The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-12-05
CHAPTER III.

Although Brant was convinced as
soon as he left the house that he could
not accept anything from the Boom
pointer influence, and that his inter
view with Susy was fruitless, he knew
that he must temporize- While he did
not believe That his old playmate would
willingly bctray him, he was uneasy
when he thought of the vanity and i'm
pulsivencss which might compromise
him--or of possible jealousy that
might seek revenge. Yet he had no rea-
son to believe that Susy's nature was
jealous, or that she was likely TO have
any cause, but the fact was that the
climax of Miss Fnulkner's temperance
when they were together affected him
more strongly than the real climax OF
his interview with Susy-which was her
offer. Once out of the atmosphere OF
that house, IL struck him. too. that
Miss Faulkner was almost as much Of
an alien to IL as himself lie wondered
what she had been doing there. Could
IL be possible that she was obtaining
information for the south? But he re-
jccted the idea as quickly as it had
occurred TO him. Perhaps there could
be no stronger proof of the unconscious
influence the young girl already had
over him.
He remembered the liyeries OF the
diplomatic carriage that had borne her
away and asccrtained without diff
Guilty that her sister had married one
of the foreign ministers, and that she
U-oo Tho c,nac4 In, HE bonca n,,t no .Vac
the more astonished TO hear that she
and her sister were considered to be
southern unionists, and were greatly
petted in governmental circles for their
sacrificing fidelity TO the flag His in
formant, an official in the state depart
ment, added that Miss Matilda might
have been good deal of madcap ut
the outbreak OF the war, for the sisters
had brother In the confederate serv-
ice, but that she had changed greatly,
and, indeed, within month. For" he
added, 'she was at the white house for
the first time last week, and they say
the president talked more to her than
any other woman"
The indcecribable sensation with
which this simple information filled
Brant startled him more than the news
itself. Hope, JOY, fear, distrust and de-
spair alternately thrilled him. lie re-
called Miss FaullSncr's almost agonizing
glance OF appeal 10 him in the drawing
room at Susy's, and il seemed to be
equally consistent with the truth of
what he had just heard--or some mon
strous treachery and deceit OF which
she might be capable. Even now she
might be a secret emissary of some spy
within the presidents family; she
might have been in correspondence
with some traitor in the Boompointcr
clique, and her imploring glance only
the result OF fear of exposure. Or,
again, she might have truly recanted
after her escapadc at Gray Oaks. and
feared only his recollection OF her as
go-between of spies. And yet both of
these presumptions were inconsistent
with her conduct in the conservatory.
II seemed impossible that this Impui-
sive woman. capable of doing what he
had himself known her to do, and
equally sensitive TO the shame or Joy
OF such impulses, should be the same
heartless woman of society, who Ind so
coldly recognized and parted from him.
But this interval of doubt was transit
tory. The next day he received a dis-
patch from the war department. order
ing him 10 report himself for duty nj
once. With beating heart he hurried
to the secretary. But that official had
merely left memorandum with his
assistant, directing Gen. Brant TO nc
company some fresh levies TO a camp OF
occupation near the front for "organi-
zation." Brant felt n chill OF disap-
pointment. Duties OF this kind had been
left TO dubious. regular army veterans,
hurriedly displaced general officers
and favored detrimentals. But IL Il
was not restoration, IL was no longer
inaction, and II was at least n release
from Washington.
IL was, also, evidently the result of
some influence, but hardly that of the
Boompointers, for he knew that Susy
wished to keep him at the capital. Was
there another power at work 20 send
him away to Washington? His pre-
vious suspicion returned. Nor were
they dissipated when the chief of the
bureau placed letter before him with
the remark that IL had been Entrusted
10 him by lady. with the request that
10 should be delivered only into his
own hands. "She did not know your
hotel address, but nsccrtained yot were
to call here. She said il was OF impor-
lance. There il no mystery about Il,
general" continued the official with
mischievous glance at Brant's hand
some. perplexed face. although it's
from n very pretty woman-whom we
all know"
Mrs. Boompointer?" suggested
Brnnt with affected lightness.
IL was malndroit speech. The off,
cinl's face darkened. "We have not yet
become a postal department for the
Doompointers, general" he said. dirty,
a.