ing glances at one or two of our most important
battles, has been chiefly to present a faithful picture of certain
relations in life and society which have grown out, as side-issues, from
the great struggle. At another time and under different circumstances,
the writer might feel disposed to apologize for the great liberty of
episode and digression, taken with the story; but in the days of Victor
Hugo and Charles Reade, and at a time when the text of the preacher in
his pulpit, and the title of a bill in a legislative body, are alike
made the threads upon which to string the whole knowledge of the speaker
upon every subject,--such an apology can scarcely be necessary. It
should be said, in deference to a few retentive memories, that two
chapters of this story, now embraced in the body of the work, were
originally written for and published in the _Continental Monthly_, last
fall, the publication of the whole work through that medium, at first
designed, being prevented by a change of management and a contract
mutually broken.

NEW YORK CITY, July, 1863.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE

Two Friends--Walter Lane Harding and Tom Leslie--Merchant and
Journalist--A Torn Dress and a Stalwart Champion--Tom Leslie's
Story of Dexter Ralston--Three Meetings--An Incident on the
Potomac--The Inauguration of Lincoln--A Warning of the Virginia
Secession--Governmental Blindness--Friend or Foe to the Union? 23

CHAPTER II.

Richard Crawford and Josephine Harris--The Invalid and the Wild
Madonna--An Odd Female Character and a Temptation--Discouragement
and Consolation--Miss Joe Harris on the Character of Colonel
Egbert Crawford--A Suggestion of Hatred and Murder--A New Agony
for the Invalid--A Lady with an Attachment to Cerise Ribbon. 41

CHAPTER III.

A Scene at Judge Owen's--Mother and Daughter--Pretty Emily with
One Lover Too Many--Emily's Determination, and Judge Owen's
Ultimatum--A Pompous Judge playing Grand Signeur in his own
Family--Aunt Martha to the Rescue--Her Story of Marriage without
Love, Wedded Misery and Outrage--How Old is Colonel John Boadley
Bancker, and what is the Character of Frank Wallace? 60

CHAPTER IV.

Harding and Leslie make Discoveries on Prince Street--Secesh
Flags and Emblems of the Golden Circle--What do they mean?--Tom
Leslie takes a Climb and a Tumble--The Red Woman--A Carriage
Cha