"That is the
flag of America, and will be. The frontier is free. It will make America
free forever."
"Oh, well," he said, "the argument will be obvious enough by next
spring--in April, I should guess. And whatever you or I may think, the
game will be big, very big--the biggest until you have your real war
between black and white, and your yet bigger one between yellow and
white. I imagine old England will be in that with you, or with one of
you, if you make two countries here. But I may be a wandering Jew on
some other planet before that time."
He sat for a time, his chin dropped on his breast. Finally he reached me
his hand.
"Let me go," he said. "I promise you to leave."
"To leave the State?"
"No, I will not promise that."
"To leave the County?"
"Yes, unless war should bring me here in the course of my duty. But I
will promise to leave this town, this residence--this girl--in short, I
must do that. And you are such an ass that I was going to ask you to
promise to keep your promise--up there." He motioned toward the window
where the light lately had been.
"You do not ask that now?" I queried.
"You are a fighting man," he said, suddenly.
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