"The Exceptional Pedestrian shrugged his shoulders and slightly smiled.
'Without them,' he said, 'there would soon be an end to the battle. He
is the soul, the directing spirit, of his army. Unless he directs, the
contest cannot be carried on.'

"Almia sprang to her feet, not caring whether she was seen or not. She
looked over the battle-field, and her heart was sick within her. Not
only did she see the carnage which desecrated the beautiful plain, but
she saw, far, far away, the mothers and sisters of those who were dead,
dying, and wounded; she saw the whiteness of their faces when their
feverish eyes should scan the list of dead and wounded; she saw them
groan and fall senseless when they read the names of loved ones. She
could bear no more.

"Suddenly she turned. 'Gentlemen,' she said, 'follow me.' And without
another word she stepped out into the open field and walked rapidly
toward the Commander-in-Chief, whose eyes were fixed so steadfastly on
the battle that he did not notice her approach. The three soldiers gazed
at her in amazement, and then they followed her. They could not
understand her mad action, but they could not desert her.

"Almia stopped at the horse's head. With her left hand she seized his
bridle, and in a clear, loud voice she exclaimed, 'Commander-in-Chief,
you are my prisoner!' There was no trembling, no nervousness now; body
and soul, she was as hard as steel. The general looked down upon her in
petrified bewilderment. He gazed at the three soldiers, and again looked
down at her. 'Girl!' he thundered, 'what do you mean? Let go my horse!'
As he said these words he gave his bridle a jerk; but the noble steed
paid no attention to his master. He was not afraid of girls. In former
days he had learned to like them; to him a girl meant sugar and savory
clover-tops. He bent his head toward Almia, and instantly her hand was
in her pocket and she drew forth an Albert biscuit. The horse, which had
not tasted food since morning, eagerly took it from her hand, and
crunched it in delight.

"The Commander-in-Chief now became furious, and his hand sought the hilt
of his sword. If Almia had been a man he would have cut her down.
'Girl!' he cried, 'what do you mean? Are you insane? You men, remove her
instantly.'

"Then Almia spoke up bravely, never loosening her hold upon the bridle
of the horse. 'I am not insane,' she said. 'I am a nurse, but not a
common one; I am a bushwhacker nurse, and that means I