The Tree of Appomattox

nel Bedford bringing up the rear. Just behind Dick was Sergeant Whitley, mounted upon a powerful bay horse. The sergeant had shown himself such a woods

with all the concentration of the great plainsman that he was. In that attitude he was a formidable figur

e might appear and disappear the next second, but man to man with relatively small numbers. The moon was dimmed a little by fleecy clouds, but the silvery color, instead of vanishing was merely softened, and when Dick looked back at the Union column it, like the troop of the South, had the quality of a ghostly trai

he column moved forward at its even pace, still silvered in the moonlight,

the tread of horses' hoofs on the dry leaves and twigs at t

of a rifle and then the crack of another rifle in reply. Silence followed for an instant, but it was evident that the hostile forces were in to

n the other side, and it was apparent that coincidence would bring the two forces to the point of convergence at the same time. The moonlight seemed to Dick

t of meeting?" he whispered hurriedly t

," came the q

in Dick's fancy, all in silver mail. The two forces wheeled and faced each other across the open space, their horses staring with r

here-Harry Kenton himself, sitting on his bay horse with his friends around him. The two elderly men must be Colonel Leonidas

rom either side across the open space, and two streams of bullets crossed. In an instant the silver of the moonlight was hidden by clouds of smoke thr

ke knife points on the drums of Dick's ears. He saw Shepard's horse go down, killed instantly by a heavy bullet, but the spy himself leaped clear, and then Dick lost him in the smoke. A bullet g

he line a shrill trumpet was sounding the charge, and the Northern bugles were responding with the same command. The two forces were about to meet in that most terrible of

laimed the sergeant, "and the

not see clearly. He was conscious only of a mighty crash, of falling bodies, sweeping sabers, that terrible neigh again of wounded horses, of sun-tanned faces, and of fierce eyes staring into his own, and then, as the red mist thinned a little, he became conscious that someone just before him was slashing at him with a long, keen blade. He bent yet lower, and the sword pa

more than once. Then the red blur enclosed everything and he was warding off the saber strokes of another man. The air was yet filled with the noise of shouting men, and neighing horses, of heavy falls and the ring of

ll their force was spent, fell back from that deadly line, which was marked by a long row of fallen horses and men. They reloaded their rifles and carbines and began

re so well balanced in strength and courage that they might destroy one another, but no one could march away from the field victorious. Perhaps, too, it was a feeling that the God of Battles had already issued his decree in reg

med, and near him three youths, one with a red bandage about his shoulder. Then he saw the two colonels, both erect men with long, gray hair, on

. Dick wondered what they would do, but he was saved from long wonderment by the call of a trumpet from the So

id Colonel Hertford. "G

g man who, heavily tanned, was handsome, well-built an

an officer on the staff of Colonel Leonida

Richard Mason, and I am with Colonel Arthur Winchester, who c

us. He's over there all right. But I've come to tell you that Colonel Talbot, who commands us, offers a flag of truce to bury the dead. He sees that neither side can win, that to continue the battle would only involv

er will be accepted. W

ir, giving his most elegant

f the wind through the trees, affected the colonels on both sides. More flags of truce were hoisted, and the officers in blu

and also of curiosity among these stern fighters grew. They were anxious to see and talk a little with men who had fought one another

of officers, among whom were St. Clair and Langdon.

"we didn't think to meet a

ut of it alive, and unwounded. I'm sorry

n a hasty bandage. "A scratch only. I'll be able t

Sheridan in the Valley of Virginia. I'm not asking for informatio

einforce General Early in the same valley.

you haven't been

u been able

it's che

mate i

ck, moved by an irresistible impulse. "You know that your

re, has taken an oath to sleep in the White House. We also intend to make a triumphal march through Philad

e'd like to oblige you Yankees, but we must make thos

ny Rebs," said Dick, smiling, "but I hope that none of yo

t, Dick?"

risoners, I'll treat you well. I'll turn you loose in a Blue-g

on grass. If I become a prisoner at any time I demand the very best

finished the gruesome task. I want you to know, Mr. Mason, that we

a warm grasp. Langdon also shook hands w

earing when I march at the head of

each other the final clasp. But with the prid

Harry. "Don't get in the way of bullets and

s not worth while to take an

half hour of friendship, when they buried the dead together. Blue and gray formed again in long lines facing one another, but m

That's been proved," said Colonel Hertford

nd I'd like to march from here. I don't

they've deci

began to march into the southwest. Colonel Hertford promptly gave an order, the Unio

ost a life time. Three years and more of it had made war to them a normal state. They had not thought much before of an end to the great s

the dusk. But the road into which Shepard guided them led over a pleasant land of hills and clear streams. Although the scouts on their flanks kept vigilant watch, many of the men slept soundly in the

of the men had dismounted. Dick sprang down also and turned his horse loose to graze with the others. Then he joined Warner and Penningt

with the battle in the moonlight seemed to be almost a dream. Yet the combat had b

it's this Valley of Virginia, of which we've all heard and seen so much

t instead of getting thumped we're going to do the thumping. There's something about this man Sheridan that appeals to me. We've seen him in action with artillery,

of it," said Dick. "It

is war, and two or three of them have been commander-in-chief, of whom I don't approve

uine, dyed-in-the-wool prophets since those ancient Hebrews were

the scientific application of a romantic and imaginative science to facts. Get all your

hills and across the dips toward the main sweep of the famous valley which played such a great part in the tactics and figh

mountains that walled in the eastern side of the valley. The day was not so warm as usual, and among the higher hills a breeze was blowing, bringing current

he said. "I lament

th keeping I lament with you,"

o!" said Warner, "but why do

ne could sit in mud to the knees and touch the mud wall on either side of him, for this open, insecure world, where there is nothing but fresh air to

es and foul air and lack of space, and for the shells bursting over our heads, and for the hostile riflemen re

sigh!"

from me," sa

e earth for me

of the night before were forgotten, and they lifted up their voices and sang. Youth and the open air wo

, and where we expect to find this

ltown, a place south of the Potomac, and about

d I'm glad of it. I'm enjoying this great trail, and I hope we won't meet again t

rs. I don't like fighting with such close kin. They must

said Warner. "Shepard has just come back from a long gallop and he reports that th

o suffer more. He felt that the republic had been saved and he was anxious for the war to be over soon. His heart swelled with pride at the way in which the Union

lar for your thoug

ck. "I was thinking about the end of the war and

ident of Harvard University, and, barring death, I'm bound to succeed. I give myself twenty-five years for the task. If I cho

he's as strong as a horse. The buffalo in Western Nebraska must go and then Pennington and Son will have fifty th

e, get a place on a newspaper there and strive to be its head. Then I'll try to cement the reunion of North and South. That will be my greates

er the annual address to my young men. I like that idea of yours about making the Union firmer than it was before the war. Since the Nor

certainty that he will then be governor of Kentucky. His great grandfather, the famous Henry Ware, was the greatest governor

cousins, the great editor who fought on the Northern side and the great governor who fought on the Southern side, speaking from the same stage to the picked youth of New England. P

Johnny Reb, his cousin Harry, and I'll smile and smile and applaud and applaud, and after it's all over I'll choose a few of your picked youth of New England, take 'em out west with me,

ving a flag. The head of the horse was turned toward some hill farther

uppose they're sending the word o

ick. "A message can be sent

ner. "They're merely telling about us. They don't i

ck, they know I'm he

em, not even Shepard, but they felt that they could ignore them. Colonel Hertford, nevertheless, sent off a strong sco

en and children, had fled before them. Horses and cattle were gone also and its loneliness was accentuated by the fact that not so long before it had been a well-peop

t in a meadow beside a fine stream, and all, save those who were to ride on the outskirts and watch for the enemy, dismounted gladly. A vast drinking followed. The water was clear, running over clean p

hem through his glasses, not to find an enemy, but merely for the pleasure of bringing out the heavy forests on their slopes. It was true that the leaves were already touched by the summer's heat, but in the distance at least the mass looked green. He knew also that under the screen of t

morrow morning," said Sergeant Whi

place for the Southe

Whitley sho

olonel Hertford is sure to send a scouting party ahead tonight. But if you don't mind taking a little advice f

much higher rank. He lay down upon the brown grass, and despite all the noise, despite all the excitement of past hours, fell fast asleep in a few minutes. He slept an hour, but it seemed to him that

and Dick and his comrade saw the lighter line, looking in the distance like the slash of a sword, that marked the gap. Shepard, who rode a very sw

ers, led a short pursuit. He was glad that they found no one, as prisoners would have been an incumbrance, and it was not the custom in the United States to shoot men not in uniform w

er on either flank, the column, which had never broken its march, went on at increased pace. It was growing warm now, and the dust and heat of the long ride

little of the Green Mountains of Vermont, t

ing outside of Vermont is as

and persuade them of the fact, a labor that ought to be unnecessary. The truth should always speak for itself. Vermont isn't the most

o that? I've read Daniel Webst

e, has more people, I'm mere

"but you just wait. When we get a population we'll m

," rejoined the undaunted Warner, "will come from Ver

ver the mountains of Virginia may compare with those of Vermont, it's

r; "but it looks more brilli

a vast and intense glow of color, and a