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

~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 sank 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 find a
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 II | wished to see you," he said,
smilingly.
Already Modified, and perhaps again
railing under the previous influences OF
this singular man, Brant began some
hesitatingly to explain.
You don't understand. 1t was some
thing new to my experience here to find
an a~ble-bodied American citizen with a
genuine healthy grievance who a to
nave II drawn from him like a decayed
tooth. But you have been here before.
seem to remember your face"
Brants reserve had gone. lie ad-
mitted that he q twice sought an au-
d~ience-but-
You lodged that dentist! That was
wrong. AS Brant made a slight move
ment OF depreciation the president con-
unued: 4 understand: not from the
fear Of giving pain to yourself, but to
others. l don't know hat that Is right,
either. A certain amount OF pain must
be suffered in this world. even by ones
m 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 this is the way ii stands: You
were commanding a position at Gray
oaks. when information was received
by the department hat 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 your personal care
precaution, were all before the de-
partment; but 1t was also shown that
your wife, from whom you were only
temporarily separated, was a notorious
secessionist: that before the war you
yourself were suspected, and that
therefore you were quite capable of
Nadln your w 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 you own wife dis
oe'SNN as q biuldllO, lndl after ner ar
rest by your w soldiers you connived
at her ~escape-and this was considered
conclusive proof OF, we'll, let us say,
your treachery."
But L did not know 1t was my wife
until she was arrested" said Brant,
~impulsively.
The president knitted his eyebrows
humorously. Don't let us travel out
OF the record, general. You're as bad
] ne Iha dana fNaAnN W.
n OF your personal treachery, but you
need not accept the fact tina you were
justly removed because your wife was
Il spy. NOW, general, l am an old law
yer, and / don't mind telling you that
In Illinois we wouldn't hang n yellow
dog on that evidence before the depart
ment. But when | was asked to look
into the matter by your friends dis
covered something Of more Importance
TO you. l had been trying to find a
scrap or evidence that would Justify
the presumption that you had sent in
formation to the enemy. l found that
II was based upon the fact of the en-
envy being In possession of facts at the
nrst battle OF Gray Oaks which could
only have been obtained from our side.
and which led to a federal deserter,
that you, however retrieved by your
galiantry. l asked the secretary IL he
'S' NlulI u " SHOW InaI you n10
sent the information With that 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 corre-
s"pondence 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, 1 forwarded it myself" said
Brant. eagerly.
so the division commander writes"
said the president, smiling, land he for
Warded IT to the department. But 1t
was suppressed In some way. Have
you any enemies, General Brant?"
None that know off,
Then you probably have. You are
young and successful. Think of the
hundred other officers who naturally
believe themselves better than you are.
n haven't a t~raitorous wife. Still. the
department may have made an exam
pie OF you for h benefit Of q man who
couldn't profit by It,"
Might 1t not have been, sir, that this
suppression was for the good report OF
the service-as the chief offender was
dead?"
Il am glad to hear you say so, gen
eral' Tor IT IS the argument l have used
successfully In behalf Of your wife,"
Then you know It all, sir?" said
Grant, after n gloomy pause.
"All, / think. Come, general, you
seemed. just now, to be uncertain about
your enemies Let me assure you YOU
need not be so in regard TO your
friends"
81 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 I know his name, Mr.. Presi-
dent?"
mo. For It IS q 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-
larly."
"A wonlan!" 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, / don't know if the de-
partment was far wrong: a man with
such an alternately unsettling and con-
vincing effect upon a woman'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. Il trust
that she did not think-that you, sir
; did not for an 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
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 anthem
ITCHY"
Does she-does Miss Faulkner
know h spy was my wife?" hesitated
Brant.
The president twisted himself In his
chair 60 nc m rapor1 p,ant Nanrn