With the quick intuition of a woman accustomed to "war's alarms," she felt that evil tidings had come, and was already starting to leave the carriage.
"Oh! what can it be?" almost wailed Mrs. Turner. "Do you know, orderly?"
"It's been a big battle, ma'am, and they say General Custer and lots of officers is killed."
Truscott swung his wife from the wagon, and almost lifted her to the piazza. Miss Sanford, white and silent, sprang out unaided and ran to her side. Mrs. Stannard, with an awful dread in her kind blue eyes, took Truscott's hand as he returned and assisted her to alight.
"Will you stay with Grace?" he whispered. "I will go at once to the office. Come, Mrs. Turner."
But Mrs. Turner hung back irresolute. "Perhaps it isn't true at all, captain, and this may be the only time we can have the ambulance for a week."
For answer he silently took her at the waist in his powerful hands, set her speechless with astonishment on the sidewalk, sprang in, and spoke sharply to the driver,—
"Whirl round. Get there to the office quick as you can."
And the lashed mules went at a gallop.
Entering the office with the customary knock at the open door, Truscott stood first in the presence of the post commander and his adjutant.