ve no more power over them
than so many children playing at marbles! Hear Crittenden and Baker
begging and pleading within there, to save what is lost; and Mason, the
sly old fox, threatening them with what is already done!'

"'What do you mean?' asked the other? 'Virginia--'

"'Virginia has seceded!' spoke Ralston, with an accent that sounded like
a hiss. I do not to this moment know whether it expressed triumph or
anger.

"'Seceded!' spoke the other, startled, as was evident from his voice.
As for myself, I was trembling like a leaf, for I felt that the words
were true, that the treason was already unfathomable, and that the
Capitol was tumbling down about my ears long before it was finished.

"'Seceded? Yes, I spoke the word!' said Ralston, 'and you are not very
likely to believe that I am mistaken.'

"'No, no, certainly not!' replied the other, in a tone of energetic
disclaimer which showed that he knew _why_ Ralston was not deceived.
'But then, if this is so, why does Mason remain, and why is the fact
kept in the dark?'

"'_To gain time!_' answered Ralston, 'and to procure more arms. Virginia
is a 'loyal State,' and arms may be shipped to her, while they cannot to
the States that are known to have seceded. You can guess that the arms
go further south almost as fast as they reach Richmond, and that Colt's
pistols, especially, will pretty soon be beyond the reach of many men
who live north of Mason and Dixon's line. Do you understand _now_?' he
concluded.

"'Humph! Yes, I begin to know something more than I did a while ago!'
answered the other. 'Then, as you say, all that is going on in yonder is
a farce, and--'

"'And to-morrow's proceedings will be a more notable one!' Ralston broke
in. 'Some of them, I believe, have been afraid of violence to-morrow. No
fear of that--the game is to be played differently, and it is not yet
ripe for blood. Well, I have had enough of it. Good-night!'

"At the word Ralston stepped out from the arch, and his companion
followed him. By the lamp-light in front I caught a view of the face as
the former went out, and saw that I had not been mistaken as to the
voice. I had intended, when I first knew it was Ralston, to accost him
before he left, but I had now lost the desire, while my head was in that
whirl and his own position seemed to be so ambiguous. He stepped toward
the gateway, and, I believe, entered a carriage and drove off. The
other, whose face I recognized by the lamp