He'll come out somewhere--It's a habit Uncle Billy has----

BETTY

[_Hopelessly._]

They've no news at the War Department either.

LINCOLN

No news is generally good news from Sherman.

[BETTY _turns away to hide her tears and_ LINCOLN _follows her with
tender pleading._]

Come, come, my dear--these tears won't do! You've got to help me now!

[BETTY _brushes the tears away._]

I may have sent your lover to his death. I know that! But he went with
a smile on his face and a great joy in his heart for the service he was
doing his country----

BETTY

Yes--I know--I know--I'm proud of the honor you did him.

LINCOLN

[_Whispering._]

Give me a little lift, then----

[_Pauses._]

I'm just whistling to keep up _my_ courage!

[_He pauses again in an agony of suffering._]

I know that he got to Atlanta----

[_Pauses._]

Sherman has disappeared!

BETTY

Forgive me--I forgot. _You're_ going to win. I feel it. I know it!

LINCOLN

That's the way to talk! That's the way I'm talking to myself though I'm
scared within an inch of my life----

[_He pauses and goes over to the_ OPERATOR--BETTY _following._]

Say, boy--can't you beat it a little harder and make the blame thing
talk for us?

OPERATOR

I wish I could, sir.

LINCOLN

Try him again-----

[_The_ OPERATOR _calls Atlanta and pauses_--LINCOLN _and_ BETTY
_bend over with breathless suspense. The instrument gives one
click_--LINCOLN _starts. The instrument stops._]

Didn't the thing start to answer?

[_The_ OPERATOR _shakes his head._]

Call the War Office and ask Stanton to step over here--My God--why
can't we hear!

BETTY

[_Wistfully._]

I'm not going to cry again--but I just want to ask _one_ question--you
won't mind?

LINCOLN

As many as you like!

BETTY

He--he--had to enter Atlanta a spy, didn't he?

[_Sobs and catches herself._]

LINCOLN

Yes--of course----

BETTY

Well, if he should be captured--could--they execute him without our
knowing it?

LIN