Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-12-02

her cheek, and she shranK back. The
con1znander-judge. touched by this out
bust Of confidence. asked, kindly:
Why do you place such trust in one
who has not trusted you?"
Because the evidence against me
was so strong that Gen. Heath would
have been a fool to trust me-"
"Tbe evidence against you was cir
cumstantial, that against him is writ
ten. Written evidence is, 1 believe, the
strongest known in law"
"were he to write himself traitor on
a hundred sheets I would not believe
him guilty"
"Why?"
because"
He waited TO hear her reason, bat
no reason came; only tear that glis-
tened in her eye.
Because" said the commander, fin
fishing for her, you are a woman"
Raising his eyes, Gen. Heath gave
Margaret a lool-a look Of penitence,
of gratitude. But Margaret doubtless
saw far more, for suddenly her face
lighted with triumphant 5oy-a dim
flashing OF a divine sensation, and
knew that she had received the one
great message of her life.
Gen. Heath" said the commander,
''you remember our interviews on the
morning of your departure On your
missic:?''
IT do"
"And the order of the secretary of
warp
81 renaeuber.v
II have done for you all in my power.
Your effort to vindicate yourself by a
signal service has resulted in furnish
ing such strong proof of your guilt that
! do not consider myself warranted in
further postponing the secretary's or
der You will go to your quarters I'M
( der arrest"
Gen. Heath had made his replies as
one whose mind was on other matters.
! At the order to consider himself lndSr
arrest he started.
Zone. moment" he said, addressing
the general-in-chief. Il have bit of
evidence to submit in my behalf. But
first let me speak a word with refer
ence to my past relations with Maj.
! Beraute. We were classmates at West
Point, and afterwards stationed at the
same fort on the Atlantic coast. Be
ing offSpanish extraction, he inherited
a Spaniard's passion for gambling, and
thereby got into trouble AS command
ant of the post IL became my duty to
confine him in one of the classmates,
and since. then he cherished for me no
great friendship. The spring of 1851
found us again together at a post in
Texas--I in command, Berante second
Secessionists In E neighboring town
were preparing tn surround and cap
ture our little force. Fortunately, the
mayor was at heart union man, and
secretly aided me to thwart the de
, signs OF the conspirators. had beer
! informed. from Washington that 4
: transport, would be sent to the coas
> of Texas. to remove my command, and
I 1 relied upon the mayor to stave of al
attack by diplomacy till the arrival o
. the ship, and to inform me of its com
ing; information that could only b
furnished me clandestinely.
"One morning received from tn
mayor q letter containing deman'
!. for the surrender of the post, couple
with an offer to me personally of a trac
= Of land and commission in the cor
l federate army If would do as he t,
Il quired. Aware that he was dissen
= bling TO his associates, 1 felt confider
that his note was to be read betwee
:, the lines. subjected it 10 number {
= tests without results, when 1t occurre
y to me to- use the simple method of Al
, plying heat. To my satisfaction lie
tiers of brown color came out:
Transport arrived. The way is clear.
T. "That night I marched my men TO II
g. coast. where I found transportatic
n awaiting me, and in a few days land'
II them safely at Annapolis.
20 1.-THE letter produced by Maj. Beran
r. was intended for inspection of the s