The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-06
Author of "The Luck of Roaring
Camp" Two Men of Sandy Bar" etc.
Copyright, 1894, by Bret Harte.)
PART II.
CHAPTER VII.

Brants private room. Diminishing his
subaitern and orderly with a sign
Brant turned toward his prisoners, The
Jaunty ease, but not the self-possessior
had gone from Lagrange's face; the
eyes of. Captain Faulkner were fixed or
his older companion with a half humor.
Gus look of perplexity.
Il am afraid I can only repeat. Gen
eral, that cur foolhardy freak has put
us in collision with your sentries," said
Lagrange with a slight hauteur that re-
placed his former jauntiness, land We
were very properly made prisoners. Il
you VIII accept. my parole, 1 have no
doubt our commander Will proceed to
exchange a couple of gallant fellows OF
yours, whom l have had the honor OF
meeting within our lines, and whom you
must miss probably more than 1 fear
our superlors miss us
Whatever brought you here, gentle
men, said Brant drily. L am glad for
Your sakes that you are in uniform, al
though it does not unfortunately relieve
me Of an unpleasant duty
I don't think I understand you" re-
turned Lagrange, coldly.
If you had not been in uniform you
Y would probably have been shot down as
spies, without the trouble Of capture, -
DO you mean TO imply. sir" began
Lagrange, sternly.
4 mean to say that the existence of
Confederate spy between this camp
and the division headquarters is suffi-
GENTLY well known to US to justify the
strongest action
And pray how can that affect u.s.
said Lagrange: haughuly.
need not inform SO old a soldier as
Colonel Lagrange that the aiding, abet-
ting, and even receiving information
from spy or traitor within ones lines
Is an equally dangerous service"
Perhaps you would like to satisfy
yourself, General" said Colonel La
grange, with an ironical laugh. Pray
do not hesitate on account of our uni
formi Search us if you like
Not on entering my lines, Colonel. -
replied Brant with quiet significance.
Lagrange's cheek flushed. But he re-
covered himself quickly, and with for
mai bow said: You will then perhaps
let me know your pleasure?''
My duty, Colonel, is to keep you both
close prisoners here until 1 have an op-
) portunity to forward you to the division
commander with a-report of the circum-
stance Of your arrest. That [ propose
TO do. How soon / may have that CD
portunity-or If am ever to have it,
continued Brant. fixing his clear eyes
4 significantly on Lagrange, depends up
on the .fortaneS Of war, which you prob
ably understand as well as do"
We should never think of making
any calculation on the action of an Of
hcer of such infinite resources as Cen
eral Brant" said Lagrange. politely.
You will, no dou'ot, have an oppor-
tLnlty OF stating your own case to the
division commander continued Brant.
with unmoved face. And he contin-
ued, turning for the first time to Cap
tain Faulkner, when you tell the com
mander what believe to be the fact
from your name and resemblance-that
you are a relation of the young lady
VINO for the last three weeks has been
an inmate of this house under a pass
from WaShington-you will, / have no
doubt favorably explain your own pro-
pinquity to my lines"
My sister Tiiie!" said the Young Of
heeT, impulsively. But she is no longer
here. She passed through the lines back
10 Washington yesterday. No. he add
ed with light laugh, I'm afraid that
excuse won't count for today
4 sudden frown upon the face of the
elder officer, added to ingenuousnass If
u dulkner's speech, satisfied Brant that
he had not only ELECTED the truth. but
9hdt Miss Faulkner had been successful
Nor did he doubt that his suggestion
lhat her relationship to the young, Off
Ger would incline the division comman-
DER TO look lenienty upon his fault
ana ne felt a singular satisfaction in
thus being able to serve her OF the
real object of the two men before him
he was convinced; they were srhp
friends" of his wife, who were waiting
Tor her outside the linesi Chance alone
mad saved her from being arrested with
them, with the CONSEQUENT exnosi,re az
her treacheTy before his own men-who
as yet had no proof of her guilt, nor any
suspicion OF her actual identity. Nor
was ms own chance Of conveying her
with safety beyond his lines affected I,v
This; the prisoners dare not reveal whaI
they knew of her, and it was with a
grim triumph that he thought of COM
passing her escape without their aid
Nothing of this, however, was visible in
ms face, Which the younger man
watched with a kind of boyish curios-
'5y. while Colonel Lagrange regarded
me ceiling with d politely suppressed
!aWh- L regret" concluded Brant, as
ne summoned the officer of the p,ua,d
that l shall have to deprive Won of
each others company during the time
that you are here; but I shall see that
you, separately, want for nothing in
your confinement"
II this Is with a view to separate in
terrogatory, General, can retire nov.
sad Lagrange, rising with ironical DO
likeness.
I believe 7 have all the information
require" returned Brant with undis-
loroed conp0sure. Giving the necessar ~
orders to his subaltern, he acknowiedg-
ed with equal calm the formal saIrtas
OF the two prisoners as they were led
away, and returned quickly to his bed
loom ABOVE de paused instinctivelv
Tor moment before the closed door, ana
listened There was no sound from
Wllhih. He unlocked the door and on
ened ii. 'U W
SO quiet was the interior that for on
instant without CHANGING at the he'd he
cast quick look at the window v,T,;o ~
III then, he had forgotten, and u,bioL
he remembered, gave egress Dno,, - ~, :,
Feranda roof. But it was still cIoea5
and as he approached the bed he ca ~,
mis- wife still lying there in the sf+;,
tude in which he had left her Bur nor
eyes were ringed and slightly filmed
as if with recent tears.
It was. perhaps, this circumstances
that softened his voice, still harsh with
command, as he said:
suppose you know these two men 90
And that I have put it out Of their
power TO help you?'
ct do"
There was something 50 strangely
submissive in her voice that he again
looked saIpiciously at her. But he was
shocked 20 see that she was quite bale
now, and that The fire had gone out of
her dark eyes.
Then 1 may tell you my own-and
the only-plan TO save you. But first.
we must find this mulatto woman who
has acted as your double"
She is here"
s'Hel,ew
vas"
How do you know H?'' he asked in
c1sGr1iesfp