The National tribune., 1902-07-17

renegade! How can you suppose that a
man who turks in the rear IF Meade's
army for the purpose of robbery can be
engaged in such high politics.
Capt. Owen has a valid commission
in the Confederate army. said Showalter.
seriously.
You have seen it,
Il have seen il. When he came here
wounded. and begging succor, my Grst de-
mand was instantly met. | saw at once
that his men were n very motley crew.
and at first | objected to taking their
leader in. for everybody around knows
that Showaiter is no refuge for marau-
dcrs. | saw Owens commission as Cap
tain in the Confederate cavalry. He did
not pretend to be Federal. until he be-
gan to think my sympathies We're with
the Union
But what can they expect to do in
Lees army?'
THE Confederate States is approached:
not Lee merely. The French Empire will
recognize the independence of the S0nth,
provided the South in turn recognizes
Maximilian's Government.'
The thing looked feasible, especially
viewed under the influence of Showalter's
earnest belief. and under the influence,
now redOubled of Dr. Khayme's utter
ance in regard to my work.
And while Scranton was with Gen.
Meade. he was a party to this plotT'
II don't know about that. | imagine
not, at least, at first. No doubt Scherzer
sought him and won him over
But why should not ScherZer go at
once to :he Confederate Government
That is q hard question. There Is no
telling how long or through what devious
train this thing has been going on"
r.u you see the date of Owens com
mssion:'
Yes; some time in June. 60"
men he was a spy while on our staff.
| exclaimed.
Beyond question" said Showalter;
"and he had ample opportunity. He
showed me a button containing an order
from Gen. Meade to pass him every
where
Great Godw I groaned "Do you
| mean to say that you saw the orderE
.Oh, no; 1 did not ask him to take it
out
How, then. do you know he was tell
ing the truth?'
Il did doubt. at first" said Showalter:
"but he speedily convinced me that the
button had been made especially to hide
the order, and | saw that to get at it he
would be compelled to break the thing
He said he had lost an instrument made
purposely to open it"
How did he convince you:'
"He simply broke another button like it.;
| it was not BRASS it was brittle
1t was useless, 1 thought. to tell Sho-
walter all the story, for l should then be
compelled to say much more.
Captain, how could Scranton hope TO
serve France and the South on Meade's
staff? The thing looks absurdr'
Il do not know" said Showalter; Il
| acknowledge that some of his conduct is
mystery only to be explained upon the
ground of his avarice. His OBTAINING me
| in the hope of ransom shows that he is
willing to risk great deal for the sake Of
money"
But why should Scherzer allow him to
do such things"
"Scherzer was made to believe that
Owen had seized me as an enemy to the
South. The question of ransom did not
come up until was in the villains power,
and doubt that Scherzer ever knew any
| thing about it; he was filled with hostility
to the North. and he will undoubtedly in
form the Confederate leaders concerning
| what he learned about me. That is why l
say my usefulness here is at an end"
"And you go North?"
eyes, York and I shall leave this coun-
| try. 1t is not safe for either of u.s.
81 wish that you would leave York, "
"Why SO? What good could he do
"Not here, Captain, but elsewhere"
"What could he do anywhere? He
would soon join the Federal army, and 1
have no desire to see him killed"
81 think, Captain, that he could secure
a place with one of my friends
I'm what sort of wOrk?"
'The service of the Sanitary Commits
sion."
"Well. don't know. Maybe III change
my mind, but think not"
For me there was little sleep that night.
The revelation. if it may be called so. that
Showalter had made. was astounding.
From the very first had suspected that
Scranton was playing part, and l soon
had found reason to know that it was a
base part, but never had 1 thought of so
enormous a scheme as the one now de-
| veloped. There was much to strengthen
Showalter's conception. MaXimiian, now
on the throne of Mexico, was an eyesore
to our Government, which yet could not
show great resentment through fear of
French recognition of the Confederacy.
But if this foreigner was a diplomat, or
emissary, sent to foster the interests of the
new Empire, why should he have appeared
at all in the Federal army? That was
the one question which puzzled me. Could
he have hoped to gain information that
| would serve to conciliate the obstinate
South? Why should the South be OBJ
stinate? Would not Mr.. Davis and all
the South jump at the chance of recogni-
| ton? For the Emperor Napoleon to send
man to the Confederate authorities. in
order to arrange the bargain, would be
nothing strange-but why should the man
have gone to Gen. Meade?
(To be continued)