, and, fading, left the present all the
more blank. His wounded right arm moved convulsively. Harwin remained
still where Elizabeth's last repulse had left him. He seemed trying to
swallow his chagrin, and wrap the tatters of his dignity about him
before he moved away. Perhaps he was in a dream of the woman whose very
name he had not been allowed to utter. Elizabeth was beside Melvin
again, and Edmonson still kept his eyes fixed upon Harwin, who was
standing between him and her, and gradually and painfully he raised his
right arm toward the pillow.

Archdale had been met by an orderly, and had gone to the General's tent
instead of to the Battery. Pepperell was alone.

"Sit down," he said. "No, let us go out into the air. Warren's
dispatches have just come," he added, as the two passed out of the tent.
"He expects two or three large ships in any day. I shall arrange for the
general attack as soon as they come up." He smiled at Archdale's
enthusiastic endorsement. "You like the smoke of battle," he said. "But
the fact is, you have an eye for military situations. Of course I have
quite made up my mind, but I should like to hear what you have to say."
And he laughed, and took his young friend's arm with a freedom not too
common in those stately times. But Pepperell was a man who, born in any
age or place, would have found himself at home there, and controlling
affairs, not controlled by them. He had come to Louisburg with very
little experience in military matters; he had never even seen a siege.
He led an army of fishermen, backwoodsmen, farmers, who had left their
employments at their country's call. But these had the strong hearts and
the quick wits that more than a hundred years later, when the land awoke
from a dream of peace, made it rise up a nation of soldiers.

The General and Archdale went to a hillock that commanded a view of the
harbor, and of the city constantly illuminated by the bursting shells,
as were also the forts and the army encamped there. The luridness of war
was over everything. They stood looking toward the island which, ever
since the assault, had hurled its fire at them incessantly.

"And what would you do with that Battery?" asked the General.

"Annihilate the Battery," retorted the young man. "It can be done. I
think you could rake it best from the Light House."

"I believe I will try. Say nothing of this, Archdale. I shall wait a day
or two for those ships. It would be awkward, wouldn't it