Mr. Rockford had emigrated to Pennsylvania from New York State some fifteen years before and he was, in consequence, a thorough Northern man at heart, and had but little sympathy for those of the South who intended to make slavery and State rights a basis for war. Louis followed his father’s views closely, but both parent and son were of a quiet, peaceful nature, and the idea of possible bloodshed filled them with dismay. The Arlingtons belonged to one of the oldest families in upper Virginia. Clarence Arlington, the grandfather of Andy, had fought with Washington during the Revolution, and Hugo Arlington, Andy’s father, had followed General Scott to Mexico and lost a leg at the memorable battle of Chapultepec. Father and son were full of the war spirit, and it was plain to see that, as the father, being crippled, could not go, Andy would take up a musket at the first call to arms. The plantation of the Arlingtons was extensive, but as the ground was not of the best, the tobacco, which was planted from year to year, did only fairly well, and four years before the opening of this story Mr. Arlington had become interested in dairy matters. His first herd of cows had been purchased from Mr. Rockford, and this transfer of property had led to the two families becoming warm friends. Later on, both men had purchased a drove of cattle from the West, and in the work of dividing up this herd Louis and Andy had assisted, and soon the two boys were the warmest kind of chums, and when either took a vacation it was only to spend the time at the house of the other. Louis had now been stopping at the Arlington homestead for over a week. It was just before Christmas time, and there was but little for him to do at home. Early that morning he had gone off alone to see what he could bag in the way of game in the woods along the highway. He had wanted Andy to go with him, but some of the cows were sick, and Andy had to remain behind to give advice concerning the cattle. Louis had shot several rabbits, which now rested in his game pouch. He had been standing near the highway, reloading his shotgun, when Andy came along and invited him to take the ride to the depot at Lee Run, three miles away. That war was threatened, there could be no doubt. For over two years the North and the South had wrangled over the slave question and over the equally important question of State rights, and a settlement was now further off than ever. More than this, the leaders in South Carolina had actually called a convention for the purpose of deciding whether or not that State should withdraw from the Union. The convention was to have met at Columbia, but as that city was largely infested with smallpox, the convention was removed to Charleston, to deliberate there behind closed doors. And while this was going on the Southern statesmen and politicians at Washington, and elsewhere, were plotting to throw down the gauntlet of war whenever the favorable opportunity arrived.