oningly at Dalton and Dalton
looked questioningly at him.

They expected every instant that the combat would spread along the
entire front, but it did not. For several hours they listened to the
thunder of the guns on the left, and then they knew by the movement of
the sound that the Southern wing had been driven back, not far it is
true, but still it had been compelled to yield, and again Harry's heart
sank.

But it rose once more when he concluded that Lee must be massing his
forces in the center. The left wing had been allowed to fight against
overwhelming numbers in order that the rest of the army might be left
free to strike a crushing blow.

Then noon came and the battle on their left died completely. Once more
the great silence held the field and Harry was mystified and awed.
Lee, as calm and impassive as ever, said little. The ridges confronted
one another, bristling with cannon but the armies were motionless.
The day was hotter than either of those that had gone before. The sun,
huge and red, poised in the heavens, shot down fiery rays in millions.
Harry gasped for breath, and when at last he spoke in the stillness his
voice sounded loud and harsh in his own ears.

"What does it mean, George?" he said.

"I don't know, but I think they are massing behind us for a charge."

"Not against the sixty or seventy thousand men and the scores of cannon
on those heights?"

"Maybe not yet. It's likely there will be a heavy artillery fire first.
Yes, I'm right! There go the guns!"

One cannon shot was followed by many others, and then for a while a
tremendous cannonade raged along the front of the armies, but it too
died, the smoke lifted, and then came the breathless, burning heat again.

The fire of the sun and of the battle entered Harry's brain. The valley,
the town, the hills, the armies, everthing swam in a red glare. The
great pulses leaped in his throat. He was anxious for them to go on,
and get it over. Why were the generals lingering when there was a
battle to be finished? Half the day was gone already and nothing was
decided.

Conscious that he was about to lose control of himself he clasped his
hands to his temples and pressed them tightly. At the same time he made
a mighty effort of the will. The millions of black specks that had been
dancing before his eyes went away. The solid earth ceased to quiver and
settled back into its place, careless of the armies that trampled over
it. Aga