den to the
right. He is watching for McClellan's next move. There's a rumour that
everything's in motion toward the James. If it's true, there's a chase
before us to-morrow, eh?--A. P. Hill suffered dreadfully. 'Prince John'
kept McClellan beautifully amused.--General Jackson? On the slope of the
hill by the breastworks."

A red light proclaimed the place as Cleave approached it. It seemed a
solitary flame, night around it and a sweep of scarped earth. Cleave,
coming into the glow, found only the old negro Jim, squat beside it like
a gnome, his eyes upon the jewelled hollows, his lips working. Jim rose.
"De gineral, sah? De gineral done sont de staff away ter res'. Fo' de
Lawd, de gineral bettah follah dat 'zample! Yaas, sah,--ober dar in de
big woods."

Cleave descended the embankment and entered a heavy wood. A voice
spoke--Jackson's--very curtly. "Who is it, and what is your business?"

"It is the colonel of the 65th Virginia, sir. General Winder sends me,
with the approval of General D. H. Hill, from the advance by the McGehee
house."

A part of the shadow detached itself and came forward as Jackson. It
stalked past Cleave out of the belt of trees and over the bare red earth
to the fire. The other man followed, and in the glare faced the general
again. The leaping flame showed Jackson's bronzed face, with the brows
drawn down, the eyes looking inward, and the lips closed as though no
force could part them. Cleave knew the look, and inwardly set his own
lips. At last the other spoke. "Well, sir?"

"The enemy is cramped between us and the Chickahominy, sir. Our pickets
are almost in touch of theirs. If we are scattered and disorganized,
they are more so,--confused--distressed. We are the victors, and the
troops still feel the glow of victory."

"Well?"

"There might be a completer victory. We need only you to lead us, sir."

"You are mistaken. The men are wearied. They worked very hard in the
Valley. They need not do it all."

"They are not so wearied, sir. There is comment, I think, on what the
Army of the Valley has not done in the last two days. We have our chance
to refute it all to-night."

"General Lee is the commander-in-chief. General Lee will give orders."

"General Lee has said to himself: 'He did so wonderfully in the Valley,
I do not doubt he will do as wonderfully here. I leave him free. He'll
strike when it is time.'--It is time now, sir."

"Sir, you are forgetting yourself."

"Sir, I wi