The Tree of Appomattox

orough that they protected fully the right flank of the marching column. One or two shots were

ut he remembered what an old man at a blacksmith shop in Tennessee had told him and his comrades before the Battle of Stone River. Whatever happened, however badly the South might be defeated, the Southern soil would still be held by Southern people, and their bitterness would be intense f

nt had a perception of it, though

t's livin'," he said, "it won't be them that fought that'll keep the

itley," said Dick, "but let's not

don't you like this country that

somewhere that George Washington himself said, away back in the last century,

h chance to keep on ruinin' it. Wouldn't you sa

u," said Dick, unsl

e wooded densely, but the crest was quite bare. Upon it sat a sol

watcher's face clearly, because he too was using glasses, he knew him instantly. He would have known that heroic figure and the set of the shoulders and head anywher

riably saw everything, had

u know, sir

lk of him often. A finer and braver and stronger fellow never li

asses aloft, and Harry Ken

d knows me!

ies of blood and affection, might come into battle against each other. The sam

said Dick. "We were sheltered and we didn't kno

n have joined him,"

had put the glasses back to his eyes. "L

essive, as they sat there, unmoving, like statues cut in stone. They were in truth Harry and Dalton, St. Clair and Happy Tom, and farther on the Invin

e else. Stirred by a sudden emotion he took off his cap and waved it as a signal of hail and farewell. The four removed thei

erience was vast, he knew men and he had the g

e said. "The killing of one's

riting in the highest degree to youth. Although it was August the day was cool, and the blue sky of Virginia was never brighter. A refreshing breeze blew from dim,

er camp then until dawn. Don't you think so, gentlemen?" asked C

ian. "Of course, we want to reach Sheridan as soon as possibl

arner and Pennington, but he

ticularly remember how he planted himself and the batteries at Perryville and s

ve in him, but he has General Grant's confidence and that's enough for me. Not that I put military authorit

said Pennington. "Think of me, used to roaming over a thousand mile

, you're going to have all the

flame the country by useless seizures. Twilight came, and the low mountains sank away in the dusk. But they had already reached a higher region where nearly all th

and they did not greatly fear ambush. Dick shrewdly reckoned that Early would need all his men in

n of the hills, where the forest was unbroken, save for the narrow path

"and the woods and thickets are so d

e of the trees, Dick would have thought that he was back in the Wilderness. They heard now and then the wings of night birds among the leaves, and occasionally some small animal would scuttle across

ar something

almost rode into them. Then they sat there, a solid, compact

Dick, "very faint, beca

right, sir," sa

re coming

ady pace. No stops

t's somebody who do

ty solid. A heavy m

dred yards away,

that,

farmer go

I don't th

ecause our unknown comes on wit

traight ahead, and the figure of a ma

the rider and his horse, making both look gigantic, blending them together in such manner that a tremendous centaur seemed to be riding the

pard who was coming. He, alone of all men, seemed to have the gift of omniscience and

Mason, sir

that in this wood we'll need the hundred eyes that onc

, sir," sa

mong men. Eyes swept over powerful chests and shoulders and open, bold countenances, and signified approval. They had met before, but they were more than well met here in the

to meet us, Mr. S

to find you

ve somethin

It is inferior to his in numbers, but it knows the country thoroughly and h

these Confede

t it includes two other skeleton regiments. Colonel Talbot who leads the Invincibles

is regiment called the Invinci

en as any that ever lived, and the regiment has an extraordinary reputation in the South

are t

Kenton and Lieuten

de at once to Colonel

listened and then

r cousin, I be

. Once in the second Manassas campaign we came face to face and

h the war converging as it is, it was more than lik

oting at Harry, and I don't t

olonel Hertford. "Perhaps you may get another view of this Confederate

n of a spy might be disliked, but in Shepard it inspired no repulsion, rather it increased his heroic aspect, and Dick found himself relying upon him also. He felt intuitively that

he peace for which Dick longed so ardently, seemed to dwell there in the woods. The summer was well advanced and as the light winds blew, the leaves, already beginning to dry, rustled against one another. The sound was pleasant and soothing.

d in another it seemed but yesterday. The water rose in his eyes at the knowledge that this same cousin who was like a brother to him, one with whom

our cousin, Mr. Kenton,

you know?" asked

k-and sadness is not your natural expression. You recall that your cousin, of whom you think so m

say, Mr. Shepard, but I

t and then Dick a

loses troops in battle she can't find new men to take their places! She's short in food, ammunition,

hed. Many a good man will fall in this campaign ahead of us in the valley, and in other campaigns too, but, as I see it, the

of beats to come to the watchers. The moon which was uncommonly bright now colored them all with silver, and Dick, with his imaginative mind, easily turned them into a train of the knights of old, clad

ith the country, of

ce is traveling, with a broad ridge between. But several miles farther on the ridge becomes narrower and th

and he know a good

e war, but the same circumstances have made me know more about him than he does about me. Ye

e. But he wouldn't stand being patronized, mere

ng. Now, we've seen enough, and I think we'd

as blue and soft as velvet. The great stars glittered and danced, and the wind among the rustling leaves was like the soft singing of a violin. At one point they cr

aters," said Dick, "and judging by the appearance

bolder mountains. But I should say that the Shenandoah Valley is close to a hundred and twenty miles long, a

e of the German

ine as an

ckson made that first an

o face him there now. Early is a good gener

at Perryville in Kentucky, but they say he's become a

a head, Mr. Mason, but he has a great soul for battle. He's the kind that wi

t ahead. I see the three

, Shepard also describing the nature of the ground ah

will reach the junction fir

about the same tim

pose to fight before we reached General Sheridan,

out to prevent any ambush. Shepard rode again into the forest but Dick remained with Warner and Pen

llel in an exact sense but converge to a point. Hence, it is not our wish, but the convergence of these roads that brings us together in conflict. So we see

on. "Why, George, you're out of your head! There's nothi

t charming paths of the mind it will lead you. Moreover there is over it a veil of mystery. You can't surmise what delightful secrets it will reveal later on. What will the end be? What a powerful appeal such a question will always make to a highly intelligent and imaginative mind like mine! No poetry! No beauty! Why every algebraic problem from the very nature of its being is surcharged with it! It's l

d ever become dithyrambic

rambic?" aske

r fellow. They grow 'em in Vermont, where they love

had come back from the forest, reporting that the junction of the roads was

r keep their hearts from beating harder when it became evident that they were to go under fire once more. After the few orders necessary, t