Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: determined that these nuptials shall be celebrated to-morrow ?

Quite, said the younger Blount.
And it is likewise decided that my daughter is not to go Southward at present, said Mr. Langdou.
Neither must she go to the North, said Henry Blount.
Then she will remain here, added the President, and, after the lapse of a few days, it will be.a place of security. As bride or maiden, you may trust her in my keeping. Nevertheless, gentlemen, let the ceremony be despatched as early iu the morning as possible. I have a reason for it.

Harry, said Mr. Langdon,
do you acquiesce ?

I do, sir. And, having consigned her to the protection of the President, I shall, an hour afterwards, be on my way to the Sunny South. If we meet no more, one, at least, who knew me well, will mourn my fate. Sir, he continued, grasping the tendered hand of the President,
will you not be present ?

If possible?but it may not be possible. My daughter will be with you. Let me see you again before you depart from the city. Farewell! The two Senator and Harry withdrew immediately. CHAPTER IH. THE EVE OP BATTLE. The sun resembled a great blood-red ball of fire as seen through the vapor that curtained the Eastern horizon. But the air was motionless, and the booming of the morning gun at the arsenal, reverberated far up the valley of the Potomac; and the screams of peacocks could be distinctly heard from the villas on the surrounding heights, betokening, as was believed by the curious villagers, the speedy advent of foul weather. At that early hour an individual rode along the main street of Georgetown, whose long drab coat, reaching downto his heels when standing on terra firma, now, by reason of the diminutive stature of the animal he bestrode, nearly brushed t…