te,
Kentucky, but like most other Kentuckians, he did not feel any enthusiasm
over the President of the Confederacy. There was no magnetism. He felt
the presence of intellect, but there was no inspiration in that arid
presence.

A man of Oriental features was sitting near with a great bunch of papers
in his hand. Mr. Davis did not introduce Harry and Dalton to him,
and he remained silent while the President was asking questions of the
messengers. But Harry watched him when he had a chance, interested
strongly in that shrewd, able, Eastern face, the descendant of an
immemorial and intellectual race, the man who while Secretary of State
was trying also to help carry the tremendous burden of Confederate
finance. What was he thinking, as Harry and Dalton answered the
President's questions about the Army of Northern Virginia?

"You say that you left immediately after our army crossed the Potomac?"
asked the President.

"Yes, sir," replied Harry. "General Meade could have attacked, but he
remained nearly two days on our front without attempting to do so."

A thin gray smile flitted over the face of the President of the
Confederacy.

"General Meade was not beaten at Gettysburg, but I fancy he remembered it
well enough."

Harry glanced at Benjamin, but his Oriental face was inscrutable.
The lad wondered what was lurking at the back of that strong brain.
He was shrewd enough himself to know that it was not always the generals
on the battlefield who best understood the condition of a state at war,
and often the man who held the purse was the one who measured it best of
all. But Benjamin never said a word, nor did the expression of his face
change a particle.

"The Army of Northern Virginia is safe," said the President, "and it will
be able to repel all invasion of Virginia. General Lee gives especial
mention of both of you in his letters, and you are not to return to him
at once. You are to remain here a while on furlough, and if you will go
to General Winder he will assign you to quarters."

Both Harry and Dalton were delighted, and, although thanks were really
due to General Lee, they thanked the President, who smiled dryly.
Then they saluted and withdrew, the President and the Secretary of State
going at once into earnest consultation over the papers Mr. Benjamin had
brought.

Harry felt that he had left an atmosphere of depression and said so,
when they were outside in the bright sunshine.

"If you were