have
been impossible for him afterward to have described his own feelings,
they were such an extraordinary compound of relief, elation, pity and
sympathy. The two armies faced each other, and, for the first time,
in absolute peace. The men in blue were already slipping food and
tobacco to their brethren in gray whom they had fought so long and so
hard, and at many points along the lines they were talking freely with
one another. The officers made no effort to restrain them, all alike
feeling sure that the bayonets would now be rusting.

The Winchester men were dismounted, their horses being tethered in a
grove, and Dick with the colonel, Warner and Pennington were at the front,
eagerly watching the ragged little army that faced them. He saw soon
a small band of soldiers, at the head of whom stood two elderly men in
patched but neat uniforms, their figures very erect, and their faces
bearing no trace of depression. Close by them were two tall youths whom
Dick recognized at once as St. Clair and Langdon. He waved his hand to
them repeatedly, and, at last, caught the eye of St. Clair, who at once
waved back and then called Langdon's attention. Langdon not only waved
also, but walked forward, as if to meet him, bringing St. Clair with him,
and Dick, responding at once, advanced with Warner and Pennington.

They shook hands under the boughs of an old oak, and were unaffectedly
glad to see one another, although the three youths in blue felt
awkwardness at first, being on the triumphant side, and fearing lest
some act or word of theirs might betray exultation over a conquered foe.
But St. Clair, precise, smiling, and trim in his attire, put them at ease.

"General Lee will be here presently," he said, "and you, as well as we,
know that the war is over. You are the victors and our cause is lost."

"But you have lost with honor," said Dick, won by his manner. "The odds
were greatly against you. It's wonderful to me that you were able to
fight so long and with so much success."

"It was a matter of mathematics, Captain St. Clair," said Warner.
"The numbers, the big guns and the resources were on our side, If we held
on we were bound to win, as anyone could demonstrate. It's certainly
no fault of yours to have been defeated by mathematics, a science that
governs the world."

St. Clair and Langdon smiled, and Langdon said lightly:

"It would perhaps be more just to say, Mr. Warner, that we have not been
beaten, bu