try.

Socola whispered to Jennie:

"Where have I witnessed this scene before?"

"Surely not in America--"

"No"--he mused thoughtfully--"I remember now--on a lonely hill outside
Jerusalem the Roman soldiers were crucifying a man on a day like
this--that's where I saw it!"

He had scarcely spoken the uncanny words in a low undertone when the
speaker closed his address with a remarkable prayer.

Suddenly dropping his manuscript on the table he lifted his eyes into
the darkened heavens and cried with deep passion:

"With humble gratitude and adoration, to Thee, O God, I trustingly
commit myself, and prayerfully invoke Thy blessing on my country and its
cause!"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE SLEEPING LIONESS

Again the smoke of the navy shadowed the Southern skies. Two expeditions
were aiming mortal blows at the lower South.

The Confederacy had concentrated its forces of the upper waters of the
Mississippi on Island Number 10 near New Madrid. The work of putting
this little Gibraltar in a state of perfect defense had been rushed with
all possible haste. New Madrid had been found indefensible and evacuated
on March thirteenth.

On the seventeenth, Commodore Foote's fleet steamed into position and
the first shell from his guns shrieked its message of death across the
island. The gunboats concentrated their fire on the main battery which
was located on low ground, almost submerged by the high water and
separated from the others by a wide slough. Their gun platforms were
covered with water--the men in gray must work their pieces standing
half-leg deep in mud and slush. Five iron-clad gunboats led the attack.
Three of them were lashed together in midstream and one lay under the
shelter of each shore. Their concentrated fire was terrific. For nine
hours they poured a stream of shot and shell on the lone battery with
its beaver gunmen.

At three o'clock Captain Rucker in charge of the battery called for
reenforcements to relieve his exhausted men. Volunteers rushed to his
assistance and his guns roared until darkness brought them respite. It
had been done. A single half-submerged battery exposed to the
concentrated fire of a powerful fleet had held them at bay and compelled
them to withdraw at nightfall. Rucker fired the last shot as twilight
gathered over the yellow waters. His battery had mounted five guns at
sunrise. Three of them were dismantled. Two of them still spoke defiance
from their mud-soaked beds.

On