Gerald and his Lily-mother arrived in New York to find the social atmosphere all aglow.  Under its exciting influence, he wrote to Mr. King:—­

“Yesterday, I informed you of our arrival; and now I write to tell you that they are forming a regiment here to march to the defence of Washington, and I have joined it.  Lily-mother was unwilling at first.  But a fine set of fellows are joining,—­all first-class young gentlemen.  I told Lily-mother she would be ashamed to have me loiter behind the sons of her acquaintance, and that Mr. Seward said it was only an affair of sixty days.  So she has consented.  I enclose a letter to Rose-mother, to ask her blessing on my enterprise, which I am quite sure I shall have, together with your own.”

Thus, with the unreflecting exhilaration of youth, Gerald went forth to the war, as light of heart as if he had been joining a boat-race or a hunting excursion; so little did he comprehend that ferocious system of despotism which was fastening its fangs on free institutions with the death-grapple of a bloodhound.

For the next two months, his letters, though hurried, were frequent, and always cheerful; mostly filled with trifling gossipings about camp-life, and affectionate remembrances to those he had left behind.  At last, Mr. King received one of graver import, which ran thus:—­

“I have met with a strange adventure.  A number of us were on picket duty, with orders to keep a sharp lookout.  We went pacing back and forth on our allotted ground, now passing under the shadow of trees, now coming out into the moonlight.  I walked very erect, feeling myself every inch a soldier.  Sometimes I cast scrutinizing glances into groups of shrubbery, and sometimes I gazed absently on the sparkling Potomac, while memory was retracing the events of my life, and recalling the dear ones connected with them.  Just as I reached a large tree which formed the boundary of my prescribed course, the next sentinel, whose walk began where mine ended, approached the same tree, and before he turned again we met face to face for an instant.  I started, and I confess to a momentary feeling of superstition; for I thought I had seen myself; and that, you know, is said to be a warning of approaching death.  He could not have seen me very plainly, for I was in shadow, while he for an instant was clearly revealed by the moonlight.  Anxious to be sure whether I had seen a vision or a reality, when I again approached the tree I waited for him; and a second time I saw such a likeness of myself as I never saw excepting in the mirror.  He turned quickly, and marched away with military promptitude and precision.  I watched him for a moment, as his erect figure alternately dipped into shadow and emerged into light.  I need not tell you what I was thinking of while I looked; for you can easily conjecture.  The third time we met, I said, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘George Falkner,’ and marched away.  I write on a drumhead, in a hurry.  As soon as I can obtain a talk with this duplicate of myself, I will write to you again.  But I shall not mention my adventure to Lily-mother.  It would only make her unhappy.”