ms, and their
steel-shod hoofs struck sparks from the stones of the streets. Ahead of
all, the band played dance music, and the brass of horn and trumpet
flashed back the golden gleam of the sun. The great dark-haired and
dark-eyed cavalryman, the centre and object of so much applause and
enthusiasm, smiled with pleasure, and bowed to right and left like a
Roman Caesar at his triumph.

The joy and enthusiasm of the crowd increased and the applause swelled
into rumbling thunder. Richmond, so long depressed and gloomy, sprang up
with a bound. Why cry when it was so much better to laugh! The flash of
uniforms was in the eyes of all, and the note of triumphant music in
every ear. What were the Yankees, anyway, but a leaderless horde? They
could never triumph over such men as these, Morgan, Stuart, Wood,
Harley, Hill, not to mention the peerless chief of them all, Lee, out
there, always watching.

The low thunder of a cannon came faintly from the north, but there were
few who heard it.

The enthusiasm of the crowd for Morgan spread to everybody, and mighty
cheers were given in turn for all the Generals and the Mayor. The
rebound was complete. The whole people, for the time being, looked
forward to triumph, thorough and magnificent. The nearer the Yankees
came to Richmond the greater would be their defeat and rout. High
spirits were contagious and ran through the crowd like a fire in dry
grass.

"Hurrah!" cried Talbot, clapping his hand heavily upon Prescott's
shoulder. "This is the spirit that wins! We'll drive the Yankees into
the Potomac now!"

"I've never heard that battles were won by shouting and the music of
bands," replied Prescott dryly. "How many of these people who are making
so much noise have anything whatever to do with the war?"

"That's your Puritan mind, old Gloomy Face," replied Talbot. "Nothing
was ever won by being too solemn."

"And we mustn't hold too cheaply the enthusiasm of a crowd--even a crowd
that is influenced merely by the emotion of the moment," said Raymond.
"It is a force which, aimless in itself, may be controlled for good uses
by others. Ha, look at Harley, there! Well done!"

Helen's brother was riding an unusually spirited horse that reared and
curveted every time the band put forth an unusual effort. The Colonel
himself was in gorgeous attire, wearing a brand new uniform with much
gold lace, very large epaulets on his shoulders and a splendid silken
sash around his waist. A gre