The Press., 1915-03-31

glanceS l Judged was quite struck With my appearance. When 1 went into tbe cabin he followed me and in order to scrape an acquaintance offered me some books to read. Thinking that it might be more dangerous to repulse him than to accept his attentions, accepted novel and in order to get rid of further devotion pretended to be absorbed in it. This did not serve. for, though he was considerate, defer, ential and all that. he insisted ill talk ing advantage of every opportunity ta converse with me. Finally concluded to favor him and permitted him to dc so. Since he seemed to be smitten with me, there was surely no reason to fear that he would suspect me of being a man and my true errand. At last, remarking that the air ill the cab in was stifiing, he insisted on my going out on the guard with him.
 We sat together, passing along the yellow stream, with it's banks nearly as bare as when the settlement of Jamestown found the peninsula a will derneSS. My companion at first said he was opposed to secession, but on my asserting that any man who did not stand by the south was a traitor to his country he veered around and ad. mitted that he was ill the Confederate service To draw him out l pretendetl not to believe his last statement, and he confessed that he was lieutenant in a Virginia regiment.
 ''Then why are you not in uniform?" I asked, with feigned suspicion of the truth of his statement.
 This was too much for him. He confessed that he was going to Fortress Monroe on secret service. He was the bearer of dispatches to prominent southern sympathiZers ill the norti, and intended sailing on any vessel he could find to take him there.
 This confirmed Mir. pinkerton's story that the routes between the north and south were full of Confederate spies. 1 was seized with the fear that one of them had suspected me and had made my acquaintance with a view to trap ping me. l nerved myself to an effort and gave every evidence of my appre ciation of one who was about to risk so much for the Confederate cause.
 It was hard for me to believe that one bent on such an errand would thus give himself away to stranger, yet, on the other hand, he was still in Con fedcr;lte territory talking to one who professed 10 be wrapped up in the sue cess of the south. At any rate. should soon know whether he was de ceived by me or was playing game to trap me.
 thought it best to leave the boat at a landing some distance above the end of her route. ! bade my friend good by with my best wishes for his sue cess and. going ashore, hired man point wished to reach. In one way or another got as far as a Federal outpost and asked to be taken to the commander.
 had kept sewed up ill my clothing an order. signed "A. Lincoln" to al! in the Federal service to give me aid and comfort and showed it to the gen eral commanding. l was at once pro- vided with mans clothing. and an ord nance officer furnished me with d re- volver. I wished this weapon ill case I should meet my admirer with whom had trilreled. did not wish to give him away, but l wanted to get the dis patches he carried. so 1 could give them to President Lincoln. had not been at the fort two hours before l saw the young man passing across the parade. 1 approached and accosted him. He did not recognize me at once, but as soon as it broke in upon his brain that he had given himself away 10 a man thinking him to be girl he turned ghastly pale.
 Don't fear anything for yourself" said. "l have just come off the same boat with you in more respects than one. 1 have been in the Confederacy on secret service. I know what it would have meant had my mission Teen discovered. l would have got the rope. Give me the documents you car ry and l will keep your secret
 He looked relieved, though his sense if honor deterred him from giving me what would compromise others. But what could he do in the center of q United States fortress? He gave me the dispatches, aud l helped him to get back into Confederate territory.
 In due time l made my report to President Lincoln, and he told me that inc dispatches l had captured were of far more importance than the informfl. tion he had sent me for. His possess sion of them thwarted an important tian in the interest of the Confederacy.
 made several other trips for MF. Lincoln. On the last. having escaped -aptnre by a hairs breath conclud- I'd not to risk going again. But had he capital to set me up in business.