fe."

Hansford was silent. He knew how useless it was to oppose Bacon when he
had once resolved. His chivalrous nature revolted at the idea of
exposing refined and delicate females to such a trial. And yet he could
not deny that the project if successfully carried out would be the means
of saving much bloodshed, and of ensuring a speedy and easy victory to
the insurgents.

"Why, what are you thinking of, man," said Bacon gaily. "I thought my
project would wound your delicate sensibilities. But to my mind there is
more real chivalry and more true humanity in sparing brave blood to
brave hearts, than in sacrificing it to a sickly regard for a woman's
feelings."

"The time has been when brave blood would have leaped gushing from brave
hearts," said Hansford proudly, "to protect woman from the slightest
shadow of insult."

"Most true, my brave Chevalier Bayard," said Bacon, in a tone of
unaffected good humor, "and shall again--and mine, believe me, will not
be more sluggish in such a cause than your own. But here no insult is
intended and none will be given. These fair prisoners shall be treated
with the respect due to their sex and station. My hand and sword for
that. But the time has been when woman too was willing to sacrifice her
shrinking delicacy in defence of her country. Wot ye how Rome was once
saved by the noble intercession of the wife and mother of Caius
Marcus--or how the English forces were beaten from the walls of Orleans
by the heroic Joan, or how--"

"You need not multiply examples," said Hansford interrupting him, "to
show how women of a noble nature have unsexed themselves to save their
country. Your illustrations do not apply, for they did voluntarily what
the ladies of Virginia must do upon compulsion. But, sir, I have no more
to say. If you persist in this resolution, unchivalrous as I believe it
to be, yet I will try to see my duty in ameliorating the condition of
these unhappy females as far as possible."

"And in me you shall have been a most cordial coadjutor," returned
Bacon. "But, my dear fellow, your chivalry is too shallow. Excuse me, if
I say that it is all mere sentiment without a substratum of reason. Now
look you--you would willingly kill in battle the husbands of these
ladies, and thus inflict a life-long wound upon them, and yet you refuse
to pursue a course by which lives may be saved, because it subjects them
to a mere temporary inconvenience. But look again. Have you no sympathy