“Be brave--ha! I mustn’t tarry longer. Good-bye.” Another kiss and he was gone. Mara Morland pressed her hands to her temples in a dazed, bewildered state of mind. Then she suddenly started up. “What have I done?” she asked herself. “He is gone and I have told him nothing. God forgive me that I should so far have forgotten my duty. These tears ill become the garb that I wear. I thought that I had more self-control. I wonder if he is gone? He said to Buzzard’s Gap. That is a part of Sherman’s design. His plans are working well. I must act ere it is too late.” While speaking thus she was brushing the tear drops from her eyes. As soon as she had somewhat gained control of herself she peered out of the tent. All was bustle and excitement. “It is no use to look for him now. I must go to the commander’s headquarters.” Acting upon this thought she boldly left the tent. No one seemed to notice her and she breathed easier as she hurried on her way. At last to her relief the quarters of General Johnston was reached. The commander, however, was very busy and she had to wait what seemed to her a long time. She was glad that it was night for in the semi-darkness she escaped in part the scrutinous gaze of the lookers-on. “Come, there is no time to spare if you must speak to the commander,” exclaimed the brusque orderly at last. “General, some one to see you who will not take ‘No’ for an answer.” With high-beating heart Mara advanced into the presence of the impatient chief. CHAPTER IX. MARA MORLAND’S MISSION. If it was General Johnston’s aim to draw the Northern troops as near as possible to Atlanta before engaging in the culminating battle, General Sherman, on the other hand, was equally as anxious to meet his foe at an early day and as far from the Confederate arsenal as it might be. Could he shatter Johnston’s army, as he felt confident of doing, his march to the sea would be simply a “walk over.” The great mountain system of East Tennessee outstretched like a giant arm into the heart of the Confederacy. Leaving Chattanooga, the natural bastion on the lines of the Georgian communication, Sherman paused at Ringgold, and from this place inaugurated his grand strategic movement. Through Rocky Face Mountain from the latter place ran a narrow ravine affording the only passage to the eastern valley, on the one hand, and along whose rocky bottom wound the highway and railroad to Dalton. At the mouth of this valley, called Buzzard’s Roost Gap, Johnston had erected strong defenses by planting his batteries on the rocky spurs of the mountain sides. To make his position doubly certain he had flooded the ravine by dams in the creek. This position but illustrated Johnston’s entire situation, and Sherman’s practical eye saw that to drive him from his craggy citadel he must make a detour to the south and cut off his communication with Atlanta. This task was assigned to McPherson.