As for Virginia, he knew her partisanship to, and undying love for, the South; he knew the class prejudice which was bound to assert itself, and he had seen enough in the girl's demeanor to fear that she was going to demand rather than implore. She did not come of a race that was wont to bend the knee.
"Well, well," he said despairingly, "you must eat some breakfast first,
Jinny."
She waited with an ominous calmness until it was brought in, and then she took a part of a roll and some coffee.
"This won't do," exclaimed the Captain. "Why, why, that won't get you halfway to Mr. Lincoln."
She shook her head, half smiling.
"You must eat enough, Lige," she said.
He was finished in an incredibly short time, and amid the protestations of Lizbeth and the yellow butler they got into the carriage again, and splashed and rattled toward the White House. Once Virginia glanced out, and catching sight of the bedraggled flags on the houses in honor of Lee's surrender, a look of pain crossed her face. The Captain could not repress a note of warning.
"Jinny," said he, "I have an idea that you'll find the President a good deal of a man. Now if you're allowed to see him, don't get him mad, Jinny, whatever you do."
Virginia stared straight ahead.
"If he is something of a man, Lige, he will not lose his temper with a woman."