The President had laughed with grim humor at the account of Volkonsky's utter rout. Altogether it was a chain of successes for Pembroke, and it gave him his opportunity to show the debater's stuff there was in him. Therefore, when he was informed that on a certain day he would have to answer for himself on the floor of the House, he felt in high spirits, for the first time in weeks.
Miles was full of excitement. Colonel Berkeley, whose sectionalism was of the robust and aggressive kind indigenous in Virginia, was in high feather. He charged Pembroke repeatedly to wallop those infernal Yankees so that they would never forget it, and recalled all the forensic glories of all the Pembrokes to him. Olivia brightened into wonderful interest. She said it was the subject that interested her.
The evening before the resolution was to be called up, Pembroke walked over to the Berkeleys, Olivia and her father sat in the cosy library. The Colonel began immediately.
"My dear fellow, you ought not to be here this minute. Remember you have got to speak for the State of Virginia to-morrow. You ought to be sharpening your blade and seeing to the joints in your armor."
"You should, indeed," struck in Olivia, with great animation. "You can't imagine how nervous I feel. You see, you are to be the mouth-piece of all of us. If you don't do your best, and show that we have some patriotism, as well as the North, I
