Indeed, he seemed farther off at Washington than he had done at Spring Bank, and Alice sometimes questioned the propriety of having left Kentucky at all.

They were not very comfortable at Washington, and as Mrs.Worthington pined for the pure country air, Alice managed at last to procure board for herself, Mrs.Worthington, Lulu and Sam, at the house of a friend whose acquaintance she had made at the time of her visit to Virginia.

It was some distance from Washington, and so near to Bull Run that when at last the second disastrous battle was fought in that vicinity, the roar of the artillery was distinctly heard, and they who listened to the noise of that bloody conflict knew just when the battle ceased, and thought with tearful anguish of the poor, maimed, suffering wretches left to bleed and die alone.

They knew Hugh must have been in the battle, and Mrs.
Washington's anxiety amounted almost to insanity, while Alice, with blanched cheek and compressed lip, could only pray silently that he might be spared, and might yet come back to them.

Only Sam thought of acting.
"Now is the time," he said to Alice, as they stood talking together of Hugh, and wondering if he were safe.