t. In
the name of ultra State Sovereignty, treason is everywhere threatening.
Soldiers are taken from your army by State authorities on the eve of
battle. Men are deserting in droves and defy arrest. You have justly
demanded the death penalty for desertion. It has been denied. Bands of
deserters now plunder, burn and rob as they please. You are our only
hope. You are the idol of our people. At your call they will rally. Men
will pour into your ranks, and we can yet crush our enemies, or invade
Mexico as you may decide."

"He's right, General," Gordon agreed. "The South will stand by you to a
man."

Alexander added with deep reverence:

"The people believe in you, General Lee, as they believe in God."

A dreamy look overspread Lee's face.

"Their faith is misplaced, sir! God alone decides the fate of nations.
And God, not your commanding General, will decide the fate of the South.
The thing that appalls me is that we have no luck. For in spite of
numbers, resources, generalship--the unknown factor in war is luck. The
North has had it all. At Shiloh at the moment of a victory that would
have ended Grant's career, Albert Sydney Johnson, our ablest general,
was shot and Grant escaped. At the battle of Chancellorsville in these
very woods, Jackson at the moment of his triumph-Jackson my right
arm--was shot by his own men. To-day Longstreet falls in the same way
when he is about to repeat his immortal deed--"

He paused.

"The South has had no luck!"

Alexander eagerly protested.

"I don't agree with you, sir. God has given the South Lee as her
Commander. Your genius is equal to a hundred thousand men. And in all
our terrible battles, at the head of your men, again and again, as you
were to-day, with bullets whistling around you, you've lived a charmed
life. You're here to-night strong in body and mind, without a scratch.
Don't tell me, sir, that we haven't had luck!"

Stuart broke in.

"You're the biggest piece of luck that ever befell an army."

Lee rose.

"I appreciate your confidence and your love, gentlemen. But I've made
many tragic mistakes, and tried to find an abler man to take my place."

"There's no such man!" Stuart boomed. "Give the word to-night and every
soldier in this army would follow you into the jaws of hell!"

Lee's eyes were lifted dreamily.

"And you ask me to blot out the liberties of our people by a single act
of usurpation?"

Alexander lifted his hand.

"Only for a moment, Ge