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Lincoln appeared puzzled "I didn’t hear anyone knock…"

"No, sir I saw the the storm shutters I asked theht away, but they must be patient because you’re not in your chair, so I’d have to help you"

"Good girl, Polly What do they want?"

Her eyes darted to Nelson Wellers "Him," she said "They’re here to arrest hiirl said, "They’ve already been here looking for you They did ask again, but I told them you still hadn’t come back, and I didn’t know if you ever would They said that was all right, and that they were here to arrest Dr Wellers, since they believed he was present at the killings"

"What did you say to that?" Lincoln asked

"I said I couldn’t say for sure if he was hanging about, because I’d been doing laundry, then closing up the barn and the shutters I said that if he was here, I hadn’t seen hi it strongly

She hesitated, and said, "They said they’re officers, but … but I don’t think I believe theht about them, and ould they want to arrest Dr Wellers?"

"They don’t," he said He clenched his jaw so tight that his cheeks looked hollow "They want to kill me"

Her eyes widened She looked to Lincoln for a denial, rebuttal, or explanation, but none was forthco Gently, he told her, "You’ve done very well, Polly Don’t worry about Dr Wellers I’ll see to these men momentarily Wellers? Please help me into my chair I founded that force, and it will answer to me"

Grant watched his old friend shift from the seat by the fire and into his wheeled contraption He did it laboriously and with apparent discohtened himself, pulled his preferred blanket over his lap, and settled his hands around the controls The chair clacked to life, so like a very sine He aimed himself at the door

But then the president stepped forward, blocking his way

"No," Grant said firmly "No, this is not yours to face alone I won’t hide in your books while you stare down that woman’s wicked forces Let me take this one They won’t be expect me; it’ll throw theood as their oddaht back to where they caered in the hallway She asked, "What if they’re real policemen, not ot the chief justice to sign off on the arrest, I outrank whoever authorized them, too" He wished he’d chosen his words better They left a bad taste in hisbetween the man and the corridor "Let me handle this"

When neither Lincoln, the scientist, or the doctor responded, Grant stepped past Polly and strode forward He took long, fast steps It only occurred to hi the halls of Lincoln’s home--that his idea of comfort amounted to his old habits as a soldier

But he hadn’t loved the war

He hadn’t loved sending men to die, surrounded by nervous advisors and scouts, or risking his own skin in a too-hot or too-cold tent that could barely call itself shelter while he struggled to read hastily drawn y, the flow and sway of arht … the rise of victory, and the sickening slide into defeat … He understood that It made sense to him, somewhere down at the bottom of his chest He read war the way soe

Maybe he should’ve been thinking of this as a battle all along Politics was notdeals, but a war of favors and foes, friends and proht of the way Desly at Katharine Haymes--matters of the heart as well Well, of course it sometimes included the heart If the heart never ca behind hiet out of the way if necessary Another pawn, this one Vulnerable, but knowing Willing, but also forced, by virtue of circuht and earned

He said a little prayer for her, so fast without any words, because he didn’t have ti fancy

He reached the front door and whipped it open The brand-new night and its terrific wind spilled inside the foyer, scattering leaves in a marvelous ind that shook the fixtures and worried the nearest fire He squinted against the bracing gust, planted his feet square, and locked his shoulders straight<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>