ed more attractive
than ever to Harry. The city preserved its gay and light tone. It was
crowded with people. All the rich planters were there. Society had
never been more brilliant than during those tense weeks on the eve
of men knew not what. But the Charlestonians were sure of one fact,
the most important of all, that everything was going well. Texas had
joined the great group of the South, and while the border states still
hung back, they would surely join.

Harry found that the batteries and earthworks had increased in size and
number, forming a formidable circle about the black mass of Sumter,
above which the defiant flag still swung in the wind. The guards were
distributed among the batteries, but St. Clair, Langdon, and Harry
remained together. Toutant Beauregard, after having resigned the
command at West Point, as the Southern leaders had expected, came
to Charleston and took supreme command there. Harry saw him as he
inspected the batteries, a small, dark man, French in look, as he was
French in descent, full of nervous energy and vitality. He spoke
approving words of all that had been done, and Harry, St. Clair and Tom,
glowed with enthusiasm.

"Didn't I tell you that everything would come just right!" exclaimed
Happy Tom. "We're the boys to do things. I heard today that they were
preparing a big fleet in the North to relieve Sumter, but no matter how
big it is, it won't be able to get into Charleston harbor. Will it,
old fellow?"

He addressed his remarks to one of the great guns, and he patted the
long, polished barrel. Harry agreed with him that Charleston harbor
could be held inviolate. He did not believe that ships would have much
chance against heavy cannon in earthworks.

He was back in Charleston several days before he had a chance to go to
Madame Delaunay's. She was unfeignedly glad to see him, but Harry saw
that she had lost some of her bright spirits.

"Colonel Talbot tells me," she said, "that mighty forces are gathering,
and I am afraid, I am afraid for all the thousands of gallant boys like
you, Harry."

But Harry had little fear for himself. Why should he, when the Southern
cause was moving forward so smoothly? They heard a day or two later
that the rail-splitter, Lincoln, had been duly inaugurated President of
what remained of the old Union, although he had gone to Washington at
an unexpected hour, and partly in disguise. On the same day the
Confederacy adopted the f