"Why, my boy," he said, "I counted on such, long ago--and worse; besides, you know that I believe everything will come right." "What is to prevent the _Merrimac_ from destroying our whole fleet and then destroying our coast?" "God!" said Dr. Khayme. Lydia, kissed him and burst into weeping. * * * * * So far as I can remember, I have passed no more anxious night in my life than the night of the 8th of March, 1862. My health did not permit me to go out of the tent; but from the gloomy rumours of the camps I knew that my anxiety was shared by all. Strange, I thought, that my experience in war should be so peculiarly disastrous. Bull Run had been but the first horror; here was another and possibly a worse one. The East seemed propitious to the rebels; Grant alone, of our side, could gain victories. The burning ship cast a lurid glare over land and sea; dense smoke crept along the coast; shouts came to my ears--great effort, I knew, was being made to get the _Minnesota_ off; nobody could have slept that night. The Doctor made short absences from his camp. At ten o'clock he came in finally; a smile was on his face. Lydia had heard him, and now came in also. "Jones," said he, "what will you give me for good news?" "Oh, Doctor," said I, "don't tantalize me." Lydia was watching the Doctor's face. "Well," said he, "I must make a bargain. If I tell you something to relieve your fears, will you promise me to go to sleep?" "Yes; I shall be glad to go to sleep; the quicker the better." "Well, then, the _Merrimac_ will meet her match if she comes out to-morrow." "What do you mean, Doctor?" "I mean that a United States war-vessel, fully equal to the _Merrimac,_ has arrived." Lydia left the tent. I almost shouted. I could no more go to sleep than I could fly. I started to get out of bed. The Doctor put his hand on my head, and gently pressed me back to my pillow. VIII THE TWO SOUTHS "Yet spake yon purple mountain, Yet said yon ancient wood, That Night or Day, that Love or Crime, Lead all souls to the Good."--EMERSON About two in the morning I was awaked by a noise that seemed to shake the world. The remainder of the night was full of troubled dreams. I thought that I saw a battle on a vast plain. Two armies were ranked against each other and fought and intermingled. The dress of the soldiers in the one army was like the dress of the soldiers in the other army, and the flags were alike in colour, so that no soldier could say which flags were his. The men intermingled and fought, and, not able to know enemy from friend, slew friend and enemy, and slew until but two opponents remained; these two shook hands, and laughed, and I saw their faces; and the face of one was the face of Dr. Khayme, but the face of the other I did not know.