“Good-by, little girl,” he said.  He started to call her by name and stopped.  Margaret had named the beautiful creature “Dixie.”  The servants were stirring.

“Good-mawnin’, Mars Chad,” said each, and with each he shook hands, saying simply that he was going away that morning.  Only old Tom asked him a question.

“Foh Gawd, Mars Chad,” said the old fellow, “old Mars Buford can’t git along widout you.  You gwine to come back soon?”

“I don’t know, Uncle Tom,” said Chad, sadly.

“Whar you gwine, Mars Chad?”

“Into the army.”

“De ahmy?” The old man smiled.  “You gwine to fight de Yankees?”

“I’m going to fight with the Yankees.”

The old driver looked as though he could not have heard aright.

“You foolin’ this ole nigger, Mars Chad, ain’t you?”

Chad shook his head, and the old man straightened himself a bit.

“I’se sorry to heah it, suh,” he said, with dignity, and he turned to his work.

Miss Lucy was not feeling well that morning and did not come down to breakfast.  The boy was so pale and haggard that the Major looked at him anxiously.

“What’s the matter with you, Chad?  Are you—?”

“I didn’t sleep very well last night, Major.”

The Major chuckled.  “I reckon you ain’t gettin’ enough sleep these days.  I reckon I wouldn’t, either, if I were in your place.”

Chad did not answer.  After breakfast he sat with the Major on the porch in the fresh, sunny air.  The Major smoked his pipe, taking the stem out of his mouth now and then to shout some order as a servant passed under his eye.

“What’s the news, Chad?”

“Mr. Crittenden is back.”

“What did old Lincoln say?”

“That Camp Dick Robinson was formed for Kentuckians by Kentuckians, and he did not believe that it was the wish of the State that it should be removed.”

“Well, by —! after his promise.  What did Davis say?”

“That if Kentucky opened the Northern door for invasion, she must not close the Southern door to entrance for defence.”

“And dead right he is,” growled the Major with satisfaction.

“Governor Magoffin asked Ohio and Indiana to join in an effort for a peace Congress,” Chad added.

“Well?”

“Both governors refused.”

“I tell you, boy, the hour has come.”

The hour had come.

“I’m going away this morning, Major.”

The Major did not even turn his head.

“I thought this was coming,” he said quietly.  Chad’s face grew even paler, and he steeled his heart for the revelation.

“I’ve already spoken to Lieutenant Hunt,” the Major went on.  “He expects to be a captain, and he says that, maybe, he can make you a lieutenant.  You can take that boy Brutus as a body servant.”  He brought his fist down on the railing of the porch.  “God, but I’d give the rest of my life to be ten years younger than I am now.”