Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-30

Beach about to burn paper. sprang
forward and pinioned her in my arms.
"Sentryl" 1 yelled at the top of my
voice.
The sentry came stumbling along in
the dark.
Bring a light"
Running back to the hall, he returned
with a candle. Holding it up, it showed
a face of marble.
Leading my prisoner TO the living
room, 1 told the sentry to watch her
every moment till my return, then
made for the generals tent.
General" called. ass~
"Wen?"
, Miss Beach, caught her stealing
| through the hall. She went to the
kitchen and was evidently about to
burn a paper, when / stopped her."
where is she now?" So
"At the house under guard"
| He got up and went with me to the
| house. We found Miss Beach seated in
a chair, her head resting on her arms
on a table, the sentry Watching her.
| I noticed for the first time that she
kept her right hand tightly closed. She
looked up at the general with wild,
hunted look. In his own face there was
an unexplained dread.
"Have you searched her, Heutenant?'
''No, general"
"Open your hand, Margaret" he said
to her.
| BY this time she had risen and stood
before us at bay.
"Open your hand" the general re
peated.
She opened her left hand and tossed
paper ball on the floor. The genera
picked it up and began to open it-nS
easy task, since the paper was yer,
thin and tightly compressed.
Hold the light here"
I took the candle from the sentr,
and held it over the generals shoulder
His face suddenly became white as
cloth.
= 'Burnside's defenses, with every di
vision, brigade, battery, laid down il
red ink on tissue paperi"
/ looked at Miss Beach to note tn
effect of the discovery, expecting her t
t drop in a faint. What was my surpris
' to see instead relieved expression, a
l The general was standing with tn
!, paper in his hands, / holding the ligh
the sentry back, the girl facing as al
For few moments there was complet
silence. l shall never forget its breal
8 ing. The general spoke His tone wa
n one in which he might have pronounce
e his own death-sentence.
f "You have committed the gravest o
u Tense Known in war"
r. He turned and left the room, motion
T ing me to follow him. Leaving Mi!
n Beach in charge of the sentry, I WEI
with linn to his tent. 1t was some tin
IS before he could gather his faculties
u speak.
The commanding general is right
he said. at last; they are going
>" crush burnside.
'.Why so, general?"
re "Straws show which way the viii
n blows. Why should they wish plans.
ot the works at Knoxville. If they are n
intending to attack them?"
er But Miss Beach2'' said. more int
IS ested in her than in the military stu
ton.
le, Had we not caught her in the act s
IS would have been in Brngg's camp befc
d. tomorrow morning"
II, What shall do with her?"
nv ''ConfiDe her in one OF the rooms
or the top floor. and let her have 10 CO
X munication with anyone"
ofr When l went back to the house
ba found the girl walking to and fro in {
na hall. while tears were silently fowl
N conducted her upstairs. feeling tha
ht- haa laiaen lrOni the nAgn oSs'ce oi
officer of the army to the mcnial ps
Ter ton Of a common jailer. Opening
door, 1 stood beside It. and, taking
he my cap. waited for her TO pass in.
Ill she did SO she extended her hand to