Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-02-26

officer. My own sympathies are all with
the south"
"And now, said Laura, ''if you will
come with me l will get you some dry
clothing"
81 will, but first let me know to
whom am indebted for all this kind.
ness The family name is''-
"Fain.'
Miss Baggs controlled an ejaculation
of surprise.
| "Fain?"
''Fain.
"And you are Laura FainT"
Il was. am now Laura Maynard.
You seem to at least have heard of me. "
II haze heard Of you. am Vir.
ginian. You once visited in Virginia
l was then in Italy studying art.
And you are
There WIS brief silence before the
guest replied. She seemed celebrating
wh.ther 70 make herself known or NOT
Betsy Bags" she said at last, and
il was evident that il she had another
name she would not reveal il.
Supper was announced, after which
Miss Baggs asked to be shown to n room
where she could rest. A servant was
summoned. who led her TO the guest
chamber. aud setting the lamp on Ia
bic left her To herself.
When the servant disappeared, Miss
Baggs turned the key in the lock and
then carefully examined the walls, with
view TO discovering If there were
openings through which any eye could
peer into the room. tfer narrow escape,
the last Of u number of such episodes,
had partly uDnerved her, and she sat
down in cair to rest, languidly closing
her eyes. But not for long. Rising, she
drew from the pocket Of her dress
every one knows that there is no better
place Of concealment than q woman
pockot-a small bundle of papers.
Spreading them out on the table, she
drew her chair near IL, and after once
moro casting her eye about the room be-
gan to study them.
Miss Baggs had been endeayoring 10 Sc
cure the information required as to the
methods Of the general commanding the
Army Of the Cumberland in following
the retreating Confederates ever since
the request had been made Of her in
June previous. Here it was September,
and she had effected nothing. True,
she had taken q number Of dispatches
in cipher from the wires, but they were
very long, and the longer the message
the more difficult she had found them
to deciphcr Within a few days she had
intercepted two very short ones Taking
them from those before her. she began
TO study one consisting Of only a few
lines
II read as follows:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 1879.
Banks here army the II 1!amin cat % for
your report shinncy daily aee advance the cart
orders Of percuptory applause.
Hero is the other "a little longer:
wAsHIyGroy. Sept. 3. is3.
Congress long with Us advise applause mar
bio your possible your ago 10 party w;us con
meet soon 30 moyCp' nts spot his ordered as 10
Burton pin OK and left ordered Benjamin.
Taking up the dispatch she had in
tercep,ed when the Army of the Cum
berand began TO advance and some pa
pers showing that she had been trying
to dcciphor it, she began to look them
over. This is the dispatch:
MunFnrISnoRo. June y. ist3.
Volunteers Garfield with circling between
You possession turn an he cob Bumble NJ 70 st
that possible by move Benjamin pony dicf
rapidity around that pu. Of the hours r1--s!y
shiugle TO notice cncmy's TullahOma your
poin, the by u polliwog of plateau Niggard II
desire and hope forward to haha move ilc
right command and mountain order staff.
Miss Baggs had had this dispatch by
her since tho latter part OF June and
had puzzled over it for many an hour.
She had never succeeded in finding a
KEY. but had at last drawn something
Of its meaning from the tumble OF
words. After much study she assumed
that the words, when laid down IN their
proper order, would give the proper
meaning BIt there were certain Sords
which either did not mean anything or
stood perhaps for some place OF general.
She began by taking out number of
such words rs ''polliwog. " "haha, y
"shinglen and pony" The dispatch
was doubtless from Rosecrans, - the
word Garfield (his chief Of staff ap-
peared. and the words 'chief Of staff y
were scattered through it. Therefore
either Benjamin or Bumble or Niggard
meant Rosecrans. Subsequent dispatch
es which fell into her hands had con-
vinced her that Rosecrans was desig-
mated as Benjamin. Then she began to
try TO fit words together i'll this wise:
Your command
between Tuliahoma and Niggnrd
get possession
cucmy's right
Circling around the mountain plateau
desire that you get possession II possible
n point between Tullaho1na and Niggard
Move with rapidity
By order of benjamin tRosecrans) Garfield
chief Of staff.
Other groupings gave her better re-
suits till she obtained the following:
To Bumbic (probahly a cavalry general on
the left flank BE ready TO move at an hours
notice l desire that you turn the encInys
right. Move your command If possible by cir
cling around the mountain plateau. Get pos
session of "A point between Tullahoma and Mig
gard (probably some point in rear OF TIE
southern army with rapidity. By order OF
Ros.crans Garfield. chief Of staff.
The deciphering. SO far as il went,
was Of no avail, since it did not come
in time, but it helped her with the
shorter and easier dispatches, which
she now attacked. She began with this
one:
Banks here army tho Benjamin cat to for
your report shinney daily are advance the cart
orders OF peremptory applause.
Miss Baggs had learned that proper
name preceded all these cipher dis
patches, possibly having something to
do with the key. At any rate, she threw
ont the first word (Banks) and the
words ''cat, " "shinney" and "cart" rs
check words. Benjamin, she assur.-
ed, meant Rosecrans Applause" must
be the signature of the sender, and as
the dispatch was from Washington 1t
was probably either Lincoln, Stanton
or Halleck. The word ito" taken with
benjamin" must mean ITO Rose
GRAMS" aud "peremptory" and "or-
ders" evidently must 60 together. The
word advance" doubtless explained