The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1901-01-05

legs moved dlspersedly. YET the face
that was turned toward Brant was hui
morous and tranquil.
81 was told I would have to send for
You If wished to see you he said,
smilingly.
Already modified, and perhaps again
railing under the previous influences of
inns singular man, Brant began some-
what hesitatingly to explain.
You don't understand. 1t was some-
thing new to my experience here to find
an ;tble-bodied American citizen with a
genuine healthy grievance who had to.
have 1t drawn from him like a decayed
tooth. But you have been here before.
l 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 a slight move
ment of depreciation the president con-
tinued: Il understand: not from the
fear of giving pain to yourself, but to
others. l don't know that that Is right,
either. "A certain amount of pain must
be suffered in this world, even by ones
enemies. Well, have 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 his Is the way it tands You
We're commanding n position at Gray
Oaks, when Information was received
by the department that either through
neglect or completely, spies were pass
Ing through our lines. There was no
attempt TO prove your neglect; your
orders. the facts of you personal care
II ~precaution. We're all before the de-
partment; but it was also shown that
your wife, from whom you were only
temporarily separated, was a notorious
secessionist; that before the war YOU
yourself We're 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 We're relieved by
the department OF your command.
Later on 1t was discovered that the SOY
was none other than your own wife dis
guised as a mulatto; that after her ar
rest by your w soldiers you %connived
at her e~scape-and this was considered
conclusive proof of, we'll, let us say,
your treachery."
But L did not know it was my wife
until she was arrested" said Brant,
fmpulsively.
The president knitted his eyebrows
humorouSly. Don't let us travel out
of the record, general. You're as bad
as the department. The question was
one OF your personal trcachery, but you
need not accept the fact that you We're
justly removed because your wife was
a spy. Now, general, ] am an old law
yer. ana l don't mind telling you that
IN Illinois we wouldn't hang a yellow
dog on that evidence before the depart
ment. But when I was asked to look
into the matter by your friends I dis
! covered something of more Importance
TO you. | had been trying 10 find a
scrap OF evidence that would Justify
p the DIpSlmDtSnn that y,,, had ca,t T., IL
formation to the enemy. l found that
II was based upon the fact of the en-
envy 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 a federal deserter,
ina you. however retrieved by your
gallantry. l asked the secretary if he
was prepared to show that YOU had
sent the information with that view, or
that you had been overtaken by a tardy
sense OF repentance. He preferred 20
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 it in the
case
Why, l forwarded 1t myself said
Brant, eagerly.
50 the division commander writes"
SAID the president. smiling, and he for
warded it to the department. But it
was suppressed in some way. Have
you any enemies, General Brant?"
None that l know Of
Then you probably have. You are
young and successful. Think of the
hundred other officers who naturally
believe themselves better thar you are,
and haven't a traitorous wife. Still. the
department may AVE made an exam
pie of you for the benefit of a man who
couldn't profit by it,
Might it not have been, sir, that this
suppression was for the good report OF
the service-as the chief offender vas
dead2"
I am glad 10 hear you say so. gen
eral' Tor It $ the argument l have u-cd
successfully in behalf of your Wife"
Then ycu know it all, sir?" said
Grant, after a gloomy pause.
"Ali, | think. Come, general, you
seemed. just now, to be uncertain about
your 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 l know his name, Mr.. Presi-
dent?"
No. For it is a woman. You were
nearly ruined By one. general. sup
pose it's quite right that you should be
saved by one. And, of course, irregu-
iarly.'
"A woman!' echoed Brant.
Yes! One who was willing to confess
herself a worse spy than your wife--a
double traitor-to save you. Upon my
word. general, l Cont know If the de-.
partnlent was far wrong: u man witt,
such an alternately unsettliHg ard con
vincing effect upon a woman y hiyrass
political convictions. should lie under
some restraint. Luckily TIE depart
ment knows nothing of it."
Nor would nyone ever have known
from me-" said Brant. eagerly. II trust
that she did not think-that you, sir
did not for an instant believe that l."
%, dear. no. Nobody would have be-
lieved you! 1t was her free confidence
to me. That was what made the affair
SO difficult to handle. For ever her
bringing your dispatch to the division
commander looked bad for you-and
you know he even doubted it's authen-
iicity.'
Does she-does Miss Faulkner
know the spy was my Wife," hesitated
Brant.
The president twisted himself in his
chair, so as to regard Brant more
grayely with his deepest eyes, and then
thoughtfully rubbed his leg. Don't let
us travel out of the record, general
he said, after a pause but as the color
surged into Brant's check, he raised his
/ eyes TO the ceiling and said, in half hu-
morous recollection:
mo, I think that fact was first gath
cred from your other friend-Mr.
Hooker"
"Hooker!" said Brant. indignantly,
did he come here?"
Pray don't destroy my faith in Mr..
Hooker, general" said the president, in
half weary, half humorous deprecia-
ton. Don't tell me that any of his in
ventions are true! Leave me at least
that magnificent liar-the one perfect
~ Ineligible witness you have. For
from the time h he first appeared
here with a grievance and a claim for
a commission, he has been an unspeak-
able joy to me n a convincing testi-
mony to you. Other witnesses nave
been paFtisans n prejudiced. Mr..
Hooker was frankly true to himself.
How else should l have known of the
RI ~ ia trrl- 4 =. i,r 49,