Part 41 (1/2)
Within two weeks a magnificent army of one hundred and twenty thousand men, fourteen thousand horses, forty-four batteries with endless trains of wagons, supplies, and pontoon bridges were transported by water two hundred miles to the Virginia Peninsula without the loss of a life.
The day was a glorious one toward the end of March, when Betty stood on the hill above Alexandria and watched, with heavy heart, the magnificent pageant of the embarking army. The spring was unusually early. The gra.s.s was already a rich green carpet in the shaded lanes. Jonquils were flaming from every walkway, the violets beginning to lift their blue heads from their dark green leaves and the trees overhead were hanging with ta.s.sels behind which showed the cl.u.s.ters of fresh buds bursting into leaf.
The armed host covered hill and plain and stretched out in every direction as far as the eye could reach. Four hundred s.h.i.+ps had moved up the river to receive them. Companies and regiments of magnificently equipped soldiers were marching to the throb of drum and the scream of fife. Thousands of cavalrymen, in gay uniforms, their golden yellow s.h.i.+ning in the sun, were das.h.i.+ng across a meadow at the foot of the hill. The long lines of infantry stretched from the hills through the streets of Alexandria down to the water's edge. Everywhere the regimental bands were playing martial music.
Somewhere among those marching, cheering, laughing, shouting thousands was the man she loved, leaving without a word.
An awkward private soldier pa.s.sed with his arm around his sweetheart.
Her eyes were red and she leaned close. They were not talking any more.
But a few minutes were left and he must go--perhaps to die. Words had ceased to mean anything.
Her heart rose in fierce rebellion against the wall of silence her pride had reared. A group of magnificently equipped young officers pa.s.sed on horseback. Perhaps of General McClellan's staff! She looked in vain among them for his familiar face. If he pa.s.sed she would disgrace herself--she felt it with increasing certainty. Why had she come here, anyway? As well tell the truth--in the vague hope of a meeting.
The quick beat of a horse's hoof echoed along the road. She looked and recognized John Vaughan! He was coming straight toward her.
Instinctively and resistlessly she moved to meet him.
She waved her hand in an awkward little gesture as if she had tried to stop after beginning the movement. His eye had been quick to see and with a graceful pull on his horse's bridle he had touched the pommel of the saddle, leaped to his feet, cap in hand, and stood trembling before her.
”It's too good to be true!” he exclaimed breathlessly.
She extended her bare hand and he held it without protest. It was trembling violently.
”You were going to leave without an effort to see me?” she asked in low tones.
”I was just debating that problem when I saw you standing by the road,”
he answered soberly. ”I don't think I could have done it. It's several hours before we embark. I was just figuring on how I could reach you in time.”
”Really?” she murmured.
”Honestly.”
”Well, if you had gone without a word, I couldn't have blamed you”--she paused and bit her lips--”I was very foolish that day.”
”It was my fault,” he broke in, ”all my fault. I was a brute. I realized it too late. I'd have eaten my pride and gone back to see you the day I reached Was.h.i.+ngton if I had thought it any use. I have never seen such a look in the eyes of a woman as you gave me that day, Miss Betty. If there had been any love in your heart I knew that I had killed it----”
She looked into his eyes with a tender smile:
”I thought you had----”
He pressed her hand tenderly.
”But now?”
”I know that love can't be killed by a kiss.”
She stopped suddenly, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He held her close for a moment, murmuring: