A Captain in the Ranks A Romance of Affairs   By: George Cary Eggleston (1839-1911)

A Romance of Affairs

by

GEORGE CARY EGGLESTON

Author of "DOROTHY SOUTH," "RUNNING THE RIVER," "THE MASTER OF WARLOCK," Etc.

[Illustration: "You have saved the Railroad." Page 336.]

A. L. Burt Company, Publishers, New York

Copyright, 1904, by A. S. Barnes & Co.

TO

Mable

On her wedding day, I dedicate this story with affection

September 8, 1904

PREFACE

This story is intended to supplement the trilogy of romances in which I have endeavored to show forth the Virginian character under varying conditions.

"Dorothy South" dealt with Virginia life and character before the Confederate war.

"The Master of Warlock" had to do with the Virginians during the early years of the war, when their struggle seemed hopeful of success.

"Evelyn Byrd" was a study of the same people as they confronted certain disaster and defeat.

The present story is meant to complete the picture. It deals with that wonderful upbuilding of the great West which immediately followed the war, and in which the best of the young Virginians played an important part.

The personages of the story are real, and its events are mainly facts, thinly veiled.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I THE FINAL FIGHT 1

II ALONE IN THE HIGH MOUNTAIN 18

III THE NEW BIRTH OF MANHOOD 29

IV A PRIVATE IN THE ARMY OF WORK 38

V THE BEGINNING OF A CAREER 42

VI A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY OF WORK 48

VII THE "SIZING UP" OF GUILFORD DUNCAN 59

VIII ON DUTY 64

IX ONE NIGHT'S WORK 70

X ALLIANCE, OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE 87

XI THE WAYS OF GUILFORD DUNCAN 100

XII BARBARA VERNE 107

XIII A BATTLE AND AN ACQUAINTANCE 119

XIV A SOCIAL ADVANCE 129

XV THE COMING OUT OF BARBARA 141

XVI A NEW ENEMY 146

XVII AN OLD FRIEND 160

XVIII DICK TEMPLE'S PLANS 168

XIX DICK TEMPLE'S STORY 175

XX IN THE SUMMER TIME 181

XXI AN INTERVIEW WITH NAPPER TANDY 188

XXII UNDER THE HONEYSUCKLES 198

XXIII CAPTAIN WILL HALLAM IN THE GAME 202

XXIV BARBARA'S ANSWER 214

XXV TEMPLE AND TANDY 224

XXVI A PACT WITH BARBARA 242

XXVII MRS. HALLAM HEARS NEWS 254

XXVIII THE BIRTH OF A GREAT RAILROAD 265

XXIX A SCRAP OF PAPER 274

XXX THE MYSTERY OF TANDY 285

XXXI ONLY A WOMAN 293

XXXII THE RIDDLE EXPLAINED 298

XXXIII AT CRISIS 304

XXXIV A CHEER FOR LITTLE MISSIE 316

XXXV THE END OF A STRUGGLE 323

A CAPTAIN IN THE RANKS

I

THE FINAL FIGHT

[Illustration]

The slender remnant of Lee's artillery swung slowly into position a few miles west of Appomattox Court House. Wearily but with spirit still the batteries parked their guns in a field facing a strip of woodland. The guns were few in number now, but they were all that was left of those that had done battle on a score of historic fields.