“Major,” said he, “I've been thinking. I may yet die, and the rule we made that no one of my cabinet shall succeed me when my term is done turns now to be no good rule. It strengthens Calhoun. Also, it is he to set his dog of a Duff against Van Buren because the latter would buckler Peg. I'm too much broken and too weak for talk, and I need not repeat the reasons for such step. It's on my heart, however, to set the ball in motion for Van Buren to have this place when my term is done.” “And how would you proceed?” said I. “For myself, nothing could be better to my taste.” “This is my notion,” said the General. “Let us write to Overton, setting forth--with a cloud of other matter to be a cover--the presidential fitness of Van Buren in his every line. This shall be a secret between Overton and us. The letter will be wanted only in event of my death, for while I live Calhoun shall never have the White House. If I die, why there's my name to it for Van Buren against the world. And let me tell you, sir, I much mistake my place with the people if my dead word be not of greater weight with them, aye! if it do not move them far beyond any potency to be latent in the living name Calhoun.” We made no pause about it, the General and I, and as soon as saddle-bags might carry, Overton received the missive which the General had described. It was never wanted, for the General did not die; but there it lay in the hands of Overton, and the word-for-word blood brother to it in my own, ready like a grim reserve to take his place in battle against Calhoun should the General be stricken down. And thus, during our first summer and autumn, did the General and I, with caution and wise concern, coil down and clear our political decks for the great wars we knew were at hand. Defeat for our enemies; triumph for our friends; those were our watchwords. You may believe I went into November and looked winterward with a load off my soul, when now the General's health was come back; and with it his temper to wrangle and clash with me; also his mighty heart was restored, hot as Hecla and as volcanic, against those who, mongering Nullification, would forge a Calhoun treason down among the rice fields. As for Peg, there stood no limit to her satisfaction when the fight for the General's life was won, and he in fairer health than at any hour since we came. “And, child, it was you who saved me,” said the General, lifting up Peg's chin with his thin hand. “Do you think I shall forget that?” Now the town began to regain its own, and folk came straggling in from beach and hill and dale. Noah, too, was down from New York, he and his graceful Hercules, Rivera; and, as the town filled, Peg's spirits would put on spurs, and she never was more blithe and high than now when we drew close to that struggle of the drawing rooms wherein she so planned to have a leading portion.