ade the South," repeated the Governor, paling, and a man behind him
took up the words and said them over with a fine sarcasm, "To invade the
South!"

The Governor turned away and walked to the end of the little porch, where
he stood leaning upon the railing. With his eyes on the blossoming locust
tree, he waited, in helpless patience, for the words to enter into his
thoughts and to readjust his conceptions of the last few months. There
slowly came to him, as he recognized the portentous gravity in the air
about him, something of the significance of that ringing call; and as
he stood there he saw before him the vision of an army led by strangers
against the people of its blood--of an army wasting the soil it loved,
warring for an alien right against the convictions it clung to and the
faith it cherished.

His brow darkened, and he turned with set lips to the group upon the steps.
He was about to speak, but before the words were uttered, there was a cheer
from the open doorway, and a man, waving a despatch in his hand, came
running into the crowd.

"Last night there was a secret session," he cried gayly, "and Virginia has
seceded! hurrah! hurrah! Virginia has seceded!" The gay voice passed, and
the speaker, still waving the paper in his hand, ran down into the street.

The men upon the porch looked at one another, and were silent. In the
bright sunshine their faces showed pale and troubled, and when the sound of
cheers came floating from the courthouse green, they started as if at the
first report of cannon. Then, raising his hand, the Governor bared his head
and spoke:--

"God bless Virginia, gentlemen," he said.

* * * * *

The next week Champe came home from college, flushed with enthusiasm, eager
to test his steel.

"It's great news, uncle," were his first joyful words, as he shook the
Major's hand.

"That it is, my boy, that it is," chuckled the Major, in a high
good-humour.

"I'm going, you know," went on the young man lightly. "They're getting up a
company in Leicesterburg, and I'm to be Captain. I got a letter about it a
week ago, and I've been studying like thunder ever since."

"Well, well, it will be a pleasant little change for you," responded the
old man. "There's nothing like a few weeks of war to give one an appetite."

Mrs. Lightfoot looked up from her knitting with a serious face.

"Don't you think it may last months, Mr. Lightfoot?" she inquired
dubiously. "