-light to be that of a certain
New York Congressman of more than doubtful antecedents, went back again
the moment after, and I suppose returned to the Senate Chamber.

"As for myself, I may say that within half an hour after, late as it
was, I had placed myself in communication with a leading member of the
new party in power, with whom I happened to be well acquainted and who
was well known to have the ear of the new President, even if he did not
receive, within the next week, the portfolio of a Cabinet officer. I
need not say, at present, whether he received the Cabinet appointment or
not, as it is a matter of no consequence to my story. Without mentioning
any names, I told him what had fallen under my notice, and gave him my
opinion that Government ought to act as if Virginia had already seceded.
He thanked me for the trouble I had taken, and for my earnestness; said
that if the assertion was true, it would be highly important, as guiding
the immediate policy of the administration; but, pshaw!--and the whole
story is that he did not believe it. Of course the new administration
did not act as if Virginia had seceded; the Rebels were allowed to
gather arms at will and at leisure, Fortress Monroe came very near to
falling into their hands, and Norfolk Navy Yard did so, with the
destruction of half our best vessels, and ten millions of dollars worth
of Government property--all which might have been avoided if they had
taken a hint from a fool. Everybody understands now,[1] that Virginia
_had_ formally seceded before the inauguration, and that she played
loyal for the very purposes indicated by Ralston.

[Footnote 1: September, 1862.]

"Now," Leslie concluded, "you know as much of Dexter Ralston as I do.
And I think you will quite agree with me that he is one of the last men
I could have expected to meet in the streets of New York at the present
moment, when martial law is so prevalent and Fort Lafayette so
convenient."

"Humph!" said Harding, getting up from the bed where he had lounged so
long, examining his watch to see that it was nearly midnight, and
lighting a fresh cigar to go home. "Humph! well, what do you make of
him? A leading traitor, deep in the counsels of Jeff. Davis, Yancey and
Company?"

"Humph!" said Leslie in return, "what else can he be?"

"Or a Virginia Unionist, faithful among the faithless, and too brave to
be afraid anywhere?" suggested Harding.

"Ah!" answered Leslie, in that tone which sug