The Irish standard., 1896-05-16

K, 0Oxu0I0l08 VI LQOIS 11uEyOLSaenC0 W yO0s -
had been trying to find scrap Of evil
dence that would justify the presump-
\ ton that you had sent information to
J the enemy. found that it was based
upon the fact Of the enemy being IS
possession Of facts at the first battle OF
Gray Oaks which could only have been
obtained from our side, and which led
to federal deserter, that you, however.
retrieved by your gallantry. I asked the
secretary il he was prepared to show
that you had sent the informatio with
that. view, or that you had been over
taken by q tardy sense Of repentance.
He preferred to consider my suggestion
\ as humorous. But the inquiry led to my
further discovery that the only trea-
,sonable correspondence actually in evi-
dence was found upon the body, .of q
trusted federal officer, and had been for
7 warded to the division commanders But
there was no written record Of It IN the
case.' s4s. ls..,ss.. /. 3 t., d
':Why, 1 forwarded It myself" said
.Brant, eagerly. Il s.ss,,ss:;r ,,a 4s
$50 the division commander writes y
said the president, smiling, ''a1ld he for
warded it to the department.. But ID
was suppressed in some way. Have
you any enemies, Gen. Brant?"
''None that know OF"
! @Then you probably have. You are
young and successful. Think of the
hundred other officers who naturally
believe themselves better than you are,
and haven't q traitorous wife. Still, the
department. may have made an example
of you for the benefit of the only man
who couldn't profit by it,
might it not have been, sir, that this
suppression was for tho good report
Of the service-as the chief offender
was dead ?"
"I am glad to hear you say 80, gen.
eral, for it is the argument have used
successfully in behalf of your wife: =
Then you know it all, STRIP said
Brant, after q gloomy pause.
'''All, think. Come, general, you
seemed, just now, to be uncertain about
your enemies. Let me assure you you
need not be SO in regard to your
friends" .,...
81 dare to hope / have found one, sir, !"
said Brant, with almost boyish timidity.
20, not one," said the president, with
a laugh of depreciation. Some one
much more potent"
MAY I know his name. Mr.. Presi-
dent?' ~
'sNo. For it is woman. You were
nearly ruined by one, general. sup
pose it's quite right that you should be
saved by one. And, of course, irregu-
larly."
"a woman!" echoed Brant.
+ "Yes! One who was willing to confess
herself worse spy than your wife-a
double traitor-to save you! Upon my
word, general, don't know if the de-
partment was far wrong; man with
such an alternately unsettling and
convincing effect upon q woman's high
est political convictions, should be I'M
der some restraint. Luckily the depart
ment knows nothing Of it. - so: =,
'sNor would anyone ever have known
from me-" said Brant, eagerly II trust
that she did not think-that you, sir
did not for an instant believe that T."
20, dear, no. Nobody would have be-
lieved you! 1t was her free confidence
to me. That was what made the affair
so difficult to handle. For even her
bringing your dispatch to the division
commander looked bad for you and
YOU know he even doubted it's authen-
ITCHY" .....
'Does she-does Miss Faulkner
know the spy was my wife," hesitated
Brant. .-s.:.
The president twisted himself in his
chair, so as to regard Brant more
gravely with his deepest eyes, and then
thoughtfully rubbed his leg. Don't let
us travel out of the record, general"
he said, after a pause. But as the color
surged into Brant's cheek, he raised his
eyes to the ceiling and said, in half hui
merous recollection: 49,
ssNo, I think that fact was first
gathered from your other friend--Mr.
Hooker"
"Hookerl" said Brant, Indignantly,
ibid he come here?"
pray don't destroy my faith in Mr..
Hooker, general, said the president, in
half weary, half humorous depreciation.
'.Don't tell me that any ofhisinventions
are true! Leave me ut least that mag
nificent liar-the one perfectly intel
ligible witness you have. For from
the time that he first appeared here
with a grievance and claim for 2
commission, he has been an unspeaka~S
BILE joy to me and a convincing resti- i.
mony to you. Otherwitnesses have been
partisans and prejudiced. MI. Hooker
was frankly true to himself. How else
should I have known Of the care you
took to disguise yourself, save the
honor of your uniform and run the risk
of being shot as an unknown spy your
wife's side except from his magnificent
version Of his part Of it! How else
should 1 have known the story Of your
discovery Of the Californian conspiracy
except for his supreme portrayal Qf
it, with himself as the hero. No, you
must not forget to thank Mr.. Hooker
when you meet him. \ i Xxx
Miss Faulkner is at present more ao-
cessiblc; she is calling on some mem-
bers Of my family in the next room.
Shall leave you with her?"
Brant rose, with q pale face and a
quickIy -throbbing heart, as the presi-
dent, glancing at the clock, UNFINISHED
himself from the chair, and shook him
self out at full length, and so gradually
to his feet. Your wish for active
service isgranted, Gen. Grant, he said,