His daughter stood beside the bed,
speechless with anger at this intrusion. Dick lifted his hand, and the
look upon his face checked one of the mightiest oaths that had ever
welled up from the throat of Colonel Charles Woodville, king of swearers.
"Stop!" said Dick in a voice not loud, but sharp with command.
"Can't we at least have privacy in the room of an old and wounded man?"
asked Miss Woodville.
"You can hereafter," replied Dick quietly. "I shall not come again,
but I tell you now to get him out of the house to-night, unless he's too
badly hurt to be moved."
"Why should my father be taken away?" demanded Miss Woodville.
"I'm not speaking of your father."
"Of whom, then?"
Dick did not answer, but he met her gaze steadily, and her face fell.
Then he turned, walked out of the room without a word, and again closed
the door behind him. When he went out on the piazza he saw excitement
among his comrades. The moment for great action was coming even sooner
than Colonel Winchester had expected.
"Johnston is communicating with Pemberton," said Warner, "and he has
ordered Pemberton to unite with him.
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