The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-01
I WAS NOT THE PARTY

referred TO, because / was not absent It did
not take long, however, TO conclude, after some
investigation and private talk with the opera
tor, that Mr. Pinkerton had sent man down
there TO look after the matter referred to in my
letter TO CORode. OF course COYUde had indis-
creetly rushed TO the Office aud presented my
letter, without once thinking OF the severe re-
dectlons on the officials, or in any way consider
ing my requests it contained. He only thought
of the proposed scheme to get possession of the
steamers. / Suppose that he felt in his honest,
patriotic heart that it must be thwarted at
once. That's the way Mr.. Covode did things
be told me subsequently, that he felt that my
letter would show Stanton and Watson that
was valuable man, etc.
But / was not willing that the detectives of
Pinkerton should have the credit Of unearth-
ing this plan, and, aside from little personal
feeling and my sympathies and sentiment for
the father Of GenO, l at once determined to de-
feat their aspirationsi and 1 sucCeeded-to my
own subsequent discontinue
Determined to prevent the arrest Of Geuo's
father because / believed him innocent, and
realizing that / was responsible for the espion-
age that had been placed upon the family, and
without single thought as 10 the conseq uence
70 myself went quietly from the telegraph Of
ice to the Wells house, only few blocks dis
tant.
GeHo smilingly welcomed me as she opened
LA-g ~4yDt teA4- A4tAl 4taAAlEl 10 lgLE cB-
ing, l have since thought and 10 her pleasant
greeting ! abruptly demanded, in tone and
with an agitation that must have seemed
strange, want TO see your father right
away" To the polite response,
Why, there Is nobody at home but me.
/ Come in,
could only say, '' must see your father or
! your mother on private business. / cannot
talk 70 you now. / must get this matter set
tied first"
Geno turned her big, black eyes on me
/ quickly, qnizzieally; looked into my heart,
/ seemingly satisfied herself that I was not crazy
/ or tight. She observed, with a smile:
You can see father tonight, if you wish"
| must see him before night. Where is
Ny animated manner, or perhaps urgent de-
mands in the hallway, had attracted Mrs.
/ Weiss attention in an upper room. Making an
/ appearance at the head Of the stairway, she
asked, pleasantlyS
What IN the world is the matter with you ? -
Oh, nothing much. Come down, please
have something to say to you and the Cap
tain privately"
The happy mother descended only to the
landing, where she halted long enough to see
whether il would be safe for her to come any
closer Geuo, on hearing me express a desire
70 talk privately TO her parents, had suddenly
j disappeared through a side door; while Mrs
Wells laughingiy, stepped down, and without
waiting to hear from me, said, in her gentle
motherly way:
Now, my dear boy, don't you talk to mC
about that Why, Geno is only child"
On no; not that-not now. ] came to tel
you that the Captain Will be arrested tonight
be must leave town at once"
With lew words moro of explanation, tht
loyal wife and mother was alive to the gravity
OF the situation. / left the house as suddenly
as had entered it, after eautioning them un
der no circumstances TO admit that | gave thi
information, as ! would be hung too. wa
back al the station before they had discovered
that ] had been away
They didn't arrest Capt. Wells that night
but they did arrest me q few dRys snBse
guently.
i TTo he rooffn.e5T