st rays of the dawn were now stealing through
the pines, and when Wilbourn came to the account of Jackson's fall,
Harry saw the great leader's face pale a little. Lee, like Jackson,
was a man who invariably had himself under complete command, one who
seldom showed emotion, but now, as Wilbourn finished, he exclaimed with
deep emotion:

"Ah, Captain Wilbourn, we've won a victory, but it is dearly bought,
when it deprives us of the services of General Jackson, even for a short
time!"

Harry inferred from what he said that he did not think General Jackson's
wounds serious, and he wished that he could have the same hope and
belief, but he could not. He had felt the truth from the first, that
Jackson's wounds were mortal. Then Lee was silent so long that Captain
Wilbourn rose as if to go.

Lee came out of his deep thought and bade Wilbourn stay a little longer.
Then he asked him many questions about the troops and their positions.
He also gave him orders to carry to Stuart, and as Wilbourn turned to go,
he said with great energy:

"Those people must be pressed this morning!"

Then Wilbourn and Harry rode away at the utmost speed, guiding their
horses skilfully through lines of soldiers yet sleeping. The freshening
touch of dawn grew stronger on Harry's cheeks and he saw the band of
gray in the east broadening. Presently they reached their own corps,
and now they saw all the troops ready and eager. Harry rode at once
with Wilbourn to Stuart and fell in behind that singular but able
general.

Harry saw that Stuart's face was flushed with excitement. His eyes
fairly blazed. It had fallen to him to lead the great fighting corps
which had been led so long by Stonewall Jackson, and it was enough
to appeal to the pride of any general. Nor had he shed any of the
brilliant plumage that he loved so well. The great plume in his
gold-corded hat lifted and fluttered in the wind as he galloped about.
The broad sash of yellow silk still encircled his waist, and on his
heels were large golden spurs. Harry, as he followed him, heard
him singing to himself, "Old Joe Hooker, won't you come out of the
Wilderness?" That line seemed to have taken possession of Stuart's mind.

All the staff and many of the soldiers along the battle front noted the
difference between their new commander and the one who had fallen so
disastrously in the night. There was never anything spectacular about
Jackson. In the soberest of uniforms, sav