Life in its morning of glory was his—wife, babies, love, youth, health, strength, clean living and high thinking. No, it was the thought of harm to her father that was eating her heart out. He has passed the noon-tide of life. His slender, graceful form lacked the sturdy power of youth. His chances were not so good.
The thing that sickened her was the certainty that both these men, father and husband, would organize the cavalry service and fight on horseback. They had spent their honeymoon on the plains. She had ridden over them with her joyous lover.
He would be a cavalry commander. She knew that he would be a general. Her father was a master of cavalry tactics and was at work on the Manuel for the United States Army.
The two men were born under the same skies. Their tastes were similar. Their clean habits of life were alike. Their ideals were equally high and noble. How could two such men fight each other to the death over an issue of politics when some wife or sister or mother must look on a dead face when the smoke has cleared?
Her soul rose in rebellion against it all. She summoned every power of her mind to the struggle with her father.
She brought them together at last in the room with her babies, asleep in their cradles. She sat down between the two and held a hand in each of hers.
"Now, daddy dear, you must tell me why you're going to fight Virginia if she secedes from the Union."
The gentle face smiled sadly.
"How can I make you understand, dear baby? It's foolish to argue such things. We follow our hearts—that's all."
"But you must tell me," she pleaded.