The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-11-09
III.
RED-HANDED.


| "Are you better?"
HAS anything happened?"
"You have been overstrained."
"Not that What has occurred since
since haven't known anything?"
Nothing. You were unconscious
only for a moment" -
She seemed relieved. I steadied her
while she rose, and supported her into
the house, where I placed her in charge
of negro woman, who took her to
her room. ..s.a
The generals order to question her
and report to him was load upon my
mind. To pry into the secrets of girl
about my own age, to cross-question
her, to extort from her what she did
not care to tell, seemed to me no proper
duty for gentleman and soldier.
Several times during. the evening I
nerved myself for the work, and as
often put it off. At last, fearing that
the girl would 60 to bed, sent word
by one of the negroes to know if she
felt we'll enough to see me. I was bid
den to the living-room, where I found
her seated on lounge, anxiety de-
picted on every feature of her face.
Taking possession of a table in the
center of the room, I produced my pa
per and sharpened my lead-pencil.
"What are you going to do?" she
asked.
II am going to ask you few ques-
TONS"
"Who ordered you to do that?''
"The general"
1.-The replies are for him?''
EYES,"
"Well, go on
began my work with all the embar-
rassment of young lawyer making
his first examination of a witness.
'"How long have you known the gen.
eral?"
do you ask that for his or for your
own information?
Realizing my mistake, I bent my head
down to the paper to hide my confusion.
"Never mind that question" said,
''Ill ask you another"
"Wen?"
"Who is the lady upstairs-that
pleasant woman with sweet voice."
my mother" She looked pleased
at the compliment paid to one she loved.
fancied I had made mistake iii show
ing interest, and scowled, in order that
she might, after all, consider me IN
sympathetic.
els your mother union?'
Confederate"
HIN! Now I want you to tell me
whose was the face at the window up
stairs"
She made no reply.
I'm waiting
glanced up at her from the paper.
From her expression I judged that 1
might wait for an answer till the crack
of doom.
I took out my knife and sharpened
my pencil, though had sharpened it
few minutes before. I wanted time
to think.
"Are you union or confederate?"
asked the question because could
think of no other: I did not doubt she
was confederate.
"Union."
"Union?' 1 smiled What bare
faced falsehood! why, if you are
union, what is the use of all this search
ing, your concealment of facts, and all
| that?"
You have done the searching, not
T."
glanced my eye over the paper on
which I was taking notes. I had GER
tainly not distinguished myself by the
value of my questions or the Informal
ton had elected. How could show
such document to tho general? Like
most people who are untitled for what
they undertake, I put off till tomorrow
what I could not do to-day.
II will not show this to the general
till morning." I said. by that time,
I trust, you will have made up your,
mind to make full confession"
"What am to confess?"
made no. reply to this, keeping up as
unbending' mien as possible, though
somehow could not but feel that the
girl saw through the gauzy mantle of
severity had donned, and knew full
we'll that was an inquisitor of clay.
But what was to do with her over
night? ,pondered awhile, and then
said:
! Give me your parole not to leave this
house, and you may sleep where you
like without guard" .:.
what is parole?'
''Word of honor. Do you promise ?"
Certainly"
every well, Now you may go where
you like inside the house; only remem-
Der you have given your promise not
to leave it." psi
With that she left me, and heard her
go upstairs and enter her mothers
room.
determined to sleep in the house,
occupying the room where had ques-
toned her, using the sofa for a bed.
Having stationed man in the hall,
shortly before midnight threw my
blanket on chair to have it ready for
the chill Of the early morning, unbuck-
led my saber and pistol-belt, pulled OF