he army--Lee and Johnston and Stuart, Maury and Thomas
and the rest?"

"They'll come home."

"Resigning their commissions?"

"Resigning their commissions."

Allan sighed. "That would be a hard thing to have to do."

"They'll do it. Wouldn't you?"

The teacher from Thunder Run looked from the dim valley and the
household lamps up to the marching stars. "Yes. If my State called, I
would do it."

"This is what will happen," said Cleave. "There are times when a man
sees clearly, and I see clearly to-day. The North does not intend to
evacuate Fort Sumter. Instead, sooner or later, she'll try to reinforce
it. That will be the beginning of the end. South Carolina will reduce
the fort. The North will preach a holy war. War there will be--whether
holy or not remains to be seen. Virginia will be called upon to furnish
her quota of troops with which to coerce South Carolina and the Gulf
States back into the Union. Well--do you think she will give them?"

Allan gave a short laugh. "No!"

"That is what will happen. And then--and then a greater State than any
will be forced into secession! And then the Virginians in the army will
come home."

The wood gave way to open country, softly swelling fields, willow
copses, and clear running streams. In the crystal air the mountain walls
seemed near at hand, above shone Orion, icily brilliant. The lawyer from
a dim old house in a grove of oaks and the school-teacher from Thunder
Run went on in silence for a time; then the latter spoke.

"Hairston Breckinridge says that Major Cary's niece is with him at
Lauderdale."

"Yes. Judith Cary."

"That's the beautiful one, isn't it?"

"They are all said to be beautiful--the three Greenwood Carys. But--Yes,
that is the beautiful one."

He began to hum a song, and as he did so he lifted his wide soft hat and
rode bareheaded.

"It's strange to me," said Allan presently, "that any one should be gay
to-day."

As he spoke he glanced up at the face of the man riding beside him on
the great bay. There was yet upon the road a faint after-light--enough
light to reveal that there were tears on Cleave's cheek. Involuntarily
Allan uttered an exclamation.

The other, breaking off his chant, quite simply put up a gauntleted hand
and wiped the moisture away. "Gay!" he repeated. "I'm not gay. What gave
you such an idea? I tell you that though I've never been in a war, I
know all about war!"

CHAPTER III

THREE OAKS

Having left be