“Yes,” April, who up to that moment had scarcely said a word, now cried bitterly. “There are too many carrying water on both shoulders, and that is why people are beginning to talk about our losing. I did not expect it of you, Hal,” she ended, with a straight look at her brother. “I can only see what the plain facts are, sis,” he answered. “Sherman has a hundred thousand men and we have less than fifty thousand. What are we going to do against such odds?” “Do!” cried April in a ringing voice. “We’re going to fight till they’re beaten. There’s nothing else we can do!” At the words the young girl seemed transfigured. “A victory! A victory!” she cried, and running to the piano she started singing “Dixie.” But for once she failed to carry her audience with her. “What is the matter with you-all?” she demanded, standing up pale but defiant beside the piano. “Are we to be beaten by talk? If we all grow glum when everything is not going right how can we expect to win? We wouldn’t deserve to win. The Yankees have twice as many men as we have, you say. Well, we have Johnston! He’ll stop Sherman if he only had quarter what he has. We shall win in spite of all the croaking and croakers!” She was half beside herself for the moment, almost hysterical, and realizing it, or perhaps fearing that she would break down and cry, she quitted the room in haste. Harriot began to sob from excitement and sympathy for the sister she adored, and Dorothea put an arm about her comfortingly. Harriot looked at her cousin through her tears. “I don’t think you care at all,” she murmured, and Dorothea was surprised to find that there was some truth in the words. At least she did not find herself sorrowing over the waning fortunes of the South. CHAPTER XVIII A DISTRESSING INCIDENT Hal May remained at home only two days, but in that time his old uniform was patched and Aunt Decent plied him with food until he pleaded lack of room for more, so that when he went away he had perceptibly improved in appearance. Again the May household settled down to the humdrum business of waiting for news of the armies. And Sherman’s march through Georgia gave the people of little Washington many anxious moments, though it soon became apparent that their town would escape and that after Atlanta, Savannah was the chief objective of the Federal expedition. Of Val Tracy there was scarcely a word. He seemed to have dropped out of sight, but not out of the minds of his friends. Dorothea, remembering the last time she had seen him mount his horse and ride away, wondered often what was happening to him. She and Miss Imogene talked much of the young Irishman and speculated also upon the fortune of young Stanchfield whose whereabouts were still unknown to them.