'im now. We
'll wallop 'im now. We 've got 'em sure." He turned suddenly upon an
aide: "Here--you--Jons--quick--ride after Tompkins--see Taylor--tell
him t' go in--everlastingly--like blazes--anything."

As another officer sped his horse after the first messenger, the
general beamed upon the earth like a sun. In his eyes was a desire to
chant a paean. He kept repeating, "They 've held 'em, by heavens!"

His excitement made his horse plunge, and he merrily kicked and swore
at it. He held a little carnival of joy on horseback.

Chapter 7

The youth cringed as if discovered in a crime. By heavens, they had
won after all! The imbecile line had remained and become victors. He
could hear cheering.

He lifted himself upon his toes and looked in the direction of the
fight. A yellow fog lay wallowing on the treetops. From beneath it
came the clatter of musketry. Hoarse cries told of an advance.

He turned away amazed and angry. He felt that he had been wronged.

He had fled, he told himself, because annihilation approached. He had
done a good part in saving himself, who was a little piece of the army.
He had considered the time, he said, to be one in which it was the duty
of every little piece to rescue itself if possible. Later the officers
could fit the little pieces together again, and make a battle front.
If none of the little pieces were wise enough to save themselves from
the flurry of death at such a time, why, then, where would be the army?
It was all plain that he had proceeded according to very correct and
commendable rules. His actions had been sagacious things. They had
been full of strategy. They were the work of a master's legs.

Thoughts of his comrades came to him. The brittle blue line had
withstood the blows and won. He grew bitter over it. It seemed that
the blind ignorance and stupidity of those little pieces had betrayed
him. He had been overturned and crushed by their lack of sense in
holding the position, when intelligent deliberation would have
convinced them that it was impossible. He, the enlightened man who
looks afar in the dark, had fled because of his superior perceptions
and knowledge. He felt a great anger against his comrades. He knew it
could be proved that they had been fools.

He wondered what they would remark when later he appeared in camp. His
mind heard howls of derision. Their density would not enable them to
understand his sharper point of vi