usted adviser of the President he had long had the freedom
of the house.

The resolute Hebrew features of the Secretary were set with resolution.
He pushed his way to the door of Mr. Davis' room, rapped for admission
and without waiting for an answer softly and swiftly entered. His
mission was too important to admit of delay.

He paused at the threshold in surprise.

Jefferson Davis was on his knees in prayer so deep and earnest he had
not heard.

He waited with head bowed in silent sympathy for five minutes and looked
with increasing amazement at the white face of the man who prayed. This
agony of soul before the God of his fathers was a revelation to the
Minister of State.

His lips were moving now in audible words.

"Thou alone art my refuge, O Lord! Without Thee I shall fail. Have pity
on Thy servant--with Thy wisdom guide!"

The time was swiftly passing. The Minister could not wait.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. President," he began in low tones, "but I have
most important communications to make to you--"

The voice of prayer softly died away and slowly the look of earth came
back to the tired face. He turned his hollow cheeks to Benjamin with no
attempt to mask the agony of his spirit, slowly rose and motioned him to
a chair.

The Secretary lifted his hand.

"I'm restless. If you don't mind, I'll stand. I have marked three
editorial attacks on you and your administration in three of the most
powerful newspapers in the South--the Richmond _Examiner_, the Raleigh
_Standard_ and the Charleston _Mercury_--read them please--and then I
have something to say!"

The President seated himself and read each marked sentence with care.

"The same old thing, Benjamin--only a little more virulent this
time--what of it?"

"This! The success of our cause demands the suppression of these reptile
sheets and the imprisonment of their editors--"

"Would success be worth having if we must buy it at the cost of the
liberties of our people?"

Benjamin stopped short in his tracks. He had been walking back and forth
with swift panther-like tread.

"We are at war, Mr. President--fierce, savage, cruel, it's going to be.
You have realized this from the first. The world will demand of us just
one thing--success in arms. With this we win all. Lose this and we lose
all--our liberties and a great deal more. Our coast is pierced now at
regular intervals to the mouth of the Mississippi River--at Fortress
Monroe in Virginia--the en