er of field officers were approaching.

"The division staff," said the captain, in a lower voice, falling back.

They came slowly forward, a central figure on a gray horse leading
here--as in history. A short, thick-set man with a grizzled beard
closely cropped around an inscrutable mouth, and the serious formality
of a respectable country deacon in his aspect, which even the
major-generals blazon on the shoulder-strap of his loose tunic on his
soldierly seat in the saddle could not entirely obliterate. He had
evidently perceived the general of brigade, and quickened his horse as
the latter drew up. The staff followed more leisurely, but still with
some curiosity, to witness the meeting of the first general of the army
with the youngest. The division general saluted, but almost instantly
withdrew his leathern gauntlet, and offered his bared hand to the
brigadier. The words of heroes are scant. The drawn-up detail, the
waiting staff listened. This was all they heard:--

"Halleck tells me you're from California?"

"Yes, General."

"Ah! I lived there, too, in the early days."

"Wonderful country. Developed greatly since my time, I suppose?"

"Yes, General."

"Great resources; finest wheat-growing country in the world, sir. You
don't happen to know what the actual crop was this year?"

"Hardly, General! but something enormous."

"Yes, I have always said it would be. Have a cigar?"

He handed his cigar-case to the brigadier. Then he took one himself,
lighted it at the smouldering end of the one he had taken from his
mouth, was about to throw the stump carelessly down, but, suddenly
recollecting himself, leaned over his horse, and dropped it carefully
a few inches away from the face of a dead soldier. Then, straightening
himself in the saddle, he shoved his horse against the brigadier, moving
him a little further on, while a slight movement of his hand kept the
staff from following.

"A heavy loss here!"

"I'm afraid so, General."

"It couldn't be helped. We had to rush in your brigade to gain time, and
occupy the enemy, until we could change front."

The young general looked at the shrewd, cold eyes of his chief.

"Change front?" he echoed.

"Yes. Before a gun was fired, we discovered that the enemy was in
complete possession of all our plans, and knew every detail of our
forward movement. All had to be changed."

The younger man now instantly understood the incomprehensible order of
the day before.