ngly or in pairs, had begun to flow past me
from the Piazza, down Liberty Street, across the road behind me, and
into the wood. Some were in uniform, others dressed in common clothes;
one or two I recognized as members of Johnny Carr's missing band.
The strong contrast between the prevailing revelry and the stealthy,
cautious air of these passers-by would alone have suggested that they
were bent on business; putting two and two together I had not the
least doubt that they were the President's adherents making their way
down to the water's edge to receive their chief. So he was coming; the
letter had done its work! Some fifty or more must have come and gone
before the stream ceased, and I reflected, with great satisfaction,
that the colonel was likely to have his hands very full in the next
hour or two.

Half an hour or so passed uneventfully; the bonfire still blazed;
the songs and dancing were still in full swing. I was close upon the
fearful hour of two, when, looking from my hiding-place, I saw a
slight figure in black coming quickly and fearfully along the road.

I recognized the signorina at once, as I should recognize her any day
among a thousand; and, as she paused nearly opposite where I was, I
gently called her name and showed myself for a moment. She ran to me
at once.

"Is it all right?" she asked breathlessly.

"We shall see in a moment," said I. "The attack is coming off; it will
begin directly."

But the attack was not the next thing we saw. We had both retreated
again to the friendly shadow whence we could see without being seen.
Hardly had we settled ourselves than the signorina whispered to me,
pointing across the road to the wood:

"What's that, Jack?"

I followed the line of her finger and made out a row of figures
standing motionless and still on the very edge of the wood. It was too
dark to distinguish individuals; but, even as we looked, the silent
air wafted to our eager ears a low-voiced word of command:

"Mind, not a sound till I give the word."

"The President!" exclaimed the signorina, in a loud whisper.

"Hush, or he'll hear," said I, "and we're done."

Clearly nothing would happen from that quarter till it was called
forth by events in the opposite direction. The signorina was strongly
agitated; she clung to me closely, and I saw with alarm that the very
proximity of the man she stood in such awe of was too much for her
composure. When I had soothed, and I fear half-frightened,