“Yes.”
“It is to get them out of the way of this other pageantry of which I spoke. My Elfie, Washington is a Southern city; it belongs to us; and a mere sectional President-elect will never be permitted to take his seat here!”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Elfie.
“Never!”
“But how can he be prevented from doing so?”
“By force of arms!”
“By force of arms!” echoed Elfie.
“Yes. Listen; all over Virginia—all over Maryland—there are bands of devoted and desperate men, organized and sworn to prevent Lincoln from taking his seat. Our people in Washington know this, and are ready to cooperate with us. I bear a captain’s commission in one of these bands. Colonel Eastworth is my superior officer. We have three branch and one main rendezvous. And they are near the bridges crossing the Potomac and the Anacostia. Our plan is, on or before the fourth of March, to muster at our several rendezvous, in the darkness of night; to march at the same time over the three bridges; to surprise Washington, and so take the city by assault,” said Albert, warming into enthusiasm with his narrative.
“Oh, Heaven!” muttered Elfie, between her clenched teeth.
He heard her mutter something, but failed to catch the word; and he utterly mistook the cause of her paleness and sternness of aspect. He was, indeed, absorbed in his own subject; and so he continued to reveal his plans: