. The
Union had yet to be realized as an historical fact. The discordant
elements out of which our Constitution had been strangely wrought had
fought their way at last into two irreconcilable hostile sections, the
very structure of whose civilization rested on antagonistic conceptions
of life and government.

The Northern Senators were in their seats with grave faces long before
the last straggling Southerner picked his way into the Chamber bowing
and smiling and apologizing to the ladies on whose richly embroidered
dresses he must step or give up the journey.

For weeks the pretense of polite formalities between parties had been
unconsciously dropped. Men no longer bowed and smirked and passed the
time of day with shallow words.

With heads erect, they glanced at each other and passed on. And if they
spoke, it was with taunt, insult and challenge.

Jennie's keen eyes rested on two vacant chairs on the floor of the
Senate--every seat was crowded save these two.

She pressed Dick's arm.

"See--the vacant seats of South Carolina!"

"They're not vacant," the boy drawled.

"They are--look--"

"I see a white figure in each--"

"Nonsense!"

"We're going to have war, I tell you! Death sits in those chairs to-day,
Jennie--"

"Sh--don't talk like that--"

The boy laughed.

"I'm not afraid, you know--just a sort of second sight--maybe it means
I'll be killed--"

* * * * *

South Carolina had felt no forebodings on the day her Convention had
recalled those Senators. Kiett the eloquent leader of the Convention
sprang to his feet, his face flaming with passion that was half delirium
as he shouted:

"This day is the culmination of long years of bitterness, of suffering
and of struggle. We are performing a great deed, which holds in its
magic not only the stirring present, it embraces the ages yet to come. I
am content with what has been done to-day. I shall be content with it
to-morrow. We have lowered the body of the old Union to its last resting
place. We drop the flag over its grave."

When the vote was announced, without a single dissenting voice, the
crowd rose to their feet with a shout of applause which shook the
building to its foundations. It died away at last only to rise again
with redoubled fury.

Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida had followed in rapid
succession, Louisiana's Convention was to meet on the twenty-sixth,
Texas on February first. On this the twenty-f