He urged his horse into a faster gait, anxious to overtake Lee and report
that all was well with the rear guard. He noticed once more, and with
the greatest care that long line of the wounded and the unwounded,
winding sixteen miles across the hills from Gettysburg to Chambersburg,
and his mind was full of grave thoughts. More than two years in the very
thick of the greatest war, then known, were sufficient to make a boy a
man, at least in intellect and responsibility.

Harry saw very clearly, as he rode beside the retreating but valiant
army that had failed in its great attempt, that their role would be the
defensive. For a little while he was sunk in deep depression. Then
invincible youth conquered anew, and hope sprang up again. The night
was at the darkest, but dawn was not far away. Fugitive gusts of wind
drenched him once more, but he did not mind it, nor did he pay any
attention to the occasional growl of a distant gun. He was strong in the
belief that Meade would not pursue--at least not yet. A general who had
just lost nearly one-third of his own army was not in much condition to
follow his enemy.

He urged his horse to increased speed, and pressed on toward the head of
the column. The rain ceased and cool puffs of wind came out of the east.
Then the blackness there turned to gray, which soon deepened into silver.
Through the silver veil shot a bolt of red fire, and the sun came over
the hills.

Although the green world had been touched with brown by the hot sun of
July it looked fresh and beautiful to Harry. The brown in the morning
sunlight was a rosy red, and the winds of dawn were charged with life.
His horse, too, felt the change and it was easy now to force him into a