When the men on the chess board get up and tell you where to go

Here's recent progress on my 19th century D.C. spy caper about a powerful Difference Engine that will end the Civil War - now with warhawk conspiracies, clockwork assassins, two presidents with more in common than they know, two spies with less in common than they think, a conflicted U.S. Marshal, and Bonus! not-at-all mad scientist who can save the world if someone will just give him a chance:
Project: Fiddlehead
Deadline: October 1, 2012
New words written: 5942 (RAR.)
Present total word count: 104,313 words





Things accomplished in real life: Morning jog with the dog; grocery shopping; lunch.

Other: Told you I speed up as I get toward the end. But Jesus, I'm tired now.

Threat: DEATHMARCH AHOY