ke upon themselves the responsibility as a
private business enterprise, and march against the Dons in Mexico?"

After a thoughtful pause, the young man replied:

"Yes, some would. Many would. The warfare might not be regular, but,
in my view, the object would justify extraordinary means to a
patriotic end. What is your own feeling on that phase of the subject,
may I ask, colonel?"

"I wish to learn the sense of my fellow-citizens. You may express
yourself to me with perfect freedom."

"Why not? We are discussing a public question."

"Certainly. But your idea, that an expedition against Mexico,
conducted as a private enterprise, might prove popular and--"

"That is _your idea_, sir, not mine. However, I see no objection to
adopting it, providing the Government is in the secret, and tacitly
permits an expedition."

"Oh, surely! That is understood," responded Burr, and fell pondering.

With quick whiffs he revived the dying fire of his cigar, leaned back
in his chair, and lost himself in reverie. What were his meditations?
Perhaps he mused of the past, the half century of crowded events in
which he had borne a conspicuous part. Did his memory fly back to the
far off, sad days when, a lonesome orphan boy, in a Puritan school, he
penned sympathetic letters to his sister? Or was recollection busy
with the scenes of the Revolutionary War, in which he served his
country nobly and won proud laurels? He recalled his part in the march
to Canada and in the assault on Quebec, not forgetting his own heroic
exploit of carrying from the fatal field the body of his slain
general, Montgomery. He thought of the retreat from Long Island, and
of the credit he gained as aide-de-camp to Putnam; he retraced each
step in his military career, reflecting on his rise from the command
of a regiment to that of a brigade, remembering how his distinction as
a brave and able officer reached its culmination in the battle of
Monmouth. Perhaps, through his mind ran the events of his political
history, his transition from the field to the bar, thence to the State
Assembly of New York, to the Senate of the United States, and finally
to the Vice-Presidency.

These memories and a myriad more came thronging to his quickened
consciousness as he sat smoking. The retrospective visions rose before
him, not as vague memories--they seemed living realities as they
reproduced events more recent. At last one vivid picture--nay, was it
not an actual scene?--o