eight miles, and thence nawthwesterly to Warrentown and the broad
Atlantic; in all fifty miles."

"Any connecting road at Warrentown?" I asked.

"No, suh, nor anywhere else along the line. It is absolutely virgin
country, and this is one of the strong points of the scheme, for there
can be no competition;" and the colonel leaned back in his chair, and
looked at me with the air of a man who had just informed me of a legacy
of half a million of dollars and was watching the effect of the news.

I preserved my gravity, and followed the imaginary line with my eye,
bounding from the mustard-pot along the carving-knife to the salt-cellar
and back in a loop to the cheese, and then asked if the Big Tench could
not be crossed higher up, and if so why was it necessary to build
twelve additional miles of road.

"To reach Carter Hall," said Fitz quietly.

"Any advantage?" I asked in perfect good faith.

The colonel was on his feet in a moment.

"Any advantage? Major, I am surprised at you! A place settled mo' than
one hundred years ago, belongin' to one of the vehy fust fam'lies of
Virginia, not to be of any advantage to a new enterprise like this!
Why, suh, it will give an air of respectability to the whole thing
that nothin' else could ever do. Leave out Caarter Hall, suh, and you
pa'alize the whole scheme. Am I not right, Fitz?"