The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-04
CHATTER VII.
IN WHICH 1 AM Ridden TO ENTER A
FORBIDDEN HOUSE.

FORBIDDEN HOUSE.
$50 you're stationed with us now, my
friend?" asked Acton a couple Of days
later, as we sat in Lieutenant Curtis's
quarters in the upper story OF Colonel Lv-
ingstone's house.
1 told him that he was right For, on
presenting the commander-in-chief's note
to the colonel. the latter had shaken me
cordially by the hand. and told me that no
one could be more pleased than he over the
result II turned out that when he read
Putnams note, while L was undergoing my
first examination in the guardhouse, he
felt that something was wrong; and, real
izing that Washington often had agents at
work whom no one else knew, he had
called me to him, judged for himself, and
done what he could to help me along. 1t
goes without saying that Arnold's treason
was as unknown to him as to every one
else; and, as I learned now. if had told
him the whole story, he would not have
thought of believing it.
Then 1 had been placed on his staff as an
aid. TO do what might come within my
power. while waited further orders from
General Washington. And had looked up
the only two men l had made friends with
during my short sojOurn at the fort. They
appeared-each in his own way-glad TO
have with them again. the one bolster
Gus and full of regard for man who, how
ever unconsciously, had been the means of
saving him from possible death, the other
calm, cool, serious and reserved, a gentle
man TO his finger tips Curtis. indeed.
haunted me a little by strange twist
which his face had now and again of look
ing familiar, as II had known him long
ago In a past age. when he wore other gar
ments. Nay, twas more than the face. The
voice, the little mannerisms that a man
will always carry about him, would all
now and then bring this peculiar prior ex-
istence to my mind.
Yet it was all intangible and curious-so
strangely so that 1 almost of necessity tried
to learn something OF his life and ante
cedents. Here again was baffied. No one
not a soul in that regiment-knew aught of
him back Of a couple of years, when he
had joined with a lieutenants commission
and been placed under Capt. Jacob Barnes.
who commanded company of Living
stones foot Distinguished service had
raised him to the coloners staff.
Acton. whom Immediately came to look
on as a friend-e friend who has remained
the same through thirty-odd years-told me
what little I could learn of Robert Curtis.
He himself was the son of an old James
town colony family. and had drifted into
Livingstone's regiment through a Captain
Henry, whose lieutenant he now was. And
1T appeared that Curtis had little to do
with any one but this one Southern officer.
According to John, Curtis had no lack Of
money, but spent little or nothing. The
frank fellow. after their acquaintance be-
came established. had asked his friend con-
corning his own family. and had been cut
snort by Curtis's gloomy face and his an
swer that he had none.
Neither could he learn where the young
man came from. nor why he was weighed
down so by such sorrow as prevented him
from taking part in any of the recreations
of camp life. He never laughed; sometimes
he would smile. He never talked TO any
great extent; but on occasion. when some
military or political subject came up. he
could talk freely and well, with the knowl-
edge of a Travelled and a studied man. He
lived, in fact, a life apart from the life of
the camp, camp where 1 soon found that
in spite of the lack OF money. there was no
lack Of amusement OF every kind Yet
withal. Curtis was never brusque; no one
was too low for his courtesy; no officer
could browbeat him with the rights of
discipline when the higher rights were on
his side. He had fought Captain Barnes
and wounded him, because the latter had
ruined a country wench' near by, and then
tried to browbeat Curtis when the latter
criticised him to his face. Several times he
had. I learned. called a superior to ac-
rof1pf IN the dav Of my
John Acton. or Jack, as I, like all the
world. at once called him. was of another
type. Huge in size. he was big in every
way-open-hearted. open-handed full of a
great hearty laugh, careless OF himself and
all else, fond OF a tovial evening. but as big
in his sense of honesty and chivalry as he
was in stature.
They made a strange pair these two.
Yet. perhaps. by their very opposites, they
were drawn together. My dropping in with
them was all Actions doing. Curtis 1 should
never have known otherwise; for he did his
best to avoid meeting any one excepting
Acton Twas the latter who took me to his
heart at once. and so 1 saw Curtis and be-
came so strangely fascinated by the Pc
culiarly familiar look and manner he
seemed to have that. perforce. he had 10
ana IN a lew days Il came to
the habit OF being with these two men
whenever we were OF duty.
In such camp. lifelong friendships and
enmities are quickly made. and the exist
ence OF our American officers OF those
days. filled always with work. was relieved
BY the social life OF little cliques and
groups. Such an one was now taken into,
and before long We three had agreed
among ourselves. that whenever occasion
arose for special duty on the part of any
one OF US, that one would II possible. Sc
cure the other two To help him carry
through the affair.
The especially important case In point
was the capture OF certain man called
Captain Hazeitine. had overheard some
thing OF him that morning in the guard
house. and learned now that the man had
become a sort of mania with Curtis The
latter had distinguished himself on several
occasions in carrying out special work. and
a direct order had now come from the COM
mander-in-chief for Lieutenant Curtis TO
watch and. IL possible. take this man. /
learned. too, that he was thought 20 be a
spy OF Clinton s-a Tory working with the
E2=..sh. IN other word; but that he had