Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-11

Take first boat intermediate COM
manders notified. No delay.
L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General."
We'll, WELL" said the colonel. they
have been prompt! You can get to
Acquia by noon, can't your"
Not if he goes back by way of Old
SCORERS, remarked a field officer.
though fully. Fred, don't you imagine
the chief wants TO smooth things a Bit
before you tell Stanton all about it ?'
Don't go back, Benton. Just let
him sweat. TIN make him more civil
another tine" began an impetuous
comrade, but stopped short at sight
of the cloud in Bensons eyes. the anx-
:ous look in the coloneTs fine. clearcut
toldierly face. IL was the latter who
spoke again. and without Interruption
Tor already he had won the faith of
even such marti7l iconCcl-sts as the
Black Hats. ''ffis means something
more than = mere q 'ceren"e due to i'll
temper" said he. You are wanted
for a p"rGC?e. BNrton. II is-a5out
Ladue. do 20 thin -
Fred had alrs'd- rjeen. ~ shorldn't
be surpI ised. l., ooG aer-' f-i- m,
Washington informant, God help the
man that has to bump up against STAN
ton just now!"
Yet he rode back to Headquarters
and, surely enough, found his chief
there, chatting and suspicious. Whats
stanton want of your he blurted out.
You haven't-You didnt-make a
row about what | said Monday night,
Gid you? We were all cross-grained
then, and l didn't happen to think you
mad to look me up and so-got lost
L have certainly written to a friend
at washington asking for other duty.
SIT" said Benton firmly, though his an
ger had vanished and given place
to sadness and anxiety 81 did not
get lost, however. obeyed orders.
and under similar circumstances should
do so again"
I've told you l didn't understand
the matter at the time or l shouldn't
nave said, perhaps. what | did" bro,ie
In Old Scoffer, both hurt and troubled.
III you're going to start in on your
army career with the idea that you're
never going to get hauled over the
sion." Scoffer knew he had been
In the wrong. He wanted to undo
the wrong. He simply didn't know
how, and Benton wouldn't help him.
And SO they parted enemies. if any
thing, and, preceded by the story of
Old SCORERS vehement assertion, en-
larged, OF course. in transit. that he
had more friends in the south thaa
In the army" Benton reported the
Following day at the war department.
and was shown into the presence OF the
Iangering secretary.
1t was a dull December morning
1t followed close on the heels of dire
disaster; and, with the stories rush
ing in upon him OF contention, dis
loyalty, and disruption at the front.
the Iron Secretary was stung end
goaded by the evidences OF triumphant
plot AID treason ssn about Hmm aaG
among the cities safeguarded at the
rear. Two prominent households with
In easy rifle-shot OF his desk were now
shown to have been in constant cor
respondence with leaders of the rebel
cause at Richmond. The heart of the
secretary was hot within him and
hardened against this young staff ofIic-
er OF fighting corps, who, ushered
into the severe and repellent presence.
stood silently AT guard
For moment each studied the other.
and the menace in STATIONS frown
reused the spirit of fight in Benton's
not too pacific temperament What
business has a man to look at me as
though he thought | ought to be hang.
ed, no matter il he is war secretary? ?"
was the question uppermost in the
Badgers mind. His father, the squire.
had once trourccd a brother-in-law for
less. The bump Ut INSTRUMENTATION was
rising even beIUre the secretary's first
question.
How came you so late. sir?"
And the bump was in nis throat, as.
flushing to the broNs the Badger an
Swered:
Possibly because / was kept waiting
an hour outside, sir
Stanton's veins seemed to swell to
thrice their natural size. and his strong
face, fringed by the iron-gray beard. :,
turned almost purple
You will be wise to keep your tenn
per, young sir, if you wish to keep your
commission. You owe your escape
from rebel hands, l am told, to certain
members of DR.. Chilton's family, of
Charlottesville"
No answer. So
1T is so. is it not?''
"One member only, SIR"
Lieut.. Ladue was your intimate
friend at home, believe" Stanton
was tapping the desk with a long
ruler-an ominous sign, said they who
knew him.
He was, sir"
WAS it to square accounts with the
Chiltons you sought to shield him?"
Il have had to shield him in no way,
sir. He had been brought here before
could see him again"
Stanton actually smiled, but the
smile was grim as any scowl
Then it was by helping young Chill