"I will ask him when the time comes," said Thorold, contentedly. His tone was perfect, both modest and manly. Truth to say, I could not quite share his content in looking forward to the time he spoke of; but that was far ahead, and it was impossible not to share his confidence. My father and my mother had been practically not my guardians during six and a half long years; I had got out of the habit of looking first to them.
"And what are you going to do now in Washington?" said his aunt. "You may as well sit down and tell us."
"I don't know. Probably I shall be put to drill new recruits. All these seventy-five thousand men that the President has called for, won't know how to handle a gun or do anything else."
"And what is he going to do with these seventy-five thousand men, Christian?"
"Put down treason, if he can. Don't you realize yet that we have a civil war on our hands, Aunt Catherine? The Southern States are mustering and sending their forces; we must meet them, or give up the whole question; that is, give up the country."
"And what is it that they will try to do?" said Miss Cardigan. "It is a mystery to me what they want; but I suppose I know; only bad men are a mystery to me always."
"They will try to defy the laws," said Thorold. "We will try to see them executed."
"They seem very fierce," said Miss Cardigan; "to judge by what they say."
"And do," added Thorold. "I think there is a sort of madness in Southern blood."