es. South Carolina may
set an example, but if the others do not follow, she will merely be a
sacrifice."

Bertrand smiled. His smile always lighted up his olive face in a
wonderful way. It was a smile, too, of supreme confidence.

"Do not fear," he said. "Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana
are ready. We have word from them all. It is only a matter of a few
days until every state in the lower south goes out, but we want also and
we need greatly those on the border, famous states like your Kentucky
and Virginia. Do you not see how you are threatened? With the triumph
of the rail-splitter, Lincoln, the seat of power is transferred to the
North. It is not alone a question of slavery. The balance of the
Union is destroyed. The South loses leadership. Her population is not
increasing rapidly, and hereafter she will merely hold the stirrup while
the North sits in the saddle."

A murmur arose from the men. More than one clenched his hands, until
the nails pressed into the flesh. Harry, still standing by the window,
felt the influence of the South Carolinian's words more deeply perhaps
than any other. The North appeared to him cold, jealous, and vengeful.

"You are right about Kentucky and Virginia," said Senator Culver.
"The secession of two such strong states would strike terror in the
North. It would influence the outside world, and we would be in a far
better position for war, if it should come. Governor Magoffin will have
to call a special session of the legislature, and I think there will
be enough of us in both Senate and House to take Kentucky out."

Bertrand's dark face glowed.

"You must do it! You must do it!" he exclaimed. "And if you do our
cause is won!"

There was a thoughtful silence, broken at last by Colonel Kenton,
who turned an inquiring eye upon Bertrand.

"I wish to ask you about the Knights of the Golden Circle," he said.
"I hear that they are making great headway in the Gulf States."

Raymond hesitated a moment. It seemed that he, too, felt for the first
time a difference between himself and these men about him who were so
much less demonstrative than he. But he recovered his poise quickly.

"I speak to you frankly," he replied. "When our new confederation is
formed, it is likely to expand. A hostile union will lie across our
northern border, but to the south the way is open. There is our field.
Spain grows weak and the great island of Cuba will fall from her gr