CHAPTER XXXI
THE COIN OF GOLD
Prescott had been at home some months. Johnston's army, too, hadsurrendered. Everywhere the soldiers of the South, seeing that furtherresistance would be criminal, laid down their arms. A mighty war, wagedfor four years with unparalleled tenacity and strewn all the way withtremendous battles, ceased with astonishing quickness.
The people of Richmond were already planning the rebuilding of the city;the youthful were looking forward with hope to the future, and not theleast sanguine among them were a little group gathered as of old in thenewspaper office of Winthrop. They had been discussing their ownpurposes.
"I shall stay in Richmond and continue the publication of my newspaper,"said Winthrop.
"And I shall bring my wandering journal here, give it a permanent homeand be your deadly rival," said Raymond.
"Good!" said Winthrop, and they shook hands on the bargain.
General Wood said nothing about his own happiness, which he consideredassured, because he was to be married to Helen Harley the followingmonth. But some one spoke presently of the Secretary.
"Gone to England!" said Raymond briefly.
Raymond mentioned a little later a piece of gossip that was beingcirculated quietly in Richmond. A million dollars in gold left in theConfederate treasury had disappeared mysteriously; whether it had beenmoved before the flight of the Government or at that time nobody knew.As there was no Confederate Government now, it consequently had noowner, and nobody took the trouble to look for it.
Prescott was in London a few years later, where he found it necessary todo some business with the great banking firm of Sefton & Calder, knownthroughout two continents as a model of business ability and integrity.The senior partner greeted him with warmth and insisted on taking himhome to dinner, where he met Mrs. Sefton, a blond woman of wit andbeauty about whom a man had once sought to force a quarrel upon him. Shewas very cordial to him, asking him many questions concerning people inRichmond and showing great familiarity with the old town. Prescottthought that on the whole both Mr. Sefton and his wife had married well.
But all this, on that day in Winthrop's office, was in the future, andafter an hour's talk he walked alone up the street. The world was fair,life seemed all before him, and he turned his course to the new home ofHelen Harley. She had grieved for her brother awhile, but now she washappy in her coming marriage. Lucia and Miss Grayson were with her,helping to prepare for the day, and making a home there, too, until theycould have one of their own.
Prescott had noticed his mother's increasing love for Lucia, but betweenLucia and himself there was still some constraint; why, he did not know,but it troubled him.
He knocked at the Harley home and Helen herself answered the door.
"Can I see Miss Catherwood?" he asked.
"She is in the next room," she replied. "She does not know that you arehere, but I think you can go in unannounced."
She opened the second door for him at once and he entered. Lucia wasstanding by the window and there was a faint smile on her face, but thesmile was sad. She was looking at something in her hand and Prescott'seyes caught a yellow gleam.
His step had been so light that Lucia did not hear him. He came nearerand she looked up. Then her hands closed quickly over the yellow gleam.
"What have you there?" asked Prescott, suddenly growing brave.
"Something that belongs to you."
"Let me see it."
She opened her hand and a gold double eagle lay in the palm.
"It is the last that you left on Miss Grayson's doorstep," she said,"and I am going to give it back to you."
"I will take it," he said, "on one condition."
"What is that?"
"That you come with it."
She flushed a rosy red.
"Won't you come, Lucia?" he said. "Life is not life without you."
"Yes," she said softly, "I will come."
THE END.
Before the Dawn: A Story of the Fall of Richmond Page 31