The Arvada enterprise., 1915-02-11
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But the girl, tapping her foot impa.
nently against the curb, remained
deaf to the pleadings of her colored
servant. Officers, passing and repass-
ing, glanced curiously at the beautiful
young woman in the crinoline and
wide bonnet who stood so steadily be-
fore the building in which the court
martial was being held
A tall officer of coloners rank came
slowly out, his head dropping. The
young woman advanced toward him.
and he. finding his way blocked, looked
up at her.
THE verdict" she cried. in heav-
ems name, the verdict"
Why" he stammered in embarrass-
ment, 1T vast will be in the official
reports. You see-er-the young man
had no uniform, and he was found"
He Is to be shot?" Her voice was
steady as command. steadier than
his own faltering tones.
He bowed his head and hurried
away. Another officer was emerging
from the court-martial. He recognized
her-tho woman who had tried to give
evidence irrelevant according to the
military code.
Now, madam. won't you go away?"
he asked. I'VE have had to consider
one fact only-whether the prisoner
held any command in the Confederate
army"
so you are going to shoot him!"
she cried scornfully. rs that justice?"
1T is not our part to administer JUS
tice. madam" he answered sternly.
what then?"
Law" he replied. and left her.
The hot August sun beat down upon
the Washington streets, turning the
thin air into furnace heat. The after
noon was dying. Betty had read the
hearts of both men. There was no
pity in them for the young Confeder-
ate colonel who had been taken inside
the Union lines in the dress OF a
civilian.
Suddenly, with a resolution that
made her face terrible in the eyes Of
the passers-by, Betty began hurrying
toward house set in a spacious gar
den not far from the office where the
court-martial had been held. A man
dwelt there. one who was already be-
ginning to be recognized by the
people who had elected him to the
presidency as something above the
common ruck Of men: man with
qualities of heart and soul which,
hardly as yet guessed at. were to make
him. In death. the idol of a people.
Something of Lincoln's charity had
begun to be noised abroad, though the
strength Of the man was still hidden
Betty had known him before the
dreadful war began. She knew what
man dwelt there in his solitude,
misunderstood, and grieving for his
nation torn by bloody dissensions.
At the entrance she scribbled few
words on her card and gave it to the
presidents secretary. Tell MIR. Lin.
coin ! must see him at once" she
said.
The secretary took the card and
went away. Betty waited. An hour
later, when the sun was dipping
toward the horizon. she was still wait.
ing.
"Mr. Lincoln can't see anyone.
MISS" said one of the colored attend.
ants, when at length Betty questioned
him. That's what his secretary told
me to tell you. miss"
Sick at heart. though not yet hope.
less. Betty turned away. The grounds
Of the White House were almost de.
serted. Near the gate, under tree,
= little boy was playing with pair
OF goats. which, having kicked over
their traces, butted at him In mock
defiance AZ he attempted to adjust
them.
Betty stopped and got the little crea.
lures under control before she recog.
nized the small son OF the president.
Then. because at that moment the
thought that her old friend had failed
her made her unable even to talk to
the child. she turned to go.
And then she found herself looking
up into the kindly face OF tall man.
a man OF singularly homely features
and eyes now shrewd. now tender.
which seemed to have looked into the
heart OF sorrow. Lincoln took Betty's
hands In his. and in Il moment. realiz'
ing that he had never received her
card. she was pouring out her sorrow,
He Is not n spy" she cried II you
knew Colonel Morton us he is-ius, AN
impulsiye. warmheartcd Virginian.
and one OF my dearest friends before
this dreadful war turned friendships
into enmity!"
"Yes. Betty" said the president sad
~. 81 know. know too WEI Go
on"
"Colonei Morton and Colone, Le-
fevre were my two dearest friends,'
said the girl. when the war broke
out their lifelong comradeship was
broken. Colonel Lefevre gave his
services 10 the Union; Colonel Nor