“We were hurried forward, and I had the pleasure of seeing my men behave well when we stormed South Mountain—­a very gallant affair.  Joe Grace was hurt, but not badly, and was left behind.  As to the killed, none are from Westways.  At Antietam we were with the reserve, which I thought should have been used and was not.  It was an attack on an interior line as seems always to be our luck.  McClellan will follow Lee, of course.  My regiment is to be with the Sixth Corps, but I was ordered by the Secretary of War to report to him in Washington.  It is disgusting!  But orders are orders.  The Lieutenant-Colonel will have my place, and I hope to get back soon.  Josiah was caught in the thick of the fight at Fox Gap.  He was scared a sort of green.  He will get over it—­I know the signs.  It was pure nervousness.  His explanation was very perfect, ’I just laid down flat because I was afraid of gittin’ this servant of yours killed.’  We grinned mutual approval of the excuse.

“Yours ever,

“JAMES PENHALLOW.”

“P.S.  You will have found this letter very unsatisfactory, but the fact is that only people of ample leisure make good correspondents.  But now to sum up:  Yesterday I saw Stanton, had a glimpse of Swallow, saw Mr. Lincoln, and had an adventure so out of the common that it was like one of the stories of adventure in which Jack used to delight.  Now I cannot—­should not tell it—­but some day—­yes.  Send this P.S., bit of good news, on its way.  Read it first.”

“Well, that is exasperating?  Surely men are most unsatisfactory letter writers.  No woman with an interesting subject could be so uninteresting.  John is as bad or worse.”

She found enclosed a postscript slip for Mr. Grace.

“DEAR SIR:  That boy of yours is not badly hurt.  He behaved with intelligent courage when for a moment a part of our charging line hesitated.  I was proud of him; I have made him a Corporal.

“Yours truly,

“JAMES PENHALLOW.”

The order to report to the former counsel of his firm, Secretary Stanton, brought an unhappy Colonel to the War Department.  He sent in his card, and was asked to follow an orderly.  As he was about to enter the private office of the War Minister, to his amazement Swallow came out.  With a curt good morning, Penhallow went by him.  The great Secretary rose to greet him, saying, “You are very welcome, Penhallow—­never more welcome.”

“You look worn out, Stanton,” said the Colonel.

“No, not yet; but, my God!  Penhallow, my life is one to kill the toughest.  What with army mishaps, inefficiency, contractors backed by Congressmen—­all the scum that war brings to the top.  Do you know why I sent for you?”

“No.  It was an order—­I ask no questions.  I am at your service.”

“You were disappointed, of course.”

“Yes, I was.”

“Well, there were two reasons.  One is frankly this.  Your firm has a contract for field artillery—­and now you are in the service.”