The colonel, moreover, gave glances of approval and sympathy to his
gallant young aide, who in the seat next to the window with his head
against the wall slept so soundly. All the afternoon Dick slept on,
his breathing regular and steady. The train rattled and rumbled through
the high mountains, and on the upper levels the snow was falling fast.
Darkness came, and supper was served to the troops, but at the colonel's
command Dick was not awakened. Nature had not yet finished her task of
repairing. There was worn tissue still to be replaced, and the nerves
had not yet recovered their full steadiness.
So Dick slept on, while the night deepened and the snow continued to
drive against the window panes. Nor did he awake until morning, when
the train stopped at a tiny station in the hills. There was no snow
here, but the sun, just rising, threw no heat, and icicles were hanging
from every cliff. Dispatches were waiting for Colonel Newcomb, and
after breakfast he announced to his staff:
"I have orders from Washington to divide my regiment. The Southern
forces are operating at three points in Kentucky. They are gathering
at Columbus on the Mississippi, at Bowling Green in the south, and here
in the mountains there is a strong division under an officer named
Zollicoffer. Scattered forces of our men, the principal one led by a
Virginian named Thomas, are endeavoring to deal with Zollicoffer.
The Secretary of War regrets the division of the regiment, but he thinks
it necessary, as all our detached forces must be strengthened.
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