He has built a wooden tunnel from the
street into the north end of the building and that's lined with guards.
A squad of fifty soldiers are under the platform where we're going to
sit----"
"No!"
"Look through the cracks and see for yourself!" Vaughan cried with
scorn.
The sparkling brown eyes were focused on the board platform.
"I do see them moving," she said slowly, as a look of deep seriousness
swept the fair young face. "Perhaps General Scott's right after all.
Father says we're walking on a volcano----"
"But not that kind of a volcano, Miss Betty," Vaughan interrupted.
"Senator Winter's an Abolitionist. He hates the South with every breath
he breathes."
Betty nodded:
"And prays God night and morning to give him greater strength with which
to hate it harder--yes----"
"But you're not so blind?"
"There must be a little fire where there's so much smoke. A crazy fool
might try to kill the new President."
Ned Vaughan's slender figure stiffened:
"The South won't fight that way. If they begin war it will be the most
solemn act of life. It will be for God and country, and what they
believe to be right. The Southern people are not assassins. When they
take Washington it will be with the bayonet."
"And yet your brother had a taste of Southern feeling here the night of
the election when a mob broke in and smashed the office of the
_Republican_.
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