ryland, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, and does not seem to contemplate the possibility of
there being any fighting on _Southern_ soil. But his numbers--I think he
made each of the opposing forces number some one hundred and fifty or
two hundred thousand men; and a sharp reviewer broke out into a loud
guffaw over the impossibility that any such number of men could ever be
arrayed against each other, on the soil of the United States, by any
possible convulsion. Only a few years have passed, and we have three or
four times his numbers in the fight on either side, with half a million
more men to be called for."

"We are travelling fast--that is all," replied Leslie.

"You couldn't exactly inform me _where_, could you?" asked Harding.
"But,--phew!--w!--w!" looking at his watch, "the soldiers are gone and
time is up; I must look after my deposits before three."

"And what are we to do about our mystery?" asked Leslie, as the other
was about to leave him. "Give that up altogether?--or will you agree to
take a hand in at personal investigation?"

"Yes--no--I really do not know what to say, Tom!" was the reply of
Harding. "At all events, I have spent all the time I can spare to-day,
looking after that and the soldiers. 'Business first and pleasure
afterwards,' you know."

"Yes," said Leslie, "as the excellent Duke of Gloster remarked, when he
first killed the old King and then murdered the young Princes."

"Pshaw!" replied Harding, "I think I may have heard that before."

"Very possibly," said Leslie, too much used to slight rebuffs to pay
them any great attention.

"Well, I shall walk down faster than you--bye-bye, old fellow. Look in
at my place to-morrow and let us see whether we can arrange to do
anything more in opposition to His High Mightiness Superintendent and
Provost Marshal Kennedy," said Harding, moving away.

"Look! look! over there!" said Leslie, just as his friend was leaving
him. "There is a piece of infernal impudence!"

The two friends were yet on the East side of Broadway, as they had come
out from Broome Street. The procession had passed from the street, and
the crowd on the sidewalks had materially cleared away. Leslie had been
looking across at the passengers on the "shilling side." Two ladies,
neatly dressed in street costume, and wearing light gypsies, were
walking together, downward. Behind them, and so close that he nearly
trod upon their dresses, a tall man was walking apparently upon tip-toe