When Griffith reported at the White House, the President expressed himself as entirely satisfied. "You have done all I asked;" he said. "The maps sent, so far, are wonderfully fine and accurate, I can see that, and now that you have left a man who is able and willing to take your place, that is all I ask. If he should fail us I will send for you again; but I hope I shall not need to do that. If he is faithful, you have, indeed, done your whole duty, nobly. I thank you! I thank you! You are a silent hero--a war hero in times of peace and a peace hero in times of war! I am glad you can go home now. I--I happened to read--I always notice your name, now when I see it and--" Griffith looked at him steadily. There was evidently something bearing on the mind of the President which had to do with Griffith. Mr. Lincoln was moving toward the table. "Have you read--I suppose you have not seen the papers lately?" "Nothing," Griffith said, shaking his head. "What is the news, Mr. Lincoln?" "Glorious news! A great victory at Shiloh! A _great_ victory; but--" He turned over several papers and took one up from among the rest. "What regiments are your sons in?" he asked, looking down the columns. Griffith put out his hand. "What is the name, Mr. Lincoln? Is he killed or----" The President retained the paper and feigned to be looking for a name. "No, no, missing--according to one account. The other--the news in too meager yet to--it is confused. We can't be sure, and then this paper is several days old beside. I've seen nothing since--nothing at all of him. Here--Roy. Captain Roy Davenport of--" "Roy is not a captain. That is his brother Beverly. Is Roy----" "He was promoted on the field, just before he fell--or---- This paper----" Griffith staggered toward the door. "I must go home. Just before he fell! Poor Katherine! Poor Roy! I must go home. I must make haste. How long---- When did you say it was? When----?" "Wait," said Mr. Lincoln. "Let me try for a message--for accurate news for you. Wait." He rang. "Send that message, instantly--to Shiloh--to the Colonel of the ------ Indiana Infantry, and bring me the reply. Be quick--quick as you can," he said; and the secretary hastened away. Silence fell between them. Griffith's hand reached out toward the paper Mr. Lincoln had let fall, but the long angular arm reached it first, and as if not noticing the movement of Mr. Davenport, he deftly slid it toward the pile of other papers, and then suddenly flung all into a confused heap as he searched for some article on the table. "Would you like to go home that way?" They were both thinking of Shiloh, so why mention the name? "Perhaps if you did, you might find--you might take him home with you if---- Have you wired his mother that _you_ are safe, and here on your way home? That was right. That will help her to bear----"