er
heroism of his undaunted courage. His aged grandfather was in the city
at the moment, having come on a visit from Fairview. Baton Rouge must
fall at once. There was nothing to prevent Farragut's fleet from
steaming up the river now for hundreds of miles. The old Colonel was
furious when informed that he could not return to Fairview. But there
was no help for it.

"Don't worry, Grandfather," the judge pleaded; "you can depend on it,
Senator Barton will save Fairview if it's within human power--"

"But your grandmother is there, sir!" thundered the old man, "helpless
on her back. There's no one to protect her from the damned Yankees--"

The Judge smiled.

"Maybe the Yankees will not be so bad after all, grandfather. Anyhow
there's no help for it. I've got you here with me safe and sound and I'm
going to keep you--"

The fall of New Orleans sent a dagger into the heart of the South. Ft.
Donelson had broken the center. The fall of New Orleans had smashed the
left wing of the far-flung battle line. The power of the Confederacy was
crushed in the rich and powerful State of Louisiana at a single stroke.
The route to Texas was cut. The United States Navy had established a
base from which to send their fleets into the interior by the great
rivers and by the gulf from the Rio Grande to the Keys of Florida.

The sleeping lioness stirred at last. The delusion of Bull Run had
passed. It took six months of disasters to do for the South what Bull
Run did for the North in six days. The South began now to rise in her
might and gird her loins for the fight she had foolishly thought won on
the plains of Manassas.

Senator Barton was in bed so ill from an attack of influenza it was
impossible for him to travel.

Jennie hastily packed her trunk and left on the first train for the
South. She must reach her helpless grandmother before the Federal army
could attack Baton Rouge.

The tenderness with which Socola helped her on board the train had
brought the one ray of sunlight into her heart. She had expected to go
in tears and terror for what the future held in store in the stricken
world at home.

A smile on the lips of a stranger had set her heart to beating with joy.

She was ashamed of herself for being so happy. But it was impossible to
make her heart stop beating and laughing. He had not yet spoken a word
of love but she knew. She knew with a knowledge sweet and perfect
because she had suddenly realized her own secret. S