NICOLAY Can a Copperhead love his country----? LINCOLN Why not----? A rattlesnake might love his own fence corner! There are plenty of honest misguided men among them. I have been studying Baker's report this afternoon---- If I could just get hold of _one_ Copperhead who knows the signs and passwords of their inner council, I've worked out A PLAN THAT CAN WIN THIS FIGHT! NICOLAY [_Suddenly._] The very man may be on the way here at this moment! LINCOLN [_Eagerly._] What's that----? NICOLAY [_Thinking._] Miss Winter is due here with her lover--a young Captain of Grant's Army---- [_Pauses._] LINCOLN Well----? NICOLAY [_Slowly._] In view of the attempts to take your life--I made some inquiries to-day about him--I knew the White House would be without guards to-night---- [_Pauses._] LINCOLN Yes--yes--go on----! What about him? NICOLAY He was on McClellan's staff at one time---- LINCOLN That's promising----! NICOLAY He's a McClellan man--then---- LINCOLN Beyond a doubt---- NICOLAY In the hospital the past two months he has heard a lot of bitter talk---- LINCOLN [_Quickly._] And may have joined The Knights of the Golden Circle----! NICOLAY It's almost a certainty---- LINCOLN Of course. Their infernal agents haunt our hospitals daily, and pour their poison into every open wound---- NICOLAY Prove to this boy to-night that these men are liars---- LINCOLN If he'll listen---- NICOLAY He's got to listen! He comes to ask of you a great favor---- LINCOLN I wonder what? NICOLAY I couldn't find out. But you can use the opportunity to gain his confidence. He is engaged to a girl who is Mrs. Lincoln's intimate friend--a girl who admires and trusts you. You can _win him_, Chief, if you only try! LINCOLN [_With excited emphasis._] Don't you worry--I'm going to try----! [_Pauses._] --You wait and show them in. I'll report to Mother my talk with McClellan. She'll be uneasy about it. I'll be back in a minute---- NICOLAY All right, sir. [LINCOLN _exits._] [NICOLAY _watches him go with deep sympathy, shaking his head as_ BETTY _and_ VAUGHAN _enter._] Oh, Miss Winter---- BETTY Captain Vaughan,--Colonel Nicolay---- NICOLAY [_Studying_ VAUGHAN.]