hey; after it was all over,
the last regiment passed, the women went indoors trembling in every
limb. "O Jesus! this war is going to be a dreadful thing!" The column
marching on and passing a signpost, each unit read what it had to say.
"_Seven miles to Middletown._--Seven miles to hell!"

Some time later, the brigade made a discovery. "They are willows--yes,
they are!--running cross field, through the blur! Whoever's toting the
water bucket, get it ready!"

The halt came--Jackson's ten minutes out of an hour "lie-down-men.
You-rest-all-over-lying-down" halt. The water buckets were ready, and
there were the willows that the dust had made as sere as autumn,--but
where was the stream? The thin trickle of water had been overpassed,
churned, trampled into mire and dirt, by half the army, horse and foot.
The men stared in blank disappointment. "A polecat couldn't drink here!"
"Try it up and down," said the colonel. "It will be clearer away from
the road. But every one of you listen for the _Fall-In_."

Steve wandered off. He did not wait for clean water. There was a puddle,
not half so bad as thirst! Settling down upon his hands, he leaned
forward and well-nigh drank it up. Refreshed, he rose, got out of the
mire back to the bank, and considered a deeper belt of willows farther
down the stream. They were on the edge of the dust belt, they had an air
faintly green, extremely restful. Steve looked over his shoulder. All
the boys were drinking, or seeking a place to drink, and the dust was
like a red twilight! Furtively swift as any Thunder Run "crittur," he
made for the willows. They formed a deep little copse; nobody within
their round and, oh joy! shade and a little miry pool! Steve sat down
and drew off his shoes, taking some pains lest in the action side and
sole part company. Undoubtedly his feet were sore and swollen, red and
fevered. He drank from the miry pool, and then, trousers rolled to his
knees, sunk foot and ankle in the delicious coolness. Presently he lay
back, feet yet in mud and water, body flat upon cool black earth,
overhead a thick screen of willow leaves. "Ef I had a corn pone and
never had to move I wouldn't change for heaven. O Gawd! that damned
bugle!"

_Fall in! Fall in!--Fall in! Fall in!_ With a deep groan Steve picked up
his shoes and dragged himself to the edge of the copse. He looked out.
"Danged fools! running back to line like chicks when the hen squawks
'Hawk!' O Gawd! my foot's too sore t