Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-23

very house. Now go upstairs and find
who is lurking there"
This was the generals way. One mo-
ment Ahe would strike, the next ca
ress. One moment / hated, the next
loved him. went into the house to
carry out his order. Taking an old
darby with me as guide, mounted the
stairs, reached a door which judged
would let me into the room sought,
and threw il OPEN rs. one there,
Now uncle" said to the negro.
II want you to take mR.into every nook
and corner of this house, from garnet
to cellar"
"Yes, mars"
Never have seen a negro more de-
Hberate, more profuse with excuses,
than the one who piloted me on my
search. 1t was Eyes. mars, jes' wait
a minute till find de key" or "Dis
do done stuck wild de wedder," or
Don't hurry de ole man; de misery's
powerful bad; nobody can't git away
while de sojers is outside"
drew my saber and pOked here and
there, beat il against doors, thrust IL
up chimneys, pretending that was do
ing a duty which l was Sinking all
the. while. On the floor where had
seen. the face we found all the rooms
empty. Above was a trap-door with
steps leading up to it, 1 climbed the
steps, lifted the trap and stepped in
under the roof. 1t was a singular con-
struction, sloping downward to a gut
ter in the center instead of rising to
a peak. Finding nothing, pulled my
self through an opening and stood on
the roof, looked behind all the chin
neys, and heaved a sigh of relief that
1 had found no enc. Then, going be-
low, 1 resumed my searching in the
lower stories. Knocking at the door of
a room on the second floor, the sum
mons was answered by an old lady. AS
1 gained an insight into the apartment,
a bedchamber, l thought l saw wom-
ans skirt whisk out OF a rear door.
II must search the room, madam"
said, fmperatively.
Certainly. Come In"
She spoke in so soft a voice and looked
at me in such motherly way out of her
patient eyes that could have bitten
oil my tongue for my demand.
Never mind" i said, coloring. u
see there is no one here"
Better satisfy yourself"
| With that she opened the closet door,
pulled out lounge and turned up the
valance of the bed. 1 stood hanging
my head like boy caught stealing
| Jam, then suddenly squared my back
to what she would show me.
look" she said, with u sweet voice.
"Look?" L repeated. turning and
facing her. Look through the cham
Der of lady! Have come down here
to do work detective would shrink
from? 1 came to fight men, not to force
myself on the privacy of women. i ask
your pardon, madam, for trespassing-'
left the room, my checks burning
and, going downstairs, passed out &c
the gallery where the general was wait
ing for me, and reported no one found
He drew down the corners of his moutl
in a way / never liked.
Sergeant" he said, turning TO tn,
man who commanded the guard, "talS,
q couple of men and search the house.
The sergeant saluted, and, ordering
the men he selected to follow him, wen
upstairs. Meanwhile Col. Wilton, TIL
next officer in rank to the general, rod
up and claimed his commanders atten
ton. while the girl stood waiting in tn
doorway.
Leaning my elbows on the rail,
looked ont on the scene before me
The sun had set, and the surrounding
hills stood out in silhouette against
pearl sky, though their sides wer
dimly aglow with variegated autumna
colors-for IL was at the end of Octc
ber-and chill breeze was coming u
from the south. Directly below, in tn
yard, the men were going into CAM
/ some unsaddling the horses. some ge'
ting out cooking utensils, some cuttin
boughs on which to sleep. From n snak
fence on the other side oft the road treoI
; ers were carrying rails with which {
make camp fires, some of which weT
already sending out the odor of burnin
wood and boiling coffee. Some 20 mile
away, across the valley of the Tenne
ses, were the hills 1t whose base RI
the railroad we were charged wit
!, | watching. I was wondering how ii
! general, with a few hundred me
could maintain himself against the ca
= airy of the enemy, let alon, getting net
I enough to the railroad, at the exa,
time the expected trains would pass.
l discover them. when the sergeant al
n his men came downstairs and reportt
. another failure.
n Lieut.. Hail." said the general shar
K ly to me.
n "Yes, general"
/ "I expect you to Keep this young lad
S under your especial watch. Questi.
n her, take down her replies in writin
s and bring them to me. Treat her n
Il every one about the place with evel
v consideration possible under the q
o cumstances, but instruct the guard
see that no one leaves the house duril
= the night" With that he left me al
trotted briskly down to the gate.
turned to the girl. She had sunk in