rother's throat----"

His head sank into his hands in a sob that strangled speech.

Betty slipped her arm tenderly around his shoulder and stroked the heavy
black hair.

"But you didn't know, dear--you wouldn't have fired that shot if you
had----"

He lifted himself suddenly and recovered his self-control.

"No. That's just it," he answered bitterly. "I wouldn't have done it had
I known--nor would he, had he known. But I should have seen before that
every torn and mangled body I had counted in the reckoning of the glory
of battle was some other man's brother, some other mother's boy----"

He paused and drew himself suddenly erect:

"Well I'm awake now--I know and see things as they are!"

His hand unconsciously felt for his revolver, and Betty threw her arms
around his neck with a smothered cry of horror:

"Merciful God--John--my darling--you are mad--what are you going to do?"

"Why nothing, dear," he protested, "nothing! I'm simply going to ask the
President whose power is supreme to give my father a fair trial or
release him--that's all--you needn't stay longer--the carriage is
waiting. I can introduce myself and plead my own cause. If he's the
fair, great-hearted man you believe, he'll see that justice is done----"

"You are going to kill the President!" Betty gasped.

"Nonsense--but if I were--what is the death of one man if thousands
live? I saw sixty thousand men in blue fall in thirty days--two thousand
a day--besides those who wore the grey. At Cold Harbor I saw ten
thousand of my brethren fall in twenty minutes. Why should you gasp over
the idea that one man may die whose death would stop this slaughter?"

"John, you're mad!" she cried, clinging to him desperately. "You're mad,
I tell you. You've lost your reason. Come with me, dear--come at
once----"

"No. I was never more sane than now," he answered firmly.

"Then I'll warn the President----"

He held her with cruel force:

"You understand that if it's true, my arrest, court-martial and death
follow?"

"No. I'll warn him not to come. I alone know----"

She broke his grip on her arm and started toward the door. He lifted his
hand in quick commanding gesture:

"Wait! my men are in that hall--it's his life or mine now. You can take
your choice----"

The girl's figure suddenly straightened:

"Take your men out and go with them at once!"

"No. If he does justice, I may spare his life. If he does not----"

"You shall not see him----"