Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-02-04

matter of that prrlOlned letter was as
deep a ny Stery as ever. and now here
at Manassas. and. of oil others. TO the
men of the Badger brigade had come
confirmation OF the statement insisted
on by McKinnon and denounced as lie
and forgery by Paul Ladue-that the
fiery young southeyner was actually
an officer Of the Eleventh Alabama
The absent are ever in the wrong. and
with sad heart poor Fred listened 10
the chorus of denunciation that fol-
lowed the discovery He Fnew that
within As hours a dozen letters would
be flying homeward with the exciting
news, so what was the use of attempt
ing to suppress it?
BY his generals advice he wrote to
his father forthwith. telling him of the
finding of letters and luggage belong
ing TO Paul. the letters all tending to
show that he was now an officer of the
Eleventh Alabama-but that he, Fred,
still believed Pauls statement to the
effect that he had accepted neither
commission nor appointment up to
the time he was banished from his
northern home. The general added
some words of his own, and then as
a courier was TO start for Washington
from McDowell's headquarters that
evening, Fred was given leave to ride
thither. and thereby assure their let
tiers going ahead of the others.
1t was an unusually bright and beau
uful afternoon, as, followed by his or
derby, the young officer took the Sud-
lgxr sfs,g 1
northward in search of the corps COM
mander. AS he came in view of the
now famous Henry house and the
cleared fields up the slope to the right,
it lacked two hours to sunset He was
now barely mile from the Warren
ton pike and. with abundant time to
spare, he decided to ride to the crest
and have look at the battle ground
OF the previous year. In front of him,
100 yards away. stood the old Virginia
homestead about whose walls the bait
tie ragged that hot July Sunday of the
year gone by-beneath whose shattered
roof the poor mother died. stricken
by whirring fragments of shell. Riding
thither and skirting the enclosure he
passed on, unchecked by silent. salut-
ing guardsmen, and as he rode some
thing prompted him to glance toward
the house again, and there at a Jagged
she'll hole, just under the caves. peer
ing at him between the shattered clap
boards, his keen eyes caught an instant
glimpse of haggard face-a face that
at his glance was instantly withdrawn.
Three minutes later out on the
northward edge of the plateau. he UNI
slung his field-slass to study the coun-
try outspread before him. Still think
Ing of the face at that jagged hole.
some sudden impulse prompted him
TO quickly turn in saddle 30 bring the
powerful lenses to bear on a little win
dow under the peak OF the roof of the
Henry house. and there was the face
again, furtive, frightened, he could
swear. end again Instantly e. popesS
ont of sight.
But his heart had given leap as sud-
den as the sight He whirled his
horse TO the leftabout and rode
straight for the rear entrance to the
garden. Another moment and. dis
mounting, he raped loudly at the
door. A tell. slim man of middle age
appeared and, with grave courtesy but
without welcome in his tones, asked
the purpose of his coming.
Il am Lieut.. Benton. sir-aide-de-
camp to the general commanding the
division guarding your premises, and
| have a question to ask as to the oc-
cupant of your garrett"
Instantly there came from Just with
In the doorway TO an inner room half
Stifed cry-a gasp-a rustic of skirts.
The tall man turned thither a quick
glance of warning and rebuke. then,
visibly paler, a2aiG faced his caller.
You see the condition of my house.
sir. IL is a mere wreck as the result
of the cannonading it sustained-from
both sides-in the battle of last July.
We have been trying to make it habit
able, and have given succor here to
sick neighbors or friends who had no
roofs left to cover them-only to the
sick, SIR"
Benton paused, irresolute. The tall
Nirginian spoke with so much dignity
and sadness. The house, as he said.
~N~SN DeNASiy lie SdTTGI,
especially, was little better than a
ruin. The face at that peep-hole on
the eastern side and at the little win
dow away up under the gable caves
at the north might well have been
that OF some of the household, vet.
even at the distance and at the first
glance there was something about it
that caused his heart that leap of sud-
den JOY and that kept it bounding still.
And then-if it should be true-if what
he hoped-and feared-were really so.
what would be his duty to his general
to his country? Against all enc
mics or opposers whomsover"-the
words of his oath of Office came ring
ing to his ears-blazing before his eyes
In letters of fire-and without further
ado he briefly said: 81 am sorry to
intrude, sir, but what | saw at that
window makes it necessary that l
should see the garnet. Will you lead
the way?"
For moment the Virginian hest
tated, then. lifting his hat stepped
backward to admit his unwelcome visi-
tor. 1--WE are in your hands, sir" was