is
purpose to dissolve the political connection of Virginia with the mother
country.

The little party rode on in silence for several miles, for each was
buried in his own reflections. Bacon, with his own peculiar views of
ambition and glory, felt but little sympathy with those who united in
the rebellion for the specific object of a march against the savages.
Hansford was meditating on the heavy sacrifice which he had made for his
country's service, and striving to see, in the dim future, some gleam of
hope which might cheer him in his gloom. Lawrence and Drummond, the two
most influential leaders in the movement, had been left behind in
Jamestown, their place of residence, to watch the movements of Berkeley,
in whose fair promises none of the insurgents seemed to place implicit
confidence. The rest of the little party had already exhausted in
discussion the busy events of the day, and remained silent from want of
material for conversation.

At length, however, Bacon, whose knowledge of human nature had
penetrated the depths of Hansford's heart, and who felt deeply for his
favourite, gave him the signal to advance somewhat in front of their
comrades, and the following conversation took place:

"And so, my friend," said Bacon, in the mild, winning voice, which he
knew so well how to assume; "and so, my friend, you have renounced your
dearest hopes in life for this glorious enterprise."

Hansford only answered with a sigh.

"Take it not thus hardly," continued Bacon. "Think of your loss as a
sacrifice to liberty. Look to the future for your happiness, to a
redeemed and liberated country for your home--to glory as your bride."

"Alas!" said Hansford, "glory could never repay the loss of happiness.
Believe me, General, that personal fame is not what I covet. Far better
would it be for me to have been born and reared in obscurity, and to
pass my brief life with those I love, than for the glittering bauble,
glory, to give up all that is dear to the heart."

"And do you repent the course you have taken," asked Bacon, with some
surprise.

"Repent! no; God forbid that I should repent of any sacrifice which I
have made to the cause of my country. But it is duty that prompts me,
not glory. For as to this selfsame will-o'-the-wisp, which seems to
allure so many from happiness, I trust it not. I am much of the little
Prince Arthur's mind--

'By my Christendom,
So I were out of prison and kept sheep,
I shoul