in-chief, who sat in the shade
of a large tree. Harry observed him closely. He seemed a little grayer
than before the Battle of Gettysburg, but his manner was as confident as
ever. He filled to both eye and mind the measure of a great general.
After asking Harry many questions he dismissed him for a while, to play,
so he said.

The young Kentuckian at once, and, as a matter of course, sought the
Invincibles. St. Clair and Langdon hailed him with shouts of joy,
but to his great surprise, Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel
Hector St. Hilaire were not playing chess.

"We were getting on with the game last night, Harry," explained Colonel
Talbot, "but we came to a point where we were about to develop heat over
a projected move. Then, in order to avoid such a lamentable occurrence,
we decided to postpone further play until to-night. But we find you
looking uncommonly well, Harry. The flesh pots of Egypt have agreed with
you."

"I had a good time in Richmond, sir, a fine one," replied Harry. "The
people there have certainly been kind to me, as they are to all the
officers of the Army of Northern Virginia."

"What have you done with the grave Dalton, who was your comrade on your
journey to the capital?"

"They've kept him there for the present. They think he's stronger proof
against the luxuries and temptations of a city than I am."

"Youth is youth, and I'm glad that you've had this little fling, Harry.
Perhaps you'll have another, as I think you'll be sent back to Richmond
very soon."

"What has been going on here, Colonel?"

"Very little. Nothing, in fact, of any importance. When we crossed
the swollen Potomac, although threatened by an enemy superior to us in
numbers, I felt that we would not be pushed. General Meade has been
deliberate, extremely deliberate in his offensive movements. Up North
they call Gettysburg a great victory, but we're resting here calmly and
peacefully. Hector and I and our young friends have found rural peace
and ease among these Virginia hills and valleys. You, of course, found
Richmond very gay and bright?"

"Very gay and bright, Colonel, and full of handsome ladies."

Colonel Talbot sighed and Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire sighed
also.

"Hector and I should have been there," said Colonel Talbot. "Although
we've never married, we have a tremendous admiration for the ladies,
and in our best uniforms we're not wholly unpopular among them, eh,
Hecto