The insects buzzed for an uninterrupted moment.

“Of course they will. What did you think?” He spoke sharply. “They say there’s all kinds of ruptures in the army nowadays. And—well, I know a lot about this business. I’ve studied and— Likely they’ll make me a corporal or sergeant, right off. I’m only sorry I couldn’t seek out a lot of recruits and get a commission, but that may come later.”

“I see.”

Elijah was folding tiny creases in the loose cloth of his pantaloons. “There’s considerable stew and fuss. The war department refused to take volunteers for less than six months, so Governor Curtin’s trying to get them to accept us just for the emergency—until we’ve helped repel the invasion. Haller says he expects permission from Mr. Stanton by tomorrow afternoon. Then we’ll go ahead. There’s all our crew who’ve been drilling—that includes four boys from the Sem—and I understand we’ll get at least fifty out of the college. Maybe we’ll have nearly a hundred.”

Dan asked, “And then?”

“Why, we’ll be sent to Harrisburg. They seem to think the rebels will head for there, if they come north again.”

“Do you actually believe that you will see fighting, Hud?”

He stood up, restlessly. “Of course I do.” His dark eyes seemed very large in his thin face. “Dan—the reason I came over here tonight—it isn’t so late, only about ten o’clock—Listen, Dan. I want you to drop everything. Come along with us. Be a good fellow, why don’t you?”

Bale cried savagely, “Not for you or anybody.”

“Do you realize what this invasion means?”

“Well, what does it mean?”

Elijah clenched his fists. The knuckles were squeezed and bloodless. “This is our country. They’re coming up here. I mean, they’re going to try to. A man who won’t fight for his home is—” He stopped short, swallowing.

“Yes,” Dan whispered, after a moment. “You can’t understand how I feel. But I’m not going to kill anybody, ever again. Think of this, Hud: suppose you’d been brought up in South Carolina. You and I met, enemies. We killed each other. Why? We’d have been friends if we were neighbors here in Gettysburg. And because I killed you, your mother must be robbed of you for the rest of her life.”

“Hell,” said Elijah.

“Well, that’s it.”

“Then you won’t consider it?”

“No. You ought to know that.”

Huddlestone smacked his palms together. “All right.” He walked toward the door.

“How about Amelia Niede? Does she know you’re going?”