ee her, but he stayed too long, an'
didn't git back in time fer his work. Massa's oberseer kotched him an'
cut him all up. When de oberseer went inter de house, pore old Joe war
all tired an' beat up, an' so he lay down by de fence corner and go ter
sleep. Bimeby Massa oberseer com'd an' axed, "all bin a workin' libely?"
I say "Yes, Massa."' Then said Mr. Parker, 'You were lying, Joe had been
sleeping, not working.' 'I know's dat, but ef I tole on Joe, Massa
oberseer cut him all up again, and Massa Jesus says, "Blessed am de
Peacemaker."' I heard, continued Robert, that Mr. Parker said to
Gundover, 'You seem to me like a man standing in a stream where the
blood of Jesus can reach you, but you are standing between it and your
slaves. How will you answer that in the Day of Judgment?'"

"What did Gundover say?" asked Captain Sybil.

"He turned pale, and said, 'For God's sake don't speak of the Day of
Judgment in connection with slavery.'"

Just then a messenger brought a communication to Captain Sybil. He read
it attentively, and, turning to Robert, said, "Here are orders for an
engagement at Five Forks to-morrow. Oh, this wasting of life and
scattering of treasure might have been saved had we only been wiser. But
the time is passing. Look after your company, and see that everything is
in readiness as soon as possible."

Carefully Robert superintended the arrangements for the coming battle of
a strife which for years had thrown its crimson shadows over the land.
The Rebels fought with a valor worthy of a better cause. The disaster of
Bull Run had been retrieved. Sherman had made his famous march to the
sea. Fighting Joe Hooker had scaled the stronghold of the storm king and
won a victory in the palace chamber of the clouds; the Union soldiers
had captured Columbia, replanted the Stars and Stripes in Charleston,
and changed that old sepulchre of slavery into the cradle of a new-born
freedom. Farragut had been as triumphant on water as the other generals
had been victorious on land, and New Orleans had been wrenched from the
hands of the Confederacy. The Rebel leaders were obstinate. Misguided
hordes had followed them to defeat and death. Grant was firm and
determined to fight it out if it took all summer. The closing battles
were fought with desperate courage and firm resistance, but at last the
South was forced to succumb. On the ninth day of April, 1865, General
Lee surrendered to General Grant. The lost cause went dow