Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-01-05

pleted the interior, with a contrast as
simple and homely as Its long-limbed
black-coated occupant. Releasing the
hand of the general to shut the door,
which opened into an other apartment,
the president showed an arm chair to-
wards Brant and saSk somewhat wear
lily into another before the desk. But
only for a moment; the long, stumbling
limbs did not seem to adjust them
selves easily to the chair; the high,
narrow shoulders dropped to And O
more comfortable ~lounging attitude,
shifted from side to side, and the long
legs moved dispersedly. Yet the face
that was turned toward Brant was hu-
morous and tranquil.
II was told / would have to send for
you IL / wished to see YOU" he said,
smilingly.
Already Modified. n perhaps again
falling under the previous influences OF
this singular Brant began some
what hesitatingly to explain.
"Youdon't understand. 1t was some
thing new to my experience here to n
an ~able-bodied American citizen with n
genuine healthy grievance who had to
have ii drawn from him like a decayed
tooth. But you have been here before.
i seem to remember your face"
Brants reserve had gone. He adj
mitted that he had twice sought an au-
dience-but-
You lodged that dentist! That was
wrong AS Brant made q Slight move
ment Of depreciation the president con-
tinued: II understand: not from the
fear OF giving pain to yourself, but to
others. / don't know that that Is right.
either. A certain amount of pain must
be suffered in this world. even by ones
enemies. Well, / haze looked into your
case, General Brant." He took UP a
piece of paper from his desk, scrawled
with two or three notes In pencil. II
think this Is the way 1t stands: You
were commanding a position at Gray
Oaks, when information was received
by the department that either through
neglect or completely, spies were pass
ing through your lines. There was no
attempt to prove your neglect; your
orders, the facts OF you personal care
and precaution, We're all before the de-
partment; but 1t was also shown that
your wife, from whom you were only
temporarily separated, was a notorious
secessiorist; that before the war you
yourself were suspected, and that
therefore you were quite capable OF
evading your own orders which you
may have only given as a blind. On
THIS information you were relieved by
the department of your command.
Later on 1t was discovered that the spy
was none other than your own wife dis
guised as a mulatto; that after her ar
rest by your soldiers you connived
at her escape-and this was considered
conclusive proof OF, well, let us say,
your treachery.'
But l did not know 1t was my wife
until she was arrested" said Brant,
impulsively.
h president knitted his eyebrows
3 nnmOrOlGlV 'nnn't LOT IN bro x.nl n,tA
of the record, general. You're as bad
as the department. The question was
one OF your personal treachery, but you
need not accept the fact that you were
justly nov because your wife was
a spy. Now, general, / am an old law
yer, n l don't mind telling you that
In Illinois we wouldn't hang Il yellow
dog on that evidence before the depart
ment. But when L was asked to look
into the matter by your friends | dis
covered something OF more Importance
to you. ] had been trying to find n
scrap of evidence that would justify
the presumption that you had sent in
formation to the enemy. / found that
1t was based upon the fact of the en-
m being In possession of facts at the
first battle OF Gray Oaks which could
only have been. obtained from our side,
and which led to q federal deserter,
lndl yOu, llOWGNeF retrieved by your
~gallantry. ] asked the secretary IL he
was prepared to show that YOU had
sent the information with hat view, or
that you had been overtaken by n tardy
sense or repentance. He preferred to
consider my suggestion as humorous.
But the inquiry led to my further dis
covery that the only reasonable CORE
spondence actually in evidence was
found upon the body Of a trusted fed
eral officer, and had been forwarded to
the division commander. But there
was no written record of II in the
case"
why, l forwarded it myself" said
Brant, eagerly.
so the division commander writes"
said the president, smiling, and he for
warded 1t to the department. But II
was suppressed In some way. Have
you any enemies, General Brant?"
None that j know Of"
Then you probably have. You are
young and successful. Think of the
hundred other officers who naturally
believe themselves better than you are,
and haven't a traitorous wife. Still. the
department may have made an exam
pie OF you for the benefit of q man who
couldn't profit by It,"
Might 1t not nave been, sir, that this
suppression was for the good report OF
the seryice-as the chief offender was
dead?'
Il am glad to near you say SO, gen
eral, for 1T IS the argument l have uScd
successfully In behalf Of your wife,
Then you know 1t all, sir?" said
Grant, after a gloomy pause.
Gan, / think. Come, general. ven
seemed, just now, to be uncertain about
your enemies. Let me assure you YOU
need not be so In regard to your
friends"
u dare to hope ] have found ore.
sir" said Brant, with almost boyish
timidity.
20, not one" said the president, with
a laugh of depreciation. Some one
much more potent"
May / know his name, Mr.. Presi-
dent?"
mo. For il IS a woman You were
nearly ruined by one, general. l sup
pose It's quite right that you should be
saved by one. And, of course, irregu-
larly.'
"A woman!" echoed Brant.
Yes! One who was willing to confess
herself a worse spy than your wife-a
double traitor-to ave you! Upon my
word, general, / don't know IL the de-
partment was far wrong: a man with
such an alternately unsettling and con-
vincing effect upon a wonan's highest
political convictions, should be under
some restraint. Luckily the depart
ment knows nothing of it,"
Nor would anyone ever have known
from me-" said Brant, eagerly. II trust
that she did not think-that you, sir
did not for IN instant believe that l."
20, dear, no. Nobody would have be-
lieved you! 1t was her free confidence
to me. That was what made the affair
- 1.nl- l.
bringing your dispatch to the division
commander looked bad for you-and
you know he even doubted it's anthem
ticity.'
Does she-does Miss Faulkner
know the spy was my wife" hesitated