Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-09-14
CHAPTER XVI.

JUST as after Antletam, the caDlnet, tne
committee on the conduct of the war
Chat remarkable annex to our mill
tary system) and countless critics all
over the north, stormed at the Army of
the Potomac because it seemed to fol-
low at respectful distance, content to,
let the erring brethren so in peace.
Then came the final resolution Of the
great war president, that as he and
Hallack and Stanton had long tried,
without success, the business of "boss-
ing armies in the field, it was time to
turn the whole thing over to a single
stage manager. Then came Grant and
the beginning Of the end. At this time,
Fred Benton, twice honorably men
toned and recommended for the brevet
of major, found himself again sum-
moned to Washington, this time a wit
ness before a military commission for
the trial of one Peter Jennings, civil
ian, for whose apprehension with a
whole skin the First Virginia cavalry
stood ready to pay a round sum and the
"Stonewall' to supplement it with an
other, each claiming prior right to per-
forate or scar that skin at sight. The
Virginians swore that he sold informa-
ton to the federals, and had betrayed
Ladue, of the Eleventh Alabama, into
their hands, even while Stanton and
others at the war department were
ready to swear tie tall Virginian's life
away TO the charge of giving informa-
ton to the rebels.
Among the papers in poor Ladue's
possession was the original draft of the
report he had written the command
ing officer of the Eleventh Alabama
of his flight across the Potomac and
capture by union cavalry near Matthias
Point. Not until he reached a certain
farmhouse near Port Tobacco did he
know who were the officers escaped
from prison camp near Annapolis, and
his joy was great when Jack Chiffon
appeared among them. He and Chill
ton were ferried over on a dark, wintry
night, and landed at a fisherman's
house three miles below the Point, and
there, to his infinite concern, Paul
found that he had lost his pocket mem
orandum book, well nigh filled with
notes concerning the troops, also
sketch maps of field Notifications, all
OF which he felt confident would be of
value to Gen. Lee. Then there were
private papers in the book of vast i'm
portance to him if to no one else. A
racking chill had come on as the re-
suit of exposure to the raw night wind,
and Jack and the fisherman secreted
him in a barn. Then Chiffon delibe-
rately went back to Maryland in search
of the missing property. Thereby he
escaped capture by the cavalry piloted
by Jennings. When searched, Ladue
was found to have no discriminating
papers about him-a disappointment to
his captors and obviously a puzzle to
Jennings-for Ladue heard him whis-
pering with the officer in command.
The last Paul had seen OF Chiffon was
that December night, but later he
learned that he had been compelled
to remain in hiding many weeks in
Charles county before the vigilance Of
the Federals was again relaxed and he
could finally effect his escape. Then
there was a letter, unfinished, for Eli
nor, which Fred had sealed and sent
to her, and it was through her, foul
weeks later, that he learned that Pau
we'll knew he had not long to live, anc
had really hoped to meet a soldiers
death in front of the charging line
One longing he had. he owned, thai
would probably never be gratified-tha
of branding McKinnon as a liar and {
thief, for young Larry O'Toole, he tina
used to sweep out and sprinkle thu
store and had enlisted al a drummer
in the Montgomerys after Paul's ban
ishment, had strayed in search OF for
hidden Injuries just before Chancellors
vile, and Stuart's men had nabbet
him and run him off to Richmond
where Ladue was favored Will
O'Toole's account Of McKinnon's brib
ing him to purloin those st. Loui
letters. With this confirmation of hi
theories burning within him, Paul ha'
gone to Charlottesville, spending on
day with the Chiltons and hearin!
from the doctor a strange story 0
McKinnon's generosity to them an
kindness to the imperiled SOL Rosali
had listened in silent acquiescence I'm
til Paul burst in with vehement de
nunciation of the whole story-tol
them of McKinnon's treachery to hin
n his hatred of the Bentons,-tol
them of Fred's devoted friendship, an
then came a strange part OF the letter
Elinor copied it VERBATIM
Miss Chiffon grew more and NOR
excited as | talked, and finally whirle
on me with How can you speak c
devoted friendship on the part OF
man who planned to capture you bot
and was only baked by--by Jack
going back for your old note book,
Then she rushed out of the room, an
had to go right on to Gordonsvill
and could only write to her that, ths
too, was probably n Of McKinnon
ISLANDERS, and there wasn't q word (
truth in it-that NO one was MOI
amazed than Fred when they brougl
me in. I've not yet heard from he
but I shall, and Jack shall know th
moment I can find him.
WAS it not strange that that san
old notebook, which she risked {
much to send to me that night Ere
caught her at the stone house, shoul
later have been the means Of savin
Jack? She found it in the breast pool
ct Of my new uniform coat a. Henry
and glaneing through the pages sa
the sketches and memoranda hs