of their Government, the women were supporting the
President with a unanimity and enthusiasm that was amazing.

Jennie Barton refused to listen to her father's abuse.

Socola found them in the middle of a family quarrel on the subject so
intense he could not help hearing the conversation from the adjoining
room before Jennie entered.

"The President hates Johnston, I tell you," stormed the Senator. "He
doesn't like Beauregard either. He's jealous of him!"

"Father dear, how can you be so absurd!" the girl protested. "A few
months ago Beauregard was a captain of artillery. The President has made
him a general of equal rank with Lee and Johnston--"

"He's doing all he can now to spite him!"

"So General Beauregard says--the conceit of it! This little general but
yesterday a captain to dare to say that the President who had honored
him with such high command would sacrifice the country and injure
himself just to spite the man he has promoted!"

"That will do, Jennie," the Senator commanded. "Women don't understand
politics!"

"Thank God I don't understand that kind. I just know enough to be loyal
to my Chief, when our life and his may depend on it--"

With a stamp of his heavy foot the Senator ended the discussion by
leaving the room.

Jennie smiled sweetly as she extended her hand to Socola.

"I hope you were not alarmed, Signor. We never fight--"

"The President of the Confederacy is a very fortunate leader, Miss
Jennie--"

"Why?"

"He has invincible champions--"

The girl blushed.

"I'm afraid we don't know much. We just feel things."

"I think sometimes we only _know_ that way--"

He paused and looked at her hat with a gesture of dismay.

"You're not going out?"

"I must," she said apologetically. "I've bought a whole carriage load of
peaches and grapes. I went to the Alabama hospital yesterday with a
little basket full and made some poor fellows glad. They gave out too
quickly. Those who got none looked so wistfully at me as I passed out. I
couldn't sleep last night. For hours and hours their deep-sunken eyes
followed and haunted me with their pleading. And so I've got a whole
load to take to-day. You'll go with me--won't you?"

He had come to declare his love and make this beautiful girl his
conquest. She was ending the day by making him her lackey and errand
boy.

It couldn't be helped. There was no mistaking the tones of her voice.
She would certainly go. The only way to be with her wa