rd, who had
known him very well since he had been in Winchester, learning to call
him by his first name, merely smiled and the smile was at once maternal
and somewhat sad.

"No apologies are needed, Harry," she said in a low tone that the others
might not hear. "I read your thoughts. They were away in the mountains
with a marching army. All this around us speaks of home and peace, but
it cannot last. All of you will be going soon."

"That's true, Mrs. Howard, I was thinking of march and battle, and I
believe you're right in saying that we'll all go soon. That is what
we're for."

She smiled again a little sadly.

"You're a good boy, Harry," she said, "and I hope that you and all your
comrades will come back in safety to Winchester. But that is enough
croaking from an old woman and I'm ashamed of myself. Did you ever see a
happier crowd than the one gathered here?"

"Not since I was in my father's house when the relatives would come to
help us celebrate Christmas."

"When did you hear from your father?" asked Mrs. Howard, whose warm
sympathies had caused Harry to tell her of his life and of his people
whom he had left behind in Kentucky.

"Just after the terrible disaster at Donelson. He was in the fort, but
he escaped with Forrest's cavalry, and he went into Mississippi to join
the army under Albert Sidney Johnston. He sent a letter for me to
my home, Pendleton, under cover to my old teacher, Dr. Russell, who
forwarded it to me. It came only this morning."

"How does he talk?"

"Hopefully, though he made no direct statement. I suppose he was afraid
to do so lest the letter fall into the hands of the Yankees, but
I imagine that General Johnston's army is going to attack General
Grant's."

"If General Johnston can win a victory it will help us tremendously,
but I fear that man, Grant. They say that he had no more men at Donelson
than we, but he took the fort and its garrison."

"It's true. Our affairs have not been going well in the West."

Harry was downcast for a few moments. Much of their Western news had
come through the filter of Richmond, but despite the brighter color that
the Government tried to put on it, it remained black. Forts and armies
had been taken. Nothing had been able to stop Grant. But youth again
came to Harry. He could not resist the bright light and the happy talk
about him. Bitter thoughts fled.

General Jackson was in fine humor. He and Dr. Graham had started to
discuss a problem