t worry! It's my business to
do _all_ the worrying----

[LINCOLN _closes the door after she goes, and comes down toward the
desk, lifts his haggard eyes in a dazed way and looks about the
room. Anxiety and suffering again mark his rugged face. He sees_
VAUGHAN, _and at once throws off the spell of his troubles,
advances to meet him and takes his hand._]

I'm glad to see you, my boy--Will you pull up a chair?

[LINCOLN _drops wearily into his chair and his voice has a far-away
dreamy expression in its tones while he studies_ VAUGHAN
_carefully._]

And what can I do for you?

VAUGHAN

My name is Vaughan--the elder son of Dr. Richard Vaughan of Palmyra,
Missouri----

LINCOLN

[_Thoughtfully._]

Vaughan--Richard Vaughan--I've heard that name--But you're _one_ of our
boys fighting with Grant's army?

VAUGHAN

Yes----

LINCOLN

[_Looking him over._]

You've been very ill, I see--wounded of course?

VAUGHAN

Yes----

LINCOLN

[_Rises, takes_ VAUGHAN'S _hands in both his, and presses it._]

There's nothing I won't do for one of our wounded boys--if I can----

VAUGHAN

Thank you----

LINCOLN

What is it?

VAUGHAN

[_With cold precision._]

My mother writes me that my father has been arrested without warrant,
is held in prison without bail, and denied the right of trial----

[_He pauses, trembling with excitement._]

LINCOLN

Go on--my boy----

VAUGHAN

I have come to ask for justice----

LINCOLN

He shall have it----

VAUGHAN

I ask that he be confronted by his accusers in open court and given a
fair trial----

LINCOLN

[_Interrupting._]

For what was he arrested?

VAUGHAN

For exercising the right of free speech. In a public address, he
denounced the war----

LINCOLN

Oh!--And his address was printed?

[LINCOLN _picks up the little booklet and looks again at the title
page and then at_ VAUGHAN.]

VAUGHAN

He had as m