"

"I hope you won't think me presumptuous, Mr. President, if I ask you to
tell me why you recalled General McClellan?"

The rugged face suddenly flashed with a smile.

"Presumptuous?" he laughed. "My dear child, if you could have heard a
few things my Cabinet had to say to me in this room on that subject! The
tender deference with which you put the question is the nearest thing to
an endorsement I have so far received! Go as far as you like after that
opening. It will be a joy to discuss it with you. Presumptuous--Oh, my
soul!"

He caught his knee between his hands and rocked with laughter at the
memory of his Cabinet scene.

Reassured by his manner Betty leaned closer:

"You remember the morning you gave me the pass to Alexandria?"

"To see a certain young man?"

"Yes."

"Perfectly."

"You distinctly gave me the impression that morning that you were sure
General McClellan was betraying his trust in his failure to support
General Pope and that your confidence in him was gone forever."

"Did I?"

"Yes."

"Then it wasn't far from the truth," he gravely admitted.

"And yet you recalled him to the command of the army?"

"I had to."

"Had to?"

"It was the only thing to do."

Betty spoke in a whisper:

"You mean that their conspiracy had become so dangerous there was no
other way?"

He threw her a searching look, was silent a moment and slowly said:

"That's a pointed question, isn't it?"

"I'm a member of your Cabinet, you know----"

"Yes, I know--but why do _you_ happen to ask me such a dangerous
question at this particularly trying moment? Come, my little bright
eyes, out with it?"

"The certain young man and I are not very happy----"

"You've quarrelled?"

"Yes."

"About what?"

"You."

"You don't mean it, Miss Betty?" he said incredulously.

Her eyes were dim and she nodded.

"But why about me?"

"I saw things which confirmed your suspicions. He admitted his desire
that General Pope should fail and defended McClellan's indifference. We
quarrelled. I asked him to resign from the staff of his Chief----"

"You didn't!" he exclaimed softly, his deep eyes shining.

"I did--and he refused."

Again the big hands both closed on hers:

"God bless you, child! So long as I hold such faith from hearts like
yours, I know that I'm right. They can say what they please about
me----"

"You see," she broke in, "if he is in this conspiracy and they have
forced you to this surrender, h