music and shouting, and days like to-day bring nothing
substantial--merely an increase of hope; but after all, that is what
produces substantial results."

She smiled and did not answer, but went on quietly with her sewing.
Prescott watched her for awhile and reflected what a beautiful woman his
mother must have been, and was yet, for that matter.

"Mother," he said presently, "you do not speak it aloud, but you cannot
disguise from me the fact that you think it would be better for the
North to win."

She hesitated, but at last she said:

"I cannot rejoice whichever way this war ends. Are you not on the side
of the South? All I can pray for is that it may end quickly."

"In your heart, mother, you have no doubt of the result."

She made no reply, and Prescott did not pursue the subject.

CHAPTER VI

THE PURSUIT OF A WOMAN

The silver lining which the reception to General Morgan put in the cloud
always hanging over Richmond lasted until the next day, when the content
of the capital was rudely shattered by news that important papers had
been stolen from the office of the President in the granite building on
Bank Street. The exact value of these papers the public did not know,
but they contained plans, it was said, of the coming campaign and exact
data concerning the military and financial condition of the Confederacy.
They were, therefore, of value alike to the Government and its enemies,
and great was the noise over their disappearance.

The theft, so supposition ran, was committed while nearly all the
officials were present at the festivities of the preceding day, and when
the guard about the public offices, never very strict, was relaxed more
than usual. But the clue stopped there, and, so far as the city could
hear, it bade fair to remain at that point, as the crush of great
affairs about to decide the fate of a nation would not permit a long
search for such a secret spring, though the leakage might prove
expensive.

"Probably some faithless servant who hopes to sell them to the North for
a large reward," said Raymond to Prescott.

"I think not," replied Prescott with emphasis.

"Ah, you don't? Then what do you think?" asked Raymond, looking at him
sharply.

"A common spy," replied Prescott, not wishing to be surprised into
further disclosure of his thought. "You know such must be here. In war
no city or army is free from spies."

"But that's a vague generalization," said Raymond, "and lead