the world! + +The new life within her strong young body suddenly stirred, and a +feeling of awe thrilled her heart. God had suddenly signalled from the +shores of Eternity. + +When her husband waked at dawn he stared at her smiling face in +surprise. + +"What ye laughin' about, Nancy?" he cried. + +She turned toward him with a startled look: + +"I had a vision, Tom!" + +"A dream, I reckon." + +"God had answered the prayer of my heart," she went on breathlessly, +"and sent me a son. I saw him a strong, brave, patient, wise, gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and great men came to do him homage. +With bowed head he led me into a beautiful home that had shining white +pillars. He bowed low and whispered in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel +mother. I bought it for you with my life. All that I am I owe to you.'" + +She paused a moment and whispered: + +"O Tom, man, a new song is singing in my soul!" + + +II + +The woman rose quietly and went the rounds of her daily work. She made +her bed to-day in trance-like silence. It was no gilded couch, but it +had been built by the hand of her lover and was sacred. It filled the +space in one corner of the cabin farthest from the fire. A single post +of straight cedar securely fixed in the ground held the poles in place +which formed the side and foot rail. The walls of the cabin formed the +other side and head. Across from the pole were fixed the slender hickory +sticks that formed the springy hammock on which the first mattress of +moss and grass rested. On this was placed a feather bed made from the +wild fowl Tom had killed during the past two years. The pillows were of +the finest feathers from the breasts of ducks. A single quilt of ample +size covered all, and over this was thrown a huge counterpane of bear +skins. Two enormous bear rugs almost completely covered the dirt floor, +and a carpet of oak leaves filled out the spaces. + +The feather bed beaten smooth, the fur covering drawn in place and the +pillows set upright against the cabin wall, she turned to the two bunks +in the opposite corner and carefully re-arranged them. They might be +used soon. This was the corner of her home set aside for guests. Tom had +skillfully built two berths boat fashion, one above the other, in this +corner, and a curtain drawn over a smooth wooden rod cut this space off +from the rest of the room when occupied at night by visitors. + +The master of this cabin never allowed a stranger to pass without urging +him to stop and in a way that took no denial. + +A savory dish of stewed squirrel and corn dumplings served for lunch. +The baby's face was one glorious smear of joy and grease at its finish. + +The mother took the bucket from its shelf and walked leisurely to the +spring, whose limpid waters gushed from a rock at the foot of the hill. +The child toddled after her, the little moccasined feet stepping +gingerly over the sharp gravel of the rough places. + +Before filling the bucket she listened again for the crack of Tom's +rifle, and could hear nothing. A death-like stillness brooded over the +woods and fields. He was probably watching for muskrat under the bluff +of the creek. He had promised to stay within call to-day. + +The afternoon dragged wearily. She tried to read the one book she +possessed, the Bible. The pages seemed to fade and the eyes refused to +see. + +"O Man, Man, why don't you come home!" she cried at last. + +She rose, walked to the door, looked and listened--only the distant +rattle of a woodpecker's beak on a dead tree in the woods. The snow +began to fall in little fitful dabs. It was two miles to the nearest +cabin, and her soul rose in fierce rebellion at her loneliness. It was +easy for a man who loved the woods, the fields and running waters, this +life, but for the woman who must wait and long and eat her heart out +alone--she vowed anew that she would not endure it. By the sheer pull of +her will she would lift this man from his drifting life and make him +take his place in the real battle of the world. If her new baby were +only a boy, he could help her and she would win. Again she stood +dreaming of the vision she had seen at dawn. + +The dark young face suddenly went white and her hand gripped the facing +of the door. + +She waited half doubting, half amused at her fears. It was only the +twinge of a muscle perhaps. She smiled at her sudden panic. The thought +had scarcely formed before she blanched the second time and the firm +lips came together with sudden energy as she glanced at the child +playing on the rug at her feet. + +She seized the horn that hung beside the door and blew the pioneer's +long call of danger. Its shrill note rang through the woods against the +hills in cadences that seemed half muffled by the falling snow. + +Again her anxious eyes looked from the doorway. Would he never come! The +trembling slender hand once more lifted the horn, a single wild note +rang out and broke suddenly into silence. The horn fell from her limp +grasp and she lifted her eyes to the darkening sky in prayer, as Tom's +voice from the edge of the woods came strong and full: + +"Yes, Honey, I'm comin'!" + +There was no question of doctor or nurse. The young pioneer mother only +asked for her mate. + +For two fearful hours she gripped his rough hands until at last her +nails brought the blood, but the man didn't know or care. Every +smothered cry that came from her lips began to tear the heart out of his +body at last. He could hold the long pent agony no longer without words. + +"My God, Nancy, what can I do for ye, Honey?" + +Her breath came in gasps and her eyes were shining with a strange +intensity. + +"Nothing, Tom, nothing now--I'm looking Death in the face and I'm not +afraid----" + +"Please lemme give ye some whiskey," he pleaded, pressing the glass to +her lips. + +"No--no, take it away--I hate it. My baby shall be clean and strong or I +want to die." + +The decision seemed to brace her spirit for the last test when the +trembling feet entered the shadows of the dim valley that lies between +Life and Death. + +The dark, slender figure lay still and white at last. A sharp cry from +lusty lungs, and the grey eyes slowly opened, with a timid wondering +look. + +"Tom!" she cried with quick eager tones. + +"Yes, Nancy, yes!" + +"A boy?" + +"Of course--and a buster he is, too." + +"Give him to me--quick!" + +The stalwart figure bent over the bed and laid the little red bundle in +her arms. She pressed him tenderly to her heart, felt his breath on her +breast and the joyous tears slowly poured down her cheeks. + + +III + +Before the first year of the boy's life had passed the task of teaching +his good-natured, stubborn father became impossible. The best the wife +could do was to make him trace his name in sprawling letters that +resembled writing and painfully spell his way through the simplest +passages in the Bible. + +The day she gave up was one of dumb despair. She resolved at last to +live in her boy. All she had hoped and dreamed of life should be his and +he would be hers. Her hands could make him good or bad, brave or +cowardly, noble or ignoble. + +He was a remarkable child physically, and grew out of his clothes faster +than she could make them. It was easy to see from his second year that +he would be a man of extraordinary stature. Both mother and father were +above the average height, but he would overtop them both. When he +tumbled over the bear rugs on the cabin floor his father would roar with +laughter: + +"For the Lord's sake, Nancy, look at them legs! They're windin' blades. +Ef he ever gits grown, he won't have ter ax fer a blessin', he kin jest +reach up an' hand it down hisself!" + +He was four years old when he got the first vision of his mother that +time should never blot out. His father was away on a carpenter job of +four days. Sleeping in the lower bunk in the corner, he waked with a +start to hear the chickens cackling loudly. His mother was quietly +dressing. He leaped to his feet shivering in the dark and whispered: + +"What is it, Ma?" + +"Something's after the chickens." + +"Not a hawk?" + +"No, nor an owl, or fox, or weasel--or they'd squall--they're cackling." + +The rooster cackled louder than ever and the Boy recognized the voice of +his speckled hen accompanying him. How weird it sounded in the darkness +of the still spring night! The cold chills ran down his back and he +caught his mother's dress as she reached for the rifle that stood beside +her bed. + +"You're not goin' out there, Ma?" the Boy protested. + +"Yes. It's a dirty thief after our horse." + +Her voice was low and steady and her hand was without tremor as she +grasped his. + +"Get back in bed. I won't be gone a minute." + +She left the cabin and noiselessly walked toward the low shed in which +the horse was stabled. + +The Boy was at her heels. She knew and rejoiced in the love that made +him brave for her sake. + +She paused a moment, listened, and then lifted her tall, slim form and +advanced steadily. Her bare feet made no noise. The waning moon was +shining with soft radiance. The Boy's heart was in his throat as he +watched her slender neck and head outlined against the sky. Never had he +seen anything so calm and utterly brave. + +There was a slight noise at the stable. The chickens cackled with louder +call. Five minutes passed and they were silent. A shadowy figure +appeared at the corner of the stable. She raised the rifle and flashed a +dagger-like flame into the darkness. + +A smothered cry, the shadow leaped the fence and the beat of swift feet +could be heard in the distance. + +The Boy clung close to her side and his voice was husky as he spoke: + +"Ain't you afraid, Ma?" + +The calm answer rang forever through his memory: + +"I don't know what fear means, my Boy. It's not the first time I've +caught these prowling scoundrels." + +Next morning he saw the dark blood marks on the trail over which the +thief had fled, and looked into his mother's wistful grey eyes with a +new reverence and awe. + + +IV + +The Boy was quick to know and love the birds of hedge and field and +woods. The martins that built in his gourds on the tall pole had opened +his eyes. The red and bluebirds, the thrush, the wren, the robin, the +catbird, and song sparrows were his daily companions. + +A mocking-bird came at last to build her nest in a bush beside the +garden, and her mate began to make the sky ring with his song. The +puzzle of the feathered tribe whose habits he couldn't fathom was the +whip-poor-will. His mother seemed to dislike his ominous sound. But the +soft mournful notes appealed to the Boy's fancy. Often at night he sat +in the doorway of the cabin watching the gathering shadows and the +flicker of the fire when supper was cooking, listening to the tireless +song within a few feet of the house. + +"Why don't you like 'em, Ma?" he asked, while one was singing with +unusually deep and haunting voice so near the cabin that its echo seemed +to come from the chimney jamb. + +It was some time before she replied: + +"They say it's a sign of death for them to come so close to the house." + +The Boy laughed: + +"You don't believe it?" + +"I don't know." + +"Well, I like 'em," he stoutly declared. "I like to feel the cold +shivers when they sing right under my feet. You're not afraid of a +little whip-poor-will?" + +He looked up into her sombre face with a smile. + +"No," was the gentle answer, "but I want to live to see my Boy a fine +strong man," she paused, stooped, and drew him into her arms. + +There was something in her tones that brought a lump into his throat. +The moon was shining in the full white glory of the Southern spring. A +night of marvellous beauty enfolded the little cabin. He looked into her +eyes and they were shining with tears. + +"What's the matter?" he asked tenderly. + +"Nothing, Boy, I'm just dreaming of you!" + + * * * * * + +The first day of the fall in his sixth year he asked his mother to let +him go to the next corn-shucking. + +"You're too little a boy." + +"I can shuck corn," he stoutly argued. + +"You'll be good, if I let you go?" she asked. + +"What's to hurt me there?" + +"Nothing, unless you let it. The men drink whiskey, the girls dance. +Sometimes there's a quarrel or fight." + +"It won't hurt me ef I 'tend to my own business, will it?" + +"Nothing will ever hurt you, if you'll just do that, Boy," the father +broke in. + +"May I go?" + +"Yes, we're invited next week to a quilting and corn-shucking. I'll go +with you." + +The Boy shouted for joy and counted the days until the wonderful event. +They left home at two o'clock in the wagon. The quilting began at three, +the corn-shucking at sundown. + +The house was a marvellous structure to the Boy's excited imagination. +It was the first home he had ever seen not built of logs. + +"Why, Ma," he cried in open-eyed wonder, "there ain't no logs in the +house! How did they ever put it together?" + +"With bricks and mortar." + +The Boy couldn't keep his eyes off this building. It was a simple, +one-story square structure of four rooms and an attic, with little +dormer windows peeping from the four sides of the pointed roof. +McDonald, the thrifty Scotch-Irishman, from the old world, had built it +of bricks he had ground and burnt on his own place. + +The dormer windows peeping from the roof caught the Boy's fancy. + +"Do you reckon his boys sleep up there and peep out of them holes?" + +The mother smiled. + +"Maybe so." + +"Why don't we build a house like that?" he asked at last. "Don't you +want it?" + +The mother squeezed his little hand: + +"When you're a man will you build your mother one?" + +He looked into her eyes a moment, caught the pensive longing and +answered: + +"Yes. I will." + +She stooped and kissed the firm mouth and was about to lead him into the +large work-room where the women were gathering around the quilts +stretched on their frames, when a negro slave suddenly appeared to take +her horse to the stable. He was fat, jolly and coal black. His yellow +teeth gleamed in their blue gums with a jovial welcome. + +The Boy stood rooted to the spot and watched until the negro +disappeared. It was the first black man he had ever seen. He had heard +of negroes and that they were slaves. But he had no idea that one human +being could be so different from another. + +In breathless awe he asked: + +"Is he folks?" + +"Of course, Boy," his mother answered, smiling. + +"What made him so black?" + +"The sun in Africa." + +"What made his nose so flat and his lips so thick?" + +"He was born that way." + +"What made him come here?" + +"He didn't. The slave traders put him in chains and brought him across +the sea and sold him into slavery." + +The little body suddenly stiffened: + +"Why didn't he kill 'em?" + +"He didn't know how to defend himself." + +"Why don't he run away?" + +"He hasn't sense enough, I reckon. He's got a home, plenty to eat and +plenty to wear, and he's afraid he'll be caught and whipped." + +The mother had to pull the Boy with her into the quilting room. His eyes +followed the negro to the stable with a strange fascination. The thing +that puzzled him beyond all comprehension was why a big strong man like +that, if he were a man, would submit. Why didn't he fight and die? A +curious feeling of contempt filled his mind. This black thing that +looked like a man, walked like a man and talked like a man couldn't be +one! No real man would grin and laugh and be a slave. The black fool +seemed to be happy. He had not only grinned and laughed, but he went +away whistling and singing. + +In three hours the quilts were finished and the men had gathered for the +corn-shucking. + +Before eight o'clock the last ear was shucked, and a long white pile of +clean husked corn lay glistening in the moonlight where the dark pyramid +had stood at sunset. + +With a shout the men rose, stretched their legs and washed their hands +in the troughs filled with water, provided for the occasion. They sat +down to supper at four long tables placed in the kitchen and work room, +where the quilts had been stretched. + +Never had the Boy seen such a feast--barbecued shoat, turkeys, ducks, +chickens, venison, bear meat, sweet potatoes, wild honey, corn dodgers, +wheat biscuit, stickies and pound cake--pound cake until you couldn't +eat another mouthful and still they brought more! + +After the supper the young folks sang and danced before the big fires +until ten o'clock, and then the crowd began to thin, and by eleven the +last man was gone and the harvest festival was over. + +It was nearly twelve before the Boy knelt at his mother's knee to say +his prayers. + +When the last words were spoken he still knelt, his eyes gazing into the +flickering fire. + +The mother bent low: + +"What are you thinking about, Boy? The house you're going to build for +me?" + +"No." + +"What?" + +"That nigger--wasn't he funny? You don't want me to get you any niggers +with the house do you?" + +"No." + +"I didn't think you would," he went on thoughtfully, "because you said +General Washington set his slaves free and wanted everybody else to do +it too." + +He paused and shook his head thoughtfully. "But he was funny--he was +laughin' and whistlin' and singin'!" + + +V + +The air of the Southern autumn was like wine. The Boy's heart beat with +new life. The scarlet and purple glory of the woods fired his +imagination. He found himself whistling and singing at his tasks. He +proudly showed a bee tree to his mother, the honey was gathered and +safely stored. A barrel of walnuts, a barrel of hickory-nuts and two +bushels of chestnuts were piled near his bed in the loft. + +But the day his martins left, he came near breaking down. He saw them +circle high in graceful sweeping curves over the gourds, chattering and +laughing with a strange new note in their cries. + +He watched them wistfully. His mother found him looking with shining +eyes far up into the still autumn sky. His voice was weak and unsteady +when he spoke: + +"I--can--hardly--hear--'em--now; they're so high!" + +A slender hand touched his tangled hair: + +"Don't worry, Boy, they'll come again." + +"You're sure, Ma?" he asked, pathetically. + +"Sure." + +"Will they know when it's time?" + +"Some one always tells them." + +"Who?" + +"God. That's what the Bible means when it says, 'the stork knoweth her +appointed time.' I read that to you the other night, don't you +remember?" + +"But maybe God'll be so busy he'll forget my birds?" + +"He never forgets, he counts the beat of a sparrow's wing." + +The mother's faith was contagious. The drooping spirit caught the flash +of light from her eyes and smiled. + +"We'll watch for 'em next spring, won't we? And I'll put up new gourds +long before they come!" + +Comforted at last, he went to the woods to gather chinquapins. The +squirrels were scampering in all directions and he asked his father that +night to let him go hunting with him next day. + +"All right, Boy!" was the hearty answer. "We'll have some fun this +winter." + +He paused as he saw the mother's lips suddenly close and a shadow pass +over her dark, sensitive face. + +"Hit's no use ter worry, Nancy," he went on good-naturedly. "I promised +you not ter take him 'less he wanted ter go. But hit's in the blood, and +hit's got ter come out." + +Tom picked the Boy up and placed him on his knee and stroked his dark +head. Sarah crouched at his feet and smiled. He was going to tell about +the Indians again. She could tell by the look in his eye as he watched +the flames leap over the logs. + +"Did ye know, Boy," he began slowly, "that we come out to Kaintuck with +Daniel Boone?" + +"Did we?" + +"Yes sirree, with old Dan'l hisself. It wuz thirty years ago. I wuz a +little shaver no bigger'n you, but I remember jest as well ez ef it wuz +yistiddy. Lordy, Boy, thar wuz er man that wuz er man! Ye couldn't a +made no jackleg carpenter outen him----" He paused and cast a sly wink +at Nancy as she bent over her knitting. + +"Tell me about him?" the Boy cried. + +"Yessir, Dan'l Boone wuz a man an' no mistake. The Indians would ketch +'im an' keep er ketchin' 'im an' he'd slip through their fingers +slicker'n a eel. The very fust trip he tuck out here he wuz captured by +the Redskins. Dan'l wuz with his friend John Stuart. + +"They left their camp one day an' set out on a big hunt, and all of a +sudden they wuz grabbed by the Injuns." + +"Why didn't they shoot 'em?" the Boy asked. + +"They wuz too many of 'em an' they wuz too quick for Dan'l. He didn't +have no show at all. The Injuns robbed 'em of everything they had an' +kept 'em prisoners. + +"But ole Dan'l wuz a slick un. He'd been studyin' Injuns all his life +an' he knowed 'em frum a ter izard. They didn't have nothin' but bows +an' arrers then an' he had a rifle thes like mine. He never got +flustered or riled by the way they wuz treatin' him, but let on like he +wuz happy ez er June bug. Dan'l would raise his rifle, put a bullet +twixt a buffalo's eyes an' he'd drap in his tracks. The Injuns wuz +tickled ter death an' thought him the greatest man that ever lived--an' +he wuz, too. So they got ter likin' him an' treatin' 'im better. For +seven days an' nights him an' Stuart helped 'em hunt an' showed 'em how +ter work er rifle. The Injuns was plum fooled by Dan'l's friendly ways +an' didn't watch 'im so close. + +"So one night Dan'l helped 'em ter eat a bigger supper than ever. They +wuz all full enough ter bust, an' went ter sleep an' slept like logs. +Hit wuz a dark night an' the fire burned low, an' long 'bout midnight +Dan'l made up his mind ter give 'em the slip. + +"Hit wuz er dangerous job. Ef he failed hit wuz death shore-nuff, for +nothin' makes a Injun so pizen mad ez fer anybody ter be treated nice by +'em an' then try ter get away. The Redskins wuz all sleepin' round the +fire. They wuz used ter jumpin' in the middle o' the night or any +minute. Mebbe they wuz all ersleep, an' mebbe they wasn't. + +"Old Dan'l he pertended ter be sleepin' the sleep er the dead, an' I +tell ye he riz mighty keerful, shuck Stuart easy, waked him up an' +motioned him ter foller. Talk about sneakin' up on a wild duck er a +turkey--ole Dan'l done some slick business gettin' away frum that fire! +Man, ef they'd rustled a leaf er broke a twig, them savages would a all +been up an' on 'em in a minute. Holdin' tight to their guns--you kin bet +they didn't leave them--and a steppin' light ez feathers they crept away +from the fire an' out into the deep dark o' the woods. They stopped an' +stood as still ez death an' watched till they see the Injuns hadn't +waked----" + +The pioneer paused and his white teeth shone through his black beard as +he cocked his shaggy head to one side and looked into the Boy's wide +eyes. + +"And then what do you reckon Dan'l Boone done, sir?" + +"What?" + +"Waal, ye seed the way them bees made fer their trees, didn't ye, when +they got a load er honey?" + +"Yes, that's the way I found their home." + +"But you had the daylight, mind ye! And Dan'l was in pitch black night, +but, sir, he made a bee-line through them dark woods straight for his +camp he'd left seven days afore. And, man, yer kin bet they made tracks +when they got clear o' the Redskins! Hit wuz six hours till day an' when +the Injuns waked they didn't know which way ter look----" + +Tom paused and the Boy cried eagerly: + +"Did they get there?" + +"Git whar?" the father asked dreamily. + +"Get back to their own camp?" + +"Straight ez a bee-line I tell ye. But the camp had been busted and +robbed and the other men wuz gone." + +"Gone where?" + +Tom shook his shaggy head. + +"Nobody never knowed ter this day--reckon the Injuns scalped 'em----" + +He paused again and a dreamy look overspread his rugged face. + +"Like they scalped your own grandpa that day." + +"Did they scalp my grandpa?" the Boy asked in an awed whisper. + +"That they did. Your Uncle Mordecai an' me was workin' with him in the +new ground, cleanin' it fur corn when all of a sudden the Injuns riz +right up outen the ground. Your grandpa drapped dead the fust shot, an' +Mordecai flew ter the cabin fer the rifle. A big Redskin jumped over a +log an' scalped my own daddy before my eyes! He grabbed me an' started +pullin' me ter the woods, an' then, Sonny, somethin' happened----" + +Tom looked at the long rifle in its buck's horn rest and smiled: + +"Old 'Speakeasy' up thar stretched her long neck through a chink in the +logs an' said somethin' ter Mr. Redskin. She didn't raise her voice much +louder'n a whisper. She jist kinder sighed: + +"_Kerpeow!_" + +"I kin hear hit echoin' through them woods yit. That Injun drapped my +hands before I heerd the gun, an' she hadn't more'n sung out afore he +wuz lyin' in a heap at my feet. The ball had gone clean through him----" + +Tom paused again and looked for a long time in silence into the glowing +coals. The little cabin was very still. The Boy lifted his face to his +mother's curiously: + +"Ma, you said God counted the beat of a sparrow's wing?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, what was He doin' when that Indian scalped my grandpa?" + +The mother threw a startled look at the bold little questioner and +answered reverently: + +"Keeping watch in Heaven, my Boy. The hairs of your head are numbered +and not one falls without his knowledge. We had to pay the price of +blood for this beautiful country. Nothing is ever worth having that +doesn't cost precious lives." + +Again the cabin was still. An owl's deep cry boomed from the woods and a +solitary wolf answered in the distance. The Boy's brow was wrinkled for +a moment and then he suddenly looked up to his father's rugged face: + +"And what became of Dan'l Boone?" + +"Oh, he lit on his feet all right. He always did. He moved on with +Stuart, built him another camp in the deepest woods he could find and +hunted there all winter--jest think, Boy, all winter--every day--thar +wuz a man that wuz a man shore nuff!" + +"Yes, sirree!" the listener agreed. + +The mother lifted her head and thoughtfully watched the sparkling eyes. + +"And do you want to know why Daniel Boone was great, my son?" she +quietly asked. + +"Yes, why?" was the quick response. + +"Because he used his mind and his hands, while the other men around him +just used their hands. He learned to read and write when he was a little +boy. He mixed brains with his powder and shot." + +"Did he, Pa?" the questioner cried. + +The father smiled. He could afford to be generous. The Boy looked to him +as the authority on Daniel Boone. + +"Yes, I reckon he did. He wuz smart. I didn't have no chance when I wuz +little." + +"Then I'm going to learn, too. Ma can teach me." He leaped from his +father's lap and climbed into hers. "You will, won't you, Ma?" + +The mother smiled us she slowly answered: + +"Yes, Honey, I'll begin to-morrow night when you get back from hunting." + + +VI + +Slowly but surely the indomitable will within the Boy's breast conquered +the cries of aching muscles, and he went about his daily farm tasks +with the dogged persistence of habit. He had learned to whistle at his +work and his eager mind began to look for new worlds to conquer. + +At the right moment the tempter appeared. It rained on Saturday and +Austin, his neighbor, came over to see him. They cracked walnuts and +hickory-nuts in the loft while the rain pattered noisily on the board +roof. Austin had a definite suggestion for Sunday that would break the +monotony of life. + +"Let's me an' you not go ter meetin' ter-morrow?" the neighbor ventured +for a starter. + +"All right!" the Boy agreed. "Preachin' makes me tired anyhow." + +"Me, too, an' I tell ye what I'll do. I'll get my Ma ter let me come ter +your house to stay all day, an' when your folks go off ter meetin', me +an' you'll have some fun!" + +"What?" + +"We'll stay all day on the creek banks, find duck nests, turkey and +quail nests, an',----" Austin paused and dropped his voice, "go in +swimmin' if we take a notion----" + +The Boy slowly shook his head. + +"No, less don't do that." + +"Why?" + +"'Cause Ma don't 'low me to go in the creek till June--says I might +ketch my death o' cold." + +"Shucks! I've been in twice already!" + +"Have ye?" + +"Yep!" + +"And ye didn't get sick?" + +"Do I _look_ sick?" + +"Not a bit." + +"Well, then?" + +"All right--we'll go." + +The spirit of freedom born of the fields and woods had grown into +something more than an attitude of mind. He was ready for the deed--the +positive act of adventure. He didn't like to disobey his mother. But he +couldn't afford to let Austin think that he was a molly-coddle, a mere +babe hanging to her skirts. He was doing a man's work. It was time he +took a few of man's privileges. + +He revelled in the situation of adventure that night and saw himself the +hero of stirring scenes. + +Next morning on Austin's arrival he asked his mother to let him stay at +home and play. + +"Don't you want to go to meeting and hear the new preacher?" she asked +persuasively. + +"No, I'm tired." + +The mother smiled indulgently. He was young--far too young yet to know +the meaning of true religion. She was a Baptist, and the first principle +of her religion was personal faith and direct relations of the +individual soul with God. She remembered her own hours of torture in +childhood. + +"All right, Boy," she said graciously. "Be good now, while we're gone." + +His big toe was digging in the dirt while he murmured: + +"Yes'm." + +The wagon had no sooner disappeared than he and Austin were flying with +swift bare feet along the path that led to the creek. It was the hottest +day of the spring--a close air and broiling sun to be remembered longer +than the hottest day of August. + +They ran for a mile without a pause, rolled in the sand on the banks of +the creek and shouted their joy in perfect freedom. They explored the +deep cane brakes and stalked imaginary buffaloes and bears without +number, encountering nothing bigger than a grey fox and a couple of +muskrats. + +"Let's cross over!" Austin cried. "I saw a bear track on that side one +day. We can trail him to his den and show him to your Pap when he comes +home. Here's a log!" + +The Boy looked dubiously, measured it with his eye, and shook his head. + +"Nope--it's too little and too high in the air--it'll wobble," he +declared. + +"But we can coon it over!" Austin urged. "We can grab hold of a limb +over there and slide down--it's easy--come on!" + +Before he could make further objection, the young adventurer quickly +straddled the swaying pole, and, with the agility of a cat, hopped +across, grasped one of the limbs and slipped to the sand. + +"Come on!" he shouted. "See how easy it is!" + +The Boy looked doubtfully at the swaying sapling and wished he had gone +to hear that preacher after all. It would never do to say he was afraid. +The other fellow had done it so quickly. And it was no use to argue with +Austin that his legs were shorter, his body more compact and so much +easier to hold his balance. The idea of cowardice was something too vile +for thought. The Boy felt that he was doomed to fall before he moved +but he waved a brave little hand in answer: + +"All right, I'm comin'!" + +Half way across the pole began to tear its roots from the bluff. He felt +it sinking, stopped and held his breath as it suddenly broke with a +crash and fell. + +"Look out! Hold tight!" Austin yelled. + +He did his best, but lost his balance and toppled head downward into the +deep still water. + +His mouth flew open at the first touch of the chill stream; he gasped +for breath and drew into his lungs a strangling flood. The blood rushed +to his brain in a wild explosion of terror. He struck out madly with his +long arms and legs, fighting with desperation for breath and drinking in +only the agony and fear of death. His mother's voice came low and faint +and far away in some other world, saying softly: + +"Be good now, while we're gone!" + +Again he struck out blindly, fiercely, madly into the darkness that was +slowly swallowing him body and soul. + +His hand touched something as he sank, he grasped it with instinctive +terror and knew no more until he waked in the infernal regions with the +Devil sitting on his stomach glaring into his eyes and holding him by +the throat trying to choke him to death. His head was down a steep hill. + +With a mighty effort he threw the Devil off, loosed his hold and sucked +in a tiny breath of air, and then another and another, coughing and +spluttering and wheezing foam and water from his mouth and ears and nose +and eyes. + +At last a voice gasped: + +"Is--that--you--Austin?" + +"You bet it's me! I got ye a breathin' all right now--who'd ye think it +wuz?" + +The Boy coughed again and squeezed his lungs clear of water. + +"Why--I was afraid I was dead and you was the Old Scratch and had me." + +"Well, I thought you was a goner shore nuff till yer hand grabbed the +pole I stuck after ye. Man alive, but you did hold onto it! I lakened +ter never got yer hand loose so's I could pull ye up on the bank and +turn ye upside down and squeeze the water outen ye." + +"Did you sit on my stomach and choke me?" the Boy asked. + +"I set on yer and mashed the water out, but I didn't choke you." + +"I thought the Old Scratch had me!" + +For an hour they talked in awed whispers of Sin and Death and Trouble +and then the blood of youth shook off the nightmare. + +They were alive and unhurt. They were all right and it was a good joke. +They swore eternal secrecy. The day was yet young and it was a glorious +one. Their clothes were wet and they had to be dried before night. That +settled it. They would strip, hang their clothes in the hot sun and +wallow in the sand and play in the shallow water until sundown. + +"And besides," Austin urged, "this here's a warnin' straight from the +Lord--me and you must learn ter swim." + +"That's so, ain't it?" the Boy agreed. + +"It's what I calls a sign from on high--and it pints right into the +creek!" + +They agreed that the thing to do was to heed at once this divine +revelation and devote the whole Sabbath day to the solemn work--in the +creek. + +They found a beautifully sunny spot with an immense sand bar and wide +shallow safe waters. They carefully placed their clothes to dry and +basked in the bright sun. They practiced swimming in water waist deep +and Austin learned to make three strokes and reach the length of his +body before sinking. + +They rolled in the sun again and ate their lunch. They ran naked through +the woods to a branch that flowed into the creek, followed it to the +source and drank at a beautiful spring. + +Through the long afternoon they lived in a fairy world of freedom, of +dreams and make-believe. They talked of great hunters and discussed the +best methods of attacking all manner of wild beasts. + +The sun was sinking toward the western hills when they hastily picked up +their clothes and found a safe ford across which they could wade, +holding their things above their heads. + +The Boy reached the house just as the wagon drove up to the door. He +hurried to help his father with the horse. A sense of elation filled his +mind that he was shrewd enough to keep his own secrets. Of course, his +mother needn't know what had happened. He was none the worse for it. + +In answer to her question of how he had spent the day he vaguely +answered: + +"In the woods. They're awfully pretty now with the dogwood all in +bloom." + +He talked incessantly at supper, teasing Sarah about her jolly time at +the meeting. Toward the end of the meal he grew silent. A curious +sensation began on his back and shoulders and arms. He paid no attention +to it at first, but it rapidly grew worse. The more he tried to shake +off the feeling the more distinct and sharp it grew. At last every inch +of his body seemed to be on fire. + +He rose slowly from the table and walked to his stool in the corner +wondering--wondering and fearing. He sat in dead silence for half an +hour. The perspiration began to stand out on his forehead. It was no use +longer to try to fool himself, there was something the matter--something +big--something terrible! A fierce and scorching fever was burning him to +death. He dared not move. Every muscle quivered with agony when he +tried. + +The mother's keen eye saw the tears he couldn't keep back. + +"What's the matter, Boy?" she tenderly asked while his father was at the +stable putting the wagon under the shed. + +"I don't know 'm," he choked. "I'm all on fire--I'm burnin' up----" + +She touched his forehead and slipped her arm around his shoulders. + +He screamed with pain. + +The mother looked into his face with a sudden start. + +"Why, what on earth, child? What have you been doing to-day?" + +He hesitated and tried to be brave, but it was no use. He felt that he +would drop dead the next moment unless relief came. He buried his face +in her lap and sobbed his bitter confession. + +"Do you think I'm going to die?" he asked. + +She smiled: + +"No, my Boy, you're only sunburned. How long were you naked in the sun?" + +"From 'bout ten o'clock till nearly sundown----" + +He moved again and screamed with agony. + +The mother tenderly undressed the little, red, swollen body. The rough +clothes had stuck to the blistered skin in one place and the pain was so +frightful he nearly fainted before they were finally removed. + +For two days and nights she never left his side, holding his hand to +give him courage when he was compelled to move. Almost his entire body, +inch by inch, was blistered. She covered it with cream and allowed only +two greased linen cloths to touch him. + +On the second day as he lay panting for breath and holding her hand with +feverish grasp he looked into her pensive grey eyes through his own +bleared and bloodshot with pain and said softly: + +"I'm sorry, Ma." + +She pressed his hand: + +"It's all right, my Boy; your mother loves you." + +"I'm not sorry for the pain," he gasped. "What hurts me worse is that +you're so sweet to me!" + +The dark face bent and kissed his trembling lips: + +"It's all for the best. You couldn't have understood the preacher Sunday +when he took the text: 'The stars in their courses fought against +Sisera.' You learned it for yourself the only way we really learn +anything. God's in the wind and rain, the sun, the storm. All nature +works with him. You can easily fool your mother. It's not what you seem +to others; it's what you are that counts. God sees and knows. You see +and know in your little heart. I want you to be a great man--only a good +man can ever be great." + +And so for an hour she poured into his heart her faith in God and His +glory until He became the one power fixed forever in the child's +imagination. + + +VII + +The Boy lost his skin but grew another and incidentally absorbed some +ideas he never forgot. + +On the day he was able to put on his clothes, it poured down rain and +work in the fields was impossible. A sense of delicious joy filled him. +He worked because he had to, not because he liked it. He was too proud +to shirk, too brave to cry when every nerve and muscle of his little +body ached with mortal weariness, but he hated it. + +The sun rose bright and warm and shone clear in the Southern sky next +morning before he was called. He climbed down the ladder from his loft +wondering what marvellous thing had happened that he should be sleeping +with the sun already high in the heavens. + +"What's the matter, Ma?" he asked anxiously. "Why didn't you call me?" + +"It's too wet to plow. Your father's going to chop wood in the clearing. +He wanted you to pile brush after him, but I asked him to let you off to +go fishing for me." + +He ate breakfast with his heart beating a tattoo, rushed into the +garden, dug a gourd full of worms, drew his long cane rod from the +eaves of the cabin, and with old Boney trotting at his heels was soon on +his way to a deep pool in the bend of the creek. + +Fishing for _her_! His mother understood. He wondered why he had ever +been fool enough to disobey her that Sunday. He could die for her +without a moment's hesitation. + +It was glorious to have this marvellous day of spring all his own. The +birds were singing on every field and hedge. The trees flashed their +polished new leaves. The sweet languor of the South was in the air and +he drew it in with deep breaths that sent the joy of life tingling +through every vein. + +Four joyous hours flew on tireless wings. He had caught five catfish and +a big eel--more than enough for a good meal for the whole family. + +He held them up proudly. How his mother's eyes would sparkle! He could +see Sarah's admiring gaze and hear his father's good-natured approval. + +He had just struck the path for home when the forlorn figure of a rough +bearded man came limping to meet him. + +He stepped aside in the grass to let him pass. But the man stopped and +gazed at the fish. + +"My, my, Sonny, but you've got a fine string there!" he exclaimed. + +"Pretty good for one day," the Boy proudly answered. + +"An' just ter think I ain't had nothin' ter eat in 'most two days." + +"Don't you live nowhere?" the youngster asked in surprise. + +"I used ter have a home afore the war, but my folks thought I wuz dead +an' moved away. I'm tryin' ter find 'em. Hit's a hard job with a +Britisher's bullet still a-pinchin' me in the leg." + +"Did you fight with General Washington?" + +"Lordy, no, I ain't that old, ef I do look like a scarecrow. No, I fit +under Old Hickory at New Orleans. I tell ye, Sonny, them Britishers +burnt out Washington fur us but we give 'em a taste o' fire at New +Orleans they ain't goin' ter fergit." + +"Did we lick 'em good?" + +"Boy, ye ain't never heard tell er sich a scrimmage--we thrashed 'em +till they warn't no fight in 'em, an' they scrambled back aboard them +ships an' skeddaddled home. Britishers can't fight nohow. We've licked +'em twice an' we kin lick 'em agin. But the old soldier that does the +fightin'--everybody fergits him!" + +The Boy looked longingly at his string of fish for a moment with the +pride of his heart, and then held up his treasure. + +"You can have my fish if ye want 'em; they'll make you a nice supper." + +The old soldier stroked the tangled hair and took his string of fish. + +"You're a fine boy! I won't fergit you, Sonny!" + +The words comforted him until he neared the house. And then a sense of +bitter loss welled up in spite of all. + +"Did I do right, Ma?" he asked wistfully. + +She placed her hand on his forehead: + +"Yes--I'm proud of you. I know what that gift cost a boy's heart. It was +big because it was all you had and the pride of your soul was in it." + +The sense of loss was gone and he was rich and happy again. + +When the supper was over and they sat before the flickering firelight he +asked her a question over which his mind had puzzled since he left the +old soldier. + +"Why is it," he said thoughtfully, "British soldiers can't fight?" + +The mother smiled: + +"Who said they couldn't fight?" + +"The old soldier I gave my fish to. He said we just made hash out o' +them. We've licked 'em twice and we can do it again!" + +The last sentence he didn't quote. He gave it as a personal opinion +based on established facts. + +"We didn't win because the British couldn't fight," the mother gravely +responded. + +"Then why?" he persisted. + +"The Lord was good to us." + +"How?" + +The question came with an accent of indignation. Sometimes he couldn't +help getting cross with his mother when she began to give the Lord +credit for everything. If the Lord did it all why should he give his +string of fish to an old soldier! + +The grey eyes looked into his with wistful tenderness. She had been +shocked once before by the fear that there was something in this child's +eternal why that would keep him out of the church. The one deep desire +of her heart was that he should be good. + +"Would you like to hear," she began softly, "something about the +Revolution which my old school teacher told me in Virginia?" + +"Yes, tell me!" he answered eagerly. + +"He said that we could never have won our independence but for God. We +didn't win because British soldiers couldn't fight. We held out for ten +years because we outran them. We ran quicker, covered more ground, got +further into the woods and stayed there longer than any fighters the +British had ever met before. That's why we got the best of them. Our men +who fought and ran away lived to fight another day. General Washington +was always great in retreat. He never fought unless he was ready and +could choose his own field. He waited until his enemies were in snug +quarters drinking and gambling, and then on a dark night, so dark and +cold that some of his own men would freeze to death, he pushed across a +river, fell on them, cut them to pieces and retreated. + +"The number of men he commanded was so small he could not face his foes +in the open if he could avoid it. His men were poorly armed, poorly +drilled, half-clothed and half-starved at times. The British troops were +the best drilled and finest fighting men of the world in their day, +armed with good guns, well fed, well clothed, and well paid." + +She paused and smiled at the memory of her teacher's narrative. + +"What do you suppose happened on one of our battlefields?" + +"I dunno--what?" + +"When the Red-coats charged, our boys ran at the first crack of a gun. +They ran so well that they all got away except one little fellow who had +a game leg. He stumbled and fell in a hole. A big British soldier raised +a musket to brain him. The little fellow looked up and cried: 'All +right. Kill away, ding ye--ye won't get much!' + +"The Britisher laughed, picked him up, brushed his clothes and told him +to go home." + +The Boy laughed again and again. + +"He was a spunky one anyhow, wasn't he?" + +"Yes," the mother nodded, "that's why the Red-coat let him go. And we +never could have endured if God hadn't inspired one man to hold fast +when other hearts had failed." + +"And who was he?" the Boy broke in. + +"General Washington. At Valley Forge our cause was lost but for him. Our +men were not paid. They could get no clothes, they were freezing and +starving. They quit and went home in hundreds and gave up in despair. +And then, Boy----" + +Her voice dropped to a tense whisper: + +"General Washington fell on his knees and prayed until he saw the +shining face of God and got his answer. Next day he called his ragged, +hungry men together and said: + +"'Soldiers, though all my armies desert, the war shall go on. If I must, +I'll gather my faithful followers in Virginia, retreat to the mountains +and fight until our country is free!' + +"His words cheered the despairing men and they stood by him. We were +saved at last because help came in time. Lord Cornwallis had laid the +South in ashes, and camped at Yorktown, his army of veterans laden with +spoils. He was only waiting for the transports from New York to take his +victorious men North, join the army there and end the war, and then----" + +She drew a deep breath and her eyes sparkled: + +"And then, Boy, it happened--the miracle! Into the Chesapeake Bay in +Virginia, three big ships dropped anchor at the mouth of the York River. +Our people on the shore thought they were the transports and that the +end had come. But the ships were too far away to make out their flags, +and so they sent swift couriers across the Peninsula, to see if there +were any signs in the roadstead at Hampton. There--Glory to God! lay a +great fleet flying the flag of France. The French had loaned us twenty +millions of dollars, and sent their navy and their army to help us. Had +the Lord sent down a host from the sky we couldn't have been more +surprised. They landed, joined with General Washington's ragged men, and +closed in on Cornwallis. Surprised and trapped he surrendered and we +won. + +"But there never was a year before that, my Boy, that we were strong +enough to resist the British army had the mother country sent a real +general here to command her troops." + +"Why didn't she?" the Boy interrupted. + +Again the mother's voice dropped low: + +"Because God wouldn't let her--that's the only reason. If Lord Clive had +ever landed on our shores, Washington might now be sleeping in a +traitor's grave." + +The voice again became soft and dreamy--almost inaudible. + +"And he didn't come?" the Boy whispered. + +"No. On the day he was to sail he put the papers in his pocket, went +into his room, locked the door and blew his own brains out. This is +God's country, my son. He gave us freedom. He has great plans for us." + +The fire flickered low and the Boy's eyes glowed with a strange +intensity. + + +VIII + +A barbecue, with political speaking, was held at the village ten miles +away. The family started at sunrise. The day was an event in the lives +of every man, woman and child within a radius of twenty miles. Many came +as far as thirty miles and walked the whole distance. Before nine +o'clock a crowd of two thousand had gathered. + +The dark, lithe young mother who led her boy by the hand down the +crowded aisle of the improvised brush arbor that day performed a deed +which was destined to change the history of the world. + +The speaker who held the crowd spellbound for two hours was Henry Clay. +The Boy not only heard an eloquent orator. His spirit entered for all +time into fellowship with a great human soul. + +In words that throbbed with passion, he pictured the coming glory of a +mighty nation whose shores would be washed by two oceans, whose wealth +and manhood would be the hope and inspiration of the world. Never before +had words been given such wings. The ringing tones found the Boy's soul +and set his brain on fire. A big idea was born within his breast. This +was his country. His feet pressed its soil. Its hills and plains, its +rivers and seas were his. His hands would help to build this vision of a +great spirit into the living thing. He breathed softly and his eyes +sparkled. When the crowd cheered, he leaped to his feet, swung his +little cap into the air and shouted with all his might. When the last +glowing picture of the peroration faded into a silence that could be +felt, and the tumult had died away, he saw men and women crowding around +the orator to shake his hand. + +"Take me, Ma!" he whispered. "I want to see him close!" + +The mother lifted him in her arms above the crowd, pressed forward, and +the Boy's shining eyes caught those of the brilliant statesman. Over the +heads of the men by his side the orator extended his hand and grasped +the trembling outstretched fingers. + +He smiled and nodded, that was all. The Boy understood. From that moment +he had an ideal leader whose words were inspired. + +The mother's dark face was lit for a moment with tender pride. She made +no effort to reach the orator's side. It was enough that she had seen +the flash from her Boy's eyes. She was content. The day was filled with +a great joy. + +The summer camp meetings began the following week. The grounds were +located a mile from the straggling little village which was the center +of the county's activities. All religious denominations used the +spacious auditorium for their services. The Methodists camped there an +entire month. The Baptists stayed but two weeks. The Baptist temperament +frowned on the social frivolities which were inseparable from these long +intimate associations at close quarters. The more volatile temperament +of the Methodists revelled in them, and Methodism grew with astounding +rapidity under the system. + +The auditorium was simply a huge quadrangular shed with board roof +uphold by cedar posts. At one end of the shed stood the platform on +which was built the pulpit, a square box-like structure about four feet +high. The seats were made of rough-hewn half logs set on pegs driven in +augur holes. There were no backs to them. A single wide aisle led from +the end facing the pulpit, and two narrow ones intersected the main +aisle at the centre. + +In front of the pulpit were placed the mourner's benches facing the +three sides of the space left for the free movement of the mourners +under the stress of religious emotion. + +The Boy's mother and father were devout members of the Baptist Church, +but they were not demonstrative. They modestly and reverently took their +seats in an inconspicuous position about midway the building, entering +from one of the small aisles on the side. The Boy had often been to a +regular church service before, but this was his first camp meeting. + +Four preachers sat in grim silence behind the pulpit's solid box front. +The Boy could just see the tops of their heads over the board that held +the big gilt-edged Bible. + +The entire first two days and nights were given to a series of terrific +sermons on Death, Hell, and the Judgment, with a brief glimpse of the +pearly gates of Heaven and a few strains from the golden harps inside +for the damned to hear by way of contrast. The first purpose of the +preachers was to arouse a deep under-current of religious emotional +excitement that at the proper moment would explode and sweep the crowd +with resistless fire. Usually the fuse was timed to explode on the +morning of the third day. Sometimes, when sermons of extraordinary +power had followed each other in rapid succession, the fire broke out by +a sort of spontaneous combustion on the night of the second day. + +It did so this time. The mother had no trouble in keeping the Boy by her +side through these first two days. He felt instinctively the growing +emotional tension about him, and knew in his bones that something would +break loose soon. He was keyed to a high pitch of interest to see just +what it would be like. + +The storm broke in the middle of the second sermon on the second night. +The preacher had worked himself into a frenzy of emotional excitement. +His arms were waving over his head, his eyes blazing, his feet stamping, +his voice screaming in anguish as he described the agony of a soul lost +forever in the seething cauldron of eternal hell fire! + +A tremulous startled moan, half-wail, half-scream came from a girl just +in front of the Boy, as she dropped her head in her hands. + +"What's the matter with her?" he whispered. "Has she got a pain?" + +His mother pressed his hand: + +"Sh!" + +And then the storm broke. From every direction came the startled cries +of long pent terror and anguish. The girl staggered to her feet and +started stumbling down the aisle to the mourners' bench without +invitation, and from every row of seats they tumbled, crowding on her +heels, sobbing, wailing, screaming, groaning. + +The preacher ceased to talk and, in a high tremulous voice, that rang +through the excited crowd as the peal of the Archangel's trumpet, began +to sing: + + "Come humble sinners in whose breasts + A thousand thoughts revolve!" + +The crowd rose instinctively and all who were not mourning, joined in +the half-savage, terror-stricken wail of the song. The sinners that +hadn't given up at the first break of the storm could not resist the +thrill of this wild music. One by one they pushed their way through the +crowd, found the aisle and staggered blindly to the front. + +The Boy noticed curiously that it seemed to be the rule for them to +completely cover their streaming eyes with a handkerchief or with the +bare hands and go it blindly for the mourners' benches. If they missed +the way and butted into anything, a church member kindly took them by +the arm and guided them to a vacant place where they dropped on their +knees. + +The Boy had leaped on the bench and stood beside his mother to get a +better view of the turmoil. He couldn't keep his eyes off a tall, +red-headed, thick-bearded man just across the aisle three rows behind +who kept twitching his face, looking toward the door and struggling +against the impulse to follow the mourners. Presently he broke down with +a loud cry: + +"Lord, have mercy!" + +He placed his hands over his face and started on a run to the front. + +The Boy giggled, and his mother pinched him. + +"Did ye see that red-headed feller, Ma," he whispered. "He didn't do +fair. He peeked through his fingers--I saw his eyes!" + +"Sh!" + +The preachers had come down from the pulpit now and stood over the +wailing prostrated mourners and exhorted them to repent and believe +before it was forever and eternally too late. Three of them were talking +at the same time to different groups of mourners. The louder they +exhorted the louder the sinners cried. The fourth preacher walked down +the aisle searching for those who were yet hardening their hearts and +stiffening their necks. He paused beside a prim little old maid who had +lately arrived from Tidewater Virginia. Her bright eyes were dry. + +"Dear lady, are you a child of God?" the preacher cried. + +The prim figured stiffened indignantly: + +"No, sir! I'm an Episcopalian!" + +The preacher groaned and passed on and the Boy stuffed his fist in his +mouth. + +For half an hour the roar of the conflict was incessant, and its +violence indescribable. It was broken now and then by a kindly soul +among the elderly women raising a sweet old-fashioned hymn. + +Suddenly an exhorter threw his hands above his head and, in a voice that +soared above the roar of mourners and their attendants, cried: + +"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world!" + +Quick as a flash came an answering shout from the red-headed man who +leaped to his feet and with wide staring eyes looked up at the roof. + +"I see him! I see Jesus up a tree!" + +A fat woman lifted her head and shouted: + +"Hold him till I get there!" + +And she started for the red-headed man. There was a single moment of +strange silence and the Boy laughed aloud. + +His mother caught and shook him violently. He crammed his little fist +again into his mouth, but the stopper wouldn't hold. + +He dropped to his seat to keep the people from seeing him, buried his +face in his hands and laughed in smothered giggles in spite of all his +mother could do. + +At last he whispered: + +"Take me out quick! I'm goin' to bust--I'll bust wide open I tell ye!" + +She rose sternly, seized his arm and led him a half mile into the woods. +He kept looking back and laughing softly. + +She gazed at him sorrowfully: + +"I'm ashamed of you, Boy! How could you do such a thing!" + +"I just couldn't help it!" + +He sat down on a stone and laughed again. + +"What makes the fools holler so?" he asked through his tears. + +"They are praying God to forgive their sins." + +"But why holler so loud? He ain't deaf--is He? You said that God's in +the sun and wind and dew and rain--in the breath we breathe. Ain't He +everywhere then? Why do they holler at Him?" + +The mother turned away to hide a smile she couldn't keep back, and a +cloud overspread her dark face. Surely this was an evil sign--this +spirit of irreverent levity in the mind of a child so young. What could +it mean? She had forgotten that she had been teaching him to think, and +didn't know, perhaps, that he who thinks must laugh or die. + +After that she let him spend long hours at the spring playing with boys +and girls of his age. He didn't go into the meetings again. But he +enjoyed the season. The watermelons, muskmelons, and ginger cakes were +the best he had ever eaten. + + +IX + +During the Christmas holidays the father got ready for a coon hunt in +which the Boy should see his first battle royal in the world of sport. + +Dennis came over and brought four extra dogs, two of his own and two +which he had borrowed for the holidays. + +A sudden change came over the spirit of old Boney--short for Napoleon +Bonaparte. He understood the talk about coons as clearly as if he could +speak the English language. He was in a quiver of eager excitement. He +knew from the Boy's talk that he was going, too. He wagged his tail, +pushed his warm nose under his little friend's arm, whining and +trembling while he tried to explain what it meant to strike a coon's +trail in the deep night, chase him over miles of woods and swamps and +field, tree him and fight it out, a battle to the death between dog and +beast! + +At two o'clock, before day, his father's voice called and in a jiffy he +was down the ladder, his eyes shining. He had gone to sleep with his +clothes on and lost no time in dressing. + +Without delay the start was made. Down the dim pathway to the creek and +then along its banks for two miles, its laughing waters rippling soft +music amid the shadows, or gleaming white and mirror-like in the +starlit open spaces. + +In half an hour the stars were obscured by a thin veil of fleecy clouds, +and, striking no trail in the bottoms, they turned to the big tract of +woods on the hills and plunged straight into their depths for two miles. + +"Hush!" + +Tom suddenly stopped: + +Far off to the right came the bark of a dog on the run. + +"Ain't that old Boney's voice?" the father asked. + +"I don't think so," the Boy answered. + +The note of wild savage music was one he had never heard before. + +"Yes it was, too," was the emphatic decision. He squared his broad +shoulders and gave the hunter's shout of answer-joy to the dog's call. + +Never had the Boy heard such a shout from human lips. It sent shivers +down his spine. + +The dog heard and louder came the answering note, a deep tremulous boom +through the woods that meant to the older man's trained ear that he was +on the run. + +"That's old Boney shore's yer born!" the father cried, "an' he ain't got +no doubts 'bout hit nother. He's got his head in the air. The trail's so +hot he don't have ter nose the ground. You'll hear somethin' in a minute +when the younger pups git to him." + +Two hounds suddenly opened with long quivering wails. + +"Thar's my dogs--they've hit it now!" Dennis cried excitedly. + +Another hound joined the procession, then another and another, and in +two minutes the whole pack of eight were in full cry. + +Again the hunter's deep voice rang his wild cheer through the woods and +every dog raised his answering cry a note higher. + +"Ain't that music!" Tom cried in ecstacy. + +They stood and listened. The dogs were still in the woods and with each +yelp were coming nearer. Evidently the trail led toward them, but in the +rear and almost toward the exact spot at which they had entered the +forest. + +"Just listen at old Boney!" the Boy cried. "I can tell him now. He can +beat 'em all!" + +Loud and clear above the chorus of the others rang the long savage boom +of Boney's voice, quivering with passion, defiant, daring, sure of +victory! It came at regular intervals as if to measure the miles that +separated him from the battle he smelled afar. He was far in the lead. +He was past-master of this sport. The others were not in his class. + +The Boy's heart swelled with pride. + +"Old Boney's showin' 'em all the way!" he exclaimed triumphantly. + +"Yer can bet he always does that, Sonny!" the father answered. "That's a +hot trail. Nigh ez I can figger we're goin' ter have some fun. There's +more'n one coon travelin' over that ground." + +"How can you tell?" Dennis asked incredulously. + +"Hit's too easy fer the other pups--they'd lose the scent now an' then +ef they weren't but one. They ain't lost it a minute since they struck +it--Lord, jest listen!" + +He paused and held his breath. + +"Did ye ever hear anything like hit on this yearth!" Dennis cried. + +Every dog was opening now at the top of his voice at regular intervals, +the swing and leap of their bodies over the brush and around the trees +registering in each stirring note. + +Again Tom gave a shout of approval. + +The sound of the leader's voice suddenly flattened and faded. + +"By Gum!" the old hunter cried, "they've left the woods, struck that +field an' makin' for the creek! Ye won't need that axe ter-night, +Dennis." + +"Why?" + +"Wait an' see!" was the short answer. + +They hurried from the woods and had scarcely reached the edge of the +field when suddenly old Boney's cry stopped short and in a moment the +others were silent. + +"Good Lord, they've lost it!" Dennis groaned. + +And then came the quick, sharp, fierce bark of the leader announcing +that the quarry had been located. + +Tom gave a yell of triumph and started on a run for the spot. + +"Up one o' them big sycamores in the edge o' that water I'll bet!" +Dennis wailed. + +"You'll need no axe," was the older man's short comment. + +They pushed their way rapidly through the cane to the banks of the creek +and found the dogs scratching with might and main straight down into the +sand about ten feet from the water's edge. + +"Well, I'll be doggoned," Dennis cried, "if I ever seed anything like +that afore! They've gone plum crazy. They ain't no hole here. A coon +can't jist drap inter the ground without a hole." + +The old hunter laughed: + +"No, but a coon mought learn somethin' from a beaver now an' then an' +locate the door to his house under the water line an' climb up here ter +find a safe place, couldn't he?" + +"I don't believe it!" Dennis sneered. + +"You'll have ter go to the house an' git a spade," Tom said finally. +"It'll take one ter dig a hole big enough ter ever persuade one er these +dogs ter put his nose in that den. Hit ain't more'n a mile ter the +house--hurry back." + +Dennis started on a run. + +"Don't yer let 'em out an' start that fight afore I git here!" he +called. + +"You'll see it all," Tom reassured him. + +He made the dogs stop scratching and lie down to rest. + +"Jest save yer strenk, boys," Tom cried. "Yer'll need it presently." + +They sat down, the father lit his pipe and told the Boy the story of a +great fight he had witnessed on such a creek bank once before in his +life. + +Day was dawning and the eastern sky reddening. + +The Boy stamped on the solid ground and couldn't believe it possible +that any dog could smell game through six feet of earth. + +He lifted Boney's long nose and looked at it curiously. His wonderful +nostrils were widely distended and though he lay quite still in the sand +on the edge of the hole his muscles were quivering with excitement and +his wistful hound eyes had in them now the red glare of coming battle. + +It was quick work when Dennis arrived to throw the sand and soft earth +away and open a hole five feet in depth and of sufficient width to allow +all the dogs to get foothold inside. + +Suddenly the spade crashed through an opening below and the rasp of +sharp desperate teeth and claws rang against its polished surface. + +"Did you hear that?" Tom laughed. + +Another spadeful out and they could be plainly seen. How many it was +impossible to tell, but three pairs of glowing bloodshot eyes in the +shadows showed plainly. + +Tom straightened his massive figure and gave a shout to the dogs. They +all danced around the upper rim of the hole and barked with fierce +boastful yelps, but not one would venture his nose within two feet of +those grim shining eyes. + +"Well, Dennis," Tom sighed, "I reckon I'll have ter shove you down thar +an' hold ye by the heels while yer pull one of 'em out!" + +"I'll be doggoned ef yer do!" he remarked with emphasis. + +Tom laughed. "You wuz afeared ye wouldn't git here in time ye know." + +"Oh, I'm in time all right!" + +The hunter put his hands in his pockets and gazed at the warriors below. + +"Waal, we'll try ter git a dog ter yank one of 'em out an' then they'll +all come. But I have my doubts. I don't believe that Godamighty ever yet +built a dog that'll stick his nose in that hole. Hit takes three dogs +ter kill one coon in a fair fight. Old Boney's the only pup I ever seed +do it by hisself. But it's askin' too much o' him ter stick his nose in +a place like that with three of 'em lookin' right at him ready ter tear +his eyes out. But they ain't nothin' like tryin'----" + +He paused and looked at the old warrior of a hundred bloody fields, +pointed at the bottom of the hole and in stern command shouted: + +"Fetch 'em out, Bone!" + +With a deep growl the faithful old soldier sprang to the front. With +teeth shining in white gleaming rows he scrambled within a foot of the +opening of the den, circled it twice, his eyes fixed on the flashing +lights below. They followed his every move. He tried the stratagem of +right and left flank movements, but the space was too narrow. He dashed +straight toward the opening once with a loud angry cry, hoping to get +the flash of a coward's back. He met three double rows of white +needle-like teeth daring him to come on. + +He squatted flat on his belly and growled with desperate fury, but he +wouldn't go closer. The hunter urged in vain. + +"Hit's no use!" he cried at last. "Jest ez well axe er dog ter walk into +a den er lions. I don't blame him." + +The Boy's pride was hurt. + +"I can make him bring one out," he said. + +Tom shook his head: + +"Not much. Less see ye?" + +The Boy stepped down to the dog's side. + +"Look out, ye fool, don't let yer foot slip in thar!" his father +warned. + +The Boy knelt beside the dog, patted his back and began to talk to him +in low tense tones: + +"Fetch 'im out, Bone! Go after 'm! Sick 'em, boy, sick 'em!" + +Closer and closer the brave old fighter edged his way, only a low mad +growl answering to the Boy's urging. His eyes were blazing now in the +red rays of the rising sun like two balls of fire. With a sudden savage +plunge he hurled himself into the den and quick as a flash of lightning +his short hairy neck gave a flirt, and a coon as large as one of the +hounds whizzed ten feet into the air, and, with his white teeth shining, +struck the ground, lighting squarely on his feet. A hound dashed for him +and one slap from the long sharp claws sent him howling and bleeding +into the canes. + +But old Boney had watched him in the air, and, circling the pack that +faced the coon, with a quick leap had downed him. Then every dog was +with him and the battle was on. Eight dogs to one coon and yet so sharp +were his claws, so keen the steel-like points of his teeth, he sometimes +had four dogs rolling in agony beside the growling mass of fur and teeth +and nails. + +The fight had scarcely begun when one of the remaining coons leaped out +of the den. Tom's watchful eye had seen him. He pulled three dogs from +the first battle group and hurled them on the new fighter. He had +scarcely started this struggle when the third sprang to the top of the +earthen breastwork, surveyed the field and with sullen deliberation, +trotted to the water's edge, jumped in and, placing two paws on a +swaying limb, dared any dog to come. + +Here was work for the veteran! Boney was the only dog in the pack who +would dare accept that challenge. Tom choked him off the first coon, +pulled him to the bank and showed him his enemy in the water. He looked +just a moment at the snarling, daring mouth and made the plunge. + +The boy had followed the dog and watched with bated breath. He circled +the coon twice, swimming in swift graceful curves. But his enemy was too +shrewd. A flank movement was impossible. The coon's fierce mouth was +squarely facing him at every turn and the dog plunged straight on his +foe. + +To his horror the Boy saw the fangs sink into his friend's head, four +sets of sharp claws circle his neck, a tense grey ball of fur hanging +its dead weight below. The water ran red for a moment as both slowly +sank to the bottom. + +Eyes wide with anguish he heard his father cry: + +"By the Lord, he'll kill that dog shore--he's a goner!" + +"No, he won't neither!" the Boy shouted, leaping into the water where he +saw them go down. + +Before his father could warn him of the danger his head disappeared in +the deep still eddy. + +"Look out for us, Dennis, with a pole I'm goin' ter dive fer 'em!" + +In a moment they came to the surface, the man holding the Boy, the Boy +grasping his dog, the coon fastened to the dog's head. + +"Well, don't that beat the devil!" Tom laughed, as he carried them to a +little rocky island in the middle of the creek. + +The Boy intent on saving his dog had held his breath and was not even +strangled. The dog had buried his nose in the coon's throat and was +chewing and choking with savage determination. + +Tom stood over them now on the little island with its smooth stone-paved +battle arena ringed with the music of laughing waters. He threw both +hands above his shaggy head and yelled himself hoarse--the wild cry of +the hunter's soul in delirious joy. + +"_Yaaaiih! Yaaaiiih!_" + +A moment's pause, and then the low snarl and growl and clash of tooth +and claw! Again the hunter's gnarled hands flew over his head. + +"_Yaaaiih! Yaaaaiiih! Yaaiih! Yaaaaiiiihhh!!_" + +On the shore Dennis stood first over one group of swirling, rolling, +snarling brutes, and then over the other, yelling and cheering. + +The coon on the island suddenly broke his assailant's death-like grip, +and, with a quick leap, reached the water. Boney was on him in a moment +and down they went beneath the surface again. + +The Boy sprang to the rescue. + +His father brushed him roughly aside: + +"Keep out! I'll git 'em!" + +Three times the coon made the dash for deep water and three times Tom +carried both dog and coon back to the little island yelling his battle +cry anew. + +The smooth stones began to show red. Fur and dog hair flew in little +tufts and struck the ground, sometimes with the flat splash of red +flesh. + +The Boy frowned and his lips quivered. At last he could hold in no +longer. Through chattering teeth he moaned: + +"He'll kill Boney, Pa!" + +"Let him alone!" was the sharp command. "I never see sich a dog in my +life. He'll kill that coon by hisself, I tell ye!" + +Again his enemy broke Boney's grim hold on his throat, sprang back four +feet and, to the dog's surprise, made no effort to reach the water. +Instead he stood straight and quivering on his hind legs and faced his +enemy, his white needle-like fangs gleaming in two rows and his savage +fore-claws opening and closing with deadly threat. + +The old warrior, taken completely by surprise by this new stratagem of +his foe, circled in a vain effort to reach the flank or rear. Each turn +only brought them again face to face, and at last he plunged straight on +the centre line of attack. With a quick side leap the coon struck the +dog's head a blow with his claw that split his ear for three inches as +cleanly and evenly as if a surgeon's knife had been used. + +With a low growl of rage and pain, Boney wheeled and repeated his +assault with the same results for the other ear. He turned in silence +and deliberately crept toward his foe. There would be no chance for a +side blow. He wouldn't plunge or spring. He might get another bloody +gash, but he wouldn't miss again. + +This time he found the body, they closed and rolled over and over in +close blood-stained grip. For the first time Tom's face showed doubts, +and he called to Dennis: + +"Choke off two dogs from that fust coon an' throw 'em in here!" + +They came in a moment and clinched with Boney's enemy. The charge of two +new troopers drove the coon to desperation. The sharp claws flew like +lightning. The new dogs ran back into the water with howls of pain and +scrambled up the bank to their old job. + +Boney paid no attention either to the unexpected assault of his friends +or their ignoble desertion. Every ounce of his dog-manhood was up now. +It was a battle to the death and he had no wish to live if he couldn't +whip any coon that ever made a track in his path. + +The Boy's pride was roused now and the fighting instinct that slumbers +in every human soul flashed through his excited eyes. He drew near and +watched with increasing excitement and joined with his father at last in +shouts and cheers. + +"Did ye ever see such a dog!" he cried through his tears. + +"He beats creation!" was the admiring answer. + +The Boy bent low over the squirming pair and his voice was in perfect +tune with his dog's low growl: + +"Eat him up, Bone! Eat him alive!" + +"Don't touch 'em!" Tom warned. "Let 'im have a fair fight--ef he don't +kill that coon I'll eat 'im raw, hide an' hair!" + +Boney had succeeded at last in fastening his teeth in a firm grip on the +coon's throat. He held it without a cry of pain while the claws ripped +his ears and gashed his head. Deeper and deeper sank his teeth until at +last the razor claws that were cutting relaxed slowly and the long lean +body with its beautiful fur lay full length on the red-marked stones. + +The dog loosed his hold instantly. His work was done. He scorned to +strike a fallen foe. He started to the water's edge to quench his thirst +and staggered in a circle. The blood had blinded him. + +The Boy sprang to his side, lifted him tenderly in his arms, carried him +to the water and bathed his eyes and head. + +"He's cut all to pieces!" he sobbed at last. "He'll die--I just know +it!" + +"Na!" his father answered scornfully. "Be all right in two or three +days." + +The Boy went back and looked at the slim body of the dead coon with +wonder. + +"Why did this one fight so much harder than the ones on the bank?" he +asked thoughtfully. + +"'Cause she's their mother," Tom said casually, "an' them's her two +children." + +Something hurt deep down in the Boy's soul as he looked at the graceful +nose and the red-stained fur at her throat. He saw his mother's straight +neck and head outlined again against the starlit sky the night she stood +before him rifle in hand and shot at that midnight prowler. + +His mouth closed firmly and he spoke with bitter decision: + +"I don't like coon hunting. I'm not coming any more." + +"Good Lord, Boy, we got ter have skins h'ain't we?" was the hearty +answer. + +"I reckon so," he sorrowfully admitted. But all the way home he walked +in brooding silence. + + +X + +The following winter brought the event for which the mother had planned +and about which she had dreamed since her boy was born--a school! + +The men gathered on the appointed day, cut the logs and split the boards +for the house. Another day and it was raised and the roof in place. + +Tom volunteered to make the teacher's table and chair and benches for +the scholars. He had the best set of tools in the county and he wished +to do it because he knew it would please his wife. There was no money in +it but his life was swiftly passing in that sort of work. He was too +big-hearted and generous to complain. Besides the world in which he +lived--the world of field and wood, of dog and gun, of game and the open +road was too beautiful and interesting to complain about it. He was glad +to be alive and tried to make his neighbors think as he did about it. + +When the great day dawned the young mother eagerly prepared breakfast +for her children. She wouldn't allow Sarah to help this morning. It must +be a perfect day in her life. She washed the Boy's face and hands with +scrupulous care when the breakfast things were cleared away, and her +grey eyes were shining with a joy he had never seen before. He caught +her excitement and the spirit of it took possession of his imagination. + +"What'll school be like, Ma?" he asked in a tense whisper. + +"Oh, this one won't be very exciting; maybe in a little room built of +logs. But it's the beginning, Boy, of greater things. Just spelling, +reading, writing and arithmetic now--but you're starting on the way that +leads out of these silent, lonely woods into the big world where great +men fight and make history. Your father has never known this way. He's +good and kind and gentle and generous, but he's just a child, because +he doesn't know. You're going to be a man among men for your mother's +sake, aren't you?" + +She seized his arms and gripped them in her eagerness until he felt the +pain. + +"Won't you, Boy?" she repeated tensely. + +He looked up steadily and then slowly said: + +"Yes, I will." + +She clasped him impulsively in her arms and hurried from the cabin +leading the children by the hand. The Boy could feel her slender fingers +trembling. + +When they drew near the cross roads where the little log house had been +built, she stopped, nervously fixed their clothes, took off the Boy's +cap and brushed his thick black hair. + +They were the first to arrive, but in a few minutes others came, and by +nine o'clock more than thirty scholars were in their seats. The mother's +heart sank within her when she met the teacher and heard him talk. It +was only too evident that he was poorly equipped for his work. He could +barely read and could neither write nor teach arithmetic. The one +qualification about which there was absolute certainty, was that he +could lick the biggest boy in school whenever the occasion demanded it. +He conveyed this interesting bit of information to the assemblage in no +uncertain language. + +The mother could scarcely keep back her tears. By the end of the week it +was plain that her children knew as much as their teacher. + +"What's the use?" Tom asked in disgust. "Hit's a waste o' time an' +money. Let 'em quit!" + +"No, I can't take them out!" was the firm reply. "They may not learn +much, but if the school keeps going, don't you see, a better man will +come bye and bye, and then it will be worth while." + +Tom shook his head, but let her have her own way. + +"Besides," she went on, "he'll learn something being with the other +children." + +"Learn to fight, mebbe," the husband laughed. + +He did, too, and the way it came about was as big a surprise to the Boy +as it was to the youngster he fought. + +The small bully of the school lived in the same direction as the Boy and +Sarah. They frequently walked together for a mile going or coming and +grew to know one another well. The Boy disliked this tow-head urchin +from the moment they met. But he was quiet, unobtrusive and modest and +generally allowed the loud-mouthed one to have his way. The tow-head +took the Boy's quiet ways for submission and insisted on patronizing his +friend. The Boy good-naturedly submitted when it cost him nothing of +self-respect. + +At the close of school, the tow-head whispered: + +"Come by the spring with me, I want to show you somethin'!" + +"No, I don't want to," he replied. + +"Let Sarah go on an' we'll catch her--I got a funny trick ter show you. +You'll kill yourself a-laughin'." + +The Boy's curiosity was aroused and he consented. + +They hastened to the spring where the embers of a fire at which the +scholars were accustomed to warm their lunch, were still smouldering. +The tow-headed one drew from the corner of the fence a turtle which he +had captured and tied, scooped a red-hot coal from the fire with a +piece of board and placed it on the turtle's back. + +The poor creature, tortured by the burning coal, started in a scramble +trying to run from the fire. The tow-head roared with laughter. + +The Boy flushed with sudden rage, sprang forward and knocked the coal +off. + +The two faced each other. + +"You do that again an' I'll knock you down!" shouted the bully. + +"You do it again and I'll knock you down," was the sturdy answer. + +"You will, will you?" the tow-head cried with scorn. "Well, I'll show +you." + +With a bound he replaced the coal. + +The Boy knocked it off and pounced on him. + +The fight was brief. They had scarcely touched the ground before the Boy +was on top pounding with both his little, clinched fists. + +"Stop it--you're killin' me!" the under one screamed. + +"Will you let him alone?" the Boy hissed. + +"You're killin' me, I tell ye!" the tow-head yelled in terror. "Stop it +I say--would you kill a feller just for a doggoned old cooter?" + +"Will you let him alone?" + +"Yes, if ye won't kill me." + +The Boy slowly rose. The tow-head leaped to his feet and with a look of +terror started on a run. + +"You needn't run, I won't hit ye again!" the Boy cried. + +But the legs only moved faster. Never since he was born did the Boy see +a pair of legs get over the ground like that. He sat down and laughed +and then hurried on to join Sarah. + +He didn't tell his sister what had happened. His mother mustn't know +that he had been in a fight. But when he felt the touch of her hand on +his forehead that night as he rose from her knee he couldn't bear the +thought of deceiving her again and so he confessed. + +"It wasn't wrong, was it, to fight for a thing like that?" he asked +wistfully. + +"No," came the answer. "He needed a thrashing--the little scoundrel, and +I'm glad you did it." + + +XI + +The school flickered out in five weeks and the following summer another +lasted for six weeks. + +And then they moved to the land Tom had staked off in the heart of the +great forest fifteen miles from the northern banks of the Ohio. He would +still be in sight of the soil of Kentucky. + +The Boy's heart beat with new wonder as they slowly floated across the +broad surface of the river. He could conceive of no greater one. + +"There _is_ a bigger one!" his father said. "The Mississippi is the +daddy of 'em all--the Ohio's lost when it rolls into her +banks--stretchin' for a thousand miles an' more from the mountains in +the north way down to the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans." + +"And it's all ours?" he asked in wonder. + +"Yes, and plenty more big ones that pour into hit from the West." + +The Boy saw again the impassioned face of the orator telling the +glories of his country, and his heart swelled with pride. + +They left the river and plunged into the trackless forest. No roads had +yet scarred its virgin soil. Only the blazed trail for the first ten +miles--the trail Tom had marked with his own hatchet--and then the +magnificent woods without a mark. Five miles further they penetrated, +cutting down the brush and trees to make way for the wagon. + +They stopped at last on a beautiful densely wooded hill near a stream of +limpid water. A rough camp was quickly built Indian fashion and covered +with bear skins. + +The next day the father put into the Boy's hand the new axe he had +bought for him. + +"You're not quite eight years old, Boy," he said, encouragingly, "but +you're big as a twelve-year-old an' you're spunky. Do you think you can +swing an axe that's a man's size?" + +"Yes," was the sturdy answer. + +And from that day he did it with a song on his lips no matter how heavy +the heart that beat in his little breast. + +At first they cut the small poles and built a half-faced camp, and made +it strong enough to stand the storms of winter in case a cabin could not +be finished before spring. This half-faced camp was made of small logs +built on three sides, with the fourth open to the south. In front of +this opening the log fire was built and its flame never died day or +night. + +To the soul of the Boy this half-faced camp with its blazing logs in the +shadow of giant trees was the most wonderful dwelling he had ever seen. +The stars that twinkled in the sky beyond the lacing boughs were set in +his ceiling. No king in his palace could ask for more. + +But into the young mother's heart slowly crept the first shadows of a +nameless dread. Fifteen miles from a human habitation in the depths of +an unmarked wilderness with only a hunter's camp for her home, and she +had dreamed of schools! To her children her face always gave good cheer. +But at night she lay awake for long, pitiful hours watching the stars +and fighting the battle alone with despair. + +Yet there was never a thought of surrender. God lived and her faith was +in Him. The same stars were shining above that sparkled in old Virginia +and Kentucky. Something within sang for joy at the sight of her +Boy--strong of limb and dauntless of soul. He was God's answer to her +cry, and always she went the even tenor of her way singing softly that +he might hear. + +His father set him to the task of clearing the first acre of ground for +the crop next spring. It seemed a joke to send a child with an axe into +that huge forest and tell him to clear the way for civilization. And yet +he went with firm, eager steps. + +He chose the biggest tree in sight for his first task--a giant oak three +feet in diameter, its straight trunk rising a hundred feet without a +limb or knot to mar its perfect beauty. + +The Boy leaped on the fallen monarch of the woods with a new sense of +power. Far above gleamed a tiny space in the sky. His hand had made it. +He was a force to be reckoned with now. He was doing things that counted +in a man's world. + +Day after day his axe rang in the woods until a big white patch of sky +showed with gleaming piles of clouds. And shimmering sunbeams were +warming the earth for the seed of the coming spring. His tall thin body +ached with mortal weariness, but the spirit within was too proud to +whine or complain. He had taken a man's place. His mother needed him and +he'd play the part. + +The winter was the hardest and busiest he had ever known. He shot his +first wild turkey from the door of their log camp the second week after +arrival. Proud of his marksmanship he talked of it for a week, and yet +he didn't make a good hunter. He allowed his father to go alone oftener +than he would accompany him. There was a queer little voice somewhere +within that protested against the killing. He wouldn't acknowledge it to +himself but half the joy of his shot at his turkey was destroyed by the +sight of the blood-stained broken wing when he picked it up. + +The mother watched this trait with deepening pride. His practice at +writing and reading was sheer joy now. Her interest was so keen he +always tried his best that he might see her smile. + +It was time to begin the spring planting before the heavy logs were +rolled and burned and the smaller ones made ready for the cabin. The +corn couldn't wait. The cabin must remain unfinished until the crop was +laid by. + +It had been a long, lonely winter for the mother. But with the coming of +spring, the wooded world was clothed in beauty so fresh and marvellous, +she forgot the loneliness in new hopes and joys. + +Settlers were moving in now. Every week Tom brought the news of another +neighbor. Her aunt came in midsummer bringing Dennis and his dogs with +fun and companionship for the Boy. + +The new cabin was not quite finished, but they moved in and gave their +kin their old camp for a home, all ready without the stroke of an axe. + +Dennis was wild over the hunting and proposed to the Boy a deer hunt all +by themselves. + +"Let's just me and you go, Boy, an' show Tom what we can do with a rifle +without him. You can take the first shot with old 'Speakeasy' an' then +I'll try her. The deer'll be ez thick ez bees around that Salt Lick +now." + +The Boy consented. Boney went with him for company. As a self-respecting +coon dog he scorned to hunt any animal that couldn't fight with an even +chance for his life. As for a deer--he'd as lief chase a calf! + +Dennis placed the Boy at a choice stand behind a steep hill in which the +deer would be sure to plunge in their final rush to escape the dogs when +close pressed in the valley. + +"Now the minute you see him jump that ridge let him have it!" Dennis +said. "He'll come straight down the hill right inter your face." + +The Boy took his place and began to feel the savage excitement of his +older companion. He threw the gun in place and drew a bead on an +imaginary bounding deer. + +"All right. I'll crack him!" he promised. + +"Now, for the Lord's sake, don't you miss 'im!" Dennis warned. "I don't +want Tom ter have the laugh on us." + +The Boy promised, and Dennis called his dogs and hurried into the +bottoms toward the Salt Lick. In half an hour the dogs opened on a hot +trail that grew fainter and fainter in the distance until they could +scarcely be heard. They stopped altogether for a moment and then took up +the cry gradually growing clearer and clearer. The deer had run the +limit of his first impulse and taken the back track, returning directly +over the same trail. + +Nearer and nearer the pack drew, the trail growing hotter and hotter +with each leap of the hounds. + +The Boy was trembling with excitement. He cocked his gun and stood +ready. Boney lay on a pile of leaves ten feet away quietly dozing. +Louder and louder rang the cry of the hounds. They seemed to be right +back of the hill now. The deer should leap over its crest at any moment. +His gun was half lifted and his eyes flaming with excitement when a +beautiful half grown fawn sprang over the hill and stood for a moment +staring with wide startled eyes straight into his. + +The savage yelp of the hounds close behind rang clear, sharp and +piercing as they reared the summit. The panting, trembling fawn glanced +despairingly behind, looked again into the Boy's eyes, and as the first +dog leaped the hill crest made his choice. Staggering and panting with +terror, he dropped on his knees by the Boy's side, the bloodshot eyes +begging piteously for help. + +The Boy dropped his gun and gathered the trembling thing in his arms. In +a moment the hounds were on him leaping and tearing at the fawn. He +kicked them right and left and yelled with all his might: + +"Down, I tell you! Down or I'll kill you!" + +The hounds continued to leap and snap in spite of his kicks and cries +until Boney saw the struggle, and stepped between his master and his +tormenters. One low growl and not another hound came near. + +When Dennis arrived panting for breath he couldn't believe his eyes. The +Boy was holding the exhausted fawn in his lap with a glazed look in his +eyes. + +"Well, of all the dam-fool things I ever see sence God made me, this +takes the cake!" he cried in disgust. "Why didn't ye shoot him?" + +"Because he ran to me for help--how could I shoot him?" + +Dennis sat down and roared: + +"Well, of all the deer huntin', this beats me!" + +The Boy rose, still holding the fawn in his arms. + +"You can take the gun and go on. Boney and me'll go back home----" + +"You ain't goin' ter carry that thing clean home, are you?" + +"Yes, I am," was the quiet answer. "And I'll kill any dog that tries to +hurt him." + +Dennis was still laughing when he disappeared, Boney walking slowly at +his heels. + +He showed the fawn to his mother and told Sarah she could have him for a +pet. The mother watched him with shining eyes while he built a pen and +then lifted the still trembling wild thing inside. + +Next morning the pen was down and the captive gone. The Boy didn't seem +much surprised or appear to care. When he was alone with his mother she +whispered: + +"Didn't you go out there last night and let it loose when the dogs were +asleep?" + +He was still a moment and then nodded his head. + +His mother clasped him to her heart. + +"O my Boy! My own--I love you!" + + +XII + +The second winter in the wilderness was not so hard. The heavy work of +clearing the timber for the corn fields was done and the new cabin and +its furniture had been finished except the door, for which there was +little use. + +The new neighbors had brought cheer to the mother's heart. + +An early spring broke the winter of 1818 and clothed the wilderness +world in robes of matchless beauty. + +The Boy's gourds were placed beside the new garden and the noise of +chattering martins echoed over the cabin. The toughened muscles of his +strong, slim body no longer ached in rebellion at his tasks. Work had +become a part of the rhythm of life. He could sing at his hardest task. +The freedom and strength of the woods had gotten into his blood. In this +world of waving trees, of birds and beasts, of laughing sky and rippling +waters, there were no masters, no slaves. Millions in gold were of no +value in its elemental struggle. Character, skill, strength and manhood +only counted. Poverty was teaching him the first great lesson of human +life, that man shall eat his bread in the sweat of his brow and that +industry is the only foundation on which the moral and material universe +has ever rested or can rest. + +Solitude and the stimulus of his mother's mind were slowly teaching him +to think--to think deeply and fearlessly, and think for himself. + +Entering now in his ninth year, he was shy, reticent, over-grown, +consciously awkward, homely and ill clad--he grew so rapidly it was +impossible to make his clothes fit. But in the depths of his hazel-grey +eyes there were slumbering fires that set him apart from the boys of his +age. His mother saw and understood. + +A child in years and yet he had already learned the secrets of the toil +necessary to meet the needs of life. He swung a woodman's axe with any +man. He could plow and plant a field, make its crop, harvest and store +its fruits and cook them for the table. He could run, jump, wrestle, +swim and fight when manhood called. He knew the language of the winds +and clouds, and spoke the tongues of woods and field. + +And he could read and write. His mother's passionate yearning and +quenchless enthusiasm had placed in his hand the key to books and the +secrets of the ages were his for the asking. + +He would never see the walls of a college, but he had already taken his +degree in Industry, Patience, Caution, Courage, Pity and Gentleness. + +The beauty and glory of this remarkable spring brought him into still +closer communion with his mother's spirit. They had read every story of +the Bible, some of them twice or three times, and his stubborn mind had +fought with her many a friendly battle over their teachings. Always too +wise and patient to command his faith, she waited its growth in the +fulness of time. He had read every tale in "AEsop's Fables" and brought a +thousand smiles to his mother's dark face by his quaint comments. She +was dreaming now of new books to place in his eager hands. Corn was ten +cents a bushel, wheat twenty-five, and a cow was only worth six dollars. +Whiskey, hams and tobacco were legal tender and used instead of money. +She had ceased to dream of wealth in goods and chattels until conditions +were changed. Her one aim in life was to train the minds of her children +and to this joyous task she gave her soul and body. It was the only +thing worth while. That God would give her strength for this was all she +asked. + +And then the great shadow fell. + +The mother and children were walking home from the woods through the +glory of the Southern spring morning in awed silence. The path was +hedged with violets and buttercups. The sweet odor of grapevine, +blackberry and dewberry blossoms filled the air. Dogwood and black-haw +lit with white flame the farthest shadows of the forest and the music of +birds seemed part of the mingled perfume of flowers. + +The boy's keen ear caught the drone of bees and his sharp eye watched +them climb slowly toward their storehouse in a towering tree. All nature +was laughing in the madness of joy. + +The Boy silently took his mother's hand and asked in subdued tones: + +"What is the pest, Ma, and what makes it?" + +"Nobody knows," she answered softly. "It comes like a thief in the +night and stays for months and sometimes for years. They call it the +'milk-sick' because the cows die, too--and sometimes the horses. The old +Indian women say it starts from the cows eating a poison flower in the +woods. The doctors know nothing about it. It just comes and kills, +that's all." + +The little hand suddenly gripped hers with trembling hold: + +"O Ma, if it kills you!" + +A tender smile lighted her dark face as the warmth of his love ran like +fire through her veins. + +"It can't harm me, my son, unless God wills it. When he calls I shall be +ready." + +All the way home he clung to her hand and sometimes when they paused +stroked it tenderly with both his. + +"What's it like?" he asked at last. "Can't you take bitters for it in +time to stop it? How do you know when it's come?" + +"You begin to feel drowsy, a whitish coating is on the tongue, a burning +in the stomach, the feet and legs get cold. You're restless and the +pulse grows weak." + +"How long does it last?" + +"Sometimes it kills in three days, sometimes two weeks. Sometimes it's +chronic and hangs on for years and then kills." + +Every morning through the long black summer of the scourge he asked her +with wistful tenderness if she were well. Her cheerful answers at last +brought peace to his anxious heart and he gradually ceased to fear. She +was too sweet and loving and God too good that she should die. Besides, +both his father and mother had given him a lesson in quiet, simple +heroism that steadied his nerves. + +He looked at the rugged figure of his father with a new sense of +admiration. He was no more afraid of Death than of Life. He was giving +himself without a question in an utterly unselfish devotion to the +stricken community. There were no doctors within thirty miles, and if +one came he could but shake his head and advise simple remedies that did +no good. Only careful nursing counted for anything. Without money, +without price, without a murmur the father gave his life to this work. +No neighbor within five miles was stricken that he did not find a place +by that bedside in fearless, loving, unselfish service. + +And when Death came, this simple friend went for his tools, cut down a +tree, ripped the boards from its trunk, made the coffin, and with tender +reverence dug a grave and lowered the loved one. He was doctor, nurse, +casket-maker, grave-digger, comforter and priest. His reverent lips had +long known the language of prayer. + +With tireless zeal the mother joined in this ministry of love, and the +Boy saw her slender dark figure walk so often beside trembling feet as +they entered the valley of the great shadow, that he grew to believe +that she led a charmed life. Nor did he fear when Dennis came one +morning and in choking tones said that both his uncle and aunt were +stricken in the little half-faced camp but a few hundred yards away. He +was sorry for Dennis. He had never known father or mother--only this +uncle and aunt. + +"Don't you worry, Dennis," the Boy said tenderly. "You'll live with us +if they die." + +They both died within a few days. The night after the last burial, +Dennis crawled into the loft with the Boy to be his companion for many a +year. + +And then the blow fell, swift, terrible and utterly unexpected. He had +long ago made up his mind that God had flung about his mother's form the +spell of his Almighty power and the pestilence that walked in the night +dared not draw near. An angel with flaming sword stood beside their +cabin door. + +Last night in the soft moonlight a whip-poor-will was singing nearby and +he fancied he saw the white winged sentinel, and laughed for joy. + +When he climbed down from his loft next morning his mother was in bed +and Sarah was alone over the fire cooking breakfast. + +His heart stood still. He walked with unsteady step to her bedside and +whispered: + +"Are you sick, Ma?" + +"Yes, dear, it has come." + +He grasped her hot outstretched hand and fell on his knees in sobbing +anguish. He knew now--it was the angel of Death he had seen. + + +XIII + +Death stood at the door with drawn sword to slay not to defend, but the +Boy resolved to fight. She should not give up--she should not die. He +would fight for her with all the hosts of hell and single-handed if he +must. + +He rose from his knees still holding her hand, his first hopeless burst +of despair over, his heart beating with desperate resolution. + +"You won't give up, will you, Ma?" he whispered. + +She smiled wanly and he rushed on with breathless intensity: "I'm not +going to let you die. I won't--I tell you I won't. I'll fight this +thing--and you've got to help me--won't you?" + +"I'm ready for God's will, my Boy," she said simply. + +"I don't want you to say that!" he pleaded. "I want you to fight and +never give up. Why you can't die, Ma--you just can't. You're my only +teacher now. There ain't no schools here. How can I learn books without +you to help me? Say you'll get well. Please say it for me--please, just +say it----" + +He paused and couldn't go on for a moment, "Say you'll try then--just +for me--please say it!" + +"I'll try, Boy," she said tenderly at last. + +He flew to the creek bank and in two hours came home with an armful of +fresh sarsaparilla roots. He cut and pounded them into a soft pulp and +made a poultice. Sarah helped him put it in place. He made his mother +drink the bitters every hour. He got stones ready and had them hot to +wrap in cloths and put to her feet the moment they felt cold. He +wouldn't take her word for it either. He kept slipping his little hands +under the cover to feel. + +The mother smiled at his tender, eager touch. + +"Now, Boy," she said softly. "I'm feeling comfortable, will you do +something for me?" + +"What is it?" he cried eagerly. + +She smiled again: + +"Read to me. I want to hear your voice." + +"All right--what?" + +"The Bible, of course." + +"What story?" + +"Not a story this time--the twenty-third Psalm." + +The Boy took the worn Bible from the shelf, sat down on the edge of the +bed, opened, and began in low tones to read: + +"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want----" + +His voice choked and he stopped: + +"O, Ma, I just can't read that now--why--why did he let this come to you +if He's your Shepherd--why--why--why!" + +He buried his face in his hands and her slender fingers touched his +hair: + +"He knows best, my son--read on--the words are sweet to my soul from +your lips." + +With an effort he opened the Book again: + +"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; + +"He leadeth me beside the still waters. + +"He restoreth my soul: + +"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. + +"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, + +"I will fear no evil; for thou art with me----" + +Again the voice choked into silence and he closed the Book. + +"I can't--I can't read it. I'm afraid you're going to give up!" he +sobbed. "O Ma, you won't, will you? Please say you won't?" + +"No, no, I won't give up, my Boy," she said soothingly. "I'm just ready +for anything He sends----" + +"But I don't want you to say that!" he broke in passionately. "You must +fight. You mustn't be ready. You mustn't think about dying. I won't let +you die--I tell you!" + +She stroked his forehead with gentle touch: + +"I won't give up for your sake----" + +"It's a promise now?" he cried. + +"Yes, I promise----" + +"Then I'm going for a doctor right away----" + +"You can't find him, Boy," his father said. "It's thirty miles across +the Ohio into Kentucky where he lives. An' in all this sickness he ain't +at home. Hit's foolishness ter go----" + +"I'll find him," was the firm response. + +The father made no further protest. He helped him saddle the horse, +buckled the stirrups to fit his little bare legs and gave him as clear +directions as he could. + +"The moon'll be shinin' all night, Boy," were his last words. "Yer can +cross the river before eight o'clock. Ef ye git lost on t'other side ax +yer way frum the fust house ye come to----" + +The Boy nodded, and when had fixed his bare toes in the stirrups he +leaned low and whispered: + +"You won't give up, Pa, will ye? You'll fight for her till I get back?" + +The big gnarled fist closed over the little hand on the pommel of the +saddle, and the father's voice was husky: + +"As long as there's breath in her body--hurry now." + +The last command was not needed. The horse felt the quiver of tense +suffering in the low voice and the nervous touch of the switch on his +side. With a quick bound he was off at a full gallop down the trail +toward the river. + +The sun had set before they reached the open country beyond the great +forest, but by seven o'clock the Boy saw from the hill top the shining +mirror of the river in the calm moonlit valley. Before night he had +succeeded in rousing the ferryman and reached the opposite shore. + +He lost the way once about nine o'clock and a settler whose light he saw +in the woods called sharply from the door with his rifle in hand: + +"Who are you?" + +"I'm just a little boy," the voice faltered. "I'm trying to find the +doctor's house. My mother's about to die and I'm lost. I want you to +show me the road." + +The rifle was lowered and the cabin stirred. The man dropped back and a +woman appeared in the door way. + +"Won't ye come in, Honey, and rest a minute and me give ye somethin' to +eat while Pa's gettin' ready to go with ye a piece?" + +"No'm I can't eat nuthin'----" + +He didn't dare go near that tender voice that spoke so clearly its +sympathy in the night. He would be crying in a minute if he did and he +couldn't afford that. + +The settler caught a horse and rode with him an hour to make sure he +wouldn't miss the way again. + +He reached the doctor's house by eleven o'clock, and to his joy found +him at home. The rough old man refused to move an inch until he had fed +his horse and eaten a hearty meal. + +The Boy tried to eat, but couldn't. The food stuck squarely in his +throat. It was no use. + +He went outside and waited beside his horse until the doctor was ready. +It seemed an eternity, the awful wait. How serene the still beauty of +the autumn night! Not a breath of wind stirred. The full moon hung in +the sky straight overhead, flooding the earth with silver radiance, +marking in clear and vivid lines the shadows of the trees on the ground. + +Bitter wonder and rebellion filled his young soul. How could God sit +unmoved among those shining stars and leave his mother to die! + +The doctor came at last and they started. + +In vain he urged that they gallop. + +"I won't do it, sir!" the old man snapped. "Your horse has come thirty +miles. I'll not let you kill him and I'm not going to kill myself +plunging over a rough road at night." + +They reached the cabin at daylight. The Boy saw the glow of the flame in +the big fireplace through the woods and his heart beat high with new +hope. Now that the doctor was here he felt sure her life could be saved. + +The Boy stood close by his side when he felt her pulse, and looked at +the strange whitish-brown coating on her tongue. + +"You can do something, Doctor?" he asked anxiously. + +"Yes," was the short answer. + +He asked for a towel and bowl and opened his saddlebags. He examined the +point of his lancet and bared the slender arm. + +"What are ye goin' ter do?" Tom asked with a frown. + +"Bleed her, of course. It's the only thing to do----" + +The Boy suddenly pushed himself between the doctor and the bed and +looked up into his stern face with a resolute stare: + +"You shan't do it. I don't know nothin' much about doctorin' but I got +sense enough to know that'll kill her--and you shan't do it!" + +The doctor looked angrily at the father. + +"I say so, too," Tom replied. "She's too weak for that." + +With a snort of anger, the old man threw the lancet into his saddlebags, +snapped them together and strode through the cabin door. + +The Boy followed him wistfully to the stable, and when he seized the +bridle to put on the horse, caught his hand and looked up: + +"Please don't go," he begged. "I'm mighty sorry I made you mad. I didn't +go to do it. You see----" his voice faltered--"I love her so I just +couldn't let you cut her arm open and see her bleed. I didn't mean to +hurt your feelings. Won't you stay and help us? Can't ye do somethin' +else for her? I'll pay ye. I'll go work for ye a whole year or five +years if ye want me--if you'll just save her--just save her, that's +all--don't go--please don't!" + +Something in the child's anguish found the rough old man's heart. His +eyes grew misty for a moment, he slipped one arm about the Boy's +shoulders and drew him close. + +"God knows I'd stay and do something if I could, Sonny, but I don't know +what to do. I'm not sure I'm right about the bleeding or I'd stay and +make you help me do it. But I'm not sure--I'm not sure--and I can do no +good by staying. Keep her warm, give her all the good food her stomach +will retain. That's all I can tell you. She's in God's hands." + +With a heavy heart the Boy watched him ride away as the sun rose over +the eastern hills. The doctor's last words sank into his soul. She was +in God's hands! Well, he would go to God and beg Him to save her. He +went into the woods, knelt behind a great oak and in the simple words of +a child asked for the desire of his heart. Three times every day and +every night he prayed. + +For four days no change was apparent. She was very weak and tired, but +suffered no pain. His prayer was heard and would be answered! + +The first symptom of failure in circulation, he promptly met by placing +the hot stones to her feet. And for hours he and Sarah would rub her +until the cold disappeared. + +On the morning of the seventh day she was unusually bright. + +"Why, you're better, Ma, aren't you?" he cried with joy. + +Her eyes were shining with a strange excitement: + +"Yes. I'm a lot better. I'm going to sit up awhile. I'm tired lying +down." + +She threw herself quickly on the side of the bed and her feet touched +the bear-skin rug. She rose trembling and smiling and took a step. She +tottered a bit, but the Boy was laughing and holding her arm. She +reached the chair by the fire and he wrapped a great skin about her feet +and limbs. + +"Look, Pa, she's getting well!" the Boy shouted. + +Tom watched her gravely without reply. + +She took the Boy's hand, still smiling: + +"I had such a wonderful dream," she began slowly--"the same one I had +before you were born, my Boy. God had answered my prayer and sent me a +son. I watched him grow to be a strong, brave, patient, wise and gentle +man. Thousands hung on his words and the great from the ends of the +earth came to do him homage. With uncovered head he led me into a +beautiful home with white pillars. And then he bowed low and whispered +in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel mother. I bought it for you with my +life. All that I am I owe to you'----" + +Her voice sank to a whisper that was half a sob and half a laugh. + +"See how she's smiling, Pa," the Boy cried. "She's getting well!" + +"Don't ye understand!" the father whispered. "Look--at her eyes--she's +not tellin' you a dream--she's looking through the white gates of +heaven--it's Death, Boy--it's come--Lord God, have mercy!" + +With a groan he dropped by her side and her thin hand rested gently on +his shaggy head. + +The Boy stared at her in agonizing wonder as she felt for his hand and +feebly held it. She was gazing now into the depths of his soul with her +pensive hungry eyes. + +"He good to your father, my son----" she paused for breath and looked at +him tenderly. She knew the father was the child of the future--this Boy, +the man. + +"Yes!" he whispered. + +"And love your sister----" + +"Yes." + +"Be a man among men, for your mother's sake----" + +"Yes, Ma, I will!" + +The little head bent low and the voice was silent. + +They went to work to make her coffin at noon. An unused walnut log of +burled fibre had been lying in the sun and drying for two years, since +Tom had built the furniture for the cabin. Dennis helped him rip the +boards from this dark, rich wood, shape and plane it for the pieces he +would need. + +The Boy sat with dry eyes and aching heart, making the wooden nails to +fasten these boards together. + +He stopped suddenly, walked to the bench at which his father was working +and laid by his side the first pins he had whittled. + +"I can't do it, Pa," he gasped. "I just can't make the nails for her +coffin. I feel like somebody's drivin' 'em through my heart!" + +The rugged face was lighted with tenderness as he slowly answered: + +"Why, we must make it, Boy--hit's the last thing we kin do ter show our +love fur her--ter make it all smooth an' purty outen this fine dark +wood. Yer wouldn't put her in the ground an' throw the cold dirt right +on her face, would you?" + +The slim figure shivered: + +"No--no--I wouldn't do that! Yes, I'll help--we must make it beautiful, +mustn't we?" + +And then he went back to the pitiful task. + +They dug her grave, these loving hands, father and son and orphan waif, +on a gentle hill in the deep woods. As the sun sank in a sea of scarlet +clouds next day, they lowered the coffin. The father lifted his voice in +a simple prayer and the Boy took his sister's hand and led her in +silence back to the lonely cabin. He couldn't stay to see them throw +the dirt over her. He couldn't endure it. + +[Illustration: "'Be a man among men for your mother's sake--'"] + +He had heard of ghosts in graveyards, and he wondered vaguely if such +things could be true. He hoped it was. When the others were asleep, just +before day, he slipped noiselessly from his bed and made his way to her +grave. + +The waning moon was shining in cold white splendor. The woods were +silent. He watched and waited and hoped with half-faith and half-fear +that he might see her radiant form rise from the dead. + +A leaf rustled behind him and he turned with a thrill of awful joy. He +wasn't afraid. He'd clasp her in his arms if he could. With firm step +and head erect, eyes wide and nostrils dilated, he walked straight into +the shadows to see and know. + +And there, standing in a spot of pale moonlight, stood his dog looking +up into his eyes with patient, loving sympathy. He hadn't shed a tear +since her death. Now the flood tide broke the barriers. He sank to the +ground, slipped his arm around the dog's neck, and sobbed aloud. + +He wrote a tear stained letter to the only parson he knew. It was his +first historic record and he signed his name in bold, well rounded +letters--"A. LINCOLN." Three months later the faithful old man came in +answer to his request and preached her funeral sermon. Something in the +lad's wistful eyes that day fired him with eloquence. Through all life +the words rang with strange solemn power in the Boy's heart: + +"O Death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! Blessed are +they that die in the Lord! Death is not the chill shadow of the +night--but the grey light of the dawn--the dawn of a new eternal day. +Lift up your eyes and see its beauty. Open your ears and hear the stir +of its wondrous life!" + +When the last friend had gone, the forlorn little figure stood beside +the grave alone. There was a wistful smile on his lips as he slowly +whispered: + +"I'll not forget, Ma, dear--I'll not forget. I'll live for you." + +Nor did he forget. In her slender figure a new force had appeared in +human history. The peasant woman of the old world has ever taught her +child contentment with his lot. And patient millions beyond the seas +bend their backs without a murmur to the task their fathers bore three +thousand years ago. + +Free America has given the race a new peasant woman. Born among the +lowliest of her kind, she walks earth's way with her feet in the dust, +her head among the stars. + +This one died young in the cabin beside the deep woods, but not before +her hand had kindled a fire of divine discontent in the soul of her son +that only God could extinguish. + + + + +_The Story_ + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE MAN OF THE HOUR + + +"It's positively uncanny----" + +Betty Winter paused on the top step of the Capitol and gazed over the +great silent crowd with a shiver. + +"The silence--yes," Ned Vaughan answered slowly. "I wondered if you had +felt it, too." + +"It's more like a funeral than an Inauguration." + +The young reporter smiled: + +"If you believe General Scott there may be several funerals in +Washington before the day's work is done." + +"And you _don't_ believe him?" the girl asked seriously. + +"Nonsense! All this feverish preparation for violence----" + +Betty laughed: + +"I'm afraid you're not a good judge of the needs of the incoming +administration. As an avowed Secessionist--you're hardly in their +confidence." + +"Thank God, I'm not." + +"What are those horses doing over there by the trees?" + +"Masked battery of artillery." + +"Don't be silly!" + +"It's true. Old Scott's going to save the Capital on Inauguration Day +any how! The Avenue's lined with soldiers--sharpshooters posted in the +windows along the whole route of the Inaugural procession, a company of +troops in each end of the Capitol. He has built a wooden tunnel from the +street into the north end of the building and that's lined with guards. +A squad of fifty soldiers are under the platform where we're going to +sit----" + +"No!" + +"Look through the cracks and see for yourself!" Vaughan cried with +scorn. + +The sparkling brown eyes were focused on the board platform. + +"I do see them moving," she said slowly, as a look of deep seriousness +swept the fair young face. "Perhaps General Scott's right after all. +Father says we're walking on a volcano----" + +"But not that kind of a volcano, Miss Betty," Vaughan interrupted. +"Senator Winter's an Abolitionist. He hates the South with every breath +he breathes." + +Betty nodded: + +"And prays God night and morning to give him greater strength with which +to hate it harder--yes----" + +"But you're not so blind?" + +"There must be a little fire where there's so much smoke. A crazy fool +might try to kill the new President." + +Ned Vaughan's slender figure stiffened: + +"The South won't fight that way. If they begin war it will be the most +solemn act of life. It will be for God and country, and what they +believe to be right. The Southern people are not assassins. When they +take Washington it will be with the bayonet." + +"And yet your brother had a taste of Southern feeling here the night of +the election when a mob broke in and smashed the office of the +_Republican_." + +"A gang of hoodlums," he protested. "Anything may happen on election +night to an opposition newspaper. The Southern men who formed that mob +will never give this administration trouble----" + +"I'm so anxious to meet your brother," Betty interrupted. "Why doesn't +he come?" + +"He's in the Senate Chamber for the ceremonies. He'll join us before the +procession gets here." + +"He's as handsome as everybody says?" she asked naively. + +"I'll admit he's a good-looking fellow if he is my brother." + +"And vain?" + +"As a peacock----" + +"Conceited?" + +"Very." + +"And a woman hater!" + +"Far from it--he's easy. He may not think so, but between us he's an +easy mark. I've always been afraid he'll make a fool of himself and +marry without the consent of his younger brother. He's a great care to +me." + +The brown eyes twinkled: + +"You love him very much?" + +Ned Vaughan nodded his dark head slowly: + +"Yes. We've quarrelled every day since the election." + +"Over politics?" + +"What else?" + +"Love, perhaps." + +The dark eyes met hers. + +"No, he hasn't seen you yet----" + +Betty's laugh was genial and contagious. + +He had meant to be serious and hoped that she would give him the opening +he'd been sparring for. But she refused the challenge with such +amusement he was piqued. + +"You're from Missouri, but you're a true Southerner, Mr. Vaughan." + +"And you're a heartless Puritan," he answered with a frown. + +She shook her golden brown curls: + +"No--no--no! My name's an accident. My father was born in Maine on the +Canada line. But my mother was French. I'm her daughter. I love sunlight +and flowers, music and foolishness--and dream of troubadours who sing +under my window. I hate long faces and gloom. But my father has +ambition. I love him, and so I endure things." + +Ned Vaughan looked at her timidly. For the life of him he couldn't make +her out. Was she laughing at him? He half suspected it, and yet there +was something sweet and appealing in the way she gazed into his eyes. He +gave it up and changed the subject. + +He had promised to bring John to-day and introduce him. He had been +prattling like a fool about this older brother. He wished to God now +something would keep him. The pangs of jealousy had already began to +gnaw at the thought of her hand resting in his. + +From the way Betty Winter had laughed she was quite capable of flying +two strings to her bow. And with all the keener interest because +they happened to be brothers. Why had she asked him so pointedly +about John? He had excited her curiosity, of course, by his silly +brother--hero-worship. He had told her of his brilliant career in New +York under Horace Greeley on the _Tribune_--of Greeley's personal +interest, and the flattering letter he had written to Colonel Forney, +which had made him the city editor of the New Party organ in +Washington--of his cool heroism the night the mob had attacked the +_Republican_ office--and last he had hinted of an affair over a woman in +New York that had led to a challenge and a bloodless duel--bloodless +because his opponent failed to appear. It was his own fault, of course, +if Betty was keeping him at arm's length to-day. No girl could fail to +be interested in such a man--no matter who her father might be--Puritan +or Cavalier. + +His arm trembled in spite of his effort at self-control as he led her +down the stately steps of the eastern facade toward the Inaugural +platform. He paused on the edge of the boards and pointed to the huge +bronze figure of the statue of Liberty which had been cast to crown the +dome of the Capitol. It lay prostrate in the mud and the crowds were +climbing over it. + +"I wonder if Miss Liberty will ever be lifted to her place on high?" he +said musingly. + +"If they do finish the dome," Betty replied, "and crown it with that +bronze, my father should sue for damages. One of his most eloquent +figures of speech will be ruined. That prostrate work of art lying in +the mud has given thousands of votes to the Republicans. I've caught +myself crying over his eloquence at times myself." + +Ned Vaughan smiled: + +"A queer superstition has grown up in Washington that the dome of the +Capitol will never be completed----" + +"Do you believe it?" + +"No. It will be finished. But I'm not sure whether Abraham Lincoln or +Jefferson Davis will preside on that occasion." + +"And I haven't the slightest doubt on that point," Betty said with quick +emphasis. + +"I thought you were not a student of politics?" he dryly observed. + +"I'm not. It's just a feeling. Women know things by intuition." + +The young man glanced upward at the huge crane which swung from the +unfinished structure of the dome. + +"Anyhow, Miss Betty," he said smilingly, "your Black Republican +President has a beautiful day for the Inaugural." + +"We'll hope it's a sign for the future--shall we?" + +"I hope so," was the serious answer. "God knows there haven't been many +happy signs lately. It was dark and threatening at dawn this morning and +a few drops of rain fell up to eight o'clock." + +"You were up at dawn?" the girl asked in surprise. + +"Yes. The Senate has been in session all night over the new amendment to +the Constitution guaranteeing to the South security in the possession of +their slaves." + +"And they passed it?" + +"Yes----" + +"Over my father's prostrate form?" + +"Yes--an administrative measure, too. I've an idea from the 'moderation' +of your father's remarks that there'll be some fun between the White +House and the Senate Chamber during the next four years. For my part I +share his scorn for such eleventh hour repentance. It's too late. The +mischief has been done. Secession is a fact and we've got to face it." + +"But we haven't heard from the new President yet," Betty ventured. + +"No. That's why this crowd's so still. For the first time since the +foundation of the government, the thousands banked in front of this +platform really wish to hear what a President-elect has to say." + +"Isn't that a tremendous tribute to the man?" + +"Possibly so--possibly not. He has been silent since his election. Not a +word has fallen from his lips to indicate his policy. He has more real +power from the moment he takes the oath of office than any crowned head +of Europe. From his lips to-day will fall the word that means peace or +war. That's why this crowd's so still." + +"It's weird," Betty whispered. "You can feel their very hearts beat. Do +you suppose the new President realizes the meaning of such a moment?" + +"I don't think this one will. I interviewed Stanton, the retiring +Attorney General of Buchanan's Cabinet, yesterday. He knows Lincoln +personally--was with him in a lawsuit once before the United States +Court. Stanton says he's a coward and a fool and the ugliest white man +who ever appeared on this planet. He has already christened him 'The +Original Gorilla,' or 'The Illinois Ape'----" + +"I wonder," Betty broke in with petulance, "if such a man could be +elected President? I'm morbidly curious to see him. My father, as an +Abolitionist, had to vote for him and he must support his administration +as a Republican Senator. But his favorite name for the new Chief +Magistrate is, 'The Illinois Slave Hound.' I've a growing feeling that +his enemies have overdone their work. I'm going to judge him fairly." + +Vaughan's lips slightly curved. + +"They say he's a good stump speaker--a little shy on grammar, perhaps, +but good on jokes--of the coarser kind. He ought to get one or two good +guffaws even out of this sober crowd to-day." + +"You think he'll stoop to coarse jokes?" + +"Of course----" + +"Is that your brother?" Betty asked with a quick intake of breath, +lifting her head toward a stalwart figure rapidly coming down the wide +marble steps. + +Ned Vaughan looked up with a frown: + +"How did you recognize him?" + +"By his resemblance to you, of course." + +"Thanks." + +"You're as much alike as two black-eyed peas--except that you're more +slender and boyish." + +"And not quite so good-looking?" + +A low mischievous laugh was her answer as John lifted his hat and stood +smiling before them. + +"Miss Winter, this is my brother, whose praises I've long been chanting. +I've a little work to do in the crowd--I'll be back in a few minutes." + +There was just a touch of irony in the smile with which the younger man +spoke as he hurried away, but the girl was too much absorbed in the +striking picture John Vaughan made to notice. The sparkling brown eyes +took him in from head to foot in a quick comprehending flash. The fame +of his personal appearance was more than justified. He was the most +strikingly good-looking man she had ever seen, and to her surprise there +was not the slightest trace of self-consciousness or conceit about him. +His high intellectual forehead, thick black hair inclined to curl at the +ends and straight heavy eyebrows suggested at once a man of brains and +power. He looked older than he was--at least thirty, though he had just +turned twenty-six. The square strong jaw and large chin were eloquent of +reserve force. Two rows of white, perfect teeth smiled behind the black +drooping moustache and invited friendship. The one disquieting feature +about him was the look from the depths of his dark brown eyes--so dark +they were black in shadow. He had been a dreamer when very young and +followed Charles A. Dana to Brook Farm for a brief stay. + +Before he had spoken a dozen words the girl felt the charm of his +singular and powerful personality. + +"I needn't say that I'm glad to see you, Miss Winter," he began, with a +friendly smile. "Ned has told me so much about you the past month I'd +made up my mind to join the Abolitionists, and apply for a secretaryship +to the Senator if I couldn't manage it any other way." + +"And you'll be content to resume a normal life after to-day?" + +She looked into his eyes with mischievous challenge. She had recovered +her poise. + +He laughed, and a shadow suddenly swept his face: + +"I wonder, Miss Winter, if any of us will live a normal life after +to-day?" + +"You've seen the Rail-splitter, our new President?" + +"No, I didn't wait in the Senate Chamber. I came out here to make sure +of my seat beside you----" + +"To hear every word of the Inaugural, of course," Betty broke in. + +"Yes, of course----" he paused and the faintest suggestion of a smile +flickered about the corners of his eyes. "Ned told me you had three good +seats. I am anxious to hear what he says--but more anxious to see him +when he says it. I can read his Inaugural, but I want to see the soul of +the man behind its conventional phrases----" + +"He'll use conventional phrases?" + +"Certainly. They all do. But no man ever came to the Presidential chair +with as little confidence back of him. The Abolitionists have already +begun to denounce him before he has taken the oath of office. The rank +and file of the party that elected him are not Abolitionists and never +for a moment believed that the Southern people were in earnest when they +threatened Secession during the campaign. We thought it bluff. To say +that the whole North and West is panic-stricken is the simple truth. + +"Horace Greeley and the _Tribune_ are for Secession. + +"'Let our erring sisters go!' the editor tells the millions who hang on +his words as the oracle of heaven. + +"The North has been talking Secession for thirty years, and now that the +South is doing what they've been threatening, we wake up and try to +persuade ourselves that no such right exists in a sovereign state. Yet +we all know that Great Britain surrendered to the thirteen colonies as +sovereign states and named each one of them in her articles of surrender +and our treaty of peace. We know that there never would have been a +Constitution or a Union if the men who drew it and created the Union had +dared to question the right of either of these sovereign states to +withdraw when they wished. They didn't dare to raise the question. They +left it for their children to settle. Now we're facing it with a +vengeance. + +"Our fathers only dreamed a Union. They never lived to see it. This +country has always been an aggregation of jangling, discordant, +antagonistic sections. How is this man who comes into power to-day, this +humble rail-splitter, this County Court advocate, to achieve what our +greatest statesmen have tried for nearly a hundred years and failed to +do? Seward, the man he has called to be Secretary of State, has been +here for two months, juggling with his enemies. He's a Secessionist at +heart and expects the Union to be divided----" + +"Surely," Betty interrupted, "you can't believe that." + +"It's true. We don't dare say this in our paper, but we know it. So sure +is Seward of the collapse of the Lincoln administration that he withdrew +his acceptance of the post of Secretary of State, only day before +yesterday. It's uncertain at this hour whether he'll be in the +cabinet----" + +"Why?" Betty asked in breathless surprise. + +The young editor was silent a moment and spoke in low tones: + +"You can keep a secret?" + +"State secrets--easily." + +"Mr. Seward expects to be called to a position of greater power than +President----" + +"You mean?" + +"The Dictatorship. That's the talk in the inner circles. Nobody in the +North expects war or wants war----" + +"Except my father," Betty laughed. + +"The Abolitionists don't count. If we have war there are not enough of +them to form a corporal's guard--to say nothing of an army. The North is +hopelessly divided and confused. If the South unites--if North Carolina, +Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Maryland join the +Confederacy under Davis, the Union is lost. What's going to hinder them +from uniting? They are all Slave States. They believe the new President +is a Black Abolitionist Republican. He isn't, of course, but they +believe it. How can he reassure them? The States that have already +plunged into Secession have hauled the flag down from every fort and +arsenal except Sumter and Pickens. The new President can only retake +these forts by force. The first shot fired will sweep every Slave State +out of the Union and arraign the millions of Democratic voters in the +North solidly against the Government. God pity the man who takes the +oath to-day to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution!" + +When John Vaughan's voice died away at last into a passionate whisper, +Betty stood looking at him in a spell. She recovered herself with a +start and a smile. + +"You've mistaken your calling, Mr. Vaughan," she said with emotion. + +"Why do you say that?" + +"You're a statesman--not an editor--you should be in the Cabinet." + +"Much obliged, Miss Betty--but I'm not in this one, thank you. Besides, +you're mistaken. I'm only an intelligent observer and reporter of +events. I've never had the will to do creative things." + +"Why?" + +"The responsibility is too great. Fools rush in where angels fear to +tread. Only God Almighty can save this Nation to-day. It's too much to +expect of one man." + +"Yet God must use man, mustn't He?" + +"Yes. That's why my soul goes out in sympathy to the lonely figure who +steps out of obscurity and poverty to-day to do this impossible thing. +No such responsibility was ever before laid on the shoulders of one man. +In all the history of the world he has no precedent, no guide----" + +Ned interrupted the flow of John's impassioned speech by suddenly +appearing with uplifted hand. + +"Never such a crowd as this!" + +"Why, they say it's smaller than usual!" Betty exclaimed. + +"I don't mean size," Ned went on rapidly. "It's their temper that's +remarkable. An Inauguration crowd should support the administration. The +Lord help the Rail-splitter if that sullen dumb mob are his +constituents! Half of them are downright hostile----" + +"Washington's a Southern town," John remarked. + +"They are not Washington folks--not one in a hundred. And the only +honest backers old Abe seems to have are about a thousand serious young +fellows from the West, whom General Scott has armed as a special guard +to circle the crowd." + +He paused and pointed to a group of a dozen Westerners standing beside a +bush in the outer rim of the throng. + +"There's a bunch of them--and there's one stationed every ten yards. The +artillery in position, the infantry in line, the sharpshooters masked in +windows, the guard under the platform with muskets cocked, and a +thousand volunteers to threaten the crowd from without, I think the new +President should get a respectful hearing! The procession is coming up +the Avenue now with a guard of sappers and miners packed so closely +around the open carriage you can't even see the top of old Abe's +head----" + +"Let's get our seats!" Betty cried. + +They had scarcely taken them when a ripple of excitement swept the crowd +as every head was turned toward the aisle that led down the centre of +the platform. + +"Oh, it's Mrs. Lincoln and the children and her sisters!" Betty +exclaimed. "What perfect taste in her dress! She knows how to wear it, +too. What a typical, plump, self-poised Southern matron she looks. And, +oh, those darling little boys--aren't they dears! She's a Kentuckian, +too--the irony of Fate! A Southerner with a Southern wife entering the +White House and eight great Southern States seceding from the Union +because of it. It's a funny world, isn't it?" + +"The South hardly claims Mr. Lincoln as a Southerner," Ned remarked +dryly. + +"Claim it or not, he is," John declared, nodding toward Betty, "as truly +a Southerner as Jefferson Davis. They were both born in Kentucky almost +on the same day----" + +Another ripple of excitement and the Diplomatic Corps entered with +measured stately tread, their gorgeous uniforms flashing in the sun. +They took their seats on the left of the canopy, Lord Lyons, the British +minister, seated beside the representative of the Court of France, two +men destined to play their parts in the drama of Life and Death on whose +first act the curtain of history was slowly rising. + +The black-robed Supreme Court of the Republic, in cap and gown, slowly +followed and took their places on the right, opposite the Diplomatic +Corps. + +The Marine band struck the first notes of the National Hymn amid a +silence whose oppressiveness could be felt. The tension of a great fear +had gripped the hearts of the crowd with icy fingers. The stoutest soul +felt its spell and was powerless to shake it off. + +Was it the end of the Republic? Or the storm clouded dawn of a new and +more wonderful life? God only could tell, and there were few men present +who dared to venture a prediction. + +A wave of subdued excitement rippled the throng and every eye was +focused on the procession from the Senate Chamber. + +"They're coming!" Betty whispered excitedly. + +The contrast between the retiring President, James Buchanan, and Abraham +Lincoln was startling even at the distance of the first view from the +platform. The man of the old era was heavy and awkward in his movements, +far advanced in years, with thin snow white hair, his pallid full face +seamed and wrinkled and his head curiously inclined to the left +shoulder. An immense white cravat like a poultice pushed his high +standing collar up to the ears. The sharp contrast of the black +swallow-tailed coat, with the dead white of cravat, collar, face and +hair, suggested the uncanny idea of a moving corpse. + +With his eyes fixed on Buchanan, John suddenly exclaimed: + +"A man who's dead and don't know it!" + +Only for a moment did the actual President hold the eye. The man of the +hour loomed large at the head of the procession and instantly fixed the +attention of every man and woman within the range of vision. His giant +figure seemed to tower more than a foot above his surroundings. +Everything about him was large--an immense head, crowned with thick +shock of coarse black hair, his strong jaws rimmed with bristling new +whiskers, long arms and longer legs, large hands, big features, every +movement quick and powerful. The first impression was one of enormous +strength. He looked every inch the stalwart backwoods athlete, capable +of all the feats of physical strength campaign stories had credited to +his record. One glance at his magnificent frame and no one doubted the +boast of his admirers that he could lift a thousand pounds, five hundred +in each hand, or bend an iron poker by striking it across the muscle of +his arm. + +As he reached the speaker's stand beneath the crowded canopy, there was +an instant's awkward pause. In his new immaculate dress suit with black +satin vest, shining silk hat and gold-headed cane, he seemed a little +ill at ease. He looked in vain for a place to put his hat and cane and +finally found a corner of the railing against which to lean the stick, +but there seemed no place left for his new hat. Senator Stephen A. +Douglas, his defeated Northern opponent for the Presidency, with a +friendly smile, took it from his hands. + +As Douglas slipped gracefully back to his seat, he whispered to the lady +beside him: + +"If I can't be President, at least I can hold his hat!" + +The simple, but significant, act of courtesy from the great leader of +the Northern Democracy was not lost on the new Chief Magistrate. He +could hardly believe what his eyes had seen at first, and then he +smiled. Instantly the rugged features were transformed and his whole +being was lighted with a strange soft radiance whose warmth was +contagious. + +Betty's eyes were dancing with excitement. + +"He's not ugly at all!" she whispered. + +Ned softly laughed: + +"He certainly is not a beauty?" + +"Who expects beauty in a real man?" she answered, with a touch of scorn. +And Ned shot a look of inquiry at John's handsome face. But the older +brother was too intent on the drama before him to notice. The editor's +eyes were riveted on the new President, studying every detail of his +impressive personality. He had never seen him before and was trying to +form a just and accurate judgment of his character. Beyond a doubt he +was big physically--this impression was overwhelming--everything +large--the head with its high crown of skull and thick, bushy hair, deep +cavernous eyes, heavy eyebrows which moved in quick sympathy with every +emotion, large nose, large ears, large mouth, large, thick under lip, +very high cheek bones, massive jaw bones with upturned chin, a sinewy +long neck, long arms, and large hands, long legs, and big feet. A giant +physically--and yet somehow he gave the impression of excessive +gauntness and about his face there dwelt a strange impression of sadness +and spiritual anguish. The hollowness of his cheeks accented by his +swarthy complexion emphasized this. + +The crowd had recognized him instantly, but without the slightest +applause. The silence was intense, oppressive, painful. John glanced up +and saw the huge figure of Senator Wigfall, of Texas, looking down on +the scene from the base of one of the white columns of the central +facade. He waved his arm defiantly and laughed. His presence in the +Senate after all his associates had withdrawn was the subject of keen +speculation. He was believed to be a spy of the Confederate Government. +He had asked General Scott, half in jest, if he would dare to arrest a +Senator of the United States for treason. The answer was significant of +the times. Looking the Senator straight in the eye the old hero slowly +said: + +"No--I'd blow him to hell!" + +Evidently the Senator was not as yet unduly alarmed. His expression of +triumphant contempt for the evident lack of enthusiasm could not be +mistaken. When John Vaughan recalled the confusion in the ranks of the +triumphant party he knew that the Senator's scorn would he redoubled if +he but knew half the truth. Again he turned toward the tall, lonely man +with sinking heart. + +The ceremony moved swiftly. The silence was too oppressive to admit +delay. Senator Baker, of Oregon, the warm personal friend of Lincoln, +stepped quickly to the edge of the platform. With hand outstretched in +an easy graceful gesture, he said: + +"Fellow Citizens: I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, the +President-elect of the United States of America." + +Again the silence of death, as the once ragged, lonely, barefoot boy +from a Kentucky cabin stepped forward into the fiercest light that ever +beat on human head. + +He quickly adjusted his glasses, drew his tall figure to its full +height, and began to read his address, his face suddenly radiant with +the poise of conscious reserve power, oblivious of crowd, ceremony, +hostility or friendship. His voice was strong, high pitched, clear, +ringing, and his articulation singularly and beautifully perfect. His +words carried to the outer edge of the vast silent throng. + +Betty watched his mobile features with increasing fascination. His bushy +eyebrows and the muscles of his sensitive face moved and flashed in +sympathy with every emotion. In a countenance of such large and rugged +lines every movement spoke unusual power. The lift of an eyebrow, the +curve of the lip, the flash of the eye were gestures more eloquent than +the impassioned sweep of the ordinary orator's arm. He made no gesture +with hand or arm or the mass of his towering body. No portrait of this +man had ever been made. She had seen many pictures and not one of them +had suggested the deep, subtle, indirect expression of his +face--something that seemed to link him with the big forces of nature. + +The crowd was feeling this now and men were leaning forward from their +seats on the platform. The venerable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, +Roger B. Taney, whose clear, accurate and mercilessly logical decision +on Slavery had created the storm which swept Lincoln into power, was +watching him with bated breath, and not for an instant during the +Inaugural address did he lower his sombre eyes from the face of the +speaker. + +John C. Breckenridge, the retiring Vice-President, his defeated opponent +from the Southern States, the proud Kentucky chevalier, was listening +with keen and painful intensity, his handsome cultured features pale +with the consciousness of coming tragedy. + +His opening words had been reassuring to the South, but woke no response +from the silent thousands who stood before him as he went on: + +"I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have +no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so." + +The simplicity, directness and clearness of this statement could find no +parallel in the pompous words of his predecessors. The man was talking +in the language of the people. It was something new under the sun. + +And then, with the clear ring of a trumpet, each syllable falling clean +cut and sharp with marvellous distinctness, he continued: + +"I hold that the Union of these States is perpetual----" + +He paused for an instant, his voice suddenly failing from deep emotion +and then, as if stung by the silence with which this thrilling thought +was received, he uttered the only words not written in his manuscript, +and made the only gesture of his entire address. His great fist came +down with a resounding smash on the table and in tones heard by the last +man who hung on the edge of the throng, he said: + +"No State has the right to secede!" + +And still no cheer came from the strangely silent crowd--only a vague +shiver swept the hearts of the Southern people before him. If the North +loved the Union they were giving no tokens to the tall, lonely figure on +that platform. + +At last the sentences, big with the fate of millions, were slowly and +tenderly spoken: + +"I shall take care that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in +all the States. Doing this I deem to be a simple duty on my part, and I +shall perform it----" + +At last he had touched the hidden powder magazine with an electric +spark, and a cheer swept the crowd. It died away at last--rose with new +power and rose a third time before it subsided, and the clear voice went +on: + +"I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as the declared +purpose of the Union that it will constitutionally defend and maintain +itself. In doing this there needs be no bloodshed or violence; and there +shall be none unless it be forced upon the National authority. The power +confided in me will be used to hold and occupy and possess the property +and places belonging to the Government." + +Again the powder mine exploded, and a cheer rose. The grim walls of Fort +Sumter and Pickens, in far off Southern waters, flashed red before every +eye. + +The applause suddenly died away into the old silence, and a man in the +crowd before the platform yelled: + +"We're for Jefferson Davis!" + +There was no answer and no disorder--only the shrill cry of the +Southerner through the silence, and the speaker continued his address. +Senator Douglas looked uneasily over the crowd toward the spot from +whence came the cry. His brow wrinkled with a frown. + +John Vaughan leaned toward Betty and whispered half to himself: + +"I wonder if those cheers were defiance after all?" + +But the girl was too intent on the words of the speaker to answer. His +next sentence brought a smile and a nod of approval from Senator +Douglas. + +"But beyond what may be necessary for those objects, there will be no +invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere----" + +Again and again Douglas nodded his approval and spoke it in low tones: + +"Good! Good! That means no coercion." + +And then, followed in solemn tones, the fateful sentences: + +"In _your_ hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in _mine_ +is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail +_you_ unless you _first_ assail _it_. You can have no conflict without +yourselves being the aggressors. _You_ have no oath registered in Heaven +to destroy the Government, while _I_ shall have the most solemn one to +'preserve, protect and defend' it. _You_ can forbear the _assault_ upon +it; _I_ can _not_ shrink from the _defense_ of it----" + +Again he paused, and the crowd hung spellbound as he began his closing +paragraph in tender persuasive accents throbbing with emotion, his clear +voice breaking for the first time: + +"I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be +enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds +of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every +battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all +over this broad land will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again +touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." + +The closing words fell from his sensitive lips with the sad dreamy eyes +blinded by tears. + +At last he had touched the hearts of all. The sincerity and beauty of +the simple appeal for the moment hushed bitterness and passion and the +cheer was universal. + +The black-robed figure of the venerable Chief Justice stepped forward +with extended open Bible. His bony, trembling fingers and cadaverous +intellectual face gave the last touch of dramatic contrast between the +old and new regimes. + +The tall, dark man reverently laid his left hand on the open Book, +raised his right arm, and slowly repeated the words of the oath: + +"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of +President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, +preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so +help me God!" + +The words had scarcely died on his lips when the distant boom of cannon +proclaimed the new President. The crowd on the platform rose and stood +with uncovered heads, while the procession formed in the same order as +at its entrance and returned to the White House. + +"What do you think of it?" Betty asked breathlessly, turning to Ned. + +The firm young lips came together with sudden passion: + +"The argument has ended. To your tents, O Israel! It means war----" + +"Nonsense," John broke in impetuously. "It means anything or nothing. +It's hot and cold--a straddle, a contradiction----" + +He paused and turned to Betty: + +"What do you think?" + +"Of the President?" she asked dreamily. + +"Of his Inaugural," John corrected. + +"I don't know whether it means peace or war, not being a statesman, but +of one thing I'm sure----" + +She paused and Ned leaned close: + +"Yes?" + +"That a great man has appeared on the scene----" + +Both men laughed and she went on with deep earnestness: + +"I mean it--he's splendid--he's wonderful! He's a poet--a dreamer--and +so typically Southern, Mr. Ned Vaughan. I could easily picture him +fighting a duel over a fine point of honor, as he did once. He's +patient, careful, wise, cautious--very tender and very strong. To me +he's inspired----" + +Again both men laughed. + +"I honestly believe that God has sent him into the Kingdom for such a +time as this." + +"You get that impression from his rambling address with its obvious +effort to straddle the Universe?" John asked incredulously. + +"Not from what he said," Betty persisted, "so much as the way he said +it--though I got the very clear idea that his purpose is to save the +Union. He made that thought ring through my mind over all others." + +"You really like him?" Ned asked with a cold smile. + +"I love him," was the eager answer. "He's adorable. He's genuine--a man +of the people. We've had many Presidents who wore purple and fine linen +and professed democracy--now we've the real thing. I wonder if they'll +crucify him. All through his address I could see the little ragged +forlorn boy standing beside his mother's grave crying his heart out in +despair and loneliness. He's wonderful. And he's not overawed by these +big white pillars above us, either. The man who tries to set up for a +Dictator while he's in the White House will find trouble----" + +"The two leading men he has called to his cabinet," John broke in +musingly, "hold him in contempt." + +"There's a surprise in store for Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase," Betty +ventured. + +"I'm afraid your father will not agree with you, Miss Betty," Ned +laughed, glancing toward Senator Winter. "I foresee trouble for you." + +"No danger. My father never quarrels with me over politics. He just +pities my ignorance and lets it go at that. He never condescends to my +level----" + +She stopped suddenly and waved her hand toward the group of excited men +who had gathered around Senator Winter. + +A smile of recognition lighted the sombre Puritan face, as he pushed his +friends aside and rapidly approached. + +"How's my little girl?" he cried tenderly. "Enjoy the show?" + +"Yes, dear, immensely--you know Mr. John Vaughan, Father, don't you?" + +The old man smiled grimly as he extended his hand: + +"I know who he is--though I haven't had the honor of an introduction. +I'm glad to see you, Mr. Vaughan--though I don't agree with many of your +editorials." + +"We'll hope for better things in the future, Senator," John laughed. + +"What's your impression of the Inaugural, Senator?" Ned asked, with a +twinkle of mischief in his eye. + +"You are asking me that as a reporter, young man, or as a friend of my +daughter?" + +"Both, sir." + +"Then I'll give you two answers. One for the public and one for you. +I've an idea you're going to be a rebel, sir----" + +"We hope not, Senator," John protested. + +"I've my suspicions from an interview we had once. But you're a good +reporter, sir. I trust your ability and honesty however deeply I suspect +your patriotism. As a Republican Senator I say to you for publication: +The President couldn't well have said less. It might have been unwise to +say more. To you, as a budding young rebel and a friend of my daughter, +I say, with the utmost frankness, that I have no power to express my +contempt for that address. From the lips of the man we elected to +strangle Slavery fell the cowardly words: + +"'I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the +institution of Slavery in the States where it exists'----" + +The grim blue-grey eyes flashed with rage, he paused for breath and +then, livid with suppressed emotion, continued: + +"For fifty years every man who has stood on this platform to take the +oath as President has turned his face to the South and bowed the knee to +Baal. We hoped for better things to-day----" He paused a moment and his +eyes filled with angry tears: + +"How long, O Lord! How long!" + +"But you mustn't forget, Senator, that he didn't run and we didn't win +on an Abolition platform. We only raised the issue of the extension of +Slavery into the new territories----" + +"Yes!" the old man sneered. "But you didn't fool the South! They are +past masters in the art of politics. The South is seceding because they +know that the Republican Party was organized to destroy Slavery--and +that its triumph is a challenge to a life and death fight on that issue. +It's a waste of time to beat the devil round the stump. We've got to +face it. I hate a trimmer and a coward!--But don't you dare print that +for a while, young man----" + +"Hardly, sir," Ned answered with a smile. + +"I've got to support my own administration for a few days at least--and +then!--well, we won't cross any bridges till we come to them." + +He stopped abruptly and turned to John: + +"Come to see us, Mr. Vaughan. Your paper should be a power before the +end of the coming four years. I know Forney, your chief. I'd like to +know you better----" + +"Thank you, Senator," the young editor responded cordially. + +"Can't you dine with us to-morrow night, Mr. Vaughan?" Betty asked, +unconsciously bending toward his straight, well poised figure. Ned +observed her with a frown, and heard John's answer in a sudden surge of +anger. + +"Certainly, Miss Betty, with pleasure." + +To Ned's certain knowledge it was the first invitation of the kind he +had accepted since his advent in Washington. Again he cursed himself for +a fool for introducing them. + +Betty beamed her friendliest look straight into his eyes and softly +said: + +"You'll come, of course, Mr. Ned?" + +For the life of him he couldn't get back his conventional tones for an +answer. His voice trembled in spite of his effort. + +"Thank you," he said slowly, "it will not be possible. I've an +assignment at the White House for that evening." + +He turned abruptly and left them. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +JANGLING VOICES + + +The roar of the Inauguration passed, and Washington was itself again--an +old-fashioned Southern town of sixty thousand inhabitants, no longer +asleep perhaps, but still aristocratic, skeptical, sneering in its +attitude toward the new administration. + +Behind the scenes in his Cabinet reigned confusion incredible. The tall +dark backwoodsman who presided over these wrangling giants appeared at +first to their superior wisdom a dazed spectator. + +He had called them because they were indispensable. Now that the issues +were to be faced, Mr. Seward, Mr. Chase, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Bates +realized that the country lawyer who had won the Presidency over their +superior claims knew his weakness and relied on their strength, +training, and long experience in public affairs. + +Certainly it had not occurred to one of them that his act in calling the +greatest men of his party, and the party of opposition as well, into his +Cabinet was a deed of such intellectual audacity that it scarcely had a +parallel in history. + +Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, had reluctantly consented to enter +the Cabinet at the last moment as an act of patriotism to save the +country from impending ruin too great for any other man to face. His +attitude was a reasonable one. He was the undoubted leader of the +triumphant party. + +Without a moment's hesitation on the first day of his service as +Secretary of State he assumed the position of a Prime Minister, whose +duties included a general supervision of all the Departments of +Government, as well as a Regent's supervision over the Executive. + +Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, at once took up the +gauntlet thrown down by his rival. He not only regarded the President +with contempt, but he extended it to the political trickster who dared +to assume the airs of Premiership in a Democratic Republic. + +To these Cabinet meetings came no voices of comfort from the country. +The Abolitionist press, which represented the aggressive conscience of +the North, continued to ridicule and denounce the Inaugural address in +unmeasured terms. + +The simple truth was soon apparent to the sombre eyes of the President. +He was facing the gravest problem that ever confronted a statesman +without an organized party on which he could depend for support. But two +of his Cabinet had any confidence in his ability or genuine +loyalty--Gideon Welles, a Northern Democrat, and Montgomery Blair, a +Southern aristocrat. + +The problem before him was bigger than faction, bigger than party, +bigger than Slavery. Could a government founded on the genuine +principles of Democracy live? Could such a Union be held together +composed of warring sections with vast territories extending over +thousands of miles, washed by two oceans extending from the frozen +mountains of Canada to the endless summers of the tropics? + +If the Southern people should unite in a slave-holding Confederacy, it +was not only a question as to whether he could shape an army mighty +enough to conquer them, the more urgent and by far the graver problem +was whether he could mould into unity the warring factions of the +turbulent, passion-torn North. These people who had elected him--could +he ever hope to bind them into a solid fighting unit? If their +representatives in his Cabinet were truly representatives the task was +beyond human power. + +And yet the tall, lonely figure calmly faced it without a tremor. In the +depths of his cavernous eyes there burned a steady flame but few of the +men about him saw, or understood if they saw--that flame was something +new in the history of the race--a faith in the common man which dared to +give a new valuation to the individual and set new standards for the +Democracy of the world. He believed that the heart of the masses of the +people North, South, East and West was sound at the core and that as +their Chief Magistrate he could ultimately appeal to them over the heads +of all traditions--all factions, and all accepted leaders. + +He was the most advised man and the worst advised man in history. It +became necessary to think for himself or cease to think at all. + +General Scott, the venerable hero of Lundy Lane, in command of the army, +had suggested as a solution of the turmoil the division of the country +into four separate Confederacies and had roughly drawn their outlines! + +Horace Greeley had made the _Tribune_ the most powerful newspaper in the +history of America. The Republicans throughout the country had been +educated by its teachings and held its authority second only to the Word +of God. And yet from the moment of Lincoln's election the chief +occupation of this powerful paper was to criticize and condemn the +measures and policies of the President. + +Over and over he repeated the deadly advice to the Nation: + +"If the Cotton States shall decide that they can do better out of the +Union than in it, we insist on letting them go in peace." + +He serenely insisted: + +"If eight Southern States, having five millions of people, choose to +separate from us, they cannot be permanently withheld from doing so by +Federal cannon. The South has as good right to secede from the Union as +the Colonies had to secede from Great Britain. If they choose to form an +independent Nation they have a clear moral right to do so, and we will +do our best to forward their views." + +Is it to be wondered at that the Southern people were absolutely clear +in their conception of the right to secede if such doctrines were taught +in the North by the highest authority within the party which had elected +Abraham Lincoln? + +If his own party leaders were boldly proclaiming such treason to the +Union how could he hope to stem the tide that had set in for its ruin? + +The thousands of conservative men North and South who voted for Bell and +Everett demanded peace at any price. An orator in New York at a great +mass meeting dared to say: + +"If a revolution of force is to begin it shall be inaugurated at home! +It will be just as brutal to send men to butcher our brothers of the +South as it will be to massacre them in the Northern States." + +The business interests of the Northern cities were bitterly and +unanimously arrayed against any attempt to use force against the South. +The city of New York was thoroughly imbued with Secession sentiment, and +its Mayor, through Daniel E. Sickles, one of the members of Congress, +demanded the establishment of a free and independent Municipal State on +the island of Manhattan. + +Seward had just written to Charles F. Adams, our minister to England: + +"Only an imperial and despotic government could subjugate thoroughly +disaffected and insurrectionary members of the State. This Federal +Republican country of ours is, of all forms of Government, the very one +which is the most unfitted for such a labor." + +This letter could only mean one of two things, either that the first +member of the Cabinet was a Secessionist and meant to allow the South to +go unmolested, or he planned to change our form of Government by a _coup +d'etat_ in the crisis and assume the Dictatorship. In either event his +attitude boded ill for the new President and his future. + +Wendell Phillips, the eloquent friend of Senator Winter, declared in +Boston in a public address: + +"Here are a series of states who think their peculiar institutions +require that they should have a separate government. They have the right +to decide that question without appealing to you or me. Standing with +the principles of '76 behind us, who can deny them the right? Abraham +Lincoln has no right to a soldier in Fort Sumter. There is no longer a +Union. You can not go through Massachusetts and recruit men to bombard +Charleston or New Orleans. Nothing but madness can provoke a war with +the Gulf States." + +The last member of his distracted, divided, passion-ridden Cabinet had +gone at the close of its first eventful sitting. The dark figure of the +President stood beside the window looking over the mirror-like surface +of the Potomac to the hills of Virginia. + +The shadow of a great sorrow shrouded his face and form. The shoulders +drooped. But the light in the depths of his sombre eyes was growing +steadily in intensity. + +Old Edward, the veteran hallman, appeared at the door with his endless +effort to wash his hands without water. + +"A young gentleman wishes to see you, sir, a reporter I think--Mr. Ned +Vaughan, of the _Daily Republican_." + +Without lifting his eyes from the Virginia hills, the quiet voice said: + +"Let him in." + +In vain the wily diplomat of the press sought to obtain a declaration of +policy on the question of the relief of Fort Sumter. In his easy, +friendly way the President made him welcome, but only smiled and slowly +shook his head in answer to each pointed question, or laughed aloud at +the skillful traps he was invited to enter. + +"It's no use, my boy," he said at last, with a weary gesture. "I'm not +going to tell you anything to-day----" he paused, and the light suddenly +flashed from beneath his shaggy brows, "----except this--you can say to +your readers that my course is as plain as a turnpike road. It is marked +out by the Constitution. I am in no doubt which way to go. I am going to +try to save the Union." + +"In short," Ned laughed, "you propose to stand by your Inaugural?" + +"That's a pretty good guess, young man! I'm surprised that you paid such +close attention to my address." + +"Perhaps I had an interpreter?" + +"Did you?" + +"Yes." + +"Who?" + +"A very beautiful young woman, Mr. President," Ned answered serenely. + +The hazel-grey eyes twinkled: + +"What's her name, sir?" + +"Miss Betty Winter." + +"Not the daughter of that old grizzly bear who's always camping on my +trail?" + +"The same, sir." + +The swarthy face lighted with a radiant smile: + +"What did she say about my Inaugural?" + +"That it was the utterance of a wise, patient, great man." + +Two big hands suddenly closed on Ned's and the tall figure bent low. + +"Thank you for telling me that, my boy. It helps me after a hard day!" + +"She said many other things, too, sir," Ned added. + +"Did she?" + +"With enthusiasm." + +"Tell her to come to me," the President said slowly. "I want to talk to +her." + +He paused, turned to his desk and seized a pen: + +"I'll send a subpoena for her--that's better." + +On one of his cards he quickly wrote: + + "MY DEAR MISS WINTER: + + "You are hereby summoned to immediately appear before the Chief + Magistrate to testify concerning grave matters of State. + + A. LINCOLN." + +He slipped his long arm around Ned's shoulder and walked with him to the +door: + +"Serve that on her for me, will you, right away?" + +With a nod and a smile, the reporter bowed and turned his steps toward +the Senator's house. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +IN BETTY'S GARDEN + + +Ned Vaughan paused with a moment of indecision before the plain, +old-fashioned, brick house in which Senator Winter lived on the Capitol +Hill. It was a confession of abject weakness to decline her invitation +to dinner with his brother and jump at the first chance to butt in +before the dinner hour. + +Why should he worry? She was too serious and honest to play with any +man, to say nothing of an attempt to flirt with two at the same time. + +He refused to believe in the seriousness of any impression she had made +on his brother's conceited fancy. His light love affairs had become +notorious in his set. He was only amusing himself with Betty and she was +too simple and pure to understand. Yet to warn her at this stage of the +game against his own brother was obviously impossible. + +He suddenly turned on his heel: + +"I'm a fool. I'll wait till to-morrow!" + +He walked rapidly to the corner, stopped abruptly, turned back to the +door and rang the bell. + +"Anyhow, I'm not a coward!" he muttered. + +The pretty Irish maid who opened the door smiled graciously and +knowingly. It made him furious. She mistook his rage for blushes and +giggled insinuatingly. + +"Miss Betty's in the garden, sor; she says to come right out there----" + +"What?" Ned gasped. + +"Yiss-sor; she saw you come up to the door just now and told me to tell +you." + +Again the girl giggled and again he flushed with rage. + +He found her in the garden, busy with her flowers. The border of tall +jonquils were in full bloom, a gorgeous yellow flame leaping from both +sides of the narrow walkway which circled the high brick wall covered +with a mass of honeysuckle. She held a huge pair of pruning shears, +clipping the honeysuckle away from the budding violet beds. + +She lifted her laughing brown eyes to his. + +"Do help me!" she cried. "This honeysuckle vine is going to cover the +whole garden and smother the house itself, I'm afraid." + +He took the shears from her pink fingers and felt the thrill of their +touch for just a moment. + +His eyes lingered on the beautiful picture she made with flushed face +and tangled ringlets of golden brown hair falling over forehead and +cheeks and white rounded throat. The blue gingham apron was infinitely +more becoming than the most elaborate ball costume. It suggested home +and the sweet intimacy of comradeship. + +"You're lovely in that blue apron, Miss Betty," he said with +earnestness. + +"Then I'm forgiven for making home folks of you?" + +"I'm very happy in it." + +"Well, you see I had no choice," she hastened to add. "I just had to +finish these flowers before dressing for dinner. I'm expecting that +handsome brother of yours directly and I must look my best for him, now +mustn't I?" + +She smiled into his eyes with such charming audacity he had to laugh. + +"Of course, you must!" he agreed, and bent quickly to the task of +clearing her violet bed of entangled vines. In ten minutes his strong +hand had done the work of an hour for her slender fingers. + +"How swiftly and beautifully you work, Ned!" she exclaimed as he rose +with face flushed and gazed a moment admiringly on the witchery of her +exquisite figure. + +"How would you like me for a steady gardener?" + +"I hope you're not going to lose your job on your brother's paper?" + +"It's possible." + +"Why?" + +"We don't agree on politics." + +"A reporter don't have to agree with an editor. He only obeys orders." + +"That's it," Ned answered, with a firm snap of his strong jaw. "I'm not +going to take orders from this Government many more days from the +present outlook." + +Betty looked him straight in the eye in silence and slowly asked: + +"You're not really going to join the rebels?" + +The slender boyish figure suddenly straightened and his lips quivered: + +"Perhaps." + +"You can't mean it!" she cried incredulously. + +"Would you care?" he asked slowly. + +"Very much," was the quick answer. "I should be shocked and disappointed +in you. I've never believed for a moment that you meant what you said. I +thought you were only debating the question from the Southern side." + +"Tell me," Ned broke in, "does your father mean half he says about +Lincoln and the South?" + +"Every word he says. My father is made of the stuff that kindles martyr +fires. He will march to the stake for his principles when the time +comes." + +"You admire that kind of man?" + +"Don't you?" + +"Yes. And for that reason I can't understand why you admire a trimmer +and a time server." + +"You mean?" + +"The Rail-splitter in the White House." + +"But he's not!" Betty protested. "I can feel the hand of steel beneath +his glove--wait and see." + +Ned laughed: + +"Let Ephraim alone, he's joined to his idols! As our old preacher used +to say in Missouri. Your delusion is hopeless. It's well the President +is safely married." + +Betty's eyes twinkled. Ned paused, blushed, fumbled in his pocket and +drew out the card the President had given him to deliver. + +"I am ordered by the administration," he gravely continued, "to serve +this document on the daughter of Senator Winter." + +Betty's eyes danced with amazement as she read the message in the +handwriting of the Chief Magistrate. + +"He sent this to me?" + +[Illustration: "'Good-bye--Ned!' she breathed softly."] + +"Ordered me to serve it on you at once--my excuse for coming at this +unseemly hour." + +"But why?" + +"I gave him a hint of your opinion of his Inaugural. I think it's a case +of a drowning man grasping a straw." + +"Well, this is splendid!" she exclaimed. + +"You take it seriously?" + +"It's a great honor." + +"And are you going?" + +"I'd go to-night if it were possible--to-morrow sure----" + +She looked at the card curiously. + +"I've a strange presentiment that something wonderful will come of this +meeting." + +"No doubt of it. When Senator Winter's daughter becomes the champion of +the 'Slave Hound of Illinois' there'll be a sensation in the Capital +gossip to say nothing of what may happen at home." + +"I'll risk what happens at home, Ned! My father has two great passions, +the hatred of Slavery and the love of his frivolous daughter. I can +twist him around my little finger----" + +She paused, snapped her finger and smiled up into his face sweetly: + +"Do you doubt it, sir?" + +"No," he answered with a frown, dropping his voice to low tender tones. +"But would you mind telling me, Miss Betty, why you called me 'Mr. Ned' +the other day when I introduced you to John?" + +The faintest tinge of red flashed in her cheeks: + +"I must have done it unconsciously." + +"Please don't do it again. It hurts. You've called me Ned too long to +drop it now, don't you think?" + +"Yes." + +Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she took his hand in parting. + +"Good-bye--Ned!" she breathed softly. + +And then he did a foolish thing, but the impulse was resistless. He bent +low, reverently kissed the tips of her fingers and fled without daring +to look back. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A PAIR OF YOUNG EYES + + +When Betty's card was sent in at the White House next morning, a smile +lighted the sombre face of the President. He waved his long arms +impulsively to his Secretaries and the waiting crowd of Congressmen: + +"Clear everybody out for a few minutes, boys; I've an appointment at +this hour." + +The tall figure bowed with courtly deference over the little hand and +his voice was touched with deep feeling: + +"I want to thank you personally, Miss Betty, for your kind words about +my Inaugural. They helped and cheered me in a trying moment." + +"I'm glad," was the smiling answer. + +"Tell me everything you said about it?" he urged laughingly. + +"I'm afraid Mrs. Lincoln might not like it!" she said demurely. + +"We'll risk it. I'm going to take you in to see her in a minute. I want +her to know you. Tell me, what else did you say?" + +He spoke with the eager wistfulness of a boy. It was only too plain that +few messages of good cheer had come to lighten the burden his +responsibilities had brought. + +A smile touched her eyes with tender sympathy: + +"You won't be vain if I tell you exactly what I said, Mr. President?" + +"After all the brickbats that have been coming my way?" he laughed. No +man could laugh with more genuine hearty enjoyment. His laughter +convulsed his whole being for the moment and fairly hypnotized his +hearer into sympathy with his mood. + +"Out with it, Miss Betty, I need it!" he urged. + +"I said, Mr. President, that you were very tender and very strong----" +she paused and looked straight into his deep set eyes "----and that a +great man had appeared in our history." + +He was still for a moment and a mist veiled the light at which she +gazed. He took her hand in both his, pressed it gently and murmured: + +"Thank you, Miss Betty, I shall try to prove worthy of my little +champion." + +"I think you do things without trying, Mr. President," she answered. + +"And you don't want an office, do you?" + +"No." + +"You have no favors to ask for your friends, have you?" + +"None whatever." + +"And you're Senator Winter's daughter?" + +"Yes." + +"The old grizzly bear! He hates me--but I've always liked him----" + +"I hope you'll always like him," Betty quickly broke in. + +"Of course I will. I've never cherished resentments. Life's too short, +and the office I fill is too big for that. Do you know why I've sent for +you?" + +Betty smiled: + +"To have me flatter you, of course. All men are vain. The greater the +man, the greater his vanity." + +Again he laughed with every muscle of his face and body. + +"Honestly--no, that's not the reason," he said confidentially. "I want +you to accept a position in my Cabinet." + +"I didn't know that women were admitted?" + +"They're not, but I've always been in favor of votes for women and I'm +going to make a place for you." + +Betty's lips trembled with a smile: + +"What's the salary?" + +"No salary, save the eternal gratitude of your Chief--will you accept?" + +"I'll consider it--what duty?" + +He looked steadily into her brown eyes: + +"You have very bright, clear eyes, Miss Betty, I can see myself in them +now more distinctly than in that mirror over the mantel. I'd like to +borrow your eyes now and then to see things with. Will you accept the +position?" + +"If I can be of service, yes." + +"The White House is open to you at all hours, and I shall send for you +sometimes when I'm blue and puzzled and want a pair of pure, beautiful, +young eyes--you understand?" + +Betty extended her hand and her voice trembled: + +"You have conferred on me a very great honor, Mr. President." + +"For instance now," he said dreamily: "You endorse my Inaugural?" + +"I'm sure it was wise, firm, friendly, dignified." + +"I couldn't have said less than that I must possess and hold the +property of the Government, could I? Well, I must now order a fleet to +sail for Charleston Harbor to relieve our fort or allow the men who wear +our uniform and fly our flag to die of starvation or surrender. Pretty +poor Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy if I do that, am I not? +Suppose I send a fleet to provision our men in Fort Sumter, not +reinforce it--mind you, merely provisions for the handful of men who are +there,--and suppose the Southern troops manning those land batteries +open fire on our flag and force Major Anderson to surrender--what would +happen in the North?" + +He paused and looked at her steadily. The fine young figure suddenly +stiffened: + +"Every man, woman and child would say fight!" + +The big jaws came together with firm precision and his huge fist struck +the table: + +"That's what I think. And at the same time something else would be +happening over there----" His long arm swept toward the hills of +Virginia, dark and threatening on the horizon. "The moment that shot +crashes against our fort, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and +Tennessee will join the Confederacy, to say nothing of what may happen +in Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Missouri--all Slave States. The +shock will be felt on both sides with precisely opposite effects. +Sometimes we must do our duty and leave the rest to God, mustn't we? +Yes--of course we must--and now, I've kept you too long, Miss Betty. +It's a bargain, isn't it? You accept the position in my Cabinet?" + +"Of course, Mr. President,--but if my duties are no heavier than I find +them on this occasion, I fear I shall be of little help." + +"You've been of the greatest service to me. You've confirmed my decision +on a great problem of State. Come now and see Mother and the children. I +want you to know them and like them." + +He led her quickly into the family apartment and introduced her to Mrs. +Lincoln. He found her in the midst of a grave discussion with Lizzie +Garland, her colored dressmaker. + +"This is old Grizzly's lovely daughter, Miss Betty Winter, Mother. She +has joined the administration, stands squarely with us against the +world, the flesh, the devil--and her father! I told her you'd give her +the keys to the house----" + +With a wave of his big hand he was gone. + +Mrs. Lincoln's greeting was simple and hearty. In half an hour Betty had +found a place in her heart for life, the boys were claiming her as their +own, and a train of influences were set in motion destined to make +history. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE FIRST SHOT + + +The first month of the new administration passed in a strange peace that +proved to be the calm before the storm. On the first day of April, All +Fool's Day, Mr. Seward decided to bring to a definite issue the question +of supreme authority in the government. That Abraham Lincoln was the +nominal President was true, of course. Mr. Seward generously decided to +allow him to remain nominally at the head of the Nation and assume +himself the full responsibilities of a Dictatorship. + +The Secretary of State strolled leisurely into the executive office more +careless in dress than usual, the knot of his cravat under his left ear, +a huge lighted cigar in his hand. He handed the President a folded sheet +of official paper, bowed carelessly and retired. + +He had drawn up his proclamation under the title: + +SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S CONSIDERATION. + +In this remarkable document he proposed to assume the Dictatorship and +outlined his policy as director of the Nation's affairs. + +He would immediately provoke war with Great Britain, Russia, Spain and +France! + +The dark-visaged giant adjusted his glasses and read this paper with a +smile of incredulous amazement. He wiped his glasses and read it again. +And then without consultation with a single human being, and without a +moment's hesitation he wrote a brief reply to the great man and his +generous offer. There was no bluster, no wrath, no demand for an apology +to his insulted dignity, but in the simplest and friendliest and most +direct language he informed his Secretary that if a dictator were needed +to save the country he would undertake the dangerous and difficult job +himself inasmuch as he had been called by the people to be their +Commander-in-Chief, and that he expected the cooeperation, advice and +support of _all_ the members of his Cabinet. + +He did not even refer to the wild scheme of plunging the country into +war with two-thirds of the civilized world. The bare announcement of +such a suggestion would have driven the Secretary from public life. The +quiet man who presided over the turbulent Cabinet never hinted to one of +its members that such a document had reached his hands. + +But as the shades of night fell over the Capitol on that first day of +April, 1861, there was one distinguished statesman within the city who +knew that a real man had been elected President and that he was going to +wield the power placed in his hands without a tremor of fear or an +instant's hesitation. + +It took many months for other members of his Cabinet to learn this--but +there was no more trouble with his Secretary of State. He became at once +his loyal, earnest and faithful counsellor. + +On April the 6th, the fleet was sent to sea under sealed orders to +relieve Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. The +President had been loath to commit the act which must inevitably provoke +war--unless the whole movement of Secession in the South was one of +political bluff. The highest military authority of the country had +advised him that the fort could not be held by any force at present +visible, and that its evacuation was inevitable in any event. + +His Cabinet, with two exceptions, were against any attempt to relieve +it. The sentiment of the people of the North was bitterly opposed to war +on the South. + +On April the 7th, the fleet was at sea on its way to the Southern coast, +its guns shotted, its great battle flags streaming in the wind. + +In accordance with the amenities of war the President notified General +Beauregard, Commander of the Southern forces in Charleston Harbor, that +he had sent his fleet to put provisions into Sumter, but not at present +to put in men, arms or ammunition, _unless the fort should be attacked_. + +On the night this message was dispatched Roger A. Pryor, of Virginia, +made a speech in Charleston, from the balcony of the Mills Hotel to +practically the entire white population of the city. Its message was +fierce, direct, electric. It was summed up in a single sentence: + +"Strike the first armed blow in defense of Southern rights and within +one hour by Shrewsbury clock, old Virginia will stand, her battle flags +flying, by your side!" + +On the morning of the 11th General Beauregard sent Pryor as a special +messenger to Major Anderson demanding the surrender of Fort Sumter, and +on his refusal, which was a matter of course, instructed him to go at +once to the nearest battery and order its Commander to open fire. + +The formalities at Sumter quickly ended, Pryor repaired to Battery +Johnson, met the young Captain of artillery in command and presented his +order. + +With a shout the Captain threw his arms around the messenger and with +streaming eyes cried: + +"Your wonderful speech last night made this glorious thing possible! You +shall have the immortal honor of firing the first gun!" + +And then a strange revulsion of fooling--or was it a flash of foreboding +from the hell-lit, battle-scorched future! The orator hesitated and +turned pale. It was an honor he could not now decline and yet he +instinctively shrank from it. + +He mopped the perspiration from his brow and looked about in a helpless +way. His eye suddenly rested on a grey-haired, stalwart sentinel passing +with quick firm tread. He recognized him immediately as a distinguished +fellow Virginian, a man of large wealth and uncompromising opinions on +Southern rights. + +When Virginia had refused to secede, he cursed his countrymen as a set +of hesitating cowards, left the State and moved to South Carolina. He +had volunteered among the first and carried a musket as a private +soldier in spite of his snow-white hairs. + +Pryor turned to the Commandant: + +"I appreciate, sir, the honor you would do me, but I could not think of +taking it from one more worthy than myself. There is the man whose +devotion to our cause is greater than mine." + +He introduced Edmund Ruffin and gave a brief outline of his career. The +boyish Commandant faced him: + +"Will you accept the honor of firing the first shot, sir?" + +The square jaw closed with a snap: + +"By God, I will!" + +The old man seized the lanyard and waited for the Captain and messenger +to reach the front to witness the effect of the shot. + +They had scarcely cleared the enclosure when the first gun of actual +civil war thundered its fateful message across the still waters of the +beautiful Southern harbor. + +They watched the great screaming shell rise into the sky, curve downward +and burst with sullen roar squarely over the doomed fort. + +The deed was done! + +Instantly came the answering cry of fierce, ungovernable wrath from the +millions of the North. The four remaining Southern States wheeled into +line, flung their battle flags into the sky, and the bloodiest war in +the history of the world had begun. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE PARTING OF THE WAYS + + +The wave of fiery enthusiasm for the Union which swept the North was +precisely what the clear eyes of the President had foreseen. A half +million men would have sprung to their arms if there had been any to +spring to. The whole country, North, South, East and West was utterly +unprepared for war. The regular army of the United States consisted of +only sixteen thousand men scattered over a vast territory. + +The President called for seventy-five thousand volunteer militiamen for +three months' service to restore order in the Southern States. Even this +number was more than the War Department could equip before their terms +would expire and the President had no authority to call State troops for +a longer service. + +On the day following the call, Massachusetts started three fully +equipped regiments to the front. The first reached Baltimore on the +19th. On their march through the streets to change cars for Washington, +they were attacked by a fierce mob and the first battle of the Civil War +was fought. The regiment lost four killed and thirty-six wounded and the +mob, twelve killed and a great number wounded. Grimed with blood and +dirt the troops reached Washington at five o'clock in the afternoon, the +first armed rescuers of the Capital. They were quartered in the +magnificent Senate Chamber on the Capitol Hill. + +The President was immediately confronted by the gravest crisis. The +first blood had stained the soil of the only Slave State, which lay +between Washington and the loyal North. If Maryland should join the +Confederacy it would be impossible to hold the Capital. The city would +be surrounded and isolated in hostile territory. + +From the first he had believed that the only conceivable way to save the +Union was to prevent the Border Slave States of Maryland, Kentucky and +Missouri from joining the South. For the moment it seemed that Maryland +was lost, and with it the Capital of the Nation. A storm of fury swept +through the city of Baltimore and the whole State over the killing of +her unarmed citizens by the "Abolition" troops from Massachusetts! + +The Mayor of Baltimore sent a committee to the President who declared in +the most solemn tones: + +"It is not possible for more soldiers to pass through Baltimore unless +they fight their way at every step." + +And to make sure that the attempt would not be repeated he burned the +railroad bridges connecting the North and cut every telegraph wire +completely isolating the Capital. + +Gilbert Winter, with his cold blue eyes flashing their slumbering fires +of hate, stalked into the White House as the Baltimore committee were +passing down the steps. Without announcement he confronted the +President. + +"In the name of the outraged dignity of this Republic," he thundered, "I +demand that these traitors be arrested, tried by drumhead court-martial +and hanged as spies!" + +The patient giant figure lifted a big hand in a gesture of mild protest: + +"Hardly, Senator!" + +"And what was your answer?" + +"I have written the Governor and the Mayor," the quiet voice went on, +"that for the future troops _must_ be brought here, but I make no point +of bringing them through Baltimore----" + +"Indeed!" Winter sneered. + +"All I want is to get them here. I have ordered them to march around +Baltimore. And in fulfilment of this promise I've sent a regiment back +to Philadelphia to come by water----" + +"Great God--could cowardice sink to baser crawling!" + +The tall man merely smiled--his furious visitor starting for the door, +turned and growled: + +"It is absolutely useless to discuss this question further?" + +"Absolutely, Senator." + +"And you will not order our regular troops to take Baltimore immediately +at the point of the bayonet?" + +"I will not." + +"Good day, sir!" + +"Good day, Senator." + +With a muttered explosion of wrath Gilbert Winter shook the dust of the +White House floor from his feet and solemnly promised God it would be +many moons before he degraded himself by again entering its portals. + +The President had need of all his patience and caution in dealing with +Maryland. The next protest demanded that troops should not pass by way +of Annapolis or over any other spot of the soil of the State. + +He calmly but firmly replied: + +"My troops must reach Washington. They can neither fly over the State of +Maryland nor burrow under it: therefore, they must cross it, and your +people must learn that there is no piece of American soil too good to be +pressed by the foot of a loyal soldier on his march to the defense of +the Capital and his country." + +During these anxious days while the fate of Maryland hung in the balance +the Government was given a startling revelation of what it would mean to +have Maryland hostile territory. + +For a week the President and his Cabinet were in a state of siege. They +got no news. They could send none save by courier. The maddest rumors +were daily afloat. The President was supposed to be governing a country +from which he was completely isolated. + +The tension at last became unbearable. The giant figure stood for hours +alone before his window in the White House, his sombre hazel-grey eyes +fixed on the hills beyond the Potomac. When the silence could no longer +be endured the anguish of his heart broke forth in impassioned protest: + +"Great God! Why don't they come? Why don't they come! Is our Nation a +myth? Is there no North?" + +And then the tide turned and the troops poured into the city. + +His patient, careful and friendly treatment of the Marylanders quickly +proved its wisdom. A reaction in favor of the Union set in and the State +remained loyal to the flag. The importance of this fact could not be +exaggerated. Without Maryland, Washington could not have been held. And +the moment the Capital should fall Europe would recognize the +Confederacy. + +The saving of Maryland for the Union, in fact, established Washington as +the real seat of Government, though it was destined to remain for years +but an armed fortress on the frontiers of a new Nation. + +The stirring events at Sumter and Baltimore brought more than one family +to the grief and horror of brother against brother and father against +son. + +John Vaughan stood in his room livid with rage confronting Ned on the +first day that communication was opened with the outside world. + +"You are not going to do this insane thing I tell you, Ned!" + +The boyish figure stiffened: + +"I am going home to Missouri on the first train out of Washington, raise +a company and fight for the South." + +The older man's voice dropped to persuasive tones: + +"Isn't there something bigger than fighting for a section? Let's stand +by the Nation!" + +"That's just what I refuse to do. The United States have never been a +Nation. This country is a Republic of Republics--not an Empire. The +South is going to fight for the right of local self-government and the +liberties our fathers won from the tyrants of the old world. The South +is right eternally and forever right. The States of this Union have +always been sovereign." + +"All right--all right," John growled impatiently, "granted, my boy. +Still Secession is impossible. A Nation can't jump out of its own skin +once it has grown it. This country has become a Nation. Steam and +electricity have made it so. Railroads have bound us together in iron +bands. Can't you see that?" + +"No, I can't. Right is right." + +"But if we have actually grown into a mighty united people with one +tongue and one ideal is it right to draw the sword to destroy what God +has joined together? Silently, swiftly, surely during the past thirty +years we have become one people and the love of the Union has become a +deathless passion----" + +"You've had a poor way of showing it!" Ned sneered. + +"Still, boy, it's true. I didn't realize it myself until that fort was +fired on and the flag hauled down. And then it came to me in a blinding +flash. Old Webster's voice has been hushed in death, but his soul lives +in the hearts of our boys. There's hardly one of us who hasn't repeated +at school his immortal words. They came back to me with thrilling power +the day I read of that shot. They are ringing in my soul to-day----" + +John paused and a rapt look crept into his eyes, as he began slowly to +repeat the closing words of Webster's speech: + +"'When mine eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in +heaven, may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments +of a once glorious Union; on States dissevered, discordant, belligerent; +or a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be, with +fratricidal blood! Let their last feeble and lingering glance rather +behold the gracious ensign of the Republic, now known and honored +throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies +streaming in their original lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, not +a single star obscured, bearing for its motto no such miserable +interrogatory as "What is all this worth?" nor those other words of +delusion and folly, "Liberty first and Union afterward," but everywhere, +spread all over with living light, blazing in all its ample folds, as +they float over the sea and over the land and in every wind under the +whole heavens, that other sentiment dear to every American +heart--"Liberty _and_ Union, now and forever, one and inseparable----"'" + +He paused, his voice choking with emotion, as he seized Ned's arm: + +"O, Boy, Boy, isn't that a greater ideal? That's all the President is +asking to-day--to stand by the Union----" + +"He is making war on the South!" + +"But only as the South is forcing him reluctantly to defend the Union by +force. The South is mad. She will come to her senses after the shock of +the first skirmish is over. With the Southern members in their places, +they have a majority in Congress against the President. He can move +neither hand nor foot. What has the South to gain by Secession? They +always controlled the Union and can continue to do so if they stand +united with their Northern friends. In the end their defeat is as sure +as that twenty millions of free white Americans can whip five millions +of equal courage and daring. They have everything to lose and nothing to +gain. It's madness--it surpasses belief!" + +"That's why I'm going to fight for them!" Ned's answer flashed. "They +stand for a principle--their equal rights under the Republic their +fathers created. They haven't paused to figure on success or failure. +Five million freemen have drawn the sword against twenty millions +because their rights have been invaded. Might has never yet made right. +The South's daring is sublime and, by God, I stand with them!" + +His words had the ring of steel in their finality. The two men faced +each other for a moment, tense, earnest, defiant. + +The younger extended his hand: + +"Good-bye, John." + +The handsome face of the older brother went suddenly white and he shook +his head: + +"No. From to-day we are no longer brothers--we can't be friends!" + +Ned smiled, waved his hand and from the door firmly answered: + +"As you like--from to-day--foes----" + +He closed the door and with swift step turned his face toward the house +of Senator Winter. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +LOVE AND DUTY + + +The pretty Irish maid nodded and smiled with such a sympathetic look as +she ushered Ned into the cosy back parlor, he wondered if it meant +anything. Could she have guessed Betty's secret? She might give him a +hint that would lift the fear from his heart. + +He smiled back into her laughing eyes and began awkwardly: + +"Oh, I say, Peggy----" + +She dropped a pretty courtesy: + +"Yiss-sor?" + +Somehow it wouldn't work. The words refused to come. Love was too big +and sweet and sacred. It couldn't be hinted at to a third person. And so +he merely stammered: + +"Will you--er--please--tell Miss Betty I'm here?" + +"Yiss-sor!" Peggy giggled. + +He was glad to be rid of her. He drew his handkerchief, mopped the +perspiration from his brow and sat down by the open window to wait. His +heart was pounding. He looked about the room with vague longing. He had +spent many a swift hour of pain and joy in this room. The sight and +sound of her had grown into his very life--he couldn't realize how +intimately and how hopelessly until this moment of parting perhaps +forever. + +The portrait of her mother hung over the mantel--a life-size oil +painting by a noted French artist, the same brilliant laughing eyes, the +same deep golden brown hair, its wayward ringlets playing loosely about +her fine forehead and shell-like ears. + +Beyond a doubt this pretty mother with the sunshine of France in her +blood had known how to flirt in her day--and her beautiful daughter was +enough like that picture to have been her twin sister. + +On the mantel beneath this portrait sat photographs in solid silver +frames, one of Wendell Phillips, one of William Lloyd Garrison and one +of John C. Fremont, the first Republican candidate for President. +Directly opposite on the wall hung an oil painting of John Brown. Ned +caught the flash of the fanatic in the old madman's eye and was startled +at the striking resemblance to Senator Winter. He had never thought of +it before. Gilbert Winter might have been his brother in the flesh as he +undoubtedly was in spirit. + +The thought chilled. He looked out the window with a sigh and wondered +how far the old tyrant would carry his hatred of the South into his +daughter's life. His eye rested for a moment on the row of lilacs in +full bloom in the garden and caught the flash of the big new leaves of +the magnolia which shadowed the rear wall. The early honeysuckle had +begun to blossom on the south side, and the violet beds were a solid +mass of gorgeous blue. Through the open window came the rich odor of the +long rows of narcissus in full white glory where the jonquils had flamed +a month ago. + +What a beautiful world to be beaten into a scarred battlefield! + +For just a moment the thought wrung the heart of youth and love. It was +hard just when the tenderest and sweetest impulses that ever filled his +soul wore clamoring for speech, to turn his back on all, say good-bye +and go--to war--perhaps to kill his own brother. + +And there could be no mistake, war had come. Overhead he caught the +steady tramp of Senator Winter's feet, a caged lion walking back and +forth with hungry eyes turned toward the South. He could feel his deadly +hostility through the very walls. + +A battery of artillery suddenly roared through the streets, the dull +heavy rattle of its wheels over the cobblestones, and the crack of the +driver's whip echoing and reechoing through the house. Behind it came +the steady tramp, tramp, of a regiment of infantry, the loud call of +their volunteer officers ringing sharply their orders at the turn of the +street. Far off on the Capitol Hill he heard the sharp note of a bugle +and the rattle of horses' hoofs. Every hour the raw troops were pouring +into the city from the North, the East and the West. + +He wondered with a strange catch in his throat what difference this was +going to make between him and the girl he loved. There was no longer any +question about the love. He marvelled that he had been too stupid to +realize it and speak before this shadow had fallen between them. She +knew that his sympathies were with the South and he knew with equal +certainty she had never believed that he would fight to destroy the +Union when the test should come. He dreaded the shock when he must tell +her. + +His heart grew sick with fear. What chance had he with everything +against him--her old, fanatical father who loved her with the tender +devotion of his strong manhood--her own blind admiration for the new +President, whose coming had brought war--and worst of all he must go and +leave John by her side! His brother had given no hint of his real +feelings, but his deeds had been more eloquent than words. He had seen +Betty every week since the day they had met--sometimes twice. This he +knew. There may have been times he didn't know. + +All the more reason why he must put the thing to the test. Besides he +_must_ speak. His hour had struck. His country was calling, and he must +go--to meet Death or Glory. The woman he loved must know. + +He heard the soft rustle of her dress on the stairs and sprang to his +feet. She paused in the doorway a vision of ravishing beauty in full +evening dress, her bare arms and exquisite neck and throat gleaming in +the shadows. + +She smiled graciously, her brown eyes sparkling with the conscious power +which youth and beauty can never conceal. + +She held out her soft warm hand and his trembling cold fingers grasped +it. + +"I'm sorry to have kept you, Ned," she began softly, "but I was dressing +for the reception at the White House. I promised Mrs. Lincoln to help +her." + +"I didn't mind the wait, Miss Betty," he answered soberly. "Come into +the garden--I can talk better there among your flowers--I never mind +waiting for you." + +"Why?" + +"I've time to dream." + +"Before you must wake?" she laughed. + +"I'm afraid it's so this time----" + +"Why so serious--what's the matter?" + +"I'm going to the front." + +"So are thousands of brave men, Ned. I've always known you'd go when the +test came." + +He bit his lips and was silent. It was hard, but he had to say it: + +"I am going to fight for the South, Miss Betty." + +The silence was painful. She looked steadily into his dark earnest eyes. +There was something too big and fine in them to be met with anger or +reproach. He was deadly pale and waited breathlessly for her to speak. + +"I'm sorry," she breathed softly. + +"You know that it costs me something to say this to you," he stammered. + +"Yes, I know----" + +"But it must be. It's a question of principle--a question that cuts to +the bone of a fellow's life and character. A man must be true to what he +believes to be right, mustn't he?" + +His voice was tender, wistful, pleading. The sweet, young face upturned +to his caught his mood: + +"Yes, Ned." + +"I couldn't be a real man and do less, could I?" + +"No--but I'm sorry"--she paused and suddenly asked, "Your brother agrees +with you?" + +Ned frowned: "Why do you ask that question?" + +"Because I was sure that he was on our side----" + +"Is that all?" + +"And I've always supposed he was a sort of guardian----" + +"Only because he has always been my big brother and I've loved and +admired him very much. I cried my eyes out the day he left home out in +Missouri and came East to college." + +"And you're going to fight him?" + +"It's possible." + +"It's horrible!" + +"And yet, men who are not savages could only do such things drawn by the +mightiest forces that move a human soul--you must know that, Miss +Betty." + +"Yes." + +"There's only one thing in life that's bigger----" + +"And that?" + +"Is love. I've held it too high and holy a word to speak lightly. I +shall tell but one woman that I love her----" + +She looked at him tenderly: + +"You glorious, foolish boy!" + +Pale and trembling he took her hand, led her to a seat and sank on his +knees by her side. + +"I love you, Betty!" he gasped. "I've loved you from the moment we met, +tenderly, madly, reverently. I've been afraid to touch your hand lately +lest you feel the pounding of my heart and know. And now it's come--this +hour when I must say I love you and good-bye in the same breath! Be +gentle and sweet to me. I'm afraid to ask if you love me. It's too good +to be true. I'm not worthy to even touch your little hand--and yet I'm +daring to hold it in mine----" + +He paused and bowed his head, overcome with emotion. + +Betty gently pressed his trembling fingers. Her voice was low. + +"I'm proud of your love, Ned. It's very beautiful----" + +"But you don't love me?" he groaned. + +"Not as you love me." + +He looked searchingly and hungrily into her brown eyes: + +"Is it John?" + +She shook her head slowly and thoughtfully: + +"No." + +"And it's no one else?" + +"No." + +"Then I won't take that answer!" he cried with desperate earnestness. +"I'm going to win you. I'll love you with a love so big and true I'll +make you love me. Everything's against me now. Your father's against me. +I'm going to fight your country and your people. You admire the new +President. I despise him. The passions of war have separated us, that's +all. But I won't give up. The war can't last long. You'll see things in +a different way when it ends." + +Betty smiled into his pleading eyes: + +"How little you know me, Boy! Nothing on this earth could separate me +from the man I love----" she paused and breathed quickly "----I'd follow +him blindfold to the bottomless pit once I'd given him my heart!" + +Ned rose suddenly to his foot and drew Betty with him. His hand now was +hot with the passion that fired his soul. + +"Then you're worth fighting for. And I'm going to fight--fight for what +I believe to be right and fight for you----" + +He stopped suddenly and his slender figure straightened: + +"I'm coming back to you, Betty!" he said with clear ringing emphasis. +"I'm coming back to Washington. I'll be with an army conquering, +triumphant, because they are right. There'll be a new President in the +White House and I'll win!" + +He bowed and reverently kissed the tips of her fingers. + +"You glorious boy!" she sighed. "It's beautiful to be loved like that! +I'm proud of it--I'll hold my head a little higher with every thought of +you----" + +"And you'll think of me sometimes when war has separated us?" + +"I'll never forget!" + +"And remember that I'm fighting my way back to your side?" + +A tender smile played about the corners of her eyes and mouth: + +"I'll remember." + +With a quick, firm movement he turned, passed through the house, and +strode toward the iron gate. + +He suddenly confronted John entering. + +The two brothers faced each other for a moment angrily and awkwardly, +and then the anger slowly melted from the younger man's eyes. + +"You are taking dinner with Miss Betty to-night?" Ned asked in friendly +tones. + +"Yes, I'm going with her to the White House," was the cold reply. + +"I'm leaving in an hour. Don't you think it's foolish for two brothers +who have been what you and I have been to each other to part like this? +We may not see one another again." + +John hesitated and then slowly slipped his arm around the younger man, +holding him in silence. When his voice was steady he said: + +"Forgive me, Boy. I was blind with anger. It meant so much to me. But +we'll face it. We'll have to fight it out--as God gives us wisdom to see +the right----" + +Ned's hand found his, and clasped it firmly: + +"As God gives us to see the right, John--Good-bye." + +"Good-bye, Boy,--it's hard to say it!" + +They clung to each other for a moment and slowly drew apart as the +shadows of the soft spring night deepened. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE TRIAL BY FIRE + + +The troops transformed Washington from a lazy Southern town of sixty +thousand inhabitants into an armed fortress of the frontier, swarming +with a quarter of a million excited men and women. Soldiers thronged the +streets and sidewalks and sprawled over every inch of greensward, their +uniforms of every cut and color on which the sun of heaven had shone +during the past two hundred years of history. + +When the tumult and the shouts of departing regiments had died away from +the home towns in the North and the flags that were flying from every +house had begun to fade under the hot rays of the advancing summer, the +patriotic orators and editors began to demand of their President why his +grand army of seventy-five thousand lingered at the Capital. When he +mildly suggested the necessity of drilling, equipping and properly +arming them he was laughed at by the wise, and scoffed at as a coward by +the brave. + +Mutterings of discontent grew deeper and more threatening. They demanded +a short, sharp, decisive campaign. Let the army wheel into line, march +straight into Richmond, take Jefferson Davis a prisoner, hang him and a +few leaders of the "rebellion," and the trouble would be over. This +demand became at length the maddened cry of a mob: + +"On to Richmond!" + +Every demagogue howled it. Every newspaper repeated it. As city after +city, and State after State took up the cry, the pressure on the man at +the helm of Government became resistless. It was a political necessity +to fight a battle and fight at once or lose control of the people he had +been called to lead. + +The Abolitionists only sneered at this cry. They demanded an answer to a +single insistent question: + +"What are you going to fight about?" + +A battle which does not settle the question of Slavery they declared to +be a waste of blood and treasure. If the slave was not the issue, why +fight? The South would return to the Union which they had always ruled +if let alone. Why fight them for nothing? + +Gilbert Winter, their spokesman at Washington, again confronted the +President with his uncompromising demand: + +"An immediate proclamation of emancipation!" + +And the President with quiet dignity refused to consider it. + +"Why?" again thundered the Senator. + +His answer was always the same: + +"I am not questioning the right or wrong of Slavery. If Slavery is not +wrong, nothing is wrong. But the Constitution, which I have sworn to +uphold in the Border States of Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky, +guarantees to their people the right to hold slaves if they choose. We +have already eleven Southern States solidly arrayed against us. Add the +Border States by such a proclamation, and the contest is settled before +a blow is struck. I know the power of State loyalty in the South. I was +born there. Many a mother in Richmond wept the days the stars and +stripes were lowered from their Capitol. And well they might--for their +sires created this Republic. But they brushed their tears away and sent +their sons to the front next day to fight that flag in the name of +Virginia. So would thousands of mothers in these remaining Slave States +if I put them to the test. I'm going to save them for the Union. In +God's own time Slavery will be destroyed." + +Against every demand of the heart of the party which had given him +power, he stood firm in the position he had taken. + +But there was no resisting the universal demand for a march on Richmond. +The cry was literally from twenty millions. He must heed it or yield the +reins of power to more daring hands. + +To add to the President's burden, his Secretary of State was still +dreaming of foreign wars. He had drawn up a letter of instruction to our +Minister to Great Britain which would have provoked an armed conflict. +When the backwoodsman from Southern Illinois read this document he was +compelled to lay aside his other duties and practically rewrite it. His +work showed a freedom of mind, a balance of judicial temperament, an +insight into foreign affairs, a skill in the use of language, a delicacy +of criticism, a mastery of the arts of diplomacy which placed him among +the foremost statesmen of any age, and all the ages. + +He saved the Nation from a second disastrous war, as a mere matter of +the routine of his office, and at once turned to the pressing work of +the approaching battle. + +John Vaughan had joined the army as correspondent for his paper, and +Betty had been his companion on many tours of inspection through camp, +hospitals and drill grounds. Her quick wit and brilliant mind were an +inspiring stimulus. She was cool and self-possessed and it rested him to +be near her. She was the only restful woman he had ever encountered at +short range. He was delighted that she seemed content without +love-making. There was never a moment when he could catch the challenge +of sex in a word or attitude. He might have been her older brother, so +perfect and even, so free and simple her manner. + +Betty had watched him with the keenest caution. The first glance at +John's handsome face had convinced her of his boundless vanity and +beneath it a streak of something cruel. She would have liked him +instantly but for this. His vanity she could forgive. All good-looking +men are vain. His character was a study of which she never tired. He +strangely distressed and disturbed her--and this kept puzzling and +piquing her curiosity. Every time she determined to end their +association this everlasting question of the man's inner character came +to torment her imagination. + +She was a little disappointed at his not volunteering at the first call +as his gallant young brother had done. Yet his reasoning was sound. + +"What's the use?" he replied to her question. "Five men have already +volunteered for every one who can be used. I'm not a soldier by +profession or inclination. A campaign of thirty days, one big battle and +the war's over. The President has more men than he can arm or equip. My +paper needs me----" + +The army encamped along the banks of the Potomac received orders to +advance for the long expected battle in the hills of Virginia. + +Betty stood with the crowds of sweethearts and wives and sisters and +mothers and watched them march away through the dust and heat and grime +of the Southern summer, drums throbbing, banners streaming, bayonets +flashing and bands playing. + +John Vaughan was in the ranks of a New York regiment. He pressed Betty's +hand with a lingering touch he hadn't intended. She seemed unconscious +that he was holding it. + +"You are going to march in the ranks?" she asked in surprise. + +"Yes. I want to see war as it is. These boys are my friends from New +York." + +"You will fight with them?" + +"No--just see with their eyes--that's all. And then tell you exactly +what happened. I can hide behind a barn or a tree without being +court-martialed." + +She looked at him quickly with a new interest, pressed his hand again +and said: + +"Good luck!" + +"And home again soon!" he cried with a wave of his arms as he hurried to +join his marching men. + +The army camped at Centreville, seven miles from Beauregard's lines, and +spent the 19th and 20th of July resting and girding their loins for the +first baptism of fire. The volunteers were eager for the fray. The first +touch of the skirmishers had resulted in fifteen or twenty killed. But +the action had been too far away to make any serious impression. + +Between the two armies crept the silvery thread of the little stream of +Bull Run, its clear beautiful waters flashing in the July sun. + +Saturday night, the 20th, orders were issued to John's regiment to be in +readiness to advance against the enemy at two o'clock before day on +Sunday morning. A thrill of fierce excitement swept the camp. They were +loaded down with overcoats, haversacks, knapsacks and baggage, baggage, +baggage without end. The single New York regiment to which he had +attached himself required forty wagons to move its baggage. They had a +bakery and cooking establishment that would have done credit to +Broadway. They hurriedly packed all they could carry in readiness for +the march into battle. What would happen to the rest God only knew, but +they hoped for the best. Of course, the battle couldn't last long. It +was only necessary for this grand army to make a demonstration with its +drums throbbing, its fifes screaming, its bayonets flashing and its +magnificent uniforms glittering in the sun--the plumes, the Scotch +bonnets, the Turkish fez, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey and +gold, the black and yellow, and the red and blue of the fire +Zouaves--when the rebel mob saw these things they would take to their +heels. + +What the boys were really afraid of was that every rebel would escape +before they could use their handcuffs and ropes. This would be too bad +because the procession through the crowded streets at home would be +incomplete without captives as a warning to future traitors. They were +going to have a load to carry with their blanket rolls, haversack and +knapsack and the full fighting rounds of cartridges, but they were not +going to leave the handcuffs. If they had to drop anything on the march +they might ease up on a blanket or half their heavy cartridges. + +John found sleep impossible, and was ready to move at one o'clock. The +dust was rising already in parched clouds from the dry Virginia roads. +He walked to the edge of the woods and gazed over the dark moonlit hills +around Centreville. A gentle breeze began to stir the leaves overhead +but it was hot and lifeless. He caught the smell of sweating horses in a +battery of artillery, hitched for the march. It was going to be a day of +frightful heat under the clear blazing sun of the South, this Sunday, +the 21st of July, 1861. He could see already in his imagination the long +lines of sweating half fainting marchers staggering under the strain. +Yet not for a moment did he doubt the result. + +From a store on the hill at Centreville came the plaintive strains of a +negro's voice accompanied by a banjo. A crowd of Congressmen had driven +out from Washington on a picnic to see the spectacle of the first and +last battle of the "Rebellion." They were drinking good whiskey and +making merry. + +For the first time a little doubt crept into his mind. Were they all too +cocksure? It might be a serious business after all. It was only for a +moment and his fears vanished. He was glad Ned was not in those grey +lines in front. His company had been formed promptly, and he had been +elected first lieutenant, but they were still in Southern Missouri under +General Sterling Price. He shouldn't like to come on his brother's body +dead or wounded after the battle--the young dare-devil fool! + +Promptly at two o'clock the sharp orders rang from the regimental +commander: + +"Forward march!" + +The lines swung carelessly into the powdered dust of the road and moved +forward into the fading moonlight, talking, laughing, chatting, joking. +War was yet a joke and the contagious fire of patriotism had flung its +halo even over this night's work. Except here and there a veteran of the +Mexican War, not one of these men had ever seen a battle or had the +remotest idea what it was like. + +John was marching with Sherman's brigade of Tyler's division. At six +o'clock they reached the stone bridge which crossed Bull Run. On the +hills beyond stretched a straggling line of grey figures. It couldn't be +an army. Only a few skirmishers thrown out to warn off an attempt to +cross the bridge. A white puff of smoke flashed on a hill toward the +South, and the deep boom of a Confederate cannon echoed over the valley. +Tyler's guns answered in grim chorus. The men gripped their muskets and +waited the word of command. John's brigade was deployed along the edge +of a piece of woods on the right of the Warrenton turnpike and stood for +hours. A rumble of disgust swept the lines: + +"What t'ell are we waitin' for?" + +"Why don't we get at 'em?" + +"And this is war!" + +And no breakfast either. An hour passed and only an occasional crack of +a musket across the shining thread of silver water and the slow sullen +echo of the artillery. They seemed to be just practising. The shots all +fell short and nobody was hurt. + +Another hour--it was eight o'clock and still they stood and looked off +into space. Nine o'clock passed and the fierce rays of the climbing +July sun drove the men to the shelter of the trees. + +"If this is war," yelled a red-breeched, fierce young Zouave, "I'll take +firecrackers and a Fourth of July for mine!" + +"Keep your shirt on, Sonny," observed a corporal. "We _may_ have some +fun yet before night." + +At ten o'clock something happened. + +Suddenly a thousand grey clad men leaped from their cover over the hills +and swept up stream at double quick. A solid mass of dust-covered +figures were swarming below the stone bridge. + +The regiment's battery dashed into position, its guns were trained and +their roar shook the earth. The swarming grey lines below the bridge +paid no attention. The shots fell short and Sherman sent for heavier +guns. + +The men in grey had formed a new line of battle and faced the Sudley and +New Market road. Far up this road could now be seen a mighty cloud of +dust which marked the approach of the main body of McDowell's Union +army. He had made a wide flank movement, crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford +and was attempting to completely turn the Confederate position, while +Sherman held the stone bridge with a demonstration of force. + +A cheer swept the line as the dust rose higher and denser and nearer. + +Banks of storm clouds were rising from the horizon. The air was thick +and oppressive, as the two armies drew close in tense battle array. The +turning movement had only been partly successful. It had been discovered +before complete and a grey line had wheeled, gripped their muskets and +stood ready to meet the attack. + +The dust, cloud suddenly fell. McDowell's two divisions of eighteen +thousand men spread out in the woods and made ready for the shock. + +The sun burst through the gathering clouds for a moment and the edge of +the woods flashed with polished steel. + +A Federal battery dashed into position and placed one of its big +black-wheeled guns in the front yard of a little white-washed farmhouse. +The farmer's wife faced the commander with indignant fury: + +"Take that thing outen my front yard!" + +The dust-and sweat-covered men paid no attention. They quickly sunk the +wheels into the ground and piled their shells in place for work. + +The old woman stamped her foot and shouted again: "Take that thing away +I tell you--I won't have it here!" + +The captain seized his lanyard, trained his piece and the big black lips +roared. + +With a scream of terror the woman covered her ears, rushed inside and +slammed the door. They found her torn and mangled body there after the +battle. An answering shell had crashed through the roof and exploded. + +Sherman's men, standing in the woods before the stone bridge waiting +orders, saw the white and blue fog of battle rise above the tree tops +and felt the earth tremble beneath their feet. + +And then came to John's ears the first full crash of musketry fire in +close deadly range. As company, regiment and brigade joined in volley +after volley, it was like the sound of the continuous ripping of heavy +canvas, magnified on the scale of a thousand. As the storm cloud swept +over the smoke-choked field the rattle of musketry sounded as if an +angry God rode somewhere in their fiery depths, and with giant hand was +ripping the heavens open! + +An hour passed and a shout of triumph swept the Federal lines. They +charged and drove the Confederate forces back a half mile from their +first stand. There was a lull--a strange silence brooded over the +flaming woods and the guns opened from their new position--the +artillery's deep thunder and the ripping crash of muskets. Another hour +and another wild shout of victory. They had driven the Southerners three +quarters of a mile further. + +The shouts suddenly stopped. They had struck something. + +The grim dust-covered figure of a Southern Brigadier General on a little +sorrel horse had barred the way. His bulging forehead with its sombre +blue eyes hung ominously over the pommel of his saddle. + +General Bee, of South Carolina, rallying his shattered, broken brigade, +pointed his sword to the strange figure and shouted to his men: + +"See Jackson standing like a stone wall--rally to the Virginians!" + +A bursting shell struck him dead in the next instant, but the world had +heard and the name "Stonewall" became immortal. + +With the last shout, the cry of victory had swept the field to the +farthest line of reserves. John Vaughan secured a horse, galloped to the +nearest telegraph line and sent the thrilling news to his paper. Already +the wires were flashing it to the farthest cities of the North and +West. + +Victory! The first and last battle of the war had been settled. He +spurred his horse through the blistering heat back to his regiment to +join in the pursuit of the flying enemy. + +They were just dashing across Bull Run going into action, their battle +flag flying and their band playing. They were not long in finding the +foe. The obstruction still remained in the path of the advancing hosts. +The grim figure on the little sorrel horse had just ordered his brigade +to fix bayonets. + +In sharp tones his command was snapped: + +"Charge and take that battery!" + +A low grey cloud rose from the hill, swept over the crack Federal +battery of Ricketts and Griffin and captured their guns. + +John's regiment reached the field just in time to see the cannoneers +fall in their tracks at the first deadly volley from the charging men. + +Every horse was down dead or wounded. The pitiful cries of the stricken +horses rang over the field above the roar of the battle, pathetic, +heartrending, sickening. + +The two armies had clinched now in the grim struggle which meant defeat +or victory. It was incredible that the army which swept the field for +four terrible hours should fail. The new regiments formed in line and +with a shout of desperation charged Jackson's men and retook the +captured battery. + +Again the men in grey rallied and tore the guns a second time from the +hands of their owners. + +John saw a shell explode directly beneath a magnificent horse on which +a general sat directing his men. The horse was blown to atoms, the +general was hurled twenty feet into the air and struck the ground on his +feet. He was unhurt, called for another horse, mounted and led the third +charge to recover the guns. For a moment the two battle lines mingled in +deadly hand to hand combat and once more the guns were retaken. + +It had scarcely been done before Jackson's men rallied, turned and swift +as a bolt of lightning from the smoke-covered hill captured the guns the +third time and held them. + +And then the unexpected, unimaginable thing happened. A new dust cloud +rose over the hill toward Manassas Junction. The Southerners were hoping +against hope that it might be Kirby Smith with his lost regiment from +the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment had been expected since noon. It was +now half past three o'clock. General McDowell, the Union Commander, was +hoping against hope that Patterson's army from the Shenandoah would join +his. + +They were not long in doubt. The fresh troops suddenly swung into +position on McDowell's right flank. If they were allies all was well. If +they were foes! Suddenly from this line of battle rose a new cry on the +face of the earth. From two thousand dusty throats came a +heaven-piercing, soul-shivering shout, the cry of the Southern hunter in +sight of his game, a cry that was destined to ring over many a field of +death--the fierce, wild "Rebel Yell." + +They charged McDowell's right flank with resistless onslaught. Kirby +Smith fell desperately wounded and Elzey took command. Beckham's battery +unlimbered and poured into the ranks from the rear a storm of shell. +McDowell swung his battle line into a fiery crescent and made his last +desperate stand. + +Jubal Early, Elzey's brigade, and Stonewall Jackson charged at the same +signal--and then--pandemonium! + +Blind, unreasoning panic seized the army of the North. They broke and +fled. Brave officers cursed and swore in vain. The panic grew. Men +rushed pell mell over one another, white with terror. They threw down +their muskets, their knapsacks, their haversacks and ran for their +lives, every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost. In vain +the regular army, with splendid discipline, formed a rear guard to +effect an orderly retreat. The crack of their guns only made the men run +faster. + +The wildest rumors flew from parched tongue to throbbing ear. + +An army of a hundred thousand fresh troops had fallen on their tired, +bloody ranks. They were led by Jeb Stuart at the head of four thousand +Black Horse Cavalry. If a single man escaped alive it would be for one +reason, only they could outrun them. It was a crime for officers to try +to round them up for a massacre. That's all it was--a massacre! With +each mad thought of the rushing mob the panic grew. They cut the traces +of horses from guns and left them on the field. The frantic mob engulfed +the buggies and carriages of the Congressmen and picnickers from +Washington who had come out to see the Rebellion put down at a single +blow. The road became a mass of neighing, plunging horses, broken and +tangled wagons, ambulances and riderless artillery teams. Horses neighed +in terror more abject than that which filled the hearts of men. Men +once had reason--the poor horse had never claimed it. The blockades on +the road formed no barrier to the flying men on foot. They streamed +around and overflowed into the woods and fields and pressed on with new +terror. God in Heaven! They pitied the poor fools engulfed in those +masses of maddened plunging brutes and smashing wagons. It was only a +question of a few minutes when Stuart's sabres would split every skull. + +John Vaughan was swept to the rear on the crest of this wave of terror. +Up to the moment it began he had scarcely thought of danger. After the +first few minutes of nerve tension under fire his spirit had risen as +the combat raged and deepened. It didn't seem real, the falling of men +around him. He had no time to realize that they were being torn to +pieces by shot and shell and the hail of lead that whistled from those +long sheets of flaming smoke-banks before him. + +And then the panic had seized him. He had caught its mad unreasoning +terror from the men who surged about him. And it was every man for +himself. The change was swift, abject, complete from utter +unconsciousness of fear to the blindest terror. Some ran mechanically, +with their eyes set in front as if stiff with fear, expecting each +moment to be struck dead, knowing it was useless to try but going on and +on because involuntary muscles were carrying them. + +A fat man caught hold of John's coat and held on for half a mile before +he could shake him off. He begged piteously for help. + +"Don't leave me, partner!" he panted. "I'm a sinful man. I ain't fit to +die. You're young and strong--save me!" + +The dead weight was pulling him down and John shook the fellow off with +an angry jerk. + +"To hell with you!" + +They suddenly came to a lot of horses hid in the woods, rearing and +plunging and neighing madly. + +John swerved out of their way and an officer rushed up to him crying: + +"Why don't you take a horse?" + +He looked at him in a dazed way before he could realize his meaning. + +"Take a horse!" he yelled. "The rebels will get 'em if you don't----" + +The men were too intent on running to try to save horses. Horses would +have to look out for themselves. + +It suddenly occurred to John that a horse might go faster. Funny he +hadn't thought of it at once. He turned, seized one, mounted, and +galloped on. There was a quick halt. A panting mob came surging back +over the way they had just fled. A ford in front had been blocked, and +in the scramble the cry was raised that Stuart's cavalry were on them +and cutting every soul down in his tracks at the crossing. + +John leaped from his horse, turned, and ran straight for the woods. He +didn't propose to be captured by Stuart's cavalry, that was sure. He +turned to look back and ran into a tree. He climbed it. If he could only +get to the top before they saw him. He had been an expert climber when a +boy in Missouri and he thanked God now for this. He never paused for +breath until he had reached the very top, where he drew the swaying +branches close about his body to hide from the coming foe. The sun was +yet hanging over the trees in the woods--a ball of sullen red fire +lighting up the hiding place of the last poor devil for the eyes of the +avenging hosts who were sweeping on. If it were night it would be all +right. But this was no place for a man with an ounce of sense in broad +daylight. The sharpshooters would see him in that tall tree sure. They +couldn't take him prisoner up there--they would shoot him like a +squirrel just to see him tumble and, by the Lord Harry, they would do +it, too! + +He got down from the tree faster than he climbed up and from the edge of +the woods spied a dense swamp. He never stopped until he reached the +centre of it, and dropped flat on his stomach. + +"Thank God, at last!" he sighed. + +The Northern army fleeing for Washington had left on the field +twenty-eight guns, four thousand muskets, nine regimental flags, four +hundred and eighty-one dead, a thousand and eleven wounded and fourteen +hundred captured. The road to the rear was literally sown with pistols, +knapsacks, blankets, haversacks, wagons, tools and hospital stores. + +And saddest of all the wreck, lay the bright new handcuffs with coils of +hang-man's rope scattered everywhere. + +The Southern army had lost three hundred and eighty-seven killed, +including two brigadier generals, Bee and Barton, and fifteen hundred +wounded. They were so completely scattered and demoralized by their +marvellous and overwhelming victory that any systematic pursuit of their +foe was impossible. + +The strange silent figure on the little sorrel horse turned his blue +eyes toward Washington from the last hilltop as darkness fell, lifted +his head suddenly toward the sky, and cried: + +"Ten thousand fresh troops and I'd be in Washington to-morrow night!" + +The troops were not to be had, and Stonewall Jackson ordered his men to +bivouac for the night and sent out his details to bury the dead and care +for the wounded of both armies. + +Monday morning dawned black and lowering and before the sun rose the +rain poured in steady torrents. Through every hour of this desolate +sickening day the weary, terror-stricken stragglers trailed through the +streets of Washington--their gorgeous plumes soaked and drooping, the +Scotch bonnets dripping the rain straight down their necks and across +their dirty foreheads, the Garibaldi shirts, the blue and grey, the +black and yellow and gold and blazing Zouave uniforms rain-soaked and +mud-smeared. + +Betty Winter bought out a peddler's cake and lemonade stand on the main +line of this ghastly procession and through every bitter hour from +sunrise until dark stood there cheering and serving the men without +money and without price, while the tears slowly rolled down her flushed +cheeks. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +VICTORY IN DEFEAT + + +The President had risen at daylight on the fateful Sunday morning. He +was sorry this first action must be fought on Sunday. It seemed a bad +omen. The preachers from his home town of Springfield, Illinois, had +issued a manifesto against his election without regard to their party +affiliations on account of his supposed hostility to religion. It had +hurt and stung his pride more than any single incident in the campaign. +His nature was profoundly religious. He was not a church member because +his religion had the unique quality of a personal faith which refused +from sheer honesty to square itself with the dogmas of any sect. The +preachers had not treated him fairly, but he cherished no ill will. He +knew their sterling worth to the Republic and he meant to use them in +the tremendous task before him. He had hoped the battle would not be +joined until Monday. But he knew at dawn that a clash was inevitable. + +At half past ten o'clock, though keenly anxious for the first news from +the front, he was ready to accompany Mrs. Lincoln to church. The breeze +was from the South--a hot, lazy, midsummer heavy air. + +The Commander-in-Chief bent his giant figure over a war map, spread on +his desk, fixed the position of each army by colored pins, studied them +a moment and quietly walked with his wife to the Presbyterian Church to +hear Dr. Gurley preach. He sat in reverent silence through the service, +his soul hovering over the distant hills. + +Before midnight the panic stricken Congressmen began to drop into the +White House, each with his story of unparalleled disaster. At one +o'clock the President stood in the midst of a group of excited, +perspiring statesmen who had crowded into the executive office, the one +cool, shrewd, patient, self-possessed courageous man among them. He +reviewed their stories quietly and with no sign of excitement, to say +nothing of panic. + +They marvelled at his dull intellect. + +He was listening in silence, shaping the big new policy of his +administration. + +He spent the entire night calmly listening to all these stories, +speaking a word of good cheer where it would be of service. + +Mr. Seward entered as he had just finished a light breakfast. + +The Secretary's hair was disheveled, his black string tie under his ear, +and he was taking two pinches of snuff within the time he usually took +one. + +In thirty minutes the outlines of his message to Congress and his new +proclamation were determined. Mr. Seward left with new courage and a +growing sense of reliance on the wisdom, courage and intellectual power +of the Chief he had thought to supplant without a struggle. + +At eight o'clock the man with a grievance made his first appearance. His +wrath was past the boiling point, in spite of the fact that his +handsome uniform was still wet from the night's wild ride. + +He went straight to the point. He was a volunteer patriot of high +standing in his community. As a citizen of the Republic, wearing its +uniform, he represented its dignity and power. He had been grossly +insulted by a military martinet from West Point and he proposed to test +the question whether an American citizen had any rights such men must +respect. + +The President lifted his calm, deep eyes to the flushed angry face, +glanced at the gold marks of his rank, and said: + +"What can I do for you, Captain?" + +"I've come to ask you, Mr. President," he began with subdued intensity, +"whether a volunteer officer of this country, a man of culture and +position, is to be treated as a dog or a human being?" + +The quiet man at the desk slipped his glasses from his ears, polished +them with his handkerchief, readjusted them, and looked up again with +kindly interest: + +"What's the trouble?" + +"A discussion arose in our regiment on the day we were ordered into +battle over the expiration of our enlistment. I held, as a lawyer, sir, +that every day of rotten manual labor we had faithfully performed for +our country should be counted in our three months military service. Our +time had expired and I demanded that we be discharged then and +there----" + +"On the eve of a battle?" + +"Certainly, sir--what had that to do with our rights? We could have +reenlisted on the spot. I refused to take orders from the upstart who +commanded our brigade." + +"And what happened?" the calm voice asked. + +"He dared to threaten my life, sir!" + +"Who was he?" + +"A Colonel in command of our brigade--named Sherman!" + +"William Tecumseh Sherman?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What did he say to you?" + +"Swore that if I moved an inch to leave his command he'd shoot me----" + +"He said that to you?" + +"Swore he'd shoot me down in my tracks like a dog!" + +The President gravely rose, placed a big hand on the young officer's +shoulder and in serious, friendly tones said: + +"If I were in your place, Captain, I wouldn't trust that man Sherman--I +believe he'll do it!" + +The astonished volunteer looked up with a puzzled sheepish expression, +turned and shot out of the room. + +The long figure dropped into a chair and doubled with laughter. He rose +and walked to his window, looking out on the trees swaying beneath the +storm, still laughing. + +"They say that every cloud has its silver lining!" he laughed again. +"I'll remember that fellow Sherman." + +Late in the day a report reached him of a beautiful young woman serving +refreshments without pay to the straggling, broken men. + +He turned to Nicolay, his secretary: + +"Get my carriage, find her, and bring her to me. I want to see her." + +Betty's eyes were still red when she walked into his office. + +He sprang to his feet, and with long strides met her. He grasped her +hand in both his and pressed it tenderly. + +"So it's _you_!" he whispered. + +Betty nodded. + +"My little Cabinet comforter----" + +"I'm afraid I'll be no good to-day," she faltered. + +"Then I'll cheer _you_," he cried. "I just wanted to thank the woman +who's been standing behind a lemonade counter through this desolate day +giving her time, her money, and her soul to our discouraged boys----" + +"And you are not discouraged?" Betty asked pathetically. + +"Not by a long shot, my child! Brush those tears away. Jeffy D.'s the +man to be discouraged to-day. This will be a dearly bought victory. Mark +my word. For the South it's the glorious end of the war. While they +shout, I'll be sawing wood. It needed just this shock and humiliation to +bring the North to their senses. Watch them buckle on their armor now in +deadly earnest. The demagogues howled for a battle. They pushed us in +and they got it. Some of the Congressmen who yelled the loudest for a +march straight into Richmond without a pause even to water the horses +got tangled up in that stampede from Bull Run. They thought Jeb Stuart's +cavalry were on them and lost their lunch baskets in the scramble. +They've seen a great light. I'll get all the money I ask Congress for +and all the soldiers we need for any length of time. I've asked for four +hundred million dollars and five hundred thousand men for three years. +I shouldn't be surprised if they voted more. The people will have sense +enough to see that this defeat was exactly what they should have +expected under such conditions." + +His spirit was contagious. Betty forgot her shame and fear. + +"You're wonderful, Mr. President," the girl cried in rapt tones. "Now I +know that you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this." + +"And so have you, my child," he answered reverently. "And so has every +brave woman who loves this Union. That's what I wanted to say to you and +thank you for your example." + +Betty left the White House with a new sense of loyal inspiration. She +walked on air unconscious of the pouring rain. She paused before a +throng that blocked the sidewalk. + +Some of them were bareheaded, the rain drops splashing in their faces, +apparently unconscious of anything that was happening. + +She pushed her way into the crowd. They were looking at the bulletin +board of the _Daily Republican_, reading the first list of the dead and +wounded. Her heart suddenly began to pound. John Vaughan had not +reported his return. He might be lying stark and cold with the rain +beating down on his mangled body. She read each name in the list of the +dead, and drew a sigh of relief. But the last bulletin was not cheering. +It promised additional names for a later edition. Besides, the War +Department might not be relied on for reports of non-combatants. A +newspaper correspondent was not enrolled as a soldier. His death might +remain unrecorded for days. + +On a sudden impulse she started to enter the office and ask if he had +returned, stopped, blushed, turned and hurried home with a new fear +mingled with a strange joy beating in her heart. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE AWAKENING + + +John Vaughan had secured a loose horse on emerging from his friendly +swamp. The shadows of night had given him the chance to escape. His +horse was fresh, the rain had begun to fall, the heat had abated and he +made good time. + +He reached the office before midnight, took his seat at his desk, pale +and determined to tell the truth. He wrote an account of the battle and +the panic in which it had ended so vivid, so accurate, so terrible in +its confession of riot and dismay, the editor refused to print it. + +"Why not?" John sternly demanded. + +"It won't do." + +"It's true!" + +"Then the less said about it the better. Let's hush it up." + +John smiled: + +"I'm sorry. I would like to see that thing in type just as I saw and +felt and lived it. It's a good story and it's my last--it's a pity to +kill it----" + +"Your last? What do you mean?" the chief broke in. + +"That I'm going into the ranks, and see if I am a coward--" he paused +and scowled--"it looked like it yesterday for a while, and my +curiosity's aroused. Besides, the country happens to need me." + +"Rubbish," the editor cried, "the country will get all the men it needs +without you. You're a trained newspaper man. We need you here." + +"Thanks. My mind's made up. I'm going to Missouri and raise a company." + +The chief laid a hand on John's shoulder. "Don't be a fool. Stand by the +ship. I'll put your damned story in just as you wrote it if that's what +hurts." + +John flushed and shook his head: + +"But it isn't. You may be right about the stuff. If I were editor I'd +kill it myself. No. My dander's up. I want a little taste of the real +thing. I saw enough yesterday to interest me. The country's calling and +I've got to go." + +The boys crowded around him and shook hands. From the door he waved his +good-bye and they shouted in chorus: + +"Good luck!" + +Arrived at his room, he wrote a note to Betty Winter. He read it over +and it seemed foolishly cold and formal. He tore it up and wrote a +simpler one. It was flippant and a little presumptuous. He destroyed +that and decided on a single line: + + "MY DEAR MISS BETTY: + + "Can I see you a few minutes before leaving to-night? + + "JOHN VAUGHAN." + +He sent it and began hurriedly to dress, his mind in a whirl of nervous +excitement. His vanity had not even paused to ask whether her answer +would be yes. He was sure of it. The big exciting thing was that he had +made a thrilling discovery in the midst of that insane panic. He was in +love--for the first time in life foolishly and madly in love. Fighting +and elbowing his way through that throng of desperate terror-stricken +men and horses it had come to him in a flash that life was sweet and +precious because Betty Winter was in it. The more he thought of it the +more desperate became his determination not to be killed until he could +see and tell her. Through every moment of his wild scramble through +woods and fields and crowded road, up that tree and down again, his +heart was beating her name: + +"_Betty--Betty--Betty!_" + +What a blind fool he had been not to see it before! She, too, had been +blind. It was all clear now--this mysterious power that had called them +from the first, neither of them knowing or understanding. + +When Betty took his note from the maid's hand her eyes could see nothing +for a moment. She turned away that Peggy should not catch her white +face. She knew instinctively the message was from John Vaughan. It may +have been written with his last breath and sent by a friend. She broke +the seal with slow, nervous dread, looked quickly, and laughed aloud +when she had read, a joyous, half hysterical little laugh. + +"The man's waiting for an answer, Miss," the maid said. + +Betty looked at her stupidly, and blushed: + +"Why, of course, Peggy, in a moment tell him." + +She wrote half a page in feverish haste, telling him how happy she was +to know that he had safely returned, read it over twice, flushed with +anger at her silly confusion and tore it into tiny bits. She tried +again, but afraid to trust herself, spread John's note out and used it +for a model, + + "MY DEAR MR. VAUGHAN: + + "Certainly, as soon as you can call. + + "BETTY WINTER." + +And then she sat down by her window and listened to the splash of the +rain against the glass, counting the minutes until he should ring her +door bell. + +And when at last he came, she had to stand before her clock and count +the seconds off for five minutes lest she should disgrace herself by +rushing down stairs. + +Their hands met in a moment of awkward silence. The play of mind on mind +had set each heart pounding. The man of easy speech found for the first +time that words were difficult. + +"You've heard the black news, of course," he stammered. + +"Yes----" + +Her eyes caught the haggard drawn look of his face with a start. + +"You saw it all?" she asked. + +"I saw so much that I can never hope to forget it," he answered +bitterly. + +He led her to a seat and she flushed with the sudden realization that he +had been holding her hand since the moment they met. She drew it away +with a quick, nervous movement, and sat down abruptly. + +"Was it really as bad as it looks to-day?" she asked with an attempt at +conventional tones. + +"Worse, Miss Betty. You can't imagine the sickening shame of it all. I +was never in a battle before. I wouldn't mind repeating that experience +at close quarters--but the panic----" + +"The President is the coolest and most courageous man in the country +to-day," she put in eagerly. "It's inspiring to talk to him." + +A bitter speech against a Commander-in-Chief who could allow himself to +be driven into a battle by the chatter of fools rose to his lips, but he +remembered her admiration and was silent. He fumbled at his watch chain +and pulled the corner of his black moustache with growing embarrassment. +The thing was more difficult than he had dreamed. + +"I have resigned from the paper," he said at last. + +"Resigned?" she repeated mechanically. + +"Yes. I'm going back home to-night and help raise a company in answer to +the President's proclamation." + +The room was very still. Betty turned her eyes toward the window and +listened to the splash of the wind driven rain. + +"To your home town?" she faltered. + +"Yes. To Palmyra." + +"Where your brother went to raise a company to fight us--strange, isn't +it?" Her voice had a far-away sound as if she were talking to herself. + +"Yes--to fight us," he repeated in low tones. + +Again a silence fell between them. He looked steadily into her brown +eyes that were burning now with a strange intensity, tried to speak, and +failed. He caught the gasp of terror in the deep breath with which she +turned from his gaze. + +"My chief was bitter against my going--I--I hope you approve--Miss +Betty?" He spoke with pauses which betrayed his excitement. + +"Yes, I'm glad----" + +She stopped short, turned pale and fumbled at the lace handkerchief she +carried. + +"Every brave man who loves the Union must feel as you do to-day--and +go--no matter how hard it may be for those who--for those he leaves at +home----" + +She paused in embarrassment at the break she had almost made, and +flushed scarlet. + +He leaned close: + +"I'm afraid I'm not brave, Miss Betty. I ran with the rest of them +yesterday, ran like a dog for my life"--he paused and caught his +breath--"but I'm not sorry for it now. In the madness of that scramble +to save my skin I had a sudden revelation of why life was sweet----" + +He stopped and she scarcely breathed. Her heart seemed to cease beating. +Her dry lips refused to speak the question she would ask. The sweet +moment of pain and of glory had come. She felt his trembling hand seize +her ice-cold fingers as he went on impetuously: + +"Life was sweet because--because--I love you, Betty." + +She sprang to her feet trembling from head to foot. He followed, +whispering: + +"My own, I love you--I love you----" + +With sudden fierce strength he clasped her in his arms and covered her +lips with kisses. + +She lifted her trembling hands: + +"Please--please----" + +Again he smothered her words and held her in mad close embrace. + +"Let me go--let me go!" she cried with sudden fury, thrusting him from +her, breathless, her eyes blinded with tears. + +"Tell me that you love me!" he cried with desperate pleading. + +The splendid young figure faced him tense, quivering with rage. + +"How dare you take me in your arms like that without a word?" Her eyes +were flashing, her breast rising and falling with quick furious +breathing. + +He seized her hand and held it with cruel force. Her eyes blazed and he +dropped it. She was thinking of the scene with his slender chivalrous +brother. She could feel the soft kiss on the tips of her fingers and the +blood surged to her face at the thought of this man's lips pressed on +hers in mad, strangling passion without so much as by your leave! She +could tear his eyes out. + +He looked at her now in a hopeless stupor of regret. + +"Forgive me, Betty," he faltered. "I--I couldn't help it." + +Her eyes held his in a cold stare: + +"I suppose that's all any woman has ever meant to you, and you took me +for granted----" + +He lifted his hand in protest. + +"Please, please, Miss Betty," he groaned. + +"You may go now," she said with slow emphasis. + +He looked at her a moment dazed, and a wave of sullen anger slowly +mounted his face to the roots of his black tangled hair, which he +suddenly brushed from his forehead. + +Without a word he walked out into the storm, his jaws set. The door had +scarcely closed, when the trembling figure crumpled on the lounge in a +flood of bitter tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE MAN ON HORSEBACK + + +Before the sun had set on the day of storm which followed the panic at +Bull Run, the President had selected and summoned to Washington the man +who was to create the first Grand Army of the Republic--a man destined +to measure the full power of his personality against the Chief +Magistrate in a desperate struggle for the supremacy of the life of the +Nation itself. + +General George Brinton McClellan, in answer to the summons, reached +Washington on July the 20th, and immediately took command of the Army of +the Potomac--or of what was left of it. + +The President did not make this selection without bitter opposition and +grave warning. He was told that McClellan was an aggressive pro-slavery +Democrat, a political meddler and unalterably opposed to him and his +party on every essential issue before the people. These arguments found +no weight with the man in the White House. He would ask but one +question, discuss but one issue: + +"Is McClellan the man to whip this new army of 500,000 citizens into a +mighty fighting machine and level it against the Confederacy?" + +The all but unanimous answer was: + +"Yes." + +"Then I'll appoint him," was the firm reply. "I don't care what his +religion or his politics. The question is not _whether I shall save the +Union--but that the Union shall be saved_. My future and the future of +my party can take care of themselves--if they can't, let them die!" + +The new Commander was a man of striking and charming personality, but +thirty-four years old, and graduated from West Point in 1846. He had +served with distinction in the war against Mexico, studied military +science in Europe under the great generals in command at the Siege of +Sebastopol, and had achieved in West Virginia the first success won in +the struggle with the South. He had been opposed in West Virginia by +General Robert E. Lee, the man of destiny to whom the President, through +General Scott, had offered the command of the Union army before Lee had +drawn his sword for Virginia. He was a past master of the technical +science of engineering, defense and military drill. + +In spite of his short physical stature, he was of commanding appearance. +On horseback his figure was impressively heroic. It took no second +glance to see that he was a born leader of men. + +On the first day of his active command he had already conceived the idea +that he was a man of destiny. He wrote that night to his wife: + +"I find myself in a new and strange position here--President, Cabinet, +General Scott and all deferring to me. By some strange operation of +magic, I seem to have become the power of the land----" + +Three days later he wrote again of his sensational reception in the +Senate Chamber: + +"I suppose half a dozen of the oldest members made the remark I am +becoming so much used to: + +"'Why how young you look and yet an old soldier!' + +"They give me my way in everything, full swing and unbounded confidence. +All tell me that I am held responsible for the fate of the Nation, and +that all its resources shall be placed at my disposal. It is an immense +task that I have on my hands, but I believe I can accomplish it. When I +was in the Senate Chamber to-day and found those old men flocking around +me; when I afterward stood in the library looking over the Capital of a +great Nation, and saw the crowd gathering to stare at me, I began to +feel how great the task committed to me. How sincerely I pray God that I +may be endowed with the wisdom and courage necessary to accomplish the +work. Who would have thought when we were married, that I should so soon +be called upon to save my country?" + +Nor was McClellan the only man who saw this startling vision. He made +friends with astounding rapidity, and held men to him with hooks of +steel. + +With utter indifference to his own fame or future, the President joined +the public in praise of the coming star. The big heart at the White +House rejoiced in the strength of his Commanding General. But the man +who measured the world by the fixed standards of an exact science had no +powers of adjustment to the homely manners, simple unconventional ways, +and whimsical moods of Abraham Lincoln. + +McClellan's one answer to all inquiries about his relation to the Chief +Executive was: + +"The President is honest and means well!" + +The smile that played about the corners of his fine, keen, blue eyes +when he said this left no doubt in the mind of his hearer as to his real +opinion of the poor country lawyer who had by accident been placed in +the White House. + +And so the inevitable happened. The suggestions of the President and his +War Department were early resented as meddling with affairs which did +not concern them. + +The President saw with keen sorrow that there were brewing schemes +behind the compelling blue eyes of the "Napoleon" he had created. The +talk of McClellan's aspirations to a military dictatorship, which would +include the authority of the Executive and the Legislative branches of +the Government, had been current for more than two months. His recent +manner and bearing had given color to these reports. + +The splendor and ceremony of his headquarters could not have been +surpassed by Alexander or Napoleon. His growing staff already included a +Prince of the Royal Blood, the distinguished son of the Emperor of +France, and the Comte de Paris his attendant. His baggage train was +drawn by one hundred magnificent horses perfectly matched, hitched in +teams of four to twenty-five glittering new vans. His Grand Army spread +over mile after mile of territory far back into the hills of Virginia. +The autumnal days were brilliant with fresh uniforms, stars, sabres, +swords, spurs, plate, dinners, wines, cigars, the pomp and pride and +glory of war. + +Men stood in little groups and discussed in whispers the significance of +his continued stay in the Capital. + +"If the President has any friends, the hour has come when they've got +to stand by him!" The speaker was a man of fifty, a foreigner who had +made Washington his home and liked Lincoln. + +"Nonsense, my dear fellow," a tall Westerner replied, "we may have to +get a few rifles and guard the White House from somebody's attempt to +occupy it, but we'll not need any big guns." + +"If you'd heard the talk last night," the foreigner replied, with a +shrug of his shoulder, "you'd change your mind----" + +The Westerner shook his head: + +"No! The General's not that big a fool and the men around him have +better sense. And if they haven't--if they all should go crazy--it +couldn't be done. They couldn't control the army." + +"Did you ever hear the army cheer as 'Little Mac' rides along the line?" + +"Yes, but it don't mean an Emperor for all that----" + +"I'm not so sure!" + +And there were men of National reputation who considered the chances of +the man on horseback good at this moment. Such a man had openly attached +himself to the General as his attorney--no less a personage than the +distinguished Attorney General of the late Cabinet, Edwin M. Stanton. +During the closing days of Buchanan's crumbling administration Stanton +had become the dominating force of the Capital. His daring and his skill +had defeated the best laid schemes of the Southern party and broken its +grip on the administration. He had remained in Washington as a lawyer +practicing before the Supreme Court and had become the most aggressive +observer and critic of Lincoln and his Cabinet. His scorn for the +President knew no bounds. + +"No one," he wrote to General John A. Dix, "can imagine the deplorable +condition of this city and the hazard of the Government, who did not +witness the weakness and the panic of the administration and the painful +imbecility of Lincoln." + +To Buchanan, his ex-Chief, he wrote: + +"A strong feeling of distrust in the candor and sincerity of Lincoln's +personality and of his Cabinet has sprung up. It was the imbecility of +this administration which culminated in the catastrophe of Bull Run. +Irretrievable misfortune and National disgrace never to be forgotten are +to be added to the ruin of all peaceful pursuits and National bankruptcy +as the result of Lincoln's running the machine for five months. +Jefferson Davis will soon be in possession of Washington." + +Not only in letters to the leaders of public opinion in the Nation did +the aggressive and powerful lawyer seek to destroy the Government, but +in his conversation in Washington he was equally daring, venomous and +personal in his abuse of the President. "A low, cunning clown" and "the +original gorilla" were his choice epithets. + +Stanton's influence over McClellan was decided and vital from the moment +of their introduction. It was known among the General's intimate friends +that he had advised again and again that he use his power as Commander +of the Army to declare a Dictatorship, depose the President and dissolve +the sittings of Congress until the war should be ended. + +How far McClellan had dallied with this dangerous and alluring scheme +was a matter of conjecture. It is little wonder that the wildest rumors +of intrigues, of uprisings, of mutiny, filled the air. + +McClellan had doggedly refused either to move his army or to formally go +into winter quarters until the middle of December, when he took to his +bed and announced that he was suffering from an attack of typhoid fever. + +The President was further embarrassed by the course of his Secretary of +War, Cameron, who, while laboring under the censure of Congress for the +conduct of his office, had allowed Senator Winter to stab his chief in +the back by recommending in his report that the slaves be armed by the +Government and put into the ranks of the armies. Senator Winter, as the +Radical leader, knew that to meet such an issue once raised the +President must rebuke his Secretary and apologize to the Border Slave +States. He would thus alienate from his support all Cameron's friends, +and all friends of the negro. The Senator did not believe the President +would dare to fight on such an issue. + +He had misjudged his man. The President not only rebuked his Secretary +by suppressing his report and revising its language, he demanded and +received his resignation, notwithstanding the fact that Cameron was the +most powerful politician in the most powerful State of the North. + +He at once sought a new Secretary of War, free from all party +entanglements, who could not be influenced by contractors or jobbers or +scheming politicians, who was absolutely honest and who had a boundless +capacity for work. + +Strangely enough, his eye rested on Edward M. Stanton, his arch enemy, +the man who had become McClellan's confidential attorney. + +As an aggressive patriotic Democrat, Stanton had won the confidence of +the public in the last administration. His capacity for work had proved +limitless. He was under no obligations to a living soul who could ask +aught of Lincoln's administration. He was savagely honest. At the moment +the discovery of gigantic frauds practiced on the War Department by +thieving contractors, coupled with fabulous expenditures in daily +expenses, had destroyed the confidence of the money lenders in the +integrity of the Government. The Treasury was facing a serious crisis. + +And then the astounding thing happened. Without consulting a soul inside +his Cabinet or out, Abraham Lincoln appointed his bitterest foe from the +party of his enemies his Secretary of War. He offered the place to Edwin +M. Stanton. + +Perhaps the most astonished man in America was Stanton himself. To the +amazement of his friends, as well as his critics, he promptly accepted +the position. + +Senator Winter, whose radical temperament had found in Stanton a +congenial spirit, though as wide as the poles apart in politics, met him +in the lobby of the Senate Chamber on the day his appointment was +confirmed. + +He broke into a cynical laugh and asked: + +"And what will you do?" + +Stanton's keen spectacled eyes bored him through in silence as he +snapped: + +"I may make Abe Lincoln President of the United States." + +Evidently another man was entering the Cabinet under the impression that +the hands of an impotent Chief Magistrate needed strengthening. The +merest glance at this man's burly thick set body, his big leonine head +with its shock of heavy black hair, long and curling, his huge grizzly +beard and full resolute lips, was enough to convince the most casual +observer that he could be a dangerous enemy or a powerful ally. + +The President was warned of this appointment, but his confidence was +unshaken. His reply was a revelation of personality: + +"I have faith in affirmative men like Stanton. They stand between a +nation and perdition. He has shown a loyalty to the Union that rose +above his own partisan creed of a lifetime. I like that kind of a man." + +"He'll run away with the whole concern," was his friend's laconic reply. + +The President's big generous mouth moved with a smile: + +"Well, we may have to treat him as they sometimes did a Methodist +minister I knew out West. He was a mighty man in prayer and exhortation. +At times his excitement rose to such threatening heights the elders put +brick bats in his pockets to hold him down. We may be obliged to serve +Stanton the same way----" + +He paused and laughed. + +"But I guess we'll let him jump awhile first!" + +The men who knew the inner secrets of Stanton's relations to McClellan +watched this drama with keen interest. Had he gone into the Cabinet to +place the General in supreme power in a moment of crisis? Or had he at +heart deserted the Commander with the intention of using the enormous +power of the War Department to further a scheme of equal daring for +himself? They could only watch the swiftly moving scenes of the war +pageant for their answer. + +One fact was standing out each day with sharp and clean cut +distinctness, a struggle of giants was on beneath the surface. Startling +surprise had followed startling surprise during the past months. Men +everywhere were asking one another, what next? The air of Washington was +foul with the breath of passion and intrigue. Purposes and methods were +everywhere assailed. Men high in civil life were believed to be plotting +with military conspirators to advance their personal fortunes on the +ruins of the Republic. + +Around two men were gathering the forces whose clash would decide the +destiny of the Nation--the struggle between the supremacy of civil +authority in the President, and the war-created strength of the Military +Commander represented by McClellan. Could the Republic survive this war +within a war? + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +LOVE AND PRIDE + + +Betty Winter had found her fierce resolution to blot John Vaughan from +her life a difficult one to keep. The first two weeks were not so hard. +Every instinct of her pure young girlhood had cried out against the +conceit which had imagined her conquest so easy. The memory of his arms +about her crushing with cruel force, his hot lips on hers in mad, +unasked kisses brought the angry blood mounting to her cheeks. She +walked the floor in rage and dropped at last exhausted: + +"I could kill him!" + +The memory which stung deepest was the terror she had felt in his +arms--the sudden fear of the brute quivering in tense muscles and +throbbing in passionate kisses. She had thought this man a gentleman. In +that flash of self-revealing he was simply a beast. It had unsettled her +whole attitude toward life. For the first time she began to suspect the +darker side of passion. If this were love, she would have none of it. + +Again she resolved for the hundredth time, to banish the last thought of +him. If there were no cleaner, more chivalrous men in the world she +could live without them. But there were men with holier ideals. Ned +Vaughan was one. She drew from the drawer the only letter she had +received from him and the last she would probably get in many a day, as +he had crossed the dead line of war and was now somewhere in the great +silent South. She read it over and over with tender smiles: + + "DEAR MISS BETTY; + + "I can't disappear behind the battle lines without a last word to + you. I just want to tell you that every hour, waking or dreaming, + the memory of you is my inspiration. The hardest task is easy + because my heart is beating with your name with every stroke. For + me the drums throb it, the bugle calls it. I hear it in the tramp + of soldiers, the rumble of gun, the beat of horses' hoofs and the + rattle of sabre,--for I am fighting my way back, inch by inch, hour + by hour, to you, my love! + + "You cannot answer this. There will be no more mails from the + South--no more mails from the North until I see you again on the + Capitol Hill in Washington. There has never been a doubt in my + heart that the South shall win--that I shall win. And when I stand + before you then it will not be as conqueror, though victorious. I + shall bow at your feet your willing slave. And I shall kiss my + chains because your dear hands made them. I can expect no answer to + this. I ask none. I need none. My love is enough. It's so big and + wonderful it makes the world glorious. + + "NED." + +How sharp and bitter the contrast between the soul of this chivalrous +boy and his vain conceited brother! She loathed herself for her blind +stupidity. Why had she preferred him? Why--why--why! The very question +cut her. It was not because John Vaughan had chosen to cast his lot with +her people of the North. Rubbish! She had a sneaking admiration for Ned +because he had dared her displeasure in making his choice. There must be +something perverse in her somewhere. She could see it now. It must be so +or the evil in John Vaughan's character would not have drawn her as a +magnet from the first. She hadn't a doubt now that all the stories about +his fast life and his contempt for women were true and much more than +gossip had dreamed. + +He would write a letter of apology, of course, in due season. He was too +shrewd a man of the world, too skillful an interpreter of the whims of +women to write at once. He was waiting for her to cool--waiting until +she should begin to be anxious. It was too transparent. She would give +him a surprise when his letter came. The shock would take a little of +the conceit out of him. She would return his letter unopened by the next +mail. + +When four weeks passed without a word the first skirmish between love +and pride began. Perhaps she had been unreasonable after all. Was it +right to blame a man too harshly for being mad about the woman he loved? +In her heart of hearts did she desire any other sort of lover? Tears of +vexation came in spite of every effort to maintain her high position. +She had to face the plain truth. She didn't desire a cold lover. She +wished him to be strong, manly, masterful--yes, masterful, that was +it--yet infinitely tender. This man was simply a brute. And yet the +memory of his mad embrace and the blind violence of his kisses had +become each day more vivid and terrible--terrible because of their +fascination. She accepted the fact at last in a burst of bitter tears. + +And then came the announcement in the _Daily Republican_ of his return +to the city and his attachment to the company of cavalry at McClellan's +headquarters. The thought of his presence sent the blood surging in +scarlet waves to her face. There was no longer any question in her mind +that she had wounded him too deeply for forgiveness. Her dismissal had +been so cold, so curt, it had been an accusation of dishonor. She could +see it clearly now. He had poured out his confession of utter love in a +torrent of mad words and clasped her in his arms without thought or +calculation, an act of instinctive resistless impulse. He had justly +resented the manner in which she had repulsed him. Yet she had simply +followed the impulse of her girlish heart, and she would die sooner than +apologize. + +She accepted the situation at last with a dull sense of pain and +despair, and tried to find consolation in devotion to work in the +hospitals which had begun to grow around the army of drilling +volunteers. + +Events were moving now with swift march, and her championship of the +President gave her days of excitement which brought unexpected relief +from her gloomy thoughts. She was witnessing the first movements of the +National drama from the inside and its passion had stirred her +imagination. Her father's growing hatred of Abraham Lincoln left her in +no doubt as to whose master hand had guided the assaults on the rear of +his distracted administration. + +The fall of Cameron, the Secretary of War, had been the work of her +father, with scarcely a suggestion from without. The Abolitionist had +determined to force Lincoln to free the slaves at once or destroy him +and his administration. They also were whispering the name of their +chosen dictator who would assume the reins of power on his downfall. + +The President was equally clear in his determination not to allow his +hand to be forced and lose control of the Border Slave States, whose +influence and power were becoming each day more and more essential to +the preservation of the Union. He had succeeded in separating the +counties of Western Virginia and had created a new State out of them. +His policy of conciliation and forbearance was slowly, but surely, +welding Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland to the Nation. + +Any tinkering at this moment with the question of Slavery would imperil +the loyalty of these four States. He held them now and he refused to +listen to any man or faction who asked him to loosen that grip. + +The true policy of the Radicals, Senator Winter realized, was to fire +into the President's back through his generals in the field in an +emancipation crusade which would work the North into a frenzy of +passion. He had shrewdly calculated the chances, and he did not believe +that Lincoln would dare risk his career on a direct order revoking such +a proclamation. + +General Hunger was the first to accept the mutinous scheme. He issued a +proclamation declaring all slaves within the lines of the Union army +forever free, and a wave of passionate excitement swept the North. The +quiet self-contained man in the White House did not wait to calculate +the force of this storm. He revoked Hunter's order before the ink was +dry on it. + +Again Senator Winter invaded the Executive office: + +"You dare, sir," he thundered, "to thus spit in the face of the +millions of the loyal North who are pouring their blood and treasure +into this war?" + +"I do," was the even answer. "I am the President of the United States +and as Commander-in-Chief of its Army and Navy I will not be disobeyed +by my subordinates on an issue I deem vital to the Nation's existence. +If in the fulness of God's time an emancipation proclamation must be +issued in order to save the Union, I know my duty and I'll do it without +the interference of any of my generals in the field----" + +He paused and glanced over the rims of his spectacles with a sudden +flash from his deep set eyes: + +"Do I make myself clear?" + +Winter's face went white with anger as he slowly answered: + +"Perfectly. It seems you have learned nothing from the wrath with which +your sacrifice of John C. Fremont to appease the slave power was +received?" + +"So it seems," was the laconic response. "Fremont issued, without +consulting me, his famous proclamation last August. I saw your hand, +Senator, in that clause 'freeing' the slaves in the State of Missouri." + +"And I warn you now," the Senator growled, "that the storm of +indignation which met that act was nothing to one that will break about +your head to-morrow! The curses of Fremont's soldiers still ring in your +ears. The press, the pulpit, the platform and both Houses of Congress +gave you a taste of their scorn you will not soon forget. Thousands of +sober citizens who had given you their support, whose votes put you in +this office, tore your picture down from their walls and trampled it +under their feet. For the first time in the history of the Republic the +effigy of a living President was burned publicly in the streets of an +American city amid the jeers and curses of the men who elected him. Your +sacrifice of Fremont has made him the idol of the West. He is to them +to-day what Napoleon in exile was to France. This is a Government of the +people. Even a President may go too far in daring to override public +opinion!" + +The giant figure slowly rose and faced his opponent, erect, controlled, +dignified: + +"But the question is, Senator, who is a better judge of true public +opinion, you or I? It remains to be seen. In the meantime I must tell +you once more that I am not the representative of a clique, or faction. +I am the Chief Magistrate of all the people--I am going to save this +Union for them and their children. I hope to live to see the death of +Slavery. That is in God's hands. My duty to-day is as clear as the +noonday sun. I can't lose the Border Slave States at this stage of the +game and save the Union--therefore I must hold them at all hazards. Let +the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things if they will----" + +"Then it's a waste of breath to talk!" the Senator suddenly shouted. + +The rugged head bowed gracefully: + +"I thought so from the first--but I've tried to be polite----" + +"Good day, sir!" + +"Good day, Senator," the President laughed, "come in any time you want +to let off steam. It'll make you feel easier and it won't hurt me." + +Abraham Lincoln knew the real cause of public irritation and loss of +confidence. The outburst of wrath over Fremont was but a symptom. The +disease lay deeper. The people had lost confidence in his War Department +through the failure of his first Secretary and the inactivity of the +army under McClellan. He had applied the remedy to the first cause in +the dismissal of Cameron and the appointment of Stanton. It remained to +be seen whether he could control his Commanding General, or whether +McClellan would control the Government. + +The situation was an intolerable one--not only to the people who were +sacrificing their blood and money, but to his own inherent sense of +honor and justice. He had no right to organize and drill a mighty army +to go into winter quarters, drink and play cards, and dance while a +victorious foe flaunted their flag within sight of the Capitol. + +Besides, the Western division under two obscure Generals, Grant and +Sherman, had moved in force in mid-winter and with a mere handful of men +compared to the hosts encamped in Washington had captured Fort Henry and +Fort Donelson and taken fourteen thousand prisoners. The navy had +brilliantly cooeperated on the river, and this fact only made more +painful the disgrace of the Confederate blockade of the Capital by its +half dozen batteries on the banks of the Potomac. + +The President was compelled to test the ugly question of the extent and +power of General McClellan's personal support. + +He returned from a tour of inspection and stood on the hilltop +overlooking McClellan's miles of tents and curling camp fires. He turned +to Mrs. Lincoln, who had accompanied him: + +"You know what that is?" + +"The Army of the Potomac, of course, Father." + +"No!" he replied bitterly, "that's only McClellan's body guard--a +hundred and eighty thousand." + +The General had persistently refused to take any suggestion from his +superior as to the movement of his army. Would Lincoln dare to force the +issue between them and risk the mutiny of this Grand Army undoubtedly +devoted to their brilliant young leader? There were many who believed +that if he dared, the result would be a _coup d'etat_ which would place +the man on horseback in supreme power. + +The moment the President reached the point where he saw that further +delay would mean grave peril to the Nation, he acted with a promptness +which stunned the glittering military court over which the young +Napoleon presided. From the White House, as Commander-in-Chief of the +Army and Navy, he issued a military order for the advance of McClellan's +forces on Richmond! + +The idea of such an order coming from a backwoods lawyer without +military training was preposterous. Its audacity for a moment stunned +the Commander of all the divisions of the army, but when the excitement +had subsided on the day it was done, General McClellan, for the first +time, squarely faced the fact that there was a real man in the White +House. + +The issue was a square one. He must obey that order or march on the +Capital with his army, depose the President, and declare a dictatorship. + +He decided to move on Richmond. He wrangled over the route he would +take, but he moved, when once in motion, with remarkable swiftness. + +Within two weeks a magnificent army of one hundred and twenty thousand +men, fourteen thousand horses, forty-four batteries with endless trains +of wagons, supplies, and pontoon bridges were transported by water two +hundred miles to the Virginia Peninsula without the loss of a life. + +The day was a glorious one toward the end of March, when Betty stood on +the hill above Alexandria and watched, with heavy heart, the magnificent +pageant of the embarking army. The spring was unusually early. The grass +was already a rich green carpet in the shaded lanes. Jonquils were +flaming from every walkway, the violets beginning to lift their blue +heads from their dark green leaves and the trees overhead were hanging +with tassels behind which showed the clusters of fresh buds bursting +into leaf. + +The armed host covered hill and plain and stretched out in every +direction as far as the eye could reach. Four hundred ships had moved up +the river to receive them. Companies and regiments of magnificently +equipped soldiers were marching to the throb of drum and the scream of +fife. Thousands of cavalrymen, in gay uniforms, their golden yellow +shining in the sun, were dashing across a meadow at the foot of the +hill. The long lines of infantry stretched from the hills through the +streets of Alexandria down to the water's edge. Everywhere the +regimental bands were playing martial music. + +Somewhere among those marching, cheering, laughing, shouting thousands +was the man she loved, leaving without a word. + +An awkward private soldier passed with his arm around his sweetheart. +Her eyes were red and she leaned close. They were not talking any more. +But a few minutes were left and he must go--perhaps to die. Words had +ceased to mean anything. + +Her heart rose in fierce rebellion against the wall of silence her pride +had reared. A group of magnificently equipped young officers passed on +horseback. Perhaps of General McClellan's staff! She looked in vain +among them for his familiar face. If he passed she would disgrace +herself--she felt it with increasing certainty. Why had she come here, +anyway? As well tell the truth--in the vague hope of a meeting. + +The quick beat of a horse's hoof echoed along the road. She looked and +recognized John Vaughan! He was coming straight toward her. +Instinctively and resistlessly she moved to meet him. + +She waved her hand in an awkward little gesture as if she had tried to +stop after beginning the movement. His eye had been quick to see and +with a graceful pull on his horse's bridle he had touched the pommel of +the saddle, leaped to his feet, cap in hand, and stood trembling before +her. + +"It's too good to be true!" he exclaimed breathlessly. + +She extended her bare hand and he held it without protest. It was +trembling violently. + +"You were going to leave without an effort to see me?" she asked in low +tones. + +"I was just debating that problem when I saw you standing by the road," +he answered soberly. "I don't think I could have done it. It's several +hours before we embark. I was just figuring on how I could reach you in +time." + +"Really?" she murmured. + +"Honestly." + +"Well, if you had gone without a word, I couldn't have blamed you"--she +paused and bit her lips--"I was very foolish that day." + +"It was my fault," he broke in, "all my fault. I was a brute. I realized +it too late. I'd have eaten my pride and gone back to see you the day I +reached Washington if I had thought it any use. I have never seen such a +look in the eyes of a woman as you gave me that day, Miss Betty. If +there had been any love in your heart I knew that I had killed it----" + +She looked into his eyes with a tender smile: + +"I thought you had----" + +He pressed her hand tenderly. + +"But now?" + +"I know that love can't be killed by a kiss." + +She stopped suddenly, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He +held her close for a moment, murmuring: + +"My sweetheart--my darling!" + +Through four swift beautiful hours they sat on a log, held each other's +hands, and told over and over the old sweet story. Another long, tender +embrace and he was gone. She stood on the little wharf, among hundreds +of weeping sisters and mothers and sweethearts, and watched his boat +drift down the river. He waved his handkerchief to her until the big +unfinished dome of the Capitol began to fade on the distant horizon. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE SPIRES OF RICHMOND + + +To meet three great armies converging on Richmond along the James under +McClellan, from the North under McDowell, and the West by the Shenandoah +Valley, the South had barely fifty-eight thousand men commanded by +Joseph E. Johnston and eighteen thousand under Stonewall Jackson. + +The Southern people were still suffering from the delusion of Bull Run +and had not had time to adjust themselves to the amazing defeats +suffered at Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, to say nothing of the +stunning victory of the _Monitor_ in Hampton Roads, which had opened the +James to the gates of the Confederate Capital. + +Jackson was ordered into the Shenandoah Valley to execute the apparently +impossible task of holding in check the armies of Fremont, Milroy, Banks +and Shields, and at the same time prevent the force of forty thousand +men under McDowell from reaching McClellan. The combined forces of the +Federal armies opposed thus to Jackson were eight times greater than his +command. And yet, by a series of rapid and terrifying movements which +gained for his little army the title of "foot cavalry," he succeeded in +defeating, in quick succession, each army in detail. + +McDowell was despatched in haste to join Fremont and crush Jackson. And +while his army was rushing into the Shenandoah Valley, Jackson withdrew +and quietly joined the army before Richmond which moved to meet +McClellan. + +Little Mac, with his hundred and twenty thousand men, had moved up the +Peninsula with deliberate but resistless force, Johnston's army retiring +before him without serious battle until the Army of the Potomac lay +within sight of the spires of Richmond. Faint, but clear, the breezes +brought the far-off sound of her church bells on Sunday morning. + +The two great armies at last faced each other for the first clash of +giants, McClellan with one hundred and ten thousand men in line, +Johnston with seventy thousand Southerners. + +John Vaughan rode along the lines of the Federal host on the afternoon +of May 30th, to inspect and report to his Commander. Through the opening +in the trees the Confederate army could be plainly seen on the other +side of the clearing. The Federal scouts had already reported the +certainty of an attack. + +The Confederates that night lay down on their arms with orders to attack +at daylight. Dark clouds had swirled their storm banks over the sky +before sunset and the heavens were opened. The rain fell in blinding +torrents, until the sluggish little stream of the Chickahominy had +become a rushing, widening, treacherous river which threatened to sweep +away the last bridge McClellan had constructed. + +The Confederate Commander was elated. The army of his enemy was divided +by a swollen river. The storm increased until it reached the violence of +a hurricane. Through the entire night the lightning flashed and the +thunder pealed without ceasing. At times the heavens were livid with +blinding, dazzling light. Tents were a mockery. The earth was +transformed into a vast morass. + +The storm had its compensations for the Northern army though divided. +Its frightful severity had so demoralized the Confederates that it was +nearly noon before General A. P. Hill moved to the attack. + +The entrenched army was ready. The Union pickets lay in the edge of the +woods and every soldier in the pits had been under cover for hours +awaiting the onset. + +With a shout the men in grey leaped from their shelter, pouring their +volleys from close charging columns. The rifle balls whistled through +the woods, clipping boughs, barking the trees, and hurling the Federal +pickets back on their support. In front of the abatis had been planted a +battery of four guns. The grey men had fixed their eyes on them. General +Naglee saw their purpose and threw his four thousand men into the open +field to meet them. Straight into each other's faces their muskets +flamed, paused, and flamed again. The Northern men fixed their bayonets, +charged, and drove the grey line slowly back into the woods. Here they +met a storm of hissing lead that mowed their ranks. They broke quickly +and rushed for the cover of their rifle pits. + +The grey lines charged, and for three hours the earth trembled beneath +the shock of their continued assaults. + +Suddenly on the left flank of the Federal army a galling fire was poured +from a grey brigade. The movement had been quietly and skillfully +executed. At the same moment General Rodes' brigade rushed on their +front with resistless force. The officers tried to spike their guns and +save them, but were shot down in their tracks to a man. Their guns were +lost, and in a moment the men in grey had wheeled them and were pouring +a terrible fire on the retreating lines. + +The Confederates now charged the Federal centre, and for an hour and a +half the fierce conflict raged--charge and countercharge by men of equal +courage led by dauntless officers. The Union right wing had already been +crumpled in hopeless confusion, the centre had yielded, the left wing +alone was holding its own. It looked as if the whole Union army on the +South side of the Chickahominy would be wiped out. + +At Seven Pines Heintzelman had made a stubborn stand. General Keyes saw +a hill between the lines of battle which might save the day if he could +reach it in time. He must take men between two battle lines to do so. +The Confederate Commander, divining his intention, poured a galling fire +into his ranks and began a race with him for the heights. Keyes won the +race and formed his line in the nick of time. The tremendous fire poured +down from this new position was too much for the assaulting Southern +column and it halted. + +The Confederate forces had forced the Federal lines back two miles as +the river fog and the darkness slowly rose and enveloped the field. +General Johnston ordered his men to sleep on the fields and camps they +had captured. A minute later he was hurled from his horse by an +exploding shell and was borne from the field dangerously wounded. The +first day's struggle had ended in reverses for the invading enemy. The +Confederates had captured ten guns, six thousand muskets, and five +hundred prisoners, besides driving McClellan's forces two miles from the +opening battle lines. + +Between the two smoke-grimed, desperate armies locked thus in close +embrace there could be no truce for burying the fallen or rescuing the +wounded. Over the rain-soaked fields and woods for two miles behind the +Confederate front lay the dead, the dying, and the wounded, the blue +side by side with their foes in grey. Dim fog-ringed lanterns flickered +feebly here and there like wounded fireflies over the dark piles on the +ground. + +The Southern ambulance corps did its best at its new trade. Their long +lines of wagons began to creep into Richmond and fill the hospitals. +Shivering white-faced women, wives, sweethearts, mothers, sisters were +there looking for their own, praying and hoping. All day they had +shivered in their rooms at the deep boom of cannon, whose thunder +rattled the glass in the windows through which they gazed on the +deserted streets. It was the first lesson in real war, this hand to hand +grip of the two giants whose struggle must decide the fate of Richmond. + +The wagons left their loads and rattled back over the rough cobble +stones and out on the muddy roads to the front again. The night would be +all too short for their work. + +In their field hospital, the surgeons, with bare, bloody arms, were busy +with knife and saw. Boys who had faced death in battle without a tremor, +now pale and trembling, watched the growing pile of legs and arms. Alone +in the darkness beyond the voice or touch of a loved hand they must face +this awful thing and hobble through life maimed wrecks. They looked +over their shoulders into the murky darkness and envied the silent forms +that lay there beyond the reach of pain and despair. All night the grim +tragedy of the knife and saw, and the low moans that still came from the +darkness of the woods! + +Sunday morning, the second day of June, dawned over the battle-scarred +earth--an ominous day for the armies of the Republic--for the sun rose +on a new figure in command of the men in grey. Robert E. Lee had taken +the place of Joseph E. Johnston. + +General G. W. Smith, second in command when Johnston fell, had formed +his plan of battle, and the new head of the Confederacy, with his high +sense of courtesy and justice, permitted his subordinate to direct the +conflict for the day. + +As the sun rose, red and ominous through the dark pine forest, General +Smith quickly advanced his men at Fair Oaks Station, down the railroad, +and fell with fury on the men in blue, who crouched behind the +embankment. The men were less than fifty yards apart, and muskets blazed +in long level sheets of yellow flame. No longer could the ear catch the +effect of ripping canvas in the fire of small arms. The roar was +endless. For an hour and a half the two blazing lines mowed each other +down in their tracks without pause. The grey at last gave way and fell +back to the shelter of their woods and gathered reinforcements. The +Union lines had been cut to pieces and suddenly ceased firing while +their support advanced. + +The roaring hell had died into a strange ominous stillness. John Vaughan +had just dashed up to the embankment with orders from McClellan to hold +this position until Haskin's division arrived. He sprang on the +embankment and looked curiously at the long piles of grey bodies lying +in an endless row as far as the eye could reach. Over the tree tops, +faintly mingling with the low cry of a dying boy of sixteen, came the +sweet distant notes of a church bell in Richmond. + +"God in heaven--the mockery of it!" he cried. + +A great shout swept the blue lines. Hooker's magnificent division of +fresh troops swept into view, eager for the fray. They rapidly deployed +to the right and left. In front of them lay the open blood-soaked field, +and beyond the deep woods bristling with Southern bayonets. The new +division leaped into this open field, with a wild shout, their eyes set +on the woods. They paused, only to fire, and their double quick became a +race. + +The Southern batteries followed and tore great holes in their ranks. +They closed them with low quick sullen orders sweeping on. They reached +the edge of the woods and poured into its friendly shelter. And then +above the tops of oak and pine and beech and ash and tangled undergrowth +came the soul-piercing roar of two great armies, fearless, daring, +scorning death, fighting hand to hand, man to man, for what they +believed to be right. + +The people in church turned anxious faces toward the sound. Its roar +rang above the sob of organ and the chant of choir. + +Bayonet clashed on bayonet, as regiment after regiment were locked in +close mortal combat. Hour after hour the stubborn unyielding hosts held +fast on both sides. The storm weakened and slowly died away. Only the +intermittent crack of a rifle here and there broke the stillness. + +There was no shout of victory, no sweep of cheering hosts--only silence. +The Confederate General in command for the day had lost faith in his +battle plan and withdrew his army from the field. The men in blue could +move in and camp on the ground they had held the day before if they +wished. + +But there was something more important to do now than maneuver for +position in history. The dead and the dying and wounded crying for water +were everywhere--down every sunlit aisle of the forest they lay in +heaps. In the open fields they lay faces up, the scorching Southern sun +of June beating piteously down in their eyes--the blue and the grey side +by side in death as they fought hand to hand in life. + +The trenches were opened and they piled the bodies in one on top of the +other, where they had fallen. They turned their faces downward, these +stalwart, brave American boys that the grave-diggers might not throw the +wet dirt into their eyes and mouths. O, aching hearts in far-away homes, +at least you were not there to see! + +Both armies paused now to gird their loins for the crucial test. General +Lee was in the saddle gathering every available man into his ranks for +his opening assault on McClellan's host. Jackson was in the Shenandoah +Valley holding three armies at bay, defeating them in detail and +paralyzing the efficiency of McDowell's forty thousand men at +Fredericksburg, by the daring uncertainty of his movements. + +The first act of Lee was characteristic of his genius. Wishing to know +the exact position of McClellan's forces, and with the further purpose +of striking terror into his antagonist's mind for the safety of his +lines of communication, he conceived the daring feat of sending a picked +body of cavalry under the gallant J. E. B. Stuart completely around the +Northern army of one hundred and five thousand men. + +On June the 12th, Stuart with twelve hundred troopers, fighting, +singing, dare-devil riders to a man, slipped from Lee's lines and +started toward Fredericksburg. The first night he bivouacked in the +solemn pines of Hanover. At the first streak of dawn the men swung into +their saddles in silence. + +Turning suddenly to the east he surprised and captured the Federal +pickets without a shot. In five minutes he confronted a squadron of +Union cavalry. With piercing rebel yell his troopers charged and +scattered their foes. + +Sweeping on with swift, untiring dash they struck the York River +Railroad, which supplied McClellan's army, surprised and captured the +company of infantry which guarded Tunstall's Station, cut the wires and +attacked a train passing with troops. + +Riding without pause through the moonlit night they reached the +Chickahominy at daybreak. The stream was out of its banks and could not +be forded. They built a bridge, crossed over at dawn, and the following +day leaped from their saddles before Lee's headquarters and reported. + +A thrill of admiration and dismay swept the ranks of the Northern army +and started in Washington a wave of bitter criticism against McClellan. +No word of reply reached the world from the little Napoleon. He was busy +digging trenches, felling trees and pushing his big guns steadily +forward and always behind impregnable works. He was a born engineer and +his soul was set on training his great siege guns on the Confederate +Capital. + +On the 25th of June his advance guard had pressed within five miles of +the apparently doomed city. His breastworks bristled from every point of +advantage. His army was still divided by the Chickahominy River, but he +had so thoroughly bridged its treacherous waters he apparently had no +fear of coming results. + +On June the 27th Stonewall Jackson had slipped from the Shenandoah +Valley, baffling two armies converging on him from different directions, +and with a single tiger leap had landed his indomitable little army by +Lee's side. + +Anticipating his arrival, the Confederate general had hurled Hill's +corps against the Union right wing under Porter. Throughout the day of +the 26th and until nine o'clock at night the battle raged with unabated +fury. The losses on both sides were frightful and neither had gained a +victory. But at nine o'clock the Federal Commander ordered his right +wing to retreat five miles to Gaines Mill and cover his withdrawal of +heavy guns and supplies. They were ordered at all hazards to hold +Jackson's fresh troops at bay until this undertaking was well under way. +It was a job that called for all his skill in case of defeat. It +involved the retreat of an army of one hundred thousand men with their +artillery and enormous trains of supplies across the mud-scarred marshy +Peninsula. Five thousand wagons loaded to their utmost capacity, their +wheels sinking in the springy earth, had to be guarded and transported. +His siege guns, so heavy it was impossible to hitch enough horses to +move them over roads in which they sank to the hubs, had to be saved. +Three thousand cattle were there, to be guarded and driven, and it was +more than seventeen miles to the shelter of his gunboats on the James. + +During the night his wagon trains and heavy guns were moved across the +Chickahominy toward his new base on the James. + +The morning of the 27th dawned cool and serene. Under the cover of the +night the silent grey army had followed the retiring one in blue. The +Southerners lay in the dense wood above Gaines Mill dozing and waiting +orders. + +A balloon slowly rose from the Federal lines and hung in the scarlet +clouds that circled the sun. The signal was given to the artillery that +the enemy lay in the deep woods within range and a storm of shot and +shell suddenly burst over the heads of the men in grey and the second +day's carnage had begun. + +For once Jackson, the swift and mysterious, was late in reaching the +scene. It was two o'clock when Hill again unsupported hurled his men on +the Federal lines in a fierce determined charge. Twenty-six guns of the +matchless artillery of McClellan's army threw a stream of shot and shell +into his face. Never were guns handled with deadlier power. And back of +them the infantry, thrilled at the magnificent spectacle, poured their +hail of hissing lead into the approaching staggering lines. + +The waves of grey broke and recoiled. A blue pall of impenetrable smoke +rolled through the trees and clung to the earth. Under the protection of +their great guns the dense lines of blue pushed out into the smoke fog +and charged their foe. For two hours the combat raged at close quarters. +A division of fresh troops rushed to the Northern line, and Lee +observing the movement from his horse on an eminence, ordered a general +attack on the entire Union front. + +It was a life and death grapple for the mastery. Jackson's corps was now +in action. A desperate charge of Hood's division at last broke the Union +lines and the grey men swarmed over the Federal breastworks. The lines +broke and began to roll back toward the bridges of the Chickahominy. The +retreat threatened to become a rout. The twilight was deepening over the +field when a shout rose from the tangled masses of blue stragglers by +the bridge. Dashing through them came the swift fresh brigades of French +and Meager. General Meager, rising from his stirrups in his shirt +sleeves, swung his bare sword above his head, hurled his troops against +the advancing Confederate line and held it until darkness saved Porter's +division from ruin. + +McClellan's one hope now was to pull his army out of the deadly swamps +in which he had been caught and save it from destruction. He must reach +the banks of the James and the shelter of his gunboats before he could +stop to breathe. At every step the charging grey lines crashed on his +rear guard. Retreating day and night, turning and fighting as a hunted +stag, he was struggling only to escape. + +That there was no panic, no rout, was a splendid tribute to his +organizing and commanding powers. His army was an army at last in fact +as well as in name--a compact and terrible fighting machine. The +oncoming Confederate hosts learned this to their sorrow again and again +in the five terrible days which followed. + +On July 1st, McClellan reached the shelter of his gunboats and +intrenched himself on the heights of Malvern Hill. On its summit he +placed tier after tier of batteries swung in crescent line, commanding +every approach. Surmounting those on the highest point he planted seven +of his great siege guns. His army surrounded this hill, its left flank +resting on the James and covered by his gunboats. + +It was late in the afternoon before Lee ordered a general attack. The +grey army was floundering in the mud in a vain effort to reach its +fleeing enemy in force. At noon they were still burying the dead on the +blood-soaked field of Glendale where McClellan's gallant rear guard had +stood until the last wagon train had safely arrived at Malvern Hill. + +Ned Vaughan's company had been hurried from the West to the defense of +Richmond, and reached the field on the night of the 30th, too late for +the battle of Glendale, but in time to walk over its scarred soil in the +soft moonlight and get his first glimpse of war. He was yet to see a +battle. + +A group of grey schoolboy comrades were burying one of their number +beneath a tall pine in the edge of an old field. He joined the circle +and watched them. They dug the grave with their bayonets, tenderly +wrapped the body in the battle flag of the South and covered it with +their hands. One of them recited a beautiful Psalm from memory, and not +a word was spoken as they drew the damp earth up into a mound. A +whip-poor-will began his song in the edge of the woods as he passed on. + +A few yards further a man in grey was cutting a forked limb into a +crutch. Something dark lay huddled on the brown straw. It was a wounded +man in blue. The Southerner lifted his enemy, and placed the crutch +under him. + +"Now, partner," he said cheerfully, "you're all right. You'll find the +hospital down there by them lights. They'll look out for ye." + +Ned wondered vaguely how he would really feel under his first baptism of +fire. He was only a private soldier in this company which had been +ordered East. He had resigned from the first he had helped to raise--the +ambitions and intrigues of its officers had aroused his disgust and he +had taken a place in the ranks of the first company sent to Virginia. He +had made up his mind he would wear no signs of rank that were not fairly +won on the field of battle. + +To-morrow he was going to face it at short range. Everywhere were strewn +canteens, knapsacks, broken guns and blankets. He came suddenly on a +trench behind which the men in blue had fought from dark to dark. It was +full of dead soldiers. + +His regiment was up before day to move at dawn. His company had been +assigned to a regiment of veterans who had fought at Bull Run and had +been in three of the battles before Richmond. Their ranks were thin and +the Western boys were given a royal welcome. + +The seasoned men were in good humor, the new company serious. Ned was +carefully shaving by the flickering light of the camp fire. + +"What the divil are you doin' that for?" his Irish messmate asked in +amazement. + +"You want to know the truth, Haggerty?" Ned drawled. + +"That's what I want----" + +"We're going into our first battle, aren't we?" + +"Praise God, we are!" + +"And we may come out a corpse?" + +"Yis----" + +"I'm going to be a decent one." + +"Ah, go'long wid ye--ye bloody young spalpeen--ye're no more afraid than +I am!" + +"Maybe not, Haggerty, but it's a solemn occasion, and I'm going to look +my best." + +"Ye'll live ter see many a scrap, me bye!" + +"Same to you, old man! But I'm going to be clean for this one, anyhow." + +The regiment marched toward Malvern Hill at the first streak of dawn. It +was slow work. Always the artillery ahead were sticking in the mud and +the halts were interminable. + +The new company grew more and more nervous: + +"What's up ahead?" + +They asked it at every halt the first three hours. And then their +disgust became more pronounced. + +"What in 'ell's the matter?" Ned groaned. + +"Don't worry, Sonny," an old corporal called, "you'll get there in time +to see more than you want." + +The regiment reached the battle lines at one o'clock. The morning hours +had been spent in driving in the skirmishers and feeling the enemy's +positions. Lee had given orders for a general charge on a signal yell +from Armistead's brigade. He was now waiting the arrival of all his +available forces before attacking. + +Late in the afternoon General D. H. Hill heard a shout followed by a +roar of musketry and immediately ordered his division to charge. No +other General seemed to have heard it and the charge was made without +support. It was magnificent, but it was not war, it was sheer butchery. +No army could have stood before the galling fire of those massed +batteries. + +Ned's regiment had deployed in a wood on the edge of a wide field at the +foot of the hill. Their movement caught the eye of a battery on the +heights which opened with six guns squarely on their heads. + +The struggling, shattered remnants of a regiment which had been all but +annihilated fell back through these woods, stumbling against the waiting +men. + +Ned saw a soldier with a Minie ball sticking in the centre of his +forehead, the blood oozing from the round, clean-cut hole beside the +lead. He was walking steadily backward, loading and firing with +incredible rapidity. The company halted behind the troops held in +reserve, but the man with the ball in his forehead refused to go to the +rear. He wouldn't believe that he was seriously hurt. He jokingly asked +a comrade to dig the ball out. He did so, and the fellow dropped in his +tracks, the blood gushing from the wound in a stream. + +The uncanny sight had sickened Ned. He looked at his hand and it was +trembling like a leaf. + +And this division was charging up that awful hill again. Ned saw a +private soldier who belonged to one of its regiments deliberately walk +across the field alone and join his comrades as if nothing of importance +were going on. And yet the bullets were whistling so thickly that their +"Zip! Zip!" on the ground kept the air filled with flying dirt and tufts +of grass--a veritable hail of lead through which a sparrow apparently +couldn't fly. + +The fellow was certainly a fool! No man with a grain of sense would do +such a thing _alone_--maybe with a crowd of cheering men, but only a +maniac _could_ do it alone--Ned was sure of that. + +A shell smashed through the top of a tree, clipped its trunk in two and +down it came with a crash that sent the men scampering. + +A solid shot came bounding leisurely down the hill and rolled into the +woods. A man just in front put out his foot playfully to stop it and it +broke his leg. + +The shriek of shell and the whistle of lead increased in terrifying roar +each moment and Ned felt a queer sensation in his chest--a sort of +shortness of breath. In a moment he was going to bolt for the rear! He +felt it in his bones and saw no way to stop it. He lifted his eyes +piteously toward the Colonel who sat erect in his saddle stroking the +neck of a restless horse with his left hand. + +The veteran saw the boy's terror under his trial of fire and his heart +went out to him in a wave of fatherly sympathy. + +He rode quickly up to Ned: + +"Won't you hold my horse's bridle a minute, young man, while I use my +glasses?" he asked coolly. + +Ned's trembling hand caught the reins as a drowning man a straw. The act +steadied his shaking nerves. As the Colonel slowly lowered his glasses +Ned cried through chattering teeth: + +"D-d-d-on't y-you think--I-I-I--am d-d-doing p-pretty well, C-colonel, +f-f-f-for my f-f-ffirst battle?" + +The Colonel nodded encouragingly: + +"Very well, my boy. It's a nasty situation. You'll make a good +soldier." + +And then the order to charge! + +Across the level field torn by shot and shell, the regiment swept in +grey waves. The gaps filled up silently. They started up the hill and +met the sleet of hissing death. The hill top blazed streams of yellow +flame through the pall of smoke. Men were falling--not one by one, but +in platoons and squads, rolling into heaps of grey blood-soaked flesh +and rags. The regiment paused, staggered, reeled and rallied. + +Haggerty fell just in front of Ned, who was loading and firing with the +precision of a machine. If he had a soul--he didn't know it now. The men +were ordered to lie down and fire from the ground. + +Haggerty caught Ned's eye as it glanced along his musket searching for +his foe through the cloud of blue black smoke that veiled the world. + +"Roll me around, Bye," the Irishman cried, "and make a fince out of +me--I'm done for." + +Ned paid no attention to his call, and Haggerty pulled his mangled body +down the hill and doubled himself up in front of his friend. + +"Keep down behind me, Bye," he moaned. "I'll make a good fort for ye!" + +It was useless to protest, he had erected the fort to suit himself and +Ned was fighting now behind it. The sight of his dying friend steadied +his nerves and sent a thrill of fierce anger like living fire through +his veins. His eye searched the hilltop for his foe. The smoke rolled in +dark grey sulphurous clouds down the slope and shut out the sky line. He +waited and strained his bloodshot eyes to find an opening. It was no use +to waste powder shooting at space. He was too deadly angry now for +that. + +A puff of wind lifted the clouds and the blue men could be seen leaping +about their guns. They looked like giants in the smoke fog. Again he +fired and loaded, fired and loaded with clock-like, even steady, hand. +It was tiresome this ramming an old-fashioned muzzle-loading musket +lying flat on the ground. But with each round he was becoming more and +more expert in handling the gun. His mouth was black with powder from +tearing the paper ends of the cartridges. The sulphurous taste of the +powder was in his mouth. + +From the centre of the field rose the awful Confederate yell again. A +regiment of Georgians, led by Gordon were charging. Waiting again for +the smoke to clear in front Ned could see the grey waves spread out and +caught the sharp word of command as the daring young officers threw +their naked swords toward the sky crying: + +"Forward!" + +And then they met the storm. From grim, black lips on the hill crest +came the answer to their yell--three hundred and forty mighty guns were +singing an oratorio of Death and Hell in chorus now from those heights. +Half the men seemed to fall at a single crash and still the line closed +up and rushed steadily on, firing and loading, firing and +loading,--running and staggering, then rallying and pressing on again. + +On the right ten thousand men under Hill slipped out into line as if on +dress parade--long lines of handsome boyish Southerners. The big guns +above saw and found them with terrible accuracy. A wide lane of death +was suddenly torn through them before they moved. They closed like clock +work and with a cheer swept forward to the support of the men who were +dying on the blood-soaked slope. + +Ned's heart was thumping now. He felt it coming, that sharp low order +from the Colonel before the words rang from his lips. His hour had come +for the test--coward or hero it had to be now. It was funny he had +ceased to worry. He had entered a new world and this choking, blinding +smoke, the steady thunder of guns, the long sheets of orange fire that +flashed and flashed and blazed in three rings from the hill, the ripping +canvas of musketry fire in volleys, the dull boom of the great guns on +the boats below, were simply a part of the routine of the new life. He +had lived a generation since dawn. The years that had gone before seemed +a dream. The one real thing was Betty's laughing eyes. They were looking +at him now from behind that flaming hill. He must pass those guns to +reach her. Not a doubt had yet entered his soul that he would do it. Men +were falling around him like leaves in autumn, but this had to be. He +saw the end. No matter how fierce this battle, McClellan was only +fighting to save his army from annihilation. Lee was destroying him. + +The order came at last. The Colonel walked along in front of his men +with bared head. + +"Now, boys,--that battery on the first crest--we've half their +men--charge and take those guns!" + +The regiment leaped to their feet and started up the hill. They had lost +two hundred men in their first sweep. There were six hundred left. + +"Hold your fire until I give the word!" the Colonel shouted. + +The smoke was hanging low, and they had made two hundred yards before +the blue line saw them through the haze. The hill blazed and hissed in +their faces. The massed infantry behind the guns found their marks. Men +dropped right and left, sank in grey heaps or fell forward on their +faces--some were knocked backwards down the slope. Yet without a pause +they climbed. + +Three hundred yards more and they would be on the guns. And then a sheet +of blinding flame from every black-mouthed gun in line double shotted +with grape and canister! The regiment was literally knocked to its +knees. The men paused as if dazed by the shock. The sharp words of cheer +and command from their officers and they rallied. From both flanks +poured a murderous hail of bullets--guns to the right, left and front, +all screaming, roaring, hissing their call of blood. + +The Colonel saw the charge was hopeless and ordered his men to fire and +fall back fighting. The grey line began to melt into the smoke mists +down the hill and disappeared--all save Ned Vaughan. His eyes were fixed +on that battery when the order to fire was given. He fired and charged +with fixed bayonet alone. He never paused to see how many men were with +him. His mind was set on capturing one of those guns. He reached the +breastworks and looked behind him. There was not a man in sight. A blue +gunner was ramming a cannon. With a savage leap Ned was on the boy, +grabbed him by the neck and rushed down the hill in front of his own gun +before the astounded Commander realized what had happened. When he did +it was too late to fire. They would tear both men to pieces. + +The regiment had rallied in the woods at the edge of the field from +which they had first charged. + +Ned Vaughan led his prisoner, in bright new uniform of blue, up to the +Colonel and reported. + +"A prisoner of war, sir!" + +The Colonel took off his hat and gazed at the pair: + +"Aren't you the boy who held my horse?" + +Ned saluted: + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then in the name of Almighty God, where did you get that man?" + +Ned pointed excitedly to the hilltop: + +"Right yonder, sir,--there's plenty more of 'em up there!" + +The Colonel scratched his head, looked Ned over from head to heel and +broke into a laugh. + +"Well, I'll be damned," he said at last. "Take him to the rear and +report to me to-night. I want to see you." + +Ned saluted and hurried to the rear with his prisoner. + +The sun was slowly sinking in a sea of blood. The red faded to purple, +the purple to grey, the grey into the shadows of night and still the +guns were thundering from their heights. It was nine o'clock before they +were silent and Lee's torn and mangled army lay down among their dead +and wounded to wait the dawn and renew the fight. They had been +compelled to breast the most devastating fire to which an assaulting +army had been subjected in the history of war. The trees of the woods +had been literally torn and mangled as if two cyclones had met and +ripped them to pieces. + +The men dropped in their tracks to snatch a few hours' sleep. + +The low ominous sounds that drifted from the darkness could not be +heeded till to-morrow. Here and there a lantern flickered as they picked +up a wounded man and carried him to the rear. Only the desperately +wounded could be helped. The dead must sleep beneath the stars. The low, +pitiful cries for water guided the ambulance corps as they stumbled over +the heaps of those past help. + +The clouds drew a veil over the stars at midnight and it began to pour +down rain before day. The sleeping, worn men woke with muttered oaths +and stood against the trees or squatted against their trunks seeking +shelter from the flood. As the mists lifted, they looked with grim +foreboding but still desperate courage to the heights. Every rampart was +deserted. Not one of those three hundred and forty guns remained. +McClellan had withdrawn his army under the cover of the night to +Harrison's Landing. + +It would be difficult to tell whose men were better satisfied. + +"Thank God, he's gone from there anyhow!" the men in grey cried with +fervor. + +Now they could get something to eat, bury their dead and care for all +the wounded. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign had ended. His Grand Army +had melted from a hundred and ten thousand fighting men in line to +eighty-six thousand. The South had lost almost as many. + +From the wildest panic into which the advance of his army had thrown +Richmond, the Confederate Capital now swung to the opposite extreme of +rejoicing for the deliverance, mingled with criticism of their leaders +for allowing the Federal army to escape at all. + +The gloom in Washington was profound. + +An excited General rushed to the White House at two o'clock in the +morning, roused the President from his bed and pleaded for the immediate +dispatch of a fleet of transports to Harrison's Landing as the only +possible way to save the army from annihilation. + +The President soothed his fears and sent him home. He was not the man to +be thrown into a panic. Yet the incredible thing had happened. His army +of more than two hundred thousand men, under able generals, had been +hurled back from the gates of Richmond in hopeless, bewildering defeat, +and he must begin all over again. + +One big ominous fact loomed in tragic menace from the smoke and flame of +this campaign--the South had developed two leaders of matchless military +genius--Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. It was a fact the President +must face and that without fear or favor to any living man in his own +army. + +He left Washington for the front at once. He must see with his own eyes +the condition of the army. He must see McClellan. The demand for his +removal was loud and bitter. And fiercest of all those who asked for his +head was the iron-willed Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, his former +champion. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE RETREAT + + +John Vaughan had become one of his General's trusted aides. His services +during the month's terrific struggle had proven invaluable. The +Commander was quick to discern that he was a man of culture and +possessed a mind of unusual power. More than once the General had called +him to his headquarters to pour into his ears his own grievances against +the authorities in Washington. Naturally his mind had been embittered +against the man in the White House. The magnetic personality of +McClellan had appealed to his imagination from their first meeting. + +The General was particularly bitter on the morning the President was +expected. His indignation at last broke forth in impassioned words to +his sympathetic listener. + +The tragic consequence of the impression made in that talk neither man +could dream at the moment. + +Pacing the floor with the tread of a caged lion McClellan suddenly +paused and his fine blue eyes flashed. + +"I tell you, Vaughan, the wretches have done their worst. They can't do +much more----" + +He stopped suddenly and drew from his pocket the copy of a dispatch he +had sent to the war office. He read it carefully and looked up with +flashing eyes: + +"I'll face the President with this dispatch to Stanton in my hands, too. +They would have removed me from my command for sending it--if they had +dared!" + +He slowly repeated its closing words: + +"I know that a few thousand more men would have changed this battle from +a defeat to a victory. As it is, the Government must not and cannot hold +me responsible for the result. I feel too earnestly to-night. I have +seen too many dead and wounded comrades to feel otherwise than that the +Government has not sustained this army. If you do not do so now, the +game is lost. If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no +thanks to you, or to any other person in Washington. You have done your +best to sacrifice this army----" + +He paused and his square jaws came together firmly. + +"And if that be treason, they can make the most of it!" + +"I am curious to know how he meets you to-day," John said with a smile. + +An orderly announced the arrival of the President and the Commanding +General promptly boarded his steamer. In ten minutes the two men were +facing each other in the stateroom assigned the Chief Magistrate. + +Lincoln's tall, rugged figure met the compact General with the easy +generous attitude of a father ready to have it out with a wayward boy. +His smile was friendly and the grip of his big hand cordial. + +"I am satisfied, sir, that you, your officers and men have done the best +you could. All accounts say that better fighting was never done. Ten +thousand thanks, in the name of the people for it." + +The words were generous, but the commander put in a suggestion for more. + +"Never, Mr. President," he said emphatically, "did such a change of +base, involving a retrogressive movement under incessant attacks from a +vastly more numerous foe partake of so little disaster. When all is +known you will see that the movement just completed by this army is +unparalleled in the annals of war. We have preserved our trains, our +guns, our material, and, above all, our honor." + +"Rest assured, General," the quiet voice responded, "the heroism and +skill of yourself, officers and men, is and forever will be +appreciated." + +The President returned to Washington profoundly puzzled as to his duty. +He was alarmed at the display of self esteem which his defeated General +had naively made, and his loyalty was boldly and opened questioned by +his advisers, and yet he was loath to remove him from command. Down in +his square, honest heart he felt that with all his faults, McClellan was +a man of worth, that he had never been thoroughly whipped in a single +battle and that he hadn't had a fair trial. + +Any other man in power than Abraham Lincoln would have removed him +instantly on the receipt of his insolent and insulting dispatch. +Instead, the President had gone to see him with an open mind. He +returned determined to strengthen his military council by the addition +of an expert in Washington as his Commander-in-Chief. + +He called to this post Henry W. Halleck. Although McClellan had waived +the crown of such power aside with lofty words of unselfish patriotism, +he received the announcement of Halleck's promotion and his +subordination with sullen rage. + +"In this thing," he wrote his wife, "the President and those around him +have acted so as to make the matter as offensive as possible to me." + +And yet against every demand that McClellan should be removed from +command the President was obdurate. Again and again his friends urged: + +"McClellan is playing for the Presidency." + +The tall man merely nodded: + +"All right. Let him. I am perfectly willing that he shall have it if he +will only put an end to this war." + +But if the President refused to remove him from command, Halleck and +Stanton managed quickly to strip him of half his army by detaching and +sending it to join the new army of General Pope. McClellan, with the +remainder of his men, had been sent by transport back to Alexandria. +General John Pope was summoned from the West to take command of the new +"Army of Virginia," composed of the divisions of Fremont, Banks and +McDowell, and the detached portion of McClellan's men. + +All eyes were now centred on the new Commander. The West had only seen +success--Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Shiloh, and Island No. +10. + +The new General on the day he began his advance against Lee and Jackson +issued an address to his army which sent a chill to the heart of the +President. + +"I have come to you from the West," he proclaimed, "where we have always +seen the backs of our enemies--from an army whose business has been to +seek the adversary and beat him when found. I desire you to dismiss from +your minds certain phrases which I am sorry to find much in vogue among +you. I hear constantly of 'lines of retreat' and 'bases of supplies.' +Let us discard such ideas. Let us look before us, not behind. From +to-day my headquarters will be in the saddle." + +Every man in the Army of the Potomac which McClellan had created and +fought with such fierce and terrible, if unsuccessful power, resented +this address as an insult. McClellan himself was furious. For some +reason only part of the forces from his army which were detached ever +reached Pope, and those who did were not enthusiastic. It was expecting +too much of human nature to believe that they could be. + +The outlook for the coming battle was ominous. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +TANGLED THREADS + + +Betty Winter received a telegram from John Vaughan announcing his +arrival at Alexandria with McClellan on the last day of August. Her +heart gave a bound of joy. She could see him to-morrow. It had been five +years instead of five months since she had stood on that little pier and +watched him float away into the mists of the river! All life before the +revelation which love had brought was now a shadowy memory. Only love +was real. His letters had been her life. They hadn't come as often as +she had wished. She demanded his whole heart. There could be no +compromise. It must be all, _all_ or nothing. + +She tried to sleep and couldn't. Her brain was on fire. + +"I must sleep and look my best!" she laughed softly, buried her face in +the pillow and laughed again for joy. How could she sleep with her lover +standing there alive and strong with his arms clasping her to his heart! + +She rose at daylight and threw open her window. The air was crisp with +the breath of fall. She watched the sun rise in solemn glory. A division +of cavalry dashed by, the horses' hoofs ringing sharply on the cobble +stones, sabres clashing. Behind them came another and another, and in a +distant street she heard the rumble of big guns, the crack of their +drivers' whips and the sharp cries of the men urging the horses to a +run. + +Something unusual was on foot. The sun was barely up and the whole city +seemed quivering with excitement. + +She dressed hurriedly, snatched a bite of toast and drank a cup of +coffee. In twenty minutes she entered the White House to get her pass to +the front. She wouldn't go to the War Department. Stanton was rude and +might refuse. The hour was absurd, but she knew that the President rose +at daylight and that he would see her at any hour. + +She found him seated at his desk alone pretending to eat an egg and +drink his coffee from the tray that had been placed before him. His +dishevelled hair, haggard look and the pallor of his sorrowful face +showed only too plainly that he had not slept. + +"You have bad news, Mr. President?" Betty gasped. + +He rose, took her hand and led her to a seat. + +"Not yet, dear, but I'm expecting it." + +"We lost the battle yesterday?" she eagerly asked. + +"Apparently not. You may read that. I trust you implicitly." + +He handed her the dispatch he had received from General Pope after the +first day's fight at Manassas. Betty read it quickly: + +"We fought a terrific battle here yesterday with the combined forces of +the enemy, which lasted with continuous fury from daylight until dark, +by which time the enemy was driven from the field which we now occupy. +The enemy is still in our front, but badly used up. We lost not less +than eight thousand men killed and wounded, but from the appearance of +the field the enemy lost two to one. The news has just reached me from +the front that the enemy is retreating toward the mountains." + +Betty looked up surprised: + +"Isn't that good news?" + +"Nothing to brag about. It's the last sentence that worries me----" + +"But that seems the best!" + +"It might be but for the fact that Jackson is leading that retreat +toward the mountains! I've an idea that he will turn up to-day on Pope's +rear with Lee's whole army on his heels. Jackson is in the habit of +appearing where he's least expected----" + +He paused, paced the floor a moment in silence and threw his long arms +suddenly upward in a hopeless gesture: + +"If God would only give me such a man to lead our armies!" + +"Is General McClellan at Alexandria to-day?" Betty suddenly asked. + +"I'm wondering myself. He should be on that field with every soldier +under his command." + +"I've come to ask you for a pass to Alexandria----" + +"Then my worst fears are confirmed!" he broke in excitedly. "Your +sweetheart's on McClellan's staff--his men will never reach the field in +time!" + +He dropped into a chair, hurriedly wrote the pass and handed it to +Betty. + +"God bless you, child. See me when you get back and tell me all you +learn of McClellan and his men to-day. The very worst is suspected----" + +"You mean?" + +"That this delay and deliberate trifling with the most urgent and +positive orders is little short of treason. Unless his men reach Pope +to-day and fight, the Capital may be threatened to-morrow." + +"Surely!" Betty protested. + +"It's just as I tell you, child, but I'll hope for the best. Be eyes and +ears for me to-day and you may help me." + +The agony of his face and the deep note of tragedy in his voice had +taken the joy out of her heart. She threw the feeling off with an +effort. + +"What has it all to do with my love!" she cried with a toss of her +pretty head as she sprang into the saddle for the gallop to Alexandria. + +The cool, bracing air of this first day of September, 1862, was like +wine. The dew was yet heavy on the tall grass by the roadside and a song +was singing in her heart that made all other music dumb. + +John had dismounted and was standing beside the road, the horse's bridle +hanging on his arm in the very position he had stood and looked into her +soul that day. + +She leaped to the ground without waiting for his help and sprang into +his arms. + +"I like you better with that bronzed look--you're handsomer than ever," +she sighed at last. + +His answer was another kiss, to which he added: + +"No amount of sunburn could make you any prettier, dear--you've been +perfect from the first." + +"Your General is here?" Betty asked. + +"Yes." + +"And you can give me the whole day?" + +"Every hour--the General is my friend." + +The moment was too sweet to allow any shadow to cloud it. The girl +yielded to its spell without reserve. They mounted and rode side by side +over the hills. And the man poured into her ears the unspoken things he +had felt and longed to say in the lonely nights of camp and field. The +girl confessed the pain and the longing of her waiting. + +They mounted the crest of a hill and the breeze from the southwest +brought the sullen boom of a cannon. + +Instinctively they drew rein. + +"The battle has begun again," John said casually. + +"It stirs your blood, doesn't it?" she whispered. + +A frown darkened his brow: + +"Not to-day." + +The girl looked with quick surprise. + +"You don't mean it?" + +"Certainly. Why get excited when you know the end before it begins." + +"You know it?" + +"Yes." + +"Victory?" + +He laughed cynically: + +"Victory for a pompous braggart who could write that address to an army +reflecting on the men who fought Lee and Jackson before Richmond with +such desperate courage?" + +"You are sure of defeat then?" + +"Absolutely." + +Betty looked at him with a flush of angry excitement: + +"General McClellan is counting on Pope's defeat to-day?" + +"Yes." + +"Then it's true that he is not really trying to help him?" + +"Why should he wish to sacrifice his brave men under the leadership of a +fool?" + +"He is, in fact, defying the orders of the President, isn't he?" + +"You might say that if you strain a point," John admitted. + +Again the long roar of guns boomed on the Western horizon, louder, +clearer. The dull echoes became continuous now, and the quickening +breeze brought the faint din from the vast field of death whose blazing +smoke covered lines stretched over seven miles. + +"_Boom-boom-boom, boom!--boom! boom!_" + +Again they drew rein and listened. + +John's brow wrinkled and his right ear was thrown slightly forward. + +"Those are our big guns," he said with a smile. "The Confederate +artillery can't compare with ours--their infantry is a terror--stark, +dead game fighters----" + +"_Boom--Boom!----Boom! Boom! Boom!_" + +"How do you know those are our guns?" Betty asked with a shiver. + +"The rebels have none so large. They'll have some to-night." + +Again an angry flush mounted her cheeks: + +"You wish them to be captured?" + +"It will be a wholesome lesson." + +Betty leaned closer and grasped his hand with trembling eagerness. + +"O John--John, dear, this is madness! General McClellan has been +accused of treason already--this surely is the basest betrayal of his +country----" + +The man shook his head stubbornly: + +"No--it's the highest patriotism. My Commander is brave enough to dare +the authorities at Washington for the good of his country. The sooner +this farce under Pope ends the better--no man of second rate ability can +win against the great Generals of the South." + +The girl's keen brown eyes looked steadily into his and her lips +trembled. + +"I call it treachery--the betrayal of his country for his selfish +ambitions! I'm surprised that you sympathize with him." + +John frowned, was silent and then turned to her with a smile: + +"Let's not talk about it, dear. The day's too beautiful. We're alone +together. This is not your battle--nor mine--it's Pope's--let him fight +it out. I love you--that's all I want to think about to-day." + +The golden brown curls were slowly shaken: + +"It _is_ your battle and it's mine--O John dear, I'm heartsick over it! +The President's anguish clouded the morning for me, but the thought of +you made me forget. Now I'm scared. You've surprised and shocked me." + +"Nonsense, dear!" he pleaded. + +She looked at him with quick, eager yearning. + +"You love me?" she asked. + +"Can you doubt it?" + +"With every beat of your heart?" + +"Yes." + +"Will you do something for me?" she begged. + +"What is it?" + +"Just for me, because I ask it, John, and you love me?" + +"If I can." + +"I want you to resign immediately from McClellan's staff, report at the +War Department and let the President give you new duties----" + +The man shot her a look of angry amazement: + +"You can't mean this?" + +Again the soft, warm hand that had slipped its glove grasped his. He +could feel her slim, little fingers tremble. She had turned very pale: + +"I'm in dead earnest. I love you, dear, with my whole heart, and it's my +love that asks this. I can't think of you betraying a solemn trust. The +very thought of it cuts me to the quick. If this is true, General +McClellan should be court-martialed." + +The man's square jaws closed with a snap: + +"Let them try it if they dare----" + +"The President will dare if he believes it his duty." + +"Then he'll hear something from the hundred and fifty thousand soldiers +who have served under McClellan." + +The little hand pressed harder. + +"Won't you, for my sake, dear,--just because I'm your sweetheart and you +love me?" + +The stalwart figure suddenly stiffened: + +"And you could respect a man who would do a thing like that?" + +"For my sake?--Yes." + +"No, you think you could. But you couldn't. No woman can really love a +poltroon or a coward." + +"I'm not asking you to do a cowardly thing----" + +"To desert my leader in a crisis?" + +"To wash your hands of treachery and selfish ambitions." + +"But it's not true," he retorted. "You mustn't say that. McClellan's a +leader of genius--brave, true, manly, patriotic." + +"I've a nobler ideal of patriotism----" + +"Your blundering backwoodsman in the White House?" + +"Yes. He has but one thought--that the Union shall be saved. He has no +other ambition. If McClellan succeeds, he rejoices. If he fails, he is +heartbroken. I know that he has defended him against the assaults of his +enemies. He has refused to listen to men who assailed his loyalty and +patriotism. This generous faith your Chief is betraying to-day. That you +defend him is horrible--O John, dear, I can't--I won't let you stay! You +must break your connection with this conspiracy of vain ambition. The +country is calling now for every true, unselfish man--please!" + +He lifted his hand in firm protest: + +"And for that very reason I stand firmly by the man I believe destined +to save my country." + +"You won't change Commanders because I ask it?" + +He was silent a moment and a smile played about the corners of his lips: + +"Would you change because I asked it?" + +"Yes." + +"Then come over from Lincoln to McClellan," he laughed. + +"And join your group of conspirators--never!" + +"Not if I ask it, because I love you?" + +[Illustration: "Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips."] + +Her brown eyes sparkled with anger: + +"You'll not find this a joke!" + +"That's why I treat it seriously, my dear," was the firm reply. "If I +could throw up my position in this war on the sudden impulse of my +sweetheart, I'd be ashamed to look a man in the face--and you would +despise me!" + +"If your Commander succeeds to-day in bringing disaster to our army I'll +despise you for aiding him----" + +"Let's not discuss it--please, dear!" he begged with a frown. + +"As you please," was the cold reply. + +They rode on in silence, broken only by the increasing roar of the great +guns at Manassas. Betty glanced at the stolid, set face and firm lips. +Her anger steadily rose with every throb of Pope's cannon. Each low +thunder peal on the horizon now was a cry for help from dying mangled +thousands and the man she loved refusing to hear. + +Suddenly the picture of his brother flashed before her vision, the +high-strung, clean young spirit, chivalrous, daring, fighting for what +he knew to be right--right because right is right, and wrong is wrong. + +She looked at John Vaughan with a feeling of fierce anger. Between the +two men she preferred the enemy who was fighting in the open to win or +die. Her soul went out to Ned in a wave of tender admiration. Her wrath +against his brother steadily rose. + +Suddenly she drew her rein: + +"You need come no further. I'll ride back home alone." + +He bit his lips without turning and was silent. She touched her horse +with her whip and galloped swiftly toward Washington. + + * * * * * + +The last day of Pope's brief campaign ended in the overwhelming disaster +of the second battle of Bull Run. The sound of his cannon reached +McClellan's ears, but the organizer of the Army of the Potomac, though +ordered to do so, never joined his rival. + +Once more the army of the Union was hurled back on Washington in panic, +confusion and appalling disaster. Lee and Jackson had crushed Pope's +hosts with a rapidity and case that struck terror to the heart of the +Nation. General Pope lost fifteen thousand men in a single battle. Lee +and Jackson lost less than half as many. + +The storm broke over McClellan's head at Washington on his arrival. +Stanton and Halleck and Pope accused him of treachery. The hot heads +demanded his arrest and trial by court-martial. + +The President shook his head, but sadly added: + +"He has acted badly toward Pope. He really wanted him to fail." + +And then began the search to find the man once more to weld the +shattered army into an efficient fighting force. + +Abraham Lincoln asked himself this question with a sense of the deepest +and most solemn responsibility. He must answer at the bar of his +conscience before God and his country. Again he brushed aside every +adviser inside and outside his Cabinet and determined on his choice +absolutely alone. + +Early on the morning of September 2nd John Vaughan looked from the +window of General McClellan's house and saw the giant figure of the +President approaching, accompanied by Halleck. + +When his aide announced this startling fact, the General coolly said: + +"It means my arrest, no doubt. I'm ready. Let them come." + +The President was not kept waiting this time. His General was there to +receive him. + +The rugged face was pale and drawn. + +"General McClellan," he began without ceremony, "I have come to ask you +to take command of all the returning troops for the defense of +Washington." + +The short, stalwart figure of the General suddenly straightened, his +blue eyes flashed with amazement and then softened into a misty +expression. He bowed with dignity and quietly said: + +"I accept the position, sir." + +"I need not repeat," the President went on, "that I disapprove some +things you have done. I have made this plain to you. I do this because I +believe it's best for our country. I assume its full responsibility and +I expect great things of you." + +The President bowed and left the astonished General and his still more +astonished aide gazing after his long swinging legs returning to the +White House. + +He had done the most unpopular act of his entire administration. His +decision had defied the fiercest popular hostility. He faced a storm of +denunciation which would have appalled a less simple and masterful man. +The Cabinet meeting which followed the startling news was practically a +riot. He listened to all his excited Ministers had to say with +patience. When they had spoken their last word of bitter disapproval he +quietly rose and ended the tumultuous session with two or three +sentences which none could answer: + +"There is no one in the army who can man these fortifications and lick +these troops of ours into shape half as well as he can. McClellan is a +great engineer--of the stationary type, perhaps. But we must use the +tools we have! If he cannot fight himself, at least he excels in making +others ready to fight." + +He waited for an answer and none came. He had not only averted a Cabinet +crisis but his remorseless common sense and his unswerving adherence to +what he saw was best had strengthened his authority over all his +councillors. + +When the rest had gone he turned to the young man who knew him best, his +Secretary, John Nicolay, and gripped his arm with a big hand which was +trembling: + +"The most painful duty of my official life, Boy! There has been a +design, a purpose in breaking down Pope without regard to the +consequences to the country that is atrocious. It's shocking to see and +know this, but there is no remedy at present. McClellan has the army +with him and I must use him." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CHALLENGE + + +"One war at a time," the President said to his Secretary of State when +he proposed a foreign fight. He must now strangle Northern public +opinion to enforce this principle. + +Captain Wilkes had overhauled the British Steamer _Trent_ on the high +seas, searched her and taken the Confederate Commissioners Mason and +Slidell by force from her decks. + +The people of the North were mad with joy over the daring act. Congress, +swept off its feet by the wave of popular hysteria, proclaimed Wilkes a +hero and voted their thanks. The President did not move with current +opinion. He had formed the habit in boyhood of thinking for himself, and +had never allowed himself to take his cues for action from second-hand +suggestions. From the first he raised the question of Wilkes' right to +stop the vessel of a friendly nation on the high seas, search her and +take her passengers prisoners by force of arms. + +The backwoods lawyer questioned, too, the right of a naval officer to +turn his quarter-deck into a court and decide questions of international +law offhand. He raised the point at once whether these men thus captured +might not be white elephants on the hands of the Government. Moreover +he reminded his Cabinet that we had fought England once for daring to do +precisely this thing. + +Great Britain promptly drew her sword and made ready for war. + +Queen Victoria's Government not only demanded that the return of these +passengers be made at once with an apology, but did it in a way so +offensive that a less balanced man in power would have lost his head and +committed the fatal blunder. + +The tall, quiet Chief Magistrate was equal to the occasion. Great +Britain had ordered her navy on a war footing, dispatched eight thousand +troops to Canada to strike by land as well as sea, allowing us but seven +days in which to comply with all her demands or hand Lord Lyons his +passports. + +The President immediately dictated a reply which forced her Prime +Minister to accept it and achieved for the Nation the establishment of a +principle for which we had fought in vain in 1812. + +He ordered the prisoners returned and an apology expressed. His apology +was a two-edged sword thrust which Great Britain was compelled to take +with a groan. + +"In 1812," the President said, "the United States fought because you +claimed the right to stop our vessels on the high seas, search them and +take by force British subjects found thereon. Our country in making this +surrender, adheres to the ancient principle for which we contended and +we are glad to find that Her Majesty's Government in demanding this +surrender thereby renounces an error and accepts our position." + +Lord Palmerston made a wry face, but was compelled to accept the +surrender, and with it seal his own humiliation as a beaten diplomat. +War with England at this moment would have meant unparalleled disaster. +France had ambitions in Mexico and she was bound in friendship to +England. The two great Nations of Europe would have been hurled against +our divided country with the immediate recognition of the Confederacy. + +The President forced this return of the prisoners and apparent surrender +to Great Britain in the face of the blindest and most furious outbursts +of popular rage. + +Gilbert Winter rose in the Senate and in thunderous oratory voiced the +well-nigh unanimous feeling of the millions of the North of all parties +and factions: + +"I warn the administration against this dastardly and cowardly surrender +to a foreign foe! The voice of the people demand that we stand firm on +our dignity as a Sovereign Nation. If the President and his Cabinet +refuse to listen they will find themselves engulfed in a fire that will +consume them like stubble. They will find themselves helpless before a +power that will hurl them from their places!" + +The President was still under the cloud of public wrath over this affair +when the crisis of the problem of emancipation became acute. The gradual +growth of the number of his bitter foes in Washington he had seen with +deep distress. And yet it was inevitable. No man in his position could +administer the great office whose power he was wielding without fear or +favor and not make enemies. And now both friend and foe were closing in +on him with a well-nigh resistless demand for emancipation. + +Hour after hour he sat patiently in his office receiving these +impassioned delegations. + +Old Edward was standing at the door again smiling and washing his hands: + +"A delegation of editors, presenting Mr. Horace Greeley's 'Prayer of +Twenty Millions.'" + +The patient eyes were lifted front his desk, and the strong mouth firmly +pressed: + +"Let them in." + +The President rose in his easy, careless manner: + +"I'm glad to see you, gentlemen. You are the leaders of public opinion. +The people rule this country and I am their servant. What is it?" + +The Chairman of the Committee stepped forward and gravely handed him an +engrossed copy of Greeley's famous editorial, "The Prayer of Twenty +Millions," demanding the immediate issue of a proclamation of +emancipation. + +The Chairman bowed and spoke in earnest tones: + +"As the representatives of millions of readers we present this 'Prayer' +with our endorsement and the request that you act. In particular we call +your attention to these paragraphs: + +"'A great portion of those who brought about your election and all those +who desire the unqualified suppression of the rebellion, are sorely +disappointed, pained and surprised by the policy you seem to be pursuing +with regard to the slaves of rebels. I write to set before you +succinctly and unmistakably what we require, what we have a right to +expect and of what we complain. + +"'We think you are unduly influenced by the counsels, the +representations and the menaces of certain fossil politicians from the +Border Slave States, knowing as you do, that the loyal citizens of these +States do not expect that Slavery shall be upheld, to the prejudice of +the Union. + +"'We complain that the Union cause has suffered and is now suffering +immensely from the mistaken course which you are pursuing and +persistently cling to, in defense of slavery. We complain that the +confiscation act which you approved is being wantonly and wholly +disregarded by your Generals, apparently with your knowledge and +consent. + +"'The seeming subserviency of your policy to the slave holding, slave +upholding interest is the perplexity and the despair of statesmen of all +parties. Whether you will choose to listen to their admonishment or wait +for your verdict through future history, or at the bar of God, I do not +know. I can only hope.'" + +The President's sombre eyes met his with a penetrating flash and rested +on Senator Winter who remained in the background. He took the paper, +laid it carefully on his desk, threw his right leg across the corner of +the long table in easy, friendly attitude and began his reply +persuasively: + +"The editor of the _Tribune_, gentleman, if on my side, is equal to an +army of a hundred thousand men in the field. I've known this from the +first. Against me he throws this army in the rear and fires into my +back. My grievance is that his Prayer which you have made yours is being +used for ammunition in this rear attack. It should have been presented +to me first, if it were a genuine prayer. I have read it carefully. It +is full of blunders of fact and reasoning, but it fairly expresses the +discontent in the minds of many. Its unfair assumptions will poison +millions of readers against me----" + +He paused, opened a drawer in his desk, took from it a sheet of paper on +which he had written in firm, clear hand a brief message in reply, and +turned to his petitioners: + +"And therefore, gentlemen, I have written a few words in answer to this +attack. I ask you to give it the same wide hearing you have accorded the +assault. I'll read it to you: + +"'Dear Sir:--I have just read yours of the 19th instant addressed to +myself through the _New York Tribune_. + +"'If there be in it any statements or assumptions of fact, which I know +to be erroneous, I do not now and here controvert them. + +"'If there be any influences which I believe to be falsely drawn, I do +not now and here argue against them. + +"'If there be perceptible in it an impatient and dictatorial tone, I +waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have always +supposed to be right. + +"'As to the policy I seem to be pursuing, as you say, I have not meant +to leave anyone in doubt. I would save the Union. I would save it in the +shortest way under the Constitution. + +"'The sooner the National authority can be restored, the nearer the +Union will be,--the Union as it was. + +"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time save Slavery, I do not agree with them. + +"'If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at +the same time destroy Slavery, I do not agree with them. + +"'_My paramount object is to save the Union, and not either to save or +destroy Slavery_. + +"'If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it. And +if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it. And if I +could save it by freeing some, and leaving others alone, I would also do +that. + +"'What I do about Slavery and the colored race I do because I believe it +helps to save the Union, and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not +believe it would help to save the Union. + +"'I shall do less whenever I believe what I am doing hurts the cause, +and I shall do more, whenever I believe doing more will help the cause. + +"'I shall try to correct errors, when shown to be errors, and I shall +adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. + +"'I have stated my purpose, according to my view of official duty, and I +intend no modification of my oft expressed personal wish, that all men +everywhere could be free.'" + +A moment of death-like stillness followed the reading. The members of +the committee had unconsciously pressed nearer. Some of them stood with +shining eyes gazing at the rugged, towering figure as if drawn by a +magnet. The stark earnestness and simplicity of his defense had found +their hearts. The daring of it fairly took their breath. + +Senator Winter turned to his nearest neighbor and growled: + +"Bah! The trouble is Lincoln's a Southerner--born in the poisoned slave +atmosphere of the South. He grew up in Southern Indiana and Illinois. +His neighbors there were settlers from the South. He has never breathed +anything but Southern air and ideals. It's in his blood. Only a man born +in the South could have written that document----" + +The listener looked up suddenly: + +"I believe you are right. Excuse me--I want to speak to the long-legged +Southerner. I've never seen him before." + +To the astonishment of the Senator, the editor pushed his way into the +group who were shaking hands with the President. + +He paused an instant, extended his hand and felt the rugged fingers +close on it with a hearty grip. Before he realized it he was saying +something astounding--something the farthest possible removed from his +thoughts on entering the room. + +"I want to thank you, sir, for that document. The heart of an unselfish +patriot speaks through every word. I came here to criticise and find +fault. I'm going home to stand by you through thick and thin. You've +given us a glimpse inside." + +Both big hands were now clasping his and a mist was clouding the +hazel-grey eyes. + +"The Senator accuses you," he went on, "of being a Southerner. He must +be right. No Northern man could have seen through the clouds of passion +to-day clearly enough to have written that letter. You can see things +for all the people, North, South, East and West. God bless you--I'm +going home to fight for you and with you----" + +In angry amazement Senator Winter saw most of the men he had led to +this carefully planned attack walk up and pledge their loyalty to his +smiling foe. He turned on his heel and left, his jaw set, his blue eyes +dancing with fury. + +Old Edward was again rubbing his hands apologetically at the door: + +"A body of clergymen from Chicago, sir----" + +"Clergymen from Chicago?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"I didn't know they ever used such things in Chicago!" + +He caught his knee in his big hands, leaned back and laughed heartily. +The doorman looked straight ahead and managed to keep his solemn +countenance under control. + +"All right, let them in, Edward." + +The reverend gentlemen solemnly filed into the executive office. They +looked around in evident amazement at its bare poverty-stricken +appearance. They had been shocked at the threadbare appearance of the +White House grounds as they entered. This room was a greater shock--this +throbbing nerve centre of the Nation. In the middle stood the long, +plain table around which the storm-racked Cabinet were wont to gather. +There was not a single piece of ornamental or superfluous furniture +visible. It appeared almost bare. A second-hand upright desk stood by +the middle window. In the northwest corner of the room there were racks +with map rollers, and folios of maps on the floor and leaning against +the wall. + +The well-dressed, prosperous-looking gentlemen gazed about in a critical +way. + +Their spokesman was a distinguished Bishop who knew that he was +distinguished and conveyed the information in every movement of his +august body. + +"We have come, Mr. President," he solemnly began, "as God's messengers +to urge on you the immediate and universal emancipation of every slave +in America." + +The faintest suggestion of a smile played about the corners of the big, +firm mouth as he rose and began a reply which greatly astonished his +visitors. They had come to lecture him and before they knew it the lamb +had risen to slay the butchers. + +"I am approached, gentlemen," he said softly, "with the most opposite +opinions and advice, and that by religious men, who are equally certain +that they represent the Divine Will. I am sure that either one or the +other class is mistaken in that belief, and perhaps in some respects, +both. I hope it will not be irreverent for me to say that if it is +probable that God would reveal His will to others on a point so +connected with my duty, it might be supposed He would reveal it directly +to me----" + +He paused just an instant and his bushy eyebrows were raised a trifle as +if in search of one friendly face in which the sense of humor was not +dead. He met with frozen silence and calmly continued: + +"Unless I am more deceived in myself than I often am, it is my earnest +desire to know the will of Providence in this matter. And if I can learn +what it is I will do it! These are not, however, the days of miracles, +and I suppose it will be granted that I am not to expect a direct +revelation. I must study the plain physical facts of the case, ascertain +what is possible, and learn what appears to be wise and right. The +subject is difficult and good men do not agree----" + +"We are all agreed to-day!" the leader interrupted. + +"Even so, Bishop, but we are not all here to-day." + +The gentle irony was lost on the great man, and the President went on +good-naturedly: + +"What good would a proclamation of emancipation do as we are now +situated? Shall I issue a document that the whole world will see must be +of no more effect that the Pope's bull against the comet? Will my words +free the slaves when I cannot even enforce the Constitution in the rebel +States? Is there a single court or magistrate, or individual that will +be influenced by it there? I approved the law of Congress which offers +protection and freedom to the slaves of rebel masters who come within +our lines. Yet I can not learn that the law has caused a single slave to +come over to us. + +"Now then, tell me, if you please, what possible result of good would +follow the issuing of such a proclamation as you desire? The greatest +evils might follow it--among them the revolt of the Border Slave States +which we have held loyal with so much care, and the desertion from the +ranks of our armies of thousands of Democratic soldiers who tell us +plainly that they are not fighting and they're not going to fight to +free negroes! + +"Understand me, I raise no objection against it on legal grounds. As +Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy in time of war, I suppose I have +a right to take any measure which may best subdue the enemy. Nor do I +urge objections of a moral nature in view of possible consequences of +servile insurrection and massacre in the South. I view this matter now +as a practical war measure. Has the moment arrived when I can best +strike with this weapon? + +"Do not misunderstand me because I have mentioned objections. They +indicate some of the difficulties that have thus far prevented my action +in some such way as you desire. I have not decided against a +proclamation of liberty to the slaves. I hold the matter under +advisement. And I can assure you that the subject is on my mind, by day +and night more than any other. What shall appear to be God's will I will +do----" + +He stopped suddenly and a smile illumined his dark face: + +"But I cannot see, gentlemen, why God should be sending his message to +me by so roundabout route as the sinful city of Chicago. I trust that in +the freedom with which I have canvassed your views and expressed my own, +I have not in any respect injured your feelings." + +The ice was broken at last and the men of God began to smile, press +forward and shake his hand. They came his critics, and left his friends. + +And yet no hint was given to a single man present that his Emancipation +Proclamation had been written two months before and at this moment was +lying in the drawer of the old desk before which he sat. Long before the +revelation of God's will through these clergymen he had discussed its +provisions before his Cabinet and enjoined absolute secrecy. Men from +all walks of life came to advise the backwoods lawyer on how to save the +country. He listened to all and then did exactly what he believed to be +best. + +His plan had long been formed on the subject of the destruction of +Slavery. His purpose was to accomplish this great task in a way which +would give his people a just and lasting peace. He held the firm +conviction that the North was equally responsible with the South for the +existence of Slavery, and that the Constitution which he had sworn to +defend and uphold guaranteed to the slave owner his rights. He was +determined to free the slaves if possible, but to do it fairly and +honestly and then settle the question for all time by colonizing the +negro race and removing them forever from physical contact with the +white. + +At his request Congress had already passed a bill providing for the +colonization of emancipated slaves. He now sent for a number of +representative negroes to hear his message and deliver it to their +people. + +Old Edward ushered them into his office with a look of unmistakable +superiority. + +It was a strange meeting--this facing for the first time between the +supreme representative of the dominant race of the new era and the freed +black men whose very existence the President held to be an eternal +menace against the Nation's future. It is remarkable that the first +words Abraham Lincoln ever addressed as President to an assemblage of +negroes should have been the words which fell from his lips. + +The ebony faces, their cream-colored teeth showing with smiles and their +wide rolling eyes roaming the room made a striking and dramatic contrast +to the rugged face and frame of the man who addressed them. + +"Your race is suffering," he began with distinct, clean cut emphasis, +"in my judgment the greatest wrong inflicted on any people. But even +when you cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed from being placed +on an equality with the white race. On this broad continent not a +single man of your race is made the equal of a single man of ours. Go +where you are treated best and the ban is still upon you. I cannot alter +it if I would. + +"It is better for us both, therefore, to be separated. One of the +principal difficulties in the way of colonization is that the free +colored man cannot see that his comfort would be advanced by it. For the +sake of your race you should sacrifice something of your present +comfort. In the American Revolution sacrifices were made by the men +engaged in it. They were cheered by the future. + +"The Colony of Liberia is an old one, is in a sense a success and it is +open to you. I am arranging to open another in Central America. It is +nearer than Liberia--within seven days by steamer. You are intelligent +and know that success does not so much depend on external help as on +self-reliance. Much depends on yourself. If you will engage in the +enterprise, I will spend some of the money intrusted to me. This is the +practical part of my wish to see you. I ask you then to consider it +seriously, not for yourselves merely, _nor for your race and ours for +the present time, but for the good of mankind_." + +He dismissed his negro hearers and sent again for the representatives of +the Border Slave States. Here his plan must be set in motion. He +proposed to pay for the slaves set free and arrange for their +colonization. + +He spoke with deep emotion. His soul throbbed with passionate tenderness +in every word. + +"You are patriots and statesmen," he solemnly declared, "and as such I +pray you to consider this proposition, and at the least commend it to +the consideration of your States and people. Our common country is in +grave peril demanding the loftiest views and boldest action to bring it +speedy relief. You can make it possible to accomplish the just +destruction of this curse of our life. It will bring emancipation as a +voluntary process, leaving the least resentment in the minds of our +slave-holders. It will not be a violent war measure, to be remembered +with fierce rebellious anger. It will pave the way for good feeling at +last between all sections when reunited. It is reasonable. It is just. +It will leave no cause for sectional enmity. This plan of gradual +emancipation with pay for each slave to his owner will secure peace more +speedily and maintain it more permanently than can be done by force +alone. Its cost could be easier paid than the additional cost of war and +would sacrifice no blood at all. + +"In giving freedom to the _slave_, we _assure_ freedom to the +_free_--honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall +nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. Other means may +succeed. This could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, +just--a way which if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God +must forever bless." + +His tender, eloquent appeal fell on deaf ears. The men who represented +the Border Slave States refused to permit the question of tampering with +Slavery to be submitted to their people--no matter by what process, with +or without pay. + +They demanded with sullen persistence that the President defy all shades +of Northern opinion and stand squarely by his Inaugural address. In vain +he pointed out to them that the fact of a desperate and terrible war, +costing two million dollars a day and threatening the existence of the +Government itself, had changed the conditions under which he made that +pledge. + +When the President at last introduced into Congress through his +spokesman the bill appropriating fifteen million dollars with which to +pay for their slaves, the men from the Border States united with the +Democrats and defeated it! + +With a sorrowful heart and deep forebodings of the future he turned to +his desk and drew forth the document he had written declaring as an act +of war against the States in rebellion that their slaves should be free. + +He read its provisions again with the utmost care. He made no attack on +Slavery, or the slave-holder. He was striking the blow against the +wealth and power of the South for the sole purpose of crippling her +resources and weakening her power to continue the struggle to divide the +Union. There was in it not one word concerning the rights of man or the +equal rights of black and white men. His mind was absolutely clear on +that point. The negro when freed would be an alien race so low in the +scale of being, so utterly different in temperament and character from +the white man that their remaining in physical contact with each other +in our Republic was unthinkable. In the Emancipation Proclamation +itself, therefore, he had written the principles of the colonization of +the negro race. The two things were inseparable. He could conceive of no +greater calamity befalling the Nation than to leave the freed black man +within its borders as an eternal menace to its future happiness and +progress. + +He called his Secretary and ordered a Cabinet meeting to fix the date on +which to issue this momentous document to the world--a challenge to +mortal combat to his foes in all sections. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE DAY'S WORK + + +Betty Winter held John Vaughan's note in her hand staring at its message +with increasing amazement: + + "DEAR LITTLE SWEETHEART: + + "The President has just called General McClellan again to the chief + command. His act vindicates my loyalty. Our quarrel is too absurd. + Life is too short, dear, for this--it's only long enough for love. + May I see you at once? + + "JOHN." + +Could it be true? For a moment she refused to believe it. The President +had expressed to her his deep conviction of McClellan's guilt. How could +he reverse his position on so vital and tremendous a matter over night? +And yet John Vaughan was incapable of the cheap trick of lying to make +an engagement. + +A newsboy passed yelling an extra. + +"Extra--Extra! General McClellan again in the saddle! Extra!" + +It was true--he had made the appointment. What was its meaning? Had they +forced the President into this humiliating act? If the General were +really guilty of destroying Pope and overwhelming the army in defeat, +his treachery had created the crisis which forced his return to power. +The return under such conditions would not be a vindication. It would be +a conviction of crime. + +She would see the President at once and know the truth. The question cut +the centre of John Vaughan's character. The orderly who brought the note +was waiting for an answer. + +She called from the head of the stairs: + +"Tell Mr. Vaughan there is no answer to-day." + +"Yes, Miss." + +With quick salute he passed out and Betty stood irresolute as she +listened to the echo of his horse's hoof-beat growing fainter. It was +only six o'clock, but the days were getting shorter and it was already +dark. She could walk quickly down Pennsylvania Avenue and reach the +White House before dinner. He would see her at any hour. + +In five minutes she was on the way her mind in a whirl of speculation on +the intrigue which might lie behind that sensational announcement. She +was beginning to suspect her lover's patriotism. A man could love the +South, fight and die for it and be a patriot--he was dying for what he +believed to be right--God and his country. But no man could serve two +masters. Her blood boiled at the thought of a conspiracy within the +lines of the Union whose purpose was to betray its Chief. If John +Vaughan were in it, she loved him with every beat of her heart, but she +would cut her heart out sooner than sink to his level! + +She became conscious at last of the brazen stares of scores of +brutal-looking men who thronged the sidewalks of the Avenue. + +Gambling dens had grown here like mushrooms during the past year of +war's fevered life. The vice and crime of the whole North and West had +poured into Washington, now swarming with a quarter of a million strange +people. + +The Capital was no longer a city of sixty thousand inhabitants, but a +vast frontier post and pay station of the army. And such a pay station! +Each day the expenditures of the Government were more than two millions. +The air was electric with the mad lust for gain which the scent of +millions excites in the nostrils of the wolves who prey on their fellow +men. The streets swarmed with these hungry beasts, male and female. They +pushed and crowded and jostled each other from the sidewalks. The roar +of their whiskey-laden voices poured forth from every bar-room and +gambling den on the Avenue. + +A fat contractor who had made his pile in pasteboard soles for army +shoes and sent more boys to the grave from disease than had been killed +in battle, touched elbows with the hook-nosed vulture who was sporting a +diamond pin bought with the profits of shoddy clothes that had proven a +shroud for many a brave soldier sleeping in a premature grave. + +They were laughing, drinking, smoking, swearing, gambling and all +shouting for the flag--the flag that was waving over millions they hoped +yet to share. + +A feeling of sickening fear swept the girl's heart. For the first time +in her life she was afraid to be alone on the brightly lighted streets +of Washington at dusk. The poison of death was in the air. Every +desperate passion that stirs the brute in man was written in the +bloodshot eyes that sought hers. The Nation was at war. To cheat, +deceive, entrap, maim, kill the enemy and lay his home in desolation was +the daily business now of the millions who backed the Government. +Whatever the lofty aims of either of the contending hosts, they sought +to win by war and this was war. It was not to be wondered at that this +spirit should begin to poison the springs of life in the minds of the +weak and send them forth to prey on their fellows. It was not to be +wondered at that men planned in secret to advance their own interests at +the expense of their fellows, to climb the ladder of wealth and fame in +this black hour no matter on whose dead bodies they had to walk. + +With a pang of positive terror Betty asked herself the question whether +the man she loved had been touched by this deadly pestilence? A wave of +horror swept her. A drunken brute brushed by and thrust his bloated face +into hers. + +With a cry of rage and fear she turned and ran for two blocks, left the +Avenue at the corner and hurried back to her home. + +She would wait until morning and see the President before the crowd +arrived. + +He greeted her with a joyous shout: + +"Come right in, Miss Betty!" + +With long, quick stride he met her and grasped her hand, a kindly +twinkle in his eye: + +"And how's our old grizzly bear, your father, this morning?" + +"He's still alive and growling," she laughed. + +The President joined heartily: + +"I'll bet he is," he said, "and hates me just as cordially as ever?" + +Betty nodded. + +"But his beautiful daughter?" + +"Was never more loyal to her Chief!" + +"Good. Then my administration is on a sound basis. You want no office. +You ask no favors. Such clear, pure, young eyes in the morning of life +don't make mistakes. They know." + +"But I've come to ask you something this morning----" + +The smile faded into a look of seriousness. + +"What's the matter?" he asked quickly. + +Betty hesitated and the red blood slowly mounted to her cheeks. He led +her to a seat, beside his chair, touched her hand gently and whispered: + +"Tell me." + +"I hope you won't think me presumptuous, Mr. President, if I ask you to +tell me why you recalled General McClellan?" + +The rugged face suddenly flashed with a smile. + +"Presumptuous?" he laughed. "My dear child, if you could have heard a +few things my Cabinet had to say to me in this room on that subject! The +tender deference with which you put the question is the nearest thing to +an endorsement I have so far received! Go as far as you like after that +opening. It will be a joy to discuss it with you. Presumptuous--Oh, my +soul!" + +He caught his knee between his hands and rocked with laughter at the +memory of his Cabinet scene. + +Reassured by his manner Betty leaned closer: + +"You remember the morning you gave me the pass to Alexandria?" + +"To see a certain young man?" + +"Yes." + +"Perfectly." + +"You distinctly gave me the impression that morning that you were sure +General McClellan was betraying his trust in his failure to support +General Pope and that your confidence in him was gone forever." + +"Did I?" + +"Yes." + +"Then it wasn't far from the truth," he gravely admitted. + +"And yet you recalled him to the command of the army?" + +"I had to." + +"Had to?" + +"It was the only thing to do." + +Betty spoke in a whisper: + +"You mean that their conspiracy had become so dangerous there was no +other way?" + +He threw her a searching look, was silent a moment and slowly said: + +"That's a pointed question, isn't it?" + +"I'm a member of your Cabinet, you know----" + +"Yes, I know--but why do _you_ happen to ask me such a dangerous +question at this particularly trying moment? Come, my little bright +eyes, out with it?" + +"The certain young man and I are not very happy----" + +"You've quarrelled?" + +"Yes." + +"About what?" + +"You." + +"You don't mean it, Miss Betty?" he said incredulously. + +Her eyes were dim and she nodded. + +"But why about me?" + +"I saw things which confirmed your suspicions. He admitted his desire +that General Pope should fail and defended McClellan's indifference. We +quarrelled. I asked him to resign from the staff of his Chief----" + +"You didn't!" he exclaimed softly, his deep eyes shining. + +"I did--and he refused." + +Again the big hands both closed on hers: + +"God bless you, child! So long as I hold such faith from hearts like +yours, I know that I'm right. They can say what they please about +me----" + +"You see," she broke in, "if he is in this conspiracy and they have +forced you to this surrender, he is equally guilty of treachery----" + +"And you hold him responsible for his Commander's ambitions?" + +"Yes." + +The President sprang to his feet and paced the floor a moment, stopped +and gazed at her with a look of curious tenderness: + +"By jinks, Miss Betty, if I had a few more like you in my Cabinet I +wouldn't be so lonesome!" + +"They did force you?" she demanded. + +"Not as you mean it, my child. I'm not going to pretend to you that I +don't understand the seriousness of the situation. The Army of the +Potomac is behind McClellan to a man. It amounts to infatuation. I +sounded his officers. I sounded his men. To-day they are against me and +with him. If the issue could be sprung--if the leaders dared to risk +their necks on such a revolution, they might win. They don't know this +as clearly as I do. Because they are not so well informed they are +afraid to move. I have chosen to beat them at their own game----" + +He paused and laughed: + +"I hate to shatter your ideal, Miss Betty, but I'm afraid there's +something of the fox in my make-up after all. Will it shock you to learn +this?" + +"I shall be greatly relieved to know it," she responded firmly. + +"Think, then, for a moment. I suspend McClellan for his failure and +replace him with a man I believe to be his superior. The army sullenly +resent this change. They do not agree with me. They believe McClellan +the greatest General in sight. It's a marvellous thing this power over +men which he possesses. It can be used to create a Nation or destroy +one. It's a dangerous force. I must handle it with the utmost care. So +long as their idol is a martyr the army is unfit for good service. The +moment I restore the old commander, in whom both officers and men have +unbounded faith, I show them that I am beyond the influence of the +political forces which demand his destruction--don't I?" + +"Yes." + +"And the moment I dare to brave popular disapproval and restore their +commander don't you see that I win the confidence of the army in my +fairness and my disinterested patriotism?" + +"Of course." + +"See then what must happen. Now mind you, I would never have restored +McClellan to command if I did not know that at this moment he can do the +work of putting this disorganized and defeated army into fighting shape +better than any other. McClellan thus returned to power must fight. He +must win or lose. If he wins I am vindicated and his success is mine. If +he loses, he loses his power over the imagination of his men and at last +I am master of the situation. I shall back him with every dollar and +every man the Nation can send into his next campaign. No matter whether +he wins or loses, I _must_ win because the supremacy of the civil power +will be restored." + +"I see," Betty breathed softly. + +She rose with a new look of reverence for a great mind. + +"And the civil power was not supreme when you restored McClellan to his +command?" + +"Miss Betty, you'd make a good lawyer!" he laughed. + +"Was it?" she persisted. + +"No." + +"Thank you," she said, rising and extending her hand. "I learned exactly +what I wished to know." + +"And you'll stop quarreling?" + +"If he's reasonable----" + +He lifted his long finger in solemn warning. + +"Remember now! This administration is honestly and sincerely backing +General McClellan for all it's worth. It has always done this. We are +going to try to make even a better record in the next campaign----" + +"When will it open?" + +"Sooner than any of us wish it, if our scouts report the truth. Flushed +with his great victory over Pope, General Lee is sure to invade +Maryland. The campaign will be a dangerous and crucial one. The moment +Lee crosses the Potomac, his communications with Richmond will be +imperiled. If he dares to do it we can crush his army in a great battle, +cut his communications with Richmond, drive his men into the Potomac and +end the war. I have given McClellan the opportunity of his life. I pray +God to give success----" + +Edward appeared at the door. + +"Well, what is it?" + +"The crowd, sir--they are clamoring to get in." + +Betty hurried into the family apartments to speak to Mrs. Lincoln, her +mind in a whirl of resentment against John Vaughan. + +The President turned to the crowd which had already poured into the +room. + +As usual, the cranks and inventors led the way. The inventors found the +President an easy man to talk to. His mind was quick to see a good point +and always open to conviction. He had once patented a device for getting +flat boats over shoals himself. His immediate approval of the first +model of Ericsson's famous _Monitor_ had led to its adoption in time to +meet and destroy the _Merrimac_ in Hampton Roads on the very day the +iron terror had sent his big ships to the bottom. He allowed no inventor +to be turned from the door of the White House no matter how ridiculous +his hobby might appear. The inventions relating to the science of war he +would test himself on the big open field between the White House grounds +and the river. + +The first inventor in line carried the model of a new rifle which would +shoot sixteen times. The army officers believed in the idea of a single +shell breech loader on account of the simplicity of its mechanism. Our +muskets were still muzzle loaders and the men were compelled to use +ramrods to load. + +The President examined the new gun with keen interest, pulled his black, +shaggy beard thoughtfully, looked at the breathless inventor, and slowly +mused: + +"Well, now as the fat girl said when she pulled on her stocking, it +strikes me there's something in it!" + +The inventor laughed with nervous joy, and watched him write a card of +endorsement: + +"Take that to the War Department, and tell them I like your idea--I want +them to look into it." + +His face wreathed in smiles, the man pushed his way through the crowd, +and hurried to the War Department. + +The next one was a little fellow who had a gun of marvellous model, +double-barrelled, with the barrels crossed. The President adjusted his +spectacles and took a second look before he made any comment. He lifted +his bristling eyebrows: + +"What's it for?" + +"For cross-eyed men, sir!" he whispered. + +"You don't say?" he roared. + +"Yes, sir," the little man continued eagerly. "The cross-eyed men ain't +never had no chance in this war. They turn 'em all down. They won't take +'em as soldiers. That gun'll fix 'em. Push a regiment o' good cross-eyed +men to the front with that gun a-pourin' hot lead from two barrels at +the same time an' every man er cross firin' at the enemy an' we'll jist +natchally make hash outen 'em, sir----" + +"And we may need the cross-eyed men, too, before the war ends." The +sombre eyes twinkled thoughtfully. "Thank you, my friend, when I draft +the cross-eyed men come in again and we'll talk it over. Your heart's +in the right place, anyhow." + +He glanced doubtfully at the little skillet-shaped head and reached over +his shoulder for the next one. It was a bullet proof shirt for +soldiers--a coat of mail which weighed fifty pounds. + +"How long do you think a man could march with that thing on and the +thermometer at ninety-eight in the shade?" + +He handed it back with a shake of his head and grasped the next one--a +model water-tight canoe to fit the foot like a snow shoe. + +"What's the idea?" he asked. + +"Shoe the army with _my_ canoes, sir, and they can all walk on +water----" + +"And yet they say the age of miracles has passed! Take it over to old +Neptune's office. He's a sad man at times and I like him. This ought to +cheer him." + +The next one was a man of unusually interesting face. A typical Yankee +farmer with whiskers spilling over his collar from his neck and +bristling up against his clean shaven chin. He handed the President a +model of a new musket. He examined it with care and fixed the man with +his gaze: + +"Well, sir?" + +"Hit's the rekyle, sir," he explained softly. "Hit's the way she's hung +on the stock." + +"Oh----" + +"Ye see, sir," he went on earnestly, "a gun ought not to rekyle, and ef +hit rekyles at all, hit ought to rekyle a leetle forred----" + +"Right you are!" the President roared with laughter. "Your logic's sound +whether your gun kicks or not. I say so, too. A gun ought _not_ to +rekyle at all, and if it does rekyle, by jinks, it ought to rekyle and +hit the other fellow, not us!" + +The tall figure dropped into the chair by his desk and laughed again. + +"Come in again, Brother 'Rekyle' and we'll talk it over when I've got +more time." + +The stocky, heavy set figure of the Secretary of War suddenly pushed +through the crowd and up to the desk. Stanton's manner had always been +rude to the point of brusqueness and insult. The tremendous power he was +now wielding in the most important Department of the Government had not +softened his temper or improved his manners. The President had learned +to appreciate his matchless industry and sterling honesty and overlooked +his faults as an indulgent father those of a passionate and willful +child. + +Stanton's eyes were flashing through his gold rimmed glasses the wrath +he found difficult to express. + +The President looked up with a friendly smile: + +"Well, Mars, what's the trouble now?" + +Stanton shook his leonine locks and beard in fury at the use of the +facetious word. He loathed levity of any kind and the one kind he could +not endure was the quip that came his way. + +He regarded himself seriously every day, every hour, every minute in +every hour. He was the incarnate soul of Mars on earth. He knew and felt +it. He raged at the President's use of the term because he had a +sneaking idea that he was being laughed at--and that by a man who was +his inferior and yet to whom he was rendering indispensable service. + +An angry retort rose to his lips, but he suppressed the impulse. It was +a waste of breath. The President was a fool--he would only laugh again +as he had done before. And so he plunged straight to the purpose of his +call: + +"Before you get to your usual batch of passes and pardons this morning I +want to protest again, Mr. President, against your persistent +interference with the discipline of the army and the affairs of my +Department. Your pardons are hamstringing the whole service, sir. It +must stop if you expect your generals to control their men!" + +"Is that all, Mars?" the even voice asked. + +"It is, sir!" + +"Thanks for the spirit that prompts your rage. I know you're right about +most of these things. I'll do my best to help and not hinder you----" + +"There's a woman coming here this morning to present a petition over my +head." + +"Oh, I see----" + +"I have refused it and I demand that you support, not make a fool of +me." + +He turned without waiting for an answer and strode from the room. + +The President whispered to Nicolay: + +"We may have to put a few bricks in Stanton's pocket yet, John!" + +He glanced toward the waiting crowd and whispered again: + +"Any news to-day from the front before I go on?" + +Nicolay drew a telegram from his file: + +"Only this dispatch, sir, announcing the capture of fifty mules and two +brigadier generals by Stuart's cavalry----" + +"Fifty mules?" + +"And two brigadier generals." + +"Fifty mules--and they're worth two hundred dollars a piece. Tell 'em to +send a regiment after those mules. Jeffy D. can have the generals." + +A slender little dark-haired girl about fifteen years old, with big +wistful blue eyes, had taken advantage of the pause to slip close. When +the President lifted his head she caught his eyes. He rose immediately +and drew her to his side. + +"You're all alone, little girl?" + +"Yes, sir," she faltered. + +"And what can I do for you?" + +"If you please, I want to pass through the lines to Virginia--my +brother's there--he was shot in the last battle. I want to see him." + +"Of course you do," the kindly voice agreed, "and you shall." + +He wrote the pass and handed it to her. + +She murmured her thanks and he placed his big hand on her dark head and +asked casually: + +"Of course you're loyal?" + +The young lips quivered, she hesitated, looked up into his face through +dimmed eyes, and the slender body suddenly stiffened, as she slowly +said: + +"Yes--to the heart's core--to Virginia!" + +The trembling fingers handed the pass back and the tears rolled down her +cheeks. + +The tall man dared not look down again. Something about this slim +wistful girl brought back over the years the memory of the young mother +who had come from the hills of old Virginia. + +He was still for a moment, stooped, and took her hand in his. His voice +was low and tender and full of feeling: + +"I know what it cost you to say that, child. You're a brave, glorious +little girl, if you are a rebel. I love you for this glimpse you've +given me of a great spirit. I'm sure I can trust you. If I let you go, +will you promise me faithfully that no word shall pass your lips of what +you've seen inside our lines?" + +"I promise!" she cried, smiling through her tears. + +He handed her back the pass and slowly said: + +"May God bless you--and speed the day when your people and mine shall be +no longer enemies." + +He turned again to his desk, and beside it stood a quiet woman dressed +in black. + +He bowed to her with easy grace: + +"And how can I serve you, Madam?" + +She smiled hopefully: + +"You have children, Mr. President?" + +A look of sorrow overspread the dark face. + +"Yes," he said reverently, "I have two boys now. I had three, but God +has just taken one of them." + +"I had two," the mother responded. "Both of them went into the army to +fight for their country and left me alone. One has been killed in +battle. I tried to be brave about it. I said over and over again, 'the +Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed is the name of the Lord!' +But I had to give up. I'm all alone in my little place in the mountains +of Pennsylvania and I can't endure it. I know they say I have no right +to ask, but I want my last boy to come home. All night I lie there alone +and cry. Can't you let me have my boy back? He's all I've got on +earth--others have more. I have only this one. I'm just a +woman--lonely, heartsick and afraid. They say I can't have him. But I've +come to ask you. I've heard that you have a loving heart----" + +She stopped suddenly. + +"You have seen Stanton?" the President asked. + +"Yes. He wouldn't listen. He swore I shouldn't have him." + +The hazel-grey eyes gazed thoughtfully out the window across the shining +river for a moment. + +"I have two," he murmured, "and you have only one. It isn't fair. You +shall have your boy." + +He turned to his desk and wrote the order for his discharge. The mother +pressed close, gently touched with the tips of her fingers his thick +black hair and softly cried while he was writing. + +She took the precious paper, tried to speak and choked. + +"Go away now," the President whispered, "or you'll have me crying in a +minute." + +When the last man had gone he stood alone before his window in brooding +silence. A tender smile overspread his face and he drew a deep breath. +In the hills of Pennsylvania he saw a picture--a mother in the door of a +humble home waiting for her boy. He is coming down the road with swift, +strong step. She sees and rushes to meet him with a cry of joy, holds +him in her arms without words a long, long while and will not let him +go. And then she leads him into the house, falls on her knees and thanks +God. + +He smiles again and forgets the burden of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +DIPLOMACY + + +In the whirlwind of passion, intrigue, slander and hate which had +circled the head of the new President since the day of his Inauguration, +the mother of his children had not been spared. + +The First Lady of the Land had found her position as difficult in its +way as her husband had found his. She had met the cynical criticism at +first with dignity, reserve, and contempt. But as it increased in +violence and virulence she had more than once lost her temper. She had +never been blessed with the serenity of spirit that with Lincoln in his +trying hours touched the heights of genius. + +She was just a human little woman who loved her husband devotedly and +hated every man and woman who hated him. And when her patience was +exhausted she said things as she thought them, with a contempt for +consequences as sublime as it was dangerous. + +From the moment of the opening of the war she hated the South, not only +because the Southern people had flung the shadow of death over her +splendid social career and blighted the brightest dream of her life by +war, but she had a more intimate and personal reason for this hatred. +Her own flesh and blood had gone into the struggle against her and the +husband she loved. Both her brothers born in the South, were in the +Confederate army fighting to tear the house down over her head. One of +these brothers had been made the Commandant of Libby Prison in Richmond. +The woman in her could never forgive them. + +And yet men in the North who sought the destruction of her husband saw +how they might use the fact of her Southern kin to their own gain, and +did it with the most cruel and bitter malignity. + +One thing she was determined to do--maintain her position in a way to +put it beyond the reach of petty spite and gossip. She had always +resented the imputation of boorishness and lack of culture his enemies +had made against the man she loved. She held it her first duty, +therefore, to maintain her place as the First Lady of the Land in a way +that would still those slanderous tongues. For this reason her dresses +had been the most elaborate and expensive the wife of any Chief +Magistrate of the Republic had ever worn. Her big-hearted, careless +husband had no more idea of the cost of such things than a new-born +babe. + +Lizzie Garland, the negro dressmaker, to whom she had given her +patronage, practically spent her entire time with the President's wife, +who finally became so contemptuous of unreasonable public criticism in +Washington that she was often seen going to Lizzie Garland's house to be +fitted. + +As Lizzie bent over her work basting the new seams in fitting her last +dress, the Mistress of the White House suddenly stopped the nervous +movement of her rocking-chair. + +"He demands a thousand dollars to-night, Lizzie?" + +"Swears he'll take the whole account to the President to-morrow unless +he gets it, Madam." + +"You tried to make him reasonable?" + +"Begged him for an hour." + +"That's what I get for trading with a little rat in Philadelphia. I'll +stick to Stewart hereafter." + +She rose with a gesture of nervous rage: + +"Well, there's no help for it then. I must ask him. I dread it. Mr. +Lincoln calls me a child--a spoiled child. He's the child. He has no +idea of what these things cost. Why can't a Nation that spends two +millions a day on contractors and soldiers give its President a salary +he can live on?" + +She threw herself on the lounge and gave way for a moment to despair. + +"He'll give it to you, of course, when you ask it," Lizzie ventured +cheerfully. + +"If I'm diplomatic, yes. But I hate to do it. He's harassed enough. I +wonder sometimes if he's human to stand all he does. If he knew the +truth--O my God----" + +"Don't worry, Madam," Lizzie pleaded. "It will come out all right. The +President is sure to be re-elected." + +"That's it, is he? I'm beginning to lose faith. He'll never win if the +scoundrels in Washington can prevent it. There's just one man in +Congress his real friend. I can't make him see that the hypocrites he +keeps in his Cabinet are waiting and watching to stab him in the back. +But what's the use to talk, I've got to face it to-day--ask Phoebe to +come here." + +"Let me go, Madam," Lizzie begged. "I hate the sight of that woman. I +suspect her of nosing into our affairs." + +"Nonsense!" was the contemptuous answer. "Phoebe's just a big, fat, +black, good-natured fool. It rests me to look at her--she's so much +fatter than I am." + +With a shrug of her shoulders the dressmaker rose and rang for the +colored maid, who had just entered Mrs. Lincoln's service. + +Phoebe walked in with a glorious smile lighting her dusky face. Seeing +her mistress lying down at the unusual hour of eleven o'clock in the +morning, she rushed to her side: + +"Laws of mussy, Ma'am, ain't you well!" + +"Just a little spell of nerves, Phoebe, something that never worries +your happy soul----" + +"No, Ma'am, dat dey don't!" the black woman laughed. + +"Hand me a pencil and pad of paper." + +Phoebe executed her order with quick heavy tread, and stood looking +while her mistress scribbled a note to her husband. + +"Take that to the President, and see that he comes." + +Phoebe courtesied heavily: + +"Yassam, I fetch him!" + +The Hon. Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, was engaged with +the President when Phoebe presented herself at the door of the executive +office. + +John Hay tried in vain to persuade her to wait _a_ few minutes. Phoebe +brushed the young diplomat aside with scant ceremony. + +"G'way fum here, Boy!" she laughed. "Miss Ma'y sent me ter fetch 'im +right away. An' I gwine ter fetch 'im!" + +She threw her ponderous form straight through the door and made for the +Chief Magistrate. + +Mr. Chase was delivering an important argument, but it had no weight +with her. + +She bowed and courtesied to the President. + +"Excuse me, Governor," he said with a smile. "Good morning, Phoebe." + +"Good mornin', sah." + +She extended the note with a second dip of her ponderous form: + +"Yassah, Miss Ma'y send dis here excommunication ter you, sah!" + +"You don't say so?" the President cried, breaking into a laugh. + +"Yassah." + +"Then I'm excommunicated, Governor!" he nodded to Chase. "I must read +the edict." He adjusted his glasses and glanced at the note: + +"Your mistress is lying down?" + +"Yassah, she's sufferin' fum a little spell er nervous prosperity, +sah--dat's all--sah----" + +"Oh, that's all?" + +"Yassah." + +The President roared with laughter, in which Phoebe joined. + +"Thank you, Phoebe, tell her I'll be there in a minute----" + +"Yassah." + +"And Phoebe----" + +The maid turned as she neared the door: + +"Yassah?" + +"I hope you'll always bring my messages from your mistress----" + +"Yassah." + +"I like you, Phoebe. You're cheerful!" + +"I tries ter be, sah!" she laughed, swinging herself through the door. + +The President threw his big hands behind his head, leaned back, and +laughed until his giant frame shook. + +The dignified and solemn Secretary of the Treasury scowled, rose, and +stalked from the room. + +"Sorry I couldn't talk longer, Chase." + +"It's all right," the Secretary replied, with a wave of his hand. + +The President found his wife alone. + +"I hope nothing serious, Mother?" he said tenderly. + +"I've a miserable headache again. Why were you so long?" + +"I was with Governor Chase." + +"And what did the old snake in the grass want this time?" + +The President glanced toward the door uneasily, sat down by her side and +touched her hand: + +"You should be more careful, Mother. Servants shouldn't hear you say +things like that----" + +The full lips came together with bitter firmness: + +"I'll say just what I think when I'm talking to you, Father--what did he +want?" + +"He offered his resignation as my Secretary of the Treasury." + +His wife sprang up with flashing eyes: + +"And you?" + +"Refused to accept it." + +"O my Lord, you're too good and simple for this world! You're a babe--a +babe in the woods with wolves prowling after you from every tree and you +won't see them! You know that he's a candidate against you for the +Presidency, don't you?" + +"Yes." + +"You know that he never loses an opportunity to sneer at you behind your +back?" + +"I've heard so." + +"You know that he's hand in glove with the conspirators in Congress who +are trying to pull you down?" + +"Perhaps." + +"You know that he's the greatest letter writer of the age? That he +writes as many letters to your generals in the field as old Winter--that +he writes to every editor he knows and every politician he can +influence, and that the purpose of these letters is always the same--to +pull you down?" + +"Possibly." + +"You have this chance to put your foot on this frozen snake's head and +yet you bring him into your house again to warm him into life?" + +"Chase is a great Secretary of the Treasury, my dear. The country needs +him. I can't afford to take any chances just now of a change for the +worse." + +"He has no idea of leaving. He's only playing a game with you to +strengthen himself--can't you see this?" + +"Maybe." + +"And yet you submit to such infamy in your own Cabinet?" + +"It's not a crime, Mother, to aspire to high office. The bee is in poor +Chase's bonnet. He can't help it. I've felt the thing tickle myself. If +he can beat me let the best man win----" + +"Don't--don't--don't say such fool things," his wife cried. "I'll +scream! You need a guardian. You have three men in your Cabinet who are +using their positions to climb into the Presidency over you--old Seward, +Chase and now Stanton, and you smile and smile and let them think you +don't know. You'll never have a united and powerful administration until +you kick those scoundrels out----" + +"Mother--Mother--you mustn't----" + +"I will--I'll tell you the truth--nobody else does. I tell you to kick +these scoundrels out and put men in their places who will loyally +support you and your policies!" + +"I've no right in such an hour to think of my own ambitions, my dear," +was the even, quiet answer. "Seward is the best man for his place I know +in the country. Stanton is making the most efficient War Secretary we +have ever had. Chase is a great manager of our Treasury. I'm afraid to +risk a new man. If these men can win over me by rendering their country +a greater service than I can, they ought to win----" + +"But can't you see, you big baby, that it isn't the man who really gives +the greatest service that may win? It's the liar and hypocrite +undermining his Chief who may win. Won't you have common sense and send +those men about their business? Surely you won't lose this chance to get +rid of Chase. Won't you accept his resignation?" + +"No." + +There was a moment's tense silence. The wife looked up appealingly and +the rugged hand touched hers gently. + +"I think, Father, you're the most headstrong man that God ever made!" + +The dark, wistful face brightened: + +"And yet they say I'm a good-natured, easy-going fellow with no +convictions?" + +"They don't know you----" + +"I'm sorry, Mother, we don't see it the same way, but one of us has to +decide these things, and I suppose I'm the one." + +"I suppose so," she admitted wearily. + +"But tell me," he cried cheerfully, "what can I do right now to make you +happy? You sent for me for something. You didn't know that Chase was +there, did you?" + +She hesitated and answered cautiously: + +"It doesn't matter whether I did or not. You refuse to listen to my +advice." + +He bent nearer in evident distress: + +"What can I do, Mother?" + +"I need some money. Since Willie's death last winter I've thought +nothing of my dresses for the next season. I must begin to attend to +them. I need a thousand dollars." + +"To-day?" + +"Yes." + +He looked at her with a twinkle playing around the corner of his eyes as +he slowly rose: + +"Send Phoebe in for the check." + +"Ring for her, please." + +He pulled the old-fashioned red cord vigorously, walked back to the +lounge, put his hands in his pockets and looked at his wife in a comical +way. + +"Mother," he said at last, "you're a very subtle woman. You'd make a +great diplomat if you didn't talk quite so much." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE REBEL + + +While Betty Winter was still brooding in angry resentment over the +problem of John Vaughan's guilt in sharing the treason of his Chief, the +army was suddenly swung into the field to contest Lee's invasion of +Maryland. + +The daring venture of the Confederate leader had developed with +startling rapidity. The President was elated over the probable +annihilation of his army. He knew that half of them were practically +barefooted and in rags. He also knew that McClellan outnumbered Lee and +Jackson two to one and that the Southerners, no longer on the defensive, +but aggressors, would be at an enormous disadvantage in Maryland +territory. + +That Lee was walking into a death trap he was morally sure. + +The Confederate leader was not blind to the dangers of his undertaking. +Conditions in the South practically forced the step. It was of the +utmost importance that he should have full and accurate information +before his move, and a group of the coolest and bravest young men in his +army were called on to go into Washington as scouts and spies and bring +this report. Men who knew the city were needed. + +Among the ten selected for the important mission was Ned Vaughan. He had +been promoted for gallantry on the field at Malvern Hill, and wore the +stripes of a lieutenant. He begged for the privilege of risking his life +in this work and his Colonel could not deny him. He had proven on two +occasions his skill on secret work as a scout before the second battle +of Bull Run. His wide circle of friends in Washington and the utter +change in his personal appearance by the growth of a beard made his +chances of success the best of any man in the group. + +He was anxious to render his country the greatest possible service in +such a crisis, but there was another motive of resistless power. He was +mad to see Betty Winter. He knew her too well to believe that if he took +his life in his hand to look into her eyes she could betray him. + +His disguise in the uniform of a Federal Captain was perfect, his forged +pass beyond suspicion. He passed the lines of the Union army +unchallenged and spent his first night in Washington in Joe Hall's +famous gambling saloon on Pennsylvania Avenue. He arrived too late to +make any attempt to see Betty. He stood for half an hour on the corner +of the street, gazing with wistful eyes at the light in her window. He +dared not call and involve her in the possibility of suspicion. He must +wait with caution until she left the house and he could speak to her +without being recognized. If he failed to get this chance he would write +her as a last resort. + +In Hall's place he found scores of Congressmen and men from every +department of the Government service. Old Thaddeus Stevens, the leader +of the war party in the House, was playing for heavy stakes, his sullen +hard face set with grim determination. + +He watched a young clerk from the War Department stake his last dollar, +lose, and stagger from the table with a haunted, desperate look. Ned +followed him into two saloons and saw the bartenders refuse him credit. +He walked through the door of the last saloon, his legs trembling and +his white lips twitching, stopped and leaned against the wall of the +little bookstore on the corner, the flickering street lamp showing dimly +his ghastly face and eyes. + +Ned glanced uneasily behind him to see that he had not been followed. He +had left under the impression that a secret service man had seen them +both leave. He knew that Baker, the head of the Department, might know +the name of every clerk who frequented a gambling den. No one was in +sight and he debated for a moment the problem of offering this boy the +bribe to get from Stanton's office the information he wanted. + +It was a question of character and his judgment of it. Could he speak +the word to this boy that might send one or both to the gallows? He was +well born. His father was a man of sterling integrity and a firm +supporter of the Union. The boy was twenty-two years old and had been a +pet in the fast circle of society in which he had moved for the last +three years. If his love for his country were the real thing, he would +hand Ned over as a spy without a moment's hesitation. If the mania for +gambling had done its work he would do anything for money. + +Ned's own life was in the decision. He took another look into the +haggard face and made up his mind. + +He started on as if to pass him, stopped suddenly and extended his hand: + +"Hello, Dick, what's up?" + +The boy glowered at him and answered with a snarl: + +"I don't know you----" + +Ned drew a sigh of relief. One danger was passed. He couldn't recognize +him. The rest should be easy. + +"You don't need to, my boy," he whispered. "You're looking for a +friend--money?" + +"Yes. I'll sell my soul into hell for it right now," he gasped. + +"You don't need to do that." Ned drew two hundred dollars in gold from +his pocket and clinked the coin. + +"You see that gold?" + +"Yes, yes--what do you want for it?" + +"I want you to get for me to-morrow morning the exact number of men in +McClellan's army. I want the figures from Stanton's office--you +understand. I want the name of each command, its numbers and its +officers. I know already half of them. So you can't lie to me. Give me +this information here to-morrow night and the gold is yours. Will you do +it?" + +The boy glanced at Ned for a moment: + +"I'll see you in hell first. I've a notion to arrest you--damned if I +don't----" + +He wheeled and started toward the corner. + +Ned's left hand gripped his with the snap of a steel trap, his right +holding his revolver. + +"Don't you be a fool. I know that you're ruined. I saw you in Joe +Hall's----" + +The boy's jaw dropped. + +"You saw me?" he stammered. + +"Yes. You're done for, and you know it. Bring me those figures and I'll +double the pile--four hundred dollars." + +The weak eyes shifted uneasily. He hesitated and faltered: + +"All right. Meet me here at seven o'clock. For God's sake, don't speak +to me if there's anyone in sight." + +All next day Ned watched Betty's house in vain. At dark, in despair and +desperation, he wrote a note. + + "DEAR MISS BETTY: + + "For one look into your dear eyes I am here. I've tried in vain to + meet you. I can't leave without seeing you. I'll wait in the park + at the foot of the avenue to-morrow night at dusk. Just one touch + of your hand and five minutes near you is all I ask----" + +There was no signature needed. She would know. He mailed it and hurried +to his appointment. + +The boy was prompt. There was no one in sight. Ned hurriedly examined +the sheet of paper, verified the known commands and their numbers and, +convinced of its genuineness, handed the money to the traitor. + +"For God's sake, never speak to me again or recognize me in any way," he +begged through chattering teeth. "I got those things from Stanton's desk +and copied them." + +Ned nodded, placed the precious document in his pocket, and watched the +fool hurry with swift feet straight to Joe Hall's place and disappear +within. + +Betty failed to come at the appointed time and he was heartsick. He +would finish his work in six hours to-morrow and he should not lose a +moment in passing the Federal lines. The precious figures he had bought +were memorized and the paper destroyed. In six hours next day he +completed the drawings of the fort on which information had been asked +and was ready to leave. + +But he had not seen Betty. He tried to go and each effort only led him +to the corner from which he watched her house. He lingered until night +and waited an hour again in the dark. And still she had not come. And +then it slowly dawned on him that she must have realized from the moment +she read his message the peril of his position and the danger of his +betrayal in their meeting. + +He turned with quick, firm tread to pass the Federal lines without +delay, and walked into the arms of two secret service men. + +Without a word he was manacled and led to prison. The boy he had bribed +had been under suspicion since his first visits to Joe Hall's. Stanton +had discovered that his desk had been rummaged. Five of his nine +Southern comrades had been arrested and he was the sixth. The rage of +the Secretary of War had been boundless. He had thrown out a dragnet of +detectives and every suspicious character in the city was passing +through it or landing in prison. + +The men stripped him and searched with the touch of experts every stitch +of his clothing, ripped the lining of his coat, opened the soles of his +shoes, split the heels and found nothing. He had been ordered to dress +and given permission to go, when suddenly the officer conducting the +search said: + +"Wait!" + +Ned stopped in the doorway. It was useless to protest. + +"Excuse my persistence, my friend," he said apologetically. "You seem +all right and my men have apparently made a mistake, all the same I'm +going to examine your mouth----" + +Ned's eyes suddenly flashed and his figure unconsciously stiffened. + +"I thought so!" the officer laughed. + +The door was closed and the guard stepped before it. + +And then, with quick sure touch as if he saw the object of his search +through the flesh, the detective lifted Ned Vaughan's upper lip and drew +from between his lips and teeth the long, thin, delicately folded +tinfoil within which lay the tissue drawing of the fort. + +The drumhead court-martial which followed was brief and formal. The +prisoner refused to give his name or any clue to his identity. He was +condemned to be hanged as a spy at noon the next day and locked in a +cell in the Old Capitol Prison. + +On his way they passed Senator Winter's house. Six hours' delay just to +look into her face had cost him his life, but his one hopeless regret +now was that he had failed to see her. + +Betty Winter read the account of the sensational arrest and death +sentence. He had been arrested at the trysting place he had appointed. +She dropped the paper with a cry and hurried to the White House. She +thanked God for the loving heart that dwelt there. + +Without a moment's hesitation the President ordered a suspension of +sentence and directed that the papers be sent to him for review. + +In vain Stanton raged. He shook his fist in the calm, rugged face at +last: + +"Dare to interfere with the final execution of this sentence and I shall +resign in five minutes after you issue that pardon! I'll stand for some +things--but not for this--I warn you!" + +"I understand your position, Stanton," was the quiet answer. "And I'll +let you know my decision when I've reached it." + +With a muttered oath, the Secretary of War left the room. + +Betty bent close to his desk and whispered: + +"You'll give me three days to get his mother here?" + +"Of course I will, child, six days if it's necessary. Get word to her. +If I can't save him, she can say good-bye to her boy. That can't hurt +anybody, can it?" + +With a warm grasp of his hand Betty flew to the telegraph office and +three days later she saw for the first time the broken-hearted mother. +The resemblance was so startling between the mother and both sons she +couldn't resist the impulse to throw her arms around her neck. + +"I came alone, dear," the mother said brokenly, "because his father is +so bitter. You see we're divided at home, too. I'm with John in his love +for the Union--but his father is bitter against the war. It would do no +good for him to come. He hates the President and says he's responsible +for all the blood and suffering--and so I'm alone--but you'll help me?" + +"Yes, I'll help and we'll fight to win." + +The mother held her at arms' length a moment: + +"How sweet and beautiful you are! How happy I am that you love my John! +I'm proud of you. Is John here?" + +Betty's face clouded: + +"No. I telegraphed him to come. He answered that a great battle was +about to be fought and that it was absolutely useless to ask for +pardon----" + +"But it isn't--is it, dear?" + +"No, we'll fight. John doesn't know the President as I do. We'll never +give up--you and I--Mother!" + +Again they were in each other's arms in silence. The older woman held +her close. + +And then came the long, hard fight. + +The President heard the mother's plea with tender patience and shook his +head sorrowfully. + +"I'm sorry, dear Madam," he said at last, "to find this case so +dangerous and difficult. Our army is approaching a battle. Tremendous +issues hang on the results. It looks now as if this battle may end the +war. The enemy have as good right to send their brave scouts and spies +among us to learn our secrets as we have to send ours to learn theirs. +They kill our boys without mercy when captured. I have just asked +Jefferson Davis to spare the life of one of the noblest and bravest men +I have ever known. He was caught in Richmond on a daring errand for his +country. They refused and executed him. How can I face my Secretary of +War with such a pardon in my hands?" + +The mother's head drooped lower with each sorrowful word and when the +voice ceased she fell on her knees, with clasped hands and streaming +eyes in a voiceless prayer whose dumb agony found the President's heart +more swiftly and terribly than words. + +"O my dear little mother, you mustn't do that!" he protested, seizing +her hands and lifting her to her feet. "You mustn't kneel to me, I'm not +God--I'm just a distracted man praying from hour to hour and day to day +for wisdom to do what's right! I can't stand this--you mustn't do such +things--they kill me!" + +He threw his big hands into the air with a gesture of despair, his face +corpse-like in its ashen agony. He took a step from her and leaned +against the long table in the centre of the room for support. + +Betty whispered something in the mother's ear and led her near again. + +"If you'll just give my boy to me alive," she went on in low anguish, +"I'll take him home and keep him there and I'll pledge my life that he +will never again take up arms against the Union----" + +"You can guarantee me that?" he interrupted, holding her gaze. + +"I'm sure of it. He's noble, high-spirited, the soul of honor. He was +always good and never gave me an hour's sorrow in his life until this +war came----" + +The long arm suddenly swung toward his Secretary: + +"Have the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, brought here immediately. When he +comes, Madam, I'll see what can be done." + +With a sob of joy the mother leaned against Betty, who took her out into +the air until the wagon from the jail should come. + +They had led Ned quickly into the President's office before his mother +and Betty knew of his arrival. His wrists were circled with handcuffs. +The President looked over his spectacles at the irons and spoke sharply: + +"Take those things off him----" + +The guard hesitated, and the high pitched voice rang with angry +authority: + +"Take off those handcuffs, I tell you. His mother'll be here in a +minute--take 'em off!" + +The guard quickly removed the manacles and the President turned to him +and his attendants: + +"Clear out now. I'll call you when I want you." + +Ned bowed: + +"Thank you, sir." + +"I hope I can do more than that for you, my boy. It all depends on +you----" + +The mother's cry of joy stopped him short as she walked into the door. +With a bound she reached Ned's side, clasped him in her arms and kissed +him again and again with the low caressing words that only a mother's +lips can breathe. He loosened her hands tenderly: + +"I'm glad you came, dear. It's all right. You mustn't worry. This is +war, you know." + +"But we're going to save you, my darling. The President's going to +pardon you. I feel it--I know it. That's why he sent for you. God has +heard my prayer." + +"I'm afraid you don't understand these things, dear," Ned replied +tenderly. "The President can't pardon me--no one understands that better +than I do----" + +"But he will, darling! He will----" + +Ned soothed her and turned to Betty. + +"Just a moment, Mother, I wish to speak to Miss Betty." + +He took her hand and looked into her face with wistful intensity. + +"One long look at the girl of my dreams and I'll wait for you on the +other side! This is not the way I told you I would return, is it? But +it's war. We must take it as it comes--good-bye--dearest----" + +"O Ned, Boy, the President will pardon you if you'll be reasonable. You +must, for her sake, if not because I ask it." + +"It's sweet of you to try this, dearest, but of course, it's useless. +The President must be just." + +The tall figure rose and Ned turned to face his desk. + +"Young man," he began gently, "you're a soldier of exceptional training +and intelligence. You knew the danger and the importance of your +mission. You have failed and your life is forfeited to the Nation, but +for your mother's sake, because of her love and her anguish and her +loyalty, I have decided to trust you and send you home on parole in her +custody if you take the oath of allegiance----" + +The mother gave a sob of joy. + +"I thank you, Mr. President," was the firm reply, "for your generous +offer for my mother's sake, but I cannot take your oath. I have sworn +allegiance to another Government in the righteousness and justice of +whose cause I live and am ready to die----" + +"Ned--Ned!" the mother moaned. + +"I must, Mother, dear," he firmly went on. "Life is sweet when it's +worth living. But man can not live by bread alone. They have only the +power to kill my body. You ask me to murder my soul." + +He paused and turned to the President, whose eyes were shining with +admiration. + +"I believe, sir, that I am right and you are wrong. This is war. We must +fight it out. I'm a soldier and a soldier's business is to die." + +The tall figure suddenly crossed the space that separated them and +grasped his hand: + +"You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan, the kind of man that saves this world +from hell--the kind that makes this Nation great and worth saving whole! +I wish I could keep you here--but I can't. You know that--good-bye----" + +"Good-bye, sir," was the firm answer. + +The mother began to sob piteously until Betty spoke something softly in +her ear. + +Ned turned, pressed her to his heart, and held her in silence. He took +Betty's hand and bent to kiss it. + +"You shall not die," she whispered tensely. "I'm going to save you." + +She felt the answering pressure and knew that he understood. + +Betty held the mother at the door a moment and spoke in low tones: + +"I can get permission from the President to delay the execution until +his sister may arrive and say good-bye to him in prison the night before +the execution. Wait and I'll get it now." + +The mother stood and gazed in a stupor of dull despair while Betty +pressed to his desk and begged the last favor. It was granted without +hesitation. + +[Illustration: "'You're a brave man, Ned Vaughan.'"] + +The President wrote the order delaying the death for three days and +handed her his card on which was written: + + "Admit the bearer, the sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan, the + night before his execution to see him for five minutes. + + "A. LINCOLN." + +"I'm sorry, little girl, I couldn't do more for _your_ sake--but you +understand?" + +Betty nodded, returned the pressure of his hand and hurriedly left the +room. + +The hanging was fixed for the following Friday at noon. The pass would +admit his sister on Thursday night. Betty had three days in which to +work. She drew every dollar of her money and went at her task swiftly, +silently, surely, until she reached the guard inside the grim old +prison, who held the keys to the death watch. + +She couldn't trust the sister with her daring plan. She might lose her +nerve. She must impersonate her. It was a dangerous piece of work, but +it was not impossible. She had only to pass the inspectors. The guards +inside were her friends. + +On Thursday night at eight o'clock a carriage drew up at the little red +brick house, on whose door flashed the brass plate sign: + + ELIZABETH GARLAND, MODISTE + +She had made an appointment with Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and arranged +for it at this late hour. She must not be seen leaving her father's +house to-night. + +She drove rapidly to the Capitol, stopped her carriage at the north end, +entered the building through the Senate wing, quickly passed out again, +and in a few minutes had presented her pass to the commandant of the Old +Capitol Prison. + +The woman inspector made the most thorough search and finding nothing +suspicious, allowed her to enter the dimly lighted corridor of the death +watch. + +The turnkey loudly announced: + +"The sister of the prisoner, Ned Vaughan!" + +She met him face to face in the large cell in which the condemned were +allowed to pass their last night on earth. The keen eyes of a guard from +the Inspector's office watched her every act and every movement of her +body. + +Ned stared at her. His heart beat with mad joy. She was going to play +his sister's part! He would take her in his arms for the first time and +feel the beat of her heart against his and their lips would meet. He +laughed at death as he looked into her eyes with the hunger of eternity +gleaming in his own. + +There could be no hesitation on her part. + +She threw both arms around his neck crying: + +"Brave, foolish boy!" + +He held her close, crushed her with one mad impulse, and slowly relaxed +his arms. She would forgive him for this moment of delirium on the brink +of the grave, but he must be reasonable. + +"I am ready to die, now, dearest," he murmured. + +She slowly lifted her lips to his in a long kiss--a kiss that thrilled +body and soul--and pressed into his mouth a tiny piece of tissue paper. + +She stood holding both his hands for a moment and hesitated, glancing at +the guard from the corner of her eye. He was watching with steady +stolid business-like stare. She must play her part to the end carefully +and boldly. + +"I've only this moment just to say good-bye, Boy," she faltered. "I +promised not to stay long." Slowly her arms stole round his neck, and +the blood rushed to his face in scarlet waves. + +"Love has made death glorious, dearest," he breathed tenderly. "God +bless you for coming, for all you have done for me, and for all this +holy hour means to my soul--you understand." + +The tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The plan might fail after +all--the gallows was there in the jail yard lifting its stark arms in +the lowering sky. She pressed his hands hysterically: + +"Yes, yes, I understand." + +She turned and hurried to the guard: + +"Take me out quickly. I'm going to faint. I can't endure it." + +The guard caught her arm, supporting her as she made her way to the +street. + +In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker's and from there +called another carriage and went home. + +The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened +and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape. + +When the sentinel on his corridor was changed at midnight the blond, +blue-eyed boy would be his friend and explain. + +When he found the rope ladder concealed on the roof it was raining. He +fastened it carefully in the shadow of an offset in the outer wall and +waited for the appearance of the guard. As he passed the gas lamp post +and the flickering light fell on his face he studied it with care. He +was stupid and allowed the rain to dash straight into his fat face. It +should be easy to reach the shadows by a quick leap when he turned +against the rain and reached the length of his beat. + +He calculated to a second the time required to make the descent, threw +himself swiftly to the end of his rope and dropped to the pavement. + +In his eagerness to strike the ground on the run, his foot slipped and +he fell. The guard heard and ran back, blinking his stupid eyes through +the rain. He found a young sport who had lost his way in the storm. + +"I shay, partner," the fallen drunk blubbered. "What'ell's the matter +here? Ain't this Joe Hall's place?" + +"Not by a dam sight." + +"Ah, g'long with yer, f-foolishness--man--and open the door--I'm an old +customer--I ain't no secret service man--I'm all right--open her up----" + +"Here, here, get up an' move on now, I can't fool with you," the guard +growled good-naturedly. He lifted Ned to his feet and helped him to the +end of his beat, waved him a jolly good-night, and turned to his steady +tramp. The rope was still dangling next morning ten feet above his head. + +The sensation that thrilled the War Department was one that made history +for the Nation, as well as the individuals concerned, and for some +unfortunately who were not concerned. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE INSULT + + +The day General Lee's army turned toward the north for the Maryland +shore, the President, with the eagerness of a boy, hurried to +McClellan's house to shake his hand, bid him God's speed and assure him +of his earnest support and good wishes. + +The absurdity of the ruler of a mighty Nation hurrying on foot to the +house of one of his generals never occurred to his mind. + +The autocratic power over the lives and future of millions to which he +had been called had thrown no shadow of vanity or self pride over his +simple life. Responsibility had only made clearer his judgment, +strengthened his courage, broadened and deepened his love for his fellow +man. + +He wished to see his Commanding General and bid him God's speed. The +General was busy and he wished to take up but a few minutes of his time. +And so without a moment's hesitation he walked to his house accompanied +only by Hay, his Assistant Secretary. + +On the way he was jubilant with hope: + +"We've got them now, Boy--we've got them, and this war must speedily +end! Lee will never get into Maryland with fifty thousand effective men. +With the river hemming him in on the rear I'll have McClellan on him +with a hundred thousand well shod, well fed, well armed and with the +finest artillery that ever thundered into battle. We're bound to win." + +"If McClellan can whip him, sir?" + +"Yes, of course, he's got to do that," was the thoughtful answer. "And +you know I believe he'll do it. McClellan's on his mettle now. His army +will fight like tigers to show their faith in him. He's vain and +ambitious, yes--many great men are. Ambition's a mighty human motive." + +"I'm afraid it's bad diplomacy, sir, to go to his house like this--he is +vain, you know," the younger man observed with a frown. + +"Tut, tut, Boy, it's no time for ceremony. Who cares a copper!" + +The clock in the church tower struck ten as Hay sprang up the steps and +rang the bell. + +"I hope he hasn't gone to bed," the Secretary said. + +"At ten o'clock?" the President laughed, "a great general about to march +on the most important campaign of his life--hardly." + +The straight orderly saluted and ushered them into the elegant reception +room--the room so often graced by the Prince de Joinville and the Comte +de Paris, of the General's staff. + +The orderly sniffed the air in a superior butler style: + +"The General has not come in yet, gentlemen." + +"We'll wait," was the President's quick response. + +They sat in silence and the minutes dragged. + +The young Secretary, in rising wrath, looked again and again at the +clock. + +"Don't be so impatient, John," the quiet, even voice said. "Great bodies +move slowly, they say--come here and sit down--I'll tell you a secret. +The Cabinet knows it--and you can, too." + +He leaned his giant figure forward in his chair and touched an official +document which he had drawn from his pocket. + +"Great events hang on this battle. I've written out here a challenge to +mortal combat for all our foes, North, South, East and West. I'm going +to free the slaves if we win this battle and we're sure to win it----" + +Hay glanced at the door with a startled look. + +"McClellan and I don't agree on this subject and he mightn't fight as +well if he knew it. It's a thing of doubtful wisdom at its best to hurl +this challenge into the face of my foe. But the time has come and it +must be done. We have made no headway in this war, and we must crush the +South to end it. If the Copperhead leaders should get control of the +Democratic party because of it--well, it means trouble at home. Douglas +is dead and the jackal is trying to wear the lion's skin. He may +succeed, but then I must risk it. I'll lose some good soldiers from the +army but I've got to do it. All I'm waiting for now is a victory on +which to launch my thunderbolt----" + +A key clicked in the front door and the quick, firm step of McClellan +echoed through the hall. + +The orderly was reporting his distinguished visitor. They could hear his +low words, and the sharp answer. + +The General mounted the stairs and entered the front room overhead. He +was there, of course, to arrange his toilet. He was a stickler for +handsome clothes, spotless linen and the last detail of ceremony. + +Again the minutes dragged. The tick of the clock on the mantel rang +through the silent room and the face of the younger man grew red with +rage. + +Unable to endure the insolence of a subordinate toward the great +Chieftain, whom he loved with a boy's blind devotion, Hay sprang to his +feet: + +"Let's go, sir!" + +The big hand was quietly raised in a gesture of command and he sank into +his seat. + +Five minutes more passed and the sound of approaching footsteps were +heard quickly, firmly pressed with military precision. + +The President nodded: + +"You see, my son!" + +But instead of the General the handsome figure of his aide, John +Vaughan, appeared in the doorway: + +"The General begs me to say, Mr. President, that he is too much fatigued +to see any one this evening and has retired for the night." + +The orderly stepped pompously to the door to usher them out and John +Vaughan bowed and returned to his commander. + +Hay sprang to his feet livid with rage and spoke to his Chief with +boyish indignation. + +"You are not going to take this insult from him?" + +The tall figure slowly rose and stood in silence. + +"Remove him from his command," the younger man pleaded. "For God's sake +do it now. Write the order for his removal this minute--give it to me! +I'll kick his door open and hand it to him." + +The deep set dreamy eyes were turned within as he said in slow intense +tones: + +"No--I'll hold McClellan's horse for him if he'll give us one victory!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE BLOODIEST DAY + + +The struggle opened with disaster for the Union army. Though Lee's plan +of campaign fell by accident into McClellan's hands, it was too late to +frustrate the first master stroke. Relying on Jackson's swift, +bewildering marches, Lee, in hostile territory and confronted by twice +his numbers, suddenly divided his army and hurled Jackson's corps +against Harper's Ferry. The garrison, after a futile struggle of two +days, surrendered twelve thousand five hundred and twenty men and their +vast stores of war material. + +The contrast between General White, the Federal officer in command who +surrendered, and Jackson, his conqueror, was strikingly dramatic. The +Union General rode a magnificent black horse, was carefully dressed in +shining immaculate uniform--gloves, boots and sword spotless. The +Confederate General sat carelessly on his little shaggy sorrel, dusty, +travel-stained and carelessly dressed. + +The curiosity of the Union army which had surrendered was keen to see +the famous fighter. The entire twelve thousand prisoners of war lined +the road as Jackson silently rode by. + +A voice from the crowd expressed the universal feeling as they gazed: + +"Boys, he ain't much for looks, but, by God, if we'd had him we +wouldn't have been caught in this trap!" + +The first shock of Lee's and McClellan's armies was at South Mountain, +where the desperate effort was made to break through and save Harper's +Ferry. The attempt failed, though the Union forces won the fight. Lee +lost twenty-seven hundred men, killed and wounded and prisoners, and the +Federal general, twenty-one hundred. + +Lee withdrew to Sharpsburg on the banks of the Antietam to meet +Jackson's victorious division sweeping toward him from Harper's Ferry. + +On the first day the Confederate commander made a display of force only, +awaiting the alignment of Jackson's troops. His men were so poorly shod +and clothed they could not be brought into line of battle. When the +fateful day of September 17th, 1862, dawned, still and clear and +beautiful over the hills of Maryland, more than twenty thousand of Lee's +men had fallen by the roadside barefooted and exhausted. When the first +roar of McClellan's artillery opened fire in the grey dawn, they hurled +their shells against less than thirty-seven thousand men in the +Confederate lines. The Union commander had massed eighty-seven thousand +tried veterans behind his guns. + +The President received the first news of the battle with a thrill of +exultation. That Lee's ragged, footsore army hemmed in thus with +Antietam Creek on one side and the broad, sweeping Potomac on the other +would be crushed and destroyed he could not doubt for a moment. + +As the sun rose above the eastern hills a gleaming dull-red ball of +blood, the Federal infantry under Hooker swept into action and drove +the Confederates from the open field into a dense woods, where they +rallied, stood and mowed his men down with deadly aim. Hooker called for +aid and General Mansfield rushed his corps into action, falling dead at +the head of his men as they deployed in line of battle. + +For two hours the sullen conflict raged, blue and grey lines surging in +death-locked embrace until the field was strewn with the dead, the dying +and the wounded. + +Hooker was wounded. Sedgwick's corps swept into the field under a sharp +artillery fire and reached the shelter of the woods only to find +themselves caught in a trap between two Confederate brigades massed at +this point. In the slaughter which followed Sedgwick was wounded and his +command was saved from annihilation with the loss of two thousand men. + +While this desperate struggle raged in the Union right, the centre was +the scene of a still bloodier one. French and Richardson charged the +Confederate position with reckless valor. A sunken road lay across the +field over which they rushed. For four terrible hours the men in grey +held this sunken road until it was piled with their bodies, and when the +last charge of the resistless blue lines took it, they found but three +hundred living men who had been holding it against the assaults of five +thousand--and "Bloody Lane" became immortal in American history. + +It was now one o'clock and the men had fought almost continuously since +the sun rose. The infantry fire slowly slackened and ceased in the Union +right and centre. + +Burnside, who held the Union left, was ordered to advance by the +capture of the stone bridge over the Antietam. But a single brigade +under General Toombs guarding this bridge held an army at bay and it was +one o'clock before the bridge was captured. + +Burnside now pushed his division up the heights against Sharpsburg to +cut Lee's line of retreat. The Confederates held their ground with +desperate courage, though outnumbered here three to one. At last the +grey lines melted and the men in blue swept triumphantly through the +village and on its edge suddenly ran into a line of men clad in their +own blue uniform. + +They paused in wonder. How had their own men gotten in such a position? +They were not left long in doubt. The blue line suddenly blazed with +long red waves of flame squarely in their faces. It was Hill's division +of Jackson's corps from Harper's Ferry. The ragged men had dressed +themselves in good blue suits from the captured Federal storehouse. The +shock threw the Union men into confusion and a desperate charge of the +strange blue Confederates drove them back through the village, and night +fell with its streets still held by Lee's army. + +For fourteen hours five hundred pieces of artillery and more than one +hundred thousand muskets had thundered and hissed their cries of death. +On the hills and valleys lay more than twenty thousand men killed and +wounded. + +Lee's little army of thirty-seven thousand had been cut to pieces, +having lost fourteen thousand. He had but twenty-three thousand left. +McClellan had lost twelve thousand, but had seventy-five thousand left. +And yet so desperate had been the deadly courage with which the grey +tattered army had fought that McClellan lay on his arms for three days. + +The day's work had been a drawn battle, but the President's heart was +broken as he watched in anguish the withdrawal of Lee's army in safety +across the river. It was the last straw. McClellan had been weighed and +found wanting. He registered a solemn promise with God that if the great +Confederate Commanders succeeded in making good their retreat from this +desperate situation he would remove McClellan. + +The Confederates withdrew, rallied their shattered forces safely in +Virginia, and Jeb Stuart once more rode around the Northern army! + +The President issued his Emancipation Proclamation, challenging the +South to war to the death, and flung down the gauntlet to his rival, the +coming leader of Northern Democracy, George Brinton McClellan, by +removing him from command. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +BENEATH THE SKIN + + +John Vaughan saw the blow fall on McClellan's magnificent headquarters +in deep amazement. The idol of the army was ordered to turn over his +command to General Burnside and the impossible had happened. + +Instead of the brilliant _coup d'etat_ which he and the entire staff had +predicted, the fallen leader obeyed and took an affectionate leave of +his men. + +McClellan knew, what his staff could not understand, that for the moment +the President was master of the situation. He still held the unbounded +confidence of his officers, but the rank and file of his soldiers had +become his wondering critics. They believed they had crushed Lee's army +at Antietam and yet they lay idle until the skillful Southern Commander +had crossed the Potomac, made good his retreat, and once more insulted +them by riding around their entire lines. The volunteer American soldier +was a good fighter and a good critic of the men who led him. He had his +own ideas about how an army should be fought and maneuvered. As the idol +of fighting men, McClellan had ceased to threaten the supremacy of the +civil law. There was no attempt at the long looked for _coup d'etat_. It +was too late. No one knew this more clearly than McClellan himself. + +But his fall was the bitterness of death to the staff who adored him and +the generals who believed in him. Burnside, knowing the condition of +practical anarchy he must face, declined the command. The President +forced him to accept. He took it reluctantly with grim forebodings of +failure. + +John received his long leave of absence from his Chief and left for +Washington the night before the formal farewell. His rage against the +bungler who ruled the Nation with autocratic power was fierce and +implacable. + +His resentment against the woman he loved was scarcely less bitter. It +was her triumph, too. She believed in the divine inspiration of the man +who sat in the chair of Washington and Jefferson. Great God, could +madness reach sublimer folly! She had written him a letter of good +wishes and all but asked for a reconciliation before the battle. Love +had fought with pride through a night and pride had won. He hadn't +answered the letter. + +He avoided his newspaper friends and plunged into a round of +dissipation. Beneath the grim tragedy of blood in Washington flowed the +ever widening and deepening torrent of sensual revelry--of wine and +women, song and dance, gambling and intrigue. + +The flash of something cruel in his eye which Betty Winter had seen and +feared from the first burned now with a steady blaze. For six days and +nights he played in Joe Hall's place a desperate game, drinking, +drinking always, and winning. Hour after hour he sat at the roulette +table, his chin sunk on his breast, his reddened eyes gleaming beneath +his heavy black brows, silent, surly, unapproachable. + +A reporter from the _Republican_ recognized him and extended his hand: + +"Hello, Vaughan!" + +John stared at him coldly and resumed his play without a word. At the +end of six days he had won more than two thousand dollars from the +house, put it in his pocket, and, deaf to the blandishments of smooth, +gentlemanly proprietor, pushed his way out into the Avenue. + +It was but four o'clock in the afternoon and he was only half drunk. He +wandered aimlessly down the street and crossed in the direction of +hell's half-acre below the Baltimore depot. His uniform was wrinkled, +his boots had not been blacked for a week, his linen was dirty, his hair +rumpled, his handsome black moustache stained with drink, but he was +hilariously conscious that he had two thousand dollars of Joe Hall's +ill-gotten money in his pocket. There was a devil-may-care swing to his +walk and a look in his eye that no decent woman would care to see twice. + +He ran squarely into Betty Winter in the crowd emerging from the depot. +The little bag she was carrying fell from her hands, with a cry of +startled anguish: + +"John--my God!" + +He made no effort to pick up the fallen bag or in any way return the +greeting. He merely paused and stared--deliberately stood and stared as +if stupefied by the apparition. In fact, he was so startled by her +sudden appearance that for a moment he felt the terror of a drunkard's +first hallucination. The thought was momentary. He knew better. He was +not drunk. The girl was there all right--the real thing--living, +beautiful flesh and blood. For one second's anguish the love of her +strangled him. The desire to take her in his arms was all but resistless +in its fierce madness. He bit his lips and scowled in her face. + +"John--John--dearest," she gasped. + +The scowl darkened and he spoke with insulting deliberation: "You have +made a mistake. I haven't the honor of your acquaintance." + +Before Betty could recover from the horror of his answer he had brushed +rudely past her and disappeared in the crowd. She picked up her bag in a +stupor of dumb rage and started home. She was too weak for the walk she +had hoped to take. She called a hack and scarcely had the strength to +climb into the high, old-fashioned seat. + +Never in all her life had blind anger so possessed her soul and body. In +a moment of tenderness she had offered to forgive and forget. It was all +over now. The brute was not worth a tear of regret. She would show him! + +Two weeks later John Vaughan stared into the ebony face of a negro who +had attached himself to his fortune somewhere in the revelry of the +night before. Washington was swarming with these foolish black children +who had come in thousands. They had no money and it had not occurred to +them that they would need any. Their food and clothes had always been +provided and they took no thought for the morrow. + +John had forgotten the fact that he had taken the negro in his hack for +two hours and finally adopted him as his own. + +He sat up, pressed his hand over his aching head and stared into the +grinning face: + +"And what are you doing here, you imp of the devil?" + +Julius laughed and rolled his eyes: + +"I'se yo' man. Don't you min' takin' me up in de hack wid you las' +night?" + +"What's your name?" + +"Julius Caesar, sah." + +"Then it's all right! You're the man I'm looking for. You're the man +this country's looking for. You're a born fighter----" + +"Na, sah, I'se er cook!" + +"Sh! Say not so--we're going back to war!" + +"All right, sah, I'se gwine wid you." + +"I warn you, Julius Caesar, don't do it unless you're in for a fight! I'm +going back to fight--to fight to kill. No more red tape and gold braid +for me. I'm going now into the jaws of hell. I'm going into the ranks as +a private." + +"Don't make no difference ter me, sah, whar yer go. I'se gwine wid yer. +I kin look atter yer shoes an' cook yer sumfin' good ter eat." + +"I warn you, Julius! When they find your torn and mangled body on the +field of Death, don't you sit up and blame me!" + +"Don't yer worry, sah. Dey ain't gwine fin' me dar, an' ef dey do, dey +ain't gwine ter be nuttin' tore er mangled 'bout me, I see ter dat, +sah!" + +Three weeks later Burnside's army received a stalwart recruit. Few +questions were asked. The ranks were melting. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE USURPER + + +The answer which the country gave the President's Proclamation of +Emancipation was a startling one, even to the patient, careful +far-seeing man of the people in the White House. For months he had +carried the immortal document in his pocket without even allowing his +Cabinet to know it had been written. He had patiently borne the abuse of +his party leaders and the fierce assaults of Horace Greeley until he +believed the time had come that he must strike this blow--a blow which +would rouse the South to desperation and unite his enemies in the North. +He had finally issued it with grave fears. + +The results were graver than he could foresee. More than once he was +compelled to face the issue of its repeal as the only way to forestall a +counter revolution in the North. + +Desertions from the army became appalling--the number reached frequently +as high as two hundred a day and the aggregate over eight thousand a +month. His Proclamation had provided for the enlistment of negroes as +soldiers. Not only did thousands of men refuse to continue to fight when +the issue of Slavery was injected, but other thousands felt that the +uniform of the Republic had been dishonored by placing it on the backs +of slaves. They refused to wear it longer, and deserted at the risk of +their lives. + +The Proclamation had united the South and hopelessly divided the North. +How serious this Northern division was destined to become was the +problem now of a concern as deep as the size and efficiency of General +Lee's army. + +The election of the new Congress would put his administration to a +supreme fight for existence. If the Democratic Party under its new +leader, Clay Van Alen of Ohio, should win it meant a hostile majority in +power whose edict could end the war and divide the Union. They had +already selected in secret George B. McClellan for their coming standard +bearer. + +For the first time the question of Union or Disunion was squarely up to +the North in an election. And it came at an unlucky moment for the +President. The army in the West had ceased to win victories. The +Southern army under Lee was still defending Richmond as strongly as +ever. + +There was no evading the issue at the polls. The Proclamation had +committed the President to the bold, far-reaching radical and aggressive +policy of the utter destruction of Slavery. The people were asked to +choose between Slavery on the one hand and nationality on the other. The +two together they could not again have. + +The President had staked his life on his faith that the people could be +trusted on a square issue of right and wrong. + +This time he had underestimated the force of blind passions which the +hell of war had raised. + +Maine voted first and cut down her majority for the administration from +nineteen thousand to a bare four thousand. The fact was ominous. + +Ohio spoke next and Van Alen's ticket against the administration swept +the State, returning fourteen Democrats and only five Republicans to +Congress. + +Indiana, the State in which the President's mother slept, spoke in +thunder tones against him, sending eight Democrats and three +Republicans. Even the rockribbed Republican stronghold of Pennsylvania +was carried by the opposition by a majority of four thousand, reversing +Lincoln's former majority of sixty thousand. + +In New York the brilliant Democratic leader, Horatio Seymour, was +elected Governor on a platform hostile to the administration by more +than ten thousand majority. New Jersey turned against him, Michigan +reduced his majority from twenty to six thousand. Wisconsin evenly +divided its delegates to Congress. + +Illinois, the President's own State, gave the most crushing blow of all. +His big majority there was completely reversed and the Democrats carried +the State by over seventeen thousand and the Congressional delegates +stood eleven to three against him. + +And then his Border State Policy, against which the leaders of his party +had raged in vain was vindicated in the most startling way. True to his +steadfast purpose to hold these States in the Union at all hazards, he +had not included them in his Emancipation Proclamation. + +One of the reasons for which they had refused his offer of United States +bonds in payment for their slaves was they did not believe them worth +the paper they were written on. A war costing two million dollars a day +was sure to bankrupt the Nation before the end could be seen. + +And yet because he had treated them with patience and fairness, with +justice and with generosity, the Border States and the new State of West +Virginia born of this policy, voted to sustain the President, saved his +administration from ruin and gave him another chance to fight for the +life of the Union. + +It was a close shave. His working majority in Congress was reduced to a +narrow margin, the opposition was large, united and fierce in its +aggression, but he had been saved from annihilation. + +The temper of the men elected to the Legislatures, both State and +National, in the great Northern States was astounding. + +So serious was the situation in Indiana that Governor Morton hastened to +Washington to lay the crisis before the President. + +"I'm sorry to have to tell you," the Governor began, "but we must face +it. The Democratic politicians of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois now called +to power assume that the rebellion will not be crushed----" + +"And therefore?" + +"That their interests are antagonistic to New England and in harmony +with the South. Another three months like the last six and we are lost, +sir--hopelessly lost!" + +"Is it as bad as that Governor?" the sad even voice asked. + +A smile flickered across the stern, fine face of the war Governor: + +"If you think me a pessimist remember that Van Alen their leader, has +just presided over a Democratic jubilee meeting in Ohio which was swept +again and again by cheers for Jefferson Davis--curses and jeers for the +Abolitionists. His speech has been put in the form of a leaflet which is +being mailed in thousands to our soldiers at the front----" + +"You know that to be a fact?" the President asked sharply. + +"The fact is notorious, sir. It will be disputed by no one. The outlook +is black. Meeting after meeting is being held in Indiana demanding peace +at any price, with the recognition of the Southern Confederacy--and, +mark you, what is still more significant the formation of a Northwestern +Confederacy with its possible Capital at your home town of Springfield, +Illinois----" + +"No, no!" the President groaned. + +"Your last call for three hundred thousand volunteers," the Governor +went on, "as you well know was an utter failure. Only eighty-six +thousand men have been raised under it. I was compelled to use a draft +to secure the number I did in Indiana. It is useless to call for more +volunteers anywhere----" + +"Then we'll have to use the draft," was the firm response. + +"If we can enforce it!" the Governor warned. "A meeting has just been +held in my State in which resolutions were unanimously passed demanding +that the war cease, denouncing the attempt to use the power to draft +men, declaring that our volunteers had been induced to enter the army +under the false declaration that war was waged solely to maintain the +Constitution and to restore the Union----" + +"And so it is!" the President interrupted. + +"Until you issued your Proclamation, freeing the slaves----" + +"But only as a war measure to weaken the South, give us the victory and +restore the Constitution!" + +"They refuse to hear your interpretation; they make their own. Van Alen +boldly declares that ninety-nine men out of every hundred whom he +represents in Congress breathe no other prayer than to have an end of +this hellish war. When news of victory comes, there is no rejoicing. +When news of our defeat comes there is no sorrow----" + +"Is that statement really true?" the sorrowful lips asked. + +"Of the majority who elected him, yes. In the Northwest, distrust and +despair are strangling the hearts of the people. More and more we hear +the traitorous talk of arraying ourselves against New England and +forming a Confederacy of our own. More than two thousand six hundred +deserters have been arrested within a few weeks in Indiana. It generally +requires an armed detail. Most of the deserters, true to the oath of the +order of the Knights of the Golden Circle, desert with their arms----" + +"Is it possible?" + +"And in one case seventeen of these fortified themselves in a log cabin +with outside paling and ditch for protection, and were maintained by +their neighbors. Two hundred armed men in Rush County resisted the +arrest of deserters. I was compelled to send infantry by special train +to take their ringleaders. Southern Indiana is ripe for Revolution. + +"I have positive information that the incoming Democratic Legislature of +my State is in quick touch with the ones gathering in Illinois and +Ohio. In Illinois, your own State, they have already drafted the +resolutions demanding an armistice and a convention of all the States to +agree to an adjustment of the war. It is certain to pass the Illinois +House. + +"My own Legislature has put this resolution into a more daring and +dangerous form. They propose boldly and at once to acknowledge the +Southern Confederacy and demand that the Northwest dissolve all further +relations with New England. When they have passed this measure in +Indiana, they expect Ohio and Illinois to follow suit. + +"Their secret order which covers my State with a network of lodges, +whose purpose is the withdrawal of the Northwestern States from the +Union, has obtained a foothold in the army camps inside the city of +Washington itself----" + +The President rose with quick, nervous energy and paced the floor. He +stopped suddenly in front of Morton, his deep set eyes burning a steady +flame: + +"And what do you propose?" + +"I haven't decided yet. I have the best of reasons to believe that the +first thing my Legislature will do when it convenes is to pass a +resolution refusing to receive any message from me as Governor of the +State!" + +"Will they dare?" + +"I'm sure of it. It will be composed of men sworn to oppose to the +bitter end any prosecution of this war. They intend to recognize the +Southern Confederacy, and dissolve their own Federal relation with the +United States. It may be necessary, sir----" he paused and fixed the +President with compelling eyes, "---it may be necessary to suspend the +civil government in the North in order to save the Union!" + +The President lifted his big hand in a gesture of despair: + +"God save us from that!" + +"I came here to tell you just this," the Governor gravely concluded. "If +the crisis comes and I must use force I expect you to back me----" + +Two big rugged hands grasped the one outstretched: + +"God bless you, Governor Morton,--we've got to save the Union, and we're +going to do it! Since the day I came into this office I have fought to +uphold the supremacy of the civil law. My enemies may force me to use +despotic powers to crush it for larger ends!----But I hope not. I hope +not. God knows I have no vain ambitions. I have no desire to use such +power----" + +The Governor left him gazing dreamily over the river toward Virginia a +great new sorrow clouding his soul. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE CONSPIRACY + + +Lord Lyons, the British Minister, was using smooth words to the +Secretary of State. Mr. Seward, our wily snuff dipper, was fully his +equal in expressions of polite friendship. What he meant to say, of +course, was that he could plunge a poisoned dagger into the British Lion +with the utmost pleasure. What he said was: + +"I am pleased to hear from your lordship the expressions of good will +from her Gracious Majesty's Government." + +"I am sorry to say, however," the Minister hastened to add, "that the +Proclamation of Emancipation was not received by the best people of +England as favorably as we had hoped." + +"And why not?" Seward politely asked. + +"Seeing that it could have no effect in really freeing the slaves until +the South is conquered it appeared to be merely an attempt to excite a +servile insurrection." + +The Secretary lifted his eyebrows, took another dip of snuff, and softly +inquired: + +"And may I ask of your lordship whether this would not have been even +more true in the earlier days of the war than now?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"And yet I understand that her Gracious Majesty's Government was cold +toward us because we had failed to take such high moral grounds at once +in the beginning of the war?" + +His lordship lifted his hands in polite admission of the facts. + +"The trouble you see is," he went on softly, "Europe begins to feel that +the division of sentiment in the North will prove a fatal weakness to +the administration in so grave a crisis. Unfortunately, from our point +of view, of course, your Government is a democracy, the sport of every +whim of the demagogue of the hour----" + +Seward lifted his eyes with a quick look at his lordship and smiled: + +"Allow me to reassure her Gracious Majesty's Government on that point +immediately. The administration will find means of preserving the +sovereign power the people have entrusted to it. For example, my lord, I +can touch the little bell on my right hand and order the arrest without +warrant of a citizen of Ohio. I can touch the little bell on my left +hand and order the imprisonment of a citizen of New York; and no power +on earth except that of the President, can release them. Can the Queen +of Great Britain do as much?" + +His lordship left apparently reassured. + +The tinkle of the little bell on the desk of the Secretary of State +which had begun to fill the jails of the North with her leading +Democratic citizens did not have the same soothing effect on American +lawmakers, however. These arrests were made without warrant and the +victim held without charges, the right to bail or trial. + +The President had dared to suspend the great _writ of habeas corpus_ +which guaranteed to every freeman the right to meet his accuser in open +court and answer the charge against him. + +The attitude of the bold aggressive opposition was voiced on the floor +of the House of Representatives in Washington in no uncertain language +by Daniel Voorhees of Indiana, in a speech whose passionate eloquence +was only equalled by its reckless daring. + +"The present Executive of the Government," he declared, "has usurped the +powers of Law and Justice to an extent subversive of republican +institutions, and not to be borne by any free people. He has given +access to the vaults of prisons but not to the bar of justice. It is a +part of the nature of frail men to sin against laws, both human and +divine; but God Himself guarantees him a fair trial before punishment. +Tyrants alone repudiate the justice of the Almighty. To deny an accused +man the right to be heard in his own defense is an echo from the dark +ages of brutal despotism. We have in this the most atrocious tyranny +that ever feasted on the groans of a captive or banqueted on the tears +of the widow and the orphan. + +"And yet on this spectacle of shame and horror American citizens now +gaze. The great bulwark of human liberty which generations in bloody +toil have built against the wicked exercise of unlawful power has been +torn away by a parricidal hand. Every man to-day from the proudest in +his mansion to the humblest in his cabin--all stand at the mercy of one +man, and the fawning minions who crouch before him for pay. + +"We hear on every side the old cry of the courtier and the parasite. At +every new aggression, at every additional outrage, new advocates rise +to defend the source of patronage, wealth and fame--the department of +the Executive! Such assistance has always waited on the malignant +efforts of tyranny. Nero had his poet laureate, and Seneca wrote a +defense even for the murder of his mother. And this dark hour affords us +ample evidence that human nature is the same to-day as two thousand +years ago." + +Such speeches could not be sent broadcast free of charge through the +mails without its effect on the minds of thousands. The great political +party in opposition to the administration was now arrayed in solid +phalanx against the war itself on whose prosecution the existence of the +Nation depended. + +Again the Radical wing of his party demanded of the President the +impossible. + +The Abolitionists had given a tardy and lukewarm support in return for +the issue of the Proclamation of Emancipation. Their support lasted but +a few days. Through their spokesman, Senator Winter, they demanded now +the whole loaf. They had received but half of their real program. They +asked for a policy of reconstruction in the parts of Louisiana and +Tennessee held by the Union army in accordance with their ideas. They +demanded the ballot for every slave, the confiscation of the property of +the white people of the South and its bestowment upon negroes and +camp-followers as fast as the Union army should penetrate into the +States in rebellion. + +Senator Winter's argument was based on sound reasoning theoretically +whatever might be said of its wisdom as a National policy. + +"Your Emancipation Proclamation," he declared to the President, +"provides for the arming and drilling of negro soldiers to fight for the +Republic. If they are good enough to fight they are good enough to vote. +The ballot is only another form of the bayonet which we use in time of +peace----" + +"Correct, Senator," was the calm reply, "if we are to allow the negro +race to remain in America in physical contact with ours. But we are not +going to do this. No greater calamity could befall our people. +Colonization and separation must go hand in hand with the emancipation +of these children of Africa. I incorporated this principle in my act of +emancipation. I have set my life on the issue of its success. As a +matter of theory and abstract right we may grant the suffrage to a few +of the more intelligent negroes and the black soldiers we may enroll +until they can be removed----" + +"Again we deal with a Southerner, Mr. President!" the Senator sneered. + +"So be it," was the quiet answer. "I have never held any other views. +They were well known before the war. But two years before my election I +said in my debate with Douglas: + +"'I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way, +the social and political equality of the white and black races. I am +not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, +nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to inter-marry with white +people. I will say in addition to this that there is a physical +difference between the white and black races which, I believe, will +forever forbid the two living together on terms of social and political +equality." + +"Yet," the Senator sneered, "you can change your mind. You said in your +Inaugural that you had no intention or right to interfere with the +institution of Slavery. You did so just the same." + +"As an act of war to save the Union only. But mark you, I have always +hated Slavery from principle for the white man's sake as well as the +negro's. I am equally determined _on principle_ that the negro race +after it is free shall never be absorbed into our social or political +life!" + +"You'll change your principles or retire to private life!" the old man +snapped. + +"When I have saved the Union we shall see. Time will indicate the wisdom +of my position. I have no longer any ambition except to give the best +that's in me to my people." + +The breach between the President and the most powerful leaders of his +own party was now complete. It was a difference that was fundamental and +irreconcilable. They asked him to extend the autocratic power he wielded +to preserve the Union in a time of war to a program of revenge and +proscription against the South as it should fall before the advancing +army. His answer was simple: + +"Secession was void from the beginning. The South shall not be laid +waste as conquered territory when the Union is restored. They shall +return as our brethren to live with us in peace and good will with the +curse of Slavery lifted from them and their children. Nor will I permit +the absorption of this black blood into our racial stock to degrade our +National character. When free, the negro must return to his own." + +With fierce, sullen determination the Radical wing of his party +organized a secret powerful conspiracy to drive Abraham Lincoln from +public life. + +Behind this first line of attack stood the Democratic party with its +millions of loyal voters now united under George B. McClellan. The +Radicals and the Democrats hated each other with a passion second only +to their hatred of the President. They agreed to remove him first and +then settle their own differences. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE TUG OF WAR + + +Betty Winter, having made up her mind to put John Vaughan out of her +life for all time, volunteered for field service as a nurse and by +permission of the President joined Burnside's army before +Fredericksburg. + +The General had brought its effective fighting force to a hundred and +thirteen thousand. Lee's army confronted him on the other side of the +Rappahannock with seventy-five thousand men. A great battle was +impending. + +Burnside had reluctantly assumed command. He was a gallant, genial, +cultured soldier, a gentleman of the highest type, a pure, unselfish +patriot with not a trace of vulgar ambition or self-seeking. He saw the +President hounded and badgered by his own party, assaulted and denounced +in the bitterest terms by the opposition, and he knew that the remedy +could be found only in a fighting, victorious army. A single decisive +victory would turn the tide of public opinion, unite the faction-ridden +army and thrill the Nation with enthusiasm. + +He determined to fight at once and risk his fate as a commander on the +issue of victory or defeat. His council of war had voted against an +attack on Lee's army in Fredericksburg. Burnside brushed their decision +aside as part of the quarrel McClellan has left. Even the men in the +ranks were fighting each other daily in these miserable bickerings and +intrigues. A victory was the remedy for their troubles, and he made up +his mind to fight for it. + +The General received Betty with the greatest courtesy: + +"You're more than welcome at this moment, Miss Winter. The surgeons +won't let you in some of their field hospitals. But there's work to be +done preparing our corps for the battle we're going to fight. You'll +have plenty to do." + +"Thank you, General," she gravely answered. + +Burnside read for the second time the gracious letter from the President +which Betty presented. + +"You're evidently pretty strong with this administration, Miss Betty," +he remarked. + +"Yes. The patience and wisdom of the President is a hobby of mine." + +"Then I'll ask you to review the army with me. You can report to him." + +Within an hour they were passing in serried lines before the Commander. +Betty watched them march with a thrill of patriotic pride, a hundred and +thirteen thousand men, their dark blue uniforms pouring past like the +waters of a mighty river, the December sun gleaming on their polished +bayonets as on so many icicles flashing on its surface. + +Her heart suddenly stood still. There before her marched John Vaughan in +the outer line of a regiment, his eyes straight in front, looking +neither to the right nor the left. He was a private in the ranks, clean +and sober, his face rugged, strong and sun-tanned. + +For a moment there was a battle inside that tested her strength. He had +not seen her and was oblivious of her existence apparently. But she had +noted the regiment under whose flag he marched. It would be easy to find +him if she wished. + +When the first moment of love-sickness and utter longing passed, she had +no desire to see him. The dead could bury its dead. Her love was a thing +of the past. The cruel thing in this man's nature she had seen the first +day was there still. She saw it with a shudder in his red, half-drunken +eyes the day they met in Washington, saw it so plainly, so glaringly, +the memory of it could never fade. He was sober and in his right mind +now, his cheeks bronzed with the new life of sunshine and open air the +army had given. The thing was still there. It spoke in the brute +strength of his powerful body as his marching feet struck the ground, in +the iron look about his broad shoulders, the careless strength with +which he carried his musket as if it were a feather, and above all in +the hard cold glint from his shining eyes set straight in front. + +She lay awake for hours on the little white cot at the headquarters of +the ambulance corps reviewing her life and dropped to sleep at last with +a deep sense of gratitude to God that she was free, and could give +herself in unselfish devotion to her country. Her last waking thoughts +were of Ned Vaughan and the sweet, foolish worship he had laid at her +feet. She wondered vaguely if he were in those grey lines beyond the +river. Ned Vaughan was there this time--back with his regiment. + +Lee, Jackson and Longstreet had known for days that a battle was +imminent. Their scouts from over the river had brought positive +information. The Confederate leaders had already planned the conflict. +Their battle lines circled the hills beyond Fredericksburg, spread out +in a crescent, five miles long. Nature had piled these five miles of +hills around Fredericksburg as if to build an impregnable fortress. On +every crest, concealed behind trees and bushes, the Confederate +artillery was in place--its guns trained to sweep the wide plain with a +double cross fire, besides sending a storm of shot and shell straight +from the centre. Sixty thousand matchless grey infantry crouched among +those bushes and lay beside stone walls, in sunken roadways or newly +turned trenches. + +The great fan-shaped death-trap had been carefully planned and set by a +master mind. Only a handful of sharpshooters and a few pieces of +artillery had been left in Fredericksburg to dispute the passage of the +river and deceive Burnside with a pretense of defending the town. + +The Confederate soldier was ragged and his shoes were tied together with +strings. His uniform consisted of an old hat or cap usually without a +brim, a shirt of striped bed-ticking so brown it seemed woven of the +grass. The buttons were of discolored cow's horn. His coat was the color +of Virginia dust and mud, and it was out at the elbow. His socks were +home-made, knit by loving hands swift and tender in their endless work +of love. The socks were the best things he had. + +The one spotless thing about him was his musket and the bayonet he +carried at his side. His spirits were high. + +A barefooted soldier had managed to get home and secure a pair of boots. +He started back to his regiment hurrying to be on time for the fight. +The new boots hurt him so terribly he couldn't wear them. He passed +Ned's regiment with his precious footgear hanging on his arm. + +"Hello, Sonny, what command?" Ned cried. + +"Company E, 12th Virginia, Mahone's brigade!" he proudly answered. + +"Yes, damn you," a soldier drawled from the grass, "and you've pulled +your boots off, holdin' 'em in yer hand, ready to run now!" + +The laugh ran along the line and the boy hurried on to escape the chaff. + +A well-known chaplain rode along a narrow path on the hillside. He was +mounted on an old horse whose hip bones protruded like two deadly fangs. +A footsore Confederate was hobbling as fast as he could in front of him, +glancing back over his shoulder now and then uneasily. + +"You needn't be afraid, my friend," the parson called, "I'm not going to +run over you." + +"I know you ain't," the soldier laughed, "but ef I wuz ter let you pass +me, and that thing wuz ter wobble I'll be doggoned ef I wouldn't be +gored ter death!" + +The preacher reined his steed in with dignity and spoke with wounded +pride: + +"My friend, this is a better horse than our Lord rode into Jerusalem +on!" + +The soldier stepped up quickly, opened the animal's mouth and grinned: + +"Parson, that's the very same horse!" + +A shout rose from the hill in which the preacher joined. + +"Dod bam it, did ye ever hear the beat o' that!" shouted a pious fellow +who was inventing cuss words that would pass the charge of profanity. + +A distinguished citizen of Fredericksburg passed along the lines wearing +a tall new silk hat. He didn't get very far before he changed his line +of march. A regular fusillade poured on him from the ranks. + +"Say, man, is dat a hat er a bee gum?" + +"Come down now!" + +"Come down outen that hat an' help us with these Yanks!" + +"Come down I say--I know you're up there for I can see your legs!" + +When the silk hat vanished, a solemn country boy with slight knowledge +of books began to discuss the great mysteries of eternity. + +Ned had won his unbounded faith and admiration by spelling at the +first trial the name of his native village in the Valley of +Virginia--McGaheysville. Tom held this fact to be a marvellous +intellectual achievement. + +"What I want to know, Ned, is this," he drawled, "who started sin in +this world, anyhow? What makes a good thing good and what makes a bad +thing bad, and who said so first?" + +"That's what I'd like to know myself, Tom," Ned gravely answered. + +"An' ye don't know?" + +"I certainly do not." + +"I don't see why any man that can spell like you don't know everything." + +He paused, picked up a pebble and threw it at a comrade's foot and +laughed to see him jump as from a Minie ball. + +"You know, Ned," he went on slowly, "what I think is the prettiest piece +of poetry?" + +"No--what?" + +"Hit's this: + + "'The men of high condition + That rule affairs of State; + Their purpose is ambition, + Their practice only hate.'" + +"Pretty good, Tom," was the quick reply, "but I think I can beat it with +something more hopeful. I got it in Sunday School out in Missouri: + + "'The sword and spear, of needless worth, + Shall prune the tree and plough the earth; + And Peace shall smile from shore to shore + And Nations learn to war no more.'" + +The country boy's eyes gleamed with eager approval. He had fought for +nearly two years and the glory of war was beginning to lose its glamour. + +"Say that again, Ned," he pleaded. "Say it again! That's the prettiest +thing I ever heard in my life!" + +He was silent a moment: + +"Yes, I used to think it would be glorious to hear the thunder of guns +and the shriek of shells. I've changed my mind. When I hear one of 'em +comin' now, I begin to sing to myself the old-fashioned tune I used to +hear in the revivals: + + "'Hark from the tomb a doleful sound! + 'My thoughts in dreadful subjects roll damnation and the dead----' + +"I've an idea we're going to sing some o' them old songs on this field +pretty soon." + +Again Ned thought of John and offered a silent prayer that he might not +be in those blue lines that were going to charge into the jaws which +Death had opened for them in the valley below. + +John Vaughan in his tent beyond the Rappahannock was wasting no energy +worrying about the coming battle. Death had ceased to be a matter of +personal concern. He had seen so many dead and wounded men as he had +ridden over battlefields he had come to take them as a matter of course. +He was going into action now for the first time in the ranks as a +private soldier and he would see things happen at closer range--that was +all. He wished to see them that way. He had reached the point of utter +indifference to personal danger and it brought a new consciousness of +strength that was inspiring. He had stopped dreaming of the happiness of +love after the exhibition he had made of himself before Betty Winter and +the brutal insult with which he met her advances. Some girls might +forgive it, but not this proud, sensitive, high strung daughter of the +snows of New England and the sunlight of France. And so he had +resolutely put the thought out of his heart. + +Julius had proven himself a valuable servant. He was the best cook in +the regiment, and what was still more important, he was the most +skillful thief and the most plausible liar in the army. He could defend +himself so nobly from the insinuations of the suspicious that they would +apologize for the wrong unwittingly done his character. John had not +lived so well since he could remember. + +"Julius, you're a handy man in war!" he exclaimed after a hearty supper +on fried chicken. + +"Yassah--I manage ter git 'long, sah." + +Julius took up his banjo and began to tune it for an accompaniment to +his songs. He had a mellow rhythmical voice that always brought the +crowd. He began with his favorite that never failed to please his +master. The way he rolled his eyes and sang with his hands and feet and +every muscle of his body was the source of unending interest to his +Northern audience. + +He ran his fingers lightly over the strings and the men threw down their +dirty packs of cards and crowded around John's tent. Julius only sang +one line at a time and picked his banjo between them to a low wailing +sound of his own invention: + + "O! far' you well, my Mary Ann; + Far' you well, my dear! + I've no one left to love me now + And little do I care----" + +He paused between the stanzas and picked his banjo to a few prose +interpolations of his own. + +"Dat's what I'm a tellin' ye now, folks--little do I care!" + +He knew his master had been crossed in love and he rolled his eyes and +nodded his woolly head in triumphant approval. John smiled wanly as he +drifted slowly into his next stanza. + + "An' ef I had a scoldin' wife + I'd whip her sho's yer born, + I'd take her down to New Orleans + An' trade her off fer corn----" + +Julius stopped with a sudden snap and whispered to John: + +"Lordy, sah, I clean fergit 'bout dat meetin' at de cullud folks' +church, sah, dat dey start up. I promise de preacher ter fetch you, +sah--An' ef we gwine ter march ter-morrow, dis here's de las' night +sho----" + +The concert was adjourned to the log house which an old colored preacher +had converted into a church. It was filled to its capacity and John +stood in the doorway and heard the most remarkable sermon to which he +had ever listened. + +The grey-haired old negro was tremendously in earnest. He could neither +read nor write but he opened the Bible to comply with the formalities of +the occasion and pretended to read his text. He had taken it from his +master who was a clergyman. Ephraim invariably chose the same texts but +gave his people his own interpretation. It never failed in some element +of originality. + +The text his master had evidently chosen last were the words: + + "And he healeth them of divers diseases." + +Old Ephraim's version was a free one. From the open Bible he solemnly +read: + +"An' he healed 'em of all sorts o' diseases an' even er dat wust o' +complaints called de Divers!" + +He plunged straight into a fervent exhortation to sinners to flee from +the Divers. + +"I'm gwine ter tell ye now, chillun," he exclaimed with uplifted arms, +"ye don't know nuttin' 'bout no terrible diseases till dat wust er all +called de Divers git ye! An' hit's a comin' I tell ye. Hit's gwine ter +git ye, too. Ye can flee ter the mountain top, an' hit'll dive right up +froo de air an' git ye dar. Ye kin go down inter de bowels er de yearth +an' hit'll dive right down dar atter ye. Ye kin take de wings er de +mornin' an' fly ter de ends er de yearth--an' de Divers is dar. Dey kin +dive anywhar! + +"An' what ye gwine ter do when dey git ye? I axe ye dat now? What ye +gwine ter do when hit's forever an' eternally too late? Dese doctors +roun' here kin cure ye o' de whoopin'-cough--mebbe--I hain't nebber seed +'em eben do dat--but I say, mebbe. Dey kin cure ye o' de measles, mebbe. +Er de plumbago or de typhoid er de yaller fever sometimes. But I warns +ye now ter flee de wrath dat's ter come when dem Divers git ye! Dey +ain't no doctor no good fer dat nowhar--exceptin' ye come ter de Lord. +For He heal 'em er all sorts er diseases an' de wust er all de +complaints called de Divers! + + "Come, humble sinners, in whose breast er thousand thoughts revolve!" + +John Vaughan turned away with a smile and a tear. + +"In God's name," he murmured thoughtfully, "what's to become of these +four million black children of the tropic jungles if we win now and set +them free! Their fathers and mothers were but yesterday eating human +flesh in naked savagery." + +He walked slowly back to his tent through the solemn starlit night. The +new moon, a silver thread, hung over the tree tops. He thought of that +dusky grey-haired child of four thousand years of ignorance and +helplessness and the tragic role he had played in the history of our +people. And for the first time faced the question of the still more +tragic role he might play in the future. + +"I'm fighting to free him and the millions like him," he mused. "What am +I going to do with him?" + +The longer he thought the blacker and more insoluble became this +question, and yet he was going into battle to-morrow to fight his own +brother to the death on this issue. True the problem of national +existence was at stake, but this black problem of the possible +degradation of our racial stock and our national character still lay +back of it unsolved and possibly insoluble. + +The red flash of a picket's gun on the shore of the river and the quick +answer from the other side brought his dreaming to a sudden stop before +the sterner fact of the swiftly approaching battle. + +He snatched but a few hours sleep before his regiment was up and on the +march to the water's edge. A dense grey fog hung over the river and +obscured the town. The bridge builders swung their pontoons into the +water and soon the sound of timbers falling into place could be heard +with the splash of the anchors and the low quick commands of the +officers. + +The grey sharpshooters, concealed on the other shore, began to fire +across the water through the fog. The sound was strangely magnified. The +single crack of a musket seemed as loud as a cannon. + +The work went quickly. The bullets flew wide of the mark. The fog +suddenly lifted and a steady fusillade from the men hidden in the hills +of Fredericksburg began to pick off the bridge builders with cruel +accuracy. At times every man was down. New men were rushed to take their +places and they fell. + +The signal was given to the artillery and a hundred and forty-seven +great guns suddenly began to sweep the doomed town. Houses crumpled like +egg-shells and fires began to blaze. + +The sharpshooters fell back. The bridges were laid and the grand army of +a hundred and thirteen thousand began to pour across. The caissons, with +their huge black, rifled-barrel guns rumbling along the resounding +boards in a continuous roar like distant thunder. + +On the southern shore the deep mud cut hills put every team to the test +of its strength and the utmost skill of their drivers. Hundreds of men +were in the mud at the wheels and still they would stick. + +And then the patient heavens above heard the voices of army teamsters in +plain and ornamental swearing! Such profanity was probably never heard +on this earth before and it may well be hoped will not be heard again. + +The driver whose wheels had stuck, cracked his whip first and yelled. He +yelled again and cracked his whip. And then he began to swear, loudly, +and angrily at first and then in lower, steadier, more polite terms--but +always in an unending nerve-racking torrent. + +He cursed his mules individually by name and the whole team +collectively, and consigned it to the lowest depth of the deepest hell +and then the devil for not providing a deeper one. Each trait of each +mule, good and bad, he named without fear or favor and damned each alike +with equal emphasis. He named each part of each mule's anatomy and +damned it individually and as a whole, with full bill of particulars. + +He swore in every key in the whole gamut of sound and last of all he +damned himself for his utter inability to express anything he really +felt. + +The last big gun up the hill and the infantry poured into the town of +Fredericksburg, halting in regiments and brigades in its streets. Only a +few shots had been exchanged with the men in grey. They had withdrawn to +the heights a mile beyond. The assault had been a mere parade. Many of +the inhabitants had fled in terror at the approach of the men in blue. +Some of the lower types of soldiers in the Northern army broke into +these deserted houses and began to rob and pillage. + +Julius "found" many delicacies lying about on lawns and in various +unheard-of places. His master never pressed him with rude questions when +his zeal bore such good results for their table. + +Ned Vaughan had been very much amused at an old woman who had been +driven from her home by marauders. She had piled such goods and chattels +as she could handle into an ox cart and drove past the grey battle +lines, hurrying as fast as she could Southward. Her wrinkled old face +beamed with joy at the sight of their burnished muskets and her eyes +flashed with the gleam of an Amazon as she shouted: + +"Give it to the damned rascals, boys! Give 'em one fer me--one fer me +and don't you forget it!" + +Far down the line she could be heard delivering her fierce exhortation. +The men smiled and answered her good-naturedly. The day of wrath and +death had dawned. It was too solemn an hour for boastful words. + +For two days the grand army in blue poured across the river and spread +out through the town of Fredericksburg. The fateful morning of the 13th +of December, 1862, dawned in another heavy fog. Its grey mantle of +mystery shrouded the town, clung wet and heavy to the ground in the +silent valley before the crescent-shaped hills and veiled the face of +their heights. + +Under the cover of this fog the long waves of blue spread out in the +edge of the valley and took their places in battle line. The grey men in +the brown grass on the hills crouched behind their ditches and stone +walls, gripped their guns and waited for the foe to walk into the trap +their commanders had set. + +An unseen hand slowly lifted the misty curtain and the sun burst on the +scene. The valley lay like the smooth ground of some vast arena prepared +for a pageant and back of it rose the silent hills, tier on tier like +the seats of a mighty amphitheatre. But the men crouching on those seats +were not spectators--they were the grimmest actors in the tragedy. + +For a moment it was a spectacle merely--the grandest display of the +pageantry of war ever made on a field of death. + +Franklin's division suddenly wheeled into position for its united +assault on the right. + +Ned Vaughan, from his lair on the hill, could see the officers in their +magnificent new uniforms, their swords flashing as they led their men. A +hundred thousand bayonets were gleaming in the sparkling December sun. +Magnificent horses in rich tasselled trappings were plunging and +prancing with the excitement of marching hosts, some of them keeping +time to the throb of regimental bands. + +The bands were playing now, all of them, a band for every thousand men, +the shrill scream of their bugles and the roar of their drums sending a +mighty chorus into the heavens that echoed ominously against the silent +hills. + +And flags, flags, flags, were streaming in billowy waves of red, white +and blue, as far as the eye could reach! + +"Isn't that pretty, boys!" Ned sighed admiringly. + +Tom lifted his solemn eyes from the grass. + +"Lord, Lord, look at them new warm clothes, an' my elbows a-freezin' in +this cold wind!" + +"Ain't it a picture?" + +"What a pity to spile it!" + +A ripple of admiration ran along the crouching lines as fingers softly +felt for the triggers of their guns. + +A quick order from John Vaughan's Colonel sent their battery of +artillery rattling and bounding into position. The cannoneers sprang to +their mounts. A handsome young fellow missed his foothold and fell +beneath the wheels. The big iron tire crushed his neck and the blood +from his mouth splashed into John's face. The men on the guns didn't +turn their heads to look back. Their eyes were searching the brown hills +before them. + +The long roll beat from a thousand drums, the call of the buglers rang +over the valley--and then the strange, solemn silence that comes before +the shock--the moment when cowards collapse and the brave falter. + +John Vaughan's soul rose in a fierce challenge to fate. If he died it +was well; if he lived it was the same. He had ceased to care. + +At exactly eight-thirty, General Meade hurled his division, supported by +Doubleday and Gibbon, against Jackson's weakest point, the right of the +Confederate lines. Their aim was to seize an opposing hill. The curving +lines of grey were silent until the charging hosts were well advanced in +deadly range and then the brown hills flamed and roared in front and on +their flanks. + +The blue lines were mowed down in swaths as though the giant figure of +Death had suddenly swung his scythe from the fog banks in the sky. + +Again and again came those awful volleys of musketry and artillery +cross-firing on the rushing lines. The men staggered and recovered, +reformed and charged again over the dead bodies of their comrades +carrying the crest for a moment. They captured a flag and a handful of +prisoners only to be driven back down the hill with losses more +frightful in retreat than when they breasted the storm. + +In the centre the tragedy was repeated with results even more terrible. +As the charging lines fell back, staggering, bleeding and cut to pieces, +fresh brigades threw down their knapsacks, fixed their bayonets and +charged through their own melting ranks into the jaws of Death to fall +back in their turn. + +With a mighty shout the blue line swept across the railroad, took the +ditches at the point of the bayonet and captured two hundred grey +prisoners. But only for a moment. From the supporting line rang the +rebel yell and they were hurled back, shattered and cut to pieces. +These retreats were veritable shambles of slaughter. The curved lines on +the hills raking them with their deadly accurate cross-fire. + +John Vaughan's regiment leaped to the support of the falling blue waves. + +A wounded soldier had propped himself against a stone and smiled as the +cheering men swept by. He could rest a while now. + +A battery of artillery suddenly blazed from the hill-crest and his +Colonel threw his command flat on their stomachs until the storm should +slacken. John heard the shrill deadly swish of the big shots passing two +feet above. + +He lifted his eyes to the hill and a frightened pigeon suddenly swooped +straight down toward his head. He ducked quickly, sure he had escaped a +cannon ball until the laugh of the man at his side told of his mistake. + +They rose to charge. The knapsack of the man who had laughed was struck +by a ball and a deck of cards sent flying ten feet in the air. + +"Deal me a winning hand!" John shouted. + +A shot cut the sword belt of the first lieutenant, left him uninjured, +glanced and killed the captain. The lieutenant picked up his sword, took +his captain's place and led the charge. + +Men were falling on the right and left and John Vaughan loaded and fired +with steady, dogged nerve without a scratch. + +Four times the blue billows had dashed against the hills only to fall +back in red confusion. The din and roar were indescribable. The +color-bearer of the regiment confused by conflicting orders paused and +asked for instructions. The Colonel, mistaking his act for retreat, +tore the colors from his hand and gave them to another man. The boy +burst into tears. The new color-bearer had scarcely lifted the flag +above his head when he fell. The disgraced soldier snatched the +tottering flagstaff and, lifting it on high, dashed up the hill ahead of +his line of battle. + +The men were ducking their heads low beneath the fierce hail of lead and +staggering blindly. + +John saw this boy waving his flag and shaking his fist back at the +halting line. He was not a hundred feet from the Confederate trenches. + +"Come on there!" he shouted. "Damn it, what's the matter with you?" + +Ned Vaughan and his grey men behind the little mound of red dirt were +watching this drama with flashing eyes. Beside him crouched a boy whose +early piety had marked him for the ministry. But he had wandered from +the fold in the stress of army life. Ned heard his voice now in low, +eager prayer: + +"O Lord, drive 'em back! Drive 'em back, O Lord!" + +He fired his musket down the hill and prayed harder: + +"Lord, drive 'em back! I've sinned and come short, but drive 'em, O +Lord!" + +He paused and whispered to Ned as he reached for another cartridge: + +"Are they comin' or goin'?" + +"Coming!" + +Again he prayed with fervor: + +"Drive 'em back, Lord Goddermighty, we're weak and you're strong--help +us now! Drive 'em--just this time, O Lord, and you can have me--I'll be +good!" + +He paused for breath and turned to Ned: + +"Now look!--Comin' or goin'?" + +"That follow with the flag cussin' the men has dropped----" + +"Thank God!" + +"Another's lifted it----" + +"Lord, save us!" + +"Why don't you lie down, ye damn fool," Tom shouted. "I'm huggin' the +ground so close now I don't want a piece of paper under me, and if +there's got to be a piece I don't want no writin' on it!" + +"Now look, are they comin'?" the pious boy gasped. + +Ned made no answer. His wide set eyes were staring at the man who had +caught that color-bearer in his arms and was carrying him to the rear. + +It was John Vaughan! + +His lips were moving now in silent prayer and his sword hung limp in his +hands. + +Through chattering teeth he cried: + +"Don't shoot that fellow carrying his friend down the hill, boys!" + +"They're runnin' now?" the pious one asked. + +"It isn't war--it's a massacre!" Ned sighed. + +The man of prayer leaped on the ditch bank suddenly and shook his fist +defiantly. + +"Come back here, you damned cowards!" he yelled. "Come back and we'll +whip hell out o' you!" + +Slowly the shattered regiment fell back down the bloody slope, stumbling +over their dead and wounded. The dim smoke-bound valley was a slaughter +pen. Where magnificent lines of blue had marched with flashing bayonets +and streaming banners at eight o'clock, the dead lay in mangled heaps, +and the wounded huddled among them slowly freezing to death. + +John saw a magnificent gun a heap of junk with four dead horses and +every cannoneer on the ground dead or freezing where they fell. A single +shell had done the work. Riderless horses galloped wildly over the +field, shying at the grim piles of dark blue bodies, sniffing the blood +and neighing pitifully. + +Twelve hundred men in his regiment had charged up that hill. But two +hundred and fifty came down. + +From the steeple of the Court House in Fredericksburg General Couch, in +command of the Second Corps, stood with his glasses on this frightful +scene. He whispered to Howard by his side: + +"The whole plain is covered with our men fallen and falling--I've never +seen anything like it!" + +He paused, his lips quivering as he gasped: + +"O my God! see them falling--poor fellows, falling--falling!" + +He signalled Burnside for reinforcements. + +General Sumner's division on the Union right had charged into the +deadliest trap of all. + +Down the road toward the foot of Marye's Heights his magnificent army +swept at double quick. The Confederate batteries had been specially +trained to rake this road from three directions, right, and left flank +and centre. + +Steadily, stoically the men in blue pressed into this narrow way in +silence and met the flaming torrent from three directions. Rushing on +over the bodies of their fallen comrades the thinning ranks reached the +old stone wall at the foot of the hill. General Cobb lay concealed +behind it with three thousand infantry. The low quick order ran along +his line: + +"Fire!" + +Straight into the faces of the heroic Union soldiers flashed a level +blinding flame from three thousand muskets, slaying, crushing, tearing +to pieces the proud army of an hour ago. A thousand men in blue fell in +five minutes. The ground was piled with their bodies until it was +impossible to charge over them effectively. + +For a moment a cloud of smoke pitifully drew a soft grey veil over the +awful scene while the men who were left fell back in straggling broken +groups. + +Five times the Union hosts had charged those terrible brown hills and +five times they had been rolled back in red waves of blood. + +Late in the day a fierce bitter wind was blowing from the north. There +was yet time to turn defeat into victory. The desperate Union Commander +ordered the sixth charge. + +The men in blue pulled their hats down low as if to shut out the pelting +hail of lead and iron and without a murmur charged once more into the +mouth of hell. The winds had frozen stiff the bodies of their dead. The +advancing blue lines snatched these dead men from the ground, carried +them in front, stacked them in long piles for bulwarks, and fought +behind them with the desperation of madmen. There was no escape. The +keen eyes of the Confederate Commanders had planted their right and left +flanking lines to pour death into these ranks no matter how high their +corpses were piled. The crescent hill blazed and roared with unceasing +fury. Only the darkness was kind at last. + +And then the men in blue planted the frozen bodies of their comrades +along the outer battle line as dummy sentinels, and under cover of the +night began to slip back through Fredericksburg and across the silver +mirror of the Rappahannock to their old camp, shattered, broken, +crushed. + +It was four o'clock in the morning before John Vaughan's regiment would +give up the search for their desperately wounded. Only the strongest +could endure that bitter cold. Through the long, desolate hours the +pitiful cries of the wounded men rang through the black, freezing night, +and few hands stirred to save them. A great army was fighting to save +its flags and guns and reach the shelter beyond the river. + +Amid the few flickering lanterns could be heard the greetings of friends +in subdued tones as they clasped hands: + +"Is that you, old boy?" + +"God bless you--yes--I'm glad to see you!" + +A dying man in blue was pitifully calling for water somewhere, in the +darkness in front of Ned Vaughan's ditch. He took his canteen, got a +lantern and went to find him. It might be John. If not, no matter, he +was some other fellow's brother. + +As the light fell on his drawn face Ned murmured: + +"Thank God!" + +He pressed the canteen to his lips and held his head in his lap. It was +only too plain from the steel look out of the eyes that his minutes were +numbered. He moved and turned his dying face up to Ned: + +"Why is it you always whip us, Johnny?" + +He paused for breath: + +"I wonder--every battle I've been in we've been defeated--why--why--why, +O God, why----" + +His head drooped and he was still. + +Ned wondered if some waiting loved one on the shores of eternity had +given him the answer. He wrapped him tenderly in his blanket and left +him at rest at last. + +As he turned toward his lines the unmistakable wail of a baby came +faintly through the darkness--a wee voice, the half smothered cry +sounding as if it were nestling in a mother's arms. He followed the +sound until his lantern flashed in the wild eyes of a young woman who +had fled from her home in terror during the battle and was hugging her +baby frantically in her arms. + +Ned led her gently to an officer's quarters and made her comfortable. + +The glory of war was fast fading from his imagination. A grim spectre +was slowly taking its place. + +John's shattered regiment lay down on the field with the rear guard at +four o'clock to snatch an hour's sleep, their heads pillowed on the +bodies of the dead. The cold moderated and a light mantle of snow fell +softly just before day and covered the field, the living and the dead. +When the reveille sounded at dawn, the bugler looked with awe at the +thousands of white shrouded figures and wondered which would stir at his +note. The living slowly rose as from the dead and shook their white +shrouds. Thousands lay still, cold and immovable to await the +archangel's mightier call at the last. + +Beyond the river, through the long night, Burnside, wild with anguish, +had paced the floor of his tent. Again and again he threw his arms in a +gesture of despair toward the freezing blood-stained field: + +"Oh, those men--those men over there! I'm thinking of them all the +time----" + +As the rear guard turned from the field at sunrise, John Vaughan looked +back across the valley of Death and saw the ragged brown and grey +figures shivering in the cold, as they swarmed down from the hills and +began to shake the frost from the new, warm clothes they were stripping +from the dead. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE REST HOUR + + +For two terrible days and nights Betty Winter saw the endless line of +ambulances creep from the field of Fredericksburg. Some of these men lay +on the frozen ground for forty-eight hours before relief came. Many of +the wounded might have lived but for the frightful exposure to cold +which followed the battle. They died in hundreds. + +Thousands were placed on the train for Washington and so great was the +pitiful suffering among them Betty left with the first load. There would +be more work in the hospitals there than in Burnside's camp. It would be +many a day before his shattered army could be ready again to give +battle. + +The worst trouble with it was not the bleeding gap torn through its +ranks by Lee's shot and shell. Not only was its body wounded, its soul +was crushed. Its commanding generals were divided into warring factions, +the rank and file of its stern fighting men discouraged. + +Again an epidemic of desertions broke out and ten thousand men were lost +in a single month. + +Burnside assumed the full responsibility for the disaster and asked to +be relieved of his command. The third Union General had gone down before +Lee--McClellan, Pope and Burnside. + +The President, heartsick but undismayed, called to the head of the army +the most promising general in sight, Joseph Hooker, popularly known as +"Fighting Joe Hooker." There was inspiration to the thoughtless in the +name, yet the Chief had misgivings. + +On sending him the appointment he wrote his new general a remarkable +letter: + + "GENERAL: + + "I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of + course, I have done this upon what appears to me to be sufficient + reasons; and yet I think it best for you to know that there are + some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. + + "I believe you to be a brave and skillful soldier--which of course + I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your + profession--in which you are right. You have confidence in + yourself--which is a valuable if not indispensable quality. You are + ambitious--which within reasonable bounds does good rather than + harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the + army you have taken counsel of your ambition and thwarted him as + much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, + and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. + + "I have heard in such a way as to believe of you recently saying + that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course + it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I gave you the + command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up as + dictators. + + "What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the + dictatorship. + + "The Government will support you to the utmost of its + ability--which is neither more nor less than it has done and will + do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have + aided to infuse into the army of criticising their commander and + withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall + assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor + Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army + while such a spirit prevails in it. + + "And now beware of rashness--but with energy and sleepless + vigilance go forward and give us victories." + +While Hooker lay in winter quarters reorganizing his army his picket +lines in speaking distance with those of his opponent across the river, +the President bent his strong shoulders to the task of cheering the +fainting spirits of the people. On his shaggy head was heaped the blame +of all the sorrows, the failures and the agony of the ever deepening +tragedy of war. Deeper and deeper into his rugged kindly face were cut +the lines of life and death, and darker grew the shadows through which +his sensitive lonely soul was called to walk. + +And yet, through it all, there glowed with stronger radiance the charm +of his quaint genius and his magnetic personality--tragic, homely, +gentle, humorous, honest, merciful, wise, laughable and lovable. + +He found time to run down to Hampton Roads with Gideon Welles, his loyal +Secretary of the Navy, to inspect the ships assembled there. He saw a +narrow door bound with iron. + +"What is that?" he asked sharply. + +"Oh, that is the sweat box," the Secretary replied, "used for +insubordinate seamen----" + +"Oh," the rugged giant exclaimed, "how do you work it?" + +"The man to be punished is put inside and steam heat is turned on. It +brings him to terms quickly." + +The tall figure bent curiously examining the contrivance: + +"And we apply this to thousands of brave American seamen every year?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"Let me try it and see what it's like." + +It was useless to protest. He had already taken off his tall silk hat +and there was a look of quiet determination in his hazel-grey eyes. + +He stepped quickly into the enclosure, which he found to be about three +feet in length and about the same in width. His tall figure of six feet +four was practically telescoped. + +"Close your door now and turn on the steam," he ordered. "I'll give you +the signal when I've had enough." + +The door was closed and the steam turned on. + +He stood it three minutes and gave the signal of release. + +He stepped out, stretched his long legs, and breathed deeply. He mopped +his brow and there was fire in his sombre eyes as he turned to Welles: + +"Mr. Secretary, I want every one of those things dumped into the sea. +Never again allow it to be found on a vessel flying the American flag!" + +In an hour every sailor in the harbor had heard the news. The old salts +who had felt its shame and agony lifted their caps and stood with bared +heads, cheering and crying as he passed. + +One by one, every country of Europe heard the news and the sweat box +ceased to be an instrument of discipline on every sea of the civilized +world. + +Seated at his desk in the White House, he received daily the great and +the humble, and no man or woman came and left without a patient hearing. +There were over thirty thousand cases of trial and condemnations by +court-martial every year now--only a small portion with the death +penalty attached--but all had the right to appeal. They were not slow in +finding the road to the loving heart. + +Stanton, worn out by vain protests against his pardons, sent Attorney +General Bates at last. + +The great lawyer was very stern as he faced his Chief: + +"I regret to say it, Mr. President, but you are not fit to be trusted +with the pardoning power, sir!" + +A smile played about the corner of the big kindly mouth as he glanced +over his spectacles at his Attorney General: + +"It's my private opinion, Bates, that you're just as pigeon-hearted as I +am!" + +Judge Advocate General Holt was sent to labor with him and insist that +he enforce the law imposing the death penalty. + +"Your reasons are good, Holt," he answered kindly, "but I can't promise +to do it. You see, so many of my boys have to be shot anyhow. I don't +want to add another one to that lot if I can help it----" + +He paused and went on whimsically: + +"I don't see how it's going to make a man better to shoot him, +anyhow--give them another trial." + +In spite of all Holt's protests he steadfastly refused to sanction any +death warrant against a man for cowardice under fire. "Many a man," he +calmly argued, "who honestly tries to do his duty is overcome by fear +greater than his will--I'm not at all sure how I'd act if Minie balls +were whistling and those big shells shrieking in my ears. How can a poor +man help it if his legs just carry him away?" + +All these he marked "leg cases," put them in a separate pigeon hole and +always suspended their sentence. + +He would smile gently as he filed each death warrant away: + +"It would frighten that poor devil too terribly to shoot him. They +shan't do it." + +On one he wrote: + +"Let him fight again--maybe the enemy will shoot him--I won't." + +Betty Winter came with two cases. The first was a mother to plead for +her boy sentenced to die for sleeping at his post on guard. + +"You see, sir," the mother pleaded, "he'd been on watch once that night +and had done his duty faithfully. He volunteered to take a sick +comrade's place. He was so tired he fell asleep. He was always a +big-hearted, generous boy--you won't let them shoot him?" + +"No, I won't," was the quick response. + +The mother laughed aloud through her tears and threw her arms around +Betty's neck. + +The President bent over the paper and wrote across its back: + +"Pardoned. This life is too precious to be lost." + +Betty waited until the crowd had passed out and he was alone with +Colonel Nicolay. She hurried to his desk with her second case which she +had kept outside in the corridor until the time to enter. + +A young mother walked timidly in, smiling apologetically. She carried a +three-months-old baby in her arms. She was evidently not in mourning, +though her eyes were red from weeping. + +"What's the matter now?" the President laughed, nodding to Betty. + +"Tell him," she whispered. + +"If you please, sir," the woman began timidly, "we ain't been married +but a little over a year. My husband has never seen the baby. He's in +the army. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I come down to Washington +to get a pass to take the baby to him. But they wouldn't let me have it. +I've been wandering 'round the streets all day crying till I met this +sweet young lady and she brought me to you, sir----" + +The President turned to his secretary: + +"Let's send her down!" + +The Colonel smiled and shook his head: + +"The strictest orders have been given to allow no more women to go to +the front----" + +The big gentle hand stroked the shaggy beard. + +"Well, I'll tell you what we can do," he cried joyfully, "give her +husband a leave of absence and let him come to see them here!" + +The secretary left at once for the Adjutant General's office and the +President turned to the laughing young mother, who was trying to thank +Betty through her tears: + +"And where are you stopping, Madam?" + +"Nowhere yet, sir. I went straight from the depot to the War Department +and then walked about blind with crying eyes until I came here." + +"All right then, we'll fix that. I'll give Miss Betty an order to take +you and your baby to her hospital and care for you until your husband +comes and he can stay there a week with you----" + +The mother's voice wouldn't work. She tried to speak her thanks and +could only laugh. + +The big hand pressed Betty's as she left: + +"Thank you for bringing her, little girl, things like that rest me." + +The hour was swiftly coming when he was going to need all the strength +that rest could bring body and soul. His enemies were sleepless. The +press inspired by Senator Winter had begun to strike below the belt. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +DEEPENING SHADOWS + + +Again the eyes of the Nation were fixed on the Army of the Potomac and +its new General. The President went down to his headquarters at Falmouth +Heights opposite Fredericksburg to review his army of a hundred and +thirty thousand men. + +Riding up to Hooker's headquarters through the beautiful spring morning +his weary figure was lifted with new hope as he breathed the perfume of +the flowers and blooming hedgerows. + +The driver only worried him for the moment. He was swearing eloquently +at his team in the pride of his heart at the honor of hauling the Chief +Magistrate of the Nation. He swore both plain and ornamental oaths with +equal unction. + +The President endured it a while in amused silence. He was deeply +annoyed, but too much of a gentleman to hurt his patriotic driver's +feelings. + +At last he observed: + +"I see you are an Episcopalian, driver." + +The man turned in surprise: + +"Oh, no, sir, I'm Methodist." + +"Is it possible?" + +"Yes, sir, Methodist--why, sir?" + +A whimsical smile played about the big kindly mouth: + +"I thought you must be an Episcopalian because you swear exactly like +Mr. Seward, and he's a churchwarden!" + +A deep silence fell on the sweet spring air. The driver glanced over his +shoulder with a sheepish grin, and cracked his whip without an oath: + +"G'long there, boys!" + +As the serried lines of blue, with bayonets flashing in the warming sun +of April, marched past the tall giant on horseback, they were in fine +spirits. They cheered the President with rousing enthusiasm. + +John Vaughan did not join. He marched past with eyes straight in front. + +The President hurried back to Washington to keep his vigil from his +window overlooking the Potomac, and Hooker began the execution of his +skillful plan of attack. On the day his advance began he had one hundred +and thirty thousand men and four hundred and forty-eight great guns in +seven grand divisions. Lee, still lying on the crescent hills behind +Fredericksburg, had sixty-two thousand men and one hundred and seventy +guns. He had detached Longstreet's corps for service in Tennessee. + +The Federal Commander was absolutely sure that he could throw the flower +of this magnificent army across the river seven miles above +Fredericksburg, get into Lee's rear, hurl the remainder of his forces +across the river as Burnside had done, and crush the grey army like an +egg shell. It was well planned, but in war the unexpected often happens. + +Again the unexpected thing turned up in the shape of the strange, dusty +figure on his little sorrel horse. + +The night before Hooker moved, Julius met with an accident which +delayed John's supper. He was just approaching the camp after a +successful stroll over the surrounding territory, carrying on his back a +sheep he meant to cook for the coming march. A rude and unsympathetic +guard arrested him. Julius was greatly grieved at his unkind remarks. + +"Lordy, man, you ought not ter say things lak dat ter me! I nebber steal +nutting in my life. I wasn't even foragin' dis time----" + +"The hell you weren't!" + +"Na, sah. I wasn't even foragin'. I know dat de General done issue dem +orders agin hit, an' I quit long ergo----" + +"This sheep looks like it----" + +"Dat sheep?" + +"That's what I said, you black thief!" + +"Say, man, don't talk lak dat ter me--you sho hurts my feelin's. I +nebber stole dat sheep. I nebber go atter de sheep, an' I weren't +studyin' 'bout no animals. I was des walkin' long de road past a man's +house whar dis here big, devilish-lookin' old sheep come er runnin' +right at me wid his head down--an' I lammed him wid er stick ter save my +life, sah. An' den when he fell, I knowed hit wuz er pity ter leave him +dar ter spile, an' so I des nachelly had ter fetch him inter de camp ter +save him. Man, you sho is rude ter talk dat way." + +The guard was obdurate until Julius began to describe how he cooked +roast mutton. He finally agreed to accept his version of the battle with +the sheep as authentic if he would bring him a ten pound roast to test +the truth of his conversation. + +Julius was still harping on the rudeness of this guard as he fanned the +flies off John's table with a sassafras brush at supper. + +"I don't know what dey ebber let sech poor white trash ez dat man git in +er army for, anyhow!" he exclaimed indignantly. + +"We have to take 'em as they come now, Julius. There's going to be a +draft this summer. No more volunteers now. Wait till you see the +conscripts." + +"Dey can't be no wus dan dat man. He warn't no gemman 'tall, sah." + +John rose from his hearty supper and strolled along the line of his +regiment, recruited again to its full strength of twelve hundred men. + +Two fellows who were messmates were scrapping about a question of gravy. +One wanted lots of gravy and his meat done brown. The other insisted on +having his meat decently cooked, but not swimming in grease. The man in +favor of gravy was on duty as cook at this meal and stuck to his own +ideas. They suddenly clinched, fell to the ground, rolled over, knocked +the pan in the fire and lost both meat and gravy. + +John smiled and passed on. + +A lieutenant was sitting on a stump holding a letter from his sweetheart +to the flickering camp fire. He bent and kissed the signature--the fool! +For a moment the old longing surged back through his soul. He wondered +if she ever thought of him now. She had loved him once. + +He started back to his tent to write her a letter before they broke camp +to-morrow morning. Nature was calling in the balmy spring night wind +that floated over the waters of the river. + +Nature knew naught of war. She was pouring out her heart in budding leaf +and blossom in the joy of living. + +And then the bitterness of shame and stubborn pride welled up to kill +the tender impulse. There were slumbering forces beneath the skin the +scenes through which he was passing had called into new life. They were +bringing new powers both of mind and body. They added nothing to the +gentler, sweeter sources of character. He began to understand how men +could feed their ambitions on the bodies of fallen hosts and still +smile. + +He had felt the brutalizing touch of war. With a cynical laugh he threw +off his impulse to write and turned into his blanket dreaming of the red +carnival toward which they would march at dawn. + +As the sun rose over the new sparkling fields of the South on the +morning of the 27th of April, 1863, the great movement began. + +The Federal commander ordered Sedgwick's division to cross the +Rappahannock below Fredericksburg and deploy in line of battle to +deceive Lee as to his real purpose while he secretly marched his main +army through the woods seven miles above to throw them on his rear. + +As the men stood, thousands banked on thousands, awaiting the order to +march, John Vaughan saw, for the first time, the grim procession pass +along the lines carrying a condemned deserter, to be shot to death +before his former comrades. His hands were tied across his breast with +rough knotted rope and he was seated on his coffin. + +The War Department had gotten around the tender heart in the White +House at last. The desertions had become so terrible in their frequency +it was absolutely necessary to make examples of some of these men. The +poor devil who sat forlornly on his grim throne riding through the sweet +spring morning had no mother or sister or sweetheart to plead his cause. + +The men stared in silence as the death cart rumbled along the lines. It +halted and the man took his place before the firing squad but a few feet +away. + +A white cloth was bound over his eyes. The sergeant dealt out the +specially prepared round of cartridges--all blank save one, that no +soldier might know who did the murder. + +In low tones they were ordered to fire straight at the heart of the +blindfolded figure. The muskets flashed and the man crumpled in a heap +on the soft young grass, the blood pouring from his breast in a bright +red pool beside the quivering form. + +And then the army moved. + +The stratagem of the Commander was executed with skill. But there was an +eagle eye back of those hills of Fredericksburg. Lee was not only a +great stark fighter, he was a past master in the arts of war. He had +divined his opponent's plan from the moment of his first movement. + +By April the 30th, Hooker had effected his crossing and slipped into the +rear of Lee's left wing. The Southerner had paid little attention to +Sedgwick's menace on his front. He left but nine thousand men on Marye's +Heights to hold in check this forty thousand, and by a rapid night march +suddenly confronted Hooker in the Wilderness before Chancellorsville. + +So strong was the Union General's position he issued an exultant order +to his army in which he declared: + +"The enemy must now flee shamefully or come out of his defences to +accept battle on our own ground, to his certain destruction." + +The enemy had already slipped out of his defenses before Fredericksburg +and at that moment was feeling his way through the tangled vines and +undergrowth with sure ominous tread. + +The soul of the Confederate leader rose with elation at the prospect +before him. In this tangle called the Wilderness, broken only here and +there by small, scattered farm houses and fields, the Grand Army of the +Republic had more than twice his numbers, and nearly three times as many +big guns, but his artillery would be practically useless. It was utterly +impossible to use four hundred great guns in such woods. Lee's one +hundred and seventy were more than he could handle. It would be a fight +between infantry at close range. The Southerner knew that no army of men +ever walked the earth who would be the equal, man for man, with these +grey veteran dead shots, who were now silently creeping through the +undergrowth of their native woods. + +On May the 1st, their two lines came into touch and Lee felt of his +opponent by driving in his skirmishers in a desultory fire of artillery. + +On the morning of May the 2nd, the two armies faced each other at close +range. + +With Sedgwick's division of forty thousand men now threatening Lee's +rear from Fredericksburg, his army thus caught between two mighty lines +of blue, Hooker was absolutely sure of victory. The one thing of which +he never dreamed was that Lee would dare, in the face of such a death +trap, to divide his own small army. And yet this is exactly what the +Southerner decided to do contrary to all the rules of military science +or the advice of the strange, silent figure on the little sorrel horse. + +When Lee, Jackson and Stuart rode along the lines of Hooker's front that +fatal May morning, Jackson suddenly reined in his little sorrel and +turned his keen blue eyes on his grey-haired Chief: + +"There's just one way, General Lee. The front and left are too strong. I +can swing my corps in a quick movement to the rear while you attack the +front. They will think it a retreat. Out of sight, I'll turn, march for +ten miles around their right wing, and smash it from the rear before +sundown." + +Lee quickly approved the amazing plan of his lieutenant, though it +involved the necessity of his holding Hooker's centre and left in check +and that his nine thousand men behind the stone wall on Marye's Heights +should hold Sedgwick's forty thousand. He believed it could be done +until Jackson had completed his march. + +He immediately ordered his attack on the centre and left of his enemy. +The artillery horses were cropping the tender dew-laden grass with +eagerness. They had had no breakfast. The riders sprang to their backs +at seven o'clock and they dashed into position. + +Lee's guns opened the fateful day. For hours his lines blazed with the +steady sullen boom of artillery and rattle of musketry. Hooker's hosts +replied in kind. + +At noon a shout swept the Federal lines that Lee's army was in retreat. +Sickles' division could see the long grey waves hurrying to the rear. +They were close enough to note the ragged, dirty, nondescript clothes +Jackson's men wore. No man in all the Union hosts doubted for a moment +that Lee had seen the hopelessness of his position and was hurrying to +save his little army of sixty-two thousand men from being crushed into +pulp by the jaws of a hundred and thirty thousand in two grand divisions +closing in on him. It was a reasonable supposition--always barring the +utterly unexpected--another name for Stonewall Jackson, whom they seemed +to have forgotten for the moment. + +Sickles, seeing the "retreat," sent a courier flying to Hooker, asking +for permission to follow the fugitives with his twenty thousand men. +Hooker consented, and Sickles leaped from his entrenchments and set out +in mad haste to overtake the flying columns. He got nearly ten miles in +the woods away from the battle lines before he realized that the ghostly +men in grey had made good their escape. Certainly they had disappeared +from view. + +It was five o'clock in the afternoon when Jackson's swift, silent +marchers began to draw near to the unsuspecting right wing of Hooker's +army under the command of General Howard. + +Ned Vaughan was in Jackson's skirmish line feeling the way through the +tender green foliage of the spring. The days were warm and the leaves +far advanced--the woods so dense it was impossible for picket or +skirmisher to see more than a hundred yards ahead--at some points not a +hundred feet. + +The thin, silent line suddenly swept into the little opening of a negro +cabin with garden and patch of corn. A kindly old colored woman was +standing in the doorway. + +She looked into the faces of these eager, slender Southern boys and they +were her "children." The meaning of war was real to her only when it +meant danger to those she loved. + +She ran quickly up to Ned, her eyes dancing with excitement: + +"For de Lawd's sake, honey, don't you boys go up dat road no fudder!" + +"Why, Mammy?" he asked with a smile. + +"Lordy, chile, dey's thousan's, an' thousan's er Yankees des over dat +little hill dar--dey'll kill every one er you all!" + +"I reckon not, Mammy," Ned called, hurrying on. + +She ran after him, still crying: + +"For Gawd's sake, come back here, honey--dey kill ye sho!" + +She was calling still as Ned disappeared beyond the cabin into the woods +redolent now with the blossoms of chinquepin bushes and the rich odors +of sweet shrub. + +They climbed the little ridge on whose further slope lay an open field, +and caught their first view of Howard's unsuspecting division. They +halted and sent their couriers flying with the news to Jackson. + +Ned looked on the scene with a thrill of exultation and then a sense of +deepening pity. The boys in blue had begun to bivouac for the night, +their camp fires curling through the young green leaves. The men were +seated in groups laughing, talking, joking and playing cards. The horses +were busy cropping the young grass. + +"God have mercy on them!" Ned exclaimed. + +It was nearly six o'clock before Jackson's men had all slipped silently +into position behind the dense woods on this little slope--in two long +grim battle lines, one behind the other, with columns in support, his +horse artillery with their big guns shotted and ready. + +Ned saw a slight stir in the doomed camp of blue. The men were standing +up now and looking curiously toward those dense woods. A startled flock +of quail had swept over their heads flying straight down from the lull +crest. A rabbit came scurrying from the same direction--and then +another. And then another flock of quail swirled past and pitched among +the camp fires, running and darting in terror on the ground. + +An officer drew his revolver and potted one for his supper. + +The men glanced uneasily toward the woods but could see nothing. + +"What'ell ye reckon that means?" + +"What ails the poor birds?" + +"And the rabbits?" + +They were not long in doubt. The sudden shrill note of a bugle rang from +the woods and Jackson's yelling grey lines of death swept down on their +unprotected rear. + +The first regiments in sight were blown into atoms and driven as chaff +before a whirlwind. Behind them lay twenty regiments in their trenches +pointed the wrong way. The men leaped to their guns and fought +desperately to stay the rushing torrent. Beyond them was a ragged gap of +a whole mile without a man, left bare by the chase of Sickles' division +now ten miles away. Without support the shattered lines were crushed +and crumpled and rolled back in confusion. Every regiment was cut to +pieces and pushed on top of one another, men, horses, mules, cattle, +guns, in a tangled mass of blood and death. + +Ned was sent to bring the supporting column to drive them on and on. He +mounted a horse and dashed back to the reserve line yelling his call: + +"Hurry! Hurry up, men!" + +"What's the hurry?" growled a grey coat. + +"Hurry! Hurry!" Ned shouted. "We've captured fifty pieces of artillery +and ten thousand prisoners!" + +"Then what'ell's the use er hurryin' us on er empty stomach--but we're +a-comin', honey--we're a-comin'!" + +The colonel of a regiment snatched his hat off and was getting his men +ready for the charge. He waved his hand toward Ned: + +"Make that damn-fool get out of the way. I'm going to charge. Now you +men listen--listen to me, I say! not to that fellow--listen to me!" + +Ned could hear him still talking excitedly to his eager men as he dashed +back to the battle line. + +General Hooker sat on the porch of the Chancellor House, his +headquarters. On the east there was heavy firing where his men were +attempting to carry out his orders to flank Lee's retreating army. +Sickles' and Pleasanton's cavalry were already in pursuit. By some +curious trick of the breeze or atmospheric conditions not a sound had +reached him from the direction of his right wing. A staff officer +suddenly turned his glasses to the west. + +"My God, here they come!" + +Before the astounded Commander could leap from the porch to his horse +the flying stragglers of his shattered right were pouring into +view--men, wagons, ambulances, in utter confusion. Hooker swung his old +division under General Berry into line and shouted to his veterans: + +"Forward with the bayonet!" + +The sturdy division plowed its way through the receding blue waves of +panic-stricken men and dashed into the face of the overwhelming hosts. + +Major Keenan, in command of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry, charged with +his gallant five hundred into the face of almost certain death and held +the grey lines in check until the artillery of the Third Corps was saved +and turned on the advancing Confederates. He fell at the head of his +men. + +The fighting now became a battle. It was no longer a rout. + +Ned saw a lone deaf man in blue standing bareheaded, fighting a whole +army so intent on his work he hadn't noticed that his regiment had +retreated and left him. + +Two men in grey raised their muskets and fired point blank at this man +at the same instant. The unconscious hero fell. + +"I hit him!" cried one. + +"No, I hit him!" said the other. + +And they both rushed up and tenderly offered him help. + +A grey soldier came hurrying by taking two prisoners to the rear. A +cannon ball from the rescued battery cut off his leg and he dropped +beside Ned shouting hysterically: + +"Pick me up! Pick me up! Why don't you pick me up?" + +The blue prisoner looked back in terror at the battery and started to +run. A grey soldier stopped them: + +"Here! Here! What'ell's the matter with you? Them's your own guns. What +are ye tryin' to get away from 'em for?" + +Men were falling now at every step. + +Ned had advanced a hundred yards further when the boy on his right +suddenly threw his hands over his head and his leg full to the ground, +cut off by a cannon ball, Ned leaped to his side and caught him in his +arms. A look of anguish swept his strong young face as he gasped: + +"My poor old mother! O my God, what'll she do now?" + +Ned tied his handkerchief around the mangled leg, twisted the knot, and +stayed the blood gushing from the severed arteries, and rushed back to +his desperate work. + +Four horses dashed by his side dragging through the woods a big gun to +train on the battery that was plowing through their lines. A solid shot +crashed straight through a horse's head, blinding Ned with blood and +brains. + +He threw his hand to his face and buried it in the hot quivering mass, +exclaiming: + +"My God, boys, my brains are out!" + +"You've got the biggest set I ever saw then!" the Captain said, helping +him to clear his eyes. + +A shell exploded squarely against the gun carriage, hurling it into junk +and piling all four horses on the ground. Their dying cries rang +pitifully through the smoke-wreathed woods. One horse lifted his head, +placed both fore feet on the ground and tried to rise. His hind legs +were only shreds of torn flesh. He neighed a long, quivering, +soul-piercing shriek of agony and a merciful officer drew his revolver +and killed him. + +A cannoneer lay by this horse's side with both his legs hopelessly +crushed so high in the thick flesh of the thighs there was no hope. He +was moaning horribly. He turned his eyes in agony to the officer who had +shot the horse: + +"Please, Captain--for the love of God--shoot me, too, I can't live----" + +The Captain shook his head. + +"Have mercy on me--for Jesus' sake--kill me--you were kind to my +horse--can't you do as much for me?" + +The Captain turned away in anguish. He couldn't even send for morphine. +The South had no more morphine. The blockade's iron hand was on her +hospitals now. + +Ned fought for half an hour behind a tree. Twice the bullets striking +the hark knocked pieces into his eyes. He was sure at least fifty Minie +balls struck it. + +A bald-headed Colonel rushed by at double quick leading a fresh regiment +into action to support them. The hell of battle was not so hot the +Southern soldier had lost his sense of humor. They were glad to see this +dashing old fighter and they told him so in no uncertain way. + +"Hurrah for Baldy!" + +"Sick 'em, Baldy--sick 'em----" + +"I'll bet on old man Baldy every time----" + +"Hurrah for the bald-headed man!" + +The Colonel paid no attention to their shouts. The flash of his muskets +in the deepening twilight turned the tide in their favor. The big guns +had been unlimbered and pulled back deeper into the blue lines. + +John Vaughan's line was swung to support the charge of Hooker's old +division which first halted the rush of Jackson's men. In the field +beyond the Chancellor House stood a huge straw stack. As the regiment +rushed by at double quick the Colonel spied a panic-stricken officer +crouching in terror behind the pile. + +The Colonel slapped him across the shoulders with his sword: + +"What sort of a place is this for you, sir?" + +Through chattering teeth came the trembling response: + +"W-w-hy, m-my God, do you think the bullets can come through?" + +The Colonel threw up his hands in rage and pressed on with his men. + +A wagon loaded with entrenching tools, on which sat half a dozen negroes +rattled by on its way to the rear. A solid shot plumped squarely into +the load. + +John saw picks, spades, shovels and negroes suddenly fill the air. Every +negro lit on his feet and his legs were running when he struck the +ground. They reached the tall timber before the last pick fell. + +The regiments were going into battle double quick, but they were not +going so fast they couldn't laugh. + +"Hurry up men!" the Colonel called. "Hurry up, let's get in there and +help 'em!" + +A moment more and they were in it. + +The man beside John threw up both hands and dropped with the dull, +unmistakable thud of death--the soldier who has been in battle knows the +sickening sound. + +They were thrown around the Third Corps battery to protect their guns +which had been dragged to a place more securely within the lines. Still +their gunners kept falling one by one--falling ominously at the crack of +a single gun in the woods. A Confederate sharpshooter had climbed a tree +and was picking them off. + +A tall Westerner spoke to the Colonel: + +"Let me go huntin' for him!" + +The Commander nodded and John went with him--why? He asked himself the +question before he had taken ten steps through the shadowy underbrush. +The answer was plain. He knew the truth at once. The elemental brutal +instinct of the hunter had kindled at the flash in that Westerner's eye. +It would be a hunt worth while--the game was human. + +For five minutes they crept through the bushes hiding from tree to tree +in the open spaces. They searched the tops in vain, when suddenly a +piece of white oak bark fluttered down from the sky and struck the +ground at their feet. + +The Westerner smiled at John and stood motionless: + +"Well, I'm damned!" + +They waited breathlessly, afraid to look up into the boughs of the +towering oak beneath which they were standing. + +"Don't move now!" the man from the West cried, "and I'll pot him." + +Slowly he stepped backward, softly, noiselessly, his eye fixed in the +treetop, his gun raised and finger on the trigger. + +He stopped, aimed, and fired. + +John looked up and saw the grey figure fall back from the tree trunk and +plunge downward, bounding from limb to limb and striking the ground +within ten feet of where he stood with heavy thud. The blood was gushing +in red streams from his nose and mouth. + +They turned and hurried back to their lines--another fierce attack was +being made on those guns. The men in grey charged and drove them a +hundred feet before they rallied and pushed them back with frightful +loss on both sides. + +John's Captain fell, dangerously wounded, and lay fifty feet beyond +their battle line. The dry leaves in the woods had taken fire from a +shell and the blaze was nearing the wounded men. The Westerner coolly +leaped from his position behind a tree, walked out in a hail of lead, +picked up his wounded Commander, and carried him safely to the rear. He +had just stepped back to take his stand in line by John's side when a +flying piece of shrapnel tore a hole in his side. He dropped to his +knees, sank lower to his elbow, turned his blue eyes to the darkening +sky and slowly muttered as if to himself: + +"Poor--little--wife--and--babies!" + +The night was drawing her merciful veil over the scene at last. Jackson +having crushed and mangled Hooker's right wing and rolled it back in red +defeat over five miles in two hours, was slowly feeling his way on his +last reconnaissance for the day to make his plans for the next. Through +a fatal misunderstanding he was fired on by his own men and borne from +the field fatally wounded. + +A shiver of horror thrilled the Southerners when the news of Jackson's +fall was whispered through the darkness. + +At midnight Sickles led his division back into the dense woods and for +three terrible hours the men on both sides fought as demons in the +shadows. The long lines of blazing muskets in the darkness looked like +the onward rush of a forest fire. At times two solid walls of flame +seemed to leap through the tree tops into the starlit heavens. A small +portion of the captured ground was recovered at a frightful loss--and no +man knows to this day how many gallant men in blue were shot down by +their own comrades in the darkness and confusion of that mad assault. + +Hooker sent a desperate call to Sedgwick to hurry to his relief by +carrying out his plan of sweeping Marye's Heights and falling on Lee's +rear. + +At dawn Stuart in command of Jackson's corps led the new charge on +Hooker's lines, his grey veterans shouting: + +"Remember Jackson!" + +Through the long hours of the terrible third day of May the fierce +combat of giants raged. During the morning Hooker's headquarters were +reached by the Confederate artillery and the old Chancellor House, +filled with the wounded, was knocked to pieces and set on fire. The +women and children and slaves of the Chancellor family were shivering in +its cellar while the shells were hurling its bricks and timbers in +murderous fury on the helpless wounded who lay in hundreds in the yard. +The men from both armies rushed into this hell and carried the wounded +to a place of safety. + +General Hooker was wounded and the report flew over the Federal army +that he had been killed. To allay their fears the General had himself +lifted into the saddle and rode down his lines and out of sight, when he +was taken unconscious from his horse. + +Sedgwick was fighting his way with desperation now to force Marye's +Heights and strike Lee's rear. + +Once more the stone wall blazed with death for the gallant men in blue. +They dashed themselves against it wave on wave, only to fall back in +confusion. They tried to flank it and failed. Hour after hour the mad +charges rolled against this hill and broke in deep red pools at its +base. There were but nine thousand men holding it against forty +thousand, but it was afternoon before the grey lines slowly gave way and +Sedgwick's victorious troops poured over the hill toward Lee's lines. +Hooker had asked him to appear at daylight. The long rows and mangled +heaps of the dead left on Marye's bloody slopes was sufficient answer to +all inquiries as to his delay. + +But the way was still blocked. The receding line of grey was suddenly +supported by Early's division detached from Lee's reserves. Again +Sedgwick was stopped and fought until dark. + +[Illustration: "Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of +his troops and charged."] + +As the sun was sinking over the smoke-wreathed spring-clothed trees of +the wilderness, Stuart gathered Jackson's corps for a desperate assault +on Hooker's last line of defense. Waving his plumed hat high above his +handsome bearded face, he put himself at the head of his troops and +charged, chanting with boyish enthusiasm his improvised battle song: + + "Old--Joe--Hooker, + Won't you come out o' the Wilderness! + Come out o' the Wilderness! + Come out o' the Wilderness! + + Old--Joe--Hooker-- + Come out o' the Wilderness-- + Come--come--I say!" + +The cheering grey waves swept all before them and left Lee in full +possession of Chancellorsville and the whole position the Federal army +had originally held. + +As the Confederates rolled on, driving the fiercely fighting men in blue +before them, Lee himself rode forward to encourage his men and then it +happened--the thing for which the great have fought, and longed, and +dreamed since time dawned--the spontaneous tribute of the brave to a +trusted leader. + +His victorious troops went wild at the sight of him. Above the crash and +roar of battle rose the shouts of the Southerners: + +"Hurrah for Lee!" + +"Lee!" + +"Lee!" + +From lip to lip the thrilling name leaped until the wounded and the +dying turned their eyes to see and raised their feeble voices: + +"Lee!--Lee!--Lee!" + +It was at this moment that he received the note from Jackson announcing +that he was badly wounded. With the shouts of his men ringing in his +ears, he drew his pencil and wrote across the pommel of his saddle: + + "GENERAL: I have just received your note informing me that you are + wounded. I cannot express my regret at the occurrence. Could I have + directed events, I should have chosen, for the good of the country, + to be disabled in your stead. + + "I congratulate you upon the victory which is due to your skill and + energy. + + "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + "R. E. LEE, + "GENERAL." + +It was quick, bloody work next day for the Southerner to turn and spring +on Sedgwick with the ferocity of a tiger, crush and hurl his battered +and bleeding corps back on the river. + +Under cover of a storm General Couch, in command of Hooker's army, +retreated across the Rappahannock. The blue and grey picket lines that +night were so close to each other the men could talk freely. The +Southern boys were chaffing the Northerners over their oft repeated +defeats. Through the darkness a Yankee voice drawled: + +"Ah, Johnnie, shut up--you make us tired! You're not so much as you +think you are. Swap Generals with us and we'll come over and lick hell +out of you!" + +A silence fell over the boasting ones and then the listening Yankee +heard a low voice chuckle to his comrade: + +"I'm damned if they wouldn't, too!" + +When the grey dawn broke through the storm they began to bury the dead +and care for the wounded. The awful struggle had ended at last. + +The Northern army had lost seventeen thousand men, the Southerners +thirteen thousand. + +It was a great victory for the South, but a few more such victories and +there would be none of her brave boys left to tell the story. + +John Vaughan's company had been detailed to help in cleaning the field. +The day before, on Sunday morning, they had eaten their breakfast seated +on the ground among hundreds of dead bodies whose odor poisoned the air. +It is needless to say, Julius was not present. He had kept the river +between him and the roar of contending hosts. + +The suffering of the wounded had been terrible. Some of them had fallen +on Friday, thousands on Saturday, and it was now Monday. All through the +blood-soaked tangled woods they lay groaning and dying. And everywhere +the flap of black wings. The keen-eyed vultures had seen from the sky +where they fell. + +John found a brave old farmer from Northern New York lying beside his +son. He had met them in the fight at Fredericksburg in December. + +"Well, here we are, Vaughan," the father cried feebly. "My boy's dead, +and I'll be with him soon--but it's all right--it's all right--my +country's worth it!" + +They were lying in a bright open space, where the warm sun of May had +pushed the wood violets into blossom in rich profusion. The dead boy's +head lay in a bed of blue flowers. + +Some of the bodies further on were black and charred by the flames that +had swept the woods again and again during the battles. Some of them had +been wounded men and they had been burned to death. Their twisted bodies +and the agony on their cold faces told the hideous story more plainly +than words. The odor of burning flesh still filled the air in these +black spots. + +With a start John suddenly came on the crouching figure of a Confederate +soldier kneeling behind a stump, the paper end of the cartridge was in +his teeth and his fingers still grasped the ball. He was just in the act +of tearing the paper as a bullet crashed straight through his forehead. +A dark streak of blood marked his face and clothes. His gun was in his +other hand, the muzzle in place to receive the cartridge, the body cold +and rigid in exactly the position death had called him. + +A broad-shouldered, bearded man in blue had just fallen asleep nearby. +The body was still warm, the blue eyes wide open, staring into the +leaden sky. On his breast lay an open Bible with a bloody finger mark on +the lines: + + "The Lord is my shepherd, + I shall not want + He maketh me to lie down in green pastures-- + He restoreth my soul." + +A hundred yards further lay a dead boy from his own company. The stiff +hands were still holding a picture of his sweetheart before the staring +eyes. Near him lay a boy in grey with a sweetheart's letter clasped in +his hand. They had talked and tried to cheer one another, these dying +boys--talked of those they loved in far off villages as the mists of +eternity had gathered about them. + +It was late that night before the wounded had all been moved. Through +every hour of its black watches the surgeons, with their sleeves rolled +high, their arms red, bent over their tasks, until legs and arms were +piled in ghastly heaps ten feet high. + +As John Vaughan turned from the scene where he had laid a wounded man to +wait his turn, his eye caught the look of terror on the face of a +wounded Southern boy. He was a slender little dark-haired fellow, under +sixteen, a miniature of Ned. The surgeon had just taken up his knife to +cut into the deep flesh wound for the Minie ball embedded there. John +saw the slender face go white and the terror-stricken young eyes search +the room for help. His breath came in quick gasps and he was about to +faint. + +John slipped his arm around him: + +"Just a minute, Doctor----" + +He pressed his hand and whispered: + +"Come now, little man, you're among your enemies. You've got to be +brave. Show your grit for the South. I've got a brother in your army who +looks like you. No white feather now when these Yankees can see you." + +The slender figure stiffened and his eyes flashed: + +"All right!" the sturdy lips cried. "Let him go ahead--I'm ready now!" + +John held his hand, while the knife cut through the soft young flesh and +found the lead. The grip of the slim fingers tightened, but he gave no +cry. John handed him the bullet to put in his pocket and left him +smiling his thanks. + +He began to wonder vaguely if he had lost his cook forever. Julius +should have found the regiment before this. It was just before day that +he came on him working with might and main at a job that was the last +one on earth he would have selected. + +He had been seized by a burying squad and put to work dragging corpses +to the trenches from the great piles where the wagons had dumped them. + +The black man rolled his eyes in piteous appeal to his master: + +"For Gawd's sake, Marse John, save me--dese here men won't lemme go. I +been er throwin' corpses inter dem trenches since dark. I'se most dead +frum work, let 'lone bein' scared ter death." + +"Sorry, Julius," was the quick answer, "we've all got to work at a time +like this. There's no help for it." + +Julius bent again to his horrible task. The thing that appalled him was +the way the dead men kept looking at him out of their eyes wide and +staring in the flickering light of the lanterns. + +John stood watching him thoughtfully. He had finished one pile of +bodies, dragging them by the heels one by one, and throwing them into +the trenches. He was just about to begin on the last stack when he saw +that he had left one lying a little further back in the shadows. + +Julius looked at it dubiously and scratched his head. He didn't like the +idea of going so far back in the dark, away from the light, but there +was no help for it. The guard stood with his musket scowling: + +"Get a move on you--damn you, don't stand there!" he growled. + +Julius walled his eyes at his tormentor and ran for the body. It +happened to be the sleeping form of a tired guard who had been up three +nights. The negro grabbed his legs and rushed toward the lights and the +trenches. + +He had almost reached the grave when the corpse gave a vicious kick and +yelled: + +"Here--what'ell!" + +Julius didn't stop to look or to answer. What he felt in his hands was +enough. With a yell of terror he dropped the thing and plunged straight +ahead. + +"Gawd, save me!" he gasped. + +His foot slipped on the edge of the trench and he rolled in the dark +hole. With the leap of a frightened panther he reached the solid earth +and flew, each leap a muttered prayer: + +"Save me! Lawd, save me!" + +Standing there beside the grim piles of his dead comrades John Vaughan +joined the guard in uncontrollable laughter. It was many a day before he +saw his cook again. + +The laughter suddenly stopped, and he turned from the scene with a +shudder. + +"I wonder," he muttered, "if I live through this war, whether I'll come +out of it with a soul!" + +The report from Chancellorsville drifted slowly, ominously, appallingly, +over Washington with the clouds and mists of the storm which swept up +the Potomac and shrouded the city in a grey mantle of mourning. The +White House was still. The dead were walking through its great rooms of +state. The anguished heart who watched by the window toward the hills of +Virginia saw and heard each muffled footfall. + +He walked to the table with stumbling, uncertain step at last, his face +ghastly and rigid, its color grey ashes, his deep set eyes streaming +with tears, sank helplessly into a chair, and for the first time gave +way to despair: + +"O my God! My God! what will the country say!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE MOONLIT RIVER + + +Betty Winter was quick to answer the hurry call for more nurses in the +field hospital at Chancellorsville. The results at the end of three +days' carnage had paralyzed the service. + +She left the Carver Hospital on receipt of the first cry for help and +hurried to her home to complete her preparations to leave for the front. + +Her father was at breakfast alone. + +She called her greeting from the hall, rushed to her room, packed a bag, +and quickly came down. + +She slipped her arm around his neck, bent and kissed him good-bye. He +held her a moment: + +"You must leave so early, dear?" + +"I must catch the first bout for Aquia. The news from the front is +hideous. The force there is utterly inadequate. They've asked for every +nurse that can be spared for a week. The wounded lay on the ground for +three days and nights, and hundreds of them can't be moved to +Washington. The woods took fire dozens of times and many of the poor +boys were terribly burned. The suffering, they say, is indescribable." + +The old man suddenly rose, with a fierce light flashing in his eyes: + +"Oh, the miserable blunderer in the White House--this war has been one +grim and awful succession of his mistakes!" + +Betty placed her hand on his arm in tender protest: + +"Father, dear, how can you be so unreasonable--so insanely unjust? Your +hatred of the President is a positive mania----" + +"I'm not alone in my affliction, child; Arnold is his only friend in +Congress to-day----" + +"Then it's a shame--a disgrace to the Nation. Every disaster is laid at +his door. In his big heart he is carrying the burden of millions--their +suffering, their sorrows, their despair. You blamed him at first for +trifling with the war. Now you blame him for the bloody results when the +army really fights. You ask for an effective campaign and when you get +these tragic battles you heap on his head greater curses. It isn't +right. It isn't fair. I can't understand how a man with your deep sense +of justice can be so cruelly inconsistent----" + +The Senator shook his grey head in protest: + +"There! there! dear--we won't discuss it. You're a woman and you can't +understand my point of view. We'll just agree to disagree. You like the +man in the White House. God knows he's lonely--I shouldn't begrudge him +that little consolation. His whole attitude in this war is loathsome to +me. To him the Southerners are erring brethren to be brought back as +prodigal sons in the end. To me they are criminal outlaws to be hanged +and quartered--their property confiscated, the foundations of their +society destroyed, and every trace of their States blotted from the +map----" + +"Father!" + +"Until we understand that such is the purpose of the war we can get +nowhere--accomplish nothing. But there, dear--I didn't mean to say so +much. There is always one thing about which there can be no dispute--I +love my little girl----" + +He slipped his arm about her tenderly again. + +"I'm proud of the work you're doing for our soldiers. They tell me in +the big hospital that you're an angel. I've always known it, but I'm +glad other people are beginning to find it out. In all the horrors of +this tragedy there's one ray of sunshine for me--the light that shines +from your eyes!" + +He bent and kissed her again: + +"Run now, and don't miss your boat." + +In the five swift days of tender service which followed, Betty Winter +forgot her own heartache and loneliness in the pity, pathos, and horror +of the scenes she witnessed--the drawn white faces--the charred flesh, +the scream of pain from the young, the sigh of brave men, the last +messages of love--the gasp and the solemn silences of eternity. + +When the strain of the first rush had ended and the time to follow the +lines of ambulance wagons back to Washington drew near, the old anguish +returned to torture her soul. She told herself it was all over, and yet +she knew that somewhere in that vast city of tents, stretching for miles +over the hills and valleys about Falmouth Heights, was John Vaughan. She +had put him resolutely out of her life. She said this a hundred +times--yet she was quietly rejoicing that his name was not on that black +roll of seventeen thousand. All doubt had been removed by the +announcement in the _Republican_ of his promotion to the rank of +Captain for gallantry on the field of Chancellorsville. + +She hoped that he had freed himself at last from evil associates. She +couldn't be sure--there were ugly rumors flying about the hospital of +the use of whiskey in the army. These rumors were particularly busy with +Hooker's name. + +Seated alone in the quiet moonlight before the field hospital, the balmy +air of the South which she drew in deep breaths was bringing back the +memory of another now. The pickets had been at their usual friendly +tricks of trading tobacco and coffee and exchanging newspapers. From a +Richmond paper she had just learned that Ned Vaughan had fought in Lee's +army at Chancellorsville. Somewhere beyond the silver mirror of the +Rappahannock he was with the men in grey to-night. Her heart in its +loneliness went out to him in a wave of tender sympathy. Again she lived +over the tragic hours when she had fought the battle for his life and +won at last at the risk of her own. + +A soldier saluted and handed her a piece of brown wrapping paper, neatly +folded. Its corner was turned down in the old-fashioned way of a +schoolboy's note to his sweetheart. + +She went to the light and saw with a start it was in Ned Vaughan's +handwriting. She read, with eager, sparkling eyes. + + "DEAREST: I've just seen in a Washington paper which our boys + traded for that you are here. I must see you, and to-night. I can't + wait. There will be no danger to either of us. Our pickets are on + friendly terms. I've arranged everything with some good tobacco + for your fellows. Follow the man who hands you this note to the + river. A boat will be ready for you there with one of my men to row + you across. I will be waiting for you at the old mill beside the + burned pier of the railroad bridge. + + "NED." + +Betty's heart gave a bound of joy, and in half an hour she was standing +on the shining shore of the river before the old mill. Its great wheel +was slowly turning, the water falling in broken crystals sparkling in +the moonlight. Through the windows of the brick walls peered the +black-mouthed guns trained across the water. + +She looked about timidly for a moment while the man in grey who had +rowed her over made fast his boat. + +He tipped his old slouch hat: + +"This way, Miss." + +He led her down close, to the big wheel, crossed the stream of water +which poured from its moss-covered buckets, and there, beneath an apple +tree in bloom, stood a straight, soldierly figure in the full blue +uniform of a Federal Captain, exactly as she had seen Ned Vaughan that +night in the Old Capitol Prison. + +The soldier saluted and Ned said: + +"Wait, Sergeant, at the water's edge with your boat." + +He was gone and Ned grasped both Betty's hands and kissed them tenderly: + +"My glorious little heroine! I just had to tell you again that the life +you saved is all, all yours. You are glad to see me--aren't you?" + +"I can't tell you how glad, Boy! How brown and well you look!" + +"Yes, the hard life somehow agrees with me. It's a queer thing, this +army business. It makes some men strong and clean, and others into +beasts." + +"And why did you wear that dangerous uniform, sir?" she asked, with a +smile. + +"In honor of a beautiful Yankee girl, my guest. I've not worn it since +that night, Betty, until now----" + +His voice dropped to a whisper: + +"It has been a holy thing to me, this blue uniform that cost me the life +which you gave back at the risk of your own----" + +"I was in no danger. I had powerful friends." + +"They might not have been powerful enough--but it's sacred for another +reason--as precious to me as the seamless robe for which the Roman +soldiers cast lots on Calvary--I wore it in the one glorious moment in +which I held you in my arms, dearest." + +"O Ned, Boy, you shouldn't be so foolish!" + +"I'm not. I'm sensible. I've done no more scout work since. I said that +my life was yours and I had no right to place it again in such mad +danger----" + +"And so you face death on the field!" + +"Yes, come sit here, dearest, I've made a seat for you of the broken +timbers from the bridge. We can see the moonlit river and the lazy turn +of the old wheel while we talk." + +He led her to the seat in the edge of the moonlight and Betty drew a +deep breath of joy as she drank in the beauty of the entrancing scene. +The shadows of night had hidden the scars of war. Only the tall stone +piers standing, lone sentinels in the river, marked its ravages where +the bridge had fallen. The moon had flung her sparkling silver veil over +the blood-stained world. + +"You know," Ned went on eagerly, "those big pillars won't stand there +naked long. We'll put the timbers back on them soon and run our trains +through to Washington----" + +"Sh, Ned," Betty whispered, touching his arm lightly, "be still a +moment, I want to feel this wonderful scene!" + +The air was sweet with the perfume of apple blossoms, the water from the +old wheel fell with silvery echo and ran rippling over the stones into +the river. Somewhere above the cliff a negro was playing a banjo and far +down the river, beside a little cottage torn with shot and shell, but +still standing, a mocking-bird was singing in the lilac bushes. + +The girl looked at Ned with curious tenderness, and wondered if she had +known her own heart after all--wondered if the fierce blinding passion +she had once felt for his brother had been the divine thing that links +the soul to the eternal? A strange spiritual beauty enveloped this +younger man and drew her to-night with new power. There was something +restful in its mystery. She wondered vaguely if it were possible to love +two men at the same moment. She could almost swear it were. If she had +never really loved John Vaughan at all! Why had his powerful, brutal +personality drawn her with such terrible power? Was such a force love? +It was something different from the tender charm which enveloped the +slender straight young figure by her side now. She felt this with +increasing certainty. + +Ned took her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. + +The touch of his lips sent a thrill through her heart. It was sweet to +be worshipped in this old-fashioned, foolish way. Whatever her own +feeling's might be, this was love--in its divinest flowering. It drew +her to-night with all but resistless tug. + +"May I break the silence now, dearest, to ask you something?" he said +softly. + +"Yes." + +"Haven't you realized yet that you are going to be mine?" + +"Not in the way you mean----" + +"But you are, dearest, you are!" he whispered rapturously. "You love me. +You just haven't really faced the thing yet and put it to the test in +your heart. War has separated us, that's all. But there's never been a +moment's doubt in my soul since I looked into your eyes that night in +the old prison. Their light made the cell shine with the glory of +heaven! And when you kissed me, dearest----" + +"You know why I did that, Ned," she murmured. + +"You're fooling yourself, darling! You couldn't have done what you did, +if you hadn't loved me. It came to me in a flash as I held you in my +arms and pressed you to my heart. There can be no other woman on earth +for me after that moment. I lived a life time with it. Say you'll be +mine, dearest?" + +"But I don't love you, Ned, as you love me----" + +"I don't ask it now. I can wait. The revelation will come to you at last +in the fullness of time--promise me, dearest--promise me!" + +For an hour he poured into her ears his passionate tender plea, until +the rapture of his love, the perfumed air of the spring night, and the +shimmer of moonlit waters stole into her lonely heart with resistless +charm. + +She lifted her lips to his at last and whispered: + +"Yes." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE PANIC + + +The morning after Betty returned to Carver Hospital from the front, a +mother was pouring out her heart in a burst of patriotic joy over a +wounded boy. + +She thought of the lonely figure in the White House treading the wine +press of a Nation's sorrow alone and asked the mother to go with her to +the President, meet him and repeat what she had said. She consented at +once. + +For the first time Betty failed to gain admission promptly. Mr. +Stoddard, his third Secretary, was at the door. + +"We must let him eat something, Miss Winter," he whispered. "All night +the muffled sound of his footfall came from his room. I heard it at +nine, at ten, at eleven. At midnight Stanton left his door ajar and his +steady tramp, tramp, tramp, came with heavier sound. The last thing I +heard as I left at three was the muffled beat upstairs. The guard told +me it never stopped for a moment all night." + +Betty was surprised to see his face illumined by a cheerful smile as she +entered. She gazed with awe into the deep eyes of the man whose single +word could stop the war and divide the Union. She wondered if he had +fought the Nation's battle alone with God through the night until his +prophetic vision had seen through cloud and darkness the dawn of a new +and more wonderful life. + +She spoke softly: + +"I've brought you a good mother who lost a son at Fredericksburg. She +has a message for you." + +The tall form bent reverently and pressed her hand. A wonderful smile +transfigured his rugged face as he listened: + +"God help you in your trials, Mr. President, as he has helped me in +mine----" + +"And you lost your son at Fredericksburg?" + +"Yes. It was long before I could feel reconciled. But I've been praying +for you day and night since----" + +"For me?" + +"You must be strong and courageous, and God will bring the Nation +through!" + +"You say that to me, standing beside the grave of your son?" + +"Yes, and beside the cot of my other boy who is here wounded from +Chancellorsville. I'm proud that God gave me such sons to lay on the +altar of my country. Remember, I am praying for you day and night!" + +Both big hands closed over hers and he was silent a moment. + +"It's all right then. I'll get new strength when I remember that such +mothers are praying for me." + +He pressed Betty's hand at the door: + +"Thank you, child. You bring medicine that reaches soul and body!" + +The hour of despair had passed and the President returned to his task +patient, watchful, strong. + +Daily the shadows deepened over the Nation's life. Blacker and denser +rose the clouds. Four Northern Generals had now gone down before Lee's +apparently invincible genius--McClellan, Pope, Burnside, and Hooker, and +with each fall the corpses of young men were piled higher. + +Again the clamor rose for the return of McClellan to command. This cry +was not only heard in the crushed Army of the Potomac, it was backed by +the voice of two million Democrats who had chosen the man on horseback +as their leader. + +It was for precisely this reason that McClellan could not be considered +again for command. His party had fallen under the complete control of +its Copperhead leaders who demanded the ending of the war at once and at +any sacrifice of principle or of the Union. + +The only way the President could stop desertions and prevent the actual +secession of the great Northern States of the Middle West, now under the +control of these men, was to use his arbitrary power to suspend the +civil law and put them in prison. Through the State and War Departments +he did this sorrowfully, but promptly. + +His answer to his critics was the soundest reasoning and it justified +him in the judgment of thinking men. + +"I make such arrests," he declared, "because these men are laboring to +prevent the raising of troops and encouraging desertion. Armies cannot +be maintained unless desertion shall be punished by the penalty of +death. + +"I will not shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who deserts, and refuse to +touch a wily agitator who induces him to commit the crime. To silence +the agitator and save the boy is not only Constitutional, but withal a +great mercy." + +Volunteers were no longer to be had and a draft of five hundred thousand +men had been ordered for the summer. The Democratic leaders in solid +array were threatening to resist this draft by every means in their +power, even to riot and revolution. + +The masses of the North were profoundly discouraged at the unhappy +results of the war. In thousands of patriotic loyal homes, men and women +had begun to ask themselves whether it were not cruel folly to send +their brave boys to be slaughtered. + +The prestige of the Southern army was at its highest point and its +terrible power was nowhere more gravely realized than in the North, +whose thousands of mourning homes attested its valor. + +Europe at last seemed ready to spring on the throat of America. Distinct +reports were in circulation in the Old World that the Emperor of France, +Napoleon III, intended to interfere in our affairs. On the 9th of +January, the French Government denied this. The Emperor himself, +however, sent to the President an offer of mediation so blunt and +surprising it could not be doubted that it was a veiled hint of his +purpose to intervene. Beyond a doubt he expected the Union to be +dismembered and he proposed to form an alliance between the Latin Empire +which he was founding in Mexico and the triumphant Confederate States. + +Great Britain was behind this Napoleonic adventure. Outwitted by the +President in the affair of the _Trent_, the British Government was eager +for the chance to strike the Republic. + +To cap the climax of disasters Lee was preparing to invade the North +with his victorious army. The announcement struck terror to the Northern +cities and produced a condition among them little short of panic. + +The move would be the height of audacity and yet Lee had good reasons +for believing its success possible and probable. His grey veterans were +still ragged and poorly shod. With Southern ports blockaded and no +manufacturing this was inevitable, but they had proven in two years' +test of fire Lee's proud boast: + +"There never were such men in an army before. They will go anywhere and +do anything if properly led." + +This opinion was confirmed to the President by Charles Francis Adams, a +veteran of his own Army of the Potomac, whom he summoned to the White +House for a conference. + +"I do not believe," said Adams gravely, "that any more formidable or +better organized and animated force was ever set in motion than that +which Lee is now leading toward the North. It is essentially an army of +fighters--men who individually, or in the mass, can be depended on for +any feat of arms in the power of mere mortals to accomplish. They will +blanch at no danger. Lee knows this from experience and they have full +confidence in him." + +He could not hope to enter Pennsylvania with more than sixty-five +thousand men, but his plan was reasonable. With such an army he had +hurled McClellan's hundred and ten thousand soldiers back from the gates +of Richmond and scattered them to the winds. With a less number he had +all but annihilated Pope's men and flung them back into Washington a +disorganized rabble. With thirty-seven thousand grey soldiers he had +repelled in a welter of blood McClellan's eighty-six thousand at +Antietam and retired at his leisure. With seventy thousand men he had +crushed Burnside's host of one hundred and thirteen thousand at +Fredericksburg. With sixty thousand he had just struck Hooker's grand +army of a hundred and thirty thousand men and four hundred and +thirty-eight guns, rolled it up as a scroll and thrown it across the +Rappahannock in blinding, bewildering defeat. + +From every prisoner taken at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville he knew +the Northern army was discouraged and heartsick. That he could march his +ragged men, the flower of Southern manhood, into Pennsylvania and clothe +and feed them on her boundless resources he couldn't doubt. Virginia was +swept bare, and the demoralization of Hooker's army with the profound +depression of the North left his way open. + +To say that Lee's invasion, as it rapidly developed under such +conditions, struck terror to the Capital of the Republic is to mildly +express it. The movement of his army from Culpepper in June indicated +clearly that his objective point was Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If the +Capital of the State fell, nothing could withstand the onward triumphant +rush of his army into Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. + +To meet the extraordinary danger the President called for one hundred +thousand militia for six months' emergency service from the five States +clustering around Pennsylvania. And yet as the two armies drew near to +each other, General George Meade, the new Union Commander who had +succeeded Hooker, had but one hundred and five thousand against Lee's +sixty-two thousand. So terrible had been the depression following +Chancellorsville, so rapid the desertions, so numerous the leaves of +absence, that the combined forces of the Army of the Potomac with the +State troops under the new call reached only this pitiful total. + +Lee's swift column penetrated almost to the gates of Harrisburg before +Meade's advance division of twenty-five thousand men had caught up with +his rear at Gettysburg on July 1st. + +Seeing that a battle was inevitable, Lee drew in his advance lines and +made ready for the clash. The Northern army was going into this fight +with the smallest number of men relatively which he had ever met--though +outnumbering him nearly two to one. The difference was that here the +North was defending her own soil. + +It was not surprising that on the eve of such a battle in the light of +the frightful experiences of the past two years that Washington should +be in a condition of panic. A single defeat now with Lee's victorious +army north of the Capital meant its fall, the inevitable dismemberment +of the Union, and the bankruptcy and ruin of the remaining Northern +States. + +Brave men in Congress who had fought heroically with their mouths +inveighing with bitter invective against the weak and vacillating policy +of the President in temporizing with the South were busy packing their +goods and chattels to fly at a moment's notice. + +The President realized, as no other man could, the deep tragedy of the +crisis. He sat by his window for hours, his face a grey mask, his +sorrowful eyes turned within, the deep-cut lines furrowed into his +cheeks as though burned with red hot irons. + +He was struggling desperately now to forestall the possible panic which +would follow defeat. + +He had sent once more for McClellan and in painful silence, all others +excluded from the Executive Chamber, awaited his coming. + +"You are doubtless aware, General," the President began, "that a defeat +at Gettysburg might involve the fall of the Capital and the +dismemberment of the Union?" + +"I am, sir." + +"First, I wish to speak to you with perfect frankness about some ugly +matters which have come to my ears--may I?" + +The compelling blue eyes flashed and the General spoke with an accent of +impatience: + +"Certainly." + +"A number of Secret Societies have overspread the North and Northwest, +whose purpose is to end the war at once and on any terms. I have the +best of reasons for believing that the men back of these Orders are now +in touch with the Davis Government in Richmond. I am informed that a +coterie of these conspirators, a sort of governing board, have gotten +control or may get control of the organization of your Party. I have +heard the ugly rumor that they are counting on you----" + +"Stop!" McClellan shouted. + +The General sprang to his feet, the President rose and the two men +confronted each other in a moment of tense silence. + +The compact figure of McClellan was trembling with rage--the tall man's +sombre eyes holding his with steady purpose. + +"No man can couple the word treason with my name, sir!" the General +hissed. + +"Have I done so?" + +"You are insinuating it--and I demand a retraction!" + +The President smiled genially: + +"Then I apologize for my carelessness of expression. I have never +believed you a traitor to the Union." + +"Thank you!" + +"I don't believe it now, General. That's why I've sent for you." + +"Then I suggest that you employ more caution in the use of words if this +conversation is to continue." + +"Again I apologize, General, with admiration for your manner of meeting +the ugly subject. I'm glad you feel that way--and now if you will be +seated we can talk business." + +McClellan resumed his seat with a frown and the President went on: + +"I have sent for you to ask an amazing thing----" + +"Hence the secrecy with which I am summoned?" + +"Exactly. I'm going to ask you to take my place and save the Union." + +McClellan's handsome face went white: + +"What do you mean?" + +"Exactly what I've said." + +"And your conditions?" the General asked, with a quiver in his voice. + +"They are very simple: Preside to-morrow night at a great Democratic +Union Mass Meeting in New York and boldly put yourself at the head of +the Union Democracy----" + +"And you?" + +"I will withdraw from the race." + +"What race?" + +"For the next term of the Presidency." + +"Oh----" + +"My convention is but ten months off. Yours can meet a day earlier. I +will withdraw in your favor and force my Party to endorse you. Your +election will be a certainty." + +The General lifted his hand with a curious smile: + +"You're in earnest?" + +"I was never more so. It is needless for me to say that I came into this +office with high ambitions to serve my country. My dream of glory has +gone--I have left only agony and tears----" He paused and drew a deep +breath. + +"I did want the chance," he went on wistfully, "to stay here another +term to see the sun shine again, to heal my country's wounds, and show +all my people, North, South, East, and West, that I love them! But I +can't risk this new battle, if you will agree to take my place and save +the Union. Will you preside over such a meeting?" + +"No," was the sharp, clear answer. + +"I am sorry--why?" + +"Perhaps I am already certain of that election without your assistance?" + +"Oh--I see." + +"Besides, what right have you to ask anything of me?" + +"Only the right of one who sinks all thought of himself in what he +believes to be the greater good." + +"You who, with victory in my grasp before Richmond, snatched it away! +You, who nailed me to the cross on the bloody field of Antietam with +your accursed Proclamation of Emancipation and removed me from my +command before I could win my campaign!" + +The big hand rose in kindly protest: + +"Can't you believe me, General, when I tell you, with God as my witness, +that I have never allowed a personal motive or feeling to enter into a +single appointment or removal I have made? What I've done has always +been exactly what I believed was for the best interests of the country. +Can't you believe this?" + +"No." + +"In spite of the fact that I risked the dissolution of my Cabinet and +the united opposition of my party when I restored you to command?" + +"No--you had to do it." + +"Grant then," the persuasive voice went on, "that I have treated you +unfairly, that I had personal feelings. Surely you should in this hour +of my reckoning, this hour of my Golgotha, when I climb the hill alone +and ask the man I have wronged to take my place--surely you should be +content with my humiliation? I shall not hesitate to proclaim it from +the housetop when I ask for your election. If I have wronged you, my +anguish could not be more pitifully complete! Will you do as I ask, and +assure the safety of our country?" + +"I'll do my best to save my country," was the slow, firm answer, "but in +my own way." + +The General rose, bowed stiffly and left the President standing in +sorrowful silence, his deep eyes staring into space and seeing nothing. + +On the morning of July 1st the two armies were rapidly approaching each +other, marching in parallel lines stretched over a vast distance--the +extreme wings more than forty miles apart. + +Buford, commanding the advance guard of the Union army, struck Hill's +division of the Confederates before the town of Gettysburg and the first +gun of the great battle echoed over the green hills and valleys of +Pennsylvania. + +The President caught the flash of the shock from the telegraph wires +with a sense of sickening dread. The rear guard of his army was yet +forty miles away. What might happen before they were in line God alone +could tell. He could not know, of course, that but twenty-two thousand +Confederates had reached the field and stood confronting twenty-four +thousand under John F. Reynolds, one of the ablest and bravest generals +of the Union army. + +Through every hour of this awful day he sat in the telegraph office of +the War Department and read with bated breath the news. + +The brief reports were not reassuring. The battle was raging with +unparalleled fury. At ten o'clock General Reynolds fell dead from his +horse in front of his men, and when the news was flashed to Meade he +sent Hancock forward riding at full speed to take command. + +The President read the message announcing Reynolds' death with quivering +lip. He put his big hand blindly over his heart as if about to faint. + +At three o'clock the smoke which had enveloped the battle line was +lifted by a breeze as Hancock dashed on the field. He had not arrived a +moment too soon. His superb bearing on his magnificent horse, his +shouts of confidence, his promise of heavy reinforcements, stayed the +tide of retreat and brought order out of chaos. + +The day had been won again by Lee's apparently invincible men. They had +driven the Union army from their line a mile in front of Gettysburg back +through the town and beyond it, captured the town, taken five thousand +men in blue prisoners with two generals, besides inflicting a loss of +three thousand killed and wounded, including among the dead the gallant +and popular commander, John F. Reynolds. + +When this message reached the President late at night he had eaten +nothing since breakfast. He rose from his seat in the telegraph office +and walked from the building alone in silence. His step was slow, +trance-like, and uncertain as if he were only half awake or had risen +walking in his sleep. + +He went to his bedroom, locked the door and fell on his knees in prayer. +Hour after hour he wrestled alone with God in the darkness, while his +tired army rushed through the night to plant themselves on the Heights +beyond Gettysburg, before Lee's men could be concentrated to forestall +them. + +Over and over again, through sombre eyes that streamed with tears, the +passionate cry was wrung from his heart: + +"Lord God of our fathers, have mercy on us! I have tried to make this +war yours--our cause yours--if I have sinned and come short, forgive! We +cannot endure another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. Into thy +hands, O Lord, I give our men and our country this night--save them!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +SUNSHINE AND STORM + + +When the sun rose over Gettysburg on the second day of July, the Union +army, rushing breathlessly through the night to the rescue of its +defeated advance corps, had reached the heights beyond the town. Before +Longstreet had attempted to obey Lee's command to take these hills, +General Meade's blue host had reached them and were entrenching +themselves. + +The Confederate Commander discovered that in the death of Jackson, he +had lost his right arm. + +It was one o'clock before Longstreet moved to the attack, hurling his +columns in reckless daring against these bristling heights. When +darkness drew its kindly veil over the scene, Lee's army had driven +General Sickles from his chosen position to his second line of defense +on the hill behind, gained a foothold in the famous Devil's Den at the +base of the Round Tops, broken the lines of the Union right and held +their fortifications on Culp's Hill. + +The day had been one of frightful slaughter. + +The Union losses in the two days had reached the appalling total of more +than twenty thousand men. Lee had lost fifteen thousand. + +The brilliant July moon rose and flooded this field of blood and death +with silent glory. From every nook and corner, from every shadow and +across every open space, through the hot breath of the night, came the +moans of thousands, and louder than all the long agonizing cries for +water. Many a man in grey crawled over the ragged rocks to press his +canteen to the lips of his dying enemy in blue, and many a boy in blue +did as much for the man in grey. + +Fifteen thousand wounded men lay there through the long black hours. + +At ten o'clock a wounded Christian soldier began to sing one of the old, +sweet hymns of faith, whose words have come ringing down the ages wet +with tears and winged with human hopes. In five minutes ten thousand +voices of blue and grey, some of them quivering with the agony of death, +had joined. For two hours the woods and hills rang with the songs of +these wounded men. + +All through this pitiful music the Confederates were massing their +artillery on Seminary Ridge, replacing their wounded horses and +refilling their ammunition chests. + +The Union army were burrowing like moles and planting their terrible +batteries on the brows of the hills beyond the town. + +At Lee's council of war that night Longstreet advised his withdrawal +from Gettysburg into a more favorable position in the mountains. But the +Confederate Commander, reinforced now by the arrival of Pickett's +division of fifteen thousand men and Stuart's cavalry, determined to +renew the battle. + +At the first grey streak of dawn on the 3rd the Federal guns roared +their challenge to the Confederate forces which had captured their +entrenchments on Culp's Hill. Seven terrible hours of bombardment, +charge and counter charge followed until every foot of space had claimed +its toll of dead, before the Confederates yielded the Hill. + +At noon there was an ominous lull in the battle. At one o'clock a puff +of smoke from Seminary Ridge was followed by a dull roar. The signal gun +had pealed its call of death to thousands. For two miles along the crest +of this Ridge the Confederates had planted one hundred and fifty guns. +Two miles of smoke-wreathed flame suddenly leaped from those hills in a +single fiery breath. + +The longer line of big Federal guns on Seminary Ridge were silent for a +few minutes and then answered gun for gun until the heavens were +transformed into a roaring hell of bursting, screaming, flaming shells. +For two hours the earth trembled beneath the shock of these volcanoes, +and then the two storms died slowly away and the smoke began to lift. + +An ominous sign. The grey infantry were deploying in line under Pickett +to charge the heights of Cemetery Ridge. Fifteen thousand gallant men +against an impregnable hill held by seventy thousand intrenched +soldiers, backed by the deadliest and most powerful artillery. + +They swept now into the field before the Heights, their bands playing as +if on parade--their grey ranks dressed on their colors. Down the slope +across the plain and up the hill the waves rolled, their thinning ranks +closing the wide gaps torn each moment by the fiery sleet of iron and +lead. + +A handful of them lived to reach the Union lines on those heights. +Armistead, with a hundred men, broke through and lifted his battle flag +for a moment over a Federal battery, and fell mortally wounded. + +And then the shattered grey wave broke into a spray of blood and slowly +ebbed down the hill. The battle of Gettysburg had ended. + +For the first time the blue Army of the Potomac had won a genuine +victory. It had been gained at a frightful cost, but no price was too +high to pay for such a victory. It had saved the Capital of the Nation. +The Union army had lost twenty-three thousand men, the Confederate +twenty thousand. Meade had lost seventeen of his generals, and Lee, +fourteen. + +When the thrilling news from the front reached Washington on July 4th, +the President lifted his big hands above his head and cried to the crowd +of excited men who thronged the Executive office: + +"Unto God we give all the praise!" + +None of those present knew the soul significance of that sentence as it +fell from his trembling lips. He seated himself at his desk and quickly +wrote a brief proclamation of thanks to Almighty God, which he +telegraphed to the Governor of each Union State, requesting them to +repeat it to their people. + +While the North was still quivering with joy over the turn of the tide +at Gettysburg, Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy, hurried into +the President's office and handed him a dispatch from the gunboat under +Admiral Porter cooeperating with General Grant announcing the fall of +Vicksburg, the surrender of thirty-five thousand Confederate soldiers of +its garrison, and the opening of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of +Mexico. + +The President seized his hat, his dark face shining with joy: + +"I will telegraph the news to General Meade myself!" + +He stopped suddenly and threw his long arms around Welles: + +"What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious +intelligence? He is always giving us good news. I cannot tell you my joy +over this result. It is great, Mr. Welles, it is great!" + +With the eagerness of a boy he rushed to the telegraph office and sent +the message to Meade over his own signature. + +For the first time in dreary months the sun had burst for a moment +through the clouds that had hung in endless gloom over the White House. +The sorrowful eyes were shining with new hope. The President felt sure +that General Lee could never succeed in leading his shattered army back +into Virginia. He had lost twenty thousand men out of his sixty-two +thousand--while Meade was still in command of a grand army of eighty-two +thousand soldiers flushed with victory. The Potomac River was in flood +and the Confederate army was on its banks unable to recross. + +It was a moral certainty that the heroic Commander who had saved the +Capital at Gettysburg could, with his eighty-two thousand men, capture +or crush Lee's remaining force, caught in this trap by the swollen +river, and end the war. + +The men who crowded into the Executive office the day after the news of +Vicksburg, found the Chief Magistrate in high spirits. Among the cases +of deserters, court-martialed and ordered to be shot, he was surprised +to find a negro soldier bearing the remarkable name of Julius Caesar +Thornton. John Vaughan had telegraphed the President asking his +interference with the execution of this cruel edict. + +The President was deeply interested. It was the beginning of the use of +negro troops. He had consented to their employment with reluctance, but +they were proving their worth to the army, both in battle and in the +work of garrisons. + +Julius was brought from prison for an interview with the Chief +Magistrate. + +Stanton had sternly demanded the enforcement of the strictest military +discipline as the only way to make these black troops of any real +service to the Government. He asked that an example be made of Julius by +sending him back to the army to be publicly shot before the assembled +men of his race. He was convicted of two capital offenses. He had been +caught in Washington shamelessly flaunting the uniform he had disgraced. + +Julius faced the President with an humble salute and a broad grin. The +black man liked the looks of his judge and he threw off all +embarrassment his situation had produced with the first glance at the +kindly eyes gazing at him over the rims of those spectacles. + +"Well, Julius Caesar Thornton, this is a serious charge they have lodged +against you?" + +"Yassah, dat's what dey say." + +"You went forth like a man to fight for your country, didn't you?" + +"Na, sah!" + +"How'd you get there?" + +"Dey volunteered me, sah." + +"Volunteered you, did they?" the President laughed. + +"Yassah--dat dey did. Dey sho' volunteered me whether er no----" + +"And how did it happen?" + +"Dey done hit so quick, sah, I scacely know how dey did do hit. I was in +de war down in Virginia wid Marse John Vaughan--an' er low-lifed +Irishman on guard dar put me ter wuk er buryin' corpses. I hain't nebber +had no taste for corpses nohow, an' I didn't like de job--mo' specially, +sah, when one ob 'em come to ez I was pullin' him froo de dark ter de +grave----" + +"Come to, did he?" the President smiled. + +"Yassah--he come to all of er sudden an' kicked me! An' hit scared me +near 'bout ter death. I lit out fum dar purty quick, sah, an' go West. +An' I ain't mor'n got out dar 'fore two fellers drawed dere muskets on +me an' persuaded me ter volunteer, sah. Dey put dese here cloze on me +an' tell me dat I wuz er hero. I tell 'em dey must be some mistake 'bout +dat, but dey say no--dey know what dey wuz er doin'. Dey keep on tellin' +me dat I wuz er hero an', by golly, I 'gin ter b'lieve hit myself till +dey git me into trouble, sah." + +"You were in a battle?" + +Julius scratched his head and walled his eyes: + +"I had er little taste ob it, sah,----" + +"Well, you tried to fight, didn't you?" + +"No, sah,--I run." + +"Ran at the first fire?" + +"Yas, _sah_! An' I'd a ran sooner ef I'd er known hit wuz comin'----" + +Julius paused and broke into a jolly laugh: + +"Dey git one pop at me, sah, 'fore I seed what dey wuz doin'!" + +The President suppressed a laugh and gazed at Julius with severity: + +"That wasn't very creditable to your courage." + +"Dat ain't in my line, sah,--I'se er cook." + +"Have you no regard for your reputation?" + +"Dat ain't nuttin' ter me, sah, 'side er life!" + +"And your life is worth more than other people's?" + +"Worth er lot mo' ter me, sah." + +"I'm afraid they wouldn't have missed you, Julius, if you'd been +killed." + +"Na, sah, but I'd a sho missed myself an' dat's de pint wid me." + +The President fixed him with a comical frown: + +"It's sweet and honorable to die for one's country, Julius!" + +"Yassah--dat's what I hear--but I ain't fond er sweet things--I ain't +nebber hab no taste fer 'em, sah!" + +"Well, it looks like I'll have to let 'em have you, Julius, for an +example. I've tried to save you--but there doesn't seem to be any thing +to take hold of. Every time I grab you, you slip right through my +fingers. I reckon they'll have to shoot you----" + +The negro broke into a hearty laugh: + +"G'way fum here, Mr. President! You can't fool me, sah. I sees yer +laughin' right now way back dar in yo' eyes. You ain't gwine let 'em +shoot me. I'se too vallable a nigger fer dat. I wuz worth er thousan' +dollars 'fore de war. I sho' oughter be wuth two thousan' now. What's de +use er 'stroyin' er good piece er property lak dat? I won't be no good +ter nobody ef dey shoots me!" + +The President broke down at last, leaned back in his chair and laughed +with every muscle of his long body. Julius joined him with unction. + +When the laughter died away the tall figure bent over his desk and wrote +an order for the negro's release, and discharge from the army. + +One of the things which had brought the President his deepest joy in the +victory of Vicksburg was not the importance of the capture of the city +and the opening of the Mississippi so much as the saving of U. S. Grant +as a commanding General. + +From the capture of Fort Donelson, the eyes of the Chief Magistrate had +been fixed on this quiet fighter. And then came the disaster to his army +at Shiloh--the first day's fight a bloody and overwhelming defeat--the +second the recovery of the ground lost and the death of Albert Sydney +Johnston, his brilliant Confederate opponent. + +As a matter of fact, in its results, the battle had been a crushing +disaster to the South. But Grant had lost fourteen thousand men in the +two days' carnage and it was the first great field of death the war had +produced. McClellan had not yet met Lee before Richmond. The cry against +Grant was furious and practically universal. + +Senator Winter, representing the demands of Congress, literally stormed +the White House for weeks with the persistent and fierce demand for +Grant's removal. + +The President shook his head doggedly: + +"I can't spare this man--he fights!" + +The Senator submitted the proofs that Grant was addicted to the use of +strong drink and that he was under the influence of whiskey on the +first day of the battle of Shiloh. + +In vain Winter stormed and threatened for an hour. The President was +adamant. + +He didn't know Grant personally. But he had felt the grip of his big +personality on the men under his command and he refused to let him go. + +He turned to his tormentor at last with a quizzical look in his eye: + +"You know, Winter, that reminds me of a little story----" + +The Senator threw up both hands with a gesture of rage. He knew what the +wily diplomat was up to. + +"I won't hear it, sir," he growled. "I won't hear it. You and your +stories are sending this country to hell--it's not more than a mile from +there now!" + +The sombre eyes smiled as he slowly said: + +"I believe it _is_ just a mile from here to the Senate Chamber!" + +The Senator faced him a moment and the two men looked at each other +tense, erect, unyielding. + +"There may or may not be a grain of truth in your statements, Winter," +the quiet voice continued, "but your personal animus against Grant is +deeper. He is a Democrat married to a Southern woman, and is a +slave-holder. You can't be fair to him. I can, I must and I will. I am +the President of all the people. The Nation needs this man. I will not +allow him to be crushed. You have my last word." + +The Senator strode to the door in silence and paused: + +"But you haven't mine, sir!" + +The tall figure bowed and smiled. + +The President found the task a greater one than he had dreamed. So +furious was the popular outcry against Grant, so dogged and persistent +was the demand for his removal he was compelled to place General Halleck +in nominal command of the district in which his army was operating until +the popular furor should subside. In this way he had kept Grant as +Second in Command at the head of his army, and Vicksburg with +thirty-five thousand prisoners was the answer the silent man in the West +had sent to his champion and protector in the White House. + +The thrilling message had come at an opportune moment. The new commander +of the army of the Potomac had defeated General Lee at Gettysburg and +for an hour his name was on every lip. The President and the Nation had +taken it for granted that he would hurl his eighty-two thousand men on +Lee's army hemmed in by the impassable Potomac. + +So sure of this was Stanton that he declared to the President: + +"If a single regiment of Lee's army ever gets back into Virginia in an +organized condition it will prove that I am totally unfit to be +Secretary of War." + +Once more the impossible happened. Lee did get back into Virginia, his +army marching with quick step and undaunted spirit, ready to fight at +any moment his rear guard came in touch with Meade's advancing hosts. He +not only crossed the Potomac with his army in perfect fighting form with +every gun he carried, but with thousands of fat cattle and four thousand +prisoners of war captured on the field of Gettysburg. + +The President's day of rejoicing was brief. As Lee withdrew to his old +battle ground with his still unconquered lines of grey, the man in the +White House saw with aching heart his dream of peace fade into the +mists of even a darker night than the one through which his soul had +just passed. + +Slowly but surely the desperate South began to recover from the shock of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg and filled once more her thinning battle lines. +General Lee, sorely dissatisfied with himself for his failure to win in +Pennsylvania, tendered his resignation to the Richmond Government, +asking to be relieved by a younger and abler man. As no such man lived, +Jefferson Davis declined his resignation, and he continued his +leadership with renewed faith in his genius by every man, woman and +child in the South. + +General Meade, stung to desperation by the bitter disappointment of the +President and the people of the North, also tendered his resignation. + +For the moment the President refused to consider it, though his eyes +were fixed with growing faith on the silent figure of Grant. One more +victory from this stolid fighter and he had found the great commander +for which he had sought in vain through blood and tears for more than +two years. + +The first task to which he must turn his immediate attention was the +filling of the depleted ranks of the Northern armies. Volunteering had +ceased, the terms of the enlisted men would soon expire, and it was +absolutely necessary to enforce a draft for five hundred thousand +soldiers. + +The President had been warned by the Democratic Party, at present a +powerful and aggressive minority in Congress, that such an act of +despotism would not be tolerated by a free people. + +The President's answer was simple and to the point: + +"The South has long since adopted force to fill her ranks. If we are to +continue this war and save the Union it is absolutely necessary, and +therefore it shall be done." + +The great city of New York was the danger point. The Government had been +warned of the possibility of a revolution in the metropolis, whose +representatives in Congress had demanded the right to secede in the +beginning of the war. And yet the warning had not been taken seriously +by the War Department. No effort had been made to garrison the city +against the possibility of an armed uprising to resist the draft. +Demagogues had been haranguing the people for months, inflaming their +minds to the point of madness on the subject of this draft. + +On the night before the drawing was ordered in New York the leading +speaker had swept the crowd off their feet by the daring words with +which he closed his appeal: + +"We will resist this attempt of Black Republicans and Abolitionists to +force the children of the poor into the ranks they dare not enter. Will +you give any more of your sons to be food for vultures on the hills of +Virginia? Will you allow them to be torn from your firesides and driven +as dumb cattle into the mouths of Southern cannon? If you are slaves, +yes,----if you are freemen, no!" + +When the lottery wheel began to turn off its fatal names at the +Government Draft Office at the corner of Forty-sixth Street and Third +Avenue on the morning of July 14th, a sullen, determined mob packed the +streets in front of the building. Among them stood hundreds of women +whose husbands, sons and brothers were listed on the spinning wheel of +black fortune. + +Their voices were higher and angrier than the men's: + +"This is a rich man's war--but a poor man's fight----" + +"Yes, if you've got three hundred dollars you can hire a substitute from +the slums----" + +"But if you happen to be a working man, you can stand up and be shot for +these cowards and sneaks!" + +"Down with the draft!" + +"To hell with the hirelings and their wheel!" + +"Smash it----" + +"Burn the building!" + +A tough from the East Side waved his hand to the crowd of frenzied men +and women: + +"Come on, boys,----" + +With a single mighty impulse the mob surged toward the doors, and +through them. A sound of smashing glass, blows, curses. A man rushed +into the street holding the enrollment books above his head: + +"Here are your names, men--the list of white slaves!" + +The mob tore the sheets from his grasp and fell on them like hungry +wolves. In ten minutes the books were only scraps of paper trampled into +the filth of Third Avenue. Wherever a piece could be seen men and women +stamped and spit on it. + +They smashed the wheel and furniture into kindling wood, piled it in the +middle of the room and set fire to it. No policemen or firemen were +allowed to approach. Every officer of the law, both civil and military, +had been chased and beaten and disappeared. + +Half the block was in flames before the firemen could break through and +reach the burning buildings. + +Down the Avenue, the maddened mob swept with resistless impulse, +jelling, cursing, shouting its defiance. + +"Down with the Abolitionists!" + +"Hang Horace Greeley on a sour apple tree!" + +"To the _Tribune_ Office!" + +Howard, a reporter of the _Tribune_, was recognized: + +"Kill him!" + +"Hang him!" + +The mob seized the reporter, dragged him to a lamp post and were about +to put the rope around his neck when a blow from a cobblestone felled +him to the sidewalk, the blood trickling down his neck. + +A man bending over his body, shouted to the crowd: + +"He's dead--we'll take the body away!" + +A friend helped and they carried him into a store and saved his life. + +For three days and nights this mob burned and killed at will and fought +every officer of the law until the streets ran red with blood. They +burned the Negro Orphan Asylum, beat, killed or hanged every negro who +showed his face, sacked the home of Mayor Opdyke, at 79 Fifth Avenue, +and attempted to burn it. They smashed in the _Tribune_ building, gutted +part of it and would have reduced it to ashes but for the brave defense +put up by some of its men. + +On the third day the announcement was made that the draft was suspended. +Five thousand troops reached the city and partly succeeded in restoring +order. + +More than a thousand men had been killed and three thousand +wounded--among them many women. + +The Democratic papers now boldly demanded that the draft should be +officially suspended until its constitutionality could be tested by the +courts. The State and Municipal authorities of New York appealed to the +President to suspend the draft. + +He answered: + +"If I suspend the draft there can be no army to continue the war and the +days of the Republic are numbered. The life of the Nation is at stake." + +They begged for time, and he hesitated for a day. The victories of +Gettysburg and Vicksburg were forgotten in the grim shadow of a possible +repetition of the French Revolution on a vast scale throughout the +North. The mob had already sacked the office of the _Times_ in Troy, +broken out in Boston, and threatened Cincinnati. + +The President gave the Governor of New York his final answer by sending +an army of ten thousand veterans into the city. He planted his artillery +to sweep the streets with grape and cannister, and ordered the draft to +be immediately enforced. + +The new wheel was set up, and turned with bayonets. The mobs were +overawed and the ranks of the army were refilled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +BETWEEN THE LINES + + +Betty Winter found to her sorrow that the memory of a dead love could be +a troublesome thing. Ned Vaughan's tender and compelling passion had +been resistless in the moonlight beneath a fragrant apple tree with the +old mill wheel splashing its music at their feet. She had returned to +her cot in the hospital that night in a glow of quiet, peaceful joy. +Life's problem had been solved at last in the sweet peace of a tender +and beautiful spiritual love--the only love that could be real. + +All this was plain, while the glow of Ned's words were in her heart and +the memory of his nearness alive in the fingers and lips he had kissed. +And then to her terror came stealing back the torturing vision of his +brother. Why, why, why could she never shut out the memory of this man! + +Over and over again she repeated the angry final word: + +"He isn't worth a moment's thought!" + +And yet she kept on thinking, thinking, always in the same blind circle. +At last came the new resolution, + +"Worthy or unworthy, I've given my word to a better man and that settles +it." + +The fight had become in her inflamed imagination the struggle between +good and evil. The younger man with his chivalrous boyish ideals was +God, Love, Light. The older with his iron will, his fierce ungovernable +passion, was the Devil, Lust and Darkness. She trembled with new terror +at the discovery that there was something elemental deep within her own +life that answered the challenge of this older voice with a strange +joyous daring. + +She had just risen from her knees where she had prayed for strength to +fight and win this battle when the maid knocked on her door. She had +left the hospital and returned home for a week's rest, tottering on the +verge of a nervous collapse since her return from the meeting with Ned. + +"A letter, Miss Betty," the maid said with a smile. + +She tore the envelope with nervous dread. It bore no postmark and was +addressed in a strange hand. + +Inside was another envelope in Ned's handwriting, and around it a sheet +of paper on which was scrawled, + + "DEAR MISS WINTER: The bearer of this letter is a trusted spy of + both Governments. I have friends in Washington and in Richmond. In + Richmond I am supposed to betray the Washington Government. In + Washington it is known that I am at heart loyal to the Union, and + all my correspondence from Richmond to the Confederate agents in + Canada and the North I deliver to the President and Stanton. This + one is an exception. I happened to have met Mr. Ned. Vaughan and + like him. I deliver this letter to you unopened by any hand. I've a + sweetheart myself." + +With a cry of joy, Betty broke the seal and read Ned's message. It was +written just after the battle of Gettysburg. + + "DEAREST: I am writing to you to-night because I must--though this + may never reach you. The whole look of war has changed for me since + that wonderful hour we spent in the moonlight beside the river and + you promised me your life. It's all a pitiful tragedy now, and + love, love, love seems the only thing in all God's universe worth + while! I don't wish to kill any more. It hurts the big something + inside that's divine. I'm surprised at myself that I can't see the + issues of National life as I saw them at first. Somehow they have + become dwarfed beside the new wonder and glory that fills my heart. + And now like a poor traitor, I am praying for peace, peace at any + price. Oh, dearest, you have brought me to this. I love you so + utterly with every breath I breathe, every thought of mind and + every impulse of soul and body, how can I see aught else in the + world? + + "In every scene of these three days of horror through which we've + just passed, my thought was of you. The signal gun that called the + men to die boomed your name for me. I heard it in the din and roar + and crash of armies. The louder came the call of death, the sweeter + life seemed because life meant you. Life has taken on a new and + wonderful meaning. I love it as I never loved it before and I've + grown to hate death and I whisper it to you, my love, my own--to + hate war! I want to live now, and I'm praying, praying, praying for + peace. My mind is yet clear in its conviction of right or I could + not stay here a moment longer. But I'm longing and hoping and + wondering whether God will not show us the way out of your tragic + dilemma. + + "During the battle I found a handsome young Federal officer who had + fallen inside out lines. With his last strength he was trying to + write a message to his bride who was waiting for him behind the + Union lines. I couldn't pass by. I stopped and got his name, gave + him water and made him as comfortable as possible. I got + permission from my General while the battle raged and sent his + message with a flag of truce to his wife. She came flying to his + side at the risk of her life, got to the rear and saved him. + Perhaps I wasn't an ideal soldier in that pause in my fight. But I + had to do it, dearest. It was your sweet spirit that stopped me and + sent the white flag of love and mercy. + + "And the strangest of all the things of the war happened that + night. I spent six hours among the wounded, helping the poor boys + all I could--both blue and grey--and I suddenly ran into John at + the same pitiful work. It's curious how all the bitterness is gone + out of my heart. + + "I grabbed him and hugged him, and we both cried like two fools. We + sat down between the lines in the brilliant moonlight and talked + for an hour. I told him of you, dearest, and he wished me all the + happiness life could give, but with a queer hitch in his voice, and + after a long silence, which made me wonder if he, too, had not been + loving you in secret. I shouldn't wonder if every man who sees you + loves you. The wonder to me is they don't. + + "Our band is playing an old-fashioned Southern song that sets my + heart to beating with joyous madness again. I'm dreaming through + that song of the home I'm going to build for you somewhere in the + land of sunshine. Don't worry about me. I'm not going to die. I + know I'm immortal now. I had faith once. Now I know--because I love + you and time is too short to tell and all too short to live my + love. + + "NED." + +She read it over twice through eyes that grew dim with each foolish, +sweet extravagance. And then she went back and read for the third time +the line about John, threw herself across her bed and burst into tears. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +THE WHIRLWIND + + +The draft of half a million men was scarcely completed when Rosecrans' +Western army, advancing into Georgia, met with crushing defeat at +Chickamauga, "The River of Death." His shattered hosts were driven back +into Chattanooga with the loss of eighteen thousand men in a rout so +complete and stunning that Charles A. Dana, the Assistant Secretary of +War, telegraphed the President from the front that it was another "Bull +Run." + +Rosecrans himself wired that he had met with a terrible disaster. The +White House sent him words of cheer. The Confederate Commander, General +Bragg, rapidly closed in and began to lay siege to Chattanooga, and the +defeated Federal army were put on short rations. + +The President turned his eyes now from Meade and his army of the Potomac +which Lee's strategy had completely baffled and gave his first thought +to the armies of the West. He sent Sherman hurrying from the Mississippi +to Rosecrans' relief and Hooker from the East. In the place of Rosecrans +he promoted George H. Thomas, whose gallant stand had saved the army +from annihilation and won the title, "The Rock of Chickamauga." And most +important of all he placed in supreme command of the forces in Tennessee +the silent man whom his patience and faith had saved to the Nation, the +conqueror of Vicksburg--Ulysses S. Grant. + +On November the 24th and 25th, the new Commander raised the siege of +Chattanooga, and drove Bragg's army from Missionary Ridge and Lookout +Mountain back into Georgia. + +At last the President had found the man of genius for whom he had long +searched. Grant was summoned to Washington and given command of all the +armies of the United States East and West. + +The new General at once placed William Tecumseh Sherman at the head of +an army of a hundred thousand men at Chattanooga for the purpose of +reinvading Georgia, sent General Butler with forty thousand up the +Peninsula against Richmond along the line of McClellan's old march, +raised the Army of the Potomac to one hundred and forty thousand +effective fighters, took command in person and faced General Lee on the +banks of the Rapidan but a few miles from the old ground in the +Wilderness around Chancellorsville where Hooker's men had baptized the +earth in heroic blood the year before. + +Grant's army was the flower of Northern manhood and with its three +hundred and eighteen great field guns the best equipped body of fighting +men ever brought together on our continent. His baggage train was over +sixty miles long and would have stretched the entire distance to +Richmond. + +By the spring of 1864 when he reached the Rapidan Lee's army had been +recruited again to its normal strength of sixty-two thousand. + +A great religious revival swept the Southern camps during the winter +and its meetings lasted into the spring almost to the hour of the +opening guns of the Wilderness campaign. Had whispers from the Infinite +reached the souls of the ragged men in grey and told them of coming +Gethsemane and Calvary? + +Certain it is that though Lee's army were ragged and poorly fed their +courage was never higher, their faith in their Commander never more +sublime than in those beautiful spring mornings in April when they +burnished their bayonets to receive Grant's overwhelming host. + +The Chaplain of Ned Vaughan's regiment was leading a prayer meeting in +the moonlight. An earnest brother was praying fervently for more +manhood, and more courage. + +A ragged Confederate kneeling nearby didn't like the drift of his +petition and his patience gave out. He raised his head and called. + +"Say, hold on there, brother! You're getting that prayer all wrong. We +don't need no more courage--got so much now we're skeered of ourselves +sometimes. What we need is provisions. Ask the Lord to send us something +to eat. That's what we want now----" + +The leader took the interruption in good spirit and added an eloquent +request for at least one good meal a day if the Lord in his goodness and +mercy could spare it. + +No persimmon tree was ever stripped without the repetition of their old +joke. They all knew the words by heart, + +"Don't eat those persimmons--they're not good for you!" + +"I know it, man, I'm just doin' it to pucker my stomach to fit my +rations!" + +Ned was passing the door of a cabin in which a prayer meeting of +officers was being held. He was walking with his Colonel who was fond of +a sip of corn whiskey at times. He was slightly deaf. + +The leader of the meeting called from the door: + +"Won't you join us in prayer, Colonel?" + +"Thank you, no, I've just had a little!" he answered innocently. + +Ned roared and the brethren inside the cabin joined the laugh. + +No body of men of any race ever marched to death with calmer faith than +those ragged lines of grey now girding their loins for the fiercest, +bloodiest struggle in the annals of the world. + +Lee allowed Grant to cross the Rapidan unopposed and penetrate the +tangled wilds of the Wilderness. The Southerner knew that in these dense +woods the effectiveness of his opponent's superior numbers would be +vastly reduced. Longstreet's corps had not yet arrived from Gordonsville +where he had been sent to obtain food, and he must concentrate his +forces. + +The days were oppressively hot, as the men in blue tramped through the +forest aisles of the vast Virginia jungle--a maze of trees, underbrush +and dense foliage. A pall of ominous silence hung over this labyrinth of +desolation, broken only by the chirp of bluebird or the distant call of +the yellowhammer. + +Not waiting for the arrival of Longstreet on his forced march from +Gordonsville, Lee suddenly threw the half of his army on Grant's +advancing men with savage energy. Their march was halted and through +every hour of the day and far into the night the fierce conflict raged. +As darkness fell the Confederates had pushed the blue lines back, +captured four guns and a number of prisoners. + +But Longstreet had not come and Lee's army of barely forty thousand men +were in a dangerous position before Grant's legions. + +Both Generals renewed the fight at daylight. The Federals attacked Lee's +entire line with terrific force. Just as the Confederate right wing was +being crushed and rolled back in disorder, Longstreet reached the field +and threw his men into the breach. Lee himself rode to the front to lead +the charge and reestablish his yielding lines. + +From a thousand throats rose the cry: + +"Lee to the rear!" + +"Go back, General Lee!" + +"This is no place for you!" + +"We'll settle this!" + +The men refused to move until their Commander had withdrawn. And then +with their fierce yell they charged and swept the field. + +Lee repeated the brilliant achievement of Jackson at Chancellorsville. +Longstreet was sent around Hancock's left to turn and assail his flank. +The movement was a complete success. Hancock's line was smashed and +driven back a mile to his second defenses. + +General Wadsworth at the head of his division was mortally wounded and +fell into the hands of the on-sweeping Confederates. Just as the +movement had reached the moments of its triumph which would have +crumpled Grant's army in confusion back on the banks of the river, +Longstreet fell dangerously wounded, struck down by a volley from his +own men in exactly the same way and almost in the same spot where +Jackson had fallen. General Jenkins, who was with him, was instantly +killed. + +The charging hosts were halted by the change of Commanders and the +movement failed of its big purpose, though at sunset General John B. +Gordon broke through Sedgwick's Union lines, rolled back his right +flank, drove him a mile from his entrenchments and captured six hundred +prisoners with two brigadier generals. + +The mysterious fate which had pursued the South had once more stricken +down a great commander in the moment of victory, and snatched it from +his grasp--at Shiloh, Albert Sydney Johnston; at Seven Pines, Joseph E. +Johnston; at Chancellorsville, Jackson, and now Longstreet. + +Grant in two days lost seventeen thousand six hundred and sixty-six men, +a larger number than fell under Hooker when he had retreated in despair. +Any other General than Grant, the stolid bulldog fighter, would have +retreated across the Rapidan to reorganize his bleeding lines. + +As one of his Generals rode up the following morning out of the +confusion and horror of the night, Grant, chewing on his cigar, waved +his right arm with a quick movement: + +"It's all right, Wilson; we'll fight again!" + +Next day the two armies lay in their trenches facing each other in grim +silence. Grant determined again to turn Lee's right flank and get +between him and Richmond. + +Lee divined his purpose before a single regiment had begun to march. +Spottsylvania Court House lay on his right. The Confederate Commander +hurried his advance guard to the spot and lay in wait for his opponent. + +The day of the 19th was spent by both armies in adjusting lines and +constructing breastworks. These fortifications were made by digging huge +ditches and on the top of their banks fastening heavy logs. In front of +these, abatis were made by filling the trees and cutting their limbs in +such a way that the sharp spikes projected toward the breasts of the +advancing foe. + +While placing his guns in position General Sedgwick was killed by a +sharpshooter's bullet--a commander of high character and fearless +courage and loved by every man in his army. + +On the morning of the 10th Hancock attempted to turn Lee's rear by +crossing the Po. The movement failed and he was recalled with heavy +losses under Early's assault as he recrossed the river. + +Warren led his division in a determined charge on the Confederate front +and they were mowed down in hundreds by Longstreet's men behind their +entrenchments. They reached the abatis and one man leaped on the +breastworks before they fell back in bloody confusion. General Rice was +mortally wounded in this charge. + +On the left of Warren, Colonel Emory Upton charged and broke through the +Confederate lines capturing twelve hundred prisoners, but was driven +back at last with the loss of a thousand of his men. Grant made him a +Brigadier General on the field. + +The first day at Spottsylvania ended with a loss of four thousand Union +men. Lee's losses were less than half that number. + +The 11th they paused for breath, and Grant sent his famous dispatch to +Washington: + +"I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer." + +On the morning of the 12th Hancock was ordered to charge at daylight. +Lee's lines were spread out in the shape of an enormous letter V. +Hancock's task was to capture the angle which formed the key to this +position. + +In pitch darkness under pouring rain his four divisions under Birney, +Mott, Barlow and Gibbon slipped through the mud and crept into position +within a few hundred yards of the Confederate breastworks. + +As the first streaks of dawn pierced the murky clouds, without a shot, +the solid, silent lines of blue rushed this angle and leaped into the +entrenchments before the astounded men in grey knew what had happened. + +So swift was the blow, so surprising, so overwhelming in numbers, the +angle was captured practically without a struggle and the three thousand +men within it were forced to surrender with every cannon, their muskets, +colors and two Generals. It was the most brilliant single achievement of +"Hancock the Superb." + +Pressing on, Hancock's men advanced against the second series of +trenches a half mile beyond. Here the fight really began. + +Into their faces poured a terrific volley of musketry and General John +B. Gordon led his men in a desperate charge to drive the invaders back. + +Lee, seeing the dangerous situation, rode to the front with the evident +intention of joining in this charge. + +Again the cry rang from the hearts of the men who loved him: + +"Lee to the rear!" + +They refused to move until he was led out of range of the fire. Gordon's +men charged and drove the Federal hosts back until at last they stood +against the entrenchments they had captured. Reinforcements now poured +in from both sides and the fighting became indescribable in its mad +desperation. Thousands of men in blue and men in grey fought face to +face and hand to hand. Muskets blazed in one another's eyes and blew +heads off. The dead were piled in rows four and five deep, blue and grey +locked in each other's arms. The trenches were filled with the dead and +cleared of bodies again and again to make room for the living until they +in turn were thrown out. + +Ned Vaughan saw a grey color-bearer's arm shot away at the shoulder, the +quivering flesh smeared with mud, stained with powder and filled with +the shreds of his grey sleeve--and yet, without blenching, he grasped +his colors with the other hand and swept on into the jaws of this +flaming hell at the head of his men. The rain of musketry fire against +the trees came to Ned's ears in low undertone like the rattle of myriads +of hail stones on the roof of a house. + +A grey soldier was fighting a duel to the death with a magnificently +dressed officer in blue, bare bayonet against bare sword. The soldier, +with a sudden plunge, ran his opponent through. With a shudder, Ned +looked to see if it were John. + +A company of men in blue were caught and cut off by a grey wave and +were trying to surrender. Their officers with drawn revolvers refused to +let them. + +"Shoot your officers!" a grey man shouted. In a moment every Commander +dropped and the men were marched to the rear. + +Hour after hour the flames of hell swirled in an endless whirlwind +around this "Bloody Angle." Battle line after battle line rushed in +never to return. Ned saw an oak tree two feet in diameter gnawed down by +musket balls. It fell with a crash, killing and wounding a number of +men. + +Color-bearers waved their flags in each other's faces, clinched and +fought like demons. Two soldiers, their ammunition spent, choked each +other to death on top of the entrenchment and rolled down its banks +among the torn and mangled bodies that filled the ditch. + +In the edge of this red whirlwind Ned Vaughan saw a grim man in grey +standing beside a tree using two guns. His wounded comrade loaded one +while he took deliberate aim and fired the other. With each crack of his +musket a man in blue was falling. + +In the centre of this mass of struggling maniacs the men were fighting +with gun swabs, handspikes, clubbed muskets, stones and fists. + +The night brought no rest, no pause to succor the wounded or bury the +dead. Through the black murk of the darkness they fought on and on until +at last the men who were living sank in their tracks at three o'clock +before day and neither line had given from this "Bloody Angle." + +The rain ceased to fall, the clouds lifted and the waning moon came out. + +Ned Vaughan passing over the outer field saw a long line of men lying +in regular ranks in an odd position. He turned to the Commander. + +"Why don't you move that line of battle now to make it conform to your +own?" + +"They're all dead men," was the quiet answer. "They are Georgia +soldiers." + +John Vaughan, on the other side, crossing an open space, came on a blue +battle line asleep rank on rank, skirmishers in front and battle line +behind, all asleep on their arms. There was no one near to answer a +question. They were all dead. + +The blue and grey men were talking to one another now. + +"Well, Johnnie," a Yankee called through the shadows, "I can't admit +that you're inspired of God, but after to-day I must say that you are +possessed of the devil." + +"Same to you, Yank! Your papers say we're all demoralized anyhow--so +to-morrow you oughtn't have no trouble finishin' us!" + +"Ah, shut up now, Johnnie, and go to sleep!" + +"All right, good-night, Yank, hope ye'll rest well. We'll give ye hell +at daylight!" + +For five days Grant swung his blue lines in circles of blood trying in +vain to break Lee's ranks and gave it up. He had lost at Spottsylvania +eighteen thousand more men. The stolid, silent man of iron nerves was +terribly moved by the frightful losses his gallant army had sustained. +He watched with anguish the endless lines of wagons bearing his stricken +men from the field. Lee's forces had been handled with such consummate +and terrible skill, his crushing numbers had made little impression. + +Grant was facing a new force in the world. The ordinary methods of war +which he had used with success in the West went here for nothing. The +devotion of Lee's men was a mania. Small as his army was the bulldog +fighter saw with amazement that it was practically unconquerable in a +square, hand-to-hand struggle. + +Once more he was forced to maneuver for advantage in position. He +ordered a new flank movement by the North Anna River. + +He had opened his fight with Lee on the 5th, and in two weeks he had +lost thirty-six thousand men, without gaining an inch in the execution +of his original plan of thrusting himself between the Confederate leader +and his Capital. Lee's army was apparently as terrible a fighting +machine as on the day they had met. + +A truce now followed to bury the dead and care for the wounded. So sure +had Grant been of crushing his opponent he had refused to agree to this +during the struggle. + +They found them piled six layers deep in the trenches, blue and grey, +blue and grey. Black wings were spread over the top with red beaks +tearing at eyes and lips while deep down below, yet groaned and moved +the living wounded. + +God of Love and Pity, draw the veil over the scene! No pen can tell its +story--no heart endure to hear it. + +The stop was brief. Already the cavalry were skirmishing for the next +position. + +Again the keen eye of Lee had divined his enemy's purpose. By a shorter +road his men had reached the North Anna before Grant. When the Union +leader arrived on the scene he found the position of his advance +division dangerous and quickly withdrew with the loss of two thousand +men. + +Once more he determined to turn Lee's flank and hurled his army toward +Cold Harbor. This time he reached his chosen ground before his opponent +and on the 31st, Sheridan's cavalry took possession of the place. The +two armies had rushed for this point in waving parallel lines, flashing +at each other death-dealing volleys as they touched. + +Both armies immediately began to entrench in their chosen positions. +Lee, familiar with his ground, had chosen his position with consummate +skill. On June the 1st, the preliminary attack was made at six o'clock +in the afternoon. It was short and bloody. The Northern division under +Smith and Wright charged and lost two thousand two hundred men in an +hour. + +Again Lee had placed his guns and infantry in a fiery crescent on the +hills arranged to catch both flanks and front of an advancing army. + +Grant's soldiers knew that grim work had been cut out for them on that +fatal morning the third day of June. As John Vaughan walked along the +lines the night before he saw thousands of silent men busy with their +needle and thread sewing their names on their underclothing. + +The hot, close weather of the preceding days had ended in a grateful +rain at five o'clock, which continued through the night and brought the +tired, suffering men gracious relief. + +Grant decided to assault the whole Confederate front and gave his orders +for the attack at the first streak of dawn at four-thirty. + +The charging blue hosts literally walked into the crater of a volcano +flaming in their faces and pouring tons of steel and lead into their +stricken flanks. Nothing like it had ever before been seen in the +history of war. + +_Ten thousand men in blue fell in twenty minutes!_ + +The battle was practically over at half past seven o'clock. + +General Smith received an order from Meade to renew the assault and +flatly refused. + +The scene which followed has no parallel in the records of human +suffering. Its horror is inconceivable and unthinkable. Through the +summer nights the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying rose in +pitiful endless waves. And no hand was lifted to save. For three days +they lay begging for water, groaning and dying where they had fallen. It +was certain death to venture in that storm-swept space. Only a few brave +men fought their way through to rescue a fallen comrade. + +It was not until the 7th that a truce was arranged to clear this shamble +and then every man in blue was dead save two. Everywhere blood, blood, +blood in dark slippery pools--dead horses--dead men--smashed guns, legs, +arms, torn and mangled pieces of bodies--the earth plowed with shot and +shell. + +Thirty days had passed since Grant met Lee in the tangled Wilderness and +the Northern army had lost sixty thousand men, two thousand a day. + +It is small wonder that he decided not to try longer "to fight it out on +that line." + +Lee had put out of combat as many men for his opponent as he had under +his command at any time and his army with the reinforcements he had +received was now as strong as the day he met Grant. + +For twelve days the two armies lay in their entrenchments on this field +of death while the Federal Commander arranged a new plan of campaign. +The sharpshooting was incessant. No man in all the line of blue could +stand erect and live an instant. Soldiers whose time of service had +expired and were ordered home, had to crawl on their hands and knees +through the trenches to the rear. + +The new Commander, on whose genius the President and the people had +planted their brightest hopes, had just reached the spot where McClellan +stood in June, 1862. And he might have gotten there by the James under +cover of his gunboats without the loss of a single life. + +Again John Vaughan's memory turned to McClellan with desperate +bitterness. The longer he brooded over the hideous scenes of the past +month, the higher rose his blind rage against the President. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +THE BROTHERS MEET + + +When Julius, who had returned to John Vaughan's service, saw those piles +of dead men on the field of Cold Harbor he lost faith in the Union +Cause. He made up his mind that the past month's work had more than paid +for that letter to the President and he took to the woods on his own +hook. + +He lay down to sleep the night he deserted in a clump of trees near the +Confederate outposts and rested his head on a pillow of pine straw. When +he waked in the morning at dawn he felt something tickle his nose. He +cautiously reached one hand up to see what it was and felt a lock of +hair. He rose slowly, fearing to look till he had gained his feet. He +turned his eyes at last and saw that he had been sleeping on a dead +man's head protruding through the shallow dirt and pine straw that had +been hastily thrown over it the first day of the battle. + +With a yell of terror he started on a run for his life. + +He never stopped until he had flanked Lee's army by a wide swing, made +his way to the rear and joined the Confederacy. + +Grant had now changed his plan of campaign. He determined to capture +Petersburg by a _coup_ and cut the communication of Lee and Richmond +with the South. The _coup_ failed. The ragged remnants of Lee's army +which had been left there to defend it, held the trenches until +reinforcements arrived. + +He determined to take it by a resistless concerted assault. On the 16th +he threw three of his army corps on Beauregard's thin lines before +Petersburg, capturing four redoubts. At daylight, on the 17th, he again +hurled his men on Beauregard and drove his men out of his first line of +defense. All day the defenders held their second line, though Grant's +crack divisions poured out their blood like water. As night fell the +dead were once more piled high on the Federal front and the Confederate +dead filled the trenches. + +As the third day dawned the fierce, assault was renewed, but Lee had +brought up Anderson's Corps with Kershaw and Field's division and the +blue waves broke against the impregnable grey ranks and rolled back, +leaving the dead in dark heaps. + +As the shadows of night fell, Grant withdrew his shattered lines to +their trenches. + +_He had lost ten thousand five hundred more men and had failed._ + +He began to burrow his fortifications into the earth around Petersburg +and try by siege what had been found impossible by assault. Further and +further crept his blue lines with pick and axe and spade and shovel, +digging, burrowing, piling their dirt and timbers. Before each blue +rampart silently grew one in grey until the two siege lines stretched +for thirty-seven miles in bristling, flaming semicircle covering both +Richmond and Petersburg. + +Again Grant planned a _coup_. He chose the role of the fox this time +instead of the lion. He selected the key of Lee's long lines of defense +and set a regiment of Pennsylvania miners to work digging a tunnel under +the Confederate fort known as "Elliot's Salient," which stood but two +hundred yards in front of Burnside's corps. + +The tunnel was finished, the mine ready, the fuses set, and eight +thousand pounds of powder planted in the earth beneath the unsuspecting +Confederates. + +Hancock's division with Sheridan's cavalry were sent to make a +demonstration against Richmond and draw Lee's main army to its defense. +The ruse was partly successful. There were but eighteen thousand behind +the defenses of Petersburg on the dark night when Grant massed fifty +thousand picked men before the doomed fort. The pioneers with their axes +cleared the abatis and opened the way for the charging hosts. Heavy guns +and mortars were planted to sweep the open space beyond the Salient and +beat back any attempted counter charge. + +The time set for the explosion was just before dawn. The fuse was lit +and fifty thousand men stood gripping their guns, waiting for the shock. +A quarter of an hour passed and nothing happened. An ominous silence +brooded over the dawning sky. The only sounds heard were the twitter of +waking birds in the trees and hedgerows. The fuse had failed. Two heroic +men crawled into the tunnel and found it had spluttered out in a damp +spot but fifty feet from the powder. It required an hour to secure and +plant a new fuse. Day had dawned. Just in front of John Vaughan's +regiment a Confederate spy was caught. He could hear every word of the +pitiful tragedy. + +He was a handsome, brown-eyed youngster of eighteen. + +He glanced pathetically toward the doomed fort, and shook his head: + +"Fifteen minutes more and I'd have saved you, boys!" + +He turned then to the executioners: + +"May I have just a minute to pray?" + +"Yes." + +He knelt and lifted his head, the fine young lips moving in silence as +the first rays of the rising sun flooded the scene with splendor. + +"May I write just a word to my mother and to my sweetheart?" he asked +with a smile. "They're just over there in Petersburg." + +"Yes." + +They gave him a piece of paper and he wrote his last words of love, and +in a moment was swinging from the limb of a tree. Only a few of the more +thoughtful men paid any attention. It was nothing. Such things happened +every day. God only kept the records. + +The new fuse was set and lighted. The minutes seemed hours as the men +waited breathlessly. With a dull muffled roar from the centre of the +earth beneath their very feet the fort rose two hundred feet straight +into the sky, driven by a tower of flame that stood stark and red in the +heavens. And then with blinding crash the mighty column of earth, guns, +timbers and three hundred grey bodies sank into the yawning crater. The +pit was sixty-five feet wide and three hundred feet long. + +The explosion had been a complete success. The undermined fort had been +wiped from the landscape. A great gap opened in Lee's lines marked by +the grave of three hundred of his men. + +Burnside's division rushed into the crater and climbed through the +breach. His men were met promptly by Ransom's brigade of North +Carolinians and held. The Union support became entangled in the hole, +stumbled and fell in confusion. + +General Mahone's brigades hastily called, rushed into position, and a +general Confederate charge was ordered. In silence, their arms trailing +by their sides, they quickly crossed the open space and fell like demons +on the confused blue lines which were driven back into the crater and +slaughtered like sheep. The Confederate guns were trained on this +yawning pit whose edges now bristled with flaming muskets. Regiment +after regiment of blue were hurled into this hell hole to be torn and +cut to pieces. + +A division of negro troops were hurried in and the sight of them drove +the Southerners to desperation. It took but a moment's grim charge to +hurl these black regiments back into the pit on the bodies of their +fallen white comrades. The crater became a butcher's shambles. + +When the smoke cleared four thousand more of Grant's men lay dead and +wounded in the grave in which had been buried three hundred grey +defenders. + +Lee's losses were less than one third as many. Grant asked for a truce +to bury his dead and from five until nine next morning there was no +firing along the grim lines of siege for the first time since the day +Petersburg had been invested. + +So confident now was Lee that he could hold his position against any +assault his powerful opponent could make, he detached Jubal Early with +twenty thousand men and sent him through the Shenandoah Valley to strike +Washington. + +Grant was compelled to send Sheridan after him. In the meantime he +determined to take advantage of Lee's reduced strength and cut the +Weldon railroad over which were coming all supplies from the South. + +Warren's corps was sent on this important mission. His attack failed and +he was driven back with a loss of three thousand men. He entrenched +himself and called for reinforcements. Hancock's famous corps was +hurried to the assistance of Warren. + +John Vaughan's regiment was now attached to Hancock's army. As they were +strapping on their knapsacks for this march, to his amazement Julius +suddenly appeared, grinning and bustling about as if he had never +strayed from the fold. His clothes were in shreds and tatters. + +"Where have you been all this time, nigger?" John asked. + +"Who, me?" + +"And where'd you get that new suit of clothes?" + +"Well, I'm gwine tell ye Gawd's truf, Marse John. Atter dat Cold Harbor +business I lit out fur de odder side. I wuz gittin' 'long very well dar +wid General Elliot in de Confederacy when all of er sudden somfin' +busted an' blowed me clean back inter de Union. An' here I is--yassah. +An' I'se gwine ter stick by you now. 'Pears lak de ain't no res' fur de +weary no whar." + +John was glad to have his enterprising cook once more and received the +traitor philosophically. + +Lee threw A. P. Hill's corps between Warren and Hancock's advancing +division. Hancock entrenched himself along-the railroad which he was +destroying. + +Hill trained his artillery on these trenches and charged them with swift +desperation late in the afternoon. The Union lines were broken and +crushed and the men fled in panic. In vain "Hancock the Superb," who had +seen his soldiers fall but never fail, tried to rally them. In agony he +witnessed their utter rout. His trenches were taken, his guns captured +and turned in a storm of death on his fleeing men. He lost twelve stands +of colors, nine big guns and twenty-five hundred men. + +As the darkness fell General Nelson A. Miles succeeded in rallying a new +line and stayed the panic by a desperate countercharge. + +Once more the grapple was hand to hand, man to man, in the darkness. +John Vaughan had fired the last load, save one, from his revolver, and +sword in hand, was cheering his men in a mad effort to regain their lost +entrenchments. Blue and grey were mixed in black confusion. Only by the +light of flashing guns could friend be distinguished from foe. A musket +flamed near his face and through the deep darkness which followed a +sword thrust pierced his side. He sprang back with an oath and clinched +with his antagonist, feeling for his throat in silence. For a minute +they wheeled struggled and fought in desperation, stumbling over +underbrush, slipping to their knees and rising. Every instinct of the +fighting brute in man was up now and the battle was to the death for +one--perhaps both. + +John succeeded at last in releasing his right hand and drawing his +revolver. His enemy sprang back at the same moment and through the +darkness again came the sword into his breast. He felt the blood +following the blade as it was snatched away, raised his revolver and +fired his last shot squarely at his foe. The muzzle was less than two +feet from his face and in the flash he saw Ned's look of horror, both +brothers recognizing each other in the same instant. + +"John--my God, it's you!" + +"Yes--yes--and it's you--God have mercy if I've killed you!" + +In a moment the older brother had caught Ned's sinking body and lowered +it gently on the leaves. + +"It's all right, John, old man," he gasped. "If I had to die it's just +as well by your hand. It's war--it's hell--all hell--anyhow--what's the +difference----" + +"But you mustn't die, Boy!" John whispered fiercely. "You mustn't, I +tell you!" + +"I didn't want to die," Ned sighed. "Life +was--just--becoming--real--beautiful--wonderful----" + +He stopped and drew a deep breath. + +John bent lower and Ned's arm slipped toward his neck and his fingers +touched the warm blood soaking his clothes. + +"I'm--afraid--I--got--you,--too,--John----" + +"No, I'm all right--brace up, Boy. Pull that devil will of yours +together--we've both got it--and live!" + +The younger man's head had sunk on his brother's blood-stained breast. + +"Now, look here, Ned, old man--this'll never do--don't--don't--give up!" + +The answer came faint and low: + +"Tell--Betty--when--you--see--her--that--with--my--last--breath--I--spoke +--her--name--her--face--lights--the--dark--way----" + +"You're going, Ned?" + +"Yes----" + +"Say you forgive me!" + +"There's--nothing--to--forgive--it's--all--right--John--good-bye----" + +The voice stopped. The battle had ceased. The woods were still. The +older brother could feel the slow rising and falling of the strong young +chest as if the muscles in the glory of their perfect life refused to +hear the call of Death. + +He bent in the darkness and kissed the trembling lips and they, too, +were still. He drew himself against the trunk of a tree and through the +beautiful summer night held the body of his dead brother in his arms. + +His fevered eyes were opened at last and he saw war as it is for the +first time. It had meant nothing before this reckoning of the dead and +wounded after battle--sixty thousand men from the Rapidan to Cold Harbor +in thirty days--ten thousand five hundred in the futile dash against +Petersburg--four thousand in the crater--five thousand five hundred more +now on this torn, twisted railroad, and all a failure--not an inch of +ground gained. + +These torn and mangled bundles of red rags he had watched the men dump +into trenches and cover with dirt had meant nothing real. They were only +loathsome things to be hidden from sight before the bugles called the +army to move. + +Now he saw a vision. Over every dark bundle on those blood-soaked fields +bent a brother, a father, a mother, a sister or sweetheart. He heard +their cries of anguish until all other sounds were dumb. + +The heaps of amputated legs and arms he had seen so often without a sigh +were bathed now in tears. The surgeons with their hands and arms and +clothes soaked with red--he saw them with the eyes of love--scene on +scene in hideous review--the young officer at Cold Harbor whose leg they +were cutting off without the use of chloroform, his face convulsed, his +jaws locked as the knife crashed through nerve and sinew, muscle and +artery. And those saws gnawing through bones--God in heaven, he could +hear them all now--they were cutting and tearing those he loved. + +He heard their terrible orders with new ears. For the first time he +realized what they meant. + +"Give them the bayonet now----" + +The low, savage, subdued tones of the officer had once thrilled his +soul. The memory sickened him. + +He could hear the impassioned speech of the Colonel as the men lay flat +on their faces in the grass--the click of bayonets in their places--the +look on the faces of the men eager, fierce, intense, as they sprang to +their feet at the call: + +"Charge!" + +And the fight. A big, broad-shouldered brute is trying to bayonet a boy +of fifteen. The boy's slim hand grips the steel with an expression of +mingled rage and terror. He holds on with grim fury. A comrade rushes to +his rescue. His bayonet misses the upper body of the strong man and +crashes hard against his hip bone. The man with his strength seizes the +gun, snatches it from his bleeding thigh and swings it over his head to +brain his new antagonist, when the first boy, with a savage laugh, +plunges his bayonet through the strong man's heart and he falls with a +dull crash, breaking the steel from the musket's muzzle and lies +quivering, with the blood-spouting point protruding from his side. He +understood now--these were not soldiers obeying orders--they were +fathers and brothers and playmates, killing and maiming and tearing each +other to pieces. + +Lord God of Love and Mercy, the pity and horror of it all! + +It was one o'clock before Julius, searching the field with a lantern, +came on him huddled against the tree with Ned's body still in his arms, +staring into the dead face. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +LOVE'S PLEDGE + + +Again Betty Winter found in her work relief from despair. She had hoped +for peace in the beauty and tenderness of Ned's chivalrous devotion. Yet +his one letter reporting the meeting had revealed her mistake. The +moment she had read his confession the impulse to scream her protest to +John was all but resistless. She had tried in vain to find a way of +writing to Ned to tell him that she had deceived him and herself, and +ask his forgiveness. + +It was impossible to write to John under such conditions and she had +suffered in silence. And then the wounded began to pour into Washington +from Grant's front. The like of that procession of ambulances from the +landing on Sixth Street to the hospitals on the hills back of the city +had never been seen. The wounded men were brought on swift steamers from +Aquia Creek. Floors and decks were covered with mattresses on which they +lay as thickly as they could be placed. As the wounded died on the way +they were moved to the bow and their faces covered. + +At the landing tender hands were lifting them into the ambulances which +slowly moved out in one line to the hospitals and back in a circle by +another. These ambulances stretched in tragic, unbroken procession for +three miles and never ceased to move on and on in an endless circle for +three days and nights. + +In an agony of anxiety Betty asked to be transferred to the landing that +she might watch them fill the wagons. Her soul was oppressed with the +certainty that John Vaughan would be found in one of them. + +On the morning of the third day they were still coming in never-ending +streams from the steamer decks. She wrung her hands in a moment of +despair: + +"Merciful God! Are they bringing back Grant's whole army?" + +The patience of these suffering men was sublime. Only a sigh from one +who would rise no more. Only a groan here and there from parched lips +that asked for water. + +At last came the ominous news for which she had watched and waited with +sickening forebodings. The _Republican_ printed the name of Captain John +Vaughan among the wounded in the fight of Warren and Hancock's corps +over the Weldon Railroad. There were only two thousand wounded men sent +in on the steamers from the front after this battle, and they arrived at +night. + +Betty hurried to the landing and found that the ambulances had begun to +move. She searched every face in vain, and when the last stretcher had +passed out walked with trembling steps and scanned each silent covered +face in the bow. + +"Thank God," she murmured, "he's not there!" + +She must begin now the patient search among the eighty thousand sick and +wounded men in the city of sorrows on the hills. + +She secured a hack and tried to reach the head of the procession and +find the destination of the first wagons that had left before her +arrival. + +It was after midnight. A thunder storm suddenly rolled its dense clouds +over the city and smothered the street lamps in a pall of darkness. The +rain burst with a flash of lightning and poured in torrents. The +electric display was awe-inspiring. The horses in one of the ambulances +in the long line stampeded and smashed the vehicle in front. The +procession was stopped in the height of the storm. The vivid flame was +now continuous and Betty could see the wagons standing in a mud-splashed +row for a mile, the lightning play bringing out in startling outline +each horse and vehicle. + +From every ambulance was hanging a fringe of curious objects shining +white against the shadows when suddenly illumined. Betty looked in pity +and awe. They were the burning fevered arms and legs and heads of the +suffering wounded men eager to feel the splash of the cooling rain. + +A full week passed before her search ended and she located him in one of +the big new buildings hastily constructed of boards. + +With trembling step she started to go straight to his cot. The memory of +his brutal stare that day stopped her and she scribbled a line and sent +it to him: + + "John, dear, may I see you a moment? + + "BETTY." + +The doctor assured her that he was rapidly recovering, though restless +and depressed. She caught her breath in a little gasp of surprise at the +sight of his white face, pale and spiritual looking now from the loss of +blood. + +Her eyes were shining with intense excitement as she swiftly crossed the +room, dropped on her knees beside his cot and seized his hands: + +"O John, John, can you ever forgive me!" + +He slipped his arm around her neck and held her a long time in silence. + +The men in the room paid no attention to the little drama. It was +happening every day around them. + +"Oh, dearest," she went on eagerly, "I tried to put you out of my heart, +but I couldn't. I am yours, all yours, body and soul. Love asks but one +question--do you love me?" + +"Forever!" he whispered. + +"In my loneliness and despair I tried to give myself to Ned, but I +couldn't, dear. I would have told him so had I been able to reach +him--though I dreaded to hurt him." + +John drew her hands down and looked at her with a strange expression. + +"He's beyond the reach of pain and disappointment now, dear----" + +"Dead?" she gasped. + +The man only nodded, and clung desperately to her hands while her head +sank in a flood of tears. + +"We'll cherish his memory," he said in a curiously quiet voice, "as one +of the sweetest bonds between us, my love----" + +"Yes--always!" was the low answer. + +For the life of him John Vaughan couldn't tell the terrible fact that +his hand had struck him down. God alone should know that. + +When she had recovered from the shock of the announcement Betty caressed +his hand gently: + +"We just love whom we love, dearest, and we can't help it. I am yours +and you are mine. It's not a question of good or bad, right or wrong. We +love--that's all." + +"Yes, we love--that's all and it's everything. There's no more doubt, +dear?" + +"Not one," she cried. "I'm going to bring back the red blood to your +cheeks now and take that fevered look out of your eyes----" + +The weeks of convalescence were swift and beautiful to Betty--her +ministry to his slightest whim a continuous joy. The only cloud in her +sky was the strange, feverish, unquiet look in his eyes. On the day of +his discharge he received a letter from his mother which deepened this +expression to the verge of mania. + +"What is it, dear?" Betty asked in alarm. + +"One of those unfortunate things that have been happening somewhere +every day for the past year--an arrest and imprisonment for treasonable +utterances----" + +"Who has been arrested?" + +"This time my father in Missouri." + +"Your father?" she gasped. + +"Yes. He has been a bitter critic of the war. He seems to have gone too +far. There was a riot of some sort in the village and he took the wrong +side." + +There was an ominous quiet in the way he talked. + +"I'll take you to see the President, dearest," she said soothingly. +"We'll ask for his release. It's sure to be granted." + +John's eyes suddenly flashed. + +"You think so?" + +"Absolutely sure of it." + +"We'll try it then," he said, with a cold ring in his voice that chilled +Betty's heart, and sent her home wondering at its meaning. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +THE DARKEST HOUR + + +In the summer of 1864 the President saw the darkest hours of his life. +The change in his appearance was startling and pitiful. His sombre eyes +seemed to have sunk into their caverns beneath the bushy brows and all +but disappeared. Their gaze was more and more detached from earth and +set on some dim, invisible shore. Deeper and deeper sank the furrows in +his ashen face. The shoulders drooped beneath a weight too great for any +human soul to bear. + +To Betty Winter's expression of loyalty and sympathy he answered sadly: + +"It's success I need, child,--not sympathy. My own burdens of cares are +as nothing to my soul. It's our cause--our cause--the Union must live or +I shall die!" + +He sat sometimes by his window for hours immovable as a marble statue, +his deep, hungry eyes gazing, gazing forever over the shining river +toward the Southern hills. His Secretaries stepped softly about the room +in silent sympathy with the Chief they loved with passionate devotion. + +Grant had crossed the Rapidan on that glorious spring morning in May +with his magnificent army accompanied by the highest hopes of millions. +And there had followed those awful sickening battles, one after +another, until he had fallen back in failure before the impassable +trenches around Petersburg. + +The star of Grant, the conquering hero of the West, had apparently set +in a sea of blood. + +Lee, with inferior numbers, alert, resourceful, vigilant, had checked +and baffled him at every turn, and Richmond's fall was no nearer to +human eye than in 1862. + +The miles and miles of hospital barracks in Washington, crowded to their +doors with wounded, dying men, were the living witnesses of the Nation's +mortal agony. Every city, town, village, hamlet and county in the North +was in mourning. Death had literally flung its pall over the world. + +From these thousands of stricken homes there had slowly risen a storm of +protest against the new leader of the Army. The word "Butcher" was on +every lip. General Grant, they said, possessed merely the qualities of +the bulldog fighter--tenacity and persistence. He held what he had won +so long as men were poured into his ranks by tens of thousands to take +the place of the dead. They declared that he possessed no genius, no +strategic skill, no power to originate plans and devise means to +overcome his skillful and brilliant antagonist. The demand was pressed +on the President for his removal. + +His refusal had brought on him the blame for all the blood and all the +suffering and all the failures of the past bitter year. + +His answer to his critics was remorseless in its common sense, but added +nothing to his hold on the people. + +"We must fight to win," he firmly declared. "Grant is the ablest general +we have yet developed. His losses have been appalling--but the struggle +is now to the bitter end. Our resources are exhaustless. The South can +not replace her fallen soldiers--her losses are fatal, ours are not." + +In the face of a political campaign he prepared a call by draft for five +hundred thousand more men and issued a proclamation appointing a day of +Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer. + +The spirits of the people touched the lowest tide ebb of despair. + +The war debt had reached the appalling total of two thousand millions of +dollars and its daily cost was four millions. The paper of the Treasury +was rapidly depreciating and the premium on gold rising until the value +of a one dollar green-back note was less than fifty cents in real money. +The bankers, fearing the total bankruptcy of the Nation, had begun to +refuse further loans on bonds at any rate of interest. + +The bounty offered to men for reenlistment in the army when their terms +expired amounted to the unheard of sum of one thousand five hundred +dollars cash on signing for the new term. Bounty jumping had become the +favorite sport of adventurous scoundrels. Millions of dollars were being +stolen by these men without the addition of a musket to the fighting +force. Grant was hanging them daily, but the traitor's work continued. +The enlisted man deserted in three weeks and reappeared at the next post +and reenlisted again, collecting his bounty with each enrollment. + +The enemies of the President in his own party, led by Senator Winter, to +make sure of his defeat before the convention, which was about to meet +in Baltimore, held a National convention of Radical Republicans in +Cleveland and nominated John C. Fremont for the Presidency. Their +purpose was by this party division to make Lincoln's nomination an +impossibility. Fremont's withdrawal was the weapon with which they would +fight the President before the regular Republican convention and after. +Senator Winter voiced the feeling of this convention in a speech of +bitter and vindictive eloquence. + +"I denounce the administration of Abraham Lincoln," he declared, "as +imbecile and vacillating. We demand not only the crushing of Lee's army, +but a program of vengeance against the rebels, which will mean their +annihilation when conquered. We demand the confiscation of their +property, the overthrow of every trace of local government and the +reduction of their States to conquered provinces under the control of +Congress. The milk and water policy of Lincoln is both a civil and a +military failure, and his renomination would be the greatest calamity +which could befall our Nation!" + +A week later the regular party convention met at Baltimore. On the night +before this meeting the President's renomination was not certain. + +On every hand his enemies were assailing him with unabated fury. Every +check to the National arms was laid at his door--every mistake of civil +or military management. The ravages of the Confederate cruisers which +were built in England and had swept the seas of our commerce were blamed +on him. He should have called Great Britain to account for these +outrages and had two wars instead of one! + +The cost of the great struggle mounting and mounting into billions was +his fault. The draft might have been avoided with the Government in +abler hands. The emancipation policy had not freed a single negro and +driven the whole Democratic Party into opposition to the war. His Border +State policy had held four Slave States in the Union, but crippled the +moral power of his position as anti-Slavery man. Every lie, every +slander of four years were now repeated and magnified. + +A competent man must be put into the White House. The Rail-splitter must +go! + +The real test of strength would come in the secret meeting of the Grand +Council of the Union League--the Secret Society which had been organized +to defeat the schemes of the Knights of the Golden Circle. In this +meeting men will say exactly what they think. In the big convention +to-morrow all will be harmony and peace. The convention will do what +these powerful leaders from every State in the North tell them to do. + +The assembly is dignified and orderly. The men who compose it are the +eyes and ears and brains of the party they represent. They are the real +rulers of the Nation. The party will obey their orders. These are the +men who do the executive thinking for millions. The millions can only +reject or ratify their wills. We are a democracy in theory, but in +reality here is assembled the aristocracy of brains which constitutes +our government. + +The Grand President Edmunds raps for order and faces a crowd of keen, +intelligent leaders of men his equal in culture and will. + +The meeting is called for but one purpose. With swift, direct action the +battle begins. A friend of the President offers a resolution endorsing +his administration, preceded by a preamble which declares it to be +unwise to swap horses while crossing a stream. + +The big guns open on this battle line without a moment's hesitation. +Senator Winter has not thought it wise to make this opening speech. The +prominent part he took in organizing and launching the Fremont +convention has put him in the position of an avowed bolter. He has +already put forward a colleague from the Senate who is supposed to be +friendly to the administration. + +The Senator is a man of blunt speech and dominating personality. He +speaks with earnestness, conviction and eloquence. He does not mince +words. All the petty grievances and mistakes and disappointments of his +four years under the tall, quiet man's strong hand are firing his soul +now with burning passion. + +He boldly accuses the President of tyranny, usurpation, illegal acts, of +abused power, of misused advantages, of favoritism, stupidity, frauds in +administration, timidity, sluggish inaction, oppression, the willful +neglect of suffering and the willful refusal to hear the cry of the +down-trodden slave. + +He turns the battery of his scorn now on his personal peculiarities, his +drawn and haggard and sorrow marked face, his heartlessness in reading +and telling funny stories, and last of all his selfish ambition which +asks a second term at the sacrifice of his party and his country. + +A Congressman of unusual brilliance and power follows this assault with +one of even greater eloquence and bitterness. + +Two more in quick succession and all demand with one accord the same +thing: + +"Down with Lincoln!" + +Not a voice has been lifted in his favor. If he has a friend he is +apparently afraid to open his mouth. + +And then the giant form of Jim Lane slowly rises. He looks quietly over +the crowd as if passing in review the tragic events of four years. Is he +going to add his voice to this chorus of rage? A year ago in the same +Grand Council he had a bitter grievance against the President and +assailed him furiously. Yesterday he was at the White House and came +away with a shadow on his strong face. + +He stood for a long time in silence and seemed to be scanning each +individual in the crowd of tense listeners. + +And then his deep voice broke the stillness. His words rang like the +boom of cannon and their penetrating power seemed to pierce the brick +walls of the room. + +"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Grand Council: + +"To stir up sore and wounded hearts to bitterness requires no skill or +power of oratory. To address the minds of men sickened by disaster, +wearied by long trial, heated by passion, bewildered by uncertainty, +heavy with grief, and cunningly to turn them into one vindictive +channel, into one blind rush of senseless fury requires no great power +of oratory and no great mastery of the truth. It may be the trick of a +charlatan!" + +He paused and gazed with deliberate and offensive insolence into the +faces of the men who had spoken. Their eyes blazed with wrath, and a +fierce thrill of excitement swept the crowd. + +"For a man to address himself to an assembly like this, however, goaded +to madness by suffering, sorrow, humiliation, perplexity--and now roused +by venomous arts to an almost unanimous condemnation of the innocent--I +say to address you, turn you in your tracks and force you to go the +other way--that would indeed be a feat of transcendent oratorical power. +I am no orator--but I am going to tell you the truth and the truth will +make you do that thing!" + +Men began to lean forward in their seats now as with impassioned faith +he told the story of the matchless work the great lonely spirit had +wrought for his people in the White House during the past passion-torn +years. His last sentence rang like the clarion peal of a trumpet: + +"Desert him now and the election of _George B. McClellan_ on a +'Peace-at-any-Price' platform is a certainty--the Union is dissevered, +the Confederacy established, the slaves reshackled, the dead dishonored +and the living disgraced!" + +His last sentence was an angry shout whose passion swept the crowd to +its feet. The resolution was passed and Lincoln's nomination became a +mere formality. + +But Senator Winter had only begun to fight. His whole life as an +Abolitionist had been spent in opposition to majorities. He had no +constructive power and no constructive imagination. His genius was +purely destructive, but it was genius. Without a moment's delay he began +his plans to force the President to withdraw from his own ticket in the +midst of his campaign. + +The one ominous sign which the man in the White House saw with dread was +the rapid growth through these dark days of a "Peace-at-any-Price" +sentiment within his own party lines in the heart of the loyal North. +Again Horace Greeley and his great paper voiced this cry of despair. + +The mischief he was doing was incalculable because he persisted in +teaching the millions who read his paper that peace was at any time +possible if Abraham Lincoln would only agree to accept it. As a +Southern-born man, the President knew the workings of the mind of +Jefferson Davis as clearly as he understood his own. Both these men were +born in Kentucky within a few miles of each other on almost the same +day. The President knew that Jefferson Davis would never consider any +settlement of the war except on the basis of the division of the Union +and the recognition of the Confederacy. When Greeley declared that the +Confederate Commissioners were in Canada with offers of peace, the +President sent Greeley himself immediately to meet them and confer on +the basis of a restored Union with compensation for the slaves. The +Conference failed and Greeley returned from Canada angrier with the +President than ever for making a fool of him. + +In utter disregard for the facts he continued to demand that the +Government bring the war to an end. The thing which made his attack +deadly was that he was rousing the bitterness of hopeless sorrow in +thousands of homes whose loved ones had fallen. + +Thoughtful men and women had begun to ask themselves new questions: + +"Is not the price we are paying too great?" + +"Can any cause be worth this ocean of tears, this endless deluge of +blood?" + +The President must answer this bitter cry with the positive assurance +that he would make peace at any moment on terms consistent with the +Nation's preservation or both he and his party must perish. + +He determined to draw from Mr. Davis a positive declaration of the terms +on which the South would accept peace. He dared not do this openly, as +it would be a confession to Europe of defeat and would lead to the +recognition of the Confederacy. + +He accordingly sent Colonel Jaquess, a distinguished Methodist clergyman +in the army, and J. R. Gilmore, of the _Tribune_, on a secret mission to +Richmond for this purpose. They must go without credentials or +authority, as private individuals and risk life and liberty in the +undertaking. + +Both men promptly accepted the mission and left for Grant's headquarters +to ask General Lee for a pass through his lines. + +The Democratic Party was now a militant united force inspired by the +Copperhead leaders, who had determined to defeat the President squarely +on a peace platform and put General McClellan into the White House. +Behind them in serried lines stood the powerful Secret Orders clustered +around the Knights of the Golden Circle. + +Positive proofs were finally laid before the President that these +Societies had planned an uprising on the night of the election and the +establishment of a Western Confederacy. + +Edmunds, the President of the Union League, handed him the names of the +leaders. + +"Now, sir, you can strike!" he urged. + +The tall, sorrowful man slowly shook his head. + +"You doubt the truth of these statements?" Edmunds asked. + +"No. They are too true. Let sleeping dogs lie. One revolution at a time. +We have all we can manage at present. If we win the election they won't +dare rise. If we lose, it's all over anyhow--and it makes no difference +what they do." + +With patient wisdom he refused to stir the dangerous hornet's nest. + +And to cap the climax of darkness, Jubal Early's army suddenly withdrew +from Lee's lines, swept through the Shenandoah Valley and invaded +Maryland and Pennsylvania. + +With three-quarters of a million blue soldiers under arms, the daring +men in grey were once more threatening the Capital. They seized and cut +the Northern railroads, burning their bridges and capturing trains; they +threatened Baltimore, captured Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, burned it, +spread terror throughout the State and surrounding territory, and +brushing past Lew Wallace's six thousand men at Monocacy, were bearing +down on Washington with swift ominous tread. + +It was incredible! It was unthinkable, and yet the reveille of Early's +drums could be heard from the White House window. + +John Bigelow, our _Charge d'Affaires_ at Paris, had sent warning of a +conversation with the Emperor of France, at which the President had only +smiled. + +"Lee will take Washington," the Emperor had declared, "and then I shall +recognize the Confederacy. I have just received news that Lee is +certain to take the Capital." + +The message was flashed to Grant for help. The city was practically at +Early's mercy if he should strike. He couldn't hold the Capital, of +course, but if he took it even for twenty-four hours the Government +would lose all prestige and standing in the Courts of Europe. + +For twenty-four hours the panic in Washington was complete. The +Government clerks were rushed into the trenches and hastily armed. + +Early threw one shell into the city, which crashed through a house, his +cavalry dashed into the corporate limits and took a prisoner and later +burned the house of Blair, a member of the Cabinet. + +The Sixth Corps arrived from Petersburg; a thousand men were killed and +wounded in the skirmishing of two days, but the Capital escaped by the +skin of its teeth. + +Grant laconically remarked: + +"If Early had been one day earlier he would have entered the Capital." + +While he had not actually taken Washington, Lee's strategy was a +masterly stroke. He had cleared the Shenandoah Valley, which was his +granary, and enabled the farmers to reap their crops. He had showed the +world that his army was still so terrible a weapon that with it he could +hold Grant at bay, drive his enemy from the Valley, invade two Northern +States, burn their cities and destroy their railroads, and throw his +shells into Washington. + +A wave of incredulous sickening despair swept the North. If this could +be done after three and a half years of blood and tears and two +billions of dollars spent, where could the end be? + +Early had done in Washington what neither McDowell, McClellan, Pope, +Burnside, Hooker, Meade nor Grant had yet succeeded in doing for +Richmond--thrown shells into the city and taken a prisoner from its very +streets. Had he arrived a day earlier--in other words, had not Lew +Wallace's gallant little army of six thousand delayed him twenty-four +hours--he could have entered the city, raided the Treasury and burned +the Capitol. + +Senator Winter was not slow to strike the blow for which he had been +eagerly waiting a favorable moment. He succeeded in detaching from the +President in this moment of panic a group of men who had stood squarely +for his nomination at Baltimore. He agreed to withdraw Fremont's name if +they would induce the President to withdraw and a new convention be +called. + +So deep was the depression, so black the outlook, so certain was +McClellan's election, that the members of the National Republican +Executive Committee met and conferred with this Committee of traitors to +their Chief. + +No more cowardly and contemptible proposition was ever submitted to the +chosen leader of a great party. It was not to be wondered at that Winter +and his Radical associates could stoop to it. They were theorists. To +them success was secondary. They would have gladly and joyfully damned +not only the Union--they would have damned the world to save their +theories. But that his own party leaders should come to him in such an +hour and ask him to withdraw cut the great patient heart to the quick. + +He agreed to consider their humiliating proposition and give them an +answer in two weeks. Nicolay, his first Secretary, wrote to John Hay, +who was in Illinois: + + "DEAR MAJOR: Hell is to pay. The politicians have a stampede on + that is about to swamp everything. The National Committee are here + to-day. Raymond thinks a commission to Richmond is the only salt to + save us. The President sees and says it would be utter ruin. The + matter is now undergoing consultation. Weak-kneed damned fools are + on the move for a new candidate to supplant the President. + Everything is darkness and doubt and discouragement. Our men see + giants in the airy and unsubstantial shadows of the opposition, and + are about to surrender without a blow. Come to Washington on the + first train. Every man who loves the Chief must lay off his coat + now and fight to the last ditch. He's too big and generous to be + trusted alone with these wolves. He is the only man who can save + this Nation, and we must make them see it." + +Worn and angry after the long discussion with his cowardly advisers, the +President retired to his bedroom, locked the door, laid down, and tried +to rest. Opposite the lounge on which he lay was a bureau with a +swinging mirror. He gazed for a moment at his long figure, which showed +full length, his eye resting at last on the deep cut lines of the +haggard face. Gradually two separate and distinct images grew--one +behind the other, pale and death-like but distinct. He looked in wonder, +and the longer he looked the clearer stood this pale second reflection. + +"That's funny!" he exclaimed. + +He rose, rubbed his eyes, and walked to the mirror, examining it +curiously. He had always been a man of visions--this child of the woods +and open fields. + +"I wonder if it's an illusion?" he muttered. "I'll try again." + +He returned to the couch and lay down. Again it grew a second time +plainer than before, if possible. He watched for a long time with a +feeling of awe. + +"I wonder if I'm looking into the face of my own soul?" he mused. + +He studied this second image with keen interest. It was five shades +paler than the first. The thing had happened to him once before and his +wife had declared it a sign that he would be elected to a second term, +but the paleness of the second image meant that he would not live +through it. It was uncanny. He rose and paced the floor, laid down +again, and the image vanished. What did it mean? + +Only that day a secret service man had come to warn him of a new plot of +assassination and beg him to double the guard. + +"What is the use, my dear boy, in setting up the gap when the fence is +down all around?" + +"Remember, sir, they shot a hole through your hat one night last week on +your way to the Soldiers' Home." + +"Well, what of it? If a man really makes up his mind to kill me he can +do it----" + +"You can take precautions." + +"But I can't shut myself up in an iron box--now, can I? If I am killed I +can die but once. To live in constant dread of it is to die over and +over again. I decline to die until the time comes--away with your extra +guards! I've got too many now. They bother me." + +He threw off his depression and took up a volume of Artemus Ward's funny +sayings to refresh his soul with their quaint humor. He must laugh or +die. He had promised to see Betty Winter with a friend who had a +petition to present at ten o'clock. He would rest until she came. + +John Vaughan had insisted on her coming at this unusual hour. She +protested, but he declared the chances of success in asking for his +father's release would be infinitely better if she took advantage of the +President's good nature and saw him alone at night when they would not +be interrupted. + +As they neared the White House grounds, crossing the little park on the +north side, Betty's nervousness became unbearable. She stopped and put +her hand on John's arm. + +"Let's wait until to-morrow?" she pleaded. + +"The President is expecting us----" + +"I'll send him word we couldn't come." + +"But, why?" + +She hesitated and glanced at him uneasily: + +"I don't know. I'm just nervous. I don't feel equal to the strain of +such an interview to-night. It means so much to you. It means so much to +me now that love rules my life----" + +He took her hands in his and drew her into the friendly shadows beside +the walk. + +"Love does rule life, doesn't it?" + +"Absolutely. I'm frightened when I realize it," she sighed. + +"You are all mine now? In life, in death, through evil report and good +report?" + +"In life, in death, through evil report and good report----yours +forever, dearest!" + +He took her in his arms and held her in silence. She could feel him +trembling with deep emotion. + +"There's nothing to be nervous about then," he said, reassuringly, as +his arms relaxed. "Come, we'll hurry. I want to send a message to my +father to-night announcing his release." + +At the entrance to the White House grounds they passed a man who shot a +quick glance at John, and Betty thought his head moved in a nod of +approval or recognition. + +"You know him?" she asked nervously. + +"One of Baker's men, I think--attempt on the President's life last week. +They've doubled the guard, no doubt." + +They passed another, strolling carelessly from the shadows of the white +pillars of the portico. + +"They seem to be everywhere to-night," John laughed carelessly. + +The White House door was open and they passed into the hall and ascended +the stairs to the Executive Chamber without challenge. Little Tad, the +President's son, who ran the House to suit himself at times, was in his +full dress suit of a lieutenant of the army and had ordered the guard to +attend a minstrel show he was giving in the attic. + +The President had agreed to meet Betty in his office at ten o'clock and +told her to bring her friend right upstairs and wait if he were not on +time. + +They sat down and waited five minutes in awkward silence. Betty was +watching the strange glittering expression in John Vaughan's eyes with +increasing alarm. + +She heard a muffled footfall in the hall, stepped quickly to the door, +and saw the man they had passed at the entrance to the grounds. + +She returned trembling. + +"The man we passed at the gate is in that hall," she whispered. + +"What of it?" was the careless answer. "Baker's secret service men come +and go when they please here----" + +He paused and glanced at the door. + +"He has his eye on us maybe," he added, with a little laugh. + +He studied Betty's flushed face for a moment, curiously hesitated as if +about to speak, changed his mind, and was silent. He drew his watch from +his pocket and looked at it. + +"I've ordered a carriage to wait for you at the gate at a quarter past +ten," he said quickly. "I forgot to tell you." + +"Why--it may take us longer than half an hour?" + +"That's just it. We may be talking two hours. Such things can't be +threshed out in a minute. You can introduce me, say a good word, and +leave us to fight it out----" + +"I want to stay," she interrupted. + +"Nonsense, dear, it may take hours. Besides, I may have some things to +say to the President, and he some things to say to me that it were +better a sweet girl's ears should not hear----" + +"That's exactly what I wish to prevent, John, dear," she pleaded. "You +must be careful and say nothing to offend the President. It means too +much. We must win." + +"I'll be wise in the choice of words. But you mustn't stay, dear. I'm +not a child. I don't need a chaperone." + +"But you may need a friend----" + +"He does wield the power of kings--doesn't he?" + +"With the tenderness and love of a father, yes." + +"And yet I've wondered," he went on in a curious cold tone, "why he +hasn't been killed--when the death of one man would end this carnival of +murder----" + +"John, how can you say such things?" Betty gasped. + +"It's true, dear," he answered calmly. "This man's will alone has +prevented peace and prevents it now. The soldiers on both sides joke +with one another across the picket lines. They get together and play +cards at night. Before the battle begins, our boys call out: + +"'Get into your holes, now, Johnnie, we've got to shoot.' + +"Left to themselves, the soldiers would end this war in thirty minutes. +It's the one man at the top who won't let them. It's hellish--it's +hellish----" + +"And you would justify an assassin?" Betty asked breathlessly. + +"Who is an assassin, dear?" he demanded tensely. "The man who wields a +knife or the tyrant who calls the fanatic into being? Brutus or Caesar, +William Tell or Gessler? Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God----" + +"John, John--how can you say such things--you don't believe in +murder----" + +"No!" he breathed fiercely. "I don't now. I used to until I had a +revelation----" + +He stopped short as if strangled. + +"Revelation--what do you mean?" Betty whispered, watching his every +movement, with growing terror. + +He looked at her with eyes glittering. + +"I didn't want to tell you this," he began slowly. "I meant to keep the +black thing hidden in my own soul. But you'll understand better if I +speak. I killed Ned Vaughan with my own hands----" + +"You're mad----" Betty shivered. + +"I wish I were--no--I was never sane before that flash of red from hell +showed me the truth--showed me what I was doing. We fought in the +darkness of a night attack, hand to hand, like two maddened beasts. He +ran me through with his sword and I sent the last ball left in my +revolver crashing through his breast. In the glare of that shot I saw +his face--the face of my brother! I caught him in my arms as he fell and +held him while the life blood ebbed away through the hole I had torn +near his heart. And then I saw what I'd been doing, saw it all as it +is--war--brother murdering his brother--the shout and the tumult, the +drums and bugles, the daring and heroism of it all, just that and +nothing more--brother cutting his brother's throat----" + +His head sank into his hands in a sob that strangled speech. + +Betty slipped her arm tenderly around his shoulder and stroked the heavy +black hair. + +"But you didn't know, dear--you wouldn't have fired that shot if you +had----" + +He lifted himself suddenly and recovered his self-control. + +"No. That's just it," he answered bitterly. "I wouldn't have done it had +I known--nor would he, had he known. But I should have seen before that +every torn and mangled body I had counted in the reckoning of the glory +of battle was some other man's brother, some other mother's boy----" + +He paused and drew himself suddenly erect: + +"Well I'm awake now--I know and see things as they are!" + +His hand unconsciously felt for his revolver, and Betty threw her arms +around his neck with a smothered cry of horror: + +"Merciful God--John--my darling--you are mad--what are you going to do?" + +"Why nothing, dear," he protested, "nothing! I'm simply going to ask the +President whose power is supreme to give my father a fair trial or +release him--that's all--you needn't stay longer--the carriage is +waiting. I can introduce myself and plead my own cause. If he's the +fair, great-hearted man you believe, he'll see that justice is done----" + +"You are going to kill the President!" Betty gasped. + +"Nonsense--but if I were--what is the death of one man if thousands +live? I saw sixty thousand men in blue fall in thirty days--two thousand +a day--besides those who wore the grey. At Cold Harbor I saw ten +thousand of my brethren fall in twenty minutes. Why should you gasp over +the idea that one man may die whose death would stop this slaughter?" + +"John, you're mad!" she cried, clinging to him desperately. "You're mad, +I tell you. You've lost your reason. Come with me, dear--come at +once----" + +"No. I was never more sane than now," he answered firmly. + +"Then I'll warn the President----" + +He held her with cruel force: + +"You understand that if it's true, my arrest, court-martial and death +follow?" + +"No. I'll warn him not to come. I alone know----" + +She broke his grip on her arm and started toward the door. He lifted his +hand in quick commanding gesture: + +"Wait! my men are in that hall--it's his life or mine now. You can take +your choice----" + +The girl's figure suddenly straightened: + +"Take your men out and go with them at once!" + +"No. If he does justice, I may spare his life. If he does not----" + +"You shall not see him----" + +"It's my life or his--I warn you----" + +"Then it's yours--I choose my country!" + +She walked with quick, firm step to the door leading into the family +apartments of the President. On the threshold her feet faltered. She +grasped the door facing, turned, and saw him standing with folded arms +watching her--with the eyes of a madman. Her face went white. She lifted +her hand to her heart and slowly stumbled back into his arms. + +"God have mercy!" she sobbed. "I'm just a woman--my love--my +darling--I--I--can't--kill you----" + +Her arms relaxed and she would have fallen to the floor had he not +caught the fainting form and carried her into the hall. + +Two men were at his side instantly. + +"Take Miss Winter downstairs," he whispered. "There's a carriage at the +gate. Bring it quietly to the door--one of you take her to the Senator's +home. The other must return here immediately and wait my orders. There's +no guard in this outer hall at night. The one inside is with the boy. +Keep out of sight if any one passes." + +The men obeyed without a word and John Vaughan stepped quickly back into +the Executive office, drew the short curtains across the window, turned +the lights on full, examined his revolver, and sat down in careless +attitude beside the President's desk. He could hear his heavy step +already approaching the door. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +THE ASSASSIN + + +John Vaughan's face paled with the sudden realization of the tremendous +deed he was about to do. It had seemed the only solution of the Nation's +life and his own, an hour ago. The air of Washington reeked with deadly +hatred of the President. Every politician who could not control his big, +straightforward, honest mind was his enemy. The gloom which shrouded the +country over Grant's losses and the failure of his campaign had set +every hound yelping at his heels in full cry. He spent much of his time +in the hospitals visiting and cheering the wounded soldiers. These men +were his friends. They believed in his honesty, his gentleness and his +humanity, and yet so deadly had grown the passions of war and so bitter +the madness of political prejudice that the majority of the wounded men +were going to vote against him in the approaching election. + +An informal vote taken in Carver Hospital had shown the amazing result +of three to one in favor of McClellan! + +John Vaughan, in his fevered imagination, had felt that he was rendering +a heroic service to the people in removing the one obstacle to peace. +The President was the only man who could possibly defeat McClellan and +continue the war. He was denounced by the opposition as usurper, tyrant, +and dictator. He was denounced by thousands of men in his own party as +utterly unfit to wield the power he possessed. + +And yet, as he heard the slow, heavy footfall approaching the door, a +moment of agonizing doubt gripped his will and weakened his arm. His eye +rested on a worn thumbed copy of the Bible which lay open on the desk. +This man, who was not a church member, in the loneliness of his awful +responsibilities, had been searching there for guidance and inspiration. +There was a pathos in the thought that found his inner conscience +through the mania that possessed him. + +Well, he'd test him. He would try this tyrant here alone before the +judgment bar of his soul--condemn him to death or permit him to live, as +he should prove true or false to his mighty trust. + +His hand touched his revolver again and he set his square jaws firmly. + +The tall figure entered and closed the door. + +A flash of blind rage came from the depths of John Vaughan's dark eyes +at the first sight of him. He moved forward a step and his hand trembled +in a desperate instinctive desire to kill. He was a soldier. His enemy +was before him advancing. To kill had become a habit. It seemed the one +natural thing to do. + +He stopped with a shock of surprise as the President turned his haggard +eyes in a dazed way and looked about the room. + +The light fell full on his face increasing its ghost-like pathetic +expression. The story of anxiety and suffering was burnt in letters of +fire that left his features a wrinkled mask of grey ashes. The drooping +eyelids were swollen, and dark bags hung beneath them. The muscles of +his massive jaws were flaccid, the lines about his large expressive +mouth terrible in their eloquence. His sombre eyes seemed to gaze on the +world with the anguish of millions in their depths. + +For a moment John Vaughan was held in a spell by the unexpected +apparition. + +"You are alone, sir?" the quiet voice slowly asked. + +"Yes." + +"I had expected Miss Winter----" + +"She came with me and was compelled to leave." + +"Oh--will you pull up a chair." + +The tall form dropped wearily at his desk. His voice had a far-away +expression in its tones. + +"And what can I do for you, sir?" he asked. + +"My name is Vaughan--John Vaughan----" + +The dark head was lifted with interest: + +"The brother of Ned Vaughan, who escaped from prison?" + +John nodded: + +"The son of Dr. Richard Vaughan, of Palmyra, Missouri." + +"Then you're our boy, fighting with Grant's army--yes, I heard of you +when your brother was in trouble. You've been ill, I see--wounded, of +course?" + +"Yes." + +The President rose and took his visitor's hand, clasping it with both +his own: + +"There's nothing I won't do for one of our wounded boys if I can--what +is it?" + +"My mother writes me that my father has been arrested without warrant, +is held in prison without bail and denied the right to trial----" + +He paused and leaned on the desk, trembling with excitement which had +increased as he spoke. + +"I have come to ask you for justice--that he shall be confronted by his +accusers in open court and given a fair trial----" + +A frown deepened the shadows in the dark, kindly face: + +"And for what was he arrested?" + +"For exercising the right of free speech. In a public address he +denounced the war----" + +The President shook his head sorrowfully: + +"You see, my boy, your house is divided against itself--the symbol in +the family group of our unhappy country. Of course, I didn't know of +this arrest. Such things hurt me, so I refuse to know of them unless I +must. They tell me that Seward and Stanton have arrested without warrant +thirty-five thousand men. I hope this is an exaggeration. Still it may +be true----" + +He stopped, sighed, and shook his head again: + +"But come, now, my son, and put yourself in my place. What can I do? +I've armed two million men and spend four millions a day to fight the +South because they try to secede and disrupt the Union. My opponents in +the North, taking advantage of our sorrows, harangue the people and +elect a hostile legislature in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. They are +about to pass an ordinance of secession and strike the Union in the +back. If secession is wrong in the South it is surely wrong in the +North. Shall I fight secession in the South and merely argue politely +with it here? Instead of shooting these men, I've consented to a more +merciful thing, I just let Seward and Stanton lock them up until the +war is over and then I'll turn them all loose. + +"Understand, my boy, I don't shirk responsibility. No Cabinet or +Congress could conduct a successful war. There must be a one man power. +I have been made that power by the people. I am using it reverently but +firmly. And I am backed by the prayers, the good will and the confidence +of the people--the silent millions whom I don't see, but love and trust. + +"This war was not of my choosing. Once begun, it must be fought to the +end and the Nation saved. It will then be proved that among free men +there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet, and +that they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case and pay the +cost. To preserve the life of the Constitution I must strain some of its +provisions in time of war----" + +"And you will not interfere to give these accused men a trial?" John +Vaughan interrupted in hard tones. + +"I cannot, my boy, I dare not interfere. The civil law must be suspended +temporarily in such cases. I cannot shoot a soldier for desertion and +allow the man to go free who, by denouncing the war, causes him to +desert. It cuts to the very heart of the Nation--its life is +involved----" + +He rose again and paced the floor, turning his back on his visitor in +utter unconsciousness of the dangerous glitter in his eyes. + +He paused and placed his big hand gently on John's arm: + +"I know in doing this I am wielding a dangerous power--the power of +kings--not because I love it, but because I must save my country. And +I'm the humblest man who walks God's earth to-night!" + +In spite of his bitterness, the simplicity and honesty of the President +found John Vaughan's heart. No vain or cruel or selfish man could talk +or feel like that. In the glow of his eager thought the ashen look of +his face disappeared and it became radiant with warmth and tenderness. +In dreamy, passionate tones he went on as if talking to convince himself +he must not despair. The younger man for the moment was swept +resistlessly on by the spell of his eloquence. + +"They are always asking of me impossible things. Now that I shall remove +Grant from command. I know that his battles have been bloody. Yet how +else can we win? The gallant, desperate South has only a handful of men, +ragged and half starved, yet they are standing against a million and I +have exhaustless millions behind these. With Lee they seem invincible +and every move of his ragged men sends a shiver of horror and of +admiration through the North. Yet, if Grant fights on he must win. He +will wear Lee out--and that is the only way he can beat him. + +"Besides, his plan is bigger than the single campaign against Richmond. +There's a grim figure at the head of a hundred thousand men fighting his +way inch by inch toward Atlanta. If Sherman should win and take Atlanta, +Lee's army will starve and the end is sure. I can't listen to this +clamor. I will not remove Grant--though I've reasons for believing at +this moment that he may vote for McClellan for President. + +"Don't think, my son, that all this blood and suffering is not mine. It +is. Every shell that screams from those big guns crashes through my +heart. The groans of the wounded, the sighs of the dying, the tears of +widows and orphans, of sisters and mothers--all--blue and grey--they are +mine. I see and hear it all, feel all, suffer all. + +"No man who lives to-day is responsible for this war. I could not have +prevented it, nor could Jefferson Davis. We are in the grip of mighty +forces sweeping on from the centuries. We are fighting the battle of the +ages. + +"But our country's worth it if we can only save it. Out of this agony +and tears will be born a united people. We have always been cursed with +the impossible contradiction of negro slavery. + +"There has never been a real Democracy in the world because there has +never been one without the shadow of slavery. We must build here a real +government of the people, by the people, for the people. It's not a +question merely of the fate of four millions of black slaves. It's a +question of the destiny of millions of freemen. I hear the tread of +coming generations of their children on this continent. Their destiny is +in your hand and mine--a free Nation without a slave--the hope, refuge +and inspiration of the world. + +"This Union that we must save will be a beacon light on the shores of +time for mankind. It will be worth all the blood and all the tears we +shall give for it. The grandeur of our sacrifice will be the birthright +of our children's children. It will be the end of sectionalism. We can +never again curse and revile one another, as we have in the past. We've +written our character in blood for all time. We've met in battle. The +Northern man knows the Southerner is not a braggart. The Southerner +knows the Yankee is not a coward. + +"There can be but one tragedy, my boy, that can have no ray of +light--and that is that all this blood should have flowed in vain, all +these brave men died for nought, that the old curse shall remain, the +Union be dismembered into broken sections and on future bloody fields +their battles be fought over again----" + +He paused and drew a deep breath: + +"This is the fear that's strangling me! For as surely as George B. +McClellan is elected President, surrounded by the men who at present +control his party, just so surely will the war end in compromise, +failure and hopeless tragedy----" + +"Why do you say that?" John asked sharply. + +"Because standing here on this very spot, before the battle of +Gettysburg I offered him the Presidency if he would preside at a great +mass meeting of his party and guarantee to save the Union. I offered to +efface myself and give up the dearest ambition of my soul to heal the +wounds of my people--and he refused----" + +"Refused?" John gasped. + +"Yes." + +The younger man gazed at the haggard face for a moment through dimmed +eyes, sank slowly to a seat and covered his face in his hands in a cry +of despair! + +The reaction was complete and his collapse utter. + +The President gazed at the bent figure with sorrowful amazement, and +touched his head gently with the big friendly hand: + +"Why, what's the matter, my boy? I'm the only man to despair. You're +just a captain in the army. If to be the head of hell is as hard as +what I've had to undergo here I could find it in my heart to pity Satan +himself. And if there's a man out of hell who suffers more than I do, I +pity him. But it's my burden and I try to bear it. I wish I had only +yours!" + +John Vaughan sprang to his feet and threw his hands above his head in a +gesture of anguish: + +"O my God, you don't understand!" + +He quickly crossed the space that separated them and faced the President +with grim determination: + +"But I'm going to tell you the truth now and you can do what you think's +right. In the last fight before Petersburg I killed my brother in a +night attack and held his dying body in my arms. I think I must have +gone mad that night. Anyhow, when I lay in the hospital recovering from +my wounds, I got the letter about my father and made up my mind to kill +you----" + +He paused, but the sombre eyes gave no sign--they seemed to be gazing on +the shores of eternity. + +"And I came here to-night for that purpose--my men are in that hall +now!" + +He stopped and folded his hands deliberately, waiting for his judge to +speak. + +A long silence fell between them. The tall, sorrowful man was looking at +him with a curious expression of wonder and self pity. + +"So you came here to-night to kill me?" + +"Yes." + +Again a long silence--the deep eyes looking, looking with their strange +questioning gaze. + +"Well," the younger man burst out at last, "what is my fate? I deserve +it. Even generosity and gentleness have their limit. I've passed it. +And I've no desire to escape." + +The kindly hand was lifted to John Vaughan's shoulder: + +"Why didn't you do it?" + +"Because for the first time you made me see things as you see them--I +got a glimpse of the inside----" + +"Then I won you--didn't I?" the President cried with elation. "I've been +talking to you just to keep my courage up--just to save my own soul from +the hell of despair. But you've lifted me up. If I can win you I can win +the others if I could only get their ear. All I need is a little time. +And I'm going to fight for it. Every act of my life in this great office +will stand the test of time because I've put my immortal soul into the +struggle without one thought of saving myself. + +"I've told you the truth, and the truth has turned a murderer into my +friend. If only the people can know--can have time to think, I'll win. +You thought me an ambitious tyrant--now, didn't you?" + +"Yes." + +"Great God!--I had my ambitions, yes--as every American boy worth his +salt has. And I dared to dream this vision of the White House--I, the +humblest of the humble, born in a lowly pioneer's cabin in the woods of +Kentucky. My dream came true, and where is its glory? Ashes and blood. +And I, to whom the sight of blood is an agony unendurable, have lived +with aching heart through it all and envied the dead their rest on your +battlefields----" + +He stopped suddenly and fixed John with a keen look: + +"You'll stand by me, now, boy, through thick and thin?" + +"I'd count it an honor to die for you----" + +"All right. I give you the chance. I'm going to send you on a dangerous +mission. I need but two things to sweep the country in this election and +preserve the Union--a single big victory in the field to lift the people +out of the dumps and make them see things as they are, and a declaration +from Mr. Davis that there can be no peace save in division. I know that +he holds that position, but the people in the North doubt it. I've sent +Jaquess and Gilmore there to obtain his declaration. Technically they +are spies. They may be executed or imprisoned and held to the end of the +war. They go as private citizens of the North who desire peace. + +"I want another man in Richmond whose identity will be unknown to report +the results of that meeting in case they are imprisoned. You must go as +a spy at the double risk of your life----" + +"I'm ready, sir," was the quick response. + +The big hand fumbled the black beard a moment: + +"You doubtless said bitter things in Washington when you returned?" + +"Many of them." + +"Then you were approached by the leaders of Knights of the Golden +Circle?" + +"Yes." + +"Good! You're the man I want without a doubt. You can use their signs +and pass words in Richmond. Besides, you have a Southern accent. Your +chances of success are great. I want you to leave here in an hour. Go +straight through as a scout and spy in Confederate uniform. If Jaquess +and Gilmore are allowed to return and tell their story--all right, your +work with them is done. If they are imprisoned, get through the lines to +Grant's headquarters, report this fact and Mr. Davis' answer, and it +will be doubly effective--you understand?" + +"Perfectly, sir." + +"That's your first job. But I want you to go to Richmond for a double +purpose--to take the train for Atlanta, get through the lines and give a +message to a man down South I've been thinking about for the past month. +The world has forgotten Sherman in the roar of the great battles Grant +has fought. I haven't. Slowly but surely his grim figure has been +growing taller on the horizon as the smoke lifts from each of his +fights. Grant says he is our biggest general. Only a great man could say +that about a subordinate commander. That's another reason I won't listen +to people who demand Grant's removal. + +"Sherman is now a hundred and fifty miles in Georgia before Atlanta. His +road is being cut behind him every other day. You might be weeks trying +to get to him by Chattanooga. The trains run through from Richmond. I +want you to reach him quick, and give him a message from me. I can't +send a written order. It wouldn't be fair to Grant. I'll give you +credentials that he'll accept that will cost you your life in Richmond +if their meaning is discovered. + +"Tell General Sherman that if he can take Atlanta the blow will thrill +the Nation, carry the election, and save the Union. Grant is deadlocked +at Petersburg and may be there all winter. If he can fight at once and +give us a victory, it's all that's needed. I'll send him an order to +strike. Tell him to destroy it if he wins. If he loses--I'll publish it +and take the blame on myself. Can you do this?" + +"I will or die in the effort," was the quick reply. + +"All right. Take this card at once to Stanton's office. Ask him to send +you by boat to Aquia--by horse from there. Return here for your papers." + +In ten minutes John had dispatched a note to Betty: + + "DEAREST: God saved me from an act of madness. He sent His message + through your sweet spirit. I am leaving for the South on a + dangerous mission for the President. If I live to return I am all + yours--if I die, I shall still live through eternity if only to + love you. + + "JOHN." + +Within an hour he had communicated with the commander of the Knights, +his arrangements were complete, and he was steaming down the river on +his perilous journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +MR. DAVIS SPEAKS + + +John Vaughan arrived in Richmond a day before Jaquess and Gilmore. His +genial Southern manner, his perfect accent and his possession of the +signs and pass words of the Knights of the Golden Circle made his +mission a comparatively easy one. + +He had brought a message from the Washington Knights to Judah P. +Benjamin, which won the confidence of Mr. Davis' Secretary of State and +gained his ready consent to his presence on the occasion of the +interview. + +The Commissioners left Butler's headquarters with some misgivings. +Gilmore took the doughty General by the hand and said: "Good-bye, if you +don't see us in ten days you may know we have 'gone up.'" + +"If I don't see you in less time," he replied, "I'll demand you, and if +they don't produce you, I'll take two for one. My hand on that." + +Under a flag of truce they found Judge Ould, the Exchange Commissioner, +who conducted them into Richmond under cover of darkness. + +They stopped at the Spottswood House and the next morning saw Mr. +Benjamin, who agreed to arrange an interview with Jefferson Davis. + +Mr. Benjamin was polite, but inquisitive. + +"Do you bring any overtures from your Government, gentlemen?" + +"No, sir," answered Colonel Jaquess. "We bring no overtures and have no +authority from our Government. As private citizens we simply wish to +know what terms will be acceptable to Mr. Davis." + +"Are you acquainted with Mr. Lincoln's views?" + +"One of us is fully," said Colonel Jaquess. + +"Did Mr. Lincoln in any way authorize you to come here?" + +"No, sir," said Gilmore. "We came with his pass, but not by his request. +We came as men and Christians, not as diplomats, hoping, in a frank talk +with Mr. Davis, to discover some way by which this war may be stopped." + +"Well, gentlemen," said Benjamin, "I will repeat what you say to the +President, and if he follows my advice, he will meet you." + +At nine o'clock the two men had entered the State Department and found +Jefferson Davis seated at the long table on the right of his Secretary +of State. + +John Vaughan was given a seat at the other end of the table to report +the interview for Mr. Benjamin. + +He studied the distinguished President of the Confederate States with +interest. He had never seen him before. His figure was extremely thin, +his features typically Southern in their angular cheeks and high cheek +bones. His iron-grey hair was long and thick and inclined to curl at the +ends. His whiskers were small and trimmed farmer fashion--on the lower +end of his strong chin. The clear grey eyes were full of vitality. His +broad forehead, strong mouth and chin denoted an iron will. He wore a +suit of greyish brown, of foreign manufacture, and as he rose, seemed +about five feet ten inches. His shoulders slightly stooped. + +His manner was easy and graceful, his voice cultured and charming. + +"I am glad to see you, gentlemen," he said. "You are very welcome to +Richmond." + +"We thank you, Mr. Davis," Gilmore replied. + +"Mr. Benjamin tells me that you have asked to see me to----" + +He paused that the visitors might finish the sentence. + +"Yes, sir," Jaquess answered. "Our people want peace, your people do. We +have come to ask how it may be brought about?" + +"Withdraw your armies, let us alone and peace will come at once." + +"But we cannot let you alone so long as you repudiate the Union----" + +"I know. You would deny us what you exact for yourselves--the right of +self-government." + +"Even so," said Colonel Jaquess, "we can not fight forever. The war must +end sometime. We must finally agree on something. Can we not agree now +and stop this frightful carnage?" + +"I wish peace as much as you do," replied Mr. Davis. "I deplore +bloodshed. But I feel that not one drop of this blood is on my hands. I +can look up to God and say this. I tried all in my power to avert this +war. I saw it coming and for twelve years I worked day and night to +prevent it. The North was mad and blind, and would not let us govern +ourselves and now it must go on until the last man of this generation +falls in his tracks and his children seize his musket and fight our +battle, _unless you acknowledge our right to self-government_. We are +not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for independence, and that or +extermination we _will_ have." + +"We have no wish to exterminate you," protested the Colonel. "But we +must crush your armies. Is it not already nearly done? Grant has shut +you up in Richmond. Sherman is before Atlanta." + +"You don't seem to understand the situation," Mr. Davis laughed. "We're +not exactly shut up in Richmond yet. If your papers tell the truth it is +your Capital that is in danger, not ours. Lee, whose front has never +been broken, holds Grant in check and has men enough to spare to invade +Maryland and Pennsylvania and threaten Washington. Sherman, to be sure, +is before Atlanta. But suppose he is, the further he goes from his base +of supplies, the more disastrous defeat must be. And defeat may come." + +"But you cannot expect," Gilmore said, "with only four and one half +millions to hold out forever against twenty?" + +Mr. Davis smiled: + +"Do you think there are twenty millions at the North determined to crush +us? I do not so read the returns of your elections or the temper of your +people." + +"If I understand you, then," Jaquess continued, "the dispute with your +government is narrowed to this, union or disunion?" + +"Or, in other words, independence or subjugation. We will be free. We +will govern ourselves. We will do it if we have to see every Southern +plantation sacked and every Southern city in flames." + +The visitors rose, and after a few pleasant remarks, took their leave. +Mr. Davis was particularly cordial to Colonel Jaquess, whom he knew to +have been a clergyman. + +John was surprised to see him repeat the habit of Abraham Lincoln, of +taking the hand of his visitor in both his in exactly the same cordial +way. + +He had forgotten for the moment that both Lincoln and Davis were +Southerners, born in the same State and reared in precisely the same +school of thought and social usage. + +"Colonel," the thin Southerner said in his musical voice, "I respect +your character and your motives and I wish you well--every good wish +possible consistent with the interests of the Confederacy." + +As they were passing through the door, he added: + +"Say to Mr. Lincoln that I shall at any time be pleased to receive +proposals for peace on the basis of our independence. It will be useless +to approach me with any other." + +Next morning the visitors waited in vain for the appearance of Judge +Ould to convey them once more into the Union lines. Visions of a long +term in prison, to say nothing of a possible hang-man's noose, began to +float before their excited fancy. They had expected the Judge at eight +o'clock. It was three in the afternoon when he entered with the laconic +remark: + +"Well, gentlemen, if you are ready, we'll walk around to Libby Prison." + +Certain of their doom, the two men rose and spoke in concert: + +"We are ready." + +They followed the Judge downstairs and found the same coal black driver +with the rickety team that had brought them into Richmond. + +Gilmore smiled into the Judge's face: + +"Why were you so long coming?" + +Ould hesitated and laughed: + +"I'll tell you when the war's over. Now I'll take you through the Libby +and the hospitals, if you'd like to go." + +When they had visited the prison and hospitals, Gilmore again turned to +the Judge: + +"Now, explain to us, please, your delay this morning--we're curious." + +Ould smiled: + +"I suppose I'd as well tell you. When I called on Mr. Davis for your +permit, Mr. Benjamin was there impressing on the President of the +Confederate States the absolute necessity of placing you two gentlemen +in Castle Thunder until the Northern elections are over. Mr. Benjamin is +a very eloquent advocate, and Mr. Davis hesitated. I took issue with the +Secretary of State and we had a very exciting argument. The President +finally reserved decision until two o'clock and asked me to call and get +it. He handed me your pass with this remark: + +"It's probably a bad business for us, but it would alienate many of our +Northern friends if we should hold on to these gentlemen." + +In two hours the visitors had reached the Union lines, John Vaughan had +obtained his passes and was on his way to Atlanta. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +THE STOLEN MARCH + + +John Vaughan's entrance into Atlanta was simple. His credentials from +Richmond were perfect. His exit proved to be a supreme test of his +nerve. + +The two lines of siege and battle stretched in wide semicircle for miles +over the ragged wood tangled hills about the little Gate City of the +South. + +Sherman had fought his way from Chattanooga one hundred and fifty miles +since May with consummate skill. His march had been practically a +continuous series of battles, and yet his losses had been small compared +to General Grant's. In killed, wounded and prisoners he had only lost +thirty-two thousand men in four months. The Confederate losses had been +greater--at least thirty-five thousand. + +Hood, the new Southern Commander, had given him battle a month before +and suffered an overwhelming defeat, losing eight thousand men, Sherman +but thirty-seven hundred. The Confederate forces had retired behind the +impregnable fortifications of Atlanta and Sherman lay behind his +trenches watching in grim silence. + +The pickets at many places were so close together they could talk. John +Vaughan attempted to slip through at night while they were chaffing one +another. + +He lay for an hour in the woods near the Southern picket line watching +his chance. The men were talking continuously. + +"Why the devil don't you all fight?" a grey man called. + +"Uncle Billy says it's cheaper to flank you and make you Johnnies run to +catch up with us." + +"Yes--damn you, and we've got ye now where ye can't do no more flankin'. +Ye got ter fight!" + +"Trust Uncle Billy for that when the time comes----" + +"Yes, and we've got Billy Sherman whar we want him now. We're goin' to +blow up every bridge behind ye and ye'll never see home no more----" + +"Uncle Billy's got duplicates of all your bridges fast as ye blow 'em +up." + +"All right, we're goin' ter blow up the tunnels through the +mountains----" + +"That's nothin'--we got duplicates to all the tunnels, too!" + +John Vaughan began to creep toward the Federal lines and muskets blazed +from both sides. He dropped flat on the ground and it took two hours to +crawl to a place of safety. + +He felt these lines next morning where they were wider apart and found +them too dangerous to attempt. The pickets, at the point he approached, +were in an ugly mood and a desultory fire was kept up all day. The men +had bunched up two together and entrenched themselves, keeping a deadly +watch for the men in blue. He stood for half an hour close enough to see +every movement of two young pickets who evidently had some score to pay +and were hunting for their foe with quiet, deadly purpose. + +"There's a Yank behind that clump," said one. + +"Na--nothin' but a huckleberry bush," the other replied. + +"Yes there is, too. We'll decoy and pot him. I'll get ready now and you +raise your cap on a ramrod above the hole. He'll lift his head to fire +and I'll get him." + +The speaker cautiously slipped his musket in place and drew a bead on +the spot. His partner placed his hat on his ramrod and slowly lifted it +a foot above their hiding place. + +The hat had scarcely cleared the pile of dirt before the musket flashed. + +"I got him! I told you he was there!" + +John turned from the scene with a sense of sickening horror. He would +die for his country, but he hoped he would not be called on to kill +again. + +He made a wide detour and attempted to cross the lines five miles +further from the city and walked suddenly into a squad of grey soldiers +in command of a lieutenant. + +The officer eyed him with suspicion. + +"What's your business here, sir?" he asked sharply. + +"Looking over the lines," John replied casually. + +"So I see. That's why I asked you. Show your pass." + +"Why, I haven't one." + +"I thought not. You're a damned spy and you'd just as well say your +prayers. I'm going to hang you." + +The men pressed near. Among them was a second lieutenant, a big, +strapping, quiet-looking fellow. + +"You've made a mistake, gentlemen," John protested. + +"I'm a newspaper man from Atlanta. The chief sent me out to look over +the lines and report." + +"It's a lie. We've forbidden every paper in town to dare such a +thing----" + +John smiled: + +"That's just why my office sent me, I reckon." + +"Well, he sent you once too often----" + +He turned to his orderly: + +"Get me a bridle rein off my horse." + +In vain John protested. The Commander shook his head: + +"It's no use talking. You've passed the deadline here to-day. This is a +favorite spot for scouts to cross. I'm not going to take any chances; +I'm going to hang you." + +"Why don't you search me first?" + +He was sure that his dangerous message was so skillfully sewed in the +soles of his shoes they would not be discovered. + +"I can search you afterwards," was the laconic reply. + +He quickly tied the leather strap around his neck and threw the end of +it over a limb. The touch of his hand and the rough way in which he had +tied the leather stirred John Vaughan's rage to boiling point. All sense +of danger was lost for the moment in blind anger. He turned suddenly and +faced his executioner: + +"This is a damned outrage, sir! Even a spy is entitled to a trial by +drumhead court-martial!" + +"Yes, that's what I say," the big, quiet fellow broke in. + +"I'm in command of this squad!" thundered the lieutenant. + +"I know you are," was the cool answer, "that's why this outrage is going +to be committed." + +The executioner dropped the rein and faced his subordinate: + +"You're going to question my authority?" + +"I've already done it, haven't I?" + +A quick blow followed. The quiet man, in response, knocked his commander +down and the men sprang on them as they drew their revolvers. + +John Vaughan, with a sudden leap, reached the dense woods and in five +minutes was inside Sherman's lines. + +The bridle rein was still around his neck and the blue picket helped him +untie the ugly knot. + +"I've had a close call," he panted, with a glance toward the woods. + +"You look it, partner. You'll be wantin' to see General Sherman, I +guess?" + +"Yes--to headquarters quick--you can't get there too quick to suit me." + +He had recovered his composure before reaching the farm house where +General Sherman and his staff were quartered. + +The day was one of terrific heat--the first of September. The +President's description of the famous fighter and the tremendous +responsibility which was now being placed on his shoulders had roused +John's curiosity to the highest pitch. + +The General was seated in an arm chair in the yard under a great oak. +His coat was unbuttoned and he had tilted back against the tree in a +comfortable position reading a newspaper. His black slouch hat was +pulled far down over his face. + +John saluted: + +"This is General Sherman?" + +"Yes," was the quick, pleasant answer as the tall, gaunt form slowly +rose. + +John noted his striking and powerful personality--the large frame, +restless hazel eyes, fine aquiline nose, bronzed features and cropped +beard. His every movement was instinct with the power of perfect +physical manhood, forty-four years old, the incarnation of health and +wiry strength. + +"I come from Washington, General," John continued, "and bear a special +message from the President." + +"From the President! Oh, come inside then." + +The tall figure moved with quick, nervous energy. In ten minutes +couriers were dashing from his headquarters in every direction. + +At one o'clock that night the big movement of his withdrawal from the +siege lines began. He had no intention of hurling his men against those +deadly trenches. He believed that with a sure, swift start undiscovered +by the Confederates he could by a single battle turn their lines at +Jonesboro, destroy the railroad and force General Hood to evacuate +Atlanta. + +His sleeping men were carefully waked. Not a single note from bugle or +drum sounded. The wheels of the artillery and wagons were wrapped with +cloth and every sound muffled. + +Through pitch darkness in dead silence the men were swung into marching +lines. The moving columns could be felt but not seen. Each soldier +followed blindly the man before. Somewhere in the black night there must +be a leader--God knew--they didn't. They walked by faith. The wet +grounds, soaked by recent rains, made their exit easier. The sound of +horses' hoofs and tramping thousands could scarcely be heard. + +The ranks were strung out in long, ragged lines, each man going as he +pleased. Something blocked the way ahead and the columns butted into one +another and pinched the heels of the men in front. + +In their anger the fellows smarting with pain forgot the orders for +silence. A storm of low muttering and growling rumbled through the +darkness. + +"What 'ell here!" + +"What's the matter with you----" + +"Keep off my heels!" + +"What 'ell are ye runnin' over me for?" + +"Hold up your damned gun----" + +"Keep it out of my eye, won't you?" + +"Damn your eye!" + +They start again and run into a bog of mud knee deep cut into mush by +the artillery and wagons which have passed on. + +The first men in line were in to their knees and stuck fast before they +could stop the lines surging on in the dark. They collide with the +bogged ones and fall over them. The ranks behind stumble in on top of +the fallen before word can be passed to halt. + +The night reeks with oaths. The patient heavens reverberate with them. +The mud-soaked soldiers damned with equal unction all things visible and +invisible on the earth, under it and above it. They cursed the United +States of America and they damned the Confederate States with equal +emphasis and wished them both at the bottom of the lowest depths of the +deepest pit of perdition. + +As one fellow blew the mud from his mouth and nose he bawled: + +"I wish Sherman and Hood were both in hell this minute!" + +"Yes, and fightin' it out to suit themselves!" his comrade answered. + +On through the black night the long blue lines crept under lowering +skies toward their foe, the stern face of William Tecumseh Sherman +grimly set on his desperate purpose. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +VICTORY + + +Betty had found the President at the War Telegraph office in the old +Army and Navy building. He was seated at the desk by the window where in +1862 he had written his first draft of his Emancipation Proclamation on +pieces of pasteboard. + +"You have heard nothing yet from General Sherman?" she asked +pathetically. + +"Nothing, child." + +"And no message of any kind from John Vaughan since he left!" she +exclaimed hopelessly. + +"But I'm sure, remember, sure to a moral certainty--that he reached +Richmond safely and left there safely." + +"How do you know?" + +"Gilmore has just arrived with his reply from Jefferson Davis. It will +be worth a half million votes for us. From his description of the +'reporter' with Benjamin I am sure it was our messenger." + +"But you don't know--you don't know!" Betty sighed. + +The President bent and touched her shoulder gently: + +"Come, dear, it's not like you to despair----" + +The girl smiled wanly. + +"How long since any message arrived from General Sherman?" + +"Three days, my child. I know the hole he went in at, but I can't tell +where he's going to come out----" + +"If he ever comes out," Betty broke in bitterly. + +"Oh, he'll come out somewhere!" the President laughed. "It's a habit of +his. I've watched him for months--sometimes I can't hear from him for a +week--but he always bobs up again and comes out with a whoop, too----" + +"But we've no news!" she interrupted. + +"No news has always been good news from Sherman----" + +He paused and looked at his watch: + +"Wait here. I'll be back in a few moments. We're bound to hear something +to-day. I've an engagement with my Committee of Undertakers. They are +waiting for me to deliver my corpse to them--and they are very restless +about it because I haven't given up sooner, I'm full of foolish hopes. +I'm going to adjourn them until we can get a message of some kind----" + +He returned in half an hour and sat in silence for a long time listening +to the steady, sharp click of the telegraph keys. + +Betty was too blue to talk--too heartsick to move. + +At last the tall figure rose and walked back among the operators. They +knew that he was waiting for the magic call, "Atlanta, Georgia." It had +been three years and more since that heading for a message had flashed +over their wires. Every ear was keen to catch it. + +The President bent over the table of Southern wires and silently +watched: + +"You can't strain a little message through for me, can you, my boy?" + +The operator smiled: + +"I wish I could, sir." + +The President returned to the front room and shook his head to Betty: + +"Nothing." + +"He entered Atlanta a spy, didn't he?" she said despairingly. + +"Yes--of course." + +"They couldn't execute him without our knowing it, could they?" + +"If they trap him--yes--but he's a very intelligent young man. He'll be +too smart for them. I feel it. I know it----" + +He stopped and looked at her quizzically: + +"I've a sort of second sight that tells me such things. I saw General +Sickles in the hospital after Gettysburg. They said he couldn't live. I +told him he would get well and he did." + +Again the President returned restlessly to the operator's room and Betty +followed him to the door. He waited a long time in silence, shook his +head and turned away. He had almost reached the door when suddenly the +operator sprang to his feet livid with excitement: + +"Wait--Mr. President!--It's come--my God, it's here!" + +Every operator was on his feet listening in breathless excitement to the +click of that Southern wire. + +The President had rushed back to the table. + +"It's for you, sir!" + +"Read it then--out with it as you take it!" he cried. + +"Atlanta, Georgia, September 3rd, 1864." + +"Glory to God!" the President shouted. + +"Atlanta is ours and fairly won. W. T. Sherman." + +"O my soul, lift up thy head!" the sorrowful lips shouted. "Unto thee, O +God, we give all the praise now and forever more!" + +He seated himself and quickly wrote his thanks and congratulations: + + "EXECUTIVE MANSION, + "WASHINGTON, D. C. + "September 3, 1864. + + "The National thanks are rendered by the President to Major General + W. T. Sherman and the gallant officers and soldiers of his command + before Atlanta, for the distinguished ability and perseverance + displayed in the campaign in Georgia, which under Divine favor has + resulted in the capture of Atlanta. The marches, battles and sieges + that have signalized this campaign must render it famous in the + annals of war, and have entitled you to the applause and thanks of + the Nation. + + "ABRAHAM LINCOLN, + "_President of the United States_." + +His sombre eyes flamed with a new light. He took the copy of his message +from Sherman and started to the White House with long, swift strides. + +Betty greeted him outside with tearful joy still mixed with deep +anxiety. + +"You have no word from him, of course?" + +"Not yet, child, but it will come--cheer up--it's sure to come. You see +that he reached Atlanta and delivered my message!" + +"We are not sure. The city may have fallen, anyhow----" + +"Yes, yes, but it didn't just fall, anyhow. Sherman took it. He got my +message. I know it. I felt it flash through the air from his soul to +mine!" + +His faith and enthusiasm were contagious and Betty returned home with +new hope. + +In half an hour the Committee who were waiting for his resignation from +the National Republican ticket filed into his office to receive as they +supposed his final surrender. + +The Chairman rose with doleful countenance: + +"Since leaving you, Mr. President, we have just heard a most painful and +startling announcement from the War Department. We begged you to +withhold the new draft for five hundred thousand men until after the +election. Halleck informs us of the discovery of a great combination to +resist it by armed force and General Grant must detach a part of his +army from Lee's front in order to put down this counter revolution. This +is the blackest news yet. We trust that you realize the impossibility of +your administration asking for indorsement at the polls----" + +With a sign of final resignation he sat down and the tall, dark figure +rose with quick, nervous energy. + +"I, too, have received important news since I saw you an hour ago." + +He held the telegram above his head: + +"I'll read it to you without my glasses. I know it by heart. I have just +learned that my administration will be indorsed by an overwhelming +majority, that the defeat of George B. McClellan and his platform of +failure is a certainty. The war to preserve the Union is a success. The +sword has been driven into the heart of the Confederacy. Sherman has +captured Atlanta--the Union is saved!" + +The Committee leaped to their feet with a shout of applause and crowded +around him to congratulate and praise the man they came to bury. There +was no longer a question of his resignation. The fall of Atlanta would +thrill the North. A wave of wild enthusiasm would sweep into the sea the +last trace of gloom and despair. They were practical men--else, as rats, +they would never have tried to desert their own ship. They knew that the +tide was going to turn, but it was a swift tide that could turn before +they could! + +They wrung the President's hands, they shouted his praise, they had +always gloried in his administration, but foolish grumblers hadn't been +able to see things as they saw them--hence this hue and cry! They +congratulated him on his certain triumph and the President watched them +go with a quiet smile. He was too big to cherish resentments. He only +pitied small men, he never hated them. + + + + +CHAPTER XL + +WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE + + +General Grant fired a salute in honor of the Atlanta victory with +shotted guns from every battery on his siege lines of thirty-seven miles +before Richmond and Petersburg. To Sherman he sent a remarkable +message--the kind which great men know how to pen: + +"You have accomplished the most gigantic undertaking given to any +General in this war, with a skill and ability which will be acknowledged +in history as unsurpassed if not unequaled." + +From the depths of despair the North swung to the wildest enthusiasm and +in the election which followed Abraham Lincoln was swept into power +again on a tidal wave. He received in round numbers two million five +hundred thousand votes, McClellan two millions. His majority by States +in the electoral college was overwhelming--two hundred and twelve to his +opponent's twenty-one. + +The closing words of his second Inaugural rang clear and quivering with +emotion over the vast crowd: + +"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the +right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the +work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who +shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan--to do all +which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves +and with all nations." + +As the last echo died away among the marble pillars above, the sun burst +through the clouds and flooded the scene. A mighty cheer swept the +throng and the guns boomed their second salute. The war was closing in +lasting peace and the sun shining on the finished dome of the Capitol of +a new nation. + +Betty Winter, leaning on John Vaughan's arm, was among the first to +grasp his big, outstretched hand: + +"A glorious day for us, sir," she cried, "a proud one for you!" + +With a far-away look the President slowly answered: + +"And all that I am in this world, Miss Betty, I owe to a woman--my angel +mother--blessings on her memory!" + +"I trust her spirit heard that beautiful speech," the girl responded +tenderly. + +She paused, looked up at John, blushed and added: + +"We are to be married next week, Mr. President----" + +"Is it so?" he said joyfully. "I wish I could be there, my children--but +I'm afraid 'Old Grizzly' might bite me. So I'll say it now--God bless +you!" + +He took their hands in his and pressed them heartily. His eyes suddenly +rested on a shining black face grinning behind John Vaughan. + +"My, my, can this be Julius Caesar Thornton?" he laughed. + +"Yassah," the black man grinned. "Hit's me--ole reliable, sah, right +here--I'se gwine ter cook fur 'em!" + + * * * * * + +From the moment of Abraham Lincoln's election the end of the war with a +restored Union was a foregone conclusion. + +In the fall of Atlanta the heart of the Confederacy was pierced, and it +ceased to beat. Lee's army, cut off from their supplies, slowly but +surely began to starve behind their impregnable breastworks. Sherman's +march to the sea and through the Carolinas was merely a torchlight +parade. The fighting was done. + +When Lee's emaciated men, living on a handful of parched corn a day, +staggered out of their trenches in the spring and tried to join +Johnston's army they marched a few miles to Appomattox, dropping from +exhaustion, and surrendered. + +When the news of this tremendous event reached Washington, the Cabinet +was in session. Led by the President, in silence and tears, they fell on +their knees in a prayer of solemn thanks to Almighty God. + +General Grant won the gratitude of the South by his generous treatment +of Lee and his ragged men. He had received instructions from the loving +heart in the White House. + +Long before the surrender in April, 1865, the end was sure. The +President knowing this, proposed to his Cabinet to give the South four +hundred millions of dollars, the cost of the war for a hundred days, in +payment for their slaves, if they would lay down their arms at once. His +ministers unanimously voted against his offer and he sadly withdrew it. +Among all his councillors there was not one whose soul was big enough to +understand the far-seeing wisdom of his generous plan. He would heal at +once one of the Nation's ugliest wounds by soothing the bitterness of +defeat. He knew that despair would send the older men of the South to +their graves. + +Edmund Ruffin, who had fired the first shot against Sumter and returned +to his Virginia farm when his State seceded, was a type of these ruined, +desperate men. On the day that Lee surrendered he placed the muzzle of +his gun in his mouth, pulled the trigger with his foot, and blew his own +head into fragments. + +When Senator Winter demanded proscription and vengeance against the +leaders of the Confederacy, the President shook his head: + +"No--let down the bars--let them all go--scare them off!" + +He threw up his big hands in a vivid gesture as if he were shooing a +flock of troublesome sheep out of his garden. + +"Triumphant now, you will receive our enemies with open arms?" the +Senator sneered. + +"Enemies? There are no such things. The Southern States have never +really been out of the Union. Their Acts of Secession were null and +void. They know now that the issue is forever settled. The restored +Union will be a real one. The Southern people at heart are law-abiding. +It was their reverence for the letter of the old law which led them to +ignore progress and claim the right to secede under the Constitution. +They will be true to Lee's pledge of surrender. I'm going to trust them +as my brethren. Let us fold up our banners now and smelt the guns--Love +rules--let her mightier purpose run!" + +So big and generous, so broad and statesmanlike was his spirit that in +this hour of victory his personality became in a day the soul of the New +Republic. The South had already unconsciously grown to respect the man +who had loved yet fought her for what he believed to be her highest +good. + +He was entering now a new phase of power. His influence over the people +was supreme. No man or set of men in Congress, or outside of it, could +defeat his policies. Even through the years of stunning defeats and +measureless despair his enemies had never successfully opposed a measure +on which he had set his heart. + +His first great work accomplished in destroying slavery and restoring +the Union, there remained but two tasks on which his soul was set--to +heal the bitterness of the war and remove the negro race from physical +contact with the white. + +He at once addressed himself to this work with enthusiasm. That he could +do it he never doubted for a moment. + +His first care was to remove the negro soldiers from the country as +quickly as possible. He summoned General Butler and set him to work on +his scheme to use these one hundred and eighty thousand black troops to +dig the Panama Canal. He summoned Bradley, the Vermont contractor, and +put him to work on estimates for moving the negroes by ship to Africa or +by train to an undeveloped Western Territory. + +His prophetic soul had pierced the future and seen with remorseless +logic that two such races as the Negro and Caucasian could not live side +by side in a free democracy. The Radical theorists of Congress were +demanding that these black men, emerging from four thousand years of +slavery and savagery should receive the ballot and the right to claim +the white man's daughter in marriage. They could only pass these +measures over the dead body of Abraham Lincoln. + +The assassin came at last--a vain, foolish dreamer who had long breathed +the poisoned air of hatred. It needed but the flash of this madman's +pistol on the night of the 14th of April to reveal the grandeur of +Lincoln's character, the marvel of his patience and his wisdom. + +The curtains of the box in Ford's theatre were softly drawn apart by an +unseen hand. The Angel of Death entered, paused at the sight of the +smile on his rugged, kindly face, touched the drooping shoulders, called +him to take the place he had won among earth's immortals and left to us +"the gentlest memory of our world." + +THE END + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Southerner, by Thomas Dixon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOUTHERNER *** + +***** This file should be named 19135.txt or 19135.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/1/3/19135/ + +Produced by Chuck Greif, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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