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


she regained consciousness and her
will-power at the same time.
! grasped her hand; II was like Ice.
"Are you better?"
HAS anything happened?"
~You have been overstrained."
s'Not that. What has occurred since
since I haven't known anything"
Nothing. You were unconscious
only for a moment"
She seemed relieved. steadied her
while she rose. and supported her into |
the house, where I placed her in charge |
of a negro woman, who took her to |
her room.
The generals order to question her !
and report to him was a load upon my |
mind. To pry into the secrets of a 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 a gentleman and soldier.
Several times during the evening 1
nerved myself for the work, and as
often put it off. At last, fearing that
the girl would go to bed, l sent word
by one of the negroes to know if-she
felt well enough to see me. 1 was bid
den to the living-room, where found
her seated on a 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. -
81 am going to ask you few ques-
tions."
"who ordered you to do that?"
1.-The general" .,sssS
-'The replies are for him?'' ST..
~Yes." So
-'weIl, go on"
began my work with all the embar-
rassment of a young lawyer making
his first examination OF Witness
'How long have you known the gen.
eral?"
do you ask that for his or for your
own information?"
Realizing my mistake, bent my head
down to the paper TO hide my confusion.
''Never mind that question" said,
'T'n ask you another"
"Well?"
"Who is the lady upstairs-that
pleasant woman with a sweet voice?"
at the compliment paid TO one she loved.
I fancied l had made mistake in show
ing interest, and scowled, in order that
she might. after all, consider me un-
sympathetic.
lis your mother union?"
Confederate"
Him! Now want you to tell me
whose was the face at the window up
stairs"
She made no reply.
I'm waiting"
I glanced up at her from the paper
From her expression judged that
might wait for an answer till the cracl
of doom.
1 took out my knife and sharpeneS
my pencil. though had sharpened i
a few minutes before. 1 wanted tins
TO think.
"Are YOU union or confederate?"
I asked the question because coulc
think of no other: did not doubt sh
was confederate.
Union"
"Union?" I smiled. What a bare
faced falsehoodl 'Why, if you ar
union, what is the use of all this search
ing, your conc@alment of facts, and a
that?"
"You have done the searching, no
l."
I glanced my eye over the paper o
which I was taking notes. / had Gel
tainly not distinguished myself by til
value of my questions or the informs
ton l had elected. How could sho'
such a document to the general? Lik
most people who are untitled for whs
they undertake. put off tilrto-morrO'
what / could not do to-day.
81 will not show this TO the geners
till morning." 1 said. ''By that tim
trust, you will have made up You
mind TO make full confession"
''What am to confess2"
made no reply to this, keeping up
unbending a mien as possible. thong
somehow / could not but feel that IL
girl saw through the gauzy mantle
severity / had donned, and knew FL
well that 1 was an inquisitor of ella
But what was l 10 do with her ov
night? / pondersd awhile, and tn,
said:
"Give me your parole not TO leave til
house, and You may sleep where y
like without n guard"
What is a parole?'
''Word of honor. Do you promise
Certainly"
Every well. Now you may go whe
you like inside the house; only rene
Der you have given your promise I
to leave it,"
With that she left me, and heard
go upstairs and enter her mothe
room.
determined to sleep in the hou
Occupying the room where had gu
toned her. using the sofa for b
Having stationed a man In the h.
shortly before midnight / threw
blanket on a chair to have 1t ready
the chill of the early morning, unb.
led my saber and pistol-belt, pulled
nv boots. tossed my forage-cap on