"
"I remember you at Shiloh. You did good work there."
"Thank you, sir."
"And this lad, Lieutenant Mason, he has also done well. But he is young."
"I can vouch for him, sir."
"Then take twenty of your bravest and most intelligent men and ride
toward Frankfort. It may be that we shall have to take a part in this
inauguration, which I hear is scheduled for to-morrow."
"It may be so, sir," said Colonel Winchester, returning General Buell's
grim smile. Then he and Dick saluted and withdrew.
But it did not take the colonel long to make his preparations. Among
his twenty men all were natives of Kentucky except Warner, Pennington
and Sergeant Whitley. Two were from Frankfort itself, and they were
confident that they could approach through the hills with comparative
security, the little capital nestling in its little valley.
They rode rapidly and by nightfall drew near to the rough Benson Hills,
which suddenly shooting up in a beautiful rolling country, hem in the
capital. Although it was now the third day of October the little party
marked anew the extreme dryness and the shrunken condition of everything.
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