^»*^:v III M : r\ I l^' 
 
 1 ^ ^ 
 
 > 
 
 PI 
 
 % 
 
 q 
 
 ,-^ 
 
 ■v;.^ 
 
THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE WILMER COLLECTION 
 
 OF CIVIL WAR NOVELS 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 RICHARD H. WILMER, JR. 
 

BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING, U.S.A. 
 • • • 
 
 The Colonel's Daughter. Under Fire. 
 Caftain Blake. Marion's Faith. 
 
 Foes in Ambush (Paper, so cents). 
 
 jsnio. Cloth, ilhtstrated, ^i.2J. 
 Waking's Peril. Trials of a Staff Officer. 
 
 i27no. Cloth, $1.00. 
 Trooper Ross, and Signal Butte. 
 
 8vo. Cloth, illustrated, $1.J0. 
 
 Kitty's Conquest. 
 
 Laramie; ok, The Queen of Bedlam. • 
 
 Two Soldifks, and Dunravf.n Ranch. 
 
 Starlight Ranch, and Other Siories. 
 
 The Deserter, and From the Ranks. 
 
 A Soldier's Secret, and An Army Portia. 
 
 Captain Close, and Sergeant Crcesus. 
 
 i2mo. Cloth, $1 .00: paper, jo cents. 
 A Tame Surrender. A Story of the Chicago Strike, 
 ibmo. Polished buckrain, illustrated, yj cents. 
 Issued in the Lotos Library. 
 
 Editor of 
 The Colonel's Christmas Dinner, and Other Stories. 
 iztno. Cloth, $i.2S : paper, jo cents. 
 
 An Initial Experience, and Other Stories. 
 Captain Dreams, and Other Stories. 
 
 l2mo. Cloth, $1.00 : paper, jo cents. 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2010 witii funding from 
 
 University of Nortii Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/generalsdoublestOOking 
 
Bareheaded, with liis eoat torn open from throat to waist. 
 
/,^u 
 
 THE 
 
 GENERAL'S DOUBLE 
 
 A STORY OF 
 THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC 
 
 BY 
 CAPTAIN CHARLES KING, U. S. A. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 J. STEEPLE DAriS 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 
 1898 
 
Copyright, 1897, 
 
 BY 
 J. B. LiPPINCOTT COMPAIIV. 
 
TO 
 
 ROBERT ELIOT, 
 
 MOST LOYAL OF UNION MEN, MOST 
 PATRIOTIC OF CITIZENS, MOST PATIENT OF READERS, 
 
 AND MOST PERTINENT OF CRITICS, 
 
 * 
 
 THIS STORY OF THE WAR DAYS 
 
 IS 
 
 .dedicated. 
 
 602991 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Bareheaded, with his coat torn open from throat to waist . . 12 
 
 " Drop them, sir, instantly!" 101 
 
 " Back with you, captain ! Eide like mad" 220 
 
 Blushingly holding the wine-glass 442 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 SOME LETTERS. 
 
 THE ADJUTANT'S. 
 
 In Hospital, Washington, D. C, 
 
 August 2, 18B1. 
 
 Geoege Lowndes, Esq. : 
 
 My dear Sie, — The colonel has received your 
 letter asking for the full particulars of the death of 
 your gallant son, one of the last to fall on that fatal 
 Sunday afternoon. I am spending the morning at 
 the bedside of my commanding officer, for he him- 
 self is flat on his back, disabled by his wounds, and 
 he has asked me to reply. 
 
 The papers have told you how hopefully we 
 marched from Centreville, and with what enthusi- 
 asm the attack began. Of course, we know now 
 that it was intended that General Hunter's column 
 should open the ball much earlier in the morning, 
 and that the heights back of the turnpike should 
 have been assaulted soon after sunrise, but it seemed 
 nearly noon before our brigade commander led us 
 through the ford and we pitched in to the support 
 of the attack. You have read, too, how successful 
 
 we were at first. Really, as we swept up the slope 
 
 9 
 
10 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 in line, we saw no enemy at all, only a smoky ridge, 
 topped by open fields in which two regular batteries 
 were banging away in front of the Henry house, 
 making tremendous noise and smoke, and setting us 
 to cheering like mad. But we had hardly gained 
 the crest, and were pushing forward, when the oppo- 
 site woods blazed with fire and we could see mounted 
 ofiicers waving the rebel flags and rallying their men, 
 and then came crashing volleys from over beyond 
 the batteries, and the next thing we knew those Fire 
 Zouaves were tearing through the right of our line 
 utterly demoralized. Captain Arnold was hit in the 
 leg by a rifle ball just as we reached the top, and had 
 to fall out, and that threw Jack in command of his 
 company, the right flank. Oh, Mr. Lowndes, I know 
 very little of the circumstances that led to the es- 
 trangement between you and your gTeat, brave boy, 
 but if you could have seen him raging at those run- 
 ning Zouaves, hacking at them with his sword and 
 damning them for cowards, calling meanwhile on his 
 men to keep their line, you would have been proud 
 of him, and you couldn't have helped it. He was 
 the handsomest fellow in the line of ofiicers anyhow, 
 and that day he seemed inspired. He looked a head 
 taller and grander and braver than any man in the 
 regiment, even our giant color-bearer. 
 
 It was no use trying to stem that rush to the rear, 
 though. Those fellows swept all over the right 
 company, and then, as we could catch a glimpse 
 through the smoke, we saw that horses and men were 
 
 ^rl) 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 11 
 
 dropping in dozens all among the guns and caissons, 
 and the bullets came whistling through our ranks 
 like hail. We couldn't see where to fire, couldn't 
 hear what to do, until, as we got about half-wav over 
 the field, the rebels rose like a gray wall at the edge 
 of the woods and began pouring it into us. I own 
 my heart jumped up into my mouth, and I thought 
 it was all over with us then, but when the men of 
 that first company began to waver, for the fire was 
 hotter on that flank, there was Jack shouting and 
 collaring them and shoving them back into line and 
 waving his sword, and the colonel was shot just as 
 he rode over to praise him; and then things seemed 
 to melt away anyhow. We carried the colonel off 
 the field, and we made a stand at the edge of the 
 bluff, but everywhere the lines were going. You 
 could see the rebels swarming through the guns and 
 dancing on the caissons and yelling like mad, and 
 then that fresh line of J ohnston's from the Shenan- 
 doah came crashing and volleying in from the woods, 
 and that ended everything. It seemed as though 
 nothing could hold the men. They felt that they 
 had been tricked, outwitted, sacrificed, misled. God 
 knows, perhaps they were; we only obeyed orders, 
 — and then down the slopes went everybody with a 
 rush, and presently everybody was mixed up with 
 everybody else. 
 
 But to the very last Jack was there with his com- 
 pany, shouting, urging, praying, threatening, and 
 though they got the full force of that flank fire, I'm 
 
12 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 bound to say his company was the last to break and 
 go, and all because of him. My God! I see him 
 now, glorious in his rage and daring, and his utter 
 contempt of danger. I see him bareheaded, with 
 his coat torn open for air from throat to waist, ripped 
 in two places by whizzing balls. Another had cut 
 away the tassel of his sash in such a manner that 
 the strands of the silk were trailing like so much 
 blood down his left leg, and all of a sudden, as I was 
 running to the right with the order for them to fall 
 back fighting, for the general saw it had to be. Jack 
 suddenly reeled, clasped his hands to his breast, and 
 then plunged heavily forward on his face. I 
 screamed to some of the men to raise him. Sergeant 
 Haney and Lou Willett strove to lift him, but his 
 head fell on his chest; his face, which had been 
 reeking with sweat a moment before, was now plas- 
 tered with mud. We did lift and carry him down 
 the hill, but he never gave a sound or a sob, never 
 spoke, never regained consciousness one minute, and 
 Haney cried out, "My God! he's shot dead!" Then 
 what could we do? Such ambulances or wagons as 
 we had were gone in mad panic and rush for the 
 Stone Bridge. The men had got started on the run, 
 and were throwing away knapsacks and blankets, 
 cartridge-boxes and everything. It was all mad 
 flight, climbing over one another's heels, pushing, 
 pulling, swearing, — yes, some poor fellows were ab- 
 solutely crying in terror. And then the yell went 
 up, "Look out! look out! Black Horse Cavalry!" 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 13 
 
 and Sergeant Haney saw it was no use, and, dead 
 tliongli he was, poor Jack was propped against a low 
 wall jnst south of the pike, and there we left him, 
 shot through and through, the blood soaking down 
 his shirt front. We were barely in time to save our 
 own skins, for half a dozen were cut off and captured 
 not ten yards behind us as we got in sight of the 
 bridge. 
 
 And that is all I have the heart to write. We 
 were strangers, your son and I, until chance brought 
 us together in the same regiment, but a more sol- 
 dierly fellow never lived, despite the recklessness 
 that seemed to possess him when camp life grew 
 monotonous. He did not like me at first, because I 
 had to be the writer of occasional missives ordered 
 by the colonel, who is a strict disciplinarian, but I 
 was drawn to him from the start, and we soon be- 
 came warm friends. Duties j^revented my seeing 
 as much of him as I could have wished. The colo- 
 nel was hard, perhaps, when we lay around Wash- 
 ington, for Jack was drawn thither, I fancy, by a 
 fascination he could not resist. But from the time 
 Ave got across the Potomac and well out towards 
 Fairfax he Avas a model officer, and we all swore by 
 him. Bull Run would have made him a captain had 
 it not killed him. There isn't a man in the regiment 
 that doesn't mourn his loss, — that doesn't seem to 
 think our best soldier was killed in our first fight. 
 
 I wish I could send you some token or relic, or 
 the papers to Avhich you refer, but there was no time. 
 
14 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 I did try to unloose his sword, but the knot was 
 looped tight about his wrist, just as he had worn it 
 so gallantly, and it seemed as though he resisted the 
 effort, and I let it go. We pray that your quest may 
 be successful and that your friends can ascertain for 
 you just where poor Jack was buried, and I need not 
 say that we would gladly aid in the search were it 
 permitted us. In any event, believe me, dear sir, 
 in sympathy and sorrow, 
 
 Faithfully yours, 
 
 Esmond Harkness, 
 Adjutant — th Regiment New York Volunteers. 
 
 P. S. — To be accurate as to the spot where we left 
 him, I should say it was just about due north from 
 the Robinson house and at the edge of the turnpike. 
 
 THE REGIMENTAL COMMANDER'S. 
 
 In Camp near Alexandria, Virginia, 
 August 3, 1861. 
 George Lowndes, Esq., 
 
 No. , Fifth Avenue, New York: 
 
 Dear Sir, — Agreeably to your request, I send 
 you the enclosed extract referring to your son from 
 my official report of the battle of Bull Run. 
 
 "The rout began to our right and the fugitives 
 came rushing through our lines despite all efforts to 
 stem or turn them. Captain Arnold having been 
 wounded, the command of the first company de- 
 volved upon Lieutenant Lowndes, who instantly 
 sprang to the front, and by voice, example, and j^er- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 15 
 
 sonal effort did everything in the power of man to 
 check the fugitives and hold his own company in 
 line. In this he was successful only so far as the 
 company was concerned. They fell back as ordered, 
 with steady front, keeping up their loading and 
 firing until we reached the crest again, and here the 
 volleying from our right front seemed to redouble. 
 The regular batteries were silenced and captured, 
 the rebels were swarming all over them, and with 
 everything gone to the right and left of us I had to 
 order retreat. Just at this juncture. Lieutenant 
 Lowndes received the fatal bullet that entered his 
 breast and probably penetrated the heart, for he fell 
 on his face and never spoke again. So long as there 
 seemed hoj)e of his life his comrades bore him down 
 the slope, but were compelled to abandon the body 
 on reaching the pike. Thus died a brilliant soldier 
 and heroic man, who would doubtless have risen to 
 high rank had he been longer spared to his country's 
 service." 
 
 It would have been easy to add words of higher 
 praise for this young man, and, had I consulted my 
 own desire, I should not have withheld them, but 
 such praise might have been considered a reflection 
 upon my superior, who, earlier in the campaign, at 
 least, seemed to find it difficult to overlook certain 
 absences, etc., to which I would not now refer but 
 for your own allusions to them. From the time our 
 onward march began Lieutenant Lowndes was a 
 model soldier. 
 
16 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 I deeply regret that it is impossible to comply 
 with your request that further search be made for 
 papers, etc., supposed to be in the possession of your 
 son. Everything except what was on his person at 
 the time we went into action was carefully packed 
 under the supervision of Major Murray and sent to 
 you by express. If there were other papers of im- 
 portance, they fell with the body into the hands of 
 the enemy. 
 
 Accept the tender of my s^anpathy in this deep 
 affliction, and believe me, dear sir, 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Leroy p. Fitch, 
 Lieutenant- Col on el commanding — tli New YorTc 
 
 Volunteers. 
 
 A SISTER'S LETTER. 
 
 No. — Fifth Avenuk, New York City, 
 August 4, 1861. 
 
 Your letter has reached me, and answer it I sup- 
 pose I must; and yet how can you expect me to 
 write calmly at such a time? Jack loved you de- 
 votedly, and all might have been so different if you 
 could only have been more kind. That last dreadful 
 quarrel between him and father, when father found 
 that he was here in New York again, instead of at- 
 tending to his duties at Monadnock, and all because 
 you would not answer his letters and the poor boy 
 craved the sight of your face, — that last quarrel, I 
 say, would have killed mother had she lived to see 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 17 
 
 it; and from that awful night when father ordered 
 him out of the house, out of the home where we had 
 been so happy, I never saw my darling brother's face 
 again. God forgive you, Belle Heatherwood ; I can- 
 not — yet. I know that he was reckless, improvident, 
 that his college days were failures, but mother 
 always spoiled and shielded him, always gave him 
 money when father denied him. He was a different 
 man from the day you first came to this house as our 
 guest and my trusted friend. He became your slave, 
 and he worshipped the very ground you trod on. 
 He abandoned all his old companions and devoted 
 every hour to you. I was even jealous to see my 
 brother's love so lavishly poured out, but if I had 
 supposed you could refuse him it would have been 
 a thousand times worse. Admitting that he had 
 been reckless, intemperate, and played cards and bet, 
 and — did other things that worried mother and in- 
 furiated father, that was all in the past, and it was 
 all the fault of the fast set with which he had been 
 thrown from the start. At heart Jack was ever a 
 gentleman, full of sweetest impulse, kind, brave, and 
 generous, even to the men that made a ^vreck of his 
 life. But all that old life, I say, was changed. He 
 became a totally different man from the moment he 
 met you. At least he was, and would have remained 
 so, so long as you were kind to him. If you really 
 were in love with Floyd Fairfax I would not have 
 blamed you, but you weren't — you told me again 
 and again that you were not. Then why couldn't 
 
18 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 you think of Jack? O God! O God! it's all over 
 now, and my heart's broken. Father sits all day in 
 his study and broods. 1 know he'd give anything — 
 everything — to call my brother back and bid him 
 forget the bitter words — my great, gallant, noble 
 brother. Belle, Belle, no matter how you may sym- 
 pathize with this wicked rebellion, no matter how 
 many kinsmen you may have on the Southern side, 
 even your cold heart must beat with pride when you 
 read how superbly brave Jack w^as, how gloriously 
 he died, fighting for our beautiful flag — my hero 
 brother, my noble Jack! 
 
 There, I've stopped — I had to stop or blur this 
 letter so that it would be utterly unintelligible, but 
 I am calmer now. You were my dearest friend, 
 Belle, and I have tried to put myself in your place 
 and think for you. I try to believe all you tell me 
 of your sorrow and sympathy. Father commands 
 me to say that he deeply appreciates your letter and 
 a very sweet one that came from your dear mother 
 from some place over in Virginia, where she had 
 gone to be near your wounded — there was no one, no 
 one, to give my Jack a drop of cool water in his 
 dying agony. I wish I could write in some other 
 way, but I can't, and if you're hurt I can't help it, 
 Belle. You would have my answer, and this is the 
 best I can do. You ask what our plans are, and I 
 reply that we shall remain here in iSTew York for the 
 present. Aunt Eunice is here with us, but father 
 expects to leave for Washington to-night, perhaps. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 19 
 
 in hopes of recovering Jack's body. It was your 
 picture that lay on his heart ^vhen he died. Father 
 bids me say that you and your mother will be wel- 
 come now or at any time that you feel ready to 
 come, but I cannot dissemble. I will only pray that 
 your brother may not be taken from you as was mine 
 from 
 
 Florence Lowndes. 
 
 A WOMAN'S LETTER. 
 
 — EuTAw Street, Baltimore, 
 August 6. 
 
 Again I write you, dear Florence, not to upbraid 
 you for the reproaches in your letter which reached 
 me last night, but to explain some matters wherein 
 you must have been misinformed. God forbid that 
 I should resent any word you may have written 
 when so sorely stricken. I tremble to think that at 
 any moment I, too, may lose the brother I deeply 
 love. Florence, you have your father still. You 
 have many friends and relatives who have taken no 
 part in this cruel war against us, against our 
 hearths and homes, but all of mine, — every man 
 of our name or kin is now enrolled in the Confed- 
 erate army. All of ours are gone. We are utterly 
 alone. Mother, as you know, is now at Warrenton 
 nursing our wounded. Mrs. Fairfax, Floyd's mother, 
 is with her, and cousin Belle (Mrs. Tighlman), and 
 not a word has reached us from them for over a 
 week. It is her purpose to return when she can be 
 
20 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 spared and to live at Ileatherwood, which Major 
 Thomas guarded for us until recently, but which 
 has, nevertheless, suffered not a little. 
 
 And this will be the more painful to me because 
 of all its association with Jack. Two months last 
 year, September and October, he was with us almost 
 all the time, and if I was unkind to him, Florence, 
 it was because he was angering his father and ruin- 
 ing his own prospects. Thrice mother brought me 
 letters Mr. Lowndes had written^ blaming her be- 
 cause Jack would not obey him and return to his 
 duties. I pleaded with Jack to go, and he would not. 
 T did behave to him with coldness at last, and told 
 him his presence there was a distress to us all, but he 
 would never have misunderstood my motive if Floyd 
 Fairfax had not happened just then to arrive. Jack 
 did leave our roof and went to visit Frank Waddell 
 at Leesburg and the Tighlmans at Frederick, but 
 every now and then he would reappear while Floyd 
 was here, and from the first they seemed hostile to 
 each other, and poor mother was bitterly distressed. 
 Finally, as I say, I had to tell Jack that I would see 
 him no more. There had been words between him 
 and Mr. Fairfax that day, and a bitter letter came 
 from your father, and I was harsh and unkind, per- 
 haps, but when I saw how utterly he was stung, 
 when I learned that he had gone, really gone, then 
 my heart misgave me. They told mother he was at 
 the Club in Baltimore a whole week, and she pres- 
 ently followed him there, to try and persuade him to 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 21 
 
 go home; and then we heard other things, — of his 
 breaking down, and it nearly broke my heart. 
 
 Florence, we had to go to New York last winter 
 again, we had promised that visit to the Bells, and I 
 did \vr\te to Jack telling him how I grieved over the 
 harsh words I had used, and begged him to forgive 
 me and be friends, and he misunderstood it all, — 
 thought I wanted to call him back, and so he came 
 to Xew York again and stayed, and you know the 
 rest. I, too, implored him to return to Monadnock, 
 but he hated the place and told me of troubles he 
 had with your father's lawyer, Mr. Clarke; and then 
 your father came and accused me of luring Jack 
 there and holding him there. It was that night that 
 I told him either he or 1 must leave I^ew York. 
 And that ended everything. 
 
 Then came the news of Sumter, and you know 
 all the rest. Time will acquit me of your charges, 
 Florence, but this I will tell you now; even though 
 he died battling against all I hold dear, against kith 
 and kin and home, I did glory in his valor, and I 
 wept for days over his death. I am weeping now. 
 But for one thing I think I would have said yes to 
 him a year ago, and if it could recall him from the 
 grave, even in that uniform, — I know I would say it 
 now. 
 
 Belle Heatherwood. 
 
CHAPTEK I. 
 
 The Sim had gone down over the bold blue 
 heights towards the Shenandoah, and all the broad 
 valley of the Potomac lay in shadow. Bursting from 
 its mountain gate-way to the west at Point of Rocks, 
 the river came rippling and swirling about the huge 
 boulders that dotted its bosom, and then, abruptly 
 bending, swept away in long, shadowy, willow- 
 fringed curves towards the south. Over on the 
 northward, — the Maryland shore, — where the placid 
 waters lay mirroring the cloud fleet sailing across 
 the summer sky, faint columns of bluish smoke 
 went drifting aloft among the white tents at the 
 ferry landing, and the voices of the guard, clus- 
 tered about a motley batch of mud scows and pon- 
 toons moored under the shelving bank, came drow- 
 sily over the intervening waters. Here, on the 
 Virginia side, a squadron of grimy cavalry had dis- 
 mounted in the dun-red dust of the roadway and 
 was silently awaiting the result of its leader's parley 
 with the opposite shore. Some of the troopers, pass- 
 ing their reins through the headstall of a comrade's 
 horse, had thrown themselves on the scant herbage 
 by the roadside and, with their caps pulled over their 
 
 faces, had gone instantly sound asleep. Some few, 
 22 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 23 
 
 with the bight of the reins looped about a blue-clad 
 arm, were squatting or lying in the soft dust of the 
 trampled thoroughfare, reckless of contact that 
 might increase the volume but could not add to the 
 effect of the besmirching soil. Some few, well up 
 towards the head of column, confident, apparently, 
 of their young leader's approval or at least never 
 seeking audible token thereof, had led their weary 
 steeds to the water's edge and were busily sponging 
 out their dust-clogged eyes and nostrils. The bearer 
 of the silken guidon was one of these, and, leaning 
 the staff against the blanket roll at the cantle of his 
 saddle, he was sousing his own sun-tanned visage in 
 the stream when something sent the little standard 
 clattering down upon his broad back, off which it 
 bounded and splashed into the now turbid waters. 
 It was fished out in an instant, and the young cor- 
 poral cast an anxious glance at the slender form of 
 the squadron commander, as though expectant of 
 reprimand, but that usually "snappy" officer was 
 busily studying the opposite landing through his 
 field-glass and concentrating his sharp sayings on the 
 sluggish movements of the ferrymen. The horses 
 thus led to the riverside had plunged their muzzles 
 deep in the refreshing flood and, after slaking their 
 thirst, were tossing their heads from side to side and 
 lashing the waters into spray in keen relish of their 
 own privilege as being at the head of column, and in 
 equine triumph over the less fortunate bulk of their 
 comrades deeper down in the command. A grizzled 
 
24 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 sergeant, true to the old dragoon tenet of watering- 
 only when you can water all, had indeed interposed 
 a growling protest against this undisciplined proceed- 
 ing on part of the men, but the silence of the senior 
 sergeant had given consent, and the work went on. 
 Other troopers, not yet asleep, profited by the ex- 
 ample of the few in front, and they, too, came lead- 
 ing down to the water's edge, seeing which, the first 
 sergeant, with perfunctory touch of the hand to his 
 cap visor, briefly addressed his commander: 
 
 "Can we water, sir?" 
 
 A nod was the only response. The lieutenant was 
 too busy to waste his words. The trumpeter, at a 
 glance from the sergeant, wriggled out of the dirty, 
 yellow braided cord by which his brazen clarion was 
 hung between his shoulder-blades, clapped the in- 
 strument to his mouth, ground his heels into the 
 yielding sand, fixed his eyes on vacancy, and essayed 
 to sound "water call," but so parched was his own 
 gullet that the resultant discord was a burlesque of 
 the stirring peal to which the troopers were accus- 
 tomed. Some of them growled a soldier anathema 
 on the luckless performer. Some contented them- 
 selves with casual and comprehensive reference to 
 the hottest region known to them. Some few, not 
 utterly tired out, laughed or chuckled audibly over 
 Schmitz's failure. One young rider jocularly ad- 
 dressed him. "If it was beer call could you sound it, 
 Dutchy?" he asked, as he tossed his carbine back- 
 ward over the shoulder, letting it hang there by the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 25 
 
 sling, while leading his drooping horse down the 
 somewhat steep incline to the shore. 
 
 "He could answer it, begad," spoke a tall corporal, 
 who followed closely at the weary charger's heels, 
 "and so could I if it were only Baltimore brew. 
 Tumble up here, Larry^" he continued, launching a 
 kick from his spurred boot at the recumbent form of 
 a comrade at the roadside. "It's little you look like 
 a light dragoon this day, if you are the beau of the 
 troop. Larry, I say!" he continued, stopping short 
 and prodding the victim with his foot. "It's water 
 call. Don't you hear?" 
 
 "Aw, leave Beau alone, Jimmy. Don't you know 
 he was orderly to old Foulweather all last night? 
 Sure he hasn't slept out of saddle for forty-eight 
 hours." 
 
 "Fact," answered Corporal Jim, remorsefully. 
 "Here, give me his horse, too. I'll take him." 
 
 But already the trooper referred to as "Beau" be- 
 gan to find his legs, yawning sleepily the while and 
 rubbing his red-rimmed eyes with the back of a worn 
 gauntlet, an article owned by not half a dozen men 
 in the squadron. It needed but a glance to deter- 
 mine that in this tall, slender, yet stalwart man was 
 a creature of somewhat finer mould than the run of 
 his comrades. Standing nearly six feet two, with 
 broad, muscular shoulders and deep, massive chest, 
 lean in flank and slim, comparatively, at the girth, 
 with head well poised and carried almost proudly, 
 if not even haughtily, erect, with straight, broad-nos- 
 
26 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 trilled nose, overhanging eyebrows, oval face, and 
 clear cut chin, — all was fine even through the coat- 
 ing of dust. Underneath the matted brows and 
 lashes a pair of keen blue eyes flashed forth, bright 
 and piercing despite the sleeplessness of the nights 
 gone by. A blond moustache, red-bronzed now by 
 the Virginia dust, the hirsute adornment then called 
 an imperial, and close-cropped, light-brown hair com- 
 pleted the framework of these attractive features. A 
 battered forage-cap of the style then known as Mc- 
 Clellan, with the crossed sabres and regimental num- 
 ber in tarnished brass upon the overhanging crown 
 and the unbound visor turned up instead of down, sat 
 jauntily well forward on his head. The high collar 
 of his trooper jacket, heavily trimmed with tawdry 
 yellow worsted lace, was unhooked at the throat and 
 destitute of stock, but a dark-red silk handkerchief 
 was loosely knotted about the neck, and half-way 
 down the front the jacket itself was unbuttoned, 
 showing the coarse gray flannel of the shirt. His 
 straight, sinewy legs were cased in cavalry trousers of 
 light-blue cloth, and thrust deep into a pair of top 
 boots, much finer than those of government make. 
 Over his shoulder passed a broad black leather 
 carbine sling, its buckle tarnished, its steel swivel 
 coated with rust, and the carbine swinging therefrom 
 was weather-beaten and rusty too. His waist was 
 girt about by the *'buif leather" belt then worn in 
 the service, supporting holster and Colt revolver at 
 the right hip, and a dangling, battered, rusty sabre 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 27 
 
 and scabbard on the left side. A common brass 
 spur was strapped to the right boot, but its mate was 
 missing. This, barring the silk handkerchief and 
 the handsome boots, and the fact that most of them 
 had two spurs, was practically the costume of every 
 one of the ninety men who made up Hamlin's squad- 
 ron of the — th regular cavalry, — two troops whose 
 captains were commanding brigades of volunteers, 
 one of whose lieutenants was leading a regiment, 
 another languishing in Libby, another on staff duty, 
 leaving only Bob Hamlin to command the array. 
 
 A good soldier was Bob, one of the not too many 
 in whom a capital sergeant had successfully borne 
 his elevation to a commission. Not yet twenty-six 
 years of age, he had served in the cavalry in Texas 
 and on the plains when such service was full of hard- 
 ship, peril, and isolation, had won his way to the chev- 
 rons after a spirited brush with Comanches, and 
 when half the officers of his former regiment went 
 with their State in '61, and that regiment, with 
 most of the others in the army, was sorely de- 
 pleted as to the commissioned list, the vacancies were 
 filled by the appointment of civilians and the pro- 
 motion of scores of intelligent non-commissioned 
 officers who bade fair to show fine mettle and ability 
 in their new grade. Mettle was never lacking, 
 though the ability was sometimes questioned, but 
 not in Bob Hamlin's case. "There's a fellow who 
 can get almost anything out of his men," said an ad- 
 miring brother officer, "and I believe it's because he 
 never nags them." 
 
28 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 And yet Mr. Hamlin was one of the strictest 
 young officers in the service. For many months 
 of the first year of the war his troop had been sta- 
 tioned in and about the city of "Washington, and 
 was noted for its spick and span neatness and style. 
 It was a sight to see it on Pennsylvania Avenue on 
 sunshiny days in its trim-fitting uniform, with glis- 
 tening shoulder-scales, buckles, and scabbards, riding 
 up to the War Department or head-quarters of the 
 army. Its horses M'^ere marvellously groomed and 
 cared for then, and this being before the days of big 
 bounties in the volunteers, not a few enthusiastic 
 young soldiers in the ranks of State troops succeeded 
 in getting transferred to this particular troop of regu- 
 lars, while on more than one occasion there appeared 
 at the lieutenant's ofiice young civilians who had 
 seen, perhaps, too much of higher life, and now 
 sought admission to the ranks of the cavalry, and one 
 of these was Larry or as he was borne upon the mus- 
 ter roll, "Lawrence Bell." 
 
 At first Mr, Hamlin had refused to enlist him. 
 "I know your kind exactly," he had not unkindly 
 said. "You are a man of social position. You've 
 had trouble, and now with an alias you come here to 
 enlist and bury yourself in the regulars. We buried 
 two of your set after first Bull Run, — fellows who 
 thought they ought to stay and whip the whole 
 South when the rest of us were falling back on the 
 Potomac. I'd rather not take you." 
 
 "Very well, sir. Then I'll enlist at the Capitol 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 29 
 
 Barracks," said Mr. Bell, neither affirming nor de- 
 nying the lieutenant's theory, and, finding him 
 calmly determined, and being furthermore a bit in- 
 quisitive, Hamlin himself yielded, and "Beau Bell" 
 his recruit became before he had been with the troop 
 a week. 
 
 But now it was mid-October, '62. Antietam had 
 been fought, and Lee allowed to make good his re- 
 treat to the sacred soil. His army had pushed on 
 southward, taking it leisurely, while McClellan, 
 timid and irresolute, was hovering along the Po- 
 tomac, deaf to urgent pleas for action, pursuit, — 
 anything rather than standing there all the day idle. 
 
 Hamlin's squadron had been scouting along the 
 east front of the curtaining range, peeping through 
 Aldie and Upperville and the Gaps at the dust 
 clouds of the slowly retiring hosts, far over beyond 
 the Shenandoah, and "not once did Beau Larry 
 turn a hair," as Sergeant Shaw expressed it. He 
 had stepped into his uniform and swung into his sad- 
 dle with the easy grace of a born cavalryman. He 
 said nothing of what he knew of soldiercraft, yet 
 proved to be better "set up" and better drilled than 
 some of his instructors. He didn't like the balance 
 of the carbine at first, and from the fact that with 
 this one weapon he seemed awkward, and only this 
 one, the old sergeants concluded that he had learned 
 the manual with the musket in hand. But he could 
 groom a horse and give some troopers points in the 
 care of the hoof. He kept his own counsel, minded 
 
30 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 his own business, sought no intimacies, repelled none 
 who sought his, yet dismissed them with his blessing 
 and abundance of tobacco. He had money, or it 
 came to him frequently, and he showed some dis- 
 crimination in loaning it, as speedily nine-tenths of 
 the men importuned him to do. He avoided discus- 
 sion, contention, criticism of every and any kind; 
 was patient, even conciliatory in manner towards 
 his new comrades, who bored him very much, de- 
 spite their interest in his doings. He was frequently 
 one of the show figures of the troop, and could have 
 been detailed for permanent duty at the quarters of 
 some big functionary in Washington had he not 
 almost excitedly urged that he might never be de- 
 tached for any such purpose. On campaign, in the 
 field, he said, he would take his chance as orderly 
 for any of the general officers who might desire, but 
 he drew the line at AVashington. He rejoiced 
 heartily when hurried off to Yorktown with the 
 transport. He was eager in the pursuit to Williams- 
 burg, and foremost at the start in the famous charge 
 at Gaines's Mill, but ere they had fairly taken the 
 gallop his horse went down and pinned him under- 
 neath, saving his life, perhaps, but nearly breaking 
 his leg. A veteran cavalry general had him assigned 
 to duty a few days at his head-quarters and was as- 
 tonished when the young soldier begged to be re- 
 lieved. But now under other skies and other soldiers 
 Hamlin's squadron was scouring the Virginia roads, 
 nimbly dodging the heavier bodies of Southern 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 31 
 
 horse and swooping fearlessly in headlong charge 
 when numbers were anywhere near equal. And on 
 this particularly dry and sun-baked day in October 
 it had been marching and scouting since early dawn, 
 and was now sore hungTy for supper. 
 
 "Are you looking for your horse, Beau?" asked 
 a jovial Irish boy, rolling the quid of "plug" into the 
 other cheek. "Will ye lend me the price of a pint 
 till St. Peter's pay-day if I find him?" for Beau was 
 just beginning to see that his charger was gone and 
 that his comrades were slowly leading down to 
 water. 
 
 "Faix, it isn't the horse Larry's lookin' for," 
 chimed in a second, an ill-favored specimen; "its 
 the off side saddle-bag. Isn't it now, Larry? Sure 
 ye niver yet told us what's in the tin case, and that's 
 what the corporal's looking through now." 
 
 Bell started as though stung by a lash, sent one 
 piercing glance at the speaker, probably flushed red 
 under the red dust coat of his skin, but only the sud- 
 den blaze in his eye betrayed it. Then down the 
 bank he went, finding the corporal indeed tugging 
 at the strap of the saddle-bag, yet only, as he 
 promptly explained, to fasten the thing because it 
 had come loose. But the corporal turned and curi- 
 ously studied the tall soldier who had so suddenly 
 roused himself and was now standing glowering 
 angrily, suspiciously, at his side. With scant cere- 
 mony. Bell himself seized the strap, almost jerking 
 it from his comrade's hands, unbuckled what had 
 
32 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 just been buckled, raised the flap and, interposing a 
 broad back between the bag and the by-standers, 
 thrust his hand within the folds as though to satisfy 
 himself that certain items were there, and then, 
 withdrawing it, raised the flap and reassured himself 
 by a long peep. 
 
 "You're no end particular about that saddle-bag. 
 Beau," said the nettled non-commissioned officer. 
 "I was doing you a friendly service, man, and you 
 look as though you thought me a thief." 
 
 "There's nothing there worth stealing, corporal," 
 was the reply, in a voice that lacked all ring of 
 heartiness. "Yet it's mine and no other man's, and 
 I gave fair warning when Devlin tried it that I'd 
 have no tampering with my possessions. One of the 
 men said you were opening it, and I'm glad to find 
 you were not. That's all there is to it." 
 
 "That isn't all there is to it, Bell, and you may 
 understand it now, first and last. I'm not the man 
 to pry into your affairs, nor am I one to take any 
 threats. You can't handle me as you did Devlin." 
 
 "jSTot while you wear those, at least," answered 
 Bell, with significant nod of his head at the chevrons 
 of faded yellow. "Not while " 
 
 "Not while they're either on or off. Bell," was the 
 spirited reply. "No man in this squadron can say I 
 ever crawled behind a corporal's warrant to shy a 
 fight. You insinuated a dirty thing when you vir- 
 tually accused me of prying into your affairs. Damn 
 your saddle-bags and you, too." 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 33 
 
 "That'll do, there, you men," came in sharp, im- 
 perative tones the voice of the first sergeant. Even 
 the lieutenant had lowered his glass and turned 
 about to see whose voice it was that angrily broke 
 the drowsy silence of the late afternoon. 
 
 "You can find me whenever you want me, Bell," 
 continued the corporal, in low tone, "and there'll be 
 no chevrons when we strip." And with that, both 
 angered and hurt, the young soldier turned away, 
 and the troopers that had begun to gather about the 
 two led on to water, leaving Bell, with gleaming eye, 
 restrapping his saddle-bag and loosening the girth. 
 Any one could see that he was annoyed far more at 
 himself than at Corporal Dixon. It is when a man 
 realizes that he has wronged another and made an 
 ass of himself that his temper is most apt to be snap- 
 pish and peppery. Moodily he led his weary horse 
 to one side, found a place to water him in a little 
 pool among the rocks a few yards farther down, let 
 him drink his fill, then flung himself again upon the 
 bank. 
 
 "The Duke's got his dander up again," tittered 
 the Irish trooper who had told that Corporal Dixon 
 was trying to open the saddle-bag. He was one of 
 those ill-conditioned creatures whose happiness seems 
 to consist in setting other people by the ears. "Him 
 and Dixon'd make a fine match anyhow, wouldn't 
 they?" 
 
 "Shut that ugly mug of yours, Feeney," snapped 
 
 the nearest sergeant. "You've too many snarls to 
 
 8 
 
34 THE GENERAL' S DOUBLE. 
 
 answer for now. There'll be no fight between them 
 two for all your trying. Even Devlin wouldn't 
 have got into his trouble but for your naggin'." 
 
 It was an old story in Hamlin's squadron, though 
 it had happened barely a month before, — just as Lee 
 and Jackson came splashing through the Rappahan- 
 nock on their famous dash around Pope's right flank, 
 and Hamlin's squadron was disembarked at Alexan- 
 dria and ordered to push to the front. Somehow, 
 somewhere in that sleepy old Southern town the Irish 
 troopers got a canteen of whiskey. It was soon empty 
 and three men were drunk. For joke, as he said, 
 Feeney had persuaded Devlin that he would find 
 ■liquor in that off saddle-bag of Bell's, and Devlin was 
 just drunk enough to search, to drag out a tin box 
 tied with silken cord, and to be caught in the act by 
 the angered owner just as he was in the further mis- 
 chief of striving to untie the cord. They left Devlin 
 in hospital that night when the squadron rode for 
 Centreville. He wasn't well enough to rejoin when 
 they came trotting back to the Long Bridge the first 
 week of September, and had not been able to catch 
 them since, but he sent a message — an Irish message 
 — by one of the men who managed to see him a mo- 
 ment. "It isn't Bell I've got it in for. I'd perhaps 
 ha' done the same by him. It's that blackguard 
 Feeney I'll drub if the devil doesn't get him before I 
 get back." Devlin had had some reputation as a 
 fighter before his impromptu match with Bell, but 
 the whole troop saw how utterly he was outclassed 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 35 
 
 when Bell drew off his gauntlets, slung them in the 
 marauder's face, peeled off his trooper jacket, and 
 sailed in. A straight, clean, scientific hitter was the 
 beau, an educated hitter, and when the brief, bloody 
 battle was over and Devlin, like a human chopping- 
 block, was borne off to the hospital tent, there was no 
 man present who cared to take up the challenge. Bell 
 was panting a little. He was very pale, but his eyes 
 were flashing; a tiny stream of blood was trickling 
 from his under lip, and his white fists were clinched 
 hard. "I disturb no man's belongings in this troop," 
 said he, "and no man shall touch mine. Some of you 
 have put that young fellow up to prowling in my 
 saddle-bags. If they'll dare step up and own it, I'll 
 take the biggest of the lot right here and now." 
 There were some glances at Feeney, some murmur 
 of applause, but no takers. 
 
 "Then I give fair warning," said Bell, "the man 
 I catch tampering with these saddle-bags of mine 
 will get a lesson he'll never forget." 
 
 And now here, once more, on the banks of the 
 Potomac those saddle-bags had come in as a factor 
 in what, for the moment, promised to be a very 
 pretty quarrel. They were all hungry, were the 
 men, and more or less savage as a result. They were 
 more in mood for fight than frolic, as troopers are 
 wont to be after hours of jog-trot on empty stom- 
 achs. But they had begun to fancy the "Duke" in 
 spite of themselves — in spite of himself, for he 
 courted neither friendship nor popularity. They 
 
36 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 had always liked Dixon, and knew him to be a 
 plucky, brainy fellow, with far more prospects for 
 the futiire and much less mystery of a past than were 
 Bell's possessions. In all their number, Feeney, 
 probably, was the only man who would have thought 
 of stirring up strife between them. Dixon had conie 
 into the troop only a week ahead of Bell, and had 
 won his stripes within three months, whereas Bell 
 stood in his own light and apparently would not 
 have them. ]\Ir. Hamlin had called him up at Har- 
 rison's Landing when he rejoined after three days' 
 duty at General Kearny's head-quarters, and told 
 him promotion was sure to follow such a report as 
 Kearny's cliief-of-staff sent in, whereat Bell had de- 
 liberately told his squadron leader that promotion 
 was the last thing he wanted, — it involved too much 
 responsibility. All the same, Hamlin named him 
 corporal on the way to the Long Bridge, and that was 
 the last he saw of his new non-commissioned officer 
 until the provost-marshal's people handed him over 
 four days later, arrested in the streets of Washing- 
 ton without a pass and apparently majestically drunk. 
 To all questions as to his regiment, etc., he had per- 
 sisted in saying that he belonged to the New York 
 Seventh (which was mustered out of service before 
 first Bull Kun), and that he had been left behind 
 when they went home. But the provost-marshal's 
 people were regulars, and some orderly riding 
 by recognized Beau Bell of Hamlin's squadron, 
 "Chickahominy" Bell, as some one started to call 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 37 
 
 him, and Beau, erect, dignified, unabashed, had 
 begged the patrol to come around to a certain stable 
 and permit him to examine his saddle-bags and es- 
 tablish his own identity. Thither they escorted him, 
 and found his horse and equipments all right. Beau 
 gravely handed out a ten-dollar bill for his care and 
 keep, proposed to his captors a joint visit to the bar 
 at Willard's, where he would gladly set up the cham- 
 pagne for such charming companions, and professed 
 much surprise and disappointment at their refusal. 
 He was perfectly quiet and gentlemanly, said they, 
 never used a cuss word or gave the faintest trouble, 
 only he did want some champagne despite the war 
 tariff then beginning to soar. Hamlin received his 
 semi-deserter with official sternness, and told him the 
 corporalship was revoked. Bell promptly thanked 
 the lieutenant and asked if, that point being settled 
 in his favor, he might now go and groom his horse. 
 Hamlin didn't know whether to be angry or amused. 
 He concluded that Bell was an original who would 
 bear watching. He had only recently learned that 
 it was he who used up Devlin. 
 
 Full twenty minutes had elapsed since the arrival 
 of the squadron at the ferry, and still the clumsy 
 scow that did duty as a ferry-boat had not reached 
 them. The river was not so low as to make fording 
 a comfort, besides, Hamlin's orders were not to cross. 
 Late as it was, weary as it was, the day's work for 
 his command was not yet done. All he asked for was 
 a quantity of coffee, sugar, bacon, and bread which 
 
38 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 was now being ferried over. His men could cook 
 their own supper among the trees along the south 
 bank and be off about their business before moonrise. 
 He stood impatiently tapping his booted foot upon 
 the rock at the shore and commenting audibly upon 
 the draggy movements of the ferrymen when his 
 first sergeant again approached. 
 
 "Trooper Bell, sir, asks permission to speak with 
 the lieutenant." 
 
 "What's he want?" 
 
 "I don't know, sir. He said he preferred not to 
 say except to the commanding officer," 
 
 "Well, let him come." 
 
 A minute later the Duke stood erect before his 
 young commander. It was their first interview since 
 just before the brush at Crampton's Gap, on which 
 occasion Bell had begged to be relieved from duty 
 with the wagons, where he had been kept under a 
 cloud since the Washington episode, and permitted 
 to go in with his troop. 
 
 "I understand that the squadron merely cooks 
 supper here, sir, and then rides on. May I have per- 
 mission to take my horse and go back with the ferry- 
 boat and be gone three days?" 
 
 "Certainly not. Bell. I'm surprised at your 
 asking," 
 
 "Well, sir, I can bring more information from 
 that side in three days than the lieutenant can get 
 on this in a month." 
 
 Hamlin's eyes looked angry. K^either the words 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 39 
 
 nor the tone were such as he was accustomed to from 
 his men. "You speak boldly, Bell, and not too re- 
 spectfully. One would suppose you knew all about 
 my orders. How do you know what information I 
 need?" 
 
 "Because, sir, I was the major's orderly all yester- 
 day and last night, and because the man you're look- 
 ing for — isn't on this side of the Potomac." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 An hour later even the tiny cook-fires that had 
 been glowing along the southern bank were smoul- 
 dering into ashes. The troopers had silently re- 
 mounted, men and beasts weary yet refreshed by the 
 bountiful supply of rations or grain. The ferry scow 
 still swung at her moorings from the Virginia side, 
 and as the squadron filed away into the darkness of 
 the wooded bank, Lieutenant Hamlin stood at the 
 water's edge, pencilling some lines in his note-book. 
 Then tearing out a leaf he handed it to the infantry 
 officer who, with a file of the guard, had come over 
 to meet the troopers and inquire for news from the 
 front. 
 
 "I have signed receipts for forage and rations, 
 captain," said Hamlin, "and have written a brief re- 
 port to the commanding officer at Frederick. Will 
 you kindly take Trooper Bell over with you and pass 
 him back should he return this way?" 
 
 The older officer hesitated in some surprise. "I 
 don't quite understand," he said. "It has taken a 
 general officer's authority to pass a man over, so far." 
 And he looked at the simple shoulder-strap of the 
 young regular in some perplexity. Even so late as 
 the second year of the war there were volunteer offi- 
 cers who thought that the regular knew more about 
 40 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 41 
 
 the minor details of service, at least, than the lately 
 commissioned amateur. Hamlin saw his embarrass- 
 ment and smiled. 
 
 "It's all right, captain, and I'll be responsible. 
 I've written him a pass, and I have no superiors, as 
 you see. I'm my own colonel and brigade com- 
 mander to-night. Xow I must ride after my men. 
 Bell, report to this gentleman. Good-night, cap- 
 tain." And with that he turned. The German 
 trumpeter promptly led forward the reluctant 
 horses; Hamlin swung lightly into saddle and rode 
 briskly up the steep incline. "Dutchy" got his foot 
 in stirrup, as his own horse started in pursuit, and 
 went clattering after his commander, clinging to the 
 pommel and mane, and only settling into his seat as 
 he disappeared over the top of the bank. Then even 
 the sound of hoof-beats died away in the gathering 
 darkness, and only the plash of the water broke the 
 stillness of the autumn night. By the gleam of his 
 lantern the infantry officer stood poring over the 
 scrap of paper Hamlin had thrust into his hand. It 
 read as follows: ''I have given Trooper Bell au- 
 thority to remain on the north side and to visit 
 friends down the river after having delivered his 
 despatches at Frederick. If he should not be back 
 in three days oblige me by sending a squad to the 
 Heatherwood place, a mile below you, to make in- 
 quiries. It will bear watching anyway." 
 
 Twice the captain read this missive over, and then 
 peered into the gloom in search of Bell. The 
 
42 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 trooper's tall figure was only faintly outlined. He 
 stood there in statuesque silence, a firm hand closed 
 on the bit of his uneasy horse, now pawing impa- 
 tiently and striving to see what had become of his 
 companions. Finally the captain spoke. 
 
 "Come this way, will you?" he called, hardly 
 knowing how to address this tall cavalryman, and 
 Bell silently advanced a few paces and again stood 
 at attention, his horse once more tugging and pawing 
 and switching from side to side, yet never shaking 
 loose his master's hold. 
 
 "You are all ready to start?" said the captain, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 "All ready, sir." 
 
 "Then I suppose you might as well lead aboard." 
 
 "After you, sir," said Bell, and waited until the 
 officer had stepped across the hinged staging before 
 he followed. The boatmen swayed down on their 
 rope, the stage was hoisted, and they shoved off 
 across the placid surface of the stream, all dotted 
 now with faint, phosphorescent night lights, the re- 
 flection of the peeping stars. Seeing that the trooper 
 remained at the stern of the slow-moving boat, pat- 
 ting and reassuring his steed, two or three of the 
 guard ranged backward towards him and began their 
 soldier scrutiny. The captain himself turned and 
 listened. They were men of a far New England 
 regiment, serious-minded fellows, deeply imbued 
 with the solemnity of the duty which had called 
 them so far from home and into scenes so strange. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 43 
 
 They were but a few weeks from their native hills 
 and new at campaigning, and this was not only a 
 veteran of many fields and a cavalry soldier at that, 
 — a something strange even to the farmers' boys 
 among them, — but a something stranger still, a 
 "regular," a thing no one of their number had ever 
 seen before that day, and that some, indeed, had 
 never heard of except as wearing a British uniform, 
 and being drubbed at Concord Bridge and Bunker 
 Hill, They stood somewhat awkwardly by, closely 
 watching Bell as he passed his hands over girth and 
 buckle and curb and rein, and then rubbed his 
 horse's legs as though to see that all was in readiness 
 for a night ride. There was sympathy and deep in- 
 terest in their gaze, but, though all were eager to 
 question, no one of the number seemed to care to be 
 the first to speak. 
 
 At last as Bell straightened up and looked about 
 him, first at the nearing watch-fire on the northern 
 shore, then at the night lights gleaming aloft in the 
 autumn skies, one of the party, a farmer's boy who 
 knew whereof he spoke, took the best road he could 
 think of to a trooper's confidence, and diffidently be- 
 stowing a friendly pat on the charger's shoulder, as 
 diffidently remarked, "Look's though he'd had no 
 loafin' time lately." 
 
 "Devil a minute," was the laconic answer, but it 
 was enough. The ice was broken. The others drew 
 nearer. The bearded captain — a school-master at 
 home — came close to the group. The stranger had 
 
44 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 used an expletive, and thereby established a desired 
 fact, — he was not of superior mould. 
 
 "Been fur to-day?" asked the first speaker, pres- 
 ently. 
 
 "Well, not so many miles in a bee-line, but we've 
 had a good deal of dodging and prowling and scout- 
 ing to do." Bell's stomach was warmed by coffee, or 
 was it the unexpected nip from Hamlin's proffered 
 flask before the start? and he had grown affable. He 
 knew these fellows for recent levies at a glance. 
 Their uniforms had not lost their gloss or buttons. 
 Their belts and buckles and cap ornaments were un- 
 battered, and few old soldiers can resist the joy of 
 adulation from the new. Well he understood what 
 else they wished to hear, and so went on: "There's 
 quite a force of rebel cavalry screening the enemy's 
 left flank. He's marching south, and their fellows 
 are well out this way, popping through the gaps in 
 the range every now and then, and we've been 
 stumbling into them for the last three days." 
 
 "Had any fighting?" queried the captain, chiming 
 in now, as interested as his men. 
 
 "Well, nothing to speak of, sir," answered the 
 trooper, facing instantly towards him and bringing 
 heels together and hand to cap visor at once, a some- 
 thing that afforded the officer unspeakable comfort. 
 It was just what he wanted his men to learn, yet 
 hardly knew how to teach. As for them, they noted 
 the action as promptly as did their captain, and ex- 
 changed quick and appreciative glances. Later that 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 45 
 
 night they were showing comrades at the camp-fire 
 how the regular did it. 
 
 "We lost a couple of horses shot near Aldie, sir," 
 continued Bell, "and left two rebs and one of our 
 fellows wounded at a farm-house under the heights. 
 You see there is nothing but cavalry over there, — of 
 our side, at least, and not too many of us. I don't 
 suppose we've three hundred all told, and our squad- 
 ron's about used up." 
 
 "Where were they going from here?" asked the 
 captain. 
 
 "I don't know, sir, exactly. Back to join the main 
 body, possibly. I suppose we're expected to cover 
 all this front out here to prevent their coming 
 through the gaps and appearing suddenly across the 
 river opposite you. May I ask your regiment, sir?" 
 
 " — th New Hampshire. We're guarding the 
 ferry and the bridges along the canal hereabouts. 
 We've only been here a few days, and it's pretty 
 novel work to my boys. I — 'spose you've been at it 
 a good while." 
 
 "JSTot a year, sir. That is," and here the trooper 
 faltered a bit, "not a year in the cavalry. I saw 
 something of the first month or two of the mischief." 
 
 They were nearing the northern shore now, and 
 could dimly see that a little group of shadowy forms 
 was gathered at the landing awaiting them. 
 
 "We had an idea," said the officer, after a pause, 
 "that most of the rank and file in the regulars were 
 foreigners, — Irish and German, — uneducated men, 
 
46 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 but, excuse me, you're an American, and you 
 haven't lacked schooling." 
 
 Bell's gravity gave way to an amused grin. 
 "We're every kind, sir," said he, without answering 
 the hint as to himself. "Mostly reprobates like my- 
 self," he added, inaudibly. 
 
 The boat came slowly grinding upon the shelving 
 shore, and horse, trooper, and his interrogators all 
 lurched at the interrupted way. "I presume the 
 lieutenant showed the captain my pass and it's all 
 right for me to push ahead at once," said Bell. 
 
 "It's all right," answered the officer. "I may 
 have to explain to our colonel, who's just back here 
 a piece across the canal, but you can tell him what I 
 can't. We'll go right over to his tent." So saying, 
 the captain led the way through a group of silent, 
 but inquisitive soldiers, dimly visible in the starlight, 
 and Bell strode after him, his horse following at his 
 heels. They passed some scattered tents, a brightly 
 blazing fire, about which, standing or sitting, or 
 stretched upon the ground, were a dozen armed and 
 belted infantrymen, one or two of whom essayed a 
 half-sheepish salute, and then gazed curiously at the 
 captain's convoy. They crossed the dry bed of the 
 canal by a heavily arched wooden bridge and came in 
 sudden view of a cluster of white tentage where men 
 were whistling, singing, lolling, or skylarking about, 
 and, passing through a bustling canvas village, fol- 
 lowing a necessarily irregular camp street, they 
 halted presently in front of a large and more preten- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 47 
 
 tious tent where paced a sentrj and within whose 
 guarded walls could be heard manly voices in lively 
 chat, while the shadows of stalwart forms were 
 thrown upon the screen of its sloping roofs. The 
 captain tapped at the tent-pole, and evoked no reply. 
 The flaps were down, so he pushed one aside and in- 
 serted his face. 
 
 "Colonel Clark/' said he, "can I see you a mo- 
 ment?" 
 
 "Hello, captain! That you?" answered a ringing 
 voice. "Come right in, Frisby. Come in." 
 
 The instant Trooper Bell heard the name of the 
 commanding officer, he stopped short in his tracks. 
 The instant he heard his voice he was restored to 
 action, sprang to his horse's side and thrust his left 
 foot into stirrup. 
 
 "I can't very well," answered Captain Frisby. 
 "I've got a courier here whom I brought over from 
 the cavalry party. He wants to push right on in the 
 direction of Frederick, but I said he must see you 
 first. Can you come out a moment, sir?" 
 
 "Certainly," was the hearty answer, and the offi- 
 cer came striding massively forward, the tent floor 
 creaking and bending beneath his weight. "Where's 
 your orderly?" he asked, as he threw open the flap 
 and gazed out into the night. Captain Frisby 
 turned quickly to where he had left Bell but a mo- 
 ment before, — and horse and rider had vanished. 
 
 i^ot five seconds later, out under the stars to the 
 northwest, there was sudden shout, challenge, order, 
 and warning all jumbled into one. 
 
48 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Who comes there? Haltorl'llfire ! Halt! Halt!" 
 And then — Bang! 
 
 All to no purpose. Far to the northward, spurred 
 to mad excitement, galloping as though for life, a 
 horse went tearing through the gloaming, reckless 
 of pursuing shout or shot, and when rider Bell drew 
 rein and calmed him down, and wiped his own heated 
 brow, he muttered malediction on his luck, listened 
 a moment to assure him no pursuit was to be 
 dreaded, then, quitting the northern road and rein- 
 ing abruptly to the right as he came to the first cross- 
 ing, he once more urged his horse to a lope and mut- 
 tered between his set teeth, "J^ot for a fortune — 
 now." 
 
CHAPTER m. 
 
 The bees were humming about their hives in the 
 old orchard. The sun was sending slanting beams 
 through the leafy branches and painting the slopes 
 in shifting patches of gold and green. There was on 
 every side the drowsy sound of buzzing insect life, 
 and from below the languorous plashing of waters. 
 Away off to the northwestward, beyond the broad, 
 fertile, hamlet-dotted valley, a deep rift was cut into 
 the long chain of blue hills that stretched from north 
 to south, and from this rift a silver ribbon came 
 winding through the middle distance, joined from 
 the heart of the northward valley by a slender 
 thread, shining and shimmering as itself, that poured 
 into the larger only a mile away and seemed so po- 
 tent a force as to bend the great river in almost ab- 
 rupt right angle. Aloft the vault of heaven burned 
 unclouded. Southward a soft haze seemed rising 
 above the dense groves of timber, fringing the banks 
 of the broader stream as it swept towards the sea. 
 Westward, as though backing the barrier range, 
 heavy masses of cloud rolled up against the blue. 
 Creeping slowly southward along the smaller stream, 
 a long train of white dots seemed on its way towards 
 a thick cluster of other white dots, nestling in the 
 
 timber at the water's edge, while parallel with the 
 
 4 49 
 
50 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 broader river there wound and curved and twisted 
 the long, snaky bed of the old canal, ruined, for the 
 time being, by recent raiders in Confederate gray. 
 Here and there, in the timber at the water's edge, 
 thin columns of bluish smoke curled upward through 
 the tree-tops, and farther away across the valley, in 
 heavier masses and from different points, lazily drift- 
 ing smoke clouds thinned and finally vanished in the 
 upper air. Away off to the southwestward there rose, 
 in several places, between the eye and the blue-black 
 line of the heights, dull, dun-colored masses of cloud 
 that were drifting slowly southward, despite the fact 
 that not a breath of wind had rustled the forest 
 leaves since dawn. Down in the meadow under- 
 neath the slope on which was perched the orchard a 
 dozen cows were drowsing in the shade, and the faint 
 tinkle of bells came floating like far-away music. 
 Somewhere, just beyond the hedgerow of wild-rose- 
 bushes, at the northward side, over whose tops the 
 roofs of some barn-like structures could be seen, a 
 horse had been browsing but a while ago, for the 
 swish of his tail and the impatient stamp as he strove 
 to drive off the winged pests that hovered about him, 
 and the occasional h-r-r-r-r that told of equine peace 
 and contentment had frequently been heard, but he, 
 too, seemed to have lain do^vn somewhere for a 
 snooze, and was heard no more. Over across the 
 orchard, on its southern side, a venerable wooden 
 paling was peeping in spots through the bushes and 
 shrubbery by which it was well-nigh hidden. Here 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 51 
 
 and there were gaps in hedge and paling both, evi- 
 dently utilized in by-gone hours by animals both 
 two- and four-footed, resentful of the fact that no 
 gate-way broke the defiant line. Barbed wire was 
 unknown in those days, and the gaps stood open now, 
 available either for marauders or defence, and the 
 stripped condition of the trees too plainly indicated 
 that the former had had the better of it thus far. 
 Only a few high-perched apples or pears remained 
 to tell the story. Bounding the orchard at the east 
 was another hedge and paling, and a dislocated gate 
 that swung, cat-a-cornered, from its upper hinge and 
 could not close at all despite the persuasive powers 
 of a ball and chain, and through the yard-wide gap 
 of the gate-way and the thick foliage beyond, occa- 
 sional glimpses of dingy white wall, whiter columns, 
 and one green-latticed window were had, — the west- 
 ward gable end and southern portico of an old- 
 fashioned Southern mansion, one that unquestion- 
 ably must have known far better days, and that now, 
 like nature all around it, had gone placidly, con- 
 tentedly to sleep. 
 
 For over an hour not a human being had been seen 
 or heard about the barn, out-houses, or orchard. 
 Once or twice, somewhere down along the old tow- 
 path that skirted the canal, some drowsy voices had 
 been uplifted, and a big hound with flapping ears 
 and a face expressive of general benevolence had 
 roused himself from a cool bed he had pawed out 
 under the bushes, and cocked his head on one side 
 
52 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 as mucli as to say, "I wonder who can be fool enough 
 to stay awake at this hour of the day;" then as the 
 sounds subsided he, too, dropped back to doze. It 
 was long after four o'clock, so told the mouldering 
 face of the old sun-dial on the lawn in front of the 
 colonnaded portico, and even the voices down along 
 the canal had drowsed away. The shadow of the 
 copper arm was crawling close to the antiquated V 
 when at last the silence was broken. Somewhere 
 across the lazily flowing river there rang, sharp and 
 clear, the report of a rifle, a report that went echoing 
 down the broadening valley. Somewhere down along 
 the towpath there was quick stir and excitement, and 
 an authoritative voice was heard in brief order, "Fall 
 in the guard!" Somewhere at the rear of the man- 
 sion a door slammed aggressively, and a feminine 
 voice, shrill and piercing, was heard in confident 
 summons, in answer to which, rubbing his eyes and 
 stumbling sleepily into the sunshine, a big, burly 
 negro, clad only in loose cotton shirt and trousers, 
 appeared in front of the wood-shed and humbly 
 answered, "Yeassum." 
 
 "Miss Belle wants that horse saddled right away." 
 
 "Yeassum." 
 
 "Don' you go to sleep again while you're 'bout it, 
 now." 
 
 "N'ome." 
 
 And then the hitherto invisible lady advanced 
 from the regions at the rear, tripped briskly through 
 the garden at the west side of the house, and came 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 53 
 
 with a vivacious, bouncing step between the decrepit 
 gate-posts, dealing a contemptuous kick at the gate 
 as she did so, and once fairly in the orchard poured 
 forth her soul in song. 
 
 It could not be called a musical voice. Neither 
 in style nor execution could she be considered a 
 pleasing singer. Her lay was one of the folk-songs 
 of the ante-bellum days, descriptive, as were most of 
 them, of the matchless charms of some village maid 
 whose early dissolution, told in most pathetic verse, 
 seemed the invariable penalty attached to such pre- 
 ternatural gifts of mind and person. Following, as 
 did this rural ditty, so closely upon the recent 
 silence, its effect was intensified upon the hearers, 
 who were fortunately few. 
 
 " 'Twas a ca-am still night and the moon's pale light 
 Sho-one soft o'er hill a-and va-ale," 
 
 she began, and the old hound moved uneasily. A 
 black felt hat with a straggling feather in it loomed 
 up across the hedge towards the south^ and a sun- 
 burnt, fuzz-covered face peered eagerly through the 
 bushes, but the girl gave no heed. She was walking 
 rapidly through the orchard as she sang, and gazing 
 expectantly down the slope towards the little grove 
 that lay close by the water's edge to the west. 
 Reaching the boundary of the enclosure she stopped 
 short and, louder, shriller than before, gave voice 
 to the chorus. 
 
64 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 " Aw Lillay — sweet Lillay — dee-ur Lillay Day-ul, 
 Aw the wild rose blossoms awer the little green grave 
 "Whey-ur lies sw-ee-eet JAMay — uh Dale." 
 
 And then she paused and listened, and the fuzzy face 
 under the black hat at the fence gazed more ear- 
 nestly than at first, for the girl was worth seeing, 
 even though she couldn't sing. 
 
 She certainly was not more than eighteen. She 
 was short in stature, but plump and round and 
 wholesome as a ripe, sound winter apple. She was 
 erect, and she moved with a vigorous, natural ease 
 and grace. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes and hair 
 almost jet-black, her lips red and full, and her little 
 teeth milk-white. She wore a loose summer jacket, 
 open at the round, white throat. Her skirt was 
 shaped, after the fashion of the day, like one of the 
 beehives, — round, inflated, and voluminous. A 
 broad-brimmed straw hat dangled upon her arm. 
 Her little feet were cased in queer, shining, black 
 silk gaiters that laced up the side and ended ab- 
 ruptly at the ankle. Her hair, parted in the middle, 
 was brushed down low over the temples, puffed out 
 over the ears, and done up in some kind of a knot 
 low down at the back of the neck. The slanting 
 sunbeams dazzled her; she shaded her eyes with 
 her hand, which was not as white as it might have 
 been, and in so doing revealed a plump little arm 
 that was as white as her pretty teeth. She was an 
 impatient little body, as any one could see, and the 
 man under the black hat did see, for she stamped 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 55 
 
 her foot on tlie wooden bench to which she had sud- 
 denly mounted, and said, "Botheration!" most em- 
 phatically, and then when it looked as though she 
 were just about to begin to sing again, the black hat 
 came poking through a hole in the hedge, the fuzz- 
 covered, sunburnt face came after it, and finally a 
 tall, slim sprig of a soldier boy, dressed in the un- 
 couth, single-breasted frock coat of the early war 
 days, straightened up and strode towards her, duck- 
 ing under the lower branches as he came. !Not until 
 he was close to her side did she hear him. First she 
 gave utterance to the beginning of a squeal, then 
 switched off to contemptuous, even indignant per- 
 sonalities. 
 
 "Aw, here you are! I thought you'd nevuh 
 come.*' 
 
 "That's what I've been thinking of you for a 
 whole hour," was the mild response. 
 
 "Well, / have something to do, I'll have you 
 know," was the majestic rejoinder. "You have 
 nothing, but eat, sleep, and make believe guard a 
 rotten old bridge. Why didn't you speak when I 
 called?" 
 
 "Didn't like to interrupt your song. It was real — 
 splendid," said the tall youth, with lavish admiration 
 in his eyes. 
 
 "Well, better late than never. Least it will be if 
 you do what I tell you. What's the captain's name 
 down at the bridge?" 
 
 " 'Tain't a captain. It's the lieutenant, — Ho- 
 mans." 
 
56 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Well, you tell Mr. Homans Madam Heatherwood 
 wants to see him before sunset, and the quicker he 
 comes the better, and don't let her catch you in this 
 orchard or round these premises, or she'll set Patsy 
 on you sure as your name's — well, what's your real 
 name, anyhow? I believe you're trying to fool me. 
 Who ever heard of a man's being called Reuben 
 Pettingill?" 
 
 "That's my name, anyhow — prove it by the par- 
 son any time or by the muster-roll. i!^ow, aren't you 
 going to tell me yourn ?" 
 
 "Mine, as I told you," very majestically, "is Miss 
 Wad(icZ?. Don't you dare call me Waddle, as that 
 horror of a captain did. He'd better not show his 
 ugly face here again. Our young man's back from 
 the wars, I'd have you know, and when he's here no 
 Yankees need apply." 
 
 " 'Tisn't your last name I care for," persisted Pri- 
 vate Pettingill. "That'll be changed soon enough, 
 I guess. What's the first name? Kitty, Patty, 
 Sally?" 
 
 "Sally — ^your grandmother ! D'you think my peo- 
 ple had no sense of decency when they named me? 
 You cla' out now and tell your captain what Madam 
 Heatherwood said, and you can't fetch him up here 
 any too quick." 
 
 Then once again, sudden and sharp, a rifle-shot 
 rang out across the placid waters, and the echoes, as 
 before, crashed away down-stream. The girl started 
 nervously and anxiously and gazed back at the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 57 
 
 house. "Do hurry, Mr. — Mr. Pettingill," she 
 pleaded, "and I'll tell you my name next time." 
 
 "But — Gosh all hemlock! Say, don't run away 
 yet," he begged, as she started as though to leave 
 him. "I've been waitin' all day to see you, and 
 maybe they'll shoot me dead for not bein' there 
 when the guard fell in a while ago." 
 
 "Fell in what?" she asked, and then, as with sud- 
 den rejoicing, "the canal? That would do some of 
 them good." 
 
 "Fell in ranks," he exclaimed, cubbishly trying 
 to seize her sunburnt hand, a proceeding which she 
 readily defeated, even though letting him come dan- 
 gerously near success. "There's no use in my telling 
 the lieutenant to come up now. He knows all about 
 your having wounded rebs in there. They're both 
 paroled, or exchanged, or something. He told us 
 fellows all about it two days ago. They can't do the 
 Union any harm laid up as they are, but the lieu- 
 tenant says if any of us fellers get shot over yonder," 
 and with a nod of his black-hatted head the soldier 
 indicated the opposite Virginia shore, "we needn't 
 think to get out of prison to be cared for at our 
 sweetheart's home " 
 
 " 'Course not," interposed Miss "VVaddell, with 
 pert promptitude. "What lady do^vn South would 
 be having a Yankee beau for a gift? Fd have to be 
 hard up for a lover even here before Fd think of 
 such a thing." And here the damsel shot a sidelong 
 glance from the depths of her saucy eyes. How 
 
58 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 much could the fellow stand, she wondered. Not 
 much more, apparently. He was vexed already, and 
 seriausly, too, for he turned sharply away, dropping 
 instantly the slender wrist of which he had just man- 
 aged to possess himself. "VVas he going to leave her 
 like that, disenchanted, disenthralled? No woman 
 on earth could stand that. 
 
 "Wait one moment," she faltered. "I forgot 
 another thing Miss Heatherwood told me to say." 
 But Private Pettingill had already got half-way 
 back to the hole in the fence. "Mr. Pettingill, don't 
 be — silly. / didn't mean anything — Reuben," she 
 continued, and the Reuben mollified him. He 
 turned with rapture in his eyes and came striding 
 back. 
 
 "Say it again," he said. 
 
 "Say what?" she asked, in wide-eyed innocence, 
 — "that no Southern lady'd have a Yankee for a 
 gift?" 
 
 Again he turned from her. 
 
 "Or was it only just" — tantalizing pause — 
 "Reub-en?" 
 
 And before he could reply, "Bang!" the third 
 time, and clearer, sharper than before, the rifle-shot 
 rang out beyond the river, and gazing across the 
 stream both girl and soldier could see where a faint 
 little patch of powder-smoke was sailing aloft in the 
 dense timber. Almost immediately another voice, a 
 woman's voice, clear, bell-like, penetrating, rose 
 upon the air, — 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 59 
 
 "Laura! Where are you?" 
 
 "There, now, you've made her come hunting for 
 me. You've got to go. Mind you don't forget — to- 
 morrow." And with this parting piece of coquetry, 
 away she ran, bounding up the worn pathway, 
 through the ruined gate, and out of his sight. Al- 
 most at the same instant, too, the negro came forth 
 from the stable-yard, leading a tall bay horse 
 equipped with cavalry housing of the United States 
 army. The dark-blue saddle-cloth edged with yel- 
 low, with the regimental number in the corner, was 
 new and glossy. The bridle and breast-strap were 
 black and polished, so were the holsters at the pom- 
 mel. Even Pettingill, volunteer infantryman of a 
 few weeks' service, knew at a glance it was a cavalry 
 officer's horse and equipment, and suddenly, as the 
 girl would have started round to the back of the 
 house, the big front door was heard to open and out 
 upon the broad porch came a tall, distinguished-look- 
 ing officer, and with him a tall, graceful girl, whose 
 eyes were upturned to his in silent pleading and fare- 
 well. The sight was too much for Laura. She turned 
 in her tracks, ran to the end of the house, and, barely 
 exposing half her pretty face, peered eagerly around 
 the corner, saw him hand the darky groom a douceur 
 that made that humble servitor bow and grin and 
 scrape with delight, and then, bending forward and 
 taking both the slender white hands of the tall girl 
 in his own, the officer kissed her white forehead, 
 turned suddenly away, sprang to his saddle, and 
 
60 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 rode clattering down the pebbly drive to the road 
 below. 
 
 "My sakes alive!" exclaimed Miss Laura Waddell. 
 "If Captain Tighlman was to see that, wounds 
 couldn't keep him abed. And to think of Belle 
 Heatherwood kissing a Yankee, even if he is an 
 officer!" 
 
 Meantime, Private Pettingill had made the best 
 of his way down the wooded slope, and presently 
 found himself among a curious knot of his comrades, 
 all demanding explanation of his whereabouts when 
 the guard formed a while before, but the soldier 
 parried all inquiry by saying he had been away on a 
 mission for the lieutenant and must report to him at 
 once. Another moment found him standing before 
 a serious-looking young man in the dark-blue frock 
 that, but for its brass buttons and shoulder-straps, 
 would have been declared the coat of a country par- 
 son, so utterly clerical, so totally unmilitary, was its 
 cut. Leaning against a tree close at hand were 
 the officer's sword and belt and the crimson sash so 
 soon discarded when once the wearer fairly took the 
 field. . 
 
 "I was asked to tell you that Mrs. Heatherwood 
 wanted to see you up at the house before sunset, lieu- 
 tenant," said the soldier. "There was one of our 
 officers there." 
 
 "One of ours?" asked the lieutenant, in much sur- 
 prise. "When did he get there? When did he 
 come?" 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 61 
 
 "I don't know. He rode out not ten minutes ago, 
 down towards the east. He belongs to the cavalry." 
 
 "And we have guards on every road," exclaimed 
 the lieutenant, "Are you sure, Pettingill? Describe 
 his dress." 
 
 "Just like yours, as far as I could see from a 
 distance, only I saw the yellow border to his 
 saddle-cloth before I started. Say, here he comes 
 now!" 
 
 Surely enough, out from a wooded aisle close at 
 hand, at easy, quiet gait, came riding the same tall, 
 stalwart officer, dressed in trimly fitting cavalry uni- 
 form. His cap with its crossed sabres, his equipments, 
 his glistening scabbard and hilt were all as handsome 
 in quality as his dress and the high, well-made boots. 
 His face was oval, deeply tanned and clean shaved 
 but for the light-brown moustache and imperial. 
 His blue eyes were full of intelligence and fire. His 
 form as he sat erect in saddle was splendidly 
 modelled. He looked the picture of the officer and 
 the gentleman, and his cordial, ringing voice, the 
 moment he spoke, intensified the pleasant impression 
 he made. 
 
 "Good-evening, sir," he said, courteously raising 
 his cap to the young commander of the detachment. 
 "Let me introduce myself. I am Captain Belden, of 
 General Hooker's fetaff, on my way to Harper's Ferry 
 after a mission to Washington. I heard that firing 
 across the river and turned back to ask what it 
 meant." 
 
62 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "I don't know," was the slow reply. "We can't 
 get over from here. A boat with a patrol crossed a 
 mile above us about twenty minutes ago, apparently 
 to hunt up the cause. The second bullet came right 
 over here somewhere. Our men could see no sign of 
 the fellow who stirred us up." 
 
 "Odd," said the horseman. "I heard three shots, I 
 think, and turned out of my way to inquire. I knew 
 you had pickets every few hundred yards along here. 
 Well, good-evening to you. Oh! would you mind 
 passing me out, as some of your sentries are vigilant 
 and suspicious both?" 
 
 The infantryman picked up sword and belt and 
 said, "I suppose it's all right, Er — will you come 
 this way?" 
 
 At the outpost the corporal of the picket was duly 
 notified, and the captain passed on out of the lines. 
 
 "Beg pardon, sir," asked the officer of the guard, 
 "but what name was yours? I may have to give 
 account. I didn't quite catch it." 
 
 "Belden — Grosvenor Belden, at your service. 
 Thank you a thousand times. Good-evening, lieu- 
 tenant." 
 
 "Grosvenor Belden," muttered the lieutenant, as 
 the trooper rode away, "And what was Grosvenor 
 doing at old mother Heatherwood's? 'Now, if I 
 weren't new to this business 1 should say a fellow 
 ought to show his credentials, or something, riding 
 away from his regiment as he is. But he couldn't 
 have come thus far without being overhauled time 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 63 
 
 and again. If the provost-marshal's people have 
 passed him along I suppose we can." 
 
 Instead, however, of returning to the main body 
 of his little command, the young volunteer stood 
 there at the turn of the country road, following with 
 his eyes the graceful figure of the horseman, as he 
 rode easily and leisurely away. He had passed out 
 from the shade of the grove, and the golden sun- 
 shine, slanting almost to the horizontal, poured 
 forth upon the soldierly form and upon the power- 
 ful, spirited horse. The brilliant steel of the new 
 scabbard glistened like a mirror and threw off daz- 
 zling flashes of white light, and the lieutenant won- 
 dered how it was that this young gallant should look 
 so trim and spick and span when all other officers 
 who had happened to pass with their commands were 
 dusty and travel-stained. Something was queer 
 about it, but he couldn't tell what. It was too late 
 to question now. The vanishing horseman, still 
 riding leisurely on, was swallowed up in the shades 
 of another grove, three hundred yards up-stream, 
 and at last was lost to view. 
 
 And then the lieutenant bethought him of the 
 message brought by Pettingill. Turning slowly 
 away, he went back to his tent, left there his sword 
 and belt, and then clambered the wooded bluff across 
 the road. The path was old and worn, the ascent 
 was steep, and once at the top and in sight of the por- 
 tico, he stopped to recover breath. The sun was just 
 ready to dip behind the screen of the distant Loudoun 
 
64 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 heights, and the shadows of the fluted cohimns were 
 thrown far across the eastward lawn and the pasture- 
 field beyond. Above and below many of the win- 
 dows of the mansion were open to receive the soft, 
 flower-scented air, and at one of these, on the main 
 floor, a woman sat, a woman with silvery hair and a 
 face high-bred, refined, yet worn with care and 
 anxiety, if not with illness. Evidently she was look- 
 ing for his coming, for she rose at once and presently 
 appeared at the main hall-way, beckoning her half- 
 reluctant visitor to approach. 
 
 The lieutenant hesitated a moment, cast a back- 
 ward glance down through the thick growth of tim- 
 ber that covered the steep bank, as though to assure 
 himself that all was well with his little camp, then 
 came forward to meet the lady of the house. He 
 raised his forage-cap as he stood before her, simply 
 saying, "You sent for me, madam." 
 
 "I did, sir, and to ask a favor at your hands. For- 
 give me for referring to the fact that the officer who 
 preceded you in command was here so long as to be- 
 come quite one of the family, and to visit us fre- 
 quently, and now that he — Captain Ainslie — is 
 gone we feel very friendless. I know we are neces- 
 sarily objects of suspicion, especially since the battle 
 and my boys were brought here wounded, but what- 
 ever their sympathies and mine, we are disarmed, 
 we are harmless. My son's wounds will keep him 
 on his back at least a month. My nephew's are less 
 severe, but he has given his parole. We can't be 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 65 
 
 very dangerous, can we?" she asked, with an ahnost 
 tearful smile, looking pleadingly into the young 
 volunteer's troubled face. "You have your own 
 mother at home, have you not? Can't you fancy 
 how she would feel with you brought back to her 
 roof as I brought my boy from that wretched farm- 
 house at the Gap, and if our soldiers w^ere keeping 
 guard over your home as you are over mine " 
 
 "Surely our guard has been a protection, Mrs. 
 Heatherwood," he interposed, a little stiffly. 
 
 "In many ways, yes," she answered, "yet of late it 
 galls — sometimes. What I have to ask is such a 
 little thing, yet it means so much to us. You heard 
 — those shots across the river, did you not? They 
 meant no harm to you, no wrong to your govern- 
 ment, but they mean there is news of serious conse- 
 quence to us. Laura's home — my niece's home — 
 was over there towards Leesburg. Her father took 
 up arms with his State when Virginia seceded. Her 
 mother, my only sister, has been dead many a long 
 year. Her two brothers are in the Confederate ser- 
 vice, in the cavalry. The old home is abandoned ex- 
 cept by faithful family servants. It is one of them 
 that has come to the opposite bank, and has been 
 striving to call our attention. He has letters for 
 Laura. You may read every line, if need be. He 
 brings us tidings of her home, of her father and 
 brothers. Surely it isn't giving too much aid and 
 comfort to an enemy in distress" — and here flitted 
 about the lines of her mouth the same sad, pleading 
 
 5 
 
66 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 smile — "to let that poor child hear from those she 
 loves? Our boat lies down there under the willows. 
 May we not send our negro over?" 
 
 The officer hesitated. "My orders are strict," said 
 he, "to allow no communication with the opposite 
 shore. I cannot let him go. I could not go myself; 
 but I'll tell you, Mrs. Heatherwood, they sent a boat 
 over from the post a mile farther up-stream. They 
 are sure to find that messenger, if he wants to be 
 found, and I will go or send up there the moment 
 we see them coming back. Will that answer?" 
 
 A shade of deepest disappointment, even of deep 
 distress, swept over her face. "I fear not. He'll 
 never give his letter or messages — to your comrades. 
 Oh, think " But her plea ended abruptly. 
 
 Again from the southern shore rang out the re- 
 port of the rifle. Again the echoes went reverber- 
 ating down from bank to bank, and then gave way to 
 new alarm, for fierce and sudden the crash of a vol- 
 ley of musketry woke the echoes anew, and with 
 blanching face Madam Heatherwood tottered within 
 her threshold, while the Union officer, springing to 
 the bank, went plunging down the steep to join his 
 men. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Again the sun had sunk behind the distant jagged 
 line of heights, its parting rajs thrown aslant 
 through a red-gold haze of dust rising far to the 
 westward beyond dense groves and copses. From 
 somewhere among the trees up-stream along the 
 Virginia shore a heavy cloud of blue-black smoke 
 had risen and hung awhile, then, drifting away be- 
 fore the slow, sluggish breath of the coming night 
 wind, had given place to eddying volumes, pallid 
 and gray, telling that the conflagration had spent 
 its force and that there was nothing left to consume 
 within the ruined walls of some homestead, sacrificed 
 within the hour upon the altar of the god of war. 
 All along the banks of the canal bed little groups 
 of men in Union blue were gazing curiously and ex- 
 citedly across the swirling river. Above at the ferry^ 
 and here underneath the wooded steep on which was 
 perched the old Heatherwood place, the guard still 
 stood in ranks, and among the tents of the !New 
 Hampshire regiment, to the east of the Monocacy,. 
 Colonel Clark still held his strong battalion under 
 arms, awaiting further development from the south- 
 ern shore. Somewhere over there opposite Heather- 
 wood, beyond the thick woods at the sharp bend, 
 
 there had been a savage fight of over ten min- 
 
 67 
 
68 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 utes' duration, — a cavalry affair, undoubtedly, for 
 mounted men in the yellow-laced jackets of Uncle 
 Sam were even now twinkling in and out of the 
 forest aisles, some leading spare horses, some aiding 
 wounded comrades, some riding eagerly down to the 
 water's edge in search of a drink for themselves and 
 their thirsting steeds. Up-stream at the landing the 
 flat ferry-boat was still moored at the Virginia bank, 
 and several of the patrol recently sent across to in- 
 vestigate the cause of the single shots were seen 
 slowly returning, leading with them two or three 
 men in dusty gray, men who limped or faltered pain- 
 fully, and officers on the Maryland shore were curi- 
 ously studying these groups with their field-glasses 
 and commenting on the situation. 
 
 At the ferry. Captain Frisby, whose company was 
 of the guard, had unhesitatingly announced the 
 Union troopers to be men of Hamlin's squadron, 
 the same that appeared to them the evening pre- 
 vious, for he had recognized Hamlin himself, but 
 who on earth were their opponents? The yells that 
 followed the volleying outburst were unmistakable, 
 so were these few uniforms, but Stuart, with his bold 
 column of raiders, was believed to be far away at the 
 moment. Only old "Foul weather," as the troopers 
 designated the field-officer commanding the detach- 
 ment of Union regulars scouting east of the Lou- 
 doun range, was supposed to be in that section of 
 Virginia. Yet the fury and volume of the firing, 
 brief though the engagement had been, and the en- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 69 
 
 thusiasm of the enemy as shown by their exultant 
 yells, were proof enough that Confederate cavalry 
 had managed to force some gap in the screening 
 ridge to the west and come exploring down to the 
 very banks of the Potomac, right here to its sharpest 
 elbow, almost directly opposite the mouth of the 
 Monocacy. 
 
 And old Foulweather had got wind of them only 
 just in time, too. The curtaining ridge lay barely 
 five miles away to the west, and Leesburg, where 
 Bob Hamlin had left his leader on the previous day, 
 could almost be seen from the upper windows of the 
 Heatherwood house, nestling in the heart of the 
 beautifully wooded country just beyond the next 
 great bend of the Potomac, where once more the 
 majestic river swept eastward to the sea. Foul- 
 weather was a weazel who slept, when he deigned 
 to sleep at all, with one eye open and the saddle for 
 a pillow, and Foulweather had need to be alert, for 
 every hamlet in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Fairfax 
 Counties teemed with active sympathizers of the 
 South, women who had given husbands and fathers, 
 sons and brothers, to the cause, and would have 
 given their heart's blood as well. Men there were 
 none left to offer old Foulweather battle, but he 
 would have met them by battalions, single-handed 
 with his own old squadron, rather than a group of 
 those rural Virginia dames, armed only with their 
 wits and tongues. Somewhere among those farms, 
 hamlets, or stately old colonial homesteads there had 
 
70 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 been in hiding ever since Antietam one of the 
 boldest leaders of Virginia horse. Slightly wounded 
 in some cavalry aftair of outposts, he had been left 
 behind when Lee made his first leap into Maryland. 
 A negro bearing letters to him from comrades in the 
 First Virginia Cavalry had been captured by Foul- 
 weather's scouts, but when that burly leader swooped 
 with his squadron on Leesburg and surrounded the 
 home of the young gallant, he found no foeman 
 worthy his steel, and his ears buzzed for hours 
 through the vituperation excited by his unbidden 
 call. Foulweather's temper was never the best, 
 neither was the court language of the old-time dra- 
 goon, and he said things that made Bob Hamlin 
 blush for him, and that disgusted his occasional 
 orderly. Trooper Bell. Foulweather had gone back 
 towards Aldie with most of his force, sending Ham- 
 lin with orders to communicate with the pickets at 
 the Potomac opposite the Monocacy, and then to 
 scout the little valley west of the first range, for 
 Foulweather was bound to capture Captain Fairfax 
 if fighting, scouting, or searching could do it. And 
 even in the midst of his schemings, into the midst of 
 his force, in fact, Captain Fairfax's own troop had 
 burst through Clark's Gap, swept like a whirlwind 
 into Leesburg, followed their guide to within sight 
 and hail of Heatherwood when they found their cap- 
 tain no longer there, and then had been met and grap- 
 pled by Hamlin's squadron, galloping back to inter- 
 cept them, and had stemmed and held and fought it 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 71 
 
 like men until enabled successfully to withdraw, 
 Bob Hamlin storming and old Foulweather swearing 
 at their heels, with only a few prisoners to pay for all 
 their trouble. 
 
 The sounds of strife had died away to the west. 
 The pursuit was feeble, for the Southerners were 
 fresh and few in number, the Union troopers worn 
 with long days and nights of scout and sleeplessness; 
 their horses, too, were "leg weary" and jaded. When 
 darkness settled down and the ferry-boat came drift- 
 ing over with its cargo of wounded prisoners, officers 
 and men intermingled, as was the fashion of the 
 early war days. Colonel Clark's New Hampshire 
 soldiers swarmed along the bank, eager for details 
 of the exciting event. There were nearly a dozen 
 Union troopers shot or sabred. There were only five 
 Virginians in their gray cavalry jackets and gayly 
 plumed hats. Four of these were sabred, one had 
 been dragged by a wounded charger. All were suffer- 
 ing, but all were silent. With a later boat-load came 
 old Foulweather himself, exhausting questions and 
 threats in vain effort to extract from the prisoners 
 information as to whether the dash had been success- 
 ful, whether Captain Fairfax had indeed been found, 
 rescued, and hurried away by his triumphant men. 
 The Virginians grinned, partly from pain, partly 
 from pleasure, and would only say that they believed 
 and would bet the result was all that was hoped for. 
 They couldn't say for sure their beloved captain was 
 actually carried away; they wouldn't say where he 
 
72 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 was in any event. All they agreed upon was the re- 
 mark, extracted from one of their number, "If Cap- 
 tain Fairfax did get away, you'll know it inside of 
 twelve hours, sure as you're born." And this did not 
 comfort Foulweather in the least. 
 
 An ugly man in his talk was Foulweather, as has 
 been said, and he was the madder for being tricked, 
 baffled, and outdone by that little troop of Vir- 
 ginians. Knowing every bridle-path and rabbit- 
 track, these natives had easily evaded his patrols and 
 scouts, had taken prompt advantage of the splitting 
 up of his command, and had swooped down from the 
 heights the moment he and Hamlin had, between 
 them, uncovered the ground they sought to pene- 
 trate. Only by chance did Hamlin get word of the 
 dash, and, wheeling about, had headed for Leesburg 
 at the trot, sending couriers 'cross country to his 
 superior, urging that Foulweather cover all the roads 
 to the Gaps and thus cut off the Confederates' re- 
 treat, while he, Hamlin, attacked them in front when 
 found. He found them several miles nearer and 
 many minutes sooner than he expected, and got a 
 volley before the melee of the charge that followed. 
 
 Hamlin had brawn and grit, discipline and num- 
 bers to oppose to the daring and enthusiasm of 
 Southerners fighting on their own soil, and speedily 
 bore them back. But when he had them fairly 
 headed for the Heights again, and rejoiced at 
 thought of the trap into which he was driving them, 
 Iq! Foulweather came lumbering up from the south 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 73 
 
 to join in the pursuit, having followed the enemy's 
 trail rather than a comrade's advice. And so the 
 chance was lost. A single troop of Virginia horse 
 had dared and outwitted three squadrons of regular 
 cavalry. Xo wonder Foulweather said and Hamlin 
 thought unpublishable things. But while Foul- 
 weather audibly damned his luck, Hamlin silently 
 damned his chief, and with better right. One thing 
 was certain, Foulweather had not found Fairfax; 
 the Confederates probably had, and this was the re- 
 sult of his communication to Colonel Clark when the 
 two detachment commanders met as the tattoo drums 
 were beating along the Potomac, while up on the 
 bluff, at the Heatherwood place, two hearts were 
 beating harder still, those of Belle Heatherwood and 
 her patrician mother. 
 
 j^ot a light was visible in the old Maryland man- 
 sion when, towards ten o'clock. Lieutenant Homans 
 climbed the narrow pathway, piloting a puffing and 
 much-disgusted major of Union cavalry, who never 
 appeared to good advantage out of his proper sphere, 
 the saddle. Behind them trailed an adjutant and a 
 brace of orderlies. Once clear of the shrubbery, the 
 Xew Hampshire lieutenant stood well out on the 
 lawn, pointed to the ghostly white columns of the 
 portico and the dim fagade behind them, unbroken 
 by the twinkle of a solitary candle. 
 
 "You can see for yourself, sir, they're all gone to 
 bed, and I don't like to disturb them now." 
 
 Foulweather came panting to his side, spread his 
 
74 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 booted legs well apart, braced his gauntlets on his 
 hips, and gazed. Presently his adjutant followed, 
 a tall young man, who seemed out of place in the 
 clerical-looking frock coat of the day, and had little 
 of the dragoon about him in form, face, or manner, 
 and then the orderlies, and all stood and waited for 
 the major to open his oracular lips. Foul weather 
 continued to breathe hard and stare about him a few 
 minutes, and finally said, "You know the way. Go 
 and knock at the door." 
 
 Lieutenant Ilomans drew back in apparent dis- 
 tress. "Of course I'll do it if you say so," he hesi- 
 tatingly said, and it was evident that the young sol- 
 dier had been too short a time at the front to learn 
 much of the realities of war, "but I don't like waking 
 people up who have had so much trouble. It seems 
 mean, somehow." 
 
 "It's business, all the same," was the gruff answer. 
 "I've got to see that old lady before she's a night 
 older. So bang away." 
 
 For a moment Mr. Homans looked irresolutely 
 into the grim features of the veteran regular, then 
 slowly turned from him and tiptoed his way along 
 the worn gravel path and up the low flight of steps, 
 as though reluctant to make the faintest noise until 
 compelled to wake the echoes with the old-fashioned 
 brass knocker. The field-officer slowly and bulkily 
 strode across the lawn, and then with his eyes upon 
 the dark windows, his hands braced on his hips and 
 his sabre trailing, he again planted his sturdy legs 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 75 
 
 wide apart and awaited results. Behind him in 
 silence the tall young subaltern and the two cavalry 
 orderlies ranged themselves and listened. The night 
 was still and starlit. Sounds of soldier song and 
 mirth had come floating up on the soft night wind 
 but a few minutes before from the camp-fires up- 
 stream, but now the signal for lights out and silence 
 had been sounded and even the distant bay of watch- 
 dog had died away. A lone whip-poor-will earlier 
 in the evening had piped its plaintive song from the 
 forest depths across the waters, but had tired of its 
 unsupported eifort and apparently dozed to sleep. 
 Far over towards Frederick Junction the rumble of 
 heavy freight trains could be dimly heard, telling 
 that the rents and breaks torn by Stuart's raiding 
 troopers had been repaired, and that supplies were 
 again being trundled to the front. Somewhere, 
 closer at hand, the muffled stamp of horses' hoofs 
 was heard on hollow wooden flooring, and Homans 
 whispered explanation as they climbed the path to- 
 gether. There was a superannuated steed belonging 
 to the estate that dozed and dreamed about the 
 orchard by day and was stabled in the mouldering 
 barn by night. 
 
 And just as Homans disappeared into the shadow 
 of the portico, still tiptoeing, the muffled stamp was 
 heard again, and all of a sudden, as though in eager 
 answer, or equally eager inquiry for a night's lodg- 
 ing, from somewhere over among the dim slopes and 
 night shades at the east, came the shrill neigh of a 
 
76 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 tired horse, — a sound stifled almost as suddenly' as it 
 began; and it was this abrupt stop rather than the 
 neigh itself that caused old Foulweather to turn 
 sharply to the east, mutter, "Hullo, what's that?" 
 and then, in loud stage whisper, to call to Homans, 
 "Hold on! hold on! don't knock." 
 
 Then tiptoeing in turn, the veteran picked up his 
 sabre and hastened over the dew-laden turf towards 
 the hedge, dimly visible beyond the winding car- 
 riage-road that circled the eastward gable end of the 
 house. Close to the hedge he halted, peered over, 
 and listened attentively. Noiselessly his little party 
 followed him, Homans coming last of all, and by the 
 time he reached the others the sound of a horse's 
 hoofs was distinctly audible, and that horse was com- 
 ing swiftly up the road that wound through the 
 groves and fields rolling away northeastward under 
 the shining stars. 
 
 "Follow me," whispered the major, as he turned 
 quickly towards an old gate-way that stood bowered 
 in vines and shrubbery a dozen yards away. "We 
 must halt that fellow as he comes through." 
 
 The gate stood wide open. Not for months had it 
 swung on its rusty hinges. Beyond it lay the wind- 
 ing road, dark and sombre and overarched by luxu- 
 riant foliage only just beginning to thin at the touch 
 of the autumn frosts. Almost like a huge letter S 
 the road twisted through the trees, sloping to the 
 level of the northward valley, and when first heard 
 the hoof-beats came from the outermost sweep. Now 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 77 
 
 as tlfcv listened tlie coming steed could more plainly 
 be heard, the hoofs, occasionally striking some loose 
 stone, beating on the second curve of the roadway. 
 One more complete turn, and, though dim and 
 shadowy, the unlooked for visitor would be close at 
 hand. They heard the hoof -beats quicken an instant, 
 as though responsive to impatient touch of spur or 
 jerk of rein. 
 
 "He's just at the turn now," whispered Homans. 
 "He'll be here in a second." But the second, ten 
 seconds, twenty seconds came and no horse, no rider, 
 no further sound. !N^ot fifty yards away they had 
 plainly heard those hoof -beats, and now a silence un- 
 broken by even rustling leaf had fallen on the night. 
 
 "He's halted there at the other turn," whispered 
 the old officer. "Is he reconnoitring, do you 
 think?" Iso one could suggest an explanation. 
 
 "Keep in the deep shadows each side of the road 
 and follow me," whispered Foul weather. "Not a 
 sound now," he continued, and out through the 
 broad gate-way groped the little party, down the 
 first stretch of the S to the northward, around the 
 turn that bent the roadway again to the south. 
 There it emerged from the grove and lay bordered 
 by slopes only sparsely dotted by little fruit-trees, 
 and not a vestige was there of horse or horseman. 
 Bending low, Foulweather struck a match, and the 
 feeble flame suddenly broadened and illumined the 
 roadway. 
 
 "See!" said he, in excitement; "see! here and 
 
78 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 here, — fresh hoof-tracks all going up, not a sign of 
 one going down. He's left the road between this 
 and the gate, bj God! Where's he gone to?" 
 
 "To the barn, most like," said Mr. Homans, 
 solemnly, "There's a path around back of the house 
 and a gap through the fence. It's shorter than 
 through the main gate." 
 
 "Lead on, then, and be quick, if you know the 
 way," was the old officer's order. And now, follow- 
 ing the tall, lanky New-Englander, away went the 
 four, silent, excited, alert, Homans, at least, with an 
 uneasy feeling at heart. Ever since his coming the 
 place had been free from marauders, and not until 
 to-day had a mounted officer or orderly appeared. 
 True, there were pickets on every road leading to the 
 quiet, solemn old place, and current rumor had it 
 that Madam Heatherwood, despite the espousal of 
 the Southern cause by every able-bodied man of her 
 name or tribe, had powerful friends at court in 
 Washington, — friends whose influence with the War 
 Office had placed her and her property under the 
 protection of the Union arms, even to the extent of 
 giving aid and comfort to her stricken son and his 
 fiery cousin Tighlman, — friends who had served 
 with her gallant husband in the Mexican War, and 
 had vainly sought to pull her boy through the 
 scrapes that wound up his career at West Point, 
 where he wore the gray and bell buttons only long 
 enough to get grounded in the soldier art and 
 stranded in mathematics and discipline. Camp talk 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 79 
 
 had it that "Little Mac" himself, en route to Cramp- 
 ton's Gap, had ridden far from the bee-line to say a 
 word of kindness to the anxious mother, and certain 
 it was that Colonel Clark had received strict orders 
 to protect her household against stragglers of every 
 kind, even while remembering that her roof was the 
 shelter of Confederate officers, wounded in battle 
 against the national flag. "Yet here," said Homans 
 to himself, "a horseman comes riding in from the 
 north at night, and has taken what only an intimate 
 could have chosen, a practically invisible by-path to 
 the stables." And up to that very afternoon no 
 horseman had appeared about the place since he was 
 placed in command of the little guard under the 
 bluff, not a week before. Then came that handsome, 
 distinguished aide-de-camp of General Hooker's, a 
 cavalry officer and probably a regular. Homans had 
 well-nigh forgotten him in the excitement conse- 
 quent upon the rattling cavalry skirmish over on the 
 southern shore. And now there came another, and 
 one who must have had authority to pass the pickets. 
 
 Pondering these things in mind, the lieutenant led 
 the way up the winding ascent among the trees, fol- 
 lowing a narrow and almost unseen path, the cavalry 
 commander, sorely tired from his long hours of scout 
 and vigil, panting at his heels, the rest stringing out 
 in single file behind. Through a gap in the fence 
 they stumbled into the barn-yard, then paused to 
 listen. 
 
 Somebody was moving about in the barn, and a 
 
80 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 faint light was shining through a started seam. 
 Whoever it was, he had come at least five minutes 
 ahead of his pursuers, enough to unsaddle and stable 
 his horse, for before they had fully recovered breath 
 after their climb, the light was extinguished and 
 they heard the barn door close. 
 
 "Come on," whispered Foulweather, as he plucked 
 Homans by the sleeve. "I must see who this is and 
 where he goes." 
 
 Noiselessly as possible the party pushed on 
 through the roomy barn-yard, Homans leading the 
 way. No sentries, either by night or day, were 
 posted on the height itself. Homans's little detach- 
 ment down by the canal kept two posts occupied at 
 all times, one of them at the southern gate-way to 
 the estate, where an old, almost unused road 
 branched off from the main drive and led down 
 through a thickly wooded ravine to the edge of the 
 canal. It was by this route, probably, that Ho- 
 mans's mounted visitor. Captain Belden, had 
 reached him that afternoon. But the drive itself 
 circled around to the north through the grounds of 
 the beautiful old estate and joined the highway in 
 the valley of the Monocacy after passing through a 
 gate-way at the northward limit of the Heatherwood 
 possessions. Here a post was maintained by the 
 pickets of the New Hampshire men, and these two 
 gate-ways were the only practical approaches to the 
 mansion for parties either driving or riding, for walls 
 of stone or high picket-fences surrounded it on every 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 81 
 
 side. All this Ilomans explained in whispered words 
 to his crusty superior, as they cautiously approached 
 the big house, Avending their way through a laby- 
 rinth of wooden sheds and quarters and outbuildings 
 until presently the leaders found themselves at 
 another fence and a little gate-way leading to the 
 garden at the west side of the mansion; and there 
 they halted, for a light suddenly appeared at an 
 upper window, the casement was thrown open, and 
 a slender form, a graceful, willowy, womanly form, 
 leaned out into the night. 
 
 "Who is it?" they heard her whisper to some un- 
 seen visitor, shrouded in the black shadows of the 
 house. 
 
 The words of the answer were indistinguishable. 
 The low voice was that of a man, an American, the 
 intonation that of a gentleman, and all was evidently 
 satisfactory. "Open quickly," was all that the lis- 
 teners below could hear, when the form disappeared 
 from the upper window and the light came dancing 
 down the stairway to the lower floor, gleaming from 
 window to window. 
 
 "Who was that?" whispered Foulweather. 
 
 "One of the ladies," answered Homans, unwilling 
 to mention names, even then, and struggling with a 
 feeling of shame at the idea of his even accidentally 
 keeping watch on a womap's movements. Before 
 the cavalry ofiicer could ask another question there 
 was a sound of sliding bolts; a door opened at the 
 back of the house, and there, with welcome shining 
 
82 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 in her eyes, despite the anxiety in her face, — there, 
 holding high aloft her candle, stood the fair 
 daughter of the old house of Heatherwood, and there 
 sprang up the steps, bearing on his arm an officer's 
 saddle and housing, a tall, athletic, finely built fel- 
 low in the uniform of a captain. The door closed 
 behind him the instant he was admitted, and Foul- 
 weather turned quickly on his guide and grasped 
 him by the arm. 
 
 "Did you recognize that man? Have you ever 
 seen him before?" he asked, with almost fiery eager- 
 ness. "Speak, man, quick!" 
 
 "I do, yes," was the slow response. "I saw him 
 to-day for the first time, and didn't look to see him 
 here again, this night at least." 
 
 "But his name. "Who do you say he is?" de- 
 manded Foulweather, and ITomans noted with sur- 
 prise that the big, gauntleted hand was trembling. 
 
 "AVell, the name he gave me," answered the lieu- 
 tenant, with the caution of the New-Englander, 
 "was Grosvenor Belden, captain on General Hooker's 
 stafl:"." 
 
 "And he was here? You saw him? — talked with 
 him here to-day? — you could swear to it?" persisted 
 the veteran, his face working strangely, his grasp on 
 the lieutenant's arm increasing in force. 
 
 "Why, certainly, major, if need be, though I don't 
 know anything out of the way about him." 
 
 "J^Tever mind that. You saw him and talked with 
 him, — can identify him as the same man we saw 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 83 
 
 enter here to-night. That's what I want to know. 
 You can do that, can vou, and some other man in 
 your command? Did any one else see him, — here, 
 I mean?" 
 
 "Why, yes, sir, Reuben Pettingill, of my com- 
 pany, he was the first to see him up here, talking 
 with Miss Heatherwood, just before the captain rode 
 away, just a while before the firing began over 
 across the creek," faltered Homans, fearful now of 
 some lapse of vigilance to be laid at his door, and 
 wondering what might come next. 
 
 lor a moment there was an impressive pause. 
 Foulweather was breathing hard and excitedly. 
 Finally he spoke. "Mr. Wilson," he said, in solemn 
 tones, to the tall subaltern, "I expect you to remem- 
 ber every word of this and to keep it sacred, to speak 
 of it to no one until called upon officially, and then 
 to bear witness that you saw an officer enter the 
 Heatherwood house by the back way and through 
 some understanding or arrangement with its occu- 
 pants, at nearly eleven o'clock this night, and that 
 Lieutenant Homans, officer of the guard, declared 
 him to be the same man who was here earlier this 
 afternoon when that rebel troop of cavalry came 
 down right opposite here, and were beaten back by 
 my command" (Hamlin's command, thought Mr. 
 Wilson to himself), "and that Mr. Homans declared 
 the officer to be Captain Grosvenor Belden, of Gen- 
 eral Hooker's staff. Remember it, sir, and be ready 
 to testify to it when you are called upon, and not 
 before." 
 
CHAPTEE Y. 
 
 Another October day had dawned, crisp and 
 sparkling. The slanting sunshine touched the frosty 
 rime that coated leaf and twig and homely fence-rail 
 and distant steeple, and tiny fires blazed from every 
 surface, yellow, red, and blue, like the flashes from 
 pigmy brilliants. Over the emptied bed of the 
 canal and the shallows in the stream where the 
 waters rolled in sluggish flood the mist rose in fleecy 
 clouds, while the little cook-fires in the clustering 
 camps above the sharp elbow sent the smoke straight 
 rising towards the sky. Down along the worn tow- 
 path at the left bank of the river groups of men in 
 light-blue overcoats were sipping from tins of soldier 
 coffee, and nibbling at the morning hardtack, while 
 the sound of jovial chat and laughter rang cheerily 
 from shore to shore. Up on the height at Heather- 
 wood all was silence and inaction, save where sentries 
 were slowly pacing up and down in front, in rear, 
 and at the flanks, wondering what on earth it meant 
 that after midnight they should have been routed 
 from their blankets and set to guarding premises 
 where the only guards posted hitherto were there to 
 warn them off, and what it meant now that they 
 should refuse egress to any member of that exclusive 
 household. 
 
 84 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 85 
 
 Soon after sunrise old Foulweather, refreshed by 
 forty winks of sleep and as many drops of rye, had 
 ridden half-way up the road with Colonel Clark and 
 held brief parley with an officer stationed there with 
 a guard of a dozen men, and received assurance that 
 not a soul had issued from the house except one old, 
 yawning darky, who seemed amazed and affrighted 
 at being halted by a sentry in blue and ordered to 
 explain his mission. "Only going to the barn to feed 
 and water ole Mistis' pet ole hoss;" and when a ser- 
 geant escorted him thither and pointed out to him a 
 second charger, an active little bay, eager for break- 
 fast and friendly hands, the veteran servitor declared 
 himself unable to account for the presence at all, 
 and swore the horse, the halter, the cavalry blanket 
 were utterly strange to him. Questioned as to the 
 arrival of an officer during the night, the negro 
 vowed that so far as he knew no one had been there 
 since the officer gentleman that rode away the pre- 
 vious afternoon. "Marse Belden," he heard him 
 called, and this wasn't his horse at all. All this was 
 duly reported to both Colonel Clark and the cavalry 
 field-officer, between whom it seems there had been 
 a row during the still watches of the night. 
 
 Men of totally different mould were they. Foul- 
 weather a typical specimen of the old-time Mexican 
 War dragoon, or later rollicking Rifleman of the 
 Santa Fe trail, steeped in traditions of the frontier, 
 a fellow who had known no home but camp or 
 bivouac for a dozen years, blunt, butt-headed, inde- 
 
86 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 pendent, hard riding, hard swearing, hard drinking, 
 with stomach copper-lined apparently, through some 
 occult electro process that coated the mucous mem- 
 brane with the metal of the still and colored his bat- 
 tered visage with the hues of Monongahela. Daring 
 riding and swordsmanship when he charged the guns 
 with Charley May at Resaca and later sabred a path 
 through the Pedregal had won him the notice of men 
 like Scott and Taylor, a commission in the new regi- 
 ment of Mounted Rifles, and promotion to a cap- 
 taincy before the war, a war he fondly supposed 
 could be properly handled and finally won only by 
 men of "the old service," irrespective of the fact 
 that so many of them had taken sides with the South. 
 To him there were never again to be soldiers like 
 unto Scott, Worth, and Taylor, Twiggs, Sumner, 
 and Harney. A general officer in his eyes was 
 hedged in with divinity, until he saw the crop of re- 
 cently appointed one wonderful day at Willard's in 
 the summer of '61. If such specimens, men who 
 never had set squadron in the field, and some of 
 whom probably never would, could wear the sash 
 and stars of generals, what might not such as he 
 aspire to? Foul weather applied for a brigadier-gen- 
 eralship of volunteers on the spot, was amazed that 
 he didn't get it, was disgusted to read of dozens of 
 hitherto unheard-of citizens who seemed to have 
 no difficulty whatever, and was torn with jealous 
 misery when the honor was conferred on fellow-cap- 
 tains in the line, men whom he had known as sub- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 87 
 
 alterns from Palo Alto to Buena Vista, and later on 
 the march of conquest to the city of Mexico, later 
 still in long weary months and years of exile in 
 Arizona, New Mexico, and over the Plains. He 
 raved so rabidly at their preferment and his o\vn re- 
 tention as an humble field-officer that, officers and 
 men alike, the troopers had begun to speak of him as 
 "The General." As for his real name, one might 
 have served a year in the Army of the Potomac and 
 never heard it, for to every man in the regular 
 service he was knowna only as Foulweather, and the 
 volunteers were not slow to see the point and follow 
 suit. 
 
 But a stanch old fighter was Foulweather. Kone 
 could deny that. It was his luck, however, to lead 
 into mischief far more often than to victory. He 
 was perpetually charging stone walls, strong posi- 
 tions, heavier forces, and only getting out by the 
 skin of his teeth. He was simply fun for Stuart's 
 light-horsemen, who knew him well, and loved to 
 trick him, and he would rather be riddled following 
 
 , his own devices than ride to glory on the advice of 
 another man. 
 
 And now, failing to nab Captain Fairfax over on 
 
 / the Southern shore, and learning from Lieutenant 
 Hamlin that there were reasons for believing that 
 daring and popular Virginian had managed in some 
 way and for some purposes of his own to run over 
 into ^Maryland, Major Foulweather had come to im- 
 part his views and suspicions to Colonel Clark; had 
 
88 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 received that officer's reluctant consent to make a 
 personal reconnoissance of the Heatherwood place, 
 and had discovered, as he believed, evidence that a 
 certain prominent and distinguished young officer of 
 the regular cavalry, serving temporarily on the staff 
 of General Hooker, was holding secret communica- 
 tion with the inmates of the old mansion, while they 
 in turn were in direct and stealthy correspondence 
 with the enemy. He had roused Clark at midnight 
 and demanded authority to take a company of 
 Clark's regiment, his own men being now away 
 beyond the Kittoctons, and rouse the household, and 
 had run upon a man he could neither blind nor 
 bully. 
 
 A typical specimen of the volunteer officer of the 
 best class was Clark, a man who fervently loved his 
 country, feared God, hated slavery, and clearly saw 
 that the triumph of the South meant the dissolution 
 of the Union, — the ruin of the great republic. He 
 was a student, a thinker, a patriot, and a worker. 
 He had inherited little from his father beyond 
 Yankee grit and the sword he wore in 1812. Self- 
 educated, Clark had supported his mother and sis- 
 ters while he studied law. His youth was one of 
 stern self-abnegation, his young manhood of patient 
 toil and trial. Not until he was nearly forty did 
 modest competence come to bless his labors, and by 
 that time, with a little home and household of his 
 own, a man of mark in the beautiful New Hamp- 
 shire valley where he had spent his years, he was 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 89 
 
 serving in the Senate of his State, practising law, 
 and looking after the business interests of some 
 wealthy clients in the large cities who had invest- 
 ments in his neighborhood, when Lincoln was 
 elected and the South took fire. Clark's few speeches 
 in the Senate that winter and at the town meetings 
 when the news of Sumter came made him a leader. 
 But Clark held that example was worth more than 
 precept, and he enlisted in the first company raised 
 in the shadows of Monadnock. They elected him 
 captain, and he refused, saying he had no experience 
 and must learn like the rest. Whereupon the com- 
 mand was tendered a veteran of the Mexican War, 
 who held it as far as Washington only. Brains, study, 
 and common sense did more for Clark than war ex- 
 periences, or a reputation for them, had done for the 
 original commander. The Yankee lawyer, obser- 
 vant, silent, went about from camp to camp, watch- 
 ing the mannerisms and methods of the officers 
 whom he heard described, in the soldier slang of the 
 day, as "lightning." He looked after the diet of his 
 men, the police of their camps, the care of their 
 clothing, shoes, and feet. There were notable drill- 
 masters and tacticians in the division to which he 
 was assigned, and them he watched and followed, 
 "Hardee" in hand, hours at a time, then went back 
 to his tall Xew-Englanders and patiently explained 
 and exhorted to them. Before ever they got to the 
 peninsula Clark was acknowledged to be the brainiest 
 lieutenant in the regiment. The colonel had a spat 
 
90 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 with his adjutant and offered the place to Clark, and 
 Clark said he'd do the duty provided he could stick 
 to his company too, whereby he learned the ways of 
 both offices. Then the Mexican War captain fell 
 before the breastworks of Willard's Bar, a vacancy 
 was declared, and this time Clark did not decline the 
 captaincy tendered by unanimous vote. At Savage 
 Station the untried regiment staggered under a ter- 
 rific fire, and lost heavily in ofiicers and men. Clark, 
 shot through the sword-arm, led on with the other, 
 and though seniors stood to the right and left of him 
 in the battle-line, it was his voice, somehow, that 
 steadied the men. It was his splendid courage and 
 example that restored hope and pluck to the 
 blanched and bewildered faces, that far and near 
 seemed to turn towards the bearded leader of the 
 Monadnocks. Kearny at Seven Pines dashed up to 
 him on foaming horse, spit out "the reins in his 
 teeth," and held forth "the one hand still left," 
 shouting, "By God! sir, what's your name? I'm 
 proud to have such a fellow in my division." And 
 so when Clark went home more seriously wounded 
 after Malvern, his fame had preceded him, and New 
 Hampshire sent him back to the front in the fall of 
 '62, a veteran tried, at the head of a new regiment 
 that bade fair to do as well as did the old. Given 
 native common sense, a legal education, habits of 
 thought and command and one year's experience in 
 the Army of the Potomac, and the possessor was 
 more than a match for any case-hardened old dra- 
 
I 
 
 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 91 
 
 goon whose best days had been frittered away in a 
 desolate land. Foulweather thought to carry his point 
 in one impetuous dash, but was brought up standing 
 in the initial charge. Then he started to storm and 
 swear. Colonel Clark calmly suggested that he was 
 talking to a superior officer, and would better con- 
 serve his own interests by expressing his ideas in 
 courteous language. Clark as calmly told the irate 
 veteran that his orders were to permit no one to dis- 
 turb Mrs. Heatherwood, and that, had the major 
 knocked up the household at night, as it seems the 
 major thought of doing, it would have been his, 
 Colonel Clark's, painful duty to place the major 
 under arrest. Foulweather was thunderstruck, but 
 had sense to see that Clark had law and orders both 
 on his side. All he could persuade the colonel to 
 do was to post the guard about the house with in- 
 structions to allow no one to leave or enter until ex- 
 amined, and Foulweather had more than sufficient 
 reason for desiring to nab Captain Belden of the 
 Union cavalry in just such a predicament as this. 
 
 Belden was a man beloved in the army. Gradu- 
 ated from the Point but a few years gone by, he had 
 risen rapidly to a captaincy when by dozens the 
 Southern officers took their leave. It had taken 
 Foulweather ten years to get his double bars, but 
 he had been rushed through to the majority within 
 the year of the outbreak of the war. Belden and he 
 both commanded squadrons in the spring of '62, and 
 Belden was as brilliant and successful, despite his 
 
92 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 youth, as Fonlweather was blundering. Then came 
 an untoward incident just before Gaines's Mill. 
 Foulweather was a hard hitter and hater; Belden a 
 chivalric foe. The former believed in nothing short 
 of annihilation for the enemy; the latter had many 
 a friend, classmate, even relative, in the Southern 
 lines, and, though loyal to the backbone, dutiful and 
 devoted, he could not stomach Foulweather's descrip- 
 tives when, one evening at the camp-fire, Stuart's 
 cavalry were under discussion, and frankly told the 
 major so. These were days when the code still held 
 good in the old dragoon regiments and was well 
 recognized throughout the cavalry. Foulweather 
 turned on the younger officer with personal abuse, 
 and got an instant and stinging retort. A veteran 
 cavalry colonel promptly stopped the quarrel, but 
 when Belden's challenge was borne to Foulweather 
 on the following day, he refused it, to the scandal 
 of his fellows. Then came the mad charge at 
 Gaines's Mill, that emptied so many a saddle and 
 consolidated four squadrons into three, and there 
 Foulweather fought and swore too well to be kept in 
 Coventry. Belden had meantime been ordered to 
 staff duty, as the best means of separating them, and 
 the matter might have been dropped and forgotten 
 but for two things, — one was Foulweather's impla- 
 cable jealousy, and the other the fact that Captain 
 Belden had later been ordered to Washington to ex- 
 plain to the iron War Secretary allegations affecting 
 his loyalty- He stood accused of holding corre- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 93 
 
 spondence with certain officers of the Virginia 
 cavalry, notably Captain Fairfax and Ealph Heather- 
 wood. It came just in time to knock him out of the 
 colonelcy of a crack cavalry regiment being raised 
 in Pennsylvania, for Stanton was inexorable. In- 
 deed, nothing but the vehement testimony of gen- 
 erals like Hooker and Kearny saved him from con- 
 sequences far more serious, for the cavalry had few 
 friends so early in the war. Belden had known 
 Fairfax well in the old regiment, had met him and 
 Ileatherwood under flag of truce in '61, and had 
 met them cordially for reasons he would stoop 
 neither to extenuate nor explain, beyond the mere 
 statement that under the white flag soldiers dropped 
 the sword. The "Iron Secretary" bade him go back 
 to duty and remember that he rode with a rope 
 around his neck, and Belden, raging at heart at the 
 injury done him, nevertheless had to confine his pro- 
 tests to calm and respectful words. Stern discipline 
 demanded of him every show of subordination to the 
 inflexible chief of the War Department, who refused 
 him all knowledge of his accuser, but Belden felt 
 beyond all doubt that Foulweather was the man, and 
 longed for opportunity to redress his wrongs. 
 
 In no happy mood this gifted officer then had re- 
 joined General Hooker in time for Antietam. "Only 
 be patient and attend strictly to your duties," wrote 
 a friend at court, "and even Stanton can't be proof 
 against such praise as you're sure to get, but he has 
 so many cases of disaffection and even disloyalty to 
 
94 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 deal with that if you were here you wouldn't won- 
 der." Belden chafed at thought of the loss of that 
 splendid regiment, but his chief consoled him with 
 a promise that it could not be long before there 
 would come another opportunity. "Only," said he, 
 "keep away from that — possibility." And when 
 Belden demanded to know what was meant by "that 
 possibility," the general gave him to understand that 
 it was current rumor in the cavalry that he had been 
 a devotee of Miss Heatherwood while in Xew York 
 the winter before the war, and, to that fighting com- 
 mander's comfort and surprise. Captain Belden 
 promptly answered, "General Hooker, I never met 
 Miss Heatherwood in my life." 
 
 And so it happened soon after this time that Foul- 
 weather was given to understand, in response to 
 urgent inquiries of his own, that his application for 
 a brigade had not been favorably considered, and the 
 story went the rounds in the old regiment that the 
 spectacled monarch, whom few of the officers had 
 ever seen, sent for Foulweather as he passed through 
 Washington and gave him a terrific wigging about 
 something, and there were some who guessed it was 
 because of baseless reports he had made concerning 
 Belden. At all events, having injured Belden in the 
 first place, true to human nature, Foulweather hated 
 him now, and prayed for a chance to prove his words. 
 !N'o wonder then he was nearly mad with excite- 
 ment over the revelations of the officer of the guard, 
 — that Captain Belden was actually here, here at 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 95 
 
 Heatherwood, and in close communion with the 
 enemy after all. 
 
 It was the possession of this piece of presumptive 
 evidence that nerved him, therefore, to his final de- 
 mand of the New Hampshire colonel. 
 
 ''You have treated me with small consideration in 
 this matter. Colonel Clark," said he. "Your rank in 
 the volunteers may outweigh my fifteen years' ex- 
 perience in the regulars in your opinion, but when 
 you see why I insisted on that guard you will change 
 your tune." Then turning to the officer who still 
 stood at the roadside, silently wondering what was 
 to be the upshot of all this mysterious posting of 
 sentries and questioning, Foulweather asked, in civil 
 tone, that he accompany them up to the mansion, as 
 he desired to see the new arrival on important busi- 
 ness. The lieutenant hesitated and glanced at his 
 colonel. 
 
 "There will be no objection to your doing so a lit- 
 tle later, major," said the commanding officer, some- 
 what coldly, "but as I think I told you last night, 
 Mrs. Heatherwood's household is under our protec- 
 tion for the time being, and I am ordered not to 
 allow her to be disturbed." 
 
 "That means robbed or maltreated, Colonel 
 Clark," out-spoke the major, angrily. "It isn't pos- 
 sible that the Secretary of War can have given 
 orders that a house where rebels are harbored and 
 where treason is plotted day and night is never to be 
 inspected, especially when at this moment I know or 
 
96 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 believe it to be visited by an officer of the regular 
 cavalry, who has only recently been reprimanded 
 by the Secretary himself for sympathizing with this 
 very family and other prominent rebels. What's 
 more, he has been warned officially to keep away 
 from there, and he's here in direct violation of those 
 orders." 
 
 But Clark was imperturbable. "I happen to 
 know," said he, "that the Secretary of War considers 
 Mrs. Heatherwood a woman deserving of great con- 
 sideration, despite the fact of her son's being in the 
 Confederate service, and as for visitors, only one 
 officer has been reported by my pickets as visiting 
 Heatherwood within the last twenty-four hours. He 
 bore the personal order of General Hooker, whom 
 he started to rejoin yesterday afternoon." 
 
 "Yes," said Foul weather, eagerly, "and his name 
 was ? 
 
 "Belden — Captain Belden, I believe, though I 
 had not the honor of meeting him. It seems he rode 
 uj) to my tent just after the fight began yesterday 
 afternoon, then went on up the river." 
 
 "The very man!" exclaimed Foul weather, 
 eagerly; "and, so far from returning to General 
 Hooker, he is at this moment under that roof, and I 
 mean to prove it. Ask your pickets at the main 
 gate who it was that rode in at eleven o'clock last 
 night, and " 
 
 A sergeant who had stood silently by listening 
 with keen interest to the exciting talk, stepped 
 quickly forward. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 97 
 
 "/ was there, colonel, from ten till after midnight, 
 and there wasn't a soul came in or went out either." 
 
 "I was on the bluff yonder with Lieutenant Ho- 
 mans, of your own regiment. My adjutant, Mr. Wil- 
 son, was with me, and two orderlies," answered 
 Foulweather, angrily. "We distinctly heard him 
 coming up the road. We tracked him to the barn 
 and saw him enter the house, and your own officer 
 recognized and declared him to be the same Captain 
 Belden that passed his post down on the other side 
 of the place yesterday afternoon. If he didn't come 
 through the gate it was because he dared not be seen 
 by the guard, because he came by stealth, because he 
 knew some gap in the fence or hedge as he did the 
 secret path through the shrubbery, a short cut to the 
 barn. I tell you. Colonel Clark, that officer is here, 
 after having reported to your guard that he was on 
 his way to Harper's Ferry. Send for Lieutenant 
 Homans if you need confirmation, and I demand 
 the right to call him to account." 
 
 For a moment Clark pondered deeply. There was 
 indeed something perplexing in the situation. Then 
 he spoke. "I will ride around to the canal and ques- 
 tion Homans," said he. "I can do that much quicker 
 than have him come here. If his report tally with 
 yours, there will certainly be something to investi- 
 gate in Captain Belden's conduct, but not necessarily 
 in Mrs. Heatherwood's. Will you ride, sir, or do you 
 prefer to wait?" 
 
 "I'll join the officer of the guard in a cup of that 
 
98 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 coffee," said the major, sniffing eagerly at the aroma 
 that arose from a little cook-fire under the trees, and, 
 dismounting, he tossed the reins to his orderly and 
 straddled bulkily away over the tangled turf to join 
 the squad of blue-coats, that welcomed him none too 
 cordially. It was not music to their ears that an old 
 regular should differ with their hero and com- 
 mander, 
 
 Not five minutes after Clark had gone his way, 
 and while the major was sipping at a fragrant tin of 
 the comforting fluid, a corporal came running down 
 the winding road. 
 
 "Lieutenant," said he, never pausing for cere- 
 mony, "there's a cavalry fellow just come out of the 
 house. He's raising hell because we won't let him 
 have his horse." 
 
 "Here, orderly, quick!" called Foulweather, to 
 the trooper who stood with dangling reins, as the 
 horses cropped away at the grass. "Which side is 
 your cavalry fellow?" he continued, as he set foot 
 in stirrup and swung into saddle. 
 
 "West side, sir, next to the barn." 
 
 "Come on, Wilson," called Foulweather to his 
 adjutant, who was chatting with the New Hamp- 
 shire officer a little distance away, and on he went, 
 spluttering up the pathway through the shrubbery 
 he had followed afoot the night before. At the 
 barn-yard he was overtaken by his staff-officer, and 
 together they spurred through, twisting and turning 
 among the out-buildings until suddenly they came 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 99 
 
 to the negro quarters in rear of the house, and there, 
 looking embarrassed and worried, stood a tall New 
 Hampshire lad, in the dress and equipments of the 
 sentinel, holding converse with a tall, trim built, 
 natty looking private of cavalry, in battered forage- 
 cap with upturned visor, in snug-fitting, high-col- 
 lared, yellow-trimmed jacket, in light-blue breeches 
 and well-made boots and gauntlets, with black belts, 
 carbine, sabre, and revolver, a McClellan saddle 
 and bags on his arm, and a look of disgust on his 
 face, a look that suddenly gave way to one of sur- 
 prise and dismay, as he caught sight of the coming 
 party. 
 
 Instantly his heels clicked together, and he stood 
 at attention as the leading horseman came trotting 
 up and, after one astonished glance in the trooper's 
 face, exclaimed, — 
 
 ^'Bell ! Why, — what in hell are you doing here f " 
 
 "Here by order, sir," was the blunt response. 
 "Came over under instructions . from Lieutenant 
 Hamlin; carried them out and got others at Fred- 
 erick last night." 
 
 "From whom? Where are they?" 
 
 For answer the trooper calmly dropped his load, 
 rummaged in the near saddle-bag a moment, and 
 produced the pencilled memorandum Hamlin had 
 given him at the ferry. This the major took in his 
 gauntleted hand and glared at. 
 
 "Mr. Hamlin had no right to grant this, and he 
 knows it," he angrily exclaimed. "But even this 
 
100 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 gives you no excuse for coming here. What brings 
 you here, I say, and who's here with you? Where's 
 Captain Belden?" 
 
 At mention of the name the trooper perceptibly 
 winced, but answered promptly, even hurriedly. "I 
 don't know, sir. I haven't seen him at all. I heard 
 the captain went up towards Harper's Ferry yester- 
 day afternoon, but I was up the Monocacy." Then 
 the major interrupted. 
 
 "You haven't answered the question: what brings 
 you here? That's not your horse in the barn. 
 Where is he?" 
 
 "Played out, sir; and I got a farmer to swap with 
 me until I could deliver my despatches." And Bell 
 was again at attention and gazing steadily, sturdily 
 into the major's clouded face. 
 
 "Who gave you despatches, and to whom were 
 they addressed?" 
 
 "The surgeon in charge of the hospital at Fred- 
 erick — to Mrs. Heatherwood." 
 
 "And you've got the answer, have you?" growled 
 the major, suspiciously. "Empty those saddle-bags." 
 
 A flush spread instantly over the soldier's troubled 
 face. "There is nothing in the bags that is not my 
 own, sir," he protested. "There is nothing you have 
 any right to touch." 
 
 "Well, of all the infernal rot I ever heard!" 
 raved Foulweather, springing from saddle. "Dis- 
 mount there," he called to his orderly. "You, too, 
 Mr. Wilson. Let's see what devil's work is going 
 
" Drop them, sir, instantly 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 101 
 
 on here. Hand over those bags, sir," he ordered as 
 Bell seized and appeared about to drag them away. 
 "What! Mutiny?" he cried, for a furious light 
 glared one instant in the young trooper's eyes, and 
 he had clinched his ready fists as though to strike. 
 "Drop them, sir, instantly!" And at the word the 
 veteran ofiicer's revolver was whipped from the 
 holster and pointed square in the trooper's face. 
 
 One moment they stood there, a dramatic group. 
 The tall, athletic soldier, pale as death now, w^ith 
 beads of sweat starting from his forehead; the 
 flushed and angered field-officer, pistol in hand; the 
 sentry perturbed and uncertain what he ought to do, 
 his rifle at port in his clinching hands; Wilson, the 
 lanky subaltern, hastening to his senior's side, yet 
 sympathizing vaguely with the soldier; the orderly, 
 grasping at the horse's reins and staring over his 
 shoulder at the unusual scene. 
 
 "If that man stirs or resists, bayonet him," was 
 the major's stern order to the sentry. "Wilson, 
 search those bags." 
 
 "One moment, major," and from a corner of the 
 house, from the little garden at the west side, the 
 words rang calm, clear, and commanding, and Colo- 
 nel Clark, followed by Lieutenant Homans, came 
 striding through the gate-way. "Pardon my remind- 
 ing a regular that sentries take orders only from 
 their own officers. You have no authority over my 
 men whatever, — nor on these premises. Is that one 
 of your men?" And at sound of the voice Bell had 
 
102 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 seemed actually to shrink within himself. Facing 
 his own superior, he stood now wdth his back towards 
 Colonel Clark, and his head was sinking into his 
 shoulders. 
 
 "He is, and I arrest him as a straggler, if nothing 
 worse. Your own sentry halted him here coming 
 out of that house not ten minutes ago." 
 
 At this moment the door at the rear of the house 
 swung ojjen, and, as though drawn to the spot by the 
 sound of angry voices, there appeared at the thresh- 
 old the form of a woman with silvery hair and a 
 sweet, wan, refined face, at sight of which Lieu- 
 tenant Homans instantly doffed his cap, and Colonel 
 Clark respectfully raised his hat. 
 
 "I deeply regret this disturbance, Mrs. Heather- 
 wood," said the latter. "This gentleman claims to 
 know that Captain Belden, of our cavalry, is here 
 contrary to orders, and I find from my officer of the 
 guard that a gentleman giving his name as Belden 
 passed his post on the canal road just before the 
 skirmish across the river yesterday, and that the 
 same officer, or one closely resembling him, entered 
 that door at eleven o'clock last night." 
 
 And then another face, witching, saucy, black- 
 eyed, and rosy-cheeked, peered coquettishly around 
 the woman's shoulder, the black eyes dancing from 
 man to man until they alighted on the figure of the 
 accused trooper, standing almost cowering, his back 
 towards them. On him they rested in perplexity. 
 
 "No gentleman of that name has honored us with 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 103 
 
 a visit," was, at last, the dignified reply, jet spoken 
 in gentle tone, "nor do I know any ofiicer of that 
 name, — in either army." 
 
 "Then will you explain, madam," loudly de- 
 manded Foulweather, stepping quickly forward into 
 the group, "what it means that one of my men, who 
 ought to be with his fellows across the Potomac, is 
 captured here — here where he has spent the night, 
 and what business he may have bearing messages be- 
 tween you and the surgeon at Frederick?" 
 
 The instant the major strode past him. Bell sud- 
 denly thrust his hand within his jacket, drew forth 
 a little note, glanced quickly, but cautiously, over 
 his shoulder, and saw that the eyes of all men were 
 fixed now upon the stately mistress of Heatherwood. 
 The next instant the note was in fragments, some 
 thrust into his mouth and swallowed, some tossed 
 lightly to the breeze, some ground under foot in the 
 soil. Then up went the hand, and the visor of his 
 cap was pulled down over the bright blue eyes, the 
 neck-handkerchief was dragged up over the yellow- 
 laced collar, and once more he seemed to shrink 
 within himself. 
 
 There was a long, impressive pause before the 
 lady spoke. Calmly, almost haughtily, she looked 
 the veteran over from head to foot. The abrupt 
 tone, the suspicious manner, had angered her. When 
 at last she opened her lips it was Clark, not Foul- 
 weather, she addressed. 
 
 "Any questions Colonel Clark may deem neces- 
 
104 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 sary I will answer at any time he desires. May I 
 have a word with you now", colonel, in the parlor?" 
 
 "At your pleasure, madam," answered Clark, bow- 
 ing ceremoniously as though in rebuke to the rude- 
 ness of his associate, and then, taking Homans with 
 him, marched back through the garden to the front 
 of the house, leaving the others to settle their own 
 affairs. 
 
 For a moment there was silence. Then spoke 
 Foulweather, pointing to Bell, "Mr. Wilson, have 
 that man taken under guard and turned over to the 
 provost-marshal, at once. This thing must be inves- 
 tigated." 
 
CHAPTEK YI. 
 
 A STRANGE feature of the landscape in the Vir- 
 ginias, in Maryland, and in Pennsylvania is the 
 series of parallel ranges rising, as a rule, higher 
 from east to west until half their number is counted, 
 then similarly falling away to the west. Without 
 exception the trend is from northeast to south- 
 west, and though referred to comprehensively as 
 the Alleghanies, each ridge or range seems to have 
 a name of its own in the State which it traverses. 
 It results that in Maryland and Virginia there is 
 a series of parallel valleys, fertile and beautiful, 
 each one drained by its own stream, each dipping 
 gently towards the Potomac, wdiich, as the col- 
 lector of the entire system east of the backbone 
 of the mountains, bursts its way through range after 
 range and finally sweeps on through the lowlands 
 in majestic flood, one of the lordliest and loveliest 
 of rivers. 
 
 And strange confusion arose at times in the minds 
 of soldiers, Northern and Southern, due to these 
 very ranges and their varying names. Looking west- 
 ward from the battle-fields around Manassas or the 
 camps in front of Washington, the first range, low 
 and heavily wooded, was known as the "Bull Kun 
 Mountains" below Aldie and as the "Kittoctans" 
 
 105 
 
106 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 above. From the head-waters of the Rappahannock, 
 back of Warrenton, to the Potomac west of the sharp 
 elbow opposite the mouth of the Monocacy, this cur- 
 tain was, until the last winter of the war, a perennial 
 screen for cavalry. The valley between the Bull 
 Run Mountains and the Blue Ridge was a raiding 
 ground for bodies of horse, Union or Southern, year 
 after year, and fast and furious were the cavalry 
 battles fought from time to time along those pictu- 
 resque slopes. Aldie, Upperville, and the numerous 
 Gaps — Thoroughfare, Hopewell, and Clark's in the 
 first range, Manassas, Ashby's, and Snicker's in the 
 second — were perpetually being traversed by 
 troopers from one army or the other. Sometimes the 
 advantage of numbers lay with the jSTorth, some- 
 times with the South. At all times the advantage of 
 knowing every inch of the ground and being at home 
 in every hanilet lay with the Virginians and their 
 fellows from below. At no time could the ISTorthern 
 horse rely on information given by the people, for 
 even the negroes often turned out to be more de- 
 voted to the interests of "Ole Marse" or "Mistis" 
 than to their own. The very first essay of Northern 
 arms along the Potomac at the foot of the first of 
 the ranges resulted in fell disaster, despite the fact 
 that the best blood and brawn of the old Bay State 
 was landed there in little boat-loads and dribbled 
 out to the triumphant foe in costly sacrifice. Look- 
 ing southwest from the Heatherwood height, the 
 majestic river rolled away between its wooded shores 
 
TEE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 107 
 
 until, some seven miles distant, it began again to 
 bend to the eastward at the foot of a steep bluff. 
 Midway across to the Maryland shore lay Harrison's 
 Island, and there on the open summit of the bluff 
 chosen detachments of the finest commands ever 
 even Massachusetts had sent to the front, backed by 
 portions of the so-called "Tammany" and "Cali- 
 fornia" regiments, were marshalled in line of battle 
 to be shot down in scores by an overpowering force 
 of the enemy encircling them in the surrounding 
 woods, while from the Maryland shore, a mile away, 
 raging comrades looked helplessly on. For weeks the 
 homes of Leesburg and the farm-houses of the neigh- 
 borhood were filled with wounded, and the triumph 
 and rejoicing, following such unlooked for victory, 
 were tempered by the sight of suffering such as the 
 kindly people had never known before. And among 
 those who hastened to succor the Southern boys 
 stricken in the fight, but whose tender hearts 
 speedily led them to give comfort to boys as gently 
 reared as their own, now helpless and suffering, was 
 "Madam Heather wood," who had left her winter 
 home in Baltimore and taken up her abode in the old 
 mansion on the Potomac. With friends and rela- 
 tives in Leesburg and Aldie, as well as on the Mary- 
 land side, this Christian woman had never ceased 
 her labors for the wounded and the dying. And 
 among the wounded, as luck would have it, was a 
 Pennsylvania officer whose name carried weight in 
 Washington, and the story he told when he was ex- 
 
108 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 changed and sent back to the capital five months 
 after the catastrophe at Ball's Bluff brought tears to 
 the eyes of the President himself and a letter from 
 him to the mistress of Heatherwood, and orders to 
 the officers commanding at the Monocacy that they 
 read in some cases with perplexity but in no case 
 dared to disobey. Clark, brigaded for a brief time 
 with the Massachusetts regiments, heard tales of the 
 lady of Heatherwood that taught him to revere her 
 name before ever it fell to his lot to be sent to guard 
 her doors, and Clark needed no stern order over the 
 signature of the "Iron Secretary," much less an ex- 
 planation for the fact that, at her own home, under 
 her own roof, Mrs. Heatherwood was permitted to 
 nurse and care for her own boy and a kinsman 
 wounded on the slopes of South Mountain when 
 McClellan's men fought their way through to the 
 later grapple at Antietam. 
 
 But these were matters that old Foulweather knew 
 little of. Leaving Trooper Bell a prisoner under 
 charges to be taken to Harper's Ferry or Frederick, 
 as the provost-marshal at Point of Kocks might di- 
 rect, he had recrossed the river immediately after 
 and set out in search of his squadrons, which he 
 found in bivouac over in the valley beyond Clark's 
 Gap. To the west lay the lofty buttresses of the 
 Loudoun Heights, which, torn in twain by the Po- 
 tomac a few miles farther north, were still further 
 divided on the Maryland shore by a deep rift that 
 ran north and south. They called them the Mary- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 109 
 
 land Heights just opposite Harper's Ferrj, but these 
 became the South Mountain a few miles below, and 
 then, still farther east of this latter range and north 
 of the Potomac, the valley was drained by a little 
 stream flowing south into the great river. East of 
 the range and south of the Potomac the valley was 
 drained by a little stream flowing north. The one 
 in Maryland they spelled Catoctin, the one in Vir- 
 ginia they called, and usually spelled, Kittoctan. 
 East of these streams on the Maryland side the 
 heights which hemmed the valley were called Catoc- 
 tin; east of the valley on the Virginia side they 
 called them Catoctin too, as some did the stream on 
 its west, and thereby hangs another tale. 
 
 Foul weather had rejoined, mad as a hornet. He 
 had lost Fairfax after bragging that he had him 
 sure. He had lost Belden after vowing that he had 
 him sure. He had lost his battle with Clark after as- 
 suming to give orders to Clark's sentry, which he 
 had no right whatever to do and knew he had no 
 right, but presumed on his own assurance and the 
 probable ignorance of raw troops; and finally, he 
 had lost his temper and been caught in the act. He 
 was in no mood, therefore, to dispassionately con- 
 sider the situation. He found despatches calling 
 for reports as to what he had done, explanations as to 
 what he had not done, and reasons why he did not 
 do things that seemed impossible. This did not add 
 to his serenity. 
 
 Short as he was of officers, he had two, at all 
 
110 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 events, whose counsel was worth taking at any time, 
 and one of these was Hamlin, but at Hamlin he was 
 angry; first, he told himself, because Hamlin, while 
 temporarily commanding a detached squadron, had 
 passed Trooper Bell beyond the Potomac, but down 
 in the bottom of his heart Foulweather knew Ham- 
 lin too well not to feel sure that there was some 
 good reason for his action which he would promptly 
 give when called upon. He knew, too, that Bell 
 was a man possessed of peculiar, even somewhat 
 mysterious knowledge of men and things in this 
 neighborhood, which in itself would account for his 
 selection by Hamlin. He knew best of all that the 
 real reason why he was exasperated and angry and 
 at odds with the world was that by following his own 
 instead of Hamlin's counsel he had lost the chance 
 of nabbing the Fairfax troop if not Fairfax himself, 
 and all because he had followed around by road in- 
 stead of throwing his men across their trail, and so, 
 being sore on this score, he did not wish to see Ham- 
 lin and have to admit it. Being sure that Hamlin 
 could instantly give abundant reason for sending 
 Bell, into Maryland, he did not wish to see Hamlin, 
 and have at once to countermand the orders given 
 in the presence of those silent, critical, "damned 
 Yankee greenhorns." (Foulweather hailed from 
 the Wabash flats.) And so it resulted that he did 
 not send for Hamlin at all, — Hamlin who was hap- 
 pily sleeping, — or for his comrade squadron com- 
 mander, who was gladly doing likewise, for Foul- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. HI 
 
 weather had come to a perplexing point in his 
 despatches, and there was only one person to whom 
 Foulweather would ever confess his ignorance, and 
 that was himself. 
 
 Tired with his long ride and the events of the past 
 three days, yet too worried to sleep, he had his darky 
 cook set to work on a substantial dinner for Wilson 
 and himself, took a sizable nip from his canteen, 
 threw himself on his blankets, and scowled through 
 his mail a second time. Treacy, his second in com- 
 mand, an ex-sergeant like himself and a good fight- 
 ing soldier, had bivouacked the wearied detachment 
 close to the banks of the brook and within pistol-shot 
 of a farm enclosure, now as empty of its former 
 occupants, pigs, cows, and chickens, as the fields 
 were of fence-rails. The smoke curled lazily from 
 the chimney of the farm-house itself, which lay close 
 to the roadside some two hundred yards away, but 
 only the upright posts, deep planted, remained to tell 
 where stood the barrier between pasture and public 
 thoroughfare. Close to the stream the picket ropes 
 were stretched, and there the horses were tethered, 
 drowsing in the noonday sun, some lazily switching 
 at the late autumn flies, some sprawled luxuriously 
 on the close-nibbled turf. A brace of travel-stained 
 wagons, with their scarred and battered mules, had 
 come up from Conrad's Ferry earlier in the day, 
 bringing grain and rations, and horse and man were 
 filled and happy. Tents there were none nearer than 
 the wagon-train, awaiting orders east of the Gap, but 
 
112 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 tents the sun-tanned troopers had little use for. 
 They were sprawling everywhere under the trees, or 
 even on the open, with a blanket propped to ward off 
 the rays of the sun, sleeping the sleep of the just and 
 content. Foul weather was perhaps the only really 
 unhappy man in the lot. The loss of a splendid 
 opportunity was his fault alone, and men bear other 
 men's sorrows much more resignedly than they do 
 their o'wn. Twice the major arose from his blankets 
 and scowled at the scene about him, bold, beautiful, 
 and 23icturesque as it was. Twice he looked from the 
 hastily written page in his hand to the rock-seamed 
 scarp of the Loudoun and the blue outline of the 
 South Mountain across the Potomac. Twice he 
 turned and gazed along the wooded slopes running 
 away to the northeast. Then back to the puzzling 
 paper went his tired, deep-set eyes, and then the 
 major reached for his canteen and swore and drank 
 afresh. Both performances seemed to do him good, 
 for he turned with renewed energy to the letter and 
 read: 
 
 Dear F., — The General gets it on excellent 
 authority that Captain Fairfax is no longer any- 
 where in Loudoun County, that he managed some- 
 how to cross into Maryland two nights ago, and will 
 doubtless try to visit the Heatherwood place despite 
 Mrs. Lleatherwood's prohibition. Warning has been 
 sent to Colonel Clark at the Monocacy, and he has 
 been instructed to make search in the neighborhood 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 113 
 
 of Poolesville, where Fairfax was seen and recog- 
 nized. 
 
 "]*^ow we want to capture that fellow, if a possible 
 thing, and not lose the credit to a lot of doughboys. 
 There is a place in the Catoctin Valley not two miles 
 from the river where they say Fairfax has tmce been 
 in hiding. It is owned by a Mr. Hutton, who is 
 away in the army, and is cared for by his sister and 
 some servants. I've never seen it, but according to 
 description it is an old, two-story stone house among 
 a lot of rose-bushes and trees about twenty yards 
 back from the road, with chimneys at each gable 
 end, built out like buttresses from the wall. I be- 
 lieve it would pay to keep an eye on it. Let me 
 know how things are going. 
 
 "Yours as ever, 
 
 "B. J, LORING, 
 
 "A. A. G." 
 
 This letter bore date which showed it to be forty- 
 eight hours old. Fairfax, therefore, had managed 
 to cross the river before his friends rode down to the 
 rescue, and, failing to find him as expected at Lees- 
 burg, had followed on to the very bank of the Po- 
 tomac opposite Heatherwood. Why had they so 
 confidently gone thither? That was far above his 
 crossing place, provided he had gone to Poolesville. 
 Some point between Edward's Ferry and Ball's Bluff 
 would have been far more logical an objective. But 
 his troop had fairly galloped, so said the darkies, 
 
 8 
 
114 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 from Leesburg, straight as the winding road could 
 take tliem, along the eastward slope of the Virginia 
 Catoctins, and were actually hidden in the woods 
 and signalling to Ileatherwood Avhen their wary- 
 flankers and pickets reported Bob Hamlin's squadron 
 coming back at the trot, and they had to drop any 
 other matter they had in view to receive him with 
 all soldierly honors. Then where could they have 
 expected to find Fairfax if not close to Heatherwood ? 
 Mrs. Heatherwood's prohibition might or might not 
 have had the effect of keeping the Virginian captain 
 off her premises. Foulweather was a sceptic as to 
 the prohibition anyway. Despite Presidential safe- 
 guards and the endorsement of the War Secretary 
 himself, the veteran of the frontier believed Mrs. 
 Heatherwood quite capable of concealing rebel spies 
 about her house, of vising Union troopers as couriers, 
 of involving Union surgeons in treasonable corre- 
 spondence, and of tempting Union officers from the 
 paths of' honor. The more he thought, and in the 
 course of his cogitation another drink became neces- 
 sary, the more Foulweather became convinced that 
 the much-lauded Captain Belden had more than once 
 visited Heatherwood, though possibly under an as- 
 sumed name. 
 
 And now from the adjutant-general of the cavalry 
 brigade he liad received a hint that warranted 
 further search for the lurking Virginian, and might 
 enable him to investigate Belden's movements, Clark 
 or no Clark. Weary as he was, there was inspiration 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 115 
 
 in the thought. He sprang to his feet again, and 
 looked eagerly abont him. "Wilson, his callow adju- 
 tant, was already drooping and dozing over a letter 
 he was trying to write to his mother. The boy was 
 fairly worn out. His older officers were sleeping 
 soundly; so were half the men and many of the 
 horses. The cavalry instinct in him told him they 
 must have rest before he could again set forth, es- 
 pecially as he purposed to ride, with half a troop at 
 least, over into Maryland. So, reluctantly enough 
 he decided that he must wait until after dusk before 
 he could begin, and all the time he never dreamed 
 that not a mile away vigilant eyes kept track of 
 every goer or comer about his camp, and that his 
 movement, the instant it was made, would be sig- 
 nalled up and across the river, even to where stately 
 Heatherwood gleamed white among the autumn 
 foliage, and stood sentinel at the great bend. Before 
 two o'clock that afternoon it was known to certain of 
 the inmates at Heatherwood that Major Foul- 
 weather's detachment was dozing through the after- 
 noon and no move might be expected before night. 
 But an hour later came a different story. 
 
 Out in the orchard, wandering among the fast 
 turning trees, the plump and rounded form and 
 saucy face of Miss Laura Waddell could be seen 
 when all the mansion seemed wrapped in slumber, 
 so still and reposeful was the homestead, and Miss 
 Waddell, for reasons best known to herself, had re- 
 frained from singing. Yet she looked for some one, 
 
116 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 was impatient of liis delay, but dare not call liim to 
 her. Every now and then she would step to a point 
 at the west end of the orchard, whence, through a 
 rift in the trees, she could see the A^irginia shore, the 
 forest-covered heights beyond, and here and there a 
 house or cottage. Westward over the Monocacy 
 A^alley towards Point of Rocks all was open and 
 unbroken, and the rugged scarp of the Catoctins 
 frowned against the autumn skies. North of the 
 grand river the girl found nothing to claim her 
 attention, outside the grounds of Heatherwood. 
 Once in a while, very cautiously, she Avould glance 
 towards the house, and her black eyes would take 
 quick, furtive peeps at the westernmost of the three 
 dormer-windows that faced the south. It was open 
 to the afternoon sunshine; a white curtain floated 
 in the breeze, but not a soul was visible. Down on 
 the old to^^q^ath the sound of drowsy voices could be 
 heard from time to time, and twice a drum had clat- 
 tered impatiently in the camp of Clark's men. Some 
 unusual ceremony was taking place, for the girl 
 could see the heavy double lines ployed in mass and 
 standing near the colonel's tent. Twice the girl 
 fancied she could hear the deep tones of the colonel 
 himself as though addressing his men. Forbidden 
 to laugh or sing or torment Pettingill, Miss Waddell 
 found time hanging heavily on her hands, and in- 
 terest had given way to yawning and drowsiness. "I 
 don't care, I don't believe that fella's ever comin'," 
 she said to herself, with that joyous disregard of 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 117 
 
 terminal letters that was so large a characteristic of 
 certain sections of the South a quarter-century ago; 
 "and I don't care if he never comes," she added, 
 when suddenly recalled to herself by the sound of 
 her own name, clearlj' yet not too loudly called, 
 floating down as it were from the house-top, and, 
 turning quickly, the girl saw a hand waving at that 
 open dormer-window, an eager, beautiful face peer- 
 ing forth, gazing across the Potomac towards the dis- 
 tant slopes of the Loudoun, then quickly down in 
 search of her. There was no mistaking either face or 
 hand, or the slender form now shrinking back from 
 the window, — Miss Heatherwood beyond a doubt; 
 and now right beside her, but keeping back from the 
 open casement, sallow, pallid, bearded, was another 
 face that was itself hidden the next instant behind 
 a pair of field-glasses and thin white hands. Captain 
 Ralph Heatherwood, C.S.A., was then sufficiently 
 recovered to leave his bed and clamber to the garret. 
 "Laura, quick!" was called again, in cautious tone, 
 and the girl sped away like a fawn until she stood 
 beneath the window. 
 
 "What is it?" she hailed, curbing her shrill young 
 voice to cautious tone. "I haven't seen a thing." 
 
 "We have," was the answer, "and he must know — 
 quick. You must get word to him that the cavalry 
 has broken camp and is coming this way, — coming 
 fast." 
 
 Xot fifteen minutes later, mounted on an aston- 
 ished, reluctant, but docile old reminiscence of for- 
 
118 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 mer days of equine style and spirit, the Virginia girl, 
 her black eyes sparkling, her cheeks aflame with ex- 
 citement, was jogging down the winding roadway, 
 urging Dobbin into semblance of a trot. Turning 
 from the "S" at the second bend, she followed the 
 grass-grown, leafy track that led southward towards 
 the canal, and as she cast one backward glance over 
 her rounded shoulder for a survey of the rolling 
 fields, the wooded slopes of Sugar Loaf loomed be- 
 tween her and the northern sky, — the lofty watch- 
 tower of the Union array, — and on its very summit, 
 almost among the clouds, a little patch of white and 
 scarlet was swinging furiously, signalling to Mary- 
 land Heights full thirty miles away. 
 
CHAPTER yil. 
 
 Old Foulweatlier had stretched himself out for a 
 "think." Dinner had done him good and sent Wil- 
 son sound asleep, but the major was uneasy in mind 
 and only a light sleeper at any time. He was vexed 
 at the tone of official inquiries into his failure to ac- 
 complish the object of his Virginia scouting, espe- 
 cially as no clearly defined object existed. In com- 
 pliance with his own urgent pleading, he had been 
 allowed to run up into Loudoun County for a few 
 days, and, in general terms, had been told to make 
 the neighborhood of Lecsburg his exploring ground, 
 to "observe matters in its vicinity, to patrol the 
 roads, watch the passes, break up the enemy's means 
 of obtaining information, and arrest all rebel officers 
 or soldiers whose whereabouts he could learn." 
 This made Hamlin laugh. "There's fifty thousand 
 of them right over around Winchester, if McClellan 
 really wants 'em," said he. But except the ill-starred 
 attempt of some of Porter's corps to snap at the heels 
 of the foe as they crossed the Potomac from Antie- 
 tam, the sorely depleted, but still savagely fighting, 
 force of Lee had been left alone. Foulweather's in- 
 structions further required him to keep vigilant eye 
 on the movements of the enemy, and give prompt 
 
 notice when he began his retreat, and this, too, made 
 
 119 
 
120 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Hamlin laugh, and Treacy swear. "Eetreat be 
 damned!" said the latter. ''He's no more idea of 
 retreatin' than Little Mac has of advancin', and as to 
 keepin' vigilant eye throngh them peep-holes in the 
 Blue Ridge, we never put an eye to wan of em' but 
 somebody blacks it. Them fellers has generals that 
 knows how to use cavalry, bedad, and our generals 
 that knows how — ain't permitted. That's all there 
 is to it. Faix, it's wan thing to name a saddle and 
 another to know how to use it." 
 
 And the Irish ex-sergeant was not alone in his way 
 of thinking. The little force of regular troopers 
 had been split up into detachments, a troop here, a 
 squadron there, acting as provost guards, quarter- 
 master's guards, generals' escorts, doing orderly 
 duty, and the like, while the new, undrilled, un- 
 seasoned regiments of cavalry volunteers were bri- 
 gaded under officers who, in several cases at least, 
 certainly knew their trade, but were all hampered 
 more or less by holding reins that kept them dry- 
 rotting about the camps, where there was not room 
 for even riding-lessons, when they should have been 
 afield. One command of nearly six strong regiments 
 was far up the Potomac near Cumberland, another 
 was scattered on the Maryland shore of the river, 
 watching fords and ferries above Antietam Creek. 
 Some regiments with Stoneman were hovering about 
 Poolesville and Darnestown, others with Stahel were 
 out in front of Washington, and Foulweather had 
 been temporarily attached to that command. Dick 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 121 
 
 Rush's picturesque regiment of Pennsylvania Lan- 
 cers was picketing the roads about Frederick, while 
 Allen, with the First Maine, garrisoned the town. 
 But most important of all, gallant John Buford, 
 relieved for the time of active command, was 
 chafing under the title of Chief of Cavalry at 
 the head-quarters of the army, where even his 
 vigorous influence seemed powerless to compel 
 proper recognition of cavalry needs. The battling 
 at Antietam had been terrific, but when it was 
 over and Lee gathered up his hosts and slowly re- 
 crossed the Potomac, he had fought so superbly that 
 McClellan dared not follow. Like some sorely 
 wounded but still dreaded lion, the Southern army 
 limped away southward and lay down to rest and 
 recuperate in the open fields between Winchester 
 and Bunker Hill, while McClellan, slow, cautious, 
 "feeling his way," sent his war-dogs warily creeping 
 after them, and on the neighboring heights they 
 crouched and watched, yet drew no nearer^ for at 
 the slightest forward movement the foe uplifted a 
 threatening front, and the first growl of warning 
 scattered the pack. Spanning the Potomac and the 
 Shenandoah with his pontoons, manning the heights 
 of Bolivar, Loudoun, and Maryland with his chosen 
 corps, the Union leader halted and waited and clam- 
 ored for men and shoes, clothing, food, and wagons, 
 and behind him a nation rose up impatient, and at 
 last there came a day, after full three weeks of utter 
 inaction, when something had to be done, for the 
 
122 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 rebel battle-flags were sweeping into Pennsylvania, 
 the plumes of Stuart at tlie head of column. 
 
 It must have been somewhere towards two o'clock 
 on this October afternoon that Foulweather, 
 sprawled on his blankets under a spreading tree, was 
 roused from his rumination by sudden excitement 
 among the men. Two veteran sergeants on duty 
 with the horses were in lively discussion with a 
 young non-commissioned officer who had just come 
 in (from a "personally conducted" scout through 
 some neighboring farm-yard) with a hat full of 
 ajjples and a head full of news. 
 
 "I tell you I seen it," he was saying, "right up 
 there on the range not three miles north of us. 
 There's a cabin of some kind there, and I could 
 count the flashes. They're signalling to some people 
 down here about the old Hutton place, where the 
 smoke is rising from the chimney yonder. It's look- 
 ing-glass signalling. You've seen it among the Co- 
 manches, sergeant. You'd know it again. Come out 
 with me and I'll prove it." 
 
 Foulweather sat up at the instant and rubbed his 
 eyes. He was drowsy, he knew he needed sleep, but 
 he could lose no chance. If there was signalling 
 from the heights to Confederates close at hand, it 
 behooved him to look out. Snicker's Gap wasn't so 
 far away to the west that Stuart's people might not 
 jump through at any minute and swoop do\vn upon 
 him. He had sent Sergeant Almy with a brace of 
 reliable troopers full two miles out in that direction 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 123 
 
 beyond his vedettes, and others still had gone south- 
 ward, but up to this moment no word had come from 
 either, yet the air seemed heavy with portent. Short 
 Mountain, the easternmost of the Loudoun clump at 
 the Potomac, shut off his view of Maryland Heights, 
 and the Kittoctan hid from him the more distant 
 peak of Sugar Loaf in Maryland. Otherwise, with his 
 glasses he might have made out the signal-towers at 
 these points. He was feeling a trifle sluggish and 
 heavy now. Dinner, whiskey, and lack of sleep were 
 all beginning to tell, but the excited talk had caused 
 a stir among the men, several of whom were sitting 
 up, rubbing their eyes, and beginning to take part in 
 the conference, and then the major's bleary eyes 
 lighted suddenly on Bob Hamlin, strolling up from 
 the brook in his shirt sleeves, alert and refreshed after 
 a souse in the clear, cold water, and the major hailed 
 him at once. 
 
 "Hamlin," said he, "what possessed you to let that 
 fellow Bell go over into Maryland?" 
 
 Hamlin waited until he had reached a point within 
 three yards of his chief before he answered, and then 
 replied, calmly and respectfully, "Because I believed 
 what he told me, — that you wouldn't find Fairfax 
 on this side, and might on that. H any one can find 
 out his lair, I believe Bell can." 
 
 "Well, instead of hunting for Fairfax he's been 
 playing messenger for that rebel rookery at Heather- 
 wood, carrying notes to and fro, and God knows what 
 all. I found that he had spent the night at Heather- 
 
124 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 wood, — where you had no business to let him go, — 
 and I have turned him over to the provost-marshal." 
 
 Hamlin's frank face clouded. He began to speak, 
 then suddenly checked himself, and Foulweather 
 went on. 
 
 "And now our men are talking about signals going 
 on up the range there. I'll bet a hat they're flash- 
 ing, or flagging, or waving something to those 
 Heatherwood people this very minute, and that like 
 as not it's about that very fellow Bell, or perhaps 
 Fairfax. What do you know about Bell, anyhow? 
 What makes you trust him? I'm half ready to bet 
 he was doing some rebel trick with those Heather- 
 wood people when I was lucky enough to nab him." 
 
 "I'm wholly ready to take jou, major," was the 
 placid reply. "And now to cut this short, I'll bet 
 you that that fellow is as loyal a trooper as you'll 
 find in the cavalry, and, unless he's got to drinking 
 a,gain, I know of no reason why he should be ar- 
 rested. He was authorized by me to go over and 
 prosecute a line of search. I gave him a note to 
 Colonel Allen at Frederick, to tell him what I knew 
 of Fairfax, and further gave Bell authority that if 
 need be he could go as far as Darnestown. It is my 
 belief that he knows Fairfax by sight, though he 
 will not admit it, and that he can recognize him 
 through any disguise; therefore, I said go. It's my 
 belief, further, that he w^ould have found something 
 valuable concerning Fairfax if it hadn't been for this 
 arrest. Now it's useless to hope for anything on that 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 125 
 
 score. But I protest against the arrest while acting 
 under my orders, and I urge you, major, to send im- 
 mediate withdrawal of any charges against him.'* 
 Hamlin was turning away, but suddenly returned 
 and confronted his angry chief. "Furthermore, I 
 will tell you this, sir, you'll wish you had Bell back 
 again before you're twelve hours older. Look what's 
 coming now." 
 
 And as Hamlin spoke, he pointed towards the gap 
 through the Kittoctan, beyond which lay Leesburg, 
 Ball's Bluif, and the lower ferries. Riding post haste 
 down the rocky road came a little squad of horse- 
 men, a young officer in advance, two orderlies spur- 
 ring at his heels. So still was the October afternoon, 
 now becoming overcast, that the sound of the hoofs 
 clattering on the stony way and the hoarse panting 
 of the foaming steeds were already audible. There 
 were rush and excitement in the very sight and sound, 
 and all over the bivouac the troopers were springing 
 to their feet and gazing eagerly towards the coming 
 couriers. Many a time, night or day, had they been 
 roused from their stolen slumbers by just such ar- 
 rivals, harbingers of battle, and never yet had Foul- 
 weather's little detachment, pretty much all that 
 was left of the old regiment, failed to respond. It 
 seemed as though the eager, onward, daring spirit 
 of the rough old trooper at their head permeated 
 the entire force, mounts and men, and that, night or 
 day, Foulweather's fellows were ready for work. 
 ^'Say what you will of him," said beloved "Uncle 
 
126 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 John," a cavalry leader the troopers of the army 
 of the Potomac loved and trusted as Tommy Atkins 
 of to-day swears by the gallant soldier known to 
 the army list as Lord Roberts, but to fighting men 
 the world over as "Bobs," — "say what you will of 
 Poulweather, he's no fairweather soldier." And 
 now the major stood at gaze, his sturdy legs planted 
 well apart, his fists digging into his hips, his arms 
 akimbo, and his tired eyes lighting up with eager 
 fire, and Bob Hamlin, vexed and more than half dis- 
 posed to mutiny but a moment before^ found his 
 heart warming to the commander who, right or 
 wrong, neck or nothing, was ever ready for fight. 
 
 A moment more and the officer in the lead had 
 reached the bend in the road nearest the stream, and, 
 leaping his reeking horse over a shallow ditch, came 
 laboring across the open field. "Where's the major?" 
 he shouted, waving as he did so a despatch he tore 
 from the pocket of his blouse, and a dozen voices and 
 hands uplifted directed him to the tree beneath 
 which stood old Foul weather and his junior squad- 
 ron commander. 
 
 "What's up. Skinny?" hailed the veteran, as he 
 recognized in the coming man the lightest rider in 
 the old cavalry brigade. But for answer the officer 
 tossed him the letter, rolled out of saddle and panted: 
 
 "Have your men had their dinner?" 
 
 "Lord, yes, long ago. What's the matter?" re- 
 peated Foulweather, tearing away at the stout enve- 
 lope, but seeking quicker tidings in the haggard 
 eyes of the courier. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 127 
 
 "Then sound 'To Horse/ for God's sake! I've 
 been hunting for jou since morning, — been 'way 
 around beyond Leesburg, and nearly got nabbed."' 
 
 By this time the major had ripped open the paper 
 and was glaring at the contents. Before he had read 
 three lines his eyes seemed popping from his head. 
 Hamlin felt his nerves tingling, but "Skinny," leav- 
 ing his exhausted horse to his own devices, reached 
 for the major's ready canteen, shook it, drew the 
 stopper, sniifed at the contents, then applying the 
 spout to his lips, tilted his head back and shut his 
 dust-rimmed eyes. Roused from his slumbers by 
 the sound of subdued, but excited talk, the unusual 
 stir and action, Captain Treacy came hurrying over 
 to join his chief, buttoning his blue coat on the run. 
 Foulweather's eyes were blazing by this time and his 
 thin lips were tight compressed. Here, there, and 
 everywhere among the trees little knots of troopers 
 in their worn jackets or coarse gray shirts were 
 gazing fixedly at the group at head-quarters. Some 
 men sat silently on their blankets, but were pulling 
 on their boots or buckling the shabby old brass spurs. 
 Contrary to expectation, the major did not break out 
 vnth. order or expletive until he had read every word 
 of the missive. Then came the announcement in un- 
 expected form: 
 
 "Gentlemen, you may remember my telling Cap- 
 tain Belden I considered Jeb Stuart, whom he so 
 praised as a cavalry leader, as mad-brained a crank 
 as ever rode a charge, and Jeb Stuart has proved my 
 words this day of days." 
 
128 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "What d'ye mane?" growled Treacy, impatient of 
 circumlocution, "AVliat's he doin' now?" 
 
 "Crossed the Potomac into Maryland with only 
 two thousand sabres, right in the face of our whole 
 force, and riding for the rear of the army. Good-by 
 to you, Jeb! You laughed at my tactics three years 
 ago at Riley, but we'll have the laugh on you this 
 night, or there's neither brains nor bottom left in 
 the old army. Oh, if we only had the regulars to- 
 gether for twenty-four hours instead of split up all 
 over the land. Listen to this, gentlemen: 
 
 " Point of Rocks, Maryland, 
 "October 11, 1862, 10 a.m. 
 
 "Major F , 
 
 "Commanding Detachment Cavalry, in the 
 Field, near Leesburg: 
 
 "Sir, — General Burnside directs me to notify you 
 at once that the rebel general Stuart crossed the Po- 
 tomac at McCoy's Ferry at daybreak yesterday, cov- 
 ered by a heavy fog, with a force estimated by the 
 signal-officers at two thousand sabres and four guns, 
 and has pushed northward to Pennsylvania. It is 
 probable that he is aiming again to make the circuit 
 of the army and to raid the field hospitals and quar- 
 termasters' depots. General Pleasonton, with all 
 available cavalry, will doubtless pursue at once, and 
 it will be impossible for Stuart to return the way he 
 came. 
 
 "The general hesitates to give orders to you, as 
 you are not directly under his command, but, it be- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 129 
 
 ing impracticable to communicate with your brigade 
 commander, it is suggested that jou march to the 
 Monocacy by way of White's Ford in order that a 
 force of cavalry may be concentrated to meet and 
 overthrow Stuart should he come this way, as he 
 jjrobably will. The signal-officer reports that Stuart 
 is out of sight, far to the north, and that troops are 
 now marching in pursuit. 
 
 "Our cavalry at Frederick are ordered out already. 
 General Stoneman has a big force around Pooles- 
 ville. IVe have men enough to block every ford, 
 and Stuart ought to be captured within twelve 
 hours. At all events, you are warned in time, and 
 must not be caught all by yourself over in Loudoun 
 County. 
 
 "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 "J. D. Hastings, 
 
 "A. D. C." 
 
 And as the major finished the paper, he turned, 
 with kindling eyes, and ordered, "Sound to horse!" 
 
 And then, indeed, was there a stirring scene along 
 the banks of the little branch of the Kittoctan. Or- 
 dinarily a field column strikes its tents and forms 
 for the march with some ceremony and precision, 
 at the bugle sound "The General." Frequently when 
 cavalry are in bivouac and are to pack their traps 
 and start away, and there is no especial hurry, "Boots 
 and Saddles" is the signal, and the troopers take it 
 leisurely. But like the "To Arms!" of the infantry, 
 
130 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 there is a call to action for the mounted corps that 
 sends each man to his station on the jump, a call at 
 sound of which the chargers stamp and snort, and 
 switch about with ears erect and eyes aflash, and 
 troopers spring for their saddles and arms, for not 
 a moment must be lost. No time is wasted on roll- 
 calls or inspection. Quick as men can jump into 
 their own rigs, fold their blankets, strap saddles, and 
 lead into line, the sergeants order "Mount!" and the 
 squadron is ready. 
 
 Foulweather had no tents to strike, no impedi- 
 menta except the few pots, pans, and kettles to be 
 dumped into the wagon and rattled after them. In 
 ten minutes from the stirring peal the three compact 
 little squadrons were forming line, and in less than 
 fifteen were moving, first at quiet walk, filing out 
 upon the valley road in silent sets of fours, diminish- 
 ing front to column of twos as they struck the wind- 
 ing ascent to the Pass, and then, following old Foul- 
 weather and the fluttering guidon, with jingling 
 spur and clanking sabre and clattering hoofs, away 
 they squirmed and twisted up the westward slope, 
 turned to the northward as they cleared the range, 
 struck the trot as their stocky leader signalled "head 
 of column to the left" when they reached the old, 
 familiar, dusty highway on the eastward slopes, and, 
 with every signal-tower within a radius of fifty miles 
 of Harper's Ferry flagging question and answer, 
 orders and news, rumors and facts from far and near, 
 and regiments marching hither and yon, and bri- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 131 
 
 gades and battalions heading northward in search of 
 the daring invader, batteries and squadrons jogging 
 through the country lanes, with wary leaders far 
 ahead, and the afternoon sunshine glinting on 
 Heatherwood towers and glancing from Heather- 
 wood's dormer-windows, and causing strange, blind- 
 ing, vivid flashes to dart at intervals through a leafy 
 gap towards the silent heights across the placid, 
 plashing waters, on came old Foulweather, with 
 Treacy and Drummond and bold Bob Hamlin, each 
 at the head of his own little band, riding post haste 
 to join an army in its effort to hem in and surround, 
 overthrow or capture, the rash Virginians who, pin- 
 ning their faith on the gold-laced gray sleeve at the 
 head of their jaunty column, dared to follow him 
 tlirough the lines of the enemy and run the gauntlet 
 of a scattered force of forty thousand men. "Good- 
 by to you and yours, Jeb Stuart!" said old Foul- 
 weather, as, forgetful of fatigue or food, or even 
 whiskey, he plashed through the limpid waters of the 
 Potomac at the ford, squashed through the mud in 
 the empty bed of the canal beyond, and was lost in 
 the shades of night on the route to Frederick, ready 
 to bet the last cent in his pocket, the last drop of 
 blood in his veins, that he and ''the old regiment" 
 would have it out with Jeb now and for all time, and 
 turn the laugh on him at last. 
 
 But as the long column swung its tail clear of the 
 canal, the rearmost troopers exchanging a volley of 
 chaff with the pickets along the bank, a regiment of 
 
132 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 infantry in bright blue uniforms, with overcoats 
 rolled and bayonets unfixed, came marching by fours 
 along the towpath, a stalwart, bearded soldier riding 
 at their head, who turned in saddle and ordered 
 "Halt!" that the troopers might pass by; then 
 nodded cool recognition to the red-faced old dragoon, 
 who, leading the horsemen as they issued from the 
 ford, reined out to the left to meet him. 
 
 "Which way, colonel?" asked Foul weather, per- 
 sonal differences forgotten in the absorbing nature 
 of the work in hand. "I thought you were on guard 
 at the Monocacy aqueduct?" 
 
 "Maine relieves us there," was the answer. "We 
 are ordered to report to General Ward near Con- 
 rad's." 
 
 "Any news of Stuart?" 
 
 "Signal-towers haven't seen a thing of him. They 
 say there was rain in the Cumberland Valley last 
 night, and the dust was laid this morning. They 
 can't track him, but he's destroyed all public 
 property in Chambersburg, and cut the wires, and 
 the last heard of him was striking for Gettysburg. 
 It's thought now he aims to get back to the east of 
 us, — Edward's Ferry, perliaps." 
 
 "By God!" cried Foulweather, with impatient 
 slap of his broad palm on a burly thigh; "if I can 
 find a guide that knows the roads up there to the 
 northeast, he'll never get back to the river without a 
 fight." And the major looked anxiously northward. 
 "Keep the road to Heatherwood, Treacy," he called 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 133 
 
 out, "till I join jou," then turned again to the 
 bearded colonel. "I suppose they're filling the whole 
 Monocacj against his coming that way?" he in- 
 quired. 
 
 "So our despatches say. Burnside sent two bri- 
 gades into the valley from beyond Point of Rocks. 
 Pleasonton is ordered east through the ridge to head 
 him off, and ought to be north of Frederick now. 
 The Lancers and the First Maine are out already. 
 Stuart will never be fool enough to try to fight his 
 way through such heavy force. That's why I say 
 he's likely to come down through Hyattstown, 
 perhaps, — away to the east of Frederick, anyhow. 
 You've had a guide that knows that country thor- 
 oughly, so Homans tells me, but he's out with 
 another party now." 
 
 "I had? Who do you mean?" growled the major, 
 a sudden suspicion dawning upon him, as Bob Ham- 
 lin came riding up at the head of his squadron. 
 
 "The man you ordered turned over to the guard 
 at Heatherwood, — Bell, they say his name is. He's 
 guiding a squadron of regulars from Point of Rocks 
 that passed my pickets two hours ago. My officers 
 recognized him at once." 
 
 "D'ye hear that, Hamlin?" roared Foul weather. 
 "That damned man Mcintosh is out with his squad- 
 ron to clip our wings and get our glory, by God! 
 and has had the infernal brass to take my own 
 trooper, the man that I ordered under guard, to show 
 him the way." 
 
134 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Yes," answered Bob, reflectively, as he reined 
 up a moment to reply to his chief. "I think I re- 
 member saying a while ago, that it wouldn't be 
 twelve hours before you'd wish you had Bell back 
 asrain." 
 
CHAPTER yill. 
 
 There was, indeed, mounting in hot haste all over 
 the army of the Potomac that eventful October Sat- 
 urday, mad eagerness for the chase, wild rage for 
 battle, and blind ignorance of the movements of the 
 foe. i^ot two months before had that cavalier leader, 
 Stuart, spurred completely around the halted hosts 
 of General Pope, raiding his very head-quarters 
 train, looting the general's personal baggage, don- 
 ning, some said, the general's personal uniform, 
 though ardent Southerners denied with indignation 
 the story that their hero knight could ever again 
 stoop to wear the Yankee blue, "but he might have 
 dressed some nigguh in it." iSTot two months before, 
 Stuart and his merry men had ridden laughing away 
 from the smoking ruins of the Union camp. Barely 
 six weeks agone they had repeated, to our even 
 greater cost, the best part of the same trooper pleas- 
 antry: swooped down on the trains and stores at 
 Manassas Junction, filled their stomachs with all 
 they could eat, clothed their wiry selves in all they 
 could wear, turned over huge supplies, still unappro- 
 priated, to Old Jack's "foot cavalry" when they came 
 trudging after, and now, having vainly waited an 
 anxious fortnight for McClellan to follow up the 
 
 advantage gained at so much cost at Antietam, here 
 
 135 
 
136 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 he was again: "Three raids in less than three 
 months!" It was enovigh to make a Union trooper 
 rabid. 
 
 And what a wonderful raid was this! what dar- 
 ing! what consummate "cheek!" Even the bald offi- 
 cial reports read like the pages of romance. looting 
 McClellan's falter at the Potomac; knowing full 
 well how scattered was the Union cavalry; studying 
 the reports unerringly forwarded by Southern 
 friends at court, and the Union commander's excuses 
 for delay and pleas for supplies ; reasoning right well 
 that he need dread no forward movement of his ad- 
 versary, and that he might be able to fall upon and 
 break up his trains and depots of supplies, the calm 
 leader of the Southern lines called again on his ready 
 cavalry. Xo matter how great the disappointment 
 that Maryland failed to welcome him with open arms 
 the month before, Lee would leave no stone un- 
 turned to win the admiration of the wavering State 
 and strike terror to his foes. "Xow is our time," he 
 cautioned Stuart. "Ride for Pennsylvania. Harm 
 no soul in Maryland. Disturb no property there. 
 Wait till you get beyond the line, then hit hard. 
 Blow up the bridges of the Conococheague. Strike 
 Chambersburg; seize all horses and supplies you can 
 use; bum everything in the way of public property 
 that you cannot. Parole all soldiers you can capture, 
 and bring away all civil officials you can carry, to be 
 held as hostages for our own. Then hark back the 
 best way you can, — either westward towards Cum- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 137 
 
 berland, where the foe are scattered and the country 
 is rough and where Imboden will demonstrate and 
 keep them busy in the mean time, or else eastward 
 across the Blue Ridge, where the country lies open as 
 a book but is swarming with enemies on every side. 
 Take only fifteen hundred picked men and horses, 
 then use your own discretion and dash." 
 
 Oh, what a thrilling moment for a soldier! Five 
 thousand horsemen has he to choose from, and he 
 chooses well. Six regiments of Virginia cavalry send 
 forward their choicest men and steeds. Wade 
 Hampton's North and South Carolinians contribute 
 their quota. Then from the artillery young Pel- 
 ham, prince of gunners, picks four flawless pieces, 
 overhauls every axle, pole, and spoke. The iron 
 arms are freshly greased till the new wheels spin like 
 glistening tops. Brand-new tugs and traces are 
 tackled to the harness, collars are carefully fitted to 
 the necks of draught-horses, chosen from the best 
 in the brigade, and, with Wade Hampton and 
 "Roony" Lee for sub-commanders, waving silent 
 good-by to the envious friends in the thronging 
 camps, away rides Stuart, no man in all his dare- 
 devil array can prophesy whither. "Soldiers," he 
 says to them in a bulletin that rings like those of 
 i^apoleon, "you are about to engage in an enterprise 
 which, to insure success, imperatively demands at 
 your hands coolness, decision, and bravery, implicit 
 obedience to orders without question or cavil, and 
 the strictest order and sobriety on the march and in 
 
138 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 bivouac. The destination and extent of this expedi- 
 tion had better be kept to myself than known to you. 
 Suffice it to say that with the hearty co-operation of 
 officers and men I have not a doubt of its success, — 
 a success which will reflect credit in the highest de- 
 gree upon your arms. The orders which are here- 
 with published for your government are absolutely 
 necessary, and must be rigidly enforced." 
 
 And with these few words to his shadowy com- 
 mand, read just before they approach the Potomac, 
 Stuart leads his little column into the dusk on Thurs- 
 day evening, the 9th of October, halts, and bivouacs 
 about the village of Hedgesville for the night, with 
 vedettes well out in every direction. Wade Hamp- 
 ton commands the advance, and from his detach- 
 ment, six hundred strong, he chooses an enthusiastic 
 young officer, — Phillips, of the Tenth Virginia, — 
 and with him creeps forward under the shadows of 
 the night and posts him with twenty-five troopers, 
 dismounted, at the river's brink. There in the dark- 
 ness these devoted fellows keep watch and ward 
 through the midnight hours, undisturbed by hostile 
 sight or sound. The plash of the unseen waters, 
 drifting by in the impenetrable gloom, lulls them to 
 security and repose, but sleep, except in cat-naps, 
 half a squad at a time, is not for them. One, two 
 o'clock, the hours glide away. Three approaches, 
 and the young lieutenant calls up his men, for a big 
 squadron has almost noiselessly moved forward from 
 the village and formed, one hundred and eighty 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 139 
 
 strong, close to the river bank. It is the Second 
 South Carolina, under Colonel Butler, and his orders 
 are clear. Phillips, with his little partj, is to wade 
 the shallow river just above McCoy's, steal noise- 
 lessly out upon the northward bank, and seize and 
 secure sufficient ground for their mounted comrades 
 to form as they issue from the ford. If discovered 
 by the Union pickets, who are sure to be watching 
 the ferry landing at McCoy's, they must dash upon 
 them instantly, capture them if possible, or drive 
 them back. If resistance be stubborn, Butler will 
 lead his horsemen into the foaming waters and fol- 
 low to the rescue. So in they go, knee-deep, waist- 
 deep, maybe breast-deep before they reach the other 
 shore, but who cares? Phillips knows the way, and 
 who would miss the chance of being foremost on this 
 glorious raid! Holding high their carbines and 
 cartridge-boxes, the daring Virginians plough their 
 way, slowly, carefully, until at last the lieutenant 
 issues dri^Dping on the farther shore, and one after 
 another with him group his men. 
 
 Meantime, in breathless silence, — eager riders, ac- 
 customed steeds, — Butler's little battalion waits the 
 signal. Fifteen minutes pass away, and their ven- 
 turesome comrades have disappeared from view. 
 The Maryland shore looms dim and shadowy 
 through the mists just curling from the surface of 
 the waters and partially obscuring the stars that here 
 and there are peeping from the cloudy heavens. 
 Stuart, too, and "Iloony" Lee have ridden down to 
 
HO THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 the water's edge to watch the crossing, and a long 
 gray column is curling snake-like from the distant 
 village towards the deserted ferry. Will the signal 
 never come? It lacks but a few minutes of four, and 
 not a sight or sound has reached them from the 
 northern bank. With Stuart rides a young Virginia 
 trooper who knows every wood road over in Washing- 
 ton county, who is to guide the advance on the rush 
 through Maryland into Pennsylvania. And even as 
 the impatient leader turns to whisper inquiry, two 
 faint flashes split the mists of the morning. Two, 
 three, quickly follow. Then come the muffled re- 
 ports of half a dozen carbines. Then all sounds 
 from the farther shore are drowned in the dash and 
 scurry on the Virginia bank. Into the stream splash 
 the leaders, followed by the South Carolinians in 
 long column of twos, and, guiding on the occasional 
 gleams of musketry, they press boldly through the 
 foaming flood, and so, before the faint, gray light of 
 dawn is peering over the Blue Ridge, thirty miles 
 away, Stuart's advance has pounced on the aston- 
 ished pickets of the Twelfth Illinois. Then as 
 the dawn appears over the dim range at the east, 
 the fog rolls thicker from the stream, and, gray as 
 the morning mists, and well-nigh as silent, the long 
 column comes dripping up the heights, forms line 
 in places along the crest, then pushes sharp-eyed 
 skirmishers out to the front on every lane or open 
 field; and presently these exploring parties stir up 
 other pickets, and more shots are exchanged, and the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 141 
 
 neighborhood begins to wake up with the day, and 
 the rear-guard of a long column of infantry, march- 
 ing westward on the old national pike a mile or so 
 north of the river, halts to find out what all that pop- 
 ping of pistols means down there along the misty 
 banks, and presently they find out indeed, for east, 
 west, and south, right, left, and front, there come 
 galloping out on them exultant parties of horsemen 
 in gray jackets and plumed hats and the blithest of 
 spirits, — gentlemen who bid the amazed infantry, 
 burdened with curiosity and baggage, to gratify all 
 they wish of the one and surrender all they've got of 
 the other. Then ]\Iajor Hairston, division provost- 
 marshal, rides up and receives the prisoners and ar- 
 ranges for their parole, — Stuart has no room for 
 prisoners martial, — and it is broad daylight when 
 Pelham's guns come clinking up the stony path and 
 the advance has split the pickets asunder, captured 
 some horses, and the guide points out the Union sig- 
 nal-station on Fairview Heights, and Hampton sends 
 a platoon of horse to nab the occupants, catching 
 them almost unawares, for the pickets, being so busy 
 looking out for themselves, have forgotten all about 
 these lofty parties whose business it is to look out 
 for others, and only in the nick of time and by the 
 skin of their teeth do Lieutenants Roe and Rowley 
 make their escape and dash madly away to Clear 
 Sirring, three miles to the east, and tell their tale to 
 ]\Iaryland cavalrymen, who send couriers darting 
 away to warn General Kenly at Williamsport. 
 
142 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Meantime, the laughing rebs have made mincemeat 
 of anything left at Fairview station, and the direful 
 news of their coming, instead of being flagged or 
 signalled to Hagerstown (where are Generals Brooks 
 and Franklin of the Union armj, with a whole corps 
 of Union troops within hail) has to be sent at a trot 
 or gallop, and never reaches Hagerstown until noon; 
 and, indeed, not until Roe and Rowley arrive there 
 well-nigh exhausted^ at two o'clock, do the Union 
 generals get full information that Jeb Stuart, the 
 redoubtable, is up to his old tricks again and more 
 than half-way up to Pennsylvania. 
 
 Just what is being done in McClellan's army along 
 the Antietam and thereabouts all this blessed Oc- 
 tober Iriday, while Stuart, barely twenty miles 
 away, is trotting northward to Mercersburg, no one 
 seems to know. General Kenly, at Williamsport, as 
 early as eight o'clock gets news of the crossing from 
 his pickets, and declares he sends it at once to Brooks 
 at Hagerstown, but it has to go by courier. Close 
 by Sharpsburg camps Major-General Pleasonton, 
 commander of the whole Union cavalry division, but 
 his troops are scattered hither and yon. Close to the 
 Potomac at Knoxville, midway between Point of 
 Rocks and Harper's Ferry, camps Major-General 
 George B. McClellan, commanding the Army of the 
 Potomac, and though Kenly has the news of this im- 
 portant dash through our lines at eight in the day, 
 and all Hagerstown knows the truth soon after 
 meridian, sundown comes without a sign from head- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 143 
 
 quarters of the army. Indeed, not until nine at 
 night, when Stuart's gleeful men are helping them- 
 selves to everything in the line of public property 
 worth having in the Pennsylvania town, is an order 
 of any kind issued for pursuit. Incredible as it may 
 seem to-day, not until four o'clock on Saturday 
 morning, twenty-four hours after Stuart strikes the 
 Maryland shore, does Pleasonton get orders to start. 
 Then he sends reply that he doesn't know where Mc- 
 Coy's Ferry is, that his command is very small be- 
 cause so many horses are unshod, but he'll do the 
 best he can under the circumstances^ which sounds 
 anything but inspiring, somehow. And then having 
 started for Hagerstown, not very many miles away, 
 it takes him all the morning to get there, for it is 
 eleven o'clock when he passes through. Then, the 
 enemy by that time having gone east from Cham- 
 bersbnrg towards Gettysburg, the leader of the 
 Union horse goes west from Hagerstown towards the 
 point where Stuart crossed, and so doubles the dis- 
 tance between him and the foe. 
 
 Yes, all this while, unmolested, unpursued, Stuart 
 and his merry men went raiding. At four p.m. on 
 Saturday they had possessed themselves of the post- 
 office and all government valuables in Mercersburg. 
 Their horses were fed and watered, then on they go 
 at five o'clock in a thin drizzling rain that soon soaks 
 through the worn gray jackets, but never damps 
 their spirits, raiding every farm and barn and stable 
 on the way, leading forth every horse worth having 
 
144 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 as they speed along, and just before eight o'clock, 
 Hampton, riding in the lead, comes in view of the 
 twinkling lights of Chambersbnrg, over forty miles 
 from the Potomac by the way they came, and right 
 in the heart of the rich, populous Cumberland Val- 
 ley; and here, in a downpour, the silent column 
 rides front into line and Hart unlimbers a brace of 
 guns to command the ungarrisoned town, and Lieu- 
 tenant Lee, of South Carolina^ with a score of 
 troopers at his back, waving on high a flag of truce, 
 rides forward into the bewildered little municipality, 
 only to find that every official has fled and Cham- 
 bersburg is at the mercy of the South. Away goes a 
 battalion up the Conococheague to burn the railway 
 bridge and bar the coming of McClellan's supplies 
 or Curtin's Home Guards, but that bridge is iron, 
 and their efforts are vain in the limited time at their 
 disposal. Hampton is appointed military governor, 
 and, officers and men, the Southern troopers are bil- 
 leted about the various buildings for the night, while 
 vigilant pickets cover the approaches from every 
 side. The barns and granaries are ransacked for food 
 for the hundreds of horses they have brought along, 
 —men in mid-column have been leading two and 
 three apiece all the way from Mercersburg. Stores 
 and groceries drive a thriving business until all the 
 stock in trade is trafiicked off for jovial promises to 
 pay. Every piano in the burgh is "requisitioned" 
 for the time, and many a parlor visited by gentlemen 
 with muddy boots and polished manners. Dames 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 145 
 
 and damsels who liad no time to flee rejoice in secret 
 over those who had to go, and lost thereby the most 
 delightful evening some of them have ever known. 
 Mirth, music, and soldier song reign for hours 
 through the erstwhile sombre, streets of the sober 
 old town, and the Union sick and wounded, nabbed 
 in hospital to the number of nearly three hundred 
 and paroled on the spot, sit or lie and listen to the 
 fun, and wonder, as well they may, where on earth 
 the Union cavalry are spending the night, and when 
 in realms unmentionable they propose to come and 
 settle this. 
 
 It was early in the October evening that a little 
 group of cavaliers sat drying their steaming gar- 
 ments about the great wide fireplace of an old- 
 fashioned Pennsylvania mansion, and sipping a most 
 seductive apple toddy from the supplies produced 
 from the o\vner's cellar. Virginia toasted the Caro- 
 linas; Stuart's own statesmen pledged the health of 
 Hampton's men, and when some one proposed a 
 song, and the old hound, sprawling in the corner, 
 defrauded of his bed before the blazing fire, stirred 
 uneasily at the mournful strains of that sentimental 
 lay, "Lorena," one young gallant threw back a curly 
 head and shouted, "Oh, take a drink, Monty, and 
 give us a fighting song. Floyd Fairfax is the only 
 fellow we had could sing 'Lorena.' " 
 
 Whereat the officer addressed as Monty sent his 
 
 plumed hat spinning at the critic's head and went 
 
 on with his ditty: 
 
 10 
 
146 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 " Since last I held that ha-and in mine." 
 
 "Shut up, Monty. The only hand you've had 
 worth holding for a year was an ace full that night at 
 Manassas, and you were too full to know it when 
 Fairfax raised you." 
 
 And this time Monty stopped short, turned on 
 his tormentor, and looked vexed. 
 
 "See hyuh, gentlemen," said he, "no man knows 
 better'n I do that singin' ain't my strong point, but 
 just let me tell you one thing, if any of you want to 
 hear Floyd Fairfax sing again, the best thing you can 
 do is to fetch him back to duty with his troop. The 
 general don't talk much, perhaps, but you ask Price 
 or Fitzhugh what he said when he agreed to let 
 that troop go off to hunt Floyd Fairfax up at Lees- 
 burg." 
 
 In a moment the merriment was stilled. The chat 
 and laughter came to sudden stop. It was not good 
 among those that followed Stuart that imputation 
 of any kind should attach to the name of officer and 
 gentleman. For a moment there was a silence almost 
 as of dismay, then, with a simulated yawn, out spoke 
 young Garnett, him of the curling black locks. 
 
 "Give us more 'Lorena,' Monty," said he, sweetly. 
 "It's bad, but we'd rather listen to that. Floyd Fair- 
 fax is — all right." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 But to see the anxious faces at that dormer-win- 
 dow of the Heatherwood place the afternoon that 
 followed this conversation, no one who could hear 
 one word of the talk between brother and sister, or 
 heard the instructions given Laura Waddell before 
 she rode away, would be apt to believe that Floyd 
 Fairfax was "all right." But where Lieutenant Gar- 
 nett of the Virginia Horse meant by "all right" that 
 the absence of Captain Fairfax from his command at 
 this time was a matter thoroughly understood by 
 most of his friends to reflect in no wise on his char- 
 acter or reputation, "all right" with Belle Heather- 
 wood and her wounded and supposed to be bedridden 
 brother would have referred more particularly to his 
 physical condition and surroundings. In the one 
 case it was known that he had been quite seriously 
 wounded and had to be left behind at Leesburg a 
 month previous, and that even if he could have re- 
 joined his troop by way of the gaps through the Blue 
 liidge, he was not yet well enough for cavalry duty. 
 What Fitzhugh and others dreaded was that the 
 Yankees would raid Loudoun County again and carry 
 him off, and if carrying was to be done, therefore, it 
 were better done by his own people. Hence the dash 
 of the Fairfax troop to Leesburg only to find their 
 
 147 
 
148 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 bird had flown, and that, so far from slipping back 
 to his colors, he had limped awaj under cover of 
 night to the Potomac, and, said a Leesburg cousin, 
 " 'Fyou want to find Floyd you'll have to ask Belle 
 Heather wood," — a bit of feminine acrimony or spite 
 that was destined to harm Floyd Fairfax far more 
 than the speaker imagined possible. The troop had 
 taken advantage of the departure of the Union cav- 
 alry to gallop to the point opposite Heatherwood 
 Towers in hopes of finding their friend the captain, 
 but Hamlin, after all, had proved too quick for them. 
 They had ridden back discomfited and yet rather 
 well pleased at their exploit, and reached the camps 
 around Winchester only to learn that they had lost 
 the chance of a far more exciting and important raid, 
 — that Stuart was gone with two thousand picked 
 men, and not a word had been heard from him since 
 he disappeared in the mists of the morning at Mc- 
 Coy's ford, 
 
 "Here's a letter from Fairfax marked personal," 
 said one of the staft'-officers left behind^ "brought 
 in yesterday by some of our patrols who got it from 
 an old nigger. It's addressed to Fitzhugh; explains 
 where he is, probably, and what he's doing. We'll 
 know as soon as the general gets back." 
 
 But Captain Fairfax had taken the responsibility 
 of a raid into Maryland all on his own account^ all 
 in ignorance of that commanded by his daring 
 leader, and though he, too, might find out a good 
 deal about the position and force and possible inten- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. ]49 
 
 tions of the enemy, and had a certain military pur- 
 pose in his visit, there was to him, indeed, a greater 
 object, and that was to see the lady of his love, his 
 distant cousin, Belle Ileatherwood, and this was a 
 matter difficult of accomplishment. 
 
 In her sterling honesty, Madam Heatherwood had 
 f.2cej)ted the guard tendered for the jDreservation of 
 her property and the favors extended her wounded 
 son and nephew as things to be scrupulously re- 
 garded and even repaid. The fact that she had long 
 and tenderly and successfully nursed certain Union 
 wounded after Bull Run and Ball's Bluff in no wise 
 released her, she held, from the debt of gratitude she 
 now owed the general government. Xot only did 
 she observe strict neutrality herself, but she de- 
 manded it of the inmates of her household. Her 
 son being flat on his back, as she declared and be- 
 lieved, no disobedience was to be apprehended from 
 him. Young Tighlman, high-spirited and impatient, 
 proved less tractable, but Belle, "my beauty 
 daughter," as her fond father had called her in her 
 girl days, and as the proud mother so often thought 
 of her now, was Southern in temperament as she was 
 in sympathy, and Ralph's descriptive fully covered 
 the case when he referred to her as a ''red-hot rebel." 
 
 Baltimore associations had much to do with this, 
 but by no means all. Even in school-days, excepting 
 one or two friends like Florence Lowndes, all her 
 chums were Southern girls. Many of her vacations 
 were spent visiting charming old Southern homes. 
 
150 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 It was not until a year or so before the outbreak of 
 the war that she saw anything whatever of I^Torthern 
 society, and she found it, as compared with that she 
 had known so well and loved so much, somewhat 
 stiff, if not indeed humdrum. She was a girl with 
 innate love of truth, honor, and courage in man or 
 Avoman. She had pride of birth and name and 
 beauty. The men her father had best known and 
 loved were of the old cavalier stock, and from her 
 baby days, almost, she had most admired such as he, 
 men of grave, courteous, chivalric dignity of man- 
 ner. Years of her life, it seems, she had known Gen- 
 eral Lee. Three years ago this very month, she re- 
 membered it well, he and his young associate. Lieu- 
 tenant Stuart, were entertained at Heatherwood, 
 both in the uniform of the old army, for there had 
 been stirring events at Harper's Ferry. A I^orthern 
 fanatic, an abolitionist, backed by men misguided 
 and fanatical like himself, had hidden in the fast- 
 nesses of the grand range to the west, and begun a 
 secret and wicked crusade that was to array the 
 blacks against their masters, to promote insurrection 
 and rebellion, to place in negro hands the sword and 
 the torch, and bid them kill, burn, and destroy to win 
 their freedom. She had never forgotten the dread 
 and horror with which they heard of Ossawattomie 
 Brown's mad attemjot at Harper's Ferry, followed 
 by the uprising, not of the blacks, but of the whites 
 against him, — the bloody fight at the old engine- 
 house. United States troops against the rash invaders. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 151 
 
 Then came tlie capture of the wounded old man, his 
 trial at Charlestown, the mustering of the Virginia 
 militia, far and near, to attend his execution. 
 "Bloody miscreant," she heard him called by every 
 woman except her gentle mother, as the sad, dreamy, 
 friendless old soul was led to the scaffold. But there 
 were men even then who looked grave and thought- 
 ful, who read in that first feeble kindling of the 
 flame the unerring preface to the great proclama- 
 tion that, springing from the blood of battling hosts 
 that reddened the tide lapping the base of those very 
 heights, should soon sweep the land like a tornado, 
 driving slavery before it. Three years before, the 
 arms of the United States were turned on him who 
 drove the entering wedge of abolition through the 
 mighty rocks here within sight of her ancestral 
 home, and now ten thousand freemen in the Union 
 blue were risen up for every soldier there employed. 
 Obedient to the laws, as then interpreted, the disci- 
 plined strength of that little party of regulars had 
 been hurled against that improvised fort, and John 
 Brown's worn old body was sent to moulder in the 
 grave. Yet here, day after day, in that same uni- 
 form, thousands of soldiery, lusty lunged, tramped 
 by their very gates proclaiming to the world his soul 
 was marching on. John Brown struck the spark 
 from the rocks at Harper's Ferry, and Abraham 
 Lincoln loosed a whirlwind of cleansing fires, a 
 thank-offering from the bluffs of the Antietam. 
 Here within hail of Heatherwood the initial shot of 
 
152 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 an immortal struggle echoed from shore to shore of 
 an inland river. Here within hail of Heatherwood 
 was fought the tremendous battle whose issue was 
 the immortal proclamation now echoing from shore 
 to shore of the fathomless sea. 
 
 There were no grave, courteous, cavalier soldiers 
 of Virginia now to stand in stately pose on the old 
 porticoj as Lee and Stuart had stood in days gone by. 
 Ralph and Cousin Tighlman looked far from stately 
 when lifted out of the ambulance that September 
 afternoon and borne aloft to comfortable beds. The 
 Union officers who called to see her mother on busi- 
 ness, or to inquire for the welfare of the household 
 of a long-loved comrade. Belle rarely saw. Belle's 
 heart was hot against that uniform, ever since the 
 spring of '61, until circumstances occurred to render 
 it bearable within the week gone by. Colonel Clark 
 and Lieutenant Ilomans she had seen only when 
 she chose to peer through the blinds. All her atten- 
 tions and devotions had been given, since the battle 
 of South Mountain, to those two wounded, but most 
 importunate and dissatisfied heroes in the second 
 story, both wild to get well, get exchanged, and back 
 to their regiments. Both had to be entertained and, 
 harder still, to be kept in subjection. Both were 
 doing well, thanks to tough constitutions and unim- 
 paired digestion, and both demanded items of food 
 and drink either forbidden or beyond their reach. 
 Mrs. Heatherwood, of course, spent much time with 
 Ipoth, but she was neither strong nor well. Her 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 153 
 
 daughter was lier mainstay about the house, backed 
 bj two old family servants, and now within the 
 month Laura had been added to her cares when 
 Laura was quite able, so she said, to take care of her- 
 self. 
 
 That child's spirits seemed irrepressible. She had 
 not been at Heatherwood a day before she renewed 
 her acquaintance with every feature, taking especial 
 comfort in the barn, wherein she had had so many a 
 frolic as a child, and in the orchard^ which, despite 
 its denuded condition as to fruity proved full of en- 
 tertainment for her from the day of her arrival, 
 mainly because it seemed to attract every Yankee 
 straggler who could elude the vigilance of the 
 guards. Just when she first met and captured Pet- 
 tingill the household never knew, but he never for- 
 got. He became her devotee from the start, and she 
 knew it. She cajoled, tormented, snubbed, and 
 wheedled him by turns, but in simple faith he never 
 wavered. Him she questioned when she wanted in- 
 formation, and, if he could not give it, hectored him 
 until he went and found out what she demanded to 
 know. Speedily discovering that Madam Heather- 
 wood was averse to anything that might prejudice 
 her observance of a strict neutrality, Laura carried 
 all she learned to her city-bred cousin, whom she 
 admired and looked up to as a woman without a peer. 
 To Belle she was fidelity itself. Her will was law. 
 Her wishes went unchallenged, even when it pres- 
 ently developed that something was agog tq which 
 
154 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Aunty Heatherwood was not a party, and the full 
 nature of which Laura herself was not permitted to 
 know. 
 
 Letters came a few days after her arrival, one of 
 which caused Cousin Belle an access of excitement. 
 That night Laura was excluded from her cousin's 
 room, and, wandering into the orchard for refuge, she 
 was startled by the appearance of a light in a window 
 where no light was known to be before, the west 
 dormer on the south front. Who on earth would 
 be in the garret now? Then the light suddenly 
 went out, or disappeared, then as suddenly flamed 
 again, and that was odder still. Half a dozen 
 times it gleamed a moment, then disappeared, and 
 Laura was keen-witted enough to know that some 
 one must be signalling over to the Virginia shore. 
 Later, on sunshiny afternoons, she had twice seen 
 Belle there at that window, and finally had openly 
 charged her cousin with carrying on c6mmunication 
 with somebody. 
 
 ''[N'ot that I object," said Miss Waddell. "I just 
 love it; only you needn't try to hide it from me." 
 
 So they did not, thereafter. Belle frankly told 
 her cousin, binding her to secrecy, that Captain 
 Floyd Fairfax, who had been left wounded at Lees- 
 burg, was now so far recovered that he had written 
 by a trusty hand to say that before he rejoined his 
 troop he was going to make an effort to cross, as he 
 must see Ralph and Tighlman, if only for half an 
 hour, and must visit some friends at Poolesville. He 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 155 
 
 would be disguised, and the experiment was hazard- 
 ous, said Belle, but Fairfax had ever been a dare- 
 devil. They could not write to dissuade liim, — it 
 was unsafe. Yet they had managed to send a mes- 
 sage to him, verbally, but all to no purpose. He 
 had devised a system of signals which he wished to 
 teach them, and already was able to warn them what 
 night to expect him. Just two nights before this 
 stirring and eventful Saturday, now drawing to a 
 close, a Maryland farmer appeared at the kitchen 
 door and asked for Miss Heatherwood, and the 
 moment she entered and caught sight of the shaggy- 
 haired, heavy-bearded, rough-looking rustic standing- 
 there so awkwardly, she asked if he had brought her 
 a message or letter, then suddenly burst into hysteri- 
 cal laughter that ended in a sort of cry as she sat 
 down on a bench, "shaking all over," said Laura, 
 when, long afterwards, she could dispassionately de- 
 scribe the events of that October week at Heather- 
 wood, and her version may safely be adopted now. 
 "The farmer," said she, "began to chuckle_," and 
 Laura was on the point of snapping at him for want 
 of manners, when the whole situation dawned upon 
 her. That farmer was Floyd Fairfax, and she was 
 much de trop. They dared not let Madam Heather- 
 wood know of his presence. She liked him well, but 
 would have no unauthorized communication with the 
 enemies of the United States, and not until after she 
 had kissed her son and nephew good-night and re- 
 tired to her own room dare they pilot the visitor up 
 
156 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 to Ralph's bedside, where, said Laura, "he, too, 
 nearly died laughing at the queer figure Fairfax 
 made." But what the captain wanted of Ralph and 
 Tighlman could not amount to much, thought she, 
 for he only spent twenty minutes talking to them, 
 while for hours he was hanging around for a chance 
 to whisper to Belle, who seemed none too eager to 
 give him opportunity, for that same night there came 
 to the house that Yankee soldier, covered with dust 
 and dirt, "a soldier who knew the ways of the place, 
 if he didn't know how to be polite to ladies," said 
 Miss Waddell, airily, in referring to the matter later. 
 He rode to the barn by the back way and watered 
 and fed his horse and then brought his saddle and 
 saddle-bags straight to the kitchen door and asked 
 Aunt Chloe, who was cooking, please to take a note 
 to ]\Iiss Belle, which he scribbled on a piece of paper, 
 and Chloe said Miss Belle jumped up and turned 
 four kinds of colors inside a minute and ran down 
 the back stairs ahead of her, and Chloe could have 
 sworn Belle was crying and "all trembling like" 
 when she reached the kitchen. (All which was just 
 what Aunt Chloe told her, rather than let Laura be- 
 lieve her cousin awaiting, as she was, that Yankee's 
 coming.) And then the Yankee was shown to a 
 room on the first floor, a room that had been kept 
 locked ever since, and there Aunty Heatherwood 
 went and had a long talk with him, and there he 
 stayed all that night and all the next day and night 
 (so Laura believed), and had his meals taken in to him 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 157 
 
 by Aunt Heatherwood herself, Chloe said so, because 
 he was worn out and dead tired, poor soul, and in 
 some trouble, too, because first thing Saturday morn- 
 ing thej had sentries round the house and Yankee 
 officers came there and arrested this same soldier just 
 as he was sneaking awav with his saddle-bags, never 
 saying good-by, and Belle wouldn't tell Laura any- 
 thing about "that fella," and only blushed and 
 laughed when Laura asked her who was the hand- 
 some Yankee officer who called on her the previous 
 afternoon, and rode away with Mr. Homans just be- 
 fore the fighting began. Laura was devoured with 
 curiosity about that cavalry officer, but all Belle 
 would tell her was that he was an old friend who had 
 rendered her mother great service in the past, and 
 that she should know all about him soon, but not 
 just now, not until they had got Floyd Fairfax out 
 of his scrape, for scrape he was surely in. 
 
 He had come to the house Thursday night in his 
 farmer's garb, and had declared his intention of com- 
 ing Friday night, too, and Belle was fearfully ner- 
 vous and anxious, doubly so, because she dared not 
 let her mother know of his purpose. Once before, 
 when Floyd had sent word to the mistress of 
 Heatherwood that he should call whenever the for- 
 tunes of war brought him to Maryland, she urged 
 him to refrain, and after Kalph was brought home 
 wounded she sent a letter to Leesburg, warning Fair- 
 fax that her doors would not be open to him. But 
 Ralph refused to be guided by his mother in the mat- 
 
158 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ter and secretly rebelled. He urged Floyd to come 
 on that Friday night, j^romising to have certain let- 
 ters ready for him then, and Floyd had eagerly 
 agreed. But that afternoon, as we know, there came 
 the Fairfax troop and the si^irited fight with Ham- 
 lin's men, and later old Foulweather. And over 
 towards Poolesville the lurking soldier got word that 
 Heatherwood was surrounded by searching parties 
 and suspicious officers. His presence in the neigh- 
 borhood was reported, and the sooner he got back to 
 Virginia the better. He planned to go this very 
 Saturday night, taking Heatherwood on his way, but 
 long before the October gloaming came, chill and 
 cheerless, there reached him a farmer's boy, who 
 whisj)ered that Laura Waddell rode out as far as the 
 White's Ford road to tell him the Yankee caA^alry 
 were hurrying north from Clark's Gap, hard as they 
 could come, and he must "lay low," and half an hour 
 later there came tidings that thrilled him to the mar- 
 row with exultation^ envy, and anxiety all in one, 
 tidings that Jeb Stuart had dashed through the 
 Union lines away up to Pennsylvania, had "burned 
 the stores in Chambersburg and Gettysburg," and 
 now was coming south for all he was worth, and 
 every Yankee from Washington to Cumberland was 
 in saddle or under arms in hopes of catching him. 
 Before the sun went down behind the Loudoun the 
 roads to White's Ford and to the Monocacy were 
 thronged with guns and infantry, hurrying west. 
 The northward lanes were alive vnth patrols of horse, 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 159 
 
 all hastening forth to meet and check the daring 
 raider, and no sooner had night spread her wings 
 over the lovely rural landscape east of the Catoctins 
 than from every signal-tower along the range and 
 from Sugar Loaf, far over northeast of Heatherwood, 
 the flaring torches began to wave and circle through 
 the darkness, and concealment in a country barn 
 became torment. Win or lose, Floyd Fairfax swore 
 he'd meet and join his beloved chief and comrades, 
 as back they came, boring their way through the 
 meshes of the Yankee net, — or would die in trying it. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 But Heatherwood was destined to know more 
 than one excitement that never-to-be-forgotten Sat- 
 urday, It was barely three o'clock when old Dobbin 
 went straddling and stumbling down the drive, an 
 eager-eyed Virginia girl urging him on, and the 
 clouds that earlier had hung over the Catoctins to 
 the northwest^ and had laid the dust in lower Penn- 
 sylvania for the benefit of Stuart's men, now began 
 to obscure the face of the declining sun and put an 
 end to the occasional flashes at the dormer-window. 
 As a system of signalling it was crude and uncertain 
 at best, pursued by Belle Heatherwood and her con- 
 valescing brother more for the sake of doing that 
 which might "worry the Yankees" than to convey 
 information of value to their foes. Indeed, it was 
 only occasionally that the flash thrown from Belle's 
 little hand-mirror went with such accuracy as to as- 
 sure its being seen by the occupant of the cabin on 
 the distant crest of the Virginia Kittoctans. From 
 that point, however, when the sun was dropping 
 to the Loudoun, flashes could be thrown into the 
 westward valley with much ease, and lively spirits 
 at Leesburg, where were still some ten score 
 wounded, conceived the idea of opening signal com- 
 munication with Heatherwoodj and it was this that 
 160 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 161 
 
 Floyd Fairfax was striving to develop into some- 
 thing of value. Thus far, however, the only infor- 
 mation conveyed from Heatherwood was that some 
 of its occupants were actually in that west dormer- 
 window and on watch, — Belle's flashes, though bril- 
 liant at times, being too erratic to be valuable. But 
 Floyd had left w^ith her now an ordinary school copy- 
 book filled through several pages vnih. a system by 
 which they of Virginia could convey tidings to the 
 Maryland shore, — principally with candles or lan- 
 terns at night and the rising or falling of a white 
 window-curtain by day. The night lights that Laura 
 had noted were largely experimental, for not until 
 Floyd's coming had they possessed anything like a 
 signal-code. !N^ow Miss Heatherwood had one, and 
 the question was, could Ralph, a paroled and 
 wounded prisoner, be justified in using it? 
 
 Together they had translated the meaning of the 
 wavings that came to the window from the little 
 cabin on the Kittoctan top earlier that afternoon, 
 though repetitions were necessary, and the ultimate 
 translation was much facilitated by the sudden ap- 
 pearance of dust clouds issuing from Clark's Gap. 
 The rain that had favored Stuart a hundred miles 
 northward had not yet begun to soften the roads 
 across the Potomac. 
 
 But that they should know that the Union cavalry 
 was coming, and coming fast, long before any cav- 
 alry could be seen, had in itself a mysterious and 
 
 powerful fascination for Belle. She clung there to 
 
 11 
 
162 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 the window-ledge after sending Laura on her mis- 
 sion, and with eager eyes studied the distant wooded 
 heights and prayed fervently for more news, good 
 news. Ohj if that sudden withdrawal of the Union 
 squadrons could only mean that Stuart was at their 
 heels, driving them into the Potomac ! 
 
 Wearied in his weak condition, Ralph had stolen 
 back to his own room, urging Belle to report to him 
 should anything further be signalled requiring his 
 interpretation. It was the hour at which, ordinarily, 
 Mrs. Heatherwood took her siesta, the only hour 
 during the day in which he could leave his room 
 without every probability of her knowing it at once. 
 From morning until noon, and again from four until 
 ten at night, the devoted woman was almost con- 
 stantly at his side or that of Tighlman in the adjoin- 
 ing and communicating room. There had been a 
 time in the not very distant past when this young 
 Marylander was looking with eyes of more than 
 cousinly love on the beautiful face of his kinswoman, 
 but tidings of Jack Lowndes's devotions, and later of 
 the presence of Floyd Fairfax, had precipitated an 
 avowal, and more sieges are lost in love by striking 
 too quick than too slow. Belle had refused him, 
 kindly and affectionately, had consoled him with the 
 customary offer to be a sister to him, which he de- 
 clined with thanks, being already overburdened with 
 such near relatives, and had gone off to Europe in a 
 Cunarder and a huff, only to be recalled by the up- 
 rising of the South, whose cause he eagerly em- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 163 
 
 braced, was appointed an aide-de-camp on Ewell's 
 staff the first winter of the war, and rode with that 
 grim fighter until the Maryland campaign, when 
 Ewell, minus the leg he lost tackling the Yankees 
 along the Warrenton Pike the evening of the 28th 
 of August, was left behind to repair damages. Tighl- 
 man came on with the division, was assigned to other 
 staff duty, and as luck would have it met his cousin 
 Heatherwood and a hostile bullet almost at the same 
 moment in the defense of the Gaps before Antietam. 
 Xow he was once more under Heatherwood's roof, 
 his nearest kin having all gone South, and was feel- 
 ing very sore in spirit, very much aggrieved indeed, 
 all because Belle had told him the year before that 
 he would soon get over his fancy and would fall in 
 love with a girl who could thoroughly appreciate all 
 his good qualities. Tighlman had sworn in Decem- 
 ber he could never do either, and by April had done 
 both. So there he was at Heatherwood, wounded 
 in body and in spirit. At no time does a man feel 
 much more like an ass than when he has to spend 
 hour after hour in the presence of the woman who, 
 with perfect good humor, has prophesied that he 
 would speedily forget his infatuation for her, and 
 whom he finds to have prophesied exactly right. 
 There lay Captain Tighlman, forced to look lugu- 
 brious and sigh whenever Belle came fluttering into 
 the room in order to convince her she had done him 
 injustice in declaring him so light-minded, when all 
 the time he knew his heart was irrevocably bound 
 
164 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 up in a dear little Georgia girl near whom he had 
 spent long weeks abroad. What would Captain 
 Tighlman say had he seen Belle Heatherwood kiss- 
 ing a Yankee officer? Miss Waddell had indignantly 
 asked; and while Miss Heatherwood had done noth- 
 ing of the kind, but had only tremblingly inclined 
 her forehead towards the pleading lips of that hand- 
 some unknown, it may be safely said that Captain 
 Tighlman would have felt no jealousy other than 
 that aroused by the question of uniform. 
 
 He was in a peevish and fretful mood, however, 
 and disposed to sympathize with his comrade's eager- 
 ness to be up and away, even on this gloomy Octo- 
 ber afternoon, when the rain began to patter about 
 the old house and strike the frost-bitten leaves from 
 their feeble hold on the stiffening branches. But he 
 started up in bed, leaned on his elbow, and gazed 
 eagerly as Heatherwood came limping in, whisper- 
 
 "There's fun ahead. Brad. Something's up ! I'm 
 blessed if I can tell what, but they're waving like 
 mad up on Sugar Loaf. The troops down by the 
 aqueduct are all under arms. The Yanks are mus- 
 tering on every road, — guns, cavalry, and infantry. 
 They're all coming this way." 
 
 "My God! Can they have found out about Fair- 
 fax?" asked Tighlman. 
 
 "That wouldn't stir up all the troops in Mary- 
 land," was the answer. "With my glasses you can 
 see away over towards Poolesville. There are three 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 165 
 
 or four regiments moving ont on the road, and a 
 dozen squadrons. Others are coming now from Point 
 of Rocks, and the old regiment, by gad, is coming 
 up the Kittoctan at a trot, heading for White's Ford. 
 What can have happened, do you think? Can it be 
 Stuart again?" 
 
 And just as he spoke, clear and shrill the voice of 
 Laura Waddell was heard from underneath the win- 
 dows: 
 
 "Cousin Ralph! Cousin Ralph! Can you hear 
 me? Such wonderful news! I heard all the Yanks 
 talking about it. Stuart's rode all around them 
 again and is up in Pennsylvania now, and he's going 
 to burn Baltimore and Washington, and they're all 
 out there to catch him, — the whole pack. Ain't it 
 splendid?" 
 
 "Sh-sh, Laura. Be quiet, child. You'll wake 
 mother," was the loud stage whisper with which 
 Captain Heatherwood greeted this thrilling an- 
 nouncement, as his haggard face, quivering with ex- 
 citement, appeared at the window. "Come up here, 
 quick, and tell us all about it. — My God, Brad! 
 Think of it. Stuart raiding through Pennsylvania 
 and we here crippled and paroled!" 
 
 "Parole be damned!" was the mad reply, as Tighl- 
 man straightened up in bed. "They'll come back 
 this way, like as not, and no parole counts in case of 
 recapture. All we've got to do is to be up and ready 
 to ride. Shut that door!" he cried, as the sound of 
 quick, light footsteps was heard in the hall without, 
 
1G6 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and Heatherwood hobbled to the threshold all too 
 late. There, her face aflame with excitement, stood 
 Belle, and it was plain to see that she had heard her 
 cousin's words. 
 
 "Ralph," she pleaded, laying her hands on her 
 brother's arm, and speaking low, hurriedly, "you 
 surely cannot think of such a thing as attempting to 
 leave this house until you are thoroughly well. 
 You're weak as a child yet, — both of you. You're 
 not fit to stir. It would bring on fever again, or re- 
 open your wound." 
 
 He placed his hand upon her lips and strove to 
 check her, "Hush! Mother must not hear. She 
 must not be wakened," he whispered, but already 
 Laura was pattering up the stairs, dancing mth joy 
 and excitement. She rushed upon them, clapping 
 her hands. 
 
 "It's true! it's true!" she cried, hugging Belle in 
 her delight. "Pettingill's out there in the orchard 
 now; says he had to come up and see me — just 
 think of it — before he marched to battle. Just as if 
 I cared. He's got on all his fixings, knapsack and 
 things, and looks like he wanted to cry; says they're 
 ordered to be ready to march just as soon as the re- 
 lief guard comes, and they are coming over the 
 Monocacy now. He says they're going to cover the 
 whole country with Yankees, and I told him he 
 needn't trouble himself, Jeb Stuart 'd cover the 
 ground with 'em three deep wherever he goes." It 
 was impossible to check the wild exuberance of the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 167 
 
 girl's outbreak. She danced about the hall, a buxom 
 imp, until Heatherwood seized her and clapped his 
 thin hand over the rosy mouth. 
 
 "Quiet, child! Mother must not hear this yet," 
 he ordered. But she shook herself free in an instant, 
 her rustic health and strength far outmatching his 
 enfeebled muscles. 
 
 "Aunty ? Why, she's heard it ! She's out there on 
 the gallery now, talking with Colonel Clark. He's 
 just ridden up with that stiffy Homans, comin' to tell 
 her there's to be another guard. Guess we can take 
 care of ourselves now, and I just wanted a chance to 
 tell him he'd better look out for his own crowd." 
 And shaking the rain out of her shining hair, the 
 girl went dancing and springing and gamboling up 
 and down the wide hall in wild exultation and de- 
 light, just as there appeared, coming slowly up the 
 stairs, her sad, placid, beautiful face clouded with 
 new care and trouble, the beloved mistress of 
 Heatherwood. At sight of her and the gentle re- 
 buke in her eyes, the girl almost instantly checked 
 her mad whirling and ran to aid her. Heatherwood, 
 hearing Tighlman's voice, had for the moment 
 turned to look within the room, and did not see her. 
 When he reappeared it was to be confronted by his 
 mother, amaze, distress, and deep anxiety in her 
 gaze, all giving way to utter dismay as the door 
 swung open and there, leaning feebly against the 
 casement for support, pale with exhaustion, yet with 
 excitement and resolution firing his eyes, there in 
 his Confederate uniform, stood Bradley Tighlman. 
 
168 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Mrs. Heatherwood was first to speak, 
 '"In God's name, my boy, what does this mean?" 
 "It means that Stuart is coming, aunty," faltered 
 Tighlman, almost gasping for breath. "It means 
 that he is sure to come this way, that we can be re- 
 captured, and, well or wounded, every soldier of the 
 South must be ready to follow." 
 
 "JSTot from this roof," she answered, solemnly. 
 "Not so long as that parole lasts. You pledged your 
 soldier honor never to take up arms or render any 
 service against the United States until properly ex- 
 changed, and every soldier, ISTorth or South, must 
 stand by his soldier word. — Help him off with that 
 uniform, Ealph. Then back to your beds, both of 
 you," she ordered, almost as though it were ten 
 years gone by and in their boyish days again, "and 
 stay there until you're dragged out by Stuart's men, 
 for if by word, sign, or deed you attempt to com- 
 municate with Stuart's command, as God is my 
 judge, I'll surrender you both to the Federal 
 guards." 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The sun was still an hour high, invisible through 
 the rain-clouds that hung dripping along the crest of 
 the Catoctins and the opposite heights of Loudoun, 
 when the New Hampshire men were relieved of the 
 care of the aqueduct and the empty ditch of the 
 canal by the arrival of a brace of battalions from the 
 Pine-Tree State, and Clark, pursuant to his orders, 
 left his tents standing in the grove and marched 
 away with his long blue column, gathering up the 
 guard under Heatherwood Towers, the solemn-faced 
 Ilomans and the reluctant Pettingill with the rest. 
 
 "Remember," said he, to the commander of the 
 Maine contingent, "we leave our heavy baggage with 
 our tents under your charge. This thing will be 
 settled, probably, within twelve hours. If Stuart 
 comes this way we may reasonably expect to beat 
 him back until the cavalry surround him. If he 
 goes far to the east or turns to the west, we won't be 
 needed and vnll be back again to-morrow. Here are 
 the written orders about protecting Heatherwood, on 
 the height yonder." And the precious paper was 
 handed over. 
 
 "I don't know about that place," was the doubtful 
 
 answer, "There was a soldier arrested there and sent 
 
 up to the provost-marshal at Point of Rocks this 
 
 morning. What had he been doing?" 
 
 169 
 
170 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 "Arrested by a cavalry major of regulars who said 
 he was a straggler from his command. I could not 
 interfere, though I believe him to be the same man 
 that galloped away from my camp a night or two 
 ago, refusing to have his pass examined. There's 
 something about him that's wrong. I don't know 
 what." 
 
 "Well, they didn't keep him in limbo ten min- 
 utes," said the Maine officer. "He asked to see Cap- 
 tain Mcintosh, and when Mac was sent out to scout 
 towards Sugar Loaf this morning, he had that fellow 
 riding with him. They say he knows the countr}^ 
 like a book." 
 
 "Yery likely," said Clark. "One thing you can 
 be sure of, and that is this, Mrs. Heatherwood will 
 knowingly allow no man to enter her doors who is 
 not there by authority of the War Department. She 
 is nursing her son and nephew, both of whom are 
 still in bed, and they are the only men about the 
 place, unless you count the old darky." 
 
 "And you've had no reason to suspect anything 
 wrong? N^o attempt to communicate with rebels at 
 Leesburg or elsewhere?" 
 
 "Certainly not," was the prompt reply. "Why 
 do you ask?" 
 
 "Because the provost-marshal at Point of Rocks 
 tells me the signal-officers on Sugar Loaf say there 
 is signalling going on over there in Loudoun County 
 to some point here. Now, what could it be but 
 Heatherwood? He has word that that Virginian 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 171 
 
 captain, Fairfax, was over here somewhere, and that 
 your people yesterday were imposed upon by a 
 stranger claiming to be Captain Belden, of Hooker's 
 staff. Why, you ought to know, or they ought to 
 know, that General Hooker was wounded at Antie- 
 tam and went into Washington, and Belden with 
 him. Belden hasn't come back yet." 
 
 "I've heard that story. Old Foulweather, of the 
 cavalry, asked Madam Heatherwood in my presence, 
 and she declared that she never knew- such an officer 
 as Captain Belden. There has been some masquer- 
 ading going on, perhaps, but she knows nothing of 
 it. You'll find no people there she cannot account 
 for." 
 
 And so saying, Clark, the bearded, who believed 
 solemnly in women, rode rapidly away, and placed 
 himself at the head of his column as they struck the 
 road to Conrad's Ferry, meeting, oddly enough, the 
 column of regulars just as they came dripping up 
 from the ford. The ^e\y Hampshire men retook 
 their silent tramp down the towpath, as the muddy 
 tail of the cavalry column swung out over the steep 
 ascent. The infantry were marching away from the 
 expected foe in order to occupy the heights overlook- 
 ing the lower ferry. Foulweather, however, profit- 
 ing by the field orders which turned him loose in 
 Loudoun County for a week's scout, was now push- 
 ing northward into Maryland, a free lance, practi- 
 cally, with glorious possibilities ahead, Burnside, of 
 course, having to accept the resi^onsibility for his 
 change of base. 
 
172 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 And Foiilweather had reason to be hopeful and 
 elate. Both in Stuart's cavalry, south of the Potomac, 
 and among the widely dispersed camps of the Union 
 horse, from Cumberland to Washington on the north 
 of the river, their mounts were suffering with equine 
 maladies known as "greasy heel" and sore tongue. 
 In addition there were hundreds of horses in Pleas- 
 onton's camp in need of shoes. Just why this should 
 have been the quartermaster could not say. But 
 most of the Union commanders reported their horses 
 in poor condition. Foulweather, however, serving 
 east of the mountains and nearer Washington, had 
 been able to supply himself as to forage and shoes, 
 while the epidemics that so affected the chargers in 
 the Shenandoah and upper Potomac valleys had 
 made no inroads on his stock. He w^as, except for 
 fatigue, in tip-top condition for sharp cavalry service. 
 He reasoned that Stuart's column^ both men and 
 horses, would be worn out by the time they met, and, 
 though he had barely two hundred and fifty sabres 
 at his back, the stout old plainsman meant that they 
 should make their mark on the gray squadrons if he 
 could possibly reach them. 
 
 And why should he not reach them? Here he 
 was, far from the grasp of any brigade commander, 
 his own master for the time being. Now was the 
 chance for independent action, now the golden op- 
 portunity to win those long coveted silver stars, now 
 the time to distance all competitors in the race for 
 recommendation for the brigadier-generalship to 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. ] 73 
 
 come from the cavalry. So far as he could hear, 
 there was only one rival in the field, — Mcintosh, he 
 of the provost-guard at Point of Rocks, already out 
 there somewhere to the north of him, and scouting 
 the roads down which Stuart might come. True, 
 Stoneman was throwing forward cavalry from Pooles- 
 ville, but who were they? said Foul weather, disdain- 
 fully. Stoneman had no regulars to speak of, and 
 even Rush's Lancers up at Frederick had not served 
 to modify the old major's disdain or to change his 
 dictum that "a volunteer trooper was only a dummy 
 on a cart-horse." Mcintosh, however, was a man to 
 dread, guided as he was by a trooper who knew every 
 bridle-path in that part of Maryland. How dare he 
 release Bell from durance vile ? How dare he utilize 
 him instead of sending him back to Foulweather, — 
 now that his services were so sorely needed? The 
 major was hot with jealous wrath as the darkness 
 slowly settled down, and riding straight for Sugar 
 Loaf, he saw the red torch waving at its lofty 
 summit. 
 
 And now the men had slept through hours of the 
 earlier day, had feasted on soldier fare at noon, and 
 could be counted on for all-night work if need be, 
 even though the sun had given place to shower and 
 the night wore on chill and wet. At seven o'clock 
 he was pushing northward, following some old 
 country road that meandered among the groves and 
 fields. He relied on reaching the broad pike before 
 eight, the main road that led from Frederick through 
 
174 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Hjattstown and Rockville to Washington, and there 
 surely he would intercept couriers with tidings of the 
 foe; surely by that time it would be known which 
 way the fox had turned. Off to the eastward faint 
 lights were gleaming here and there in little villages 
 or farm-houses. Foulweather left Barnesville well 
 to his right, for there, though news might have been 
 had, he feared that at this moment he might nnd 
 some officer superior in rank who would take it upon 
 himself to order him to join some detachment of 
 volunteer horse and act in concert ^vith amateurs, 
 and so spoil all the old major's plans of action. Foul- 
 weather would take no chance of losing his autonomy, 
 and, like many another cavalryman, good or bad, he 
 would rather be his own commander in a wilderness 
 than ride as second or subordinate in Elysium. 
 
 And the farther north they pushed through the 
 shadowy lane, moving slowly and cautiously for fear 
 of running into unseen ditch or obstruction, the more 
 to their left had loomed the rugged height of Sugar 
 Loaf, where, slowly waving, the torches could still 
 be seen at intervals, and the major would have given 
 six months' pay to know what tidings were passing 
 to and fro. Where was Stuart? Oh, where was 
 Stuart? 
 
 By this time, too, so much rain had fallen that the 
 road was squashy under hoof. The lane was so nar- 
 row that they had been compelled to reduce front, 
 and were riding by twos instead of fours, his long 
 column thereby stringing out to more than twice its 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 175 
 
 normal length. Halting at dusk to shift saddles and 
 tighten girths, he had ordered forward a little ad- 
 vance guard consisting of a veteran sergeant and 
 some twenty troopers, — he had no officers to spare, — 
 and now felt confident that no sudden dash could 
 double him up; and just about half -past seven, as 
 he was jogging along at brisk walk, Wilson on his 
 left and the orderlies and trumpeter following at his 
 heels, a dark form appeared just in front and a voice 
 was heard: 
 
 "Sergeant Walsh sends me back to tell the major 
 the road forks about a hundred yards ahead, sir. 
 Which shall we take?" 
 
 "Has he sent men out on both?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; a quarter of a mile or so. There are 
 farm lights on the right, and it's all dark on the 
 other." 
 
 Old Treacy had sputtered alongside from the head 
 of his squadron to listen to the reports. There was 
 not an instant's halt. The column moved steadily 
 on and the messenger had reined about and was 
 riding by the major's side. 
 
 Foulweather hesitated a minute. The lights were 
 too near for Hyattsto\vn. He might find informa- 
 tion there, and he might just as likely run across the 
 head-quarters of some of Stoneman's cavalry com- 
 mands, thro^vQ, fan-like, forward from Poolesville. 
 
 Treacy impulsively put in his oar and decided 
 matters. "Tell him to go to the right, major." 
 
 "Tell him to go to the left," was Foulweather's 
 
176 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 characteristic reply, and, swearing through his grind- 
 ing teeth, Treacy fell back to his place. 
 
 And so it happened that when, a little after eight, 
 a trooper came trotting back to say the advance had 
 reached the pike in the broad valley to the front, and 
 that torches were still waving at Sugar Loaf to their 
 left rear, and far away to the northwest other signal- 
 lights, faint and dim, could be made out by sharp- 
 sighted men in the lead, the whole column had 
 passed within a dozen rods of one who wore their 
 own uniform, and who, dismounted and firmly grip- 
 ping the nostrils of his wearied horse to prevent his 
 neighing, was crouching beside a hedge on the other 
 fork of the road, shrinking from possibility of dis- 
 covery. K^ot until the rearmost trooper had gone 
 jogging by the fork, not, indeed, until five minutes 
 more had passed without the sound of other horse- 
 men coming from the south, did the solitary shadow 
 lead forth to the narrow roadway, mount, and ride on 
 and on with the unerring confidence of one to whom 
 every bend of the bridle-path was familiar, on until 
 Sugar Loaf bore straight to his right, the west, on to 
 a point where faint lights could be seen gleaming 
 away over to the southwest, down by the shores of 
 the Potomac, and here, at the foot of a steep slope, a 
 lane still narrower led away southwest, through open 
 fields, and this he took unhesitatingly, and, pressing 
 on at rapid trot, ever bending forward and with 
 ears attent, ever encouraging and urging his tired 
 horse, rarely spurring now, for the gallant fellow was 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 177 
 
 doing his best, and no true horseman spurs a willing 
 beast, mile after mile he rode until half a dozen were 
 left between him and the point where Foulweather's 
 ghostly train had jjassed him by, and then there rose 
 before him, dim and vague, a lone height, forest- 
 covered, with every line of which he was familiar, 
 though hardly a trace of it could be seen. Overhead 
 the heavens were shrouded in their veil of cloud. 
 Under foot the earth lay dripping. To right and left 
 the autumn leaves came fluttering down, pelted 
 mercilessly by the unseen rain, and the patter of the 
 myriad globules fell on the ear like soothing, 
 drowsing melody. And all this distance had the 
 rider traversed without sign of friend or foe, yet 
 now, at a sharp turn in the narrow lane, he reined in 
 his horse and listened. iSTot a sound beyond the 
 ceaseless plash. Slowly he moved forward again 
 until he could feel, rather than see, that the road had 
 opened out, and that it had joined a broader, better- 
 travelled thoroughfare. Another gentle bend, and 
 then, not two hundred yards away, underneath a 
 clump of trees, some camp-fires smouldered and the 
 shadowy forms of men and horses, half a dozen, 
 could be dimly seen. And presently he came to 
 where a big stone, once whitewashed or painted, so 
 that now it could be faintly discerned, stood at the 
 roadside, and here he flung himself from his horse, 
 led confidently through a shallow, muddy trench, his 
 horse as confidently following, then forced his way 
 through a gap in the dripping hedge, and the next 
 
 12 
 
178 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 minute he had remounted and was moving slowly 
 and cautiously up a winding path among the fruit- 
 trees, steering for another gap in the foliage near the 
 crest, through which a dim light was throwing feeble 
 yet sufficient beam, a light that was to guide him 
 back unchallenged, though unbidden, once more to 
 stable his tired horse in the comfortable old barn, 
 and then, cautious, noiseless, dripping wet, but bear- 
 ing with him his arms and saddle-bags, the same 
 trooper that issued from that door at dawn, came to 
 claim once more the hospitality of Heatherwood. 
 
 A light was burning dimly in the room. He 
 could see it gleam through a crevice. Cautiously he 
 tapped, quick and low, then listened for coming foot- 
 steps. 
 
 Utter silence and no other response. Yet he could 
 have sworn some one was moving about within the 
 old wing as he approached. Again he tapped, quick 
 and low, three rapid knocks, a pause, then one, as 
 though he would have signalled thirty-one, and this 
 time there was instant result. There were hurried 
 whisperings, a scurry of footfalls. A bench was 
 overturned and something tin came clattering to the 
 floor. Then at last the swish of skirts, a cautious ap- 
 proach to the door. The latch clattered hesitatingly, 
 a voice, tremulous, whispered, "^yllo is it?" 
 
 "It is I. Don't you recognize the number? Open, 
 quick." 
 
 But only slowly would that door open, and at last 
 the face of Belle Heatherwood appeared, white as 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 179 
 
 that of the dead, as she stood there looking first one 
 instant over her shoulder, the next glancing in sur- 
 prise, pity, and compassion, all in one, at the im- 
 patient soldier. He saw the consternation in her 
 eyes. 
 
 "Some one has frightened you," he exclaimed, as 
 now he strode within the door and dropped his saddle 
 to the floor, while his right hand threw back the flap 
 of the holster at his waist-belt and grasped the butt 
 of the ready Colt. "]^o one of our men dare molest 
 you here. Who was it? Where is he?" 
 
 The color flew back to her cheek at the abrupt 
 demand, and fire to her eyes. She would have spoken 
 impetuously, but something in his worn face de- 
 terred her. She read there suffering, anxiety, dis- 
 tress, far more than command. Whatever his present 
 mood, he had come a suppliant. Quick-witted, the 
 girl saw her advantage and seized it. 
 
 "After the scene this morning you need not won- 
 der that we take alarm," she answered, bravely, 
 though her breath came quick, her bosom rose and 
 fell like troubled sea. She pressed her hand to her 
 heart, too, as she spoke. "We were in misery over 
 your arrest. What does it mean? You've escaped, 
 or what?" 
 
 "Xever mind that ?iow," he answered, shortly, 
 as his eyes flitted suspiciously about the kitchen, 
 glancing warily at the door-way leading into the 
 house itself, and the flight of stairs down to the cel- 
 lar. On a table was a basket containing eggs and 
 
180 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 vegetables, and on that she had rested a trembling 
 hand. 
 
 "Why, I never saw you show such fear before! 
 Some one was here with you. Was it " 
 
 "Hush," she whispered. "Some one is here — 
 without. It's a jjatrol," she continued, her cheek 
 blanching again, for the sound of hoofs and clanking 
 steel could be distinctly heard. "Is it you they seek 
 again?" 
 
 For answer the soldier sprang to his saddle, knelt, 
 tore open the nearest bag, and with eager hands drew 
 forth a flat tin case, firmly strapped. 
 
 "It may be," he murmured, desperately. "And 
 now, whatever happens, they must not get this. Hide 
 it, quick. I'll answer them. Only guard this for me, 
 and I'm in no danger." 
 
 Then, as, seizing the packet, the girl sped swiftly 
 away, the trooper turned and blew out the candle. 
 Low voices were heard without. Spurred boots and 
 clanking sabres were already at the door. Then 
 came an imperative knock. Bell drew himself to 
 his full height and, deliberately closing the holster 
 and adjusting his belt, was about to step forward, 
 when a hand was laid on his arm. 
 
 "To your room, quick, for mother's sake. She was 
 kneeling, praying for you when I left her," whis- 
 pered an eager voice. He thrilled as the warm lips 
 almost touched his ear. "Oh, for God's sake," she 
 added, as he hesitated, "for — my sake, quick!" 
 
 And on tiptoe he hurried into the dark hall be- 
 
 J 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE 181 
 
 yond jnst as Chloe, lamp in hand, came shuffling into 
 the old wing, and the clamor at the door redoubled. 
 At a sign from her young mistress, who stood leaning 
 against the table, her hand on her fluttering heart, 
 Chloe, setting her lamp do\^Ta, stepped to the door 
 and threw it open. There stood two soldiers of the 
 Union cavalry, — an officer, backed by a sergeant. 
 Dimly seen beyond them, still in saddle, huddled 
 possibly half a dozen escorting troopers, 
 
 "Can I see Mrs. Heather wood?" demanded the 
 foremost; then, gazing beyond the negro face, he 
 caught sight of the young lady's and the basket. At 
 sight of the first he had whipped off his wet forage- 
 cap, at sight of the second he cla^Dped it on again, and 
 with kindling eyes strode straight into the room. 
 
 "By heaven, he's here! At least," — and here he 
 turned quickly to the lady and lifted his cap once 
 more, — "at least, that is the basket of the man we're 
 looking for. Pardon me, — Miss Heatherwood, I pre- 
 sume, — but my men must enter at once and search." 
 
 "They shall not!" she cried. "We have orders 
 from the President himself, protecting us from such 
 outrage. I deny your right — I forbid. I " 
 
 But in spite of her indignant protestation, three or 
 four troopers had sprung from saddle and, carbines 
 in hand, came surging into the old kitchen. "Search, 
 — search everywhere," were the brief orders of the 
 young officer. "Look for the dress of an old farmer, 
 with beard and wig." And despite Miss Heather- 
 wood's impulsive move to check them, a corporal 
 
182 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and trooper darted by. Others, without, as promptly 
 surrounded the house. The first door to the right 
 led to the cellar, and down the stairway, lantern in 
 hand, leaped a non-commissioned officer, followed by 
 a single soldier. Again Miss Heatherwood spoke, 
 her voice broken, pleading, now that angry menace 
 had proved unavailing. 
 
 "Oh, I implore you, do not, do not. It will rouse 
 my mother. She must not be frightened." And 
 now in her terror the girl sprang back to the hall- 
 way and stood at the door, desperately barring the 
 entrance. 
 
 "!N^ot there, sir," bluntly reported the corporal, as 
 he came trotting up the cellar stairs. "In the house, 
 most like," and, turning as though to enter, recoiled 
 before the quivering face of the brave girl. 
 
 "I deplore this. Miss Heatherwood," said the offi- 
 cer, sorrowfully, "but we have no choice. Search we 
 must, or stand court-martial. Pray step aside," and 
 the gauntleted hand closed on her white wrist. 
 
 And then a door was heard to open overhead, and 
 quick footsteps followed, and presently these latter 
 were heard bounding down the stairs, and along the 
 dimly lighted passage there came the tall figure of an 
 officer, an officer in Confederate uniform, at sight of 
 which Belle Heatherwood gave one cry of anguish 
 and fell heavily forward. The Union soldier caught 
 and raised her ere she struck the floor. The Con- 
 federate took the senseless form from his arms and 
 laid it flat upon a lounge within the hall-way. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 183 
 
 "Water, quick!" lie whispered. "Let us restore 
 her first; then I — am the man you want." 
 
 And on this picture gazed sternly, yet almost in 
 stupefaction, the tall trooper, who had stepped forth 
 from an adjoining room just as Mrs. Heatherwood's 
 wan, white face came slowly within the zone of the 
 lamplight. 
 
CHAPTEK XII. 
 
 For tlie first few moments no one seemed to tliink 
 of anything but the nnconscious girl. Kneeling by 
 her side was Fairfax sprinkling water on her white 
 face and slapping her nerveless hands, striving pite- 
 ously to recall her from the almost deadly swoon, 
 losing himself utterly in his anxiety for her. Awk- 
 wardly, as men will, yet in eager sympathy, the 
 Union officer essayed to aid him, while poor old 
 Chloe ran to the supf)ort of her invalid mistress, who, 
 leaning heavily against the balustrade of the back 
 stairway, stood for a moment with blanched face, as 
 though dazed and unable to realize the sight before 
 her eyes. A moment only she stood there, then, 
 leaning on the arm of the old negress, came slowly 
 forward, and at her approach the officer again re- 
 moved his cap and laid a warning hand on the 
 shoulder of his prisoner. Fairfax looked up, and for 
 the first time saw the mistress of Heatherwood, and 
 the eyes of the Maryland dame and the Virginia 
 soldier met. A faint sigh, a slight movement, told 
 that consciousness was returning to the daughter of 
 the house, but Mrs. Heatherwood's eyes were fixed on 
 those of the man, who slowly raised himself from his 
 knees and stood almost humbly, yet with the uncon- 
 scious dignity of deep uiisfortunp, ij} the presence of 
 184 ' ■ ' 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 185 
 
 the honored mother of the girl he loved, — the gentle- 
 woman who, loving him from early boyhood, had yet 
 forbidden him her doors. Out in the kitchen, clus- 
 tering near the door, gazing in with mingled s^mi- 
 pathy and curiosity in their war-worn faces, stood 
 the few troopers. Peering over the balusters half- 
 way up to the second story was the pretty face of 
 Laura Waddell, bathed in indignant tears, and for a 
 moment not one word was uttered. Hardly a sound 
 but that fluttering sigh was heard, until at last Mrs. 
 Heatherwood slowly spoke: 
 
 "Floyd Fairfax! You here in my house — after 
 all!" 
 
 And the soldier bowed his pale face and stood 
 silent and defenceless before her. 
 
 Another sigh from the couch, a tossing of the 
 white hand, and quickly, but without a word, Laura 
 sped down the stairway, turned, and, brushing past 
 old Chloe, threw herself upon her knees beside her 
 cousin, who was slowly opening her eyes. 
 
 Then again Mrs. Heatherwood spoke, gravely, 
 slowly, and this time to the Union officer. "Were 
 you sent here — in search of — this gentleman?" 
 
 "My orders are to arrest," was the solemn answer, 
 "Captain Floyd Fairfax, of the Virginia cavalry, 
 reported to be lurking in disguise, a spy within our 
 lines." 
 
 "A spy!" exclaimed Fairfax, hotly. "I'm no spy! 
 
 This uniform " But even in the mortal peril 
 
 of his position the Virginia gentleman could not 
 stoop to lie. 
 
186 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "The dress in which Captain Fairfax succeeded 
 in passing our patrols and entering these grounds 
 was that of a farmer, and with it the additional dis- 
 guise of beard and wig," said the officer, almost 
 sadly. 
 
 Mrs. Heatherwood looked from one to the other 
 in silent dismay. "Do you mean that within these 
 doors — you had this uniform concealed — awaiting 
 you?" she demanded, in tones so sad and stern they 
 thrilled the hearers. 
 
 "Mrs. Heatherwood," impetuously spoke the Vir- 
 ginian, "I implore you to blame no one but me. Ask 
 no questions now. Do you not realize — do you not 
 see — my life depends " 
 
 But before he could finish his statement Laura 
 sprang to her feet. 
 
 " 'Fanybody wants to know how this gentleman 
 happens to be 't Heatherwood to-night," she cried, 
 her fists clinching, her eyes flashing, "just tell 'em I 
 did it. I told him to come. I rode out and tried to 
 find him, and sent him word that made him come,'' 
 she stormed. " 'Twasn't his fault, or Belle's or 
 aunty's, or anybody's but mine," she cried. "I sent 
 for him, and he's a Virginia gentleman, and he had 
 to come." 
 
 "Hush, child!" interposed Madam Heatherwood; 
 "hush ! You don't know what you're saying." 
 
 "I do know, and they can 'rest me for a spy or any- 
 thing they like. I'm not afraid. Captain Fairfax 
 came because I made him believe that aunty wanted 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 187 
 
 him here and wanted to see him, and he just couldn't 
 refuse, — no gentleman could, — and no gentleman 
 would think of taking advantage, mean advantage, of 
 another gentleman under such circumstances." How 
 her black eyes flashed at the Union officer as she 
 spoke! "You can do anything you like to me, but 
 don't you blame anybody else," said she. 
 
 "Ah, my dear young lady," interrupted the officer, 
 sndling sorrowfully 
 
 "I'm not your dear young lady, or anybody's like 
 you " 
 
 "Pardon my presumption," said he, bowing with 
 the utmost gravity; "that was indeed unwarrantable. 
 What I was about to say was that I feared even your 
 imperious orders will not warrant the captain's com- 
 ing, in the sight of our Secretary of War; and now 
 I shall have to ask that he accompany me at once. 
 The ladies can attend to Miss Heatherwood far better 
 than we can." 
 
 "At your service, sir," said Fairfax, gravely. 
 "But, have we far to go? I'm hardly fit to walk." 
 
 "You shall ride, sir, and it is only to the nearest 
 camp, for this night at least." 
 
 "Yes," shouted the irrepressible Laura, despite the 
 efforts of Mrs. Heatherwood to silence her, despite 
 the picture of Miss Heatherwood, now glancing 
 dumbly about from face to face, in piteous appeal, 
 "you'd better not try to go too far, for if you run into 
 Jeb Stuart hereabouts I wouldn't give much for your 
 chances, Mr. Yankee. I don't care where you lock 
 
188 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Captain Fairfax up, we'll get him out just as soon as 
 General Stuart comes, and put you in — see if wo 
 don't." But Fairfax himself was interposing now. 
 
 "Laura, Laura!" he warned. "You must control 
 that unruly tongue of yours. These gentlemen have 
 their orders, and soldiers can only obey. Go up to 
 your cousin's room and get my overcoat for me. — 
 Forgive me, Mrs. Heatherw^ood," he murmured, "I 
 must get rid of this child a moment." Then as the 
 girl swung saucily away, totally unable, apparently, 
 to realize the gravity of the situation, and casting 
 annihilating glances at the Union lieutenant as she 
 sped up the stairs, — glances which made his lips 
 twitch and his eyes twinkle, despite the solemn na- 
 ture of his duty, — Fairfax again turned to his captor. 
 
 "One thing I beg leave to assure you, sir, and that 
 is that Mrs. Heatherwood had no idea of my presence 
 within her gates until she came upon me here to-- 
 night." 
 
 "That I understand," was the courteous reply. 
 "Xo one will accuse Mrs. Heatherwood of harboring 
 the enemy. — What is it, sergeant?" he asked, as a 
 trooper entered hurriedly from the rear and seemed 
 impatient to speak. 
 
 "There's firing up to the northeast, sir. There's 
 a patrol coming up the road." 
 
 The officer's eyes blazed with excitement, but his 
 voice was firm and quiet. "Then I shall have to 
 hurry you, captain. You really need no overcoat to 
 go to the Monocacy. There you'll be comfortably 
 housed for the niij::ht." 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 189 
 
 Fairfax turned. Belle, covering her face in her 
 hands, was shuddering and almost hysterical, and the 
 mother bent to soothe her. 
 
 "Give me one minute's conversation with these 
 ladies," said the Virginian, almost imploringly. 
 "What I have to say concerns us alone. There shall 
 be no effort to escape you. I give you my word." 
 
 For a moment there was hesitation in the young 
 officer's face, then he turned and motioned with his 
 hand. The silent troopers fell back to the kitchen, 
 whither their officer followed, halted at the door, 
 turned and took one more earnest look at his prisoner; 
 then his hand went up to the cap in military salute, 
 which Fairfax gravely returned. The door closed 
 behind the cavalryman. Mother, daughter, and the 
 Virginia captain were alone. Trooper Bell had stood 
 for a moment gazing fixedly at the group about the 
 sofa on which lay the stricken girl, then had disap- 
 peared within his room. Aunt Chloe had drifted 
 up the hall, and was rocking to and fro on a settee, 
 wringing her black hands in distress. Aloft, Laura's 
 shrill voice could be distinctly heard behind closed 
 doors in lively altercation with somebody. Presently 
 back she came, bounding, with Ralph Heatherwood's 
 coat upon her arm. A smell of burning hair came 
 floating down after her, and now her face was white 
 with anxiety. "What do they mean, telling me you 
 can be tried for a spy? as if a man hasn't a right to 
 wear a wig in a free country," she prattled, as she 
 threw herself upon Fairfax and seemed striving to 
 
190 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 envelop the new gray uniform in sheltering folds of 
 heavy cloth. ''The Yankees can't get that old wig 
 and beard, anyhow, — Ralph's burned 'em, — but," 
 and now at last she lowered her voice, fearful lest her 
 words might reach the kitchen, "there's no place to 
 hide those farmer clothes. Ralph says we must get 
 rid of them before the search is made." 
 
 Outside the trampling of hoofs and the eager 
 voices of men, though only faintly heard in this 
 sheltered hall, told of the coming of additional 
 troops. There was stir and excitement among the 
 soldiers in the kitchen. Belle TIeatherwood, weep- 
 ing silently, had buried her face in her gentle 
 mother's breast, and Mrs. Heatherwood, kneeling 
 beside her, was whispering soothing words. Fairfax 
 stepped to the door as though to bolt it against intru- 
 sion, but Mrs. Heatherwood looked up into his pale 
 face, and, though she spoke no word, he seemed to 
 read disapprobation of the move, and dropped his 
 hand dejectedly. 
 
 "Blame no one but me, Mrs. Heatherwood," he 
 began, so low and sad his voice that her heart welled 
 over with pity. 
 
 "My poor boy! My poor boy !'^ she cried. "How 
 could you be so rash? IToyd, Floyd, what would 
 your mother have said ? Is it true you came here — 
 disguised? Didn't you know what that would mean 
 if you were taken?" 
 
 Sadly he bowed his head. "It is true. It was the 
 only way. But they have not yet found it. They 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 191 
 
 cannot prove I wore it. You see liow we arranged it 
 the moment we realized that search was to be made, 
 I ran to Ralph's room and changed from farmer 
 clothes to his uniform and came down in that. No 
 one of their number has seen me in anything else. 
 'Prisoner of war until exchanged' is the worst I need 
 fear, unless they discover those things. And now," 
 — his eyes turned with sad entreaty to the weeping 
 girl, — "have you no word for me, Belle ? Go I must 
 at once, but," and again the fire flashed in his eyes 
 and he drew himself to his full height, "if it be true 
 that Stuart is coming, — Stuart, — I'll be with my 
 own within another day." 
 
 ]\Irs. Heatherwood had risen to her feet, listening 
 eagerly to his words, yet with straining ear seemed 
 catching some far-away sound borne on the night 
 wind. The soldiers in the kitchen but a moment 
 before had also apparently heard some sound with- 
 out, and had swarmed over to the lawn to the east of 
 the old house. Footsteps, halting, were heard over- 
 head; Ralph was stealthily hurrying to the head of 
 the stairs. His mother hastened to the balustrade 
 and gazed up at him, but Chloe, whom he first 
 caught sight of, had lifted her head, and he tossed to 
 her a bundle of clothing, tightly knotted. 
 
 "Burn it, Chloe, in the big fireplace, quick as you 
 can," he cried. "Mother, have you heard firing? 
 Brad swears he can hear shots off beyond Sugar 
 Loaf." The old negress mechanically gathered up 
 the bundle as it rolled to her feet. 
 
192 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ''They ain't been a spark of fire in the old chimney- 
 place this fall/' she moaned, "and I can't stuff this 
 yeah in the kitchen stove." 
 
 And at that instant there came heavy footsteps 
 and clanking sabre in the kitchen again — an impera- 
 tive rap at the heavy door. Impulsively Mrs. 
 Heatherwood seized and thrust the trembling old 
 darky into the door of the little room at which, only 
 a moment or two before. Trooper Bell had stood 
 and gazed so strangely at the group. Then the hall 
 door was thrown open, and there in the light of the 
 lamps stood a burly officer in blue, splashed with 
 mud from top to toe, the taller and younger soldier, 
 Fairfax's captor, gazing anxiously over his shoulder. 
 
 "Captain Fairfax," said the former, with hardly 
 an instant's notice of the ladies, "you are my prisoner. 
 It is my duty to tell you that you were recognized 
 in disguise near Poolesville to-day; that you came 
 here in the garb of a farmer. In Confederate uni- 
 form you could never have reached this house, and 
 your disguise must be here. It will save these ladies 
 the distress of having our men searching about the 
 house. Where shall we find it?" 
 
 Out came old Aunt Chloe, wringing her black 
 hands about her head and rocking back and forth, 
 the picture of Ethiopian misery. Behind her the 
 door was softly closed. Fairfax faced his accuser 
 haughtily. There was no strain of sorrow or half 
 sympathy in the new arrival's tone as there was in 
 that of the junior officer. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 193 
 
 "I am your prisoner, sir, and in the uniform of 
 my rank," was the slow reply, as, leaning on her 
 mother's arm and Laura's, Belle Heatherwood pain- 
 fully lifted herself from the sofa and stood facing 
 the new-comer, her tear-wet face white as the wall 
 behind her. It seemed almost as though she had 
 ranged herself by the side of her kinsman lover to 
 share his danger and confront his foes. Speechless 
 with grief, Mrs. Heatherwood, too, could only gaze 
 at the intruder, as though imploring him to spare 
 their guest. 
 
 "I have no time to argue," were the officer's next 
 words. "If you do not choose to tell where those 
 garments are, it will be my duty to search, and my 
 men are ready." 
 
 "The laws of war, sir, do not compel a prisoner to 
 produce evidence on which to hang himself, but I 
 hope you will refrain from anything that may be dis- 
 tressing to these ladies." 
 
 "Step in here, three of you," was the curt and 
 instant order, and the officer, uniformed as a major 
 of cavalry, followed by three troopers, muddy as 
 himself, strode clanking into the hall-way. Instinc- 
 tively Laura sprang and stood at the door of the 
 nearest room, and the burly soldier saw it at a glance. 
 
 "In there," he said, almost shouldering his way 
 past the silent, trembling, tearful women, and still 
 there stood Laura, both cheeks and eyes aflame now, 
 stretching her arms across the space and glaring de- 
 fiance at the coming foe. 
 
 13 
 
194 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Laura, child," expostulated Mrs. Heatherwood, 
 "you'll only make matters worse. Step aside." But 
 in the heart of Miss AVaddell the spirit of rampant 
 rebellion had smouldered long and now burst into 
 flame. 
 
 "Don't you dare lay hand on me, you — you 
 Yankee villain!" she cried, as the officer coolly 
 stretched forth a burly arm and not too gently 
 grasped her rounded wrist. "Oh, you'd, you'd pay 
 for this if we were in Virginia," she panted, fiercely 
 struggling now, for he was calmly drawing her away, 
 and a private soldier, bounding past them, thrust 
 open the door. Both Fairfax and Mrs. Heatherwood 
 had stepped forward as though to relieve the strange 
 officer of his struggling spitfire of a combatant, but 
 as the soldier disappeared within the darkness of the 
 room, a gust of cold night air set the lamps to flaring 
 and smoking, and the door swung to with a slam. A 
 second trooper reopened it and followed the first. 
 Again the night wind blew fresh and strong into the 
 open hall, and, borne on the breeze, came floating the 
 sound of a cavalry trumpet, some brisk, merry signal 
 from the northward lane. 
 
 "They're sounding forward, sir," sang out one of 
 the men, "and this window's wide open, like as 
 though some one had jumped out. The curtain's 
 
 twisted " But, seizing the lantern borne by the 
 
 younger officer, the major hastened into the room, 
 and looked about him. The bed, somewhat rum- 
 pled, stood at the left of the door. There was an old- 
 
THE GENERA VS DOUBLE. 195 
 
 fashioned clothes-press, and then a bureau and dress- 
 ing-table combined, a stand, and some chairs. There 
 were some pictures on the walls, pretty curtains at 
 the window floating in the breeze on one side and 
 twisted into a sort of rope on the other, hanging out- 
 ward. It was a drop of seven or eight feet to the 
 ground, and the major called for instant search 
 below. A trooper or two, lantern bearing, ran 
 around from the rear and gave one look. There in 
 the soft wet soil was the print of shapely boots. 
 Some one had leaped from the window and darted off 
 into the shrubbery within the minute or two that the 
 men had clustered on the eastward lawn, listening 
 to the sharp firing that burst upon the night away 
 out over the fields towards Ilyattstown. When the 
 major came forth from the little room his face was 
 very grave. 
 
 "Mrs. Heatherwood," said he, "my colonel re- 
 ceived instructions at Washington not forty-eight 
 hours ago requiring that every protection should be 
 accorded you and your property, with the assurances 
 that you were a loyal woman. Yet at Poolesville 
 to-day we are warned that a spy was harbored in 
 your house, and now that I am sent here to arrest 
 him, I find indications that there has been more than 
 one." 
 
 "This lady, sir," interrupted Fairfax, hotly, "was 
 utterly ignorant of my coming. Your colonel heard 
 the truth, I came against her express wish and with- 
 out her knowledge, but except her son and nephew, 
 
196 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 wounded and paroled, who are in their beds iip-stairs, 
 no one else is here or has been here. Am I not right, 
 madam?" 
 
 "Not another soul!" was her low, firm answer, and 
 Mrs. Heatherwood's wan face was uplifted proudly 
 as she spoke. 
 
 Then of a sudden there came from without the 
 muffled sound of excited challenge, and then, loud 
 and sharp, the ring of a cavalry carbine from the 
 shrubbery on the northwestward side, a rush and 
 sputter of hoofs, and the major sprang through the 
 little room to the window. 
 
 "What is it? What's happened?" he shouted to 
 a soldier who was darting by. 
 
 "A spy, sir, or something, — a feller that was 
 sneaking away a-horseback from the bam, takin' a 
 short cut down among the trees there. The moment 
 they challenged he clapped spurs to his horse and 
 rode like the devil. They fired at him, but it's too 
 dark, sir. He's probably got away." 
 
 And now a second time Belle Heatherwood sank 
 nerveless to the sofa and Fairfax turned upon her 
 with wonderment and inquiry in his dark-brown 
 eyes. She was trembling with dread. She hid her 
 face in her hands and seemed to shrink from his gaze, 
 and again Mrs. Heatherwood bent to soothe her. 
 Two minutes' search showed that there was nothing 
 in the little room even faintly resembling farmer's 
 garb, and at this announcement Fairfax looked at 
 Mrs. Heatherwood and she at him, incredulous. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 197 
 
 "Go on to the next room then," ordered the major, 
 half angrily, as he turned once more into the hall. 
 Then hurriedly there entered the lieutenant who was 
 the first to reach them that strange evening. 
 
 "Major," said he, "Colonel Belden sends word that 
 he desires your squadron to follow at once," and it 
 sounded as though the junior delivered the message 
 with no little comfort. 
 
 "Then I leave you in charge of the prisoner and 
 to continue the search, sir," was the sharp reply. 
 "Ladies, I hope I may never have another duty like 
 this," With that he turned abruptly and went clank- 
 ing from the door. 
 
 "Colonel Belden!" exclaimed Fairfax, in surprise. 
 "May I ask what Belden, and what regiment?" 
 
 "Colonel Grosvenor Belden, sir, — th Pennsyl- 
 vania. He has been our colonel less than a week." 
 
 "And he is here — near us?" 
 
 "iSTot two miles away when I came forward. We 
 are marching to the Monocacy, where we expect 
 orders to meet us. The whole country knows by this 
 time that Stuart's up there somewhere, and we hope 
 to find him at daybreak."^ 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Midnight came and Heatlierwood was still as the 
 grave. Even the plash and patter of rain-drops had 
 ceased, thongh once in a while the night wind, sigh- 
 ing by, would stir the trees and shower the place be- 
 neath. The sounds of distant battle that were wafted 
 on the breeze an hour earlier had ceased as suddenly 
 as they began. Up on Sugar Loaf the signal-men 
 seemed keeping ceaseless vigil, and from time to time 
 their torches swung some message to distant towers 
 on the Catoctin. Ralph Heatlierwood, sleepless with 
 excitement, had been moved to a room at the north- 
 east corner, from whose windows he could gaze out 
 over the black void before him, broken only by the 
 occasional flare of that signal-torch. With his glasses 
 he searched in vain for tiny ground lights that might 
 tell of the movement of troops, but northward and 
 northeastward not a spark could be seen. From 
 Tighlman's windows on the south side, through rifts 
 in the thinning foliage, they could make out bivouac 
 fires down along the towpath to the southwest 
 towards Conrad's Ferry, and over the rolling fields 
 towards Poolesville. But the Virginia shores beyond 
 were invisible in one general pall, neither star above 
 nor spark below relieving the black monotony. 
 Tighlman, too, half dressed, was hobbling fretfully 
 198 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 199 
 
 about his room, a prey to a dozen hopes, fears, and 
 perturbations. He had looked on Fairfax not a year 
 agone with jealous hate, and had even taken to the 
 Xew Yorker, Lowndes, because he, too, seemed re- 
 jected and wearing the willow, and together they had 
 gloomily spent several days at Frederick, and then 
 had gone into Baltimore for a whirl at the club, but 
 there Tighlman found the Gothamite set a pace too 
 fast for his untutored head and stomach, and he, 
 falling early by the way-side, repented of his folly, 
 while his more seasoned associate kept at his cups 
 until prostrated by illness that so alarmed his friends 
 as to lead to their notifying the woman who seemed a 
 saint to all men, Xorth or South, who knew her, — 
 Madam Heatherwood ; and she had come and nursed 
 Lowndes as a mother might have done had mother 
 been spared to him. Tighlman saw no more of him. 
 He went back to Heatherwood to reopen the siege, 
 but found Belle intractable and far more disturbed 
 about his Xew York friend than about himself. She 
 plied her cousin with questions about Lowndes, re- 
 fusing to answer as to Fairfax, who had gone back 
 to Leesburg for a few days before the expiration of 
 his leave, and Tighlman left the Towers with jealous 
 heart and went abroad, as we have seen, and then — 
 forgot all about it. 
 
 jSTow here he was again at Heatherwood, and 
 Floyd Fairfax was again beneath its roof, lured 
 thither by his love for Belle, no doubt, despite the 
 project for a signal-system, and that visit had cost 
 him his liberty and might cost him his life. 
 
200 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Yielding to Mrs. Heatlierwood's appeal, the lieu- 
 tenant left in charge of the prisoner had consented 
 to pass the night with his guard under her roof 
 rather than expose a still enfeebled man to the pelt- 
 ing of the rain. The camp at the Monocacy would 
 be damp at best, and would he not be just as safe 
 here? she argued. Lieutenant Wardner was a gen- 
 tleman who believed in square fight in the field and 
 no unnecessary friction at other times. He couldn't 
 hit a man who was down. He was ordered to con- 
 tinue the search for that farmer's suit, so, wliile some 
 of his men rummaged in room after room, — no one 
 of course daring to inform him that the important 
 bundle had most mysteriously been spirited away 
 from the very first room opened, — Wardner, with 
 armed troopers in the hall and at the window, sat in 
 the parlor with his captive, chatting, as soldiers will, 
 as though no thought of enmity had ever existed. 
 Before midnight Mrs. Heatherwood with Belle had 
 retired to a room where they were urged to try to 
 sleep, but not an eyelid closed save those of the 
 drowsy negroes up to the time the old Dutch clock, 
 ticking solemnly in the hall-way, trolled in pro- 
 longed, mellow notes the hour of two. Despite the 
 fact that Stuart with his bold raiders was somewhere 
 there to the dripping north, that war to the knife was 
 waging between the sections, ISTorth and South, the 
 silence of utter solitude had fallen on the heart of 
 Maryland. 
 
 "Where on earth do you suppose Stuart is to- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 201 
 
 niglit?" "was the question Tiglilman asked his cousin, 
 as the latter came limping over a little after twelve, 
 and Heatherwood shook his head. 
 
 "God knows," said he. "They've got men enough 
 gathering about us to swallow him alive. I don't see 
 how he can come this way. I don't see how he can 
 get back, anyway." 
 
 And, indeed, the Union men were gathering in 
 desperate earnest as well as in urgent haste. Down 
 in the valley to the west two Maine regiments of in- 
 fantry were guarding the aqueduct and the Mono- 
 cacy crossing. Down the towpath to the southwest 
 near Conrad's were Clark and his !N^ew Hampshire 
 men, in close touch with other infantry from Stone- 
 man's force at Poolesville. Up the valley of the 
 j\Ionocacy, crossing to the west bank at midnight, 
 rode a tall, athletic, most soldierly looking young 
 colonel at the head of four strong squadrons of Penn- 
 sylvanians, the silver eagles of his shoulder-straps 
 apparently brand-new. Over on the pike near 
 Hyattstown old Foulweather was swearing like the 
 pirate his men declared him to be, for with his fatal 
 propensity to butt his head against a stone wall, he 
 had succeeded in bringing on a sharp fight in the 
 dark, crippling some of his own men and knocking 
 spots out of a squadron that, knowing nothing of his 
 being in that neighborhood, had opened fire on a 
 scouting party that came jingling in towards Hyatts- 
 town from the northwest. The squadron commander 
 had the not unreasonable supposition that here was 
 
202 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Stuart himself, since all Union cavalry was marcliing 
 the opposite way, and challenged sharply. Foul- 
 weather when challenged had instantly ordered the 
 troop to charge and clear the road, which Treacy did 
 in tremendous style, only to fetch up standing in a 
 whole circle of fire flashes and the midst of blas- 
 phemous men in muddy blue. 
 
 "You fired on us furrest!" howled Treacy. 
 
 "You ran down our advance," yelled the opposing 
 commander. "Who in paradise are you, anyhow?" 
 
 " — th Regulars and be dashed to you! You've 
 shot three of my best harrses. Hwat were ye before 
 we broke the backs av ye?" demanded Treacy, for 
 Foulweather was picking himself out of the wreck 
 of a cart his horse had tripped over. 
 
 " — th Pennsylvania. Dash, dash, double dash you 
 for a gang of blear-eyed, butt-headed idiots! Get 
 out of our way and let us straighten out!" 
 
 And so between execrations and exertions the offi- 
 cers gradually got their men into column again, and 
 then Foulweather damned a trooper off his horse and 
 climbed into saddle and bade Treacy gather up the 
 debris and let the Keystone cavalry by. 
 
 "Wait till we finish this business," said he, shaking 
 a brawny fist at the opposing major, "and I'll give 
 your colonel a lesson he'll not forget in a hurry. 
 Where is he, and what's his name?" 
 
 "Half-way to Frederick by this time and waiting 
 for us at the Monocacy, where we might have been 
 but for your infernal blundering. You talk to our 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 203 
 
 colonel, if you think it wise, dasli, dasli you. He's 
 a regular of the right sort, which you're not. Gros- 
 venor Eelden's his name, and I'll warrant you he'll 
 meet you more than half-way." 
 
 Foulweather's jaw dropped like lead. "Grosvenor 
 Belden!" he cried. "Since when has /le been a colo- 
 nel, I'd like to know?" 
 
 "Since the first of the week, sir. And who shall 
 I tell him charged his fourth squadron without 
 answering challenge?" demanded the Pennsylva- 
 nian, wrathful to the core. 
 
 "Tell him, by God ! you tell him you were ridden 
 down, your whole damned squadron, by a platoon 
 of his old regiment, that he ought to be with this 
 night instead of tin soldiering with a lot of yahoos 
 that don't know a horse from a hospital. Go your 
 way," he raved, furiously, "and thank God there was 
 only thirty of us in it, and be damned civil to those 
 of ours that you pass along the pike, or you'll get 
 into more trouble." 
 
 Pleasant talk did troopers deal in during those 
 halcyon days that tried men's souls — and tempers, 
 and neither leader felt the better for that hapless 
 clash in the darkness. Stirring up the inmates of a 
 neighboring farm-house, who were scared half out of 
 their wits already, the regulars bore within their 
 door the half-dozen shot or sabred men of both par- 
 ties, gave the coup de grace to the wounded and suf- 
 fering horses, and then came the question, "What 
 next?" 
 
204 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Up to the moment of the catastrophe, Foulweather 
 had been full of hope, pluck, and fire. Confident 
 that he would get farther out to the front than any- 
 body else, even Mcintosh, and be the first to tackle 
 Stuart in the morning, he had pursued his northward 
 way unhesitatingly, but now, as the squadron stood 
 horse in the dark and empty fields, he gazed miser- 
 ably to the northwest, the direction of the pike, and 
 was at a loss what to do or say. It had just dawned 
 upon him that, in his eagerness to keep his own 
 counsel and command, he had separated himself 
 from the men who might know something of Stuart's 
 movements, and here was Belden, colonel of volun- 
 teers after all, the position that the young captain so 
 eagerly had sought before, and the chances were, two 
 to one, that that hated Belden had the "tip" as to 
 Stuart's route, and had been hurried towards Fred- 
 erick purposely to meet him. 
 
 And this meant that, of all men in the world, Bel- 
 den, Grosvenor Belden, was now between him and 
 Stuart, with every chance of being first to strike the 
 foe in the morning. 
 
 "Mount! Sound the mount!" ordered Foul- 
 weather, as with savage oath he sprang into saddle. 
 "By fours, Treacy, and come lively." 
 
 An hour later, despite weariness and hunger, the 
 squadrons were jogging away northwestward, follow- 
 ing the pike to the crossing of the Monocacy and on 
 up towards Frederick, meeting now and then belated 
 and bewildered orderlies and couriers, whom Foul- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 205 
 
 weather would eagerly question, and who could only 
 tell that Belden's squadrons were still in the lead, 
 and that Stuart was raising merry hades far beyond 
 him. And so it happened that when the cold gray 
 dawn crept into the eastward sky, and slowly, reluc- 
 tantly lifted the pall of night from the sodden fields 
 and muddy lanes and dripping copses, most of the 
 Union cavalry in that part of Maryland had been 
 drawn away far up the west bank of the Monocacy to 
 head off Stuart, who, laughing in his gray sleeve, was 
 trotting swiftly far down the east bank; and just at 
 sunrise, after a twisting, tortuous, but most hilarious 
 all-night march, mostly at the trot, with about a 
 thousand fresh horses from Southern Pennsylvania, 
 with new clothes and boots and weapons for many of 
 his men, with only two or three troopers missing, 
 and Pelham's guns clinking merrily as ever in the 
 column, Stuart burst out upon the jDike just where 
 Foulweather crashed into the Pennsylvanians eight 
 hours before, and there wasn't a single squadron to 
 oppose him. 
 
 A wonderful march had he had. Yet when Stuart 
 left Chambersburg on Saturday morning, after 
 burning the railway shops and trains, and destroying 
 such public property and stores and arms as he could 
 not carry away, he well knew that an eventful day 
 was before him, and that only by most adroit, rapid 
 and daring movement could he hope to dodge his 
 way through to the Potomac. By this time he felt 
 assured the valley of the Antietam was swarming 
 
206 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 with troops, assembled there, and along the Cono- 
 cocheagiie to the west, to head him off should he 
 return that way. By this time Averill, with all the 
 force at his disposal, and Cox, with his division of 
 infantry, would be lining the upper river towards 
 Cumberland. Southward, however, east of the Blue 
 Ridge, the broad, beautiful valley of the Monocacy 
 was comparatively open, and Frederick, crammed 
 with wounded and convalescents, filled with stores 
 and supplies, and guarded only by a little force of 
 cavalry and infantry, was a tempting bait to lure him 
 down the right bank of that storied stream. East- 
 ward, however, he headed his columns, leaving 
 Hampton to bring up the rear and beat back pursuers 
 should any appear, — eastward as though he meant 
 to burst through the South Mountain and swoop 
 down on Gettysburg, lying there defenceless in the 
 heart of the beautiful farming country beyond. And 
 that was how the cry went up that Gettysburg, too, 
 was to be sacked and burned, but even while the 
 governor of Pennsylvania was urging that troops be 
 ordered thither by rail, Stuart dodged to the right. 
 Xo sooner was the gray column (headed, so they say, 
 by certain squadrons all tricked out, spick and span, 
 in Yankee blue) safely through the range, than it 
 turned southward, marching leisurely yet, for 
 Stuart's object was to delude and deceive; then, back 
 by the road to the southwest, again he pierces the 
 range, and scouts and citizens, who watch him from 
 afar, give tongue that the fox has doubled and is 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 207 
 
 coming back to Hagerstown, where, too, are huge 
 stores and supplies and heavy battalions of infantry 
 ready to receive him. Six or eight miles, until the 
 sun is high, does he march for all the world as though 
 he meant to dare the whole Union force to the west 
 of the mountains, and then, after long hours of easy 
 jog, gathering in horses from every side as he rides 
 along, the wary leader once more turns abruptly 
 towards the east and darts for Emmittsburg, close to 
 the boundary line, and here the Southern sympa- 
 thizers cheer him to the echo, so he says, and here, 
 while rejoicing in their joy, he misses one splendid 
 chance, for a big scouting party of Dick Rush's swell 
 lancers had only just passed northeastward up the 
 pike towards Gettysburg, looking for him in that 
 quarter, but never intending, we may be assured, to 
 jeopard their own safety by running far into those 
 clutches. They are to be the eyes of the army, to 
 peer about the valley towards the old seminary town 
 and send word back what Stuart is doing and 
 whither he is going. Yet here comes Stuart from the 
 westward, not the north, slips in between this ven- 
 turesome party and its main body do^vn towards 
 Frederick, captures within the hour the colonel's 
 couriers galloping after its commander with de- 
 spatches which Stuart joyously reads to his staff, and 
 laughs over the perplexity he is causing. Then away 
 he goes again as the night wears on, this time straight 
 for Frederick, and every soul in its rapidly augment- 
 ing garrison believes him still far up in Pennsyl- 
 
208 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 vania; othel'wise, tlie lancers on the lookont would 
 surely have sent warning. There is actually nothing 
 now to prevent his dashing down and sabring the 
 outposts of the beautiful old Maryland town, nothing 
 but the realization that, just as skilfully as he has 
 slipped in between the detachments of the enemy, 
 "all ascout" for him, so may he slip out, and all their 
 traps be unavailing. Darkness comes to aid him, 
 and even while Pleasonton, with eight hundred 
 cavalry and Pennington's light guns, after struggling 
 through the rocky passes of Harmony Gap in the 
 Catoctins, reaches Mechanicstown at half-past eight 
 and halts, wearied with his long, long day of march- 
 ing to and fro, Stuart's light-heeled column, moving 
 at the trot, — with daring fellows far in the advance 
 and out on either flank wherever there is road or by- 
 way, riding as though they had known each lane 
 from boyhood, halting at times to feed, water, and 
 care for their stock, to drink their coffee or sample 
 Maryland cider, — crosses the Monocacy away above 
 Frederick and passes through the little village of 
 ]\liddletown just at midnight, only five miles from 
 where Pleasonton's jaded column waits expectant of 
 his coming from the north, instead of which he is 
 slipping around the easternmost pickets and patrols. 
 And now, leaving nearly all the Union horse, 
 regular or volunteer, west of the Monocacy, away 
 rides Stuart, free and untrammelled, bequeathing to 
 Pleasonton after all only the galling fortunes of a 
 stern chase. Thanks to their ill condition at the start, 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 209 
 
 thanks to long delay in getting news or orders, 
 thanks to having gone far west of Hagerstown at the 
 very moment when the foe was far to the northeast, 
 thanks to rough and rocky roads and unseasoned 
 horses, the little Union column is well-nigh spent 
 when it halts at ]\Iechanicsto^vn and sends patrols out 
 scouting north and east, only to learn an hour after 
 midnight that instead of interposing between Stuart 
 and the Virginia shore, as Pleasonton intended, he 
 has been outridden by the nimble Virginian, who, 
 giving him the slip, is already far ahead. Dis- 
 heartened, but determined, Pleasonton calls up his 
 men and, by two o'clock this still and should-be- 
 peaceful Sunday morning, takes the shortest route to 
 the mouth of the Monocacy, and just as the first 
 faint streaks of dawn are lighting the eastern skies 
 he rides through Frederick, even as the advance of 
 Stuart, ten miles away to the southeast, dashes boldly 
 out upon the Washington Pike at Hyattstown. 
 
 Sunday morning, and over farm and hamlet east- 
 ward the angel of jaeace seems still to have folded her 
 ^vings, yet all through these erstwhile qiiiet old 
 Maryland towns, Monrovia, Liberty, Woodsborough, 
 the lights have been flitting for hours, and honest 
 burghers jabbering excitedly. Such a night they 
 had never known before. Two thousand rebel cav- 
 alry have been passing through since midnight, and 
 it seemed like twenty thousand, and as though they 
 could never cease, and all this time, mth all this 
 
 trouble, only once does a Union force, big or little, 
 
 14 
 
210 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 come witliin pistol range of the main body. Away 
 over towards Gettysburg a little knot of gray -jackets, 
 thrown well out to cover Stuart's flank, is charged 
 by some mounted horse-guards, who claim five 
 prisoners as the result. But the column itself was 
 miles away to the westward at the moment, appar- 
 ently moving back towards Hagerstown. But this 
 midnight betwixt Saturday and Sunday one of 
 Hush's troops, scouting into Woodsborough, finds the 
 town agog with excitement and squadron after 
 squadron of Stuart's cavaliers trotting through, and 
 wisely the lancers do not make their presence known. 
 Just one straggler does the column leave behind, — 
 young Scott, of the First Virginia, whom the lancers 
 had nabbed far in rear of his comrades and led before 
 their colonel. ''A most intelligent young man," said 
 Kush, — a young man who entertains him with full 
 description of the composition of the command, and 
 how it came and how it proposed to return; and, 
 furthermore, Scott entertains no fear for either 
 Stuart's safety or his own. Sunday morning, and 
 already in Frederick there are bells a-chiming, sum- 
 moning the faithful to arise and worship, while mud- 
 bespattered troopers and black-mouthed cannon are 
 hurrying southward through the stony streets. 
 Away down the Monocacy the Maine regiments have 
 thrown out companies on every road, and there they 
 stand and shiver, so many spectres in light-blue over- 
 coats, wondering which way that bewildering Stuart 
 will really come. And far to the northeast, Mcln- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 211 
 
 tosh, with his squadron, has crossed the Baltimore 
 and Ohio track during the night and found the line 
 and wires all right, yet when he sends back orderlies 
 with despatches to be forwarded by telegraph at 
 dawn, the operator shakes his head and looks fear- 
 fully westward. ]^o trains are moving, and the lines 
 have all been cut within the hour. Somewhere 
 towards dawn, old Foulweather, bivouacking in the 
 fields southeast of Frederick and close to the Mono- 
 cacy, is electrified by the news brought in by a 
 farmer from near Monrovia over to the east of them, 
 — that the rebels were actually riding into Liberty 
 two hours before; and, though men and horses have 
 had hardly two hours' sleep, the veteran routs them 
 out again, and noiselessly, so as to give no informa- 
 tion to Belden, whose detested squadrons are resting 
 half a mile above, away he leads northeastward, 
 with the unwilling farmer as his guide, bound to 
 recross the stream and be the first to challenge and 
 bait the coming foe. But Liberty is much farther 
 than he thought. Xot until long after daylight does 
 he reach the excited village, to find nothing of the 
 rebel column but its muddy trail. Stuart, said the 
 villagers, had gone south hours before, and must be 
 crossing the Potomac now. Foulweather could have 
 turned in pursuit at once, but here was grain in 
 abundance; his horses had had no mouthful since 
 noon the day before, had been marching almost con- 
 stantly, and so he ordered dismount, unsaddle, water, 
 
212 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 feed, and feast, as best tliey could, tlirew himself 
 upon a bench at the village tavern, and opened the 
 Sabbath-day services with a string of bitter execra- 
 tion, just as the flags on Sugar Loaf began to swing 
 in mad earnest, for away down in the open fields 
 about Hyattstown the lookouts could faintly dis- 
 tinguish dense masses of moving objects that, as the 
 light grew stronger, proved to be cavalry with led 
 horses and wagons galore, — cavalry mainly in gray 
 uniform, 
 
 Sunday morning at Heatherwood, and hour after 
 hour while some of the inmates slept others kept 
 watch and ward, and just at daybreak, at least as 
 soon as it grew light enough to see, Tighlman, limp- 
 ing from his bed to the adjoining room, heard his 
 name called in eager and excited tone, and found 
 his fellow-captain crouching by the open casement 
 gazing with eager eyes through his binocular. 
 
 "Look, Brad," cried Heatherwood. "Look, and 
 thank God! Oh, if Fairfax, too, could only see it. 
 By heaven, I must tell him!" And forgetful of 
 pain, wounds, or peril, the young officer hobbled to 
 the head of the stairs, and the halls of the old home- 
 stead rang and re-echoed to his joyous cry: "Fairfax ! 
 Fairfax, old boy! Take heart, man! Here we are, 
 not five miles away. Stuart in force, by all that's 
 glorious!" 
 
 And out on the lawn there was instant response, 
 and men in blue took up the cry with variations of 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 213 
 
 their own, and horses, tethered to the trees by the 
 winding roadside, snorted in sympathy with the stir 
 and excitement, and down in the timber by the river 
 bank a hoarse thunder of drum began, and then, 
 shrill, blaring, and insistent, the bugles struck up the 
 thrilling call, "To arms!" 
 
CHAPTER Xiy. 
 
 Sunday morning, and, apparently unconscious of 
 coming battle, the farm and village people on the 
 broad plateau southeast of Heatherwood are donning 
 their Sunday best, and many a stout father of the 
 family has hitched in the farm team to drive the 
 good wife and brood to Monocacy church at the cross- 
 roads north of Poolesville. Sunday morning, and 
 over on the Virginia Kittoctans eager, anxious eyes 
 are gazing across the Potomac, studying the distant 
 fields of Southern Maryland, while throbbing hearts 
 are praying for the safety of their hero Stuart. Sun- 
 day morning, and the signal-towers on the loftiest 
 summits are flagging thrilling messages to and fro, 
 and here at Sugar Loaf the occupants watch with 
 keen anxiety every movement of the massing foe so 
 close at hand. Thirteen hundred feet in air their 
 eyrie towers over the plain, but less than forty-eight 
 hours ago some of these same indefatigable riders 
 galloped up the twisting road to Fairview, sixty miles 
 to the west, and played havoc with the signal-station 
 there. Suppose it should occur to Stuart to detach 
 a troop or two to clamber Sugar Loaf and raid their 
 lofty rookery. Suppose it should occur to Pelham, 
 trotting out yonder with a brace of those light guns 
 
 he sights as a Kentuckian would sight a squirrel rifle, 
 214 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 215 
 
 to unlimber one of his pets, sink the trail into the 
 ditch bejond the road, and risk an axle tossing high 
 a few shells, just to try the range to Sugar Loaf's 
 summit. Lieutenant Carey can be excused for think- 
 ing how Roe and Rowley were chased from their 
 station the misty morning of two days gone by, but 
 Carey sticks to his post and watches like a cat. Sun- 
 day morning, and the companies sent out to picket 
 the roads are peeping through snake fences and 
 hedgerows at those far-away gray squadrons, and 
 wondering will Stuart come their way (in which case 
 the quicker they scurry back to supports the safer it 
 will be), or will he take some other road and leave 
 them undisturbed? Sunday morning, with the sun 
 an hour high, and there is thrill and excitement and 
 swift riding to and fro everywhere along the river 
 from Point of Rocks to Edward's Ferry, and all 
 along the Monocacy, for has not the Iron Secretary 
 wired from Washington that not a man of that in- 
 vading host must be allowed to escape back to Vir- 
 ginia? Stoneman commanding at Poolesville, and 
 Ward at Conrad's Ferry, and Pleasonton, with his 
 exhausted command strung out in long column 
 northward from the bank of the Monocacy, which he 
 reaches with his advance at eight o'clock, and Burn- 
 side's brigades over to the west, are all striving to 
 throw a force across the path of the dim gray squad- 
 rons coming swiftly southward now, covered by their 
 veil of skirmishers, making straight for Poolesville, — 
 so straight that Stoneman's outposts, falling back to 
 
216 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 avoid capture, sjDread the tale that Poolesville will 
 be attacked within an honr, and that Edward's 
 Ferry, or possibly — barely possibly — Conrad's, is 
 Stuart's objective point. Burdened with led horses 
 and with the persons of civil officials whom he cannot 
 parole and is ordered to bring with him to be held 
 as hostages, the blond-bearded leader rides with more 
 deliberation now, and it is beautiful to see the style 
 and skill and finish with which his advance and 
 flankers do their trooper work. The masses of the 
 main body issue from Hyattstown about as the sun 
 is rising. No stop for breakfast this time, gentlemen. 
 We'll lunch in Loudoun County in comfort later on, 
 say the aides. But while these masses, with the 
 prisoners and the led horses, are moved steadily 
 southward on the Poolesville road, other squadrons, 
 with two of Pelham's light guns, are far to the front. 
 Other platoons and sections are spurring out on every 
 lane, south, east, and west. Every little ridge and 
 hillock is held and occupied, every roadway picketed 
 against the coming of formidable force. Before 
 their dash the scattered fragments of Union cavalry, 
 still in the neighborhood, recoil upon their slim re- 
 serves, and the word goes flying right and left, "Look 
 out for Poolesville; Stuart's heading there!" Far 
 to the north still Hampton, who led the advance, 
 now covers the rear, and it is late as seven o'clock 
 when his rearmost troop lets go at Liberty and trots 
 away to Monrovia, turning from time to time to show 
 its f^ngs to the few pursuing scouts. Away up the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 217 
 
 ]\Ionocacy the lancers and the Maine cavalry are 
 nibbing their eyes and wondering how it was possible 
 for Stuart to go so fast and clear around them, and 
 Belden, "svith his newly recruited but enthusiastic 
 Pennsylvanians, is raging over the orders that sent 
 him far to the west of the river when his own in- 
 stincts warned him to keep to the east. And away 
 up at Liberty poor Foulweather is grinding his teeth 
 in bitter wrath and dismay, for Stuart has tricked 
 them one and all, has ridden one hundred miles in 
 twenty-four hours, and, still alert, jaunty, and debo- 
 nair, comes trotting out upon the open fields to the 
 east of Heatherwood to choose his homeward path 
 across the broad Potomac. 
 
 Sunday morning, and the hour has come at 
 Heatherwood when for all the years of her occu- 
 pancy it was the custom of the gentle mistress to 
 summon her household about her in the southeast 
 parlor for family prayers. Here lies the sacred vol- 
 ume on its accustomed table, but no worshippers 
 kneel at the quaint old-fashioned chairs and sofa or 
 on the matting-covered floor. A fire has been started 
 during the night in the \\dde fireplace, but is smoul- 
 dering now. The shades and blinds are tightly drawn, 
 and only a dim, ghostly light penetrates an empty 
 room, silent and neglected in the midst of stir and 
 bustle and excitement and sound of scurrying feet 
 and straining voices such as Heatherwood had never 
 known before. 
 
 In Kalph's room overhead are his mother^ with 
 
218 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Belle and Laura, the former pale and silent, the lat- 
 ter flushed and radiant, and the three Confederate 
 officers, Fairfax, Heatherwood, and Tighlman, with 
 their embarrassed guardian, the young officer of the 
 cavalry guard. Aunt Chloe and her husband have 
 prepared breakfast, and the table is spread and ready, 
 but no one heeds. To the scandal of these old-time 
 domestics, the hall doors, front and rear, are open, 
 and soldiers in muddy boots clank through and 
 through without so much as "by your leave." In- 
 deed, nothing but the presence of the sentry at the 
 drawing-room door prevents the hungry intruders 
 from helping themselves, as most of them have done 
 in the kitchen, where Aunt Chloe has been making 
 coffee and corn-bread since earliest dawn. Tighl- 
 man, trembling with weakness and excitement, has 
 had to lie down again. Fairfax and Ralph, with 
 their glasses, crouch at the eastern window. The 
 Union lieutenant, placed in the most embarrassing 
 position he has ever known, conceives it to be his 
 duty to keep Fairfax constantly within reach, yet 
 will not curb or hamper him in any way. Mrs. 
 Heatherwood, in whose gentle eyes the tears are 
 welling, is seated close by Tighlman's couch, with 
 Belle sometimes crouching at her feet, sometimes 
 starting up in irrepressible eagerness and excitement, 
 and running to the window to gaze over her brother's 
 shoulder. Only here and there in little patches can 
 the eastward fields be seen, for the rain has beaten 
 but few of the fading leaves to earth, and the autumn 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 219 
 
 foliage still hangs thick and clustering. But south- 
 eastward a broader vista can be obtained, and yonder, 
 nearly eight miles off, lies Poolesville, and the inter- 
 vening roads and farms and fields are spread out like 
 a map. From the lawn below the voices of the men 
 come drifting up, eager and excited. Some of the 
 more agile have clambered into the trees, and all of 
 a sudden from one of their number comes the shout : 
 
 "I see 'em, boys, not a mile away. Cracky! a 
 whole regiment of 'em, and artillery. Oh, if we only 
 had a couple of guns uj) here, we could sweep the 
 whole line!" 
 
 Mrs. Heatherwood bows her head in her hands, 
 something like a groan forcing itself through her 
 quivering lips. Ralph, gritting his teeth, springs to 
 his feet and strives to find some point from which he, 
 too, can penetrate the thick veil and see the fields 
 beyond, and, even as they are clustering at the win- 
 dows, there comes the sound of crunching gravel 
 under horse's feet, the well-known sputter and crash, 
 as, up through the bowered gate-way, on reeking 
 steeds splashed with mud and mire, three horsemen 
 come spurring along the worn old drive and out upon 
 the once stately lawn of Heatherwood. The fore- 
 most, in glazed cap and poncho, a powerful, bearded 
 man, is evidently an officer of high rank. The be- 
 draggled housing of his horse still shows the edging 
 of gold and the gleam of silver star. 
 
 "What do you see? Where do you see?" he de- 
 mands, impetuously, of the soldier in the tree, and 
 whips out his ovra field-glass. 
 
220 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Rebel cavalry, sir, and guns, right out here across 
 the fields. You could rake 'em if you had a gun 
 here." 
 
 "Here, general, here!" cries another blue-coat, 
 peering through the eastward hedge; "here you can 
 see." And the stalwart officer spurs to the gap and 
 takes one quick glance. 
 
 "By the Lord, he's right ! Back with you, captain ! 
 Ride like mad. Tell Pennington to get a gun up 
 here if he has to double up half a dozen teams. Tell 
 him there isn't an instant to lose." 
 
 "God of Battles! It's Pleasonton!" cries Fairfax, 
 springing to his feet. Then, his face blanching at 
 the thought, "If guns are planted here they'll make 
 this house the target for every piece in Stuart's 
 column. For heaven's sake, lieutenant, tell your 
 general there are defenceless women here. Tell him 
 whose house this is." Then, as the officer seems to 
 hesitate, mindful of his orders to hold his prisoner, 
 the Virginian draws himself up and speaks proudly 
 and deliberately. "Surely you have my word, sir. 
 I shall take no advantage of your absence." 
 
 It is humanity that is pleading. It is for the sake 
 of helpless women for whom there can be no shelter 
 from the crash of shell, the deadly spatter of case- 
 shot, if once the rebel gunners open on that height. 
 Down goes the Union officer, three stairs at a jump, 
 and reaches the broad portico, where at the moment 
 an orderly is with difficulty holding an eager, spirited 
 horse, the young lieutenant's, and this fresh and 
 
t 
 
 Sd 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 I 
 
TUE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 221 
 
 beautiful mount lias caught the general's eye in an 
 instant. '"Whose horse f he is repeating, as booted 
 and spurred the young officer comes bounding from 
 the hall. 
 
 "Lieutenant Wardner's, sir. Here he comes now." 
 
 "What is your regiment, and where is it, and who 
 commands?" 
 
 " — th Pennsylvania, general. Somewhere up 
 around Frederick, I suppose. Colonel Belden," is 
 the concise answer. 
 
 "I know," cries the cavalry commander, his eyes 
 aflame. "We passed their bivouac in the dim light, 
 though they were too far from the road to be seen. 
 Your horse is fresh, sir. Ours have come over eighty 
 miles since yesterday morning. Mount, gallop every 
 inch of the way till you meet Pennington's second 
 section. Tell them to flog their horses every inch of 
 the road till they reach us. Then go on till you find 
 your colonel. Tell him everything depends on his 
 supporting me at once, and to come at the gallop. 
 Here's Stuart's whole force not two miles away, and 
 I haven't two hundred men to meet him!" 
 
 "I have a prisoner, sir, — Captain Fairfax, — and 
 there are ladies here, — three, — who'll be in peril if 
 artillery " 
 
 "Never mind that. You'll have a thousand pris- 
 oners if you get Belden here in time. l\o, sir. PU 
 take all responsibility," answers the chief, impa- 
 tient of expostulation or remark. "Mount instantly 
 and ride. Yours is the only horse that's fit to gallop 
 
222 TEE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 five miles. Go, sir, at once." And the general's 
 mandate ends all further delay. Springing into 
 saddle, the young officer rides straight for the leafy 
 gate-way, then takes the gallop as he strikes the 
 winding road. Aloft in the east room Ralph and 
 Fairfax still remain at the windows, enthralled and 
 eager. Tighlman covers his eyes and groans with im- 
 patience and anxiety combined. Somewhere down 
 along the towpath a cavalry trumpet is sounding a 
 thrilling call, at sound of which there is quickening 
 of the pace of some unseen column, and, followed by 
 his single orderly, the general rides round to the 
 southwest, through the old orchard, and out beyond 
 its westernmost tree, where he can see the Monocacy 
 and the roads beyond, and there, crawling south- 
 ward, more than a mile away, comes a jaded little 
 command with somewhere in its depths a section of 
 light guns, lugged all this distance, and towards 
 them, as though riding for life, a solitary courier is 
 speeding. But Pleasonton knows the leaders of his 
 column are closer at hand. That trumpet call is 
 from the head of a squadron of the Eighth Illinois, 
 escorting the foremost section of Pennington's guns, 
 and the general spurs for a gap in the fence and finds 
 his way down a cow-track towards the canal, catching 
 the little column as it rounds the front of the heights 
 under which stood Homans's camp only a few days 
 gone by. The guns have disappeared, led by his aide 
 back to the north so as to climb the winding but more 
 gradual ascent from that side. "Send one troop for- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 223 
 
 ward on the Barnesville road!" he orders. "Take 
 tlie route to Poolesville with the rest. Stuart's out 
 there on the plateau somewhere. Seems to be head- 
 ing straight for Poolesville." 
 
 "And now, indeed, does it begin to look desperate 
 for Stuart. South of him, at Poolesville, Stoneman 
 has deployed his men, infantry and guns, to bar the 
 way. Southwestward, towards Conrad's Ferry, are 
 three regiments of infantry under General Ward. 
 Westward, with several hundred soldiers of the 
 Third and Fourth Maine to back him, Pleasonton is 
 deploying his advance. Eastward the daring South- 
 erners cannot turn, for there lie the deep river, 
 Washington, and enemies by the thousands. Just 
 one chance remains of squirming through without 
 severe fight and having perhaps to lose his captured 
 civil list and Pennsylvania horses. Three miles below 
 the Monocacy and as many above Conrad's is White's 
 Ford. Beyond that the bold heights of Loudoun 
 County and perfect safety. Ward's men are still 
 below it, Pleasonton's still above; but, should the 
 head of Stuart's column turn that way, his purpose 
 would be apparent in an instant. Stuart knows a 
 trick worth two of that. 
 
 Brushing out of Barnesville the few vedettes and 
 outlying pickets that dare to hang on his advance, 
 his foremost squadrons push boldly out towards 
 Poolesville, Stoneman's scattered cavalry slipping 
 aw^ay from their front with warrantable agility, and 
 now at last they have reached a belt of the beautiful 
 
224 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 farming country, rolling and fertile, wooded here 
 and there and traversed by winding roads and lanes, 
 that lies in full view of the thrilled occupants of 
 Heatherwood's eastward rooms and windows. 
 
 "Yonder they go!" cries Fairfax, fairly ablaze 
 with eagerness to join his comrades of the Virginia 
 Horse. "See! See! Watch those fellows scooting 
 away down that lane. Our men must be close behind 
 them. Great God! they cannot see those heavy 
 lines of infantry over beyond, and there's no way — 
 no way — to warn them." 
 
 Belle and Laura, trembling with excitement and 
 clinging to each other, are both now leaning over 
 the captive captain and striving with their unaided 
 eyes to make out the objects he can only distinguish 
 with the glass. Ralph, at the adjoining window, has 
 less sweep of the land before them, and can only see 
 the Poolesville lines. He, too, springs over to the 
 now crowded casement, and soldiers, glancing up 
 from the lavm, look at each other in no little won- 
 derment. That gray uniform within their lines 
 seems out of place somehow. But suddenly an ex- 
 clamation from below calls every blue-coat to the 
 hedge, and a shout goes up from Fairfax: 
 
 "A charge! A charge! By all that's glorious! 
 Look! Look! See them sweep that field! Good 
 God! I cannot stand it — I cannot!" And springing 
 away in uncontrollable excitement, he turns, throws 
 his arms against the casement, and hides his face in 
 them, quivering from head to foot. Only for an in^ 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 225 
 
 stant thus he stands, Belle's soft eyes filled with that 
 dangerous pity that is so akin to love, for the next 
 thing there is a chorus of half-startled "Ah!'s" from 
 the blue-jackets, a jet of white smoke shoots across 
 the distant fields, and a few seconds later the window 
 shakes and a sharp bang — the angry bark of field- 
 piece — rends the air, and Fairfax springs with up- 
 lifted, clinching fists. "Pelham!" he cries, exultant. 
 Ralph, too, struggles to his feet, forgetful of his 
 wounds, and yet turns, thoughtful for his mother, 
 and finds her slowly sinking to her knees by Tighl- 
 man's bed, just as a second shot, sharper and clearer 
 than the first, rings on the autumn air. It is church 
 time, and morning service has begun in earnest. 
 
 Then, listen! From the north side now there 
 comes the sound of violent motion, the thunder of 
 hoofs, the rumble of wheels, the crash and sputter 
 of gravel, the fierce cracking of whips and loud 
 shouts of exultation and encouragement. "The 
 guns! the guns!" cries Fairfax; "actually here. By 
 heaven! It must not be." And, bare-headed, with 
 his gray uniform hanging loosely about his enfeebled 
 frame, the Virginian captain totters towards the door 
 just as, drawn by panting, sweating, straining 
 horses, six to the carriage, lashed and spurred to mad 
 effort, there comes rushing through the bowered gate 
 the foremost of Pennington's light guns, and, spurn- 
 ing flower beds and flowering plants, around it swings 
 on the grassy lawn; scattering mud and shattered 
 plaster of Paris, it is whirled into battery, unlim- 
 
 16 
 
226 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 bered like a flash, and run by hand to the hedge. 
 Furiously three or four cannoneers hack away at the 
 bushes with their short curved swords. A gap is 
 torn in the twinkling of an eye. The drivers spring 
 from saddle and busy themselves about the harness 
 of their teams, one and all looking just as though 
 they had swam through miles of liquid mud. A 
 dashing sergeant leaps from his horse, followed by 
 several of his mounted gun detachment, tossing their 
 reins to the horse holders, who quickly swing their 
 half-dozen reeking chargers over to the side of the 
 house, tearing huge rents in the once well-trimmed 
 flower-beds. A tall, lanky cannoneer has gripped a 
 sponge-staff and sent it whirling through the gap. A 
 cartridge is rammed home, while a corporal casts his 
 eye over the field a mile away and chisels a section 
 of his paper fuse. A shell is sent home, and, with 
 the rammer high above his head, the foremost can- 
 noneer springs back from the muzzle. There is an 
 instant grouping about the breech of the gun, — a 
 group of grimy men in dirty blue. 
 
 "They're going to fire!" screams Laura, stopping 
 her ears with her fingers and rushing to bury her 
 head in the pillows. There is a moment's squinting 
 through the slit of the brass pendulum hausse, then, 
 lifting the instrument from its socket, the gunner 
 springs back, both arms uplifted in signal "all clear," 
 and orders "Ready!" A stocky little fellow jumps 
 in to the breech and drives the priming wire home in 
 the vent. Another drops the friction primer in, and 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 227 
 
 is back in a second at the end of his taut lanyard. 
 "Fire!" rings the hoarse order, and with a resonant 
 bang that shakes the house and shivers a parlor win- 
 dow on the floor beneath, echoed bj shrieks, half 
 stifled, from the girls, the saucy rifle bellows its chal- 
 lenge to Pelham's guns nearly a mile out over the 
 fields, and then, as they spring in to reload, the can- 
 noneers look up in amaze, for a tall, hatless officer, 
 in Confederate gray, leaps among them, with up- 
 lifted, imploring hands. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Foe a moment the members of the little detach- 
 ment seemed stunned or stupefied. The sight of the 
 Confederate uniform in their midst, of a soldier of 
 evident rank and distinction, pallid from recent 
 wounds and confinement, was in itself a thing to 
 cause amaze, but that he should presume to inter- 
 fere, — to speak to them in tones that, despite the 
 appeal of his words, yet rang with the resonance of 
 accustomed command, — was still another. The 
 swarthy gunner at the trail was the first to recover 
 himself, and his eyes flashed angrily. 
 
 "Who in hell " began he, in the battle fury 
 
 that had seized him, but the sergeant interposed. 
 
 "This is my business, corporal. Out of the way, 
 sir," he ordered, sternly, as he turned to Fairfax. 
 "You're a prisoner, or you couldn't be here. Take 
 charge of that man, some of you," he cried, to the 
 open-mouthed troopers who were grouping about 
 them. "Load, lively there ! Shave her half a second. 
 Con. She bust ten yards beyond 'em." Then, as he 
 straightened up in his mud-besplashed stirrups, his 
 eyes dilating with fire, he swung his sabre towards 
 the gap in the shrubbery and fairly yelled with joy. 
 "Yonder comes a gun now. Look, Con ! They'll be 
 
 in your line of fire in half a shake. See?" 
 228 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 229 
 
 And leaping on the trail, the gunner peered 
 tlirough the gap. Three or four cavalrymen had, 
 half reluctantly, laid hands on the Virginia captain 
 and, despite his earnest words of explanation, insisted 
 on his falling back from the gun. Corporal Con 
 threw up his hat with a yell of delight. "It's Pel- 
 ham's," he cried. "They're heading for the knoll 
 beyond. It's there they'll unlimber. Shall we give 
 'em one now, sergeant?" 
 
 "Aye, sock it to 'em, quick. Con!" was the answer, 
 as the chief of piece reined his snorting horse back 
 from the gun, and the cannoneers sprang out from 
 the wheels. A groan burst from the lips of Fairfax, 
 a wail of anguish from the window above, and some 
 men, glancing an instant over their shoulders, beheld 
 Miss Heatherwood leaning from the open casement, 
 wringing her hands, a wild-eyed, black-haired girl 
 clinging to her side. Then all eyes were riveted on 
 the spirited scene out on the rolling slopes half a 
 mile away. A light gun-carriage, followed by its 
 prancing detachment, drawn by six spirited horses, 
 whose gray-jacketed drivers sat jauntily in saddle, 
 came lunging through a little lane, turned square at 
 a gap in the snake fence that bounded the slopes of 
 an open field, and, following a dashing leader, went 
 plunging and swaying up the ascent. Pennington's 
 war-worn gunners knew them at a glance. Some- 
 thing in the dash and abandon with which they 
 swimg through the gap stamped them at once. "Pel- 
 ham's Own!" was the cry. "Let 'em have it. Con." 
 
230 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 The corporal, quivering with excitement, was astride 
 of the trail, tapping gently its mud-stained side, 
 while two stout cannoneers, panting and eager-eyed, 
 gripped a handspike and swung the black muzzle 
 into line. Squinting through the peep hole in the 
 brass hausse. Con was spinning the elevating screw 
 with one hand as he tapped the trail with the other, 
 getting range and line at once, sighting square at the 
 crest of the knoll. An instant more and the leaders 
 of the distant gun came trotting up against the sky, 
 then the "swing" team, then the wheel-horses, then 
 one could almost hear the command, "Action rear!" 
 as the team fairly settled back on their haunches and 
 the following horsemen threw themselves out of sad- 
 dle and scampered to the gun. 
 
 "Now, Con!" cried the sergeant, and a stifled 
 shriek went up from the window, and Fairfax wiped 
 the sweat of agony from his brow and called aloud, — 
 
 "Away from that window. Belle ! Kun to the cel- 
 lar, quick! Away, I say!" he repeated, as the girls 
 hung there, fascinated. 
 
 "For God's sake let me go to them," he cried. "I 
 am pledged not to escape." 
 
 But the stern soldiers seemed deaf to his plea; 
 seemed only alive to the scene at the gun. Again the 
 corporal sprang back, both hands thrown high, again 
 the order, "Ready!" again the lithe young battery- 
 man leaped in, lanyard in hand, then the taut cord 
 slipped through his fingers as he stretched away for 
 the next word, "Fire!" and a jet of flame and smoke 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. '231 
 
 burst through the gap, the light gun leaped back a 
 foot or two, the shot went shrieking away southeast- 
 ward in long curve. A second or two of suspense, 
 and then against the dull hues of the clouded horizon 
 a puff of snowy smoke burst in front of the black ob- 
 jects on the distant field, and in an instant they were 
 hidden from sight. Only for an instant, though; 
 the little cloud went drifting away, a cheer rang out 
 on the Heatherwood lawn, for two horses were seen 
 to be kicking and struggling on the turf beyond the 
 opposing gun. Then as Pennington's men sprang 
 in to reload, the cry went up, "Lay low! Look out, 
 fellows! They're aiming." And here and there a 
 blue-jacket, crouching, went scattering to right or 
 left, and others flattened out on the sodden ground. 
 Again Fairfax cried aloud, — 
 
 "Leave that window. Belle, instantly! Down to 
 the cellar, all of you!" But he might as well have 
 ordered the dead. With dilated eyes the two girls 
 hung there, gazing at the distant guns. Then 
 Laura's voice, shrill and exultant, pierced the drip- 
 ping air: 
 
 "Yonder's another gun. O Glory! See it 
 a-jumpin', coming right up by the first!" And she 
 clapped her plump hands in mad delight. "Now, 
 Mr. Yankee, look out for your hide," she cried. 
 "Aw, why don't they fire? What are they waiting 
 for?" She danced impatient, utterly blind to the 
 peril in which she stood if Pelham opened. Again 
 wondering at the unusual delay in the Virginian's 
 
232 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 answering bark, tlie cannoneers were driving home 
 their charge, when, far over the fields, furiously 
 waving his hat, a horseman was seen, riding straight 
 for Pelham's foremost giin, whose detachment in 
 wonderment had ceased their skilled loading, and 
 with unwilling ears were listening to words and 
 orders inaudible to all at Heatherwood. 
 
 "Let 'em have it, Con!" again cried the sergeant. 
 "We'll drive 'em off that ridge with another shot." 
 And again was the gunner bending over the breech 
 and the cannoneers ramming home, when loud, 
 stern, authoritative, a soldierly voice rang out over 
 the lawn, and, striding forth from the open door-way 
 of Heatherwood, a tall, splendidly built officer in 
 the uniform of a captain of cavalry, a man with 
 flashing blue eyes and clear-cut face and blond mous- 
 tache and imperial, came straight to the edge of the 
 portico, and there halted and towered above them 
 all. 
 
 "Drop that lanyard, men ! You wouldn't fire from 
 behind a petticoat. Can't you see those fellows will 
 not answer because they know this house is full of 
 women?" 
 
 At sound of the voice the sergeant had whirled in 
 saddle and up went his hand in salute. The can- 
 noneers turned in surprise. The lanyard slackened. 
 One or two troopers who had thrown themselves 
 under the hedge to dodge the expected shower of 
 shrapnel squirmed out and gazed at the soldierly 
 figure; but it was left to Captain Fairfax to exhibit 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 233 
 
 strange and nnaceountable emotion. He sprang for- 
 ward, despite the resistance of two sinewy hands, 
 until he had cleared the little group of captors 
 among whom he stood, then halted in his tracks. 
 Three men threw themselves upon him and seized 
 him in vigorous grasp, but he never seemed to notice. 
 With pallid face and quivering lips, — lips that were 
 turning almost livid, — he hung there, glaring at the 
 form at the edge of the portico, and the rough grasp 
 of the soldiers slackened, for they saw the beads of 
 sweat still starting from his brow and that he was 
 trembling from head to foot. Aloft at the northeast 
 window, as though striving to see the cause of this 
 sudden silence on the lawn, Miss Ileatherwood and 
 her impatient cousin were leaning for^vard and 
 gazing with all their eyes. But the strange officer 
 stood where the projecting roof of the old-fashioned 
 portico hid him from their sight. He had unslung 
 a field-glass, and, applying it to his eyes, had con- 
 cealed the upper portion of his fine face. He leaned 
 against a heavy column, breathing hard as though 
 he had ridden fast. His boots and breeches were 
 daubed with mud, but the trim-fitting frock coat 
 was innocent of a single splash. The polished scab- 
 bard shone like newly minted silver. The sash, 
 though carelessly knotted, was of costly crimson silk. 
 Half of him looked as though he had ridden through 
 miles of mud, the other half as though he were 
 marching on parade. 
 
 "Limber to the rear, then," ordered the sergeant, 
 
234 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 tliongli his eyes snapped angrily. "We could have 
 knocked that gun off the ridge next shot, sir," he 
 cried, regretfully, "and my orders was to do it, but 
 the officer that gave 'em isn't here. Where'll we go, 
 sir? There's no such spot as this within a mile." 
 
 "Down the road to join your battery," was the 
 brief answer. "They've gone already, heading for 
 Poolesville," he added. "Tell your captain you 
 drove 'em off with one shot." 
 
 The horses were crunching round with dangling 
 traces on the arc of a small circle as he spoke. The 
 limber whirled about in front of the piece, its right 
 wheel bumping, battery-fashion, over the iron trail- 
 plate. The handspikes and sponge-staff were stowed 
 away. "Halt! Limber up!" was the gunner's order, 
 given in disgusted tone, and bitter disappointment 
 brooded in the gaunt, war-worn faces as they glanced 
 resentfully up at the windows. What business had 
 women there anyhow, spoiling as square a fight as 
 ever they had hoped for? 
 
 "I had the range of them fellers," swore Corporal 
 Con, as he climbed to saddle, "and could have blown 
 me shell square into the thick o' them." 
 
 "Dry up, Con!" was the sergeant's order. "Sure 
 you wouldn't hit a man that couldn't hit back? 
 Come on at the trot now." And down the winding 
 road he led, his gun and gunners clattering after, 
 just as afar out over the fields there came from the 
 southeast a throb and sputter of distant musketry, 
 and down on the invisible towpath southwest of the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 235 
 
 orchard a cavalry trumpet sounded, "Trot!" and 
 then, "Bang! Bang!" in quick succession two 
 booming reports told that Stuart's guns had opened 
 on the Union lines, and that the renowned cavalier 
 was making good his word and fighting his way 
 through. 
 
 Up at the window, still, Belle and Laura hung, 
 athrill now with excitement and enthusiasm. What 
 mattered it that Captain Fairfax had failed in his 
 mission; — that another, and one in evident authority, 
 had ordered off their unbidden visitors? What mat- 
 tered it that Fairfax was there a prisoner, and Ralph 
 and Tighlman invalided and paroled? They could 
 see nothing of Fairfax now. His captors, eager to 
 reach a spot whence they could peer through the 
 hedge at the distant fighting lines, had turned him 
 over to two of their number to be taken back to 
 where the horses were picketed about the barn. The 
 cavalry officer, too, had suddenly disappeared within 
 the house and was seen no more. Ralph, gazing 
 through his glasses, still studied the movements out 
 on the distant fields, his features working strangely. 
 It was after nine o'clock. J^ot a mouthful of break- 
 fast had they touched, for who could tell what phase 
 of battle the next minute might bring forth? Over 
 by Tighlman's couch knelt the gentle mistress of the 
 mansion, her lips still moving in fervent prayer. 
 The powerful fascination that had drawn to the win- 
 dows most of the occupants of Heatherwood, except 
 the now terrified servants, had attracted most of the 
 
236 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 soldiery to tlie eastward gaps in the hedge, or to 
 points in the westward orchard whence they could 
 catch occasional glimpses of Stuart's men. Within 
 the kitchen two of the Maine infantry kept reluctant 
 guard. Chloe and her trembling liege were hiding 
 in the cellar. Officers of every kind had disap- 
 peared. Fairfax, under guard, found himself practi- 
 cally alone. A shy country boy, whose corporal's 
 chevrons were new as his face was smooth, seemed 
 to know not what to do with his charge, and readily 
 assented to the captive captain's proposition that they 
 should go to the upper windows of Heatherwood, 
 whence they could see the progress of the fight, and 
 Fairfax was weak and dazed, and the corporal's 
 heart was moved to pity. 
 
 "You look sick," said he. "When did — when did 
 you get captured?" 
 
 "Only last night," was the reply. "This house is 
 the home of relatives of mine whom I wished to see. 
 I have given my parole. You need fear no attempt 
 to escape, but if you are ordered to stand by me, 
 come up there. Did you see — did you know that 
 cavalry officer?" 
 
 "Saw him, yes," said the soldier, awkwardly, lug- 
 ging his rifle in one hand, as with the other he aided 
 the weakened Virginian up the stairs, "but never saw 
 him before. Those battery fellows knew him. I 
 heard them calling him by name as they rode away." 
 
 "You did?" demanded Fairfax, leaning on the 
 balustrade and breathing hard as he clung to it for 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 237 
 
 support. '"You did? And what name did they give 
 him?" 
 
 "Captain Belden, they said ; — th Regulars — cav- 
 alry," was the innocent reply, whereat Fairfax stared 
 the harder, "gripped even tighter the balcony rail, 
 and the corporal, fearful that his prisoner was col- 
 lapsing on his hands, called loudly to a trooper in 
 the hall-way to come and help him, — a trooper who 
 w^as issuing from the door of a little room on the 
 north side, and he glanced hurriedly upward. 
 
 "I'll send help," he muttered, in a strange, smoth- 
 ered tone, and hastened into the kitchen, but from 
 the floor above came Mrs. Heatherwood and her 
 daughter. Hurrying and with anxious questioning 
 and troubled looks, they bore do\^Ti upon the oddly 
 assorted pair. The soldier fell back at sight of them, 
 glad of such relief. 
 
 "What is it, my boy? What has happened?" was 
 Mrs. Heatherwood's anxious question, as her arm 
 was thrown about the shrinking form. "Help him, 
 please," she added, turning to the young corporal, 
 and, laying down his rifle, the latter almost lifted 
 Fairfax to a sofa on the floor above. "Bring some 
 wine, quickly. Belle," ordered Mrs. Heatherwood, as 
 she knelt by the sufferer's side. "What is it, Floyd?" 
 she murmured. "You've overtaxed your strength." 
 
 "I did not dream how weak I was," he whispered, 
 "or that I could behave like a woman, but," and now 
 his eyes flitted eagerly about until he was assured 
 that Belle had gone, "I saw Jack Lowndes lying 
 
238 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 dead by the roadside at First Bull Run, and could 
 liave sworn it was he " 
 
 "Hush, Floyd! Listen!" appealed Mrs. Heather- 
 wood, laying her fingers on his lips, for Laura was 
 screaming excitedly at the window, 'and Ralph's 
 voice was adding to the clamor. Far out afield the 
 firing was growing quick and fast, but what Ralph 
 saw was something that thrilled him to the marrow. 
 
 "Fairfax! Fairfax!" he cried; "come here, for 
 God's sake, and tell me what it means. There's a 
 squadron of Yankee cavalry right in the midst of 
 Stuart's reserve, and it's coming this way." 
 
 With a brimming glass of Madeira in her hand, 
 Belle was hastening down the hall. Fairfax strug- 
 gled to his feet, drained the glass, and staggered to 
 the eastward window. Ralph handed him the bi- 
 nocular, pointing excitedly through the gap that 
 commanded the fields. Across one of the nearmost 
 the gun detachment so recently at the hedge was 
 now laboring with their heavy charge; across 
 another, coming straight towards them, five hundred 
 yards farther away, a compact little squadron in the 
 Union blue was spurring at rapid trot, their sabres 
 glinting at the "carry," a slender young officer well 
 in the lead; and at this distant array Floyd Fairfax 
 took one rapid glance through the glass and dropped 
 it with a cry: 
 
 '^Yankee cavalry? God of heaven, no! It's Gar- 
 nett and the First Virginia!" 
 
 And as though he heard the cry, and were ex- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 239 
 
 pecting it, a tall trooper, splendidly mounted, dashed 
 the next instant around the corner of the house, 
 spurred straight for the gap where lately stood the 
 gun, swung high his forage-cap in air, as with mag- 
 nificent bound his horse carried him through and 
 over and careering on down the orchard slopes be- 
 yond; and then over the fields rang a shout, power- 
 ful, resonant, that sounded strangely familiar to the 
 straining, startled ears at Heatherwood, and bore 
 with it the same challenge and power of command 
 as that which checked the fire of the gunners not ten 
 minutes before: "Gallop, men! Gallop with that 
 gun ! That's rebel cavalry coming ! Gallop and fol- 
 low me!" 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Fob five minutes that followed Heatlierwood was 
 the vortex of a storm of excitement such as the old 
 mansion had never knoA\m in the past and was des- 
 tined onlj once to know again. Swiftly spurring 
 over the eastward fields, bending forward in their 
 saddles in the eager pose all troopers know so well, — 
 the crouch of the tiger before the spring, — the little 
 squadron seemed making straight for Heatherwood, 
 and had not yet come in view of the lone detachment 
 of horse artillery down on lower ground, the single 
 gun with its accompanying squad of cannoneers that 
 had followed the winding drive into the ravine and 
 was now jogging and jingling through the lane that 
 led to the Potomac. 
 
 Obedient to authority he dare not question, — the 
 orders of a regular ofiicer, — the veteran sergeant was 
 hastening by the shortest line to overtake his battery 
 commander, who with another gun was at this mo- 
 ment hacking his way through the fence of a sloping 
 field to the southeast and striving to reach a low ridge 
 beyond, whereon appeared the well-known form of 
 General Pleasonton, with two of his staff and a brace 
 of orderlies, most of whom were eagerly waving their 
 hats and urging the young artillerist to full speed. 
 A squadron of cavalry spurred wearily behind the 
 240 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 241 
 
 gun, and a dozen men, dismounted, were lashing at 
 the nearly exhausted horses or working at the wheels. 
 Another squadron was pushing out on the Barnes^dlle 
 road to the east, all ignorant of this swoop of hostile 
 cavalry across the higher ground to the left. Ab- 
 sorbed in the effort to fasten on the right flank of 
 Stuart's force out in the open ground towards Pooles- 
 ville, the commander of the pursuing cavalry seemed 
 to think it impossible that any of the raiders should 
 have ventured to dash at Heatherwood, now nearly 
 a mile in his rear. 
 
 Still farther out to the southeast a lone skirmish 
 line, stretching from east to west, was faintly indi- 
 cated by dim dots of horsemen beyond a fringe of 
 woods. Stuart's advance, then, had met the expected 
 resistance, and a squadron or two had been deployed 
 to feel the way. It was on the ridge half a mile out 
 in that direction that Pelham's guns had appeared 
 long enough to draw the fire of Pennington's one 
 rifle; then, forbidden by some old friend to fire at 
 Pleatherwood, the Virginians had popped out of 
 sight into the depression beyond. Doubtless they 
 and their supporting cavalry could now be seen from 
 where Pleasonton boldly rode on the bluff-like crest 
 to the southward, but here at Heatherwood only by 
 the sound of distant firing could anything be deter- 
 mined of Stuart's movements. All around about the 
 mansion was scurry and excitement. A knot of 
 country folk on their way to church, frightened by 
 
 the sound of battle and the sight of hurrying guns 
 
 16 
 
242 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and cavalry, had climbed the steep slope at the south, 
 the pathway Ilomans and Pettingill had known so 
 well, and were gathered with the few lingering 
 troopers about the hedge. The young officer com- 
 manding the guard had disappeared, sent, like Ward- 
 ner, on some errand by the urgent leader of the 
 Union horse, whose own mounts were apparently ex- 
 hausted. iVt sight of the coming squadron the ser- 
 geant left in charge had looked eagerly about for aid, 
 but the column descending the Monocacy was far 
 beyond supporting distance and on a muddy road, 
 and the infantry at the aqueduct and along the canal 
 could not begin to reach the height as quickly as 
 could the nimble cavalry. 
 
 "Gallop to that Maine colonel down there at 
 camp," he ordered a trooper, " and tell him that rebel 
 cavalry is in sight not half a mile away, coming 
 straight at us, and I've only a dozen men." Then, 
 although he ordered his people to mount and await 
 orders in the barn-yard, their eagerness to see what 
 was going on prompted first one, then another, and 
 finally the entire party, to come sputtering around 
 to the front, completing the ruin, with the iron-shod 
 hoofs, of the once trim pathways and flower-beds at 
 the side, as well as the havOc of hoof and wheel upon 
 the lawn, and here beneath the eastward windows, 
 with half a dozen infantrymen detailed as the guard, 
 the troopers clustered, some tossing their reins to 
 comrades and climbing into the trees, others ner- 
 vously unslinging their carbines and lining the east- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 243 
 
 ward hedge and gap, all impervious to Laura's iine 
 scorn and fierce denunciation. 
 
 At the windows, thrilled with excitement at the 
 scene and sounds, the little household gathered, even 
 Tighlman, now unrebuked, having limped from his 
 bed and seated himself where he could peer over 
 Heatherwood's shoulder. With them was Madam 
 Heatherwood, her sweet, wan face pallid with 
 an:xiety and distress. At the other window Fairfax 
 knelt, his embarrassed guardian, rifle in hand, close 
 behind him, while Belle and Laura, clinging to each 
 other, gazed from the casement, the former trem- 
 bling with dread, her beautiful eyes brimming with 
 tears, the latter quivering with excitement, her black 
 orbs fairly snapping with defiance and delight. And 
 now, until it disappeared at a lumbering gallop down 
 behind the shrubbery, all eyes were fixed on that 
 imperilled gun and its shouting, urging guard and 
 drivers, then on the swift advance of that daring lit- 
 tle squadron, now not fifty yards beyond the brow of 
 the westward slopes, along the foot of which that 
 dashing trooper who leaped the gap a moment be- 
 fore was now striving to guide the precious gun to 
 safety. Who was he? Who is he? asked each cap- 
 tive ofiicer, confident that form, face, and voice were 
 all familiar. But no answer came from Belle or the 
 trembling lips of her mother. 
 
 "Look! look at Garnett!" was the cry, for now, 
 even without the glasses, the waving plumes on the 
 young leader's jaunty head could be plainly seen, 
 
2-14 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and he at least was in the gray, though throughout 
 the bounding rank almost every trooper rode in 
 brand new blouse or jacket of the Union blue. Ten 
 seconds more and they must reach the edge of the 
 gentle slope, must surely see the gun. Although the 
 range now is too great for accurate shooting, the 
 soldiers at the hedge are in eager conference. Some 
 are cocking their rifles and carbines. "Shall we lire, 
 sergeant?" cries a trooper. 
 
 'Tor God's sake, no!" sings out a nervous recruit, 
 who, sitting in saddle, holds the horses of half a 
 dozen men. "You'll bring the whole pack on us." 
 A grin spreads over the pallid face of Fairfax. 
 
 "That fellow has sense, at least," he mutters. A 
 jeer bursts from Laura's lips, a groan from Mrs. 
 Heatherwood, and then, an instant later, wild shouts 
 of warning from the hedge, a cheer of exultation 
 from the windows, a distant — a glorious burst of 
 melody like that of the hounds in full cry, the pro- 
 longed "Ch-a-a-a-rge" of the leader, a blast of the 
 trumpet, and above all the thrilling chorus of 
 trooper yells, as, never checking at the sight, the 
 squadron commander comes in view of the quarry, 
 and, swinging sabre over his head, in magnificent 
 circling swoop down the grassy slope like darting 
 falcon he heads the rush of his Virginians, and then 
 the air rings with shot and clash of steel, and fierce 
 oaths and imprecations and exultant cries. There is 
 a popping chorus of pistols that accompanies a wild 
 scurry of hoofs away and around the lower edge of 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 245 
 
 the timber to the south, and Fairfax leaps to his feet 
 and cries aloud: 
 
 ''By heaven! they've got the gun! They're 
 driving 'em into the river!" 
 
 Then there is another warning yell, from the 
 hedge this time, as several of the troopers come tum- 
 bling out, and running for their horses. A sergeant 
 is shouting, ''Mount!" An infantry corporal, red in 
 the face and raging with fight, begs him to order all 
 of his men to occupy the timber and open fire on 
 some troopers now drifting back from the chase after 
 the gun. It is a moment of mad excitement, and no 
 man there knows just what should be done. Then 
 comes another shout, this time from the orchard. 
 That settles it. "Lay low, fellers! Look out! The 
 whole caboodle's coming back, and they'll be on you 
 in a second!" To the very edge of the canal have the 
 Virginians pursued the helpless gunners, to the very 
 teeth of the infantry guards of the aqueduct, for now 
 a fierce sputter of musketry opens at the foot of the 
 westward slope, and the thunder of returning hoofs 
 is heard, mingled with loud laugliter and derisive 
 cheers and yells, and then, before the hampered 
 troopers on the lawn can swing into saddle and form 
 for action, a shot rings at the back of the house, 
 another, and another, and up through the old or- 
 chard come the nodding plumes and panting, strug- 
 gling horses, and all the sergeant can find words to 
 say is, "Come on out of this!" and away he goes 
 through the bowered gate-way to the northeast, his 
 
24G THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 fellows clattering after. There's no place there to 
 wheel and fight. Thej are only a dozen all told, 
 and Stuart's men seem popping out of every lane 
 and hedgerow and shaded aisle. There's nothing 
 else to do but dash out of the trap and gallop to the 
 nearest supports, and there, not half a mile away, 
 wearied, but gamely struggling on, comes Pleason- 
 ton's main force along the Monocacy. The sergeant 
 is wise in his generation. Thitherward he gallops 
 with his pack, a dozen sabres swinging at their heels, 
 and there are left only the infantry sentries and that 
 lone corporal in the second story to receive with 
 proper honors the mud-bespattered, but triumphant 
 band of merrymakers who rein up in front of Heath- 
 erwood, and the young cavalier at their head 
 bows low over his reeking horse's mane, sweeps his 
 plumed hat groundward in salutation to the ladies 
 at the nearest window, and bids Miss Heatherwood 
 a joyous good-morning. 
 
 Fancy the scene as Heatherwood and Tighlman 
 shout greeting to him from their casement, and 
 Laura, springing down the stairs, four and six at a 
 bound, fairly hurls herself upon the mud-besmeared 
 lieutenant and ecstatically hugs him, all maidenly 
 shame forgotten in the delirious joy of the occasion. 
 But wary eyes have seen the dart of the infantry 
 sentries for shelter. Grim, battle-worn troopers are 
 watching at the orchard and at every gap. A veteran 
 sergeant, binding a slashing sabre cut upon his 
 bridle-hand with an old bandana, warns his young 
 chief there is not a moment to spare. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 247 
 
 "How are you, Ralph? How are you, Brad?" 
 laughs Garnett. "All ready, you fellows? Got a 
 couple of tip-top horses here for you if you're ready 
 to ride. Run you over to Virginia in less than an 
 hour, but you'll have to be lively, boys. Come right 
 along. Thought I'd find you here; and we've got 
 that gun, too, all right. S'pose you saw Pelham 
 wouldn't answer." 
 
 And all this he has to shout, handsome, bare- 
 headed, well-nigh breathless, while Laura, possessed 
 of one hand, is dancing madly on the portico. Down 
 about the canal the sputter of shots has died away as 
 the troopers come scurrying back, but here and there 
 far out over the muddy roads and lanes, bugle speaks 
 to trumpet and rallying calls are sounding, and away 
 to the southeast Pelham's guns are booming chal- 
 lenge at Stoneman's still more distant lines. All 
 around is throb and stir and sound of battle, yet here 
 at Heatherwood, save where Laura dances in elfish 
 triumph, there has fallen sudden silence and gloom. 
 Heatherwood and Tighlman have disappeared from 
 their window, so has Belle. Fairfax has not been 
 seen since the moment of the Southern troopers' 
 coming. With a word to his bewildered guard, who 
 follows him as he would his own captain, he has left 
 his window and stepped across the hall into another 
 room. Astonished at this strange reception. Lieu- 
 tenant Garnett looks one moment wonderingly at the 
 now vacant windows, then, hearing his name called 
 
248 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 close at hand, turns and finds himself almost face to 
 face with Madam Heatherwood. 
 
 "My son, mj nephew thank you, Mr. Gamett, for 
 your daring effort, but — they are my prisoners now. 
 They are bound by their honor until exchanged," 
 she says, with sad and gentle dignity. 
 
 "But, Mrs. Heatherwood," he interrupts, impa- 
 tiently, "no parole holds good in the event of a recap- 
 ture." And as he speaks, standing there with un- 
 covered head beside his drooping horse, away out 
 over the southward fields the quick crackling of 
 musketry redoubles, and Pelham's guns are barking 
 savagely. The sergeant, bending in saddle, sweeps 
 the gap with anxious eyes. 
 
 "We haven't a minute to spare, sir," he mutters. 
 
 "I know what you would say," is Mrs. Heather- 
 wood's reply. "IsTeither of them is fit to ride, but 
 neither of them should ride, even if he could, for the 
 government at Washington has treated us with kind- 
 ness we can never repay." 
 
 "Mrs. Heatherwood," bursts in Garnett, impetu- 
 ously, "we have counted on this recapture. It was to 
 be my proud duty to bring in your boys from 
 Heatherwood and Fairfax from Leesburg. Here 
 come their horses now." 
 
 "Floyd Fairfax!" exclaims Laura, eagerly. "Oh, 
 do take him, quick! The Yankees call him a spy, 
 and say they'll hang him. They got him here, but 
 they didn't get his farmer clothes." 
 
 Garnett's face grows yellow-white at the instant. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 249 
 
 "Floyd Fairfax here! You cannot mean it!" he 
 cries, turning almost angrily upon her. 
 
 "I do. They followed him here, — 'rested him 
 here." 
 
 "Where is he?" demands Garnett, springing up the 
 steps, as the sergeant leaped from saddle as though 
 to detain him. 
 
 "Mount, lieutenant! Mount, for God's sake! 
 They're driving us back. We'll be surrounded here 
 in a second," he cries. 
 
 And then Garnett halts with blazing eyes, for at 
 the door-way — a soldier with carried rifle at his back 
 — there stands Fairfax, pale as is the younger soldier 
 whose hand goes up in salute, but the words he 
 speaks are full of sternness, even suspicion. 
 
 "Captain Fairfax, only night before last I offended 
 a brother officer in defending your name, but I never 
 thought to find you — here. You, of course, can 
 come — will come with us." 
 
 "I of course would come, sir, and if I live will 
 come to answer any imputation, but go you must at 
 once. I cannot; I have pledged my word." 
 
 "Floyd — Floyd Fairfax! If you don't go you'll 
 be hanged for a spy!" shrieks Laura Waddell. 
 
 "Say to General Stuart," is the solemn answer, 
 "that I pledged my word not to attempt to escape." 
 
 And with the words there comes the sound of hur- 
 rying hoof-beats through the yards, through the or- 
 chard, up the roadway, and the sergeant fairly hurls 
 himself upon his young leader, almost throws him 
 
250 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 into saddle, and then together they take the leap 
 through the eastward gap in the hedgerow, only just 
 in time to avoid the rush of half a score of Union 
 troopers, two of whose horses drop exhausted, dead, 
 at the doors of Heatherwood. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 One o'clock, and the guns have almost ceased 
 their sullen thunder, for a wonderful thing has hap- 
 pened. Despite Stoneman's opposing lines at the 
 southeast about the fields of Poolesville; despite the 
 hurriedly aligned regiments of Ward facing north- 
 ward at Conrad's Ferry; despite the utmost efforts 
 of Pleasonton's mud-covered and exhausted little 
 command attacking from underneath the heights of 
 Heatherwood ; despite the later coming of Belden's 
 Pennsylvanians' on one road and swearing old Foul- 
 weather with his gritty regulars on the other; de- 
 spite the fact that Union batteries, battalions, and 
 squadrons confront him north, east, and south, and 
 a river rolls to his right on the west, Jeb Stuart, the 
 redoubtable, has skilfully slipped through the 
 meshes, and while "the incomparable" Pelham, with 
 two of his guns, sends shot and shell at every ap- 
 proaching column from the low heights at the east 
 of White's Ford, the other two splash through the 
 Potomac with the prisoners and plunder, and reap- 
 pear in a twinkling on the wooded bluffs of the Vir- 
 ginia shore, covering the ford so that, squadron by 
 squadron, the jaunty invaders trot dripping back 
 to Dixie, leaving their skirmish lines to show their 
 teeth to the slowly enclosing ranks of the pursuers, 
 
 251 
 
252 THE GENERAVS DOUBLE. 
 
 until Pelliam limbers up and lashes his remaining 
 light barkers through the flood, quickly to bellow 
 new challenge from the Loudoun shore. Then away 
 skip the rearmost skirmishers, and at two o'clock, 
 on the very ground where stood the Southern guns 
 the hour before, the commands of Ward, Pleasonton, 
 and Stoneman come butting their heads together, 
 asking each other how the devil this thing was pos- 
 sible, and why the dickens this, that, or the other 
 thing wasn't done by somebody else. It was all sim- 
 ple enough when one came to study it out. Penning- 
 ton's rifles got stalled in the sodden fields, and even 
 "doubling up" teams didn't help them out. Pel- 
 ham's guns had the pick of Pennsylvania horses to 
 hitch in the moment a wheeler weakened. Pleason- 
 ton's men had ridden night and day since four 
 o'clock Saturday morning, and, not being used to 
 such things, had only covered eighty miles, a dozen 
 of them misdirected. Stuart's fellows, trotting night 
 and day and never minding it, had ridden all around 
 Pleasonton, and seemed to hugely enjoy the trip, 
 for raiding and riding were things they took to as 
 they did their daily bread, and got with greater regu- 
 larity. Stuart had made Ward and Stoneman be- 
 lieve he meant to push through to Edward's Ferry, 
 below the big bend, so they w^ere hastening to block 
 the goal towards which the gray skirmishers in ad- 
 vance were so steadfastly pushing. Then, when 
 Ward's regiments were all handsomely headed 
 thither and well out of the way, the Virginia leader 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 253 
 
 quickly slipped his main body along a sheltered wood 
 road, screened by his skirmishers, straight westward 
 to White's, and not until their guns unlimbered on 
 the Loudoun side did he draw in the threatening- 
 veil, leaving Ward and Stoneman to storm and 
 swear, sole answer they could give at such long range 
 to Pelhani's derisive barking on the westward 
 heights. A prettier piece of skill and audacity even 
 Stuart had not yet essayed. 
 
 Then when the Union leaders came together and 
 Ward pluekily demanded permission to push across, 
 forgetful of Ball's Bluff, and attack the lion in his 
 lair, he was wroth because Pleasonton would not 
 lend his mired guns and worn-out cavalry, and 
 Pleasonton declared that Stoneman should have cov- 
 ered White's and thereby made escape for Stuart 
 impossible, and Stoneman responded that what 
 Pleasonton said was absurd. And so in such sweet 
 accord they spent the Sunday afternoon, digging 
 their guns out of the mire and damning each other 
 for letting Stuart go. But what they thought and 
 said wasn't a circumstance to what the Iron Secre- 
 tary remarked in Washington, — he who had thun- 
 dered, "ISTot a man of Stuart's command must be 
 allowed to escape back to Virginia." And all this 
 had the Southern leader risked and accomplished 
 without the loss of one man killed. But these were 
 the days before the leaders of the Army of the Po- 
 tomac learned the use and need of cavalry; before 
 Hooker had organized the fine divisions that with 
 
254 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 another year had clipped the plumes of Stuart and 
 were destined, so soon after, to lay him low at Yel- 
 low Tavern. 
 
 One splendid piece of daring had shown like a 
 rift in the clouds through the darkened skies of that 
 hapless day, — Trooper Bell's magnificent attempt to 
 save that isolated gun of Pennington's from the dash 
 of the Southern squadron, and the heroic fight of the 
 little detachment against four times their number. 
 Thrashing the maddened gun horses with their 
 sabres, they had urged them at the gallop to the nar- 
 row towjDath, while with pistol and blade the devoted 
 fellows fought furiously to beat off Gamett's yelling 
 pack, and, aided by the fact that the road was narrow 
 and hemmed by clifl^s on the right and thick shrub- 
 bery on the left, they finally landed their precious 
 charge safely under the muzzles of the aqueduct 
 guards, but not without the loss of two gallant fel- 
 lows, shot from their saddles by Virginia lead, and 
 the severe hacking of Trooper Bell himself, who was 
 turned over to the surgeons, hero of the day perhaps, 
 yet battered for the time being beyond recognition. 
 
 "Xo," said Foul weather, as he bent and gazed into 
 the bandaged face of the sleeper in the improvised 
 hospital tent, late that afternoon, ^'that isn't Bell of 
 my command. If it was," he added, with savagely 
 grinding teeth, "I'd kill him." 
 
 But Bob Hamlin noted how daintily white Avas the 
 hand that twitched outside the worn gray blanket, 
 and let his wrathful leader remount without gainsay- 
 
THE GEXERAVS DOUBLE. 255 
 
 ing his word. Foiihveather had that he mshed to sav 
 to Belden of the brand-new PennsylvanianSj and 
 rode oft' in hot haste to find him, while Bold Bob 
 more leisurely examined the kit of the prostrate 
 trooper, now sleeping under the influence of opiates. 
 The boots settled the matter. 
 
 "Take good care of that man, doctor," he whis- 
 pered, as he pressed the weary surgeon's hand. 
 "There's mettle in every bone of him." 
 
 "Take care of him, of course," growled that 
 overworked practitioner, "though you're not the first 
 to bear witness to his worth, by a dozen." 
 
 And so as the sun went westering behind his 
 shroud of mist, and the rains came pelting down 
 again, and Pleasonton's bedraggled column sought 
 shelter under their dripping ponchos, and the wearied 
 horses munched at the hay their masters bore from 
 Heatherwood and the adjoining farms, the cavalry 
 general rode off disconsolate to Point of Rocks, in 
 search of army head-quarters, that he might report 
 what they already knew, that Stuart was safe across 
 the Potomac again and laughing at them from the 
 Loudoun bluffs. And Stuart himself, finding that 
 nobody proposed to come across in face of his barkers, 
 ordered "limber up" and rode away to the nearest 
 gap, plunder, prisoners, and all, to tell the marvel- 
 lous tale of his wanderings to the applauding camps 
 of Lee. 
 
 With nightfall the Maine men rejoined their bri- 
 gade, for Clark and his Xew Hampshire boys came 
 
256 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 dripping back to reclaim their camp, bearing half a 
 dozen wounded and leaving two unshrouded dead. 
 Clark could have said true if not temperate things 
 about that morning's work, but he clamped his jaws 
 and onlj looked black and stern when men inquired 
 what he thought of the mess. Among his wounded, 
 poor boy, was Reuben Pettingill, who, with the fore- 
 most of Ward's skirmishers, got near enough to be 
 shot through the leg by one of Stuart's outermost 
 flankers. The first thing the colonel did was to see 
 his men safe once more within his guarded streets 
 and his wounded carefully attended to. Then came 
 the straightening out of the accounts of the day, 
 while the cooks prepared supper over the sputtering 
 fires. And then, as the officers gathered about his 
 tent, and other officers, hunting for lost commands, 
 came in to crave and receive soldier hospitality, there 
 came still others with rumors and reports, — rumors 
 of what they termed a red-hot row between two regu- 
 lars, Belden and Foulweather, at the camp of the 
 Pennsylvanians, and then all of a sudden a swift 
 courier from the camp of the regulars a mile up 
 stream, a courier who bore a bundle and a note, 
 which Clark examined in his tent, then called for 
 his orderly and horses, and, bidding a guard follow 
 him, took the winding road to Heatherwood. He 
 found the lower floor swarming with stragglers, the 
 riff-raff of every branch of the service, men and boys 
 who swore they hadn't an idea where to look for 
 their regiments, and so had invaded Pleatherwood's 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 257 
 
 once sacred precincts until their regiments should 
 look for them. These he sternly ordered forth into 
 the ranks of the guard, bidding the latter search the 
 barn and sheds, then made personal examination, 
 finding every room, — parlor, drawing-room, dining- 
 room, the sleeping-rooms on the lower floor, — all 
 looted and littered, even to that little chamber, usu- 
 ally kept locked, that opened off the rear hall-way 
 close to the kitchen door. Finding no organized 
 guardians, these armed banditti, foul birds of prey, 
 worthless to their own colors, had skulked in hiding 
 while better men were straining every nerve for the 
 cause they served. With battle-lines forming under 
 their very eyes, these wretches could only skulk and 
 sneak and steal. Kitchen, cellar, and closet they had 
 robbed and ransacked. Beautiful old colonial furni- 
 ture and ornaments, things which they could not 
 carry away, in sheer wantonness they had destroyed. 
 Clark's flattened sabre came down with savage whack 
 on the back of one burly ruffian snoring on the couch 
 in the hall-way, an emptied wine-bottle still clutched 
 in his hand. Short work the colonel made of the 
 tough element sprawled about the house or swarming 
 in the cellar. Full a score thus caught red-handed 
 he sent under guard to the tents of the provost-mar- 
 shal, a proceeding which Miss Waddell, from the 
 landing at the head of the stairs, hailed with shrill 
 approval and delight. That country boy corporal 
 whom Wardner had left in charge, backed by one or 
 two comrades whom he had called into service, was 
 
 17 
 
258 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 all that stood between Heatlierwood's second story 
 and the throng of stragglers on the floor below, for 
 the Virginia officers would have been powerless. 
 
 "Well, I never thought I'd be glad to see a Yankee 
 uniform so much in my life!" exclaimed Laura as 
 tlie bearded colonel finally came wearily up the stairs 
 to inquire for Madam Heatherwood. "She's better. 
 She bears it better'n any of the rest of us, but Lawd 
 sakes, it was enough to make me mid to see her go 
 down and plead so gently with those thieves and 
 scoundrels. Why, they were just smashing every- 
 tliing. 'Course they stopped while she was there; 
 the man don't live that could be rude to aunty. But 
 the moment her back was turned they began again. 
 Floyd Fairfax, he went down — he took off his uni- 
 form — Aunty made him, — but he couldn't whip a 
 hundred of 'em." 
 
 "Floyd Fairfax! Yes," responded Clark, "and 
 where is this Captain Fairfax?" 
 
 "Oh, I forgot. He wasn't here when you were. 
 He's — ^you know he's a sort of a cousin of ours — he's 
 — he's a prisoner. He was caught. But," she added, 
 with pouting lip and rush of vivid color, "General 
 Stuart's officers recaptured him to-day, only he 
 wouldn't go, wouldn't " 
 
 "Pardon me, Miss Waddell," said the colonel; "I 
 must see these gentlemen at once; and then will you 
 announce me to Mrs. Heatherwood? Where shall 
 I find the officers?" 
 
 For answer the corporal at the landing motioned 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 259 
 
 to his right, and, leaving the girl, the colonel fol- 
 lowed his guide to the front room on the north side 
 of the hall. The doors to the south were closed. A 
 dim light was burning within. A tall officer in shirt 
 sleeves, a man with haggard face, was nervously 
 pacing the floor. Two others, spent and weary with 
 the wild excitement of the day, were lying, one in 
 bed, apparently exhausted, the other on the sofa on 
 the northward side. Silently Clark entered the 
 room, instinctively removing his black felt hat. 
 Silently the tall Confederate halted and faced him. 
 Silently Ralph Heatherwood rose and leaned heavily 
 on a chair. Curious to hear what this officer of rank 
 might have to say to the prisoner left in his charge, 
 the boy corporal followed to the door- way, where he 
 stood respectfully at the threshold, then again drew 
 back as a tall lieutenant in the dress of the Union 
 infantry came hastening after his commander. 
 
 For a moment no word was spoken. The New 
 Hampshire colonel, the Virginia captain, stood 
 facing each other, two war-worn men whose years 
 widely differed, yet whose days of active service must 
 have been nearly equal. There was an expression in 
 the calm, stern face of the !^^orthemer that seemed 
 to stir resentfully the current of the Virginian's 
 blood, for his dark cheek flushed and his eyes slowly 
 began to glow, symptoms which Heatherwood was 
 quick to see, for he came hastily, painfully for- 
 ward. 
 
 "Colonel Clark," he said, "I feel sure you have 
 received some impression or information concerning 
 
260 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 our kinsman, Captain Fairfax, that is imjnst to him. 
 If YOU knew what he has refused to-day you could 
 never suspect him of having come here as a spy." 
 
 "Unless Captain Fairfax came here with Stuart's 
 command this day he could never have reached 
 ileatherwood except in disguise," was Clark's cold 
 answer. "And it is my duty to say to Captain Fair- 
 fax that an officer with suitable guard from my regi- 
 ment will be here presently to conduct him to the 
 quarters of the provost-marshal at Point of Rocks. 
 Mr. llomans," he continued, turning to the door- 
 way, "send my orderly for the adjutant." 
 
 And then he himself stepped back a pace and 
 bowed gravely and reverently, for, leaning on her 
 daughter's arm, and followed by Laura, Madam 
 Heatherwood, as they loved to call her, came slowly 
 into the room. 
 
 "The fortunes of war have gone heavily against 
 poor old Heatherwood to-day, my friend," she said, 
 a sad, sweet smile upon her patient face. "Surely 
 it cannot be that any of my poor boys must be taken, 
 away to-night." 
 
 The tremulous appeal in her gentle voice, the 
 rising tears in her fading eyes were more than Clark 
 could bear. Quickly he pushed forward an easy- 
 chair, and now, with Miss Ileatherwood assisting, 
 seated her and found a footstool for her feet before 
 he could trust himself to reply. 
 
 "You do not know how I deplore the havoc these 
 skulkers have played, dear lady," he said at length. 
 "A dozen of them are now under guard, and it shall 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 261 
 
 go hard with thorn, for it mil anger your friends 
 at court to know that in all the confusion of this day 
 your home has been desecrated and you and those 
 you love have been put to distress." 
 
 "But — Caj^tain Fairfax?" she interposed, appeal- 
 ingly. What was the desolation over which poor 
 Mammy Chloe was wailing now below to that which 
 might prevail at Leesburg if ill were to befall the 
 gallant boy in whom so many hearts were centred? 
 
 "For Captain Fairfax, I regret to say, the govern- 
 ment entertains views far different to those which 
 concern your son and nephew. They were brought 
 here wounded and helpless, sent to you in return for 
 all the loving care you gave our wounded after Bull 
 Kun and Ball's Bluff. Captain Fairfax," — and here 
 his deep-set eyes turned full on the accused officer, 
 who, folding his arms, stood erect, his head thrown 
 haughtily back, — "Captain Fairfax, whose absence 
 from his regiment is in itself a matter " 
 
 "A matter between Captain Fairfax and his regi- 
 ment only, sir," sternly interrupted the Virginian. 
 
 "Whose absence from his regiment is in itself a 
 matter that involves him in suspicion," calmly con- 
 tinued the colonel. "He is known to have reached 
 Poolesville and to have lurked there in disguise, and 
 he could have come here when he did only in 
 disguise." 
 
 "And didn't your cavalry fellas last night hunt 
 high and low through this house," burst in Miss 
 Waddell, her black eyes snapping, "swearing Floyd 
 Fairfax came dressed like a farmer, as if a Fairfax 
 
262 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 would dress like a farmer anyliow, and never a 
 stitch of such a thing could they find, 'cept some 
 rags belonging to old Uncle Joe in the cellar?" 
 
 "Laura, child, you must not interfere," said Mrs. 
 Heatherwood, reprovingly. "Yet what she says is 
 true, colonel," she continued, turning again to the 
 stalwart Xew-Engiander, while the sound of heavy 
 footsteps could be heard coming hurriedly up the 
 stairs, and silence fell on the group in the room, and 
 all eyes were turned to the door-way, where presently 
 there appeared another officer, two or three soldiers 
 in dripping overcoats at his back. The rain pattering 
 on Heatherwood's roof was for another moment the 
 only sound. Then once again, in wistful appeal, the 
 gentle lady's eyes turned to Colonel Clark. Words 
 were unnecessary. He read the question in her 
 anxious face. 
 
 "It would be useless to attempt to deceive you, 
 Mrs. Heatherwood," he said, so simply and sadly. 
 "Some one has tried hard to shield your unfortunate 
 kinsman by niaking way with the disguise in which 
 Captain Fairfax reached this house," and here Belle 
 Heatherwood's white face was lifted in terror from 
 her mother's lap, and, kneeling, she gazed speechless 
 into the colonel's face. "But he had not time to ex- 
 amine the pockets before he flung it into the Mono- 
 cacy. This memorandum book— these papers — were 
 found within the bundle not two hours ago." 
 
 And then the white face of the girl dropped, inert, 
 sightless, and the pliant, drooping form slid suddenly 
 in dead faint to the floor. 
 
CHAPTER XYIII. 
 
 A FORTNIGHT longer, despite impatient proddings 
 from Washington, McClellan clung to the Maryland 
 shore, and allowed his plucky adversary to regain 
 strength and "second wind" across the Potomac. 
 Finer marching weather he could not ask for, but 
 shoes for man and beast he could and did. The 
 army could not move without them. Observant 
 statesmen suggested that Johnny Reb seemed to 
 skip about the country hatless, shoeless, and often 
 breadless, fighting like the very devil with nothing 
 but pluck and parched corn in his wrinkled stomach. 
 Suggestive statesmen observed that perhaps the 
 Northern lads might try a little of Johnny's dress 
 and diet with better results. AVhereat McClellan 
 smiled placidly and said that all military authorities 
 agreed that armies moved upon their bellies, and he 
 would be no violator of precedent. The careworn, 
 patient leader of all, scanning the situation from the 
 White House, whimsically remarked that he could 
 stand a few cases of such violation of all military pre- 
 cedent as the tactics of Stuart and Stonewall Jack- 
 son were declared to be by the little chieftain at the 
 head of the Army of the Potomac. But neither 
 smiles nor sarcasm could prevail against book-rooted 
 
 theories so long as a man remained without a hat or a 
 
 263 
 
264 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 mule without a shoe. I^ot until the fag-end of Octo- 
 ber did the pontoons span the river opposite the 
 Catoctin valley, and the long blue columns began 
 the crossing that was to lead them on to the useless 
 sacrifice of Fredericksburg, the snarl and disaster of 
 Chancellorsville. And ere they passed away from 
 under the shadows of the rock-bound heights new 
 sorrows had come to the gentle mistress of Heather- 
 wood, new calamities upon her household. Con- 
 vened at Point of Rocks, a military commission sat 
 in judgment on Captain Floyd Fairfax, C.S.A., de- 
 clared to have been caught as a spy within the Union 
 lines. Transferred to Washington as convalescent, 
 Ralph Ileatherwood and Bradley Tighlman were 
 impatiently awaiting their exchange and wondering 
 why, when Southern prisons were teeming with 
 Union officers, there should be this delay. Worn 
 with the strain of excitement, anxiety, and distress, 
 Belle Heatherwood had broken down and was lying 
 very ill at the old homestead, nursed by her devoted 
 mother, who, even in all her own cares and physical 
 weakness, had found time to spend an hour, at least, 
 each day in the neighboring field-hospital that Stuart 
 left well provided with patients, and there had she 
 discovered Trooper Bell, there had Laura pounced 
 on Pettingill. 
 
 ISTovember 1st had come, and all day long the 
 blue columns had been trudging away through Lou- 
 doun County, and only the guards along the aque- 
 duct, the now partially restored canal, and the field- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 265 
 
 hospital remained about Heatherwood to remind 
 Miss Waddell of the bustling days of September. 
 The bees had long since ceased to hum in the or- 
 chard. The trees were bare. There was a whiff as of 
 snow in the frosty wind, and winter had come down 
 early on the blue Virginia mountains. All the same, 
 with a shawl thrown over her head, her black eyes 
 snapping and her cheeks aglow, Miss Waddell found 
 her health required frequent exercise at the old tryst, 
 and thither, day after day, a long, lank hero would 
 hobble on crutches up the heights and plead in the 
 unmelodious patois of the Connecticut Valley for a 
 promise Miss Waddell scorned to give, but would 
 have hated him had he ceased to importune. Reuben 
 Pettingill, commended in orders and personally con- 
 gratulated by Colonel Clark for intrepid conduct in 
 face of the enemy, decorated now with the chevrons 
 of a corporal and deluged with letters from home, 
 was after all only a lion in a snare, bewitched by the 
 black eyes of his buxom sweetheart. For five days 
 she had toyed with and tormented him, and now the 
 spirit of the Puritan rose in his breast, and he'd have 
 no more of it. In the inner pocket of his blue coat 
 he bore that day a trump card he had determined to 
 play for all it was worth, but not until he had recon- 
 noitred the ground. Ordinarily he made his way up 
 the path by which Pleasonton had disappeared the 
 day Stuart's squadrons went dancing by. But on this 
 sunshiny, ISTovember morning, rejoicing in returning 
 health and strength and in the keen, exhilarating air, 
 
266 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 he straddled with his crutches the narrow foot-track 
 leading from the spring at the westward base of the 
 Heatherwood height and winding through the leafy 
 woods to the rear of the barn. There to his left as he 
 climbed he could see the familiar cone of Sugar Loaf, 
 the signal-flags waving at the summit, their more 
 languid sweep a marked contrast to the frantic haste 
 with which they swung the morning he and his New 
 Hampshire fellows were double-quicking into line 
 away down there by Harrison's Island and shouting 
 with joy when the word was passed that now Jeb 
 Stuart would find himself confronted by fellows he 
 couldn't sweep aside. He wondered what they were 
 signalling about to-day, and what there was going on 
 that should keep the flags at Maryland Heights and 
 above Point of Rocks and here at Sugar Loaf all 
 swinging away for dear life. He wondered whether 
 there could be any more of that looking-glass foolish- 
 ness from the dormer-windows of Heatherwood. 
 Hard times had come to the kindly household, cer- 
 tainly, and all through that absurd experiment that 
 Laura so vehemently declared now was only just for 
 fun and "to fool you Yankees," but that at the time 
 she devoutly believed was to compass the overthrow 
 of the J^orthern arms. Things were going worse 
 still with that Virginia captain, Fairfax, Pettingill 
 had heard. The evidence was all dead against him. 
 A real signal-code, though a crude one, had been 
 found in the pockets of the suit of farmer clothing 
 he was proved to have worn at Poolesville and that 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 267 
 
 was fished out of the Monocacy by some of that old 
 Swearweather's squadron — what awful curse-words 
 that fellow could use, to be sure! — the very night 
 he, Reuben Pettingill, was landed in hospital with a 
 hole through his leg. That was a dreadful find for 
 Fairfax; but for it his neck might have been saved; 
 and somebody had tried hard to save it, as it was, for 
 even Laura could not deny that those clothes had 
 been actually within the walls of Heathenvood. It 
 was a dreadful find for kind Madam Heatherwood, 
 too, for ever since it seemed as though the Washing- 
 ton folk had denied her, and Reuben had heard Colo- 
 nel Clark mournfully say that when Secretary Stan- 
 ton once got an idea that people were tricking him 
 or tricking the government, God Almighty couldn't 
 make him change his mind. That was why they had 
 taken her son off to Old Capitol Prison or some such 
 place; that was why the provost-marshal had paid 
 her that solemn visit only a few days ago, the second 
 day he and Laura were sitting together out in the 
 orchard, and Laura said they wanted information 
 about some officer — some staff-officer who wasn't in 
 the army at all; at least, Lieutenant Homans said 
 he was personating an officer who, as it turned out, 
 was nowhere near Heatherwood at the time, a 
 splendid-looking fellow he was, — they had all seen 
 him, — and here at Heatherwood the family must 
 know him. Reuben stopped to breathe and rest 
 awhile as he reached the fence at the back of the 
 barn-yard and sat him down and looked back over the 
 
268 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 broad valley, hemmed in at the west by those grand 
 ranges. Away to the north the isolated peak of Sugar 
 Loaf rose against the sky, its verdure gone, its rocky 
 sides tinged with crimson and brown. Away beyond 
 it, west of north, the sunlight glinting on distant 
 spire and whitened wall told where Frederick lay, — 
 Frederick, to whose jail they had ordered transferred 
 the prisoner whose earthly home snuggled there to 
 the south among the copper-colored slopes and heights 
 only as far away one side as lay Frederick on the 
 other, yet so far that Floyd Fairfax might never look 
 upon it again, for, despite the fact that there was 
 still one witness to examine, the finding could only 
 be guilty, the sentence could only be death, and in 
 the present temper of the Iron Secretary what hope 
 for mercy could there be? 
 
 And yet, he mused, there was that queer, silent 
 fellow they called Bell, that regular that did such 
 magnificent work saving the guns on the day of 
 Stuart's raid, the fellow for whose evidence the 
 court was waiting. Talk about his, Pettingill's, 
 "intrepidity" because he kept going forward at a 
 hot run firing at those skip-acks of Johnnies in 
 saddle until one of them drove a hole in him, — talk 
 about that being intrepid, — why this fellow Bell had 
 fought like a fiend, hand to hand, hilt to hilt, with 
 more'n a dozen of 'em, and got hacked and hewed 
 and battered until he lay like a man with a split skull 
 for nearly a week, and he was to be made sergeant as 
 soon as he was able to rejoin; and his commander, 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 269 
 
 Lieutenant Hamlin, liad come and sat by him when 
 he grew conscious again, and so had Captain Mcin- 
 tosh and other shanghai regulars, and the surgeon had 
 let out that here was a man that could have a commis- 
 sion any day; and if any man ought to be proud and 
 happy it certainly should be Bell, yet no sooner was 
 that fellow able to be up and moving than he be- 
 came queer. He damned the attendant for a fool 
 when he heard him say Captain Fairfax was a spy 
 who was sure to be hanged, and flew into a regular 
 tantrum about it. Then, when they told him it was 
 true that Fairfax was being tried by a court, and that 
 he, Bell, was going to be called as a witness, and that 
 the clothes that Fairfax had worn and the note-book 
 and other things were found. Bell just suddenly col- 
 lapsed. That night he was missing from hospital, 
 and the next day, too, until they found him, raving 
 drunk, wandering about Heatherwood and crying 
 like a baby. He was back in the doctor's hands now 
 mad as a hatter, and Madam Heatherwood had im- 
 plored the doctor to let him be moved to a room 
 in her house, and the doctor had had to refuse. 
 Laura knew something about that fellow, said Pet- 
 tingill, smiting his thigh, then starting in pain with 
 a yelp of "Mighty Man!" that Laura herself might 
 have heard even at this distance had Laura not been 
 singing. 
 
 "Weary of waiting for her Yankee adorer, impa- 
 tient of his coming, the girl was resorting to her old 
 time method of telling him so, and, Lilly Dale having 
 
270 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE, 
 
 been buried, she had resurrected another heroine of 
 school-girl romance, and high and shrill rose her 
 voice over the withering hedge and floated back to 
 where her lover sat beyond the barn, and he mounted 
 his crutches and heaved himself up to listen. 
 
 " Thou ahtgone, a-las ! gentle Annie-e-e-, 
 Like all flowah thy spirit did depaht ; 
 Thou aht gone, a-las ! like the man-eee-e 
 
 That have bloomed in the summuh of ma haht. 
 
 (Louder) Shall we nevah mo' behold thee ? — 
 
 Nevah hee-ah thy winning voice again-n-n 
 "When the spring time comes, gentle Annie-ee-e, 
 When the wild flowahs blossom o'ah th' plain?" 
 
 Corporal Pettingill came seven league booting it 
 through the barn-yard, and was near the hedge and 
 stirring up old Dobbin as the girl reached the end 
 of the first verse of her rural lay. Then he ducked 
 to avoid observation and to listen to any observation 
 she might let fall. 
 
 "Ah wish that fella'd be here when he said he 
 would," pouted Miss AVaddell, instinctively substi- 
 tuting broad a for i, as she generally did when vexed, 
 and eliding her r's as she did at any time. "Ah'd 
 pay him off good 'f theli was only 'nuthuh fella wuth 
 note'sin 'round. All the nice ones have gone." 
 Then she stopped to listen. The heavy, languorous 
 days of early fall had disappeared. November had 
 come in wintry and gusty. There was silence as of 
 the grave about Heatherwood, broken only by the 
 voice of the sentry and the few guards chatting on 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 271 
 
 the eastward lawn, for a new guard there was and not 
 too kind a one, and its commander slept in the parlor 
 on the ground floor. Madam Heatherwood and her 
 household, despite her many kindnesses, were objects 
 of suspicion. A general ofiicer left with the Twelfth 
 Corj)s to guard the line of the Potomac had been 
 ordered to keep an eye wide open and to permit no 
 more nonsense there. 
 
 The first apostrophe to gentle Annie having failed 
 to lure her crippled hero to her feet. Miss Waddell 
 tried a second, to which the members of the guard in 
 front seemed to lend appreciative ear, as, indeed, 
 they had bestowed upon the singer appreciative 
 glances. It was possibly in recognition of the fas- 
 cination of this rural beauty that the general com- 
 manding had ordered that the guard should be 
 changed every day. They were a rusty-looking lot, 
 the five boys in blue, chatting there on the bluff, and 
 Miss Waddell would have naught to do with them 
 beyond assuring herself that her presence and song 
 had received due recognition. And still Reuben the 
 Faithful lurked in his lair and refused to be called 
 forth. It was getting late and Laura weary. Belle 
 Brandon was another damsel whose demise w^as much 
 lamented in the lyrics of the day, and Laura tried a 
 line or two of that young lady's life history: — 
 
 " Belle Brandon was a birdlinj of the mountain, 
 In freedom she spohted o'ah the lea ; 
 And they said that the blood of the red man 
 Tinged her veins from a fah distant sea." 
 
272 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 And this far-fetclied statement, or the sight of the 
 corporal of the guard peeping through the trellis, 
 proved too much for Pettingill. He broke cover 
 forthwith and came stilting it into the orchard. 
 
 "Guess you thought I never was coming," said he, 
 placably. 
 
 "Guess Ah wouldn't 'a' cared if you'd nevuh 
 come," was the mendaciously pert reply. 
 
 "Well," said Reuben, bluntly, "that's real good. 
 I didn't know but you might feel bad after all — if I 
 went away." 
 
 "Huh!" said Miss Waddell, in deep disdain. "N"© 
 danger you'h goin'! You couldn't march or fight." 
 
 Mr. Pettingill had seated himself on the rustic 
 bench close to which his inamorata was standing 
 when his sudden appearance surprised her. He 
 carefully placed the crutches to his right side and 
 then invitingly patted the wooden slab at his left. 
 
 "Ain't you going to sit?" he asked. 
 
 "It's too late," said Miss Waddell, pouting. "I've 
 got other matters — impo'tant matters — to attend to." 
 And the toss of the head was fine to see, so was the 
 side glance at the supervising corj>oral at the old 
 garden gate. 
 
 "I admire to know," said Reuben, simply, then 
 reached for his crutches. "Well, if you have to go, 
 so must I. Doctor says he wants me to get all the 
 exercise possible without tiring myself. I'll be 
 taking a longer walk later, likely enough," and he 
 slowly adjusted his crutches as he spoke and began 
 lifting himself from his seat. 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 273 
 
 "I didn't tell you to go," said Miss Waddell. "But 
 you can't see aunty now even if you do go to the 
 house." 
 
 "Sure," said Reuben, placidly. "I know she's like 
 to be busy, but I don't want to go away without 
 thanking her for all her goodness to me. She's an 
 angel, she is." 
 
 "Well, you needn't be in a hurry," said Miss "Wad- 
 dell, not without an anxious glance, however. ''You 
 won't have to follow the regiment for weeks yet, and 
 they'll be retreating back here before you can get 
 away." 
 
 " 'Tisn't that," said Reuben, sweetly. "You see 
 they're powerful anxious to have me come home a 
 spell, — mother and the girls." And here he slowly 
 produced the all-important paper from the breast of 
 his coat. "They've sent me this from Washington. 
 The doctor thought I might start to-morrow just as 
 well as not." 
 
 "'Tain't well as not!" flashed Miss Waddell, 
 taking genuine alarm at once. "You know you're 
 a good deal too weak and sick to ride so far— alone." 
 
 "That's it," continued Reuben, thoughtfully, rub- 
 bing his chin. "Sis and two of the girls were coming- 
 down as far as Albany or Springfield to meet me — 
 perhaps to York. They've never seen the Hudson, 
 you know, and we could all go up to Albany together 
 and home that way." 
 
 "Well, I just bet you now you don't go, Reuben 
 Pettingill," flamed Miss Waddell, "not until you're 
 
274 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 a mighty sight stronger." Then, swift to assume the 
 appealing, now that other means had failed: "Least 
 not if you ca-yuh for what I care." And Miss Wad- 
 dell's fingers were hopelessly tangled in the cord of 
 her cloak. Her cheeks were flushing, her bosom 
 tossing like a troubled sea, and her downcast eyes 
 were full of reproach, and all the time he had the 
 hardihood to stand there actually trembling with 
 hope, yet unrelenting. 
 
 "It's a chance any fellow would give months of 
 his pay to get," said he, reflectively. 
 
 "Then go to your — your girls!" exclaimed Miss 
 Waddell, with prodigious flounce, as she whirled in- 
 dignantly about. "And— and don't bother us any 
 more." But big tears were starting in her great black 
 eyes as she spoke, and Reuben found his heart ham- 
 mering glory hallelujah! almost as though the New 
 Engknd men had sung it. 
 
 "You — never told me there — were any girls," said 
 Miss Waddell, disheartened at his silence. 
 
 "I didn't suppose you cared," he answered, hum- 
 
 bly. 
 
 "I didn't!" this with prompt indignation. "Only 
 — I know you meant to be mean, and— and hide it." 
 
 "I swow to gosh!"averred Mr. Pettingill, whose 
 mild blue eyes were twinkling with delight at his 
 success, "I didn't even s'pose they'd interest you. 
 Sis has only two, — eight and ten." And then he 
 hopped two paces nearer, in one spoke-like, semi- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 275 
 
 revolution of his crutches, only in time to meet her 
 fire-flashing eyes and a burst of wrath. 
 
 "You've — you've just been fooling me!" she 
 cried. But further words were stopped, for there 
 came a sound that caused their sudden pause, the 
 sound of crunching hoofs by the score, of clanging 
 scabbards and jingling spur, the sound of the stern 
 command, "Left into line!" and a platoon of cavalry 
 had suddenly occupied the space in front of the old 
 mansion. Two officers, dismounting, were already 
 at the door, and one of them, short, swarthy, strad- 
 dle-legged, — the girl knew him instantly before she 
 heard his voice, — was already under the colonnade 
 and at the door. Foulweather, for all the world! 
 Foulweather, whose brow was black as thunder. 
 
 "Say to the mistress of this place," they heard him 
 boom to some unseen servant or orderly, "that I pur- 
 pose searching it from garret to cellar at once for the 
 person of the arch rebel and spy, Fairfax, who es- 
 caped the guard this morning." 
 
 "Glory! Glory! Glory!" screamed Miss Wad- 
 dell, clapping her hands and dancing in uncontrolla- 
 ble delight. "Glory! Glory! Glory! That's the 
 last chance the Yankees vnW ever have to hang /lim, 
 anyway!" 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Xo wonder the signal-flags were waving. Xo won- 
 der there was wrath in the breast of Foulweather, 
 stanchest of loyalists. Xo wonder there was con- 
 sternation in the camp at Point of Rocks, for treason 
 was Inrking in their midst. A state prisoner, a brave, 
 reckless Virginian, captured within the lines, and 
 proved to have ventured thither in disguise, ar- 
 raigned before the commission ordered, swift and 
 sudden, for his trial, with further orders that an irate 
 War Secretary had given to lose no time in formali- 
 ties, a prisoner whose case was seen to be hopeless 
 from the very start, despite the fact of one missing 
 link in the chain of evidence against him, had been 
 spirited away from the thick of the guard, and had 
 goue no man knew whither. "One thing was cer- 
 tain," said the chagrined officials charged with his 
 safe-keeping, "there must have been collusion on the 
 part of the sentries, collusion that doubtless involved 
 non-commissioned officers and possibly commissioned 
 officers, for without the aid of the guard no living- 
 being could possibly pass their lines." 
 
 And why should there not have been collusion, 
 
 all things considered? Captain Floyd Fairfax was a 
 
 member of a proud and once wealthy family whose 
 
 home was near Leesburg barely a dozen miles away. 
 
 276 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 277 
 
 He had devoted friends and relations at Poolesville 
 and Heatherwood and Frederick, many of whom had 
 visited the camp and vainly besought an interview. 
 Acting under orders from Secretary Stanton, the 
 commanding officer sternly refused. Even the 
 gentle, sorrowing face of Madam Heatherwood had 
 failed to overcome, though it could not fail to move 
 him. He, too, knew her story, and was gentleness 
 and courtesy itself, but sadly he told her his orders 
 were imperative. jS^o wonder the prisoner's Southern 
 relatives could be permitted speech with him only 
 on the written order of the War Department. Even 
 that brief interview nearly cost the Union major his 
 commission. Secret service detectives, eager for re- 
 ward, commendation, promotion at the hands of the 
 Iron Secretary, reported that the officer had had a 
 long, confidential, and almost tearful interview with 
 the mistress of Heatherwood, and in twenty-four 
 hours flashed the order from Washington relieving 
 him from duty and directing the detail of new 
 guards from Clark's jSTew Hampshire regiment, with 
 Colonel Clark himself placed in charge. There at 
 least, said Washington, was a man whose character 
 was above suspicion, and nothing could have ex- 
 ceeded the care with which Clark stationed and in- 
 structed his men. Vigilance personified were the 
 officers and non-commissioned officers, for there came 
 hints to the effect that the friends of Fairfax both in 
 Maryland and Virginia would make concerted effort 
 to effect his rescue and release, and the guard was 
 
278 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 none too large, covering as it had to do all the space 
 stretching along the canal from the east of Harper's 
 Ferry away down almost to the mouth of Seneca 
 Creek. Of infantry there was only one brigade 
 watching the fords, bridges, and roads and guarding 
 the canal. Clark and the main body of his JSTew 
 Hampshire regiment had been detained at Point of 
 liocks. Belden's Pennsylvania squadrons were scat- 
 tered along the Potomac from the now abandoned 
 head-quarters of the army at the mouth of Pleasant 
 Valley away up to where Stuart crossed at McCoy's 
 Ferry, and, to his bitter wrath at first, old Foul- 
 weather was held with two of his squadrons at the 
 rear of the long column instead of being at their 
 front where longed his soul to be. There was this 
 compensation: here in Maryland he was his own 
 commanding officer; there at the front he would 
 have to serve under Bayard, Pleasonton, and other 
 cavalrymen he had known in the old days, and he 
 hated to serve under any of them. There was this 
 embarrassment, too, not to Foulweather, but to his 
 superiors : it left him and Belden together, or nearly 
 together, on the north bank of the Potomac, and 
 everybody knew by this time that the bad blood be- 
 tween them had thickened; that Foulweather had 
 called at Belden's camp and said unwarrantable 
 things, and that Belden, disdaining either to draw 
 sword upon him or make the matter official by pre- 
 ferring charges, had simply ordered a file of the 
 guard to escort the raging old regular outside of his 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 279 
 
 lines, and, though foaming with wrath, Foiilweather 
 had sense enough left to know that the colonel of 
 volunteers had the upper hand, 
 
 "If those two meet on neutral ground," said the 
 men at McClellan's head-quarters, "it will be a fight," 
 and good old John Buford, it was known, looked 
 with keen anxiety to the result. Belden's orders 
 were to scout and cover from the mouth of the Ca- 
 toctin to the west. Foul weather's jurisdiction, under 
 the orders of the general commanding the division, 
 were to control the north bank of the Potomac from 
 the Catoctin to Conrad's Ferry, with authority to 
 cross to the Virginia side should occasion require. 
 And this made possible a meeting in the Catoctin 
 Valley, and there came a day when that meeting 
 was inevitable. 
 
 The court was taking a recess pending the produc- 
 tion of a material witness for the prosecution. Foul- 
 weather had at last learned that the battered patient 
 in the field-hospital at Heatherwood was really 
 Trooper Bell, but his sanguinary intentions were 
 modified when he learned from Mcintosh that Bell 
 had accompanied him as guide only with evident 
 reluctance, and had managed to ride away ostensibly 
 to find his own command early that eventful night 
 when they were scouting for Stuart. All the same, 
 he meant to bring that "cocky" young swell to a 
 strict accounting just so soon as he should be de- 
 clared convalescent by the surgeon. It was all very 
 well that Pennington and others should praise his 
 
280 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 gallantry and devotion the day of the fight. "Who 
 wouldn't fight under such circumstances? But as to 
 promotion or reward, Trooper Bell would have to 
 explain some very suspicious things before he, Foul- 
 weather, would consent to such advancement. What 
 business had Bell to get on a tear the moment he 
 began to recover, and at the time his evidence might 
 be of vital importance before that court. Xo man 
 on earth, said Foul weather, knew more about that 
 duplicate Captain Belden than did Trooper Bell, and 
 no man in the Union army, probably, could tell more 
 about the inner workings of Heatherwood, the move- 
 ments of Fairfax, than that same trooper. As to the 
 fatal bundle of farmer clothing dropped in the Mo- 
 nocacy, Foulweather was ready to bet his last dollar 
 that Bell knew all about it and could be forced to 
 tell. With feverish eagerness he had imparted all 
 his suspicions to the court, and with eagerness as 
 fierce he awaited Bell's restoration. 
 
 But here there came disappointment. The doc- 
 tors declared that while Bell's wounds and injuries 
 were rapidly healing, his mental condition was a 
 cause of deep anxiety and perplexity. He seemed 
 rapidly regaining bodily strength, but was clearly 
 out of his head. "He's shamming," said Foul- 
 weather, when he rode over and insisted on seeing 
 for himself. "He may be," said the doctor, "but it's 
 the best piece of acting I've ever seen." Foul- 
 weather was for having Madam Heatherwood come 
 and talk with the patient. "She's been here twice," 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 281 
 
 said the doctor, "and he doesn't know her from the 
 Goddess of Liberty." The 30th of October came, 
 and the doctor reported that though able to be up 
 and moving about, his patient was daft and utterly 
 irresponsible; but the next day came an order from 
 Washington to send Trooper Bell under safe-conduct 
 to Point of Rocks, that the court might judge of his 
 sanity. 
 
 An ambulance was provided, so was the escort, — 
 Foulweather gladly furnished that, — and the entire 
 "outfit" marched away with the dazed and muttering 
 occupant of the vehicle, only to learn on reaching 
 camp at Point of Rocks that the ride was useless 
 after all. The court could not meet because the 
 accused was gone. 
 
 And how on earth to account for that escape was 
 the question agitating every man from the com- 
 manding officer down to the drum-boys. Clark had 
 been summoned to Harper's Ferry by the general 
 commanding the Twelfth Corps, and went the even- 
 ing of the 31st, leaving his lieutenant-colonel in 
 command of camp. The night was bustling. Troops 
 were still crossing on the pontoons up-stream. There 
 was a good deal of stir and movement. A light bat- 
 tery that had been parked within two hundred yards 
 of the house in which Fairfax was confined had 
 orders to march at dawn for Leesburg, and the men 
 were up grooming and feeding as early as four 
 o'clock. A thick fog was creeping up the valley, 
 and camp was shrouded in the misty veil, as the re- 
 veille was soundinci:. 
 
282 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 The guard fell shivering into ranks to receive 
 the officer of the day, and that gentleman, lantern in 
 hand, strode into the narrow hall-waj, followed by 
 the lieutenant in command of the guard, who un- 
 locked the door of the first room to the right and 
 bade his superior enter and see for himself, for Clark 
 had ordered that every time the officer of the day 
 visited his guard he should enter and assure himself 
 of the presence of the prisoner. At one a.m. the offi- 
 cer had found him in bed, slumbering peacefully. 
 At 5.30 the fact that the position of the sleeper was 
 apparently unchanged made both officers suspicious, 
 and they made instant and closer examination. 
 Dressed in a white night-shirt lay one of the pillows. 
 The blankets were skilfully arranged and drawn up 
 to look as though a human form lay beneath. By 
 the bedside lay the shoes Fairfax had worn when 
 captured, also a pair of socks. Folded on a chair 
 near the head of the bed were the gray trousers 
 (Ralph's). Hanging on the back of the chair ^vas the 
 gray uniform coat, also Ralph's, and a handsome 
 drab felt hat, heavily plumed, stood on the table 
 near at hand. All the garments, all the belongings 
 of the prisoner, apparently, were undisturbed, but 
 where was he? There was no trap through which 
 he could have gone. There was but one window, 
 and that was cross-barred outside, and the bars 
 tightly screwed to the wood-work. Only through 
 that or the door could he have gone, but the window 
 bars were still snugly screwed. While one officer 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 283 
 
 rail out to notify the guard and alarm the camp, the 
 other stopped to study the situation, and he found 
 only one significant circumstance, that the dust had 
 been brushed away from the window and window- 
 seat. The shade, a cheajo green paper affair, was un- 
 rolled from the top so as to cover the entire window 
 and exclude light from without and prevent parties 
 without from peering inquisitively within. He re- 
 called that the prisoner, though accepting uncom- 
 plainingly the hardships of his lot, and asking no 
 favors of anybody, had courteously thanked Colonel 
 Clark when that officer called upon him the previous 
 week, and, in answer to the question as to whether 
 there were not something he could do, without vio- 
 lating orders, that would add to the comfort of his 
 prisoner, had said that he would like a shade to the 
 window at night, as the men occasionally came and 
 stared in at him as he sat reading or writing by the 
 light of his solitary' candle. It wasn't much to ask, 
 and Clark gave directions accordingly. 
 
 The house itself was a little, old-fashioned, two- 
 story affair, with a hall in the middle and four rooms 
 of nearly equal size on the ground floor. The pris- 
 oner occupied the back room on the north side. It was 
 lighted by this one window at the back, was entered 
 from the hall, and the old door-way communicating 
 with the front room had been bricked up. There 
 was a fireplace and chimney in the north wall, but 
 nothing bigger than a cat could squeeze up the chim- 
 ney. There was a sentry in the hall night and day, 
 
284 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 another on the porch in front, another in the little 
 yard in rear, which was reached by a narrow passage 
 on the north side of the house, so narrow that it was 
 possible for soldiers sitting in the side window of the 
 upper story to prod with their bayonets the walls of 
 the adjoining premises. The back yard opened into 
 a narrow alley at the rear some twenty paces from 
 the remains of the wooden kitchen that was tacked 
 to the house before federal occupancy thereof, and 
 other back yards were adjoining, but tents were 
 pitched in all of them, for here had been the station 
 of the provost-marshal's guard up to the time the 
 army marched away. Soldier culprits by the dozens, 
 stragglers, and mild malefactors had been corralled 
 in these tents, while men accused of more severe 
 offences, deserters or men accused of sleeping on post, 
 had been^ imprisoned in the house itself. If Fairfax 
 made his exit through the door and hall, he had to 
 pass tv/o sentries and the main body of the guard. 
 If he escaped by that barred window, three at least 
 of the iron slats must have been removed, then re- 
 placed, and all the time a sentry stood or walked 
 within six feet of that window unless bribed or 
 drugged to insensibility. 
 
 It seemed no time at all before half the officers on 
 duty at the spot came hurrying to the post of the 
 guard. Every man of the four companies of the 
 infantry provost party was under arms at reveille, 
 and within ten minutes searching parties were rum- 
 maging through the yards and houses in the village 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 285 
 
 streets. Orderlies were sent for Major Foulweatlier, 
 and that fiery old dragoon came galloping np the 
 Earnesville road in less than half an hour, his squad- 
 ron following half a mile behind, and under his ener- 
 getic leadership despatches were sent or signalled to 
 every neighboring camp. The officers of the court, 
 many of them of high rank, kept back from their 
 regiments until the case should be concluded, were 
 among those aroused, and their grave faces showed 
 liow seri'ous a matter they regarded it. "I should 
 hate to be the officer to have to break this news to 
 Stanton," said the president; but Toulweather 
 seemed to share no such dread. So long as none of 
 his command could be blamed, he did not mind. 
 Almost the first thing he did was to send a despatch 
 to the War Department at Washington to this 
 effect : 
 
 "The spy, Fairfax, escaped from charge of the in- 
 fantry guard some time between midnight and re- 
 veille. If given immediate authority, I believe I 
 can recapture him with my command. Some of his 
 haunts are known to me." 
 
 And while awaiting answer, Foulweatlier saw that 
 men and horses both had substantial breakfast, and 
 then ransacked his luggage to find that letter of 
 Bayard's aide-de-camp, and once more read the 
 words : 
 
 "There is a place in the Catoctin Valley, not two 
 miles from the river, where they say Fairfax has 
 twice been in hiding. It is owned by a Mr. Hunt, 
 
286 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 who is away in the army, and is cared for by his 
 sister and some servants." Again he went over the 
 description: "An old two-story stone house among 
 a lot of rose-bushes and trees about twenty yards 
 back from the road; chimneys at each gable end, 
 built out like buttresses." I^ot a soul would he tell 
 of this knowledge. It was too precious. By nine 
 o'clock, to his huge delight, the Xew Hampshire 
 men declared that they had searched every "scrap" 
 of the neighborhood and could not find hide or hair 
 of Fairfax. He prayed they might have no better 
 luck throughout the livelong day. He waited with 
 eagerness unspeakable the coming of the answer to 
 his despatch, giving him, as he jDrayed, authority for 
 independent action, and then, without a hint to a 
 soul of where he was going, he would strike for the 
 Catoctin. It would go hard with him if he did not 
 find the Hunt place and Fairfax with it. It would 
 go hard with Fairfax if he did. 
 
 And just at ten o'clock, to his almost mad delight, 
 just as he was reading an order from the division 
 commander directing him to search the river towards 
 Conrad's Ferry, there came a wire from Washington 
 that superseded any orders any general might give 
 him, for it bore the august mandate of the Secretary 
 of War: 
 
 "You are authorized and directed to take such 
 steps as in your judgment may enable you to recap- 
 ture the rebel spy Fairfax without delay, using your 
 entire command if need be. ^Notification sent to 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 287 
 
 commanding general at Harper's Ferrv and to com- 
 manding officer at Knoxville." 
 
 "Sound the mount, trumpeter," he shouted, glee- 
 fully, as, booted and spurred, he sprang into saddle. 
 "Bring the command straight to head-quarters, 
 Treacj," he called to his wondering second. "I've 
 got to show my orders to the general." 
 
 And so it happened that valuable hours of that 
 vital day were spent by a fuming old dragoon mth 
 some long-suffering troopers at his back raiding the 
 lovely Virginia valley for an old stone house owned 
 by a Mr. Hunt some two miles from the river, em- 
 bowered in roses and trees and other rural attrac- 
 tions, a house that all this time was in the hands of 
 Colonel Belden's Keystone troopers in the valley of 
 similar name on the Maryland side, which fact Major 
 Foulweather learned only after he had well-nigh ex- 
 hausted his vocabulary of expletives, and as a last 
 resort could only bethink him of Heatherwood. 
 
 1^0 wonder he was in the worst of humors when 
 he got there. ]^o wonder there was trouble in store 
 for all who held it dear. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 In the scattered cavalry commands of tlie Armv 
 of the Potomac everybody seemed to have heard of 
 the hot altercation between Belden and Foulweather 
 and of the latter's discomfiture. As has been said, 
 there was anxiety in the minds of many a good sol- 
 dier, especially in that of noble old John Bnford, 
 still serving in his capacity as chief of cavalry, lest 
 they should meet again, for Foulweather's threats 
 had been heard far and wide. 
 
 Eager to overtake the fugitive Virginian, the im- 
 petuous old trooper had never thought to inquire 
 about any Hunt place in the valley of the Maryland 
 Catoctin, and had searched the Loudoun County 
 "Kittoctan" only to meet discomfiture, — to learn 
 that the Hunt place was on the Maryland side and, 
 before heading for Heatherwood, that Belden's men 
 were in actual possession of the haunt he supposed 
 Belden knew nothing about; furthermore, that they 
 had been in possession for several days, a squadron 
 camping in the dreary, leafless orchard. It w^as then 
 that Foulweather bethought himself of Heatherwood. 
 "Whether he found Fairfax or no, he might find some- 
 tliing and could make his order from the War De- 
 partment an excuse, even an authorization, to search 
 
 the once beautiful old mansion from cellar to garret. 
 288 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 289 
 
 The little detachment of infantry volunteers on 
 duty as guards had, of course, no obstacle to oppose 
 to the actions of a field-officer of regular cavalry with 
 a whole platoon at his back, and, indeed, in some 
 individual cases had to scurry out of the way in un- 
 dignified haste to avoid being trampled under the 
 heels of the horses. These — the volunteers — stood 
 there now sullen and scowling at the weary but im- 
 passive faces of the troopers, who had dismounted 
 and were silently awaiting the further orders of their 
 officers. The latter by this time, accompanied by a 
 corporal and two men, had been swallowed up in the 
 broad hall-way, where a one-sided controversy was 
 going on between the burly old major of regulars 
 and the somewhat inexperienced lieutenant of vol- 
 unteers, the officer of the guard. The junior was 
 young but plucky. J^o such person as the major 
 referred to could possibly be there without his knowl- 
 edge, said he, and he objected to the search, but he 
 was silenced by Foulweather's disdainful production 
 of the Stanton telegram. "Come on!" said the ma- 
 jor, shortly, to his tall, lath-like adjutant, and the 
 heavy spurred boots began the ascent of the stairs. 
 Already the evening shadows were falling without, 
 and the hall was nearly dark. Foulweather stum- 
 bled at the landing and swore characteristically. 
 Yet even in his vengeful mood he suddenly halted 
 within a step or two of the top, for there, dim and 
 shadowy, but in her gentle dignity commanding his 
 respect, stood the revered mistress of Heatherwood, 
 
 19 
 
290 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and though her voice was low and almost pleading as 
 she spoke, she none the less seemed to confront the 
 intruders, and bid them pause. 
 
 "Pardon me, gentlemen," were her first words. "I 
 possibly did not understand the message brought me 
 by my servant, or she misunderstood you, but my 
 daughter has been very ill, and I know that you 
 would not wish to disturb her. What is this about 
 Captain Fairfax r' 
 
 "Captain Fairfax, ma'am, escaped from prison at 
 Point of Rocks this morning and is somewhere in 
 hiding in this neighborhood. I am ordered by the 
 Secretary of War himself to make strict search and 
 leave no stone unturned to find him." 
 
 "Captain Fairfax was here, as you have doubtless 
 heard, sir, and refused to go when his comrades of 
 the First Virginia came with a horse for him. Since 
 the night Colonel Clark took him away under guard 
 to Point of Rocks he has never set foot on this 
 place." 
 
 "He may be here now without your knowledge, 
 ma'am," said Foulweather, indomitably, "and I 
 thought it civil to tell you what my orders were. 
 Search we must, and at once. I will send the other 
 men through the cellar and first floor. Only these 
 you see with me will be allowed to come higher. 
 Corporal Dixon, put Devlin at that landing with 
 orders to let no one come up until I tell you." And 
 with that the blunt soldier would have resumed the 
 ascent, but her white hand upraised and the suffering 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 291 
 
 in the jiale and jDatient face again compelled his re- 
 spect. Rapid footsteps were heard on the rear stair- 
 way, too, and, flnshed and panting a trifle, Laura 
 came hurrying along the hall, and in silent defiance 
 took her place by the side of her beloved aunt. 
 
 "Go down, Mr. Wilson/' -said Foul weather, 
 sternly, to his tall staff-officer, "fin'd that rear stair- 
 way at once, and put a sentry there with orders to 
 let no one either up or down. Then join me again 
 here." 
 
 Down went AYilsori;, none too briskly. Police 
 duty with Foulweather was anything but to his 
 liking. 
 
 "One 'moment, sir," the gentle voice went on, as 
 the sound of the adjutant's footsteps eeased at the 
 portico without. "If your search ■must be made, I 
 pray that you begin below. Then I may have time 
 to prepare my child for your coming up here. It 
 will take but a few minutes. We will offer no ob- 
 jection, and resistance is of course impossible." 
 
 There was good in the old war-horse, after all. 
 Surly, exasperated, bitterly disappointed -as he was, 
 the major felt liis resolution ebbing at the sound of 
 that sorrowing |ilea. For a moment he hung there 
 irresolute, then raising his battered forage-cap, he 
 said, "I wish I hadn't to disturb you at all, ma'am, 
 but we'll begin below anyhow." And turning, he 
 actually tiptoed down the stairs, a thing he probably 
 never was known to do before in his life. 
 
 Five minutes later a dozen troopers, under his 
 
292 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 orders, were ransacking with lighted candles in the 
 cellar, store-rooms, and kitchen, and one of them 
 proved an expert. In a little chamber off the hall- 
 way, and near the kitchen door and back stairway, 
 he had made a discovery. The brick chimney that 
 passed np from the cellar throngh this room was 
 fully five feet wide just above the mantel and fire- 
 place, yet the fireplace was small, one of those tiny 
 niches apparently made for use in connection with 
 what was called a Franklin stove. The stove was 
 gone, and as Trooper Feeney poked his candle up the 
 dark and narrow chimney and peered after it, he 
 began tapping with the butt of his revolver at the 
 brick-work. Presently he popped out, a bit grimy, 
 but full of importance. "There's a holler in there 
 of some kind," said he, "and I think this boarding 
 by the fireplace opens." Already he Avas eagerly 
 tapping at that and looking for concealed flap. "I've 
 got it," he suddenly cried. "Give me a big knife, 
 or a sabre." Only a little prying was necessary. A 
 whole panel slipped easily out of its place, and, sure 
 enough, there was a recess, and the first thing visible 
 therein was a chamois sabre case, standing upright 
 in the corner, and a sole-leather valise. In a mo- 
 ment these were slung to the bedstead; a sword blade 
 forced the lock of the latter while eager hands drew 
 from the chamois case an almost brand new cavalry 
 sabre of the finest make, an officer's, while, one by 
 one, the contents of the valise proved to be a hand- 
 some new uniform coat with the shoulder-straps of a 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 293 
 
 captain of cavalry, a pair of light-blue trousers with 
 the narrow yellow welt on the outer seam, as worn 
 then by ofhcers of the Union horse, a rich crimson 
 sash, a new sword belt, a forage-cap of fine quality, 
 with the crossed sabres of the - — tli cavalry in front, 
 rich gilt spurs, handsome gauntlets, a small cavalry 
 saddle-cloth, a binocular field-glass, with some white 
 shirts, collars, gloves, etc., and a change of under- 
 wear; these completed the outfit. The valise was 
 marked, in painted black letters on both ends, "J. L., 
 IsTew York City." The letters J. L. were em- 
 broidered on the shirt, and the collars bore the letters 
 in indelible ink. 
 
 Wonder, perplexity, and excitement were in old 
 Foulweather's face as he carefully searched the 
 pockets of the uniform for further clue, while 
 Feeney prodded for more treasures in the great re- 
 cess, but the search of both was fruitless. The 
 pockets were empty; the watch pocket below the 
 waistband of the trousers, on which tailors ordinarily 
 write the name and address of their customers, had 
 been carefully snipped off, apparently with scissors. 
 The buttons of the trousers and a little silken slip 
 inside the collar of the coat gave the name of a prom- 
 inent military tailor of Gotham as the maker. The 
 cap bore the stamp of AVarnock, at that time a lead- 
 ing dealer in military supplies. The case of the 
 sabre and the boxes of the sash and belt showed that 
 these articles were bought of Tiffany, who during 
 the war added such items to the usual stock of gems 
 
294 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and silverware, but tlie owner's name could only be 
 guessed at from the initials on the valise. There 
 was no- waistcoat and there were no suspender-but- 
 tons on the band of the trousers, and these to Foul- 
 weather made valuable evidence. "That's the way 
 those damned West Pointers dress," growled he to 
 himself, in growing excitement. 
 
 Full of his discovery, he again ascended the stairs 
 and sought brief interview with the mistress of 
 Heatherwood. From her daughter's room she came 
 to the head of the stairs, patient and gentle as ever, 
 while Laura, standing protectingly behind her, 
 looked daggers at the blunt-sj^oken soldier in the 
 despised Union blue. It was easy to see that Foul- 
 weather's surprise at the treasure trove was slight 
 compared to that of Mrs. Fleatherwood's. She was 
 astonished. 
 
 "Certainly no officer of the Union army has been 
 an inmate of my house, nor do I know how to ac- 
 count for the presence of these articles," was all that 
 she would say; and when Foulweather, still full of 
 suspicion as to Belden, would have cross-questioned 
 her, she gently but firmly repeated what she had said 
 before, that she had never met or known an officer 
 of that name. As to Foulweather's declaration that 
 he must take these treasures with him to the provost- 
 marshal, Mrs. Heatherwood had no objection to 
 make. She had known, she said, of the niche or 
 recess in the brick-work ever since her honeymoon. 
 She told him of others, but they contained nothing 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 295 
 
 unusual or susjDicious. ''And now," said she, "if 
 the major is still determined to search the upper 
 story and garret, he can do so." And Foulweather, 
 in a shamefaced, hurried, and perfunctory way, 
 made a visit, yet barely glanced through the open 
 rooms. An old suspicion had been rekindled in 
 his breast. He was becoming with every mo- 
 ment more eager to return to Point of Rocks, and 
 within an hour of his arrival he rode away at the 
 head of his men, leaving behind a thankful and re- 
 lieved household, for in Belle's own sanctuary, hid- 
 den in the depths of one of her trunks, was a flat tin 
 case, tightly strapped, that she had been charged to 
 hide where none could reach it, and the owner once 
 more lay in the little field-hospital down under the 
 westward blulfs. 
 
 It was late in the evening when Foulweather's 
 tired troopers reached their camp, and, after groom- 
 ing, watering, and feeding their dust-covered 
 chargers, were permitted to attend to their own ab- 
 lutions, get supper, and then roll into their blankets, 
 but there was no rest for their raging major. Stop- 
 ping only long enough to get a fresh horse and a 
 drink, he rode on to Point of Rocks, followed by a 
 brace of orderlies, one of whom bore all the way on 
 the pommel the sole-leather valise ravished from 
 Heatherwood, while the other carried the sabre. 
 The provost-marshal had turned in, but turned out 
 again at sound of Foulweather's rasping voice. 
 
 ''Well, what news of Fairfax?" was the immediate 
 
296 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 question, as he stumbled down the little flight of 
 wooden steps in front of his quarters. 
 
 "Damn Fairfax! He has more hiding holes than 
 a prairie dog. But I've got something to pay for 
 our chase." 
 
 "Damn that!" as politely replied the provost-mar- 
 shall. "Here's the War Department wiring me all 
 day long every few hours to know what you had 
 accomplished, and where you'd gone. Thank God 
 they sent Clark to take charge of the guard here, or 
 I'd have been on the way to Fort Lafayette. He 
 isn't, though. He's got one of the sentries behind 
 the bars already. They say the fellow was bought 
 out, — that Leesburg and Frederick contributed over 
 a thousand dollars to bribe this very man. We 
 couldn't keep a thousand men under lock and key 
 to prevent their being approached. It's plain that 
 those bars were unscrewed, probably between three 
 and four o'clock this morning, and then as deliber- 
 ately screwed in again by somebody while somebody 
 else spirited the prisoner away through that back 
 alley and across the Potomac. Think of rebel sympa- 
 thizers among our men!" 
 
 "Think of 'em among our officers, by God!" was 
 Foulweather's fierce rejoinder. "Look at this outfit 
 that Ave gobbled at Heatherwood, and then promise 
 you'll take a ride with me in the morning." 
 
 The ofiicial had no objection to looking over the 
 outfit, whatever doubts he might entertain as to the 
 propriety of his riding forth with Foulweather. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 297 
 
 Valise and sabre were borne into his shabby quarters, 
 and great was his surprise and curiosity when he 
 learned where and how the articles had been dis- 
 covered. Then Foulweather insisted on the provost- 
 marshal's promise to ride with him "not farther 
 than Knoxville" in the morning. The mai'shal 
 scented mischief, and would only agree to consider 
 it, and before the major could resume his entreaties 
 heavy footsteps came quickly up the little porch and 
 into the hall, and, with gloom in his eyes, there stood 
 Colonel Clark. He had never fancied Foulweather, 
 and it stung him to meet him in this hour of his hu- 
 miliation and distress. Clark had keen wits. He 
 well understood that the "regular" rather delighted 
 in the misfortune that had befallen the ISTew Hamp- 
 shire regiment, and his greeting was cold and formal. 
 Quick as his clumsy hands could do the work, the 
 major had thrust everything into the valise again as 
 he heard the coming footsteps, and his back, bend- 
 ing over the task, was towards the colonel as he 
 entered the dimly lighted room. Foulweather 
 seemed actually embarrassed, an unusual thing for 
 him. 
 
 But Clark barely glanced at the valise. As for 
 the sabre, except that it was new and bright, there 
 was nothing uncommon in the sight. "I heard you 
 were here, sir," said he, very quietly. "I fear you 
 have not met with success." 
 
 "Well, rather," was the half-taunting reply. 
 "Your bird had too many hours the start. How 
 
298 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 many of your men were mixed up in the consj)iracy, 
 do you suppose?" 
 
 "That remains to be seen," said the colonel, 
 calmly. He well knew how aggravating it would 
 be to Foulweather if he showed no sign of chagrin. 
 ''We are fortunate in so early discovering the cul- 
 prit, — a fellow whose captain and comrades have sus- 
 pected of rascality more than once before, and as he 
 has been to Frederick twice in ten days, and been 
 seen in conversation with prominent sympathizers, 
 he was pounced on as the defaulting sentry. The 
 wonder is that he did not desert at once and try to get 
 away. Probably he thought the chance would be 
 better later on. Possibly he couldn't get all the 
 money promised him. Five hundred dollars was 
 paid him, and it was found to-day hidden under a 
 brick in the old walk close to his post. He dared 
 not have it about him, of course, and had hid it 
 there for the time being. I've no doubt the thing 
 has been planned a week at least, and that Fairfax 
 is far over in Virginia beyond Aldie by this time. 
 Sentries on the railway say they heard the muffled 
 sound of oars about four o'clock, dying away towards 
 the other bank, but it was too dark to see anything. 
 My regret is that you could not have started earlier. 
 You would have stood more chance of recapturing 
 him." 
 
 But Foulweather would not be mollified by cour- 
 teous words. He knew Clark did not like him. 
 He knew that he did not like Clark. It was high 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 299 
 
 time now to be getting back to camp. He had meant 
 to leave the valise and sabre in possession of the 
 IDrovost-marshal until morning, but Clark might be- 
 come curious as to what the valise contained. "I'll 
 write a couple of despatches, if you please, major," 
 said he to the official, "then go back to camp." So 
 saying and stepping to the door, he called to his men, 
 "Come in here, one of you, and get these things," 
 whereat spurred boots clicked their way across the 
 rude sidewalk in front and up the steps, and just as 
 the soldier entered the provost-marshal placed a 
 candle on the table. Its light fell full on the end of 
 the valise, on the painted letters, "J. L., New York 
 City," and as the trooper stretched forth his hand 
 the voice of Colonel Clark was heard, sharp and 
 commanding : 
 
 "Stop one moment. Don't take that. Why, 
 Major Foulweather, I know that valise. How on 
 earth came it here?" 
 
 "Oh, I suppose you could have seen it any day at 
 Heatherwood, if that's what you mean," said Foul- 
 weather, indifferently. "That's where I found it 
 this evening, — and its precious contents. The man 
 that owns them things has an explanation to make to 
 me to-morrow." 
 
 "You got that at Heatherwood, Major Foul- 
 weather? Why, sir, the last time I saw it was at 
 Monadnock, my home in New Hampshire, and its 
 owner was killed at first Bull Run." 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Grave changes came in the Army of the Potomac 
 within the next few days. McClellan, relieved from 
 command, was succeeded by Biirnside. Clark and 
 his Xew Hampshire men pushed on to the front, bri- 
 gaded with other new and big regiments. The court 
 for the trial of Captain Fairfax was broken up and 
 ordered to rejoin the corps or regiments of the re- 
 spective members, their deliberations being done 
 with, thanks to the unfeeling conduct of the accused, 
 who had succeeded, so said jubilant Southern women 
 at Leesburg and Frederick, by long and devious 
 route, in rejoining his comrades. Every member 
 was made to feel in some indefinable way that the 
 Iron Secretary considered that altogether too much 
 time had been consumed; that they should have sat 
 without regard to hours, in fact without regard to 
 orders, and that proper attention to duty on their 
 part would have resulted days before in the convic- 
 tion of the rash Virginian and his summary execu- 
 tion as a spy. Stanton's heart was hot within him 
 over the daring raid of Stuart, followed so speedily 
 by this most unaccountable escape of one of his most 
 prominent and distinguished officers, captured 
 within our lines unquestionably in the capacity of a 
 spy. As it was, he held, or seemed to hold, that the 
 300 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 301 
 
 court had allowed Fairfax to escape as easily as 
 Stuart got away, and that was a matter that rankled, 
 and no wonder, in more breasts than one at the 
 AVar Department. Gloom and depression reigned 
 in Washington. Other distinguished generals had 
 been relieved from command, and some of them 
 ordered to be tried for no less an offence than mis- 
 behavior in the face of the enemy. Lee and the 
 Southern hosts were falling back, to be sure, but 
 only to the old line of the Rappahannock, where 
 they were thoroughly at home, and could make 
 things lively for their opponents with small loss or 
 trouble to themselves. A new general was charged 
 with the defence of the line of the Potomac and the 
 Baltimore and Ohio road. Belden's fine regiment 
 of Pennsylvania cavalry went on to report to one 
 brigade, while Foulweather, still an unappreciated 
 major of regular horse, received, with disgust un- 
 speakable, the order to rejoin the little band of vete- 
 ran troopers of the old army, and his days of inde- 
 pendent action were done with. But one of his men 
 still lingered behind, apparently wounded in mind 
 as well as body, and that was Trooper Bell. 
 
 But meantime, several things had happened north 
 of the Potomac of more immediate consequence to 
 those whose fortunes or misfortunes we have been 
 following. First, that inevitable meeting between 
 Belden and Foulweather occurred just as every man 
 said he knew it would, and but for Clark's foresight 
 and prompt action worse consequences might have 
 
302 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ensued. Early in the morning following the escape 
 of Fairfax, the grizzled major galloped in among the 
 camps at Point of Rocks, followed by his orderlies 
 and a most unhappy looking adjutant, and once more 
 he importuned the i^rovost-marshal to go with him, 
 and this time to no purpose. The provost-marshal 
 pleaded official duty. All the same, he had curiosity 
 enough to urge Foulweather to reveal the object of 
 his journey, and as Foulweather w^ould not tell, and 
 rode away swearing disgustedly, his suspicions that 
 something unpleasant was in the wind Avere con- 
 firmed, and he had sense enough to go and warn 
 Clark. 
 
 "Did he have that valise and sabre still with him ?" 
 asked the colonel, who had taken as strong a fancy 
 to Belden as he had imbibed dislike to his comrade 
 trooper and inveterate enemy. "Yes," said the pro- 
 vost-marshal, whereat Clark ordered out his horse, 
 his adjutant, and orderly, and, inviting the provost- 
 marshal to join him, the four quickly took the up- 
 river road to Pleasant Valley and trotted hard after 
 hard-riding Foulweather. At the Catoctin crossing 
 they learned from Belden's vedettes that their 
 colonel was at the camp of the third squadron, two 
 miles up the valley, near the Hunt place; that a 
 major of regulars had gone up there not tAventy 
 minutes ahead of them; and Clark's quartette put 
 spurs to their excited horses and galloped like mad. 
 
 ISTone too soon did they reach the spot. The 
 group in front of Colonel Belden's. tent was in a fer- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 303 
 
 ment already, and well it might be. In brief, what 
 had already happened was this: Belden had just 
 finished breakfast and was engaged in writing a 
 letter at his field-desk when his attention was at- 
 tracted by hoof-beats on the half-frozen ground and 
 the sudden appearance in front of his tent of Major 
 Foulweather, with "Lanky" AVilson and two order- 
 lies. The major was off his horse in an instant, 
 Wilson and the valise-bearer more slowly finding 
 their feet on terra firma. The second orderly held 
 the four horses, and both he and his mate, who fol- 
 lowed Foulweather valise in one hand and cased 
 sabre in the other, looked as dejected as though be- 
 fore a garrison court, while poor Wilson almost 
 wished himself in Libby, for all three admired 
 Belden far more than they did their own leader. 
 Belden's orderly, a sturdy volunteer from the Sus- 
 quehanna valley, looked dubiously at the arriving 
 party, but saluted, as he had been taught to, when 
 Foulweather stalked straight to the open flaps of the 
 colonel's tent, while Belden's blue eyes grew steely, 
 a flush mounted quickly to his forehead, and there 
 came a curious corrugation of the skin between the 
 heavy eyebrows. Without rising, he half turned in 
 his camp-chair and confronted the party. Foul- 
 weather advanced to the planking in front before he 
 spoke. Then the words came with a snap: 
 
 "Captain Belden," he began, discourteously re- 
 fusing to recognize that officer's volunteer rank, 
 "you are unattended, I see, and what I have to say 
 
304 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 to you you may prefer to have your own witnesses 
 to report, in case you should have the hardihood to 
 bring the matter before a court-martial. I'll wait 
 till you can summon them." 
 
 There was no need to summon. Already, at sight 
 of Foulweather, a squadron leader and the regi- 
 mental adjutant were coming "on the jump," and 
 reached the spot almost at the close of the major's 
 opening remarks. 
 
 "I have had one visit too many from you already, 
 sir," said Belden, coldly, "but as "we are our own 
 masters here, I know of no better place for a meet- 
 ing." And there was the significance of the old 
 army in the way Belden used the word, as, saying it, 
 he slowly and deliberately rose and, stepping out of 
 the tent, confronted the glowering major, who, in- 
 deed, had to fall back a pace to avoid collision. "Now 
 what do you want?" he went on, and it must be 
 admitted that neither in word nor tone was Belden 
 either conciliatory or civil. Promptly the Keystone 
 captain and Belden's soldierly young adjutant 
 ranged themselves alongside their colonel, with 
 fight in their kindling eyes and clinched fists. Foul- 
 weather noted, but mthout alarm. Fighting was his 
 
 "I accused you some weeks ago, sir," said he, "of 
 clandestine visits to the Heatherwood place." Foul- 
 weather wasn't quite certain what clandestine meant, 
 but he had heard the adjective frequently used in 
 qualification of that very noun, and it sounded well. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 305 
 
 "You denied it, and I was reprimanded for circu- 
 lating malicious stories. You still maintain you were 
 never there, I suppose?" 
 
 "I decline to have any further words with you on 
 the subject." 
 
 "j^o doubt," said Foul weather, triumphantly 
 glancing' at the Pennsylvania officers, and then turn- 
 ing and beckoning the trooper to come forward. 
 "You have caught sight of some of my evidence, and 
 it's staggered you, I presume; but that's not all, by 
 a damned sight." 
 
 "Use only civil words, sir," or I'll be compelled 
 to have you escorted out of this camp less ceremoni- 
 ously than you were once before." 
 
 "JS'ot much you won't. Captain Belden," inter- 
 posed Foul weather. "You'll be wise if you hasten 
 to write your resignation." Then suddenly turning 
 to the Pennsylvania officers, now reinforced to the 
 number of half a dozen, "Gentlemen," said he, "your 
 commanding officer, whom I have known years 
 longer than you have, declared on honor he had 
 never visited the Heatherwood place. Your com- 
 manding officer, while he was still serving with his 
 proper regiment, came back to camp after a few days 
 in Washington with a cock-and-bull story about 
 having been robbed at "VVillard's of a new sabre and 
 suit of uniform." 
 
 "We know all about that," interrupted a captain, 
 
 hotly, "and it's true." 
 
 "I'm here to prove that he wasn't robbed. I'm 
 20 
 
306 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 here to say tliat, as the army's on the move and 
 court-martials can't be hekl, that he'll save wide- 
 spread scandal and disgrace by tendering his resigna- 
 tion here and now. Open that sabre case and that 
 valise," he ordered, turning to his orderly. "Here's 
 youf stolen sabre, Captain Belden. Here's your new 
 uniform, and I found the whole outfit last night 
 secreted at Heatherwood." 
 
 Belden, towering over the bulky major, had stood 
 there blazing at first with wrath, then turning con- 
 temptuously cool; but at sight of the glistening 
 sabre and the uniform coat, which the orderly re- 
 luctantly unfolded and displayed, a gleam of interest 
 shone in his flashing blue eyes. 
 
 "Bring those things forward," he coolly said, and, 
 stooping once more, the orderly advanced with his 
 burden. Belden calmly took the sabre, examined 
 hilt, guard, blade, and scabbard, then put it carefully 
 aside, threw ofl? the double-breasted frock he was 
 wearing, took the captain's 'uniform coat from the 
 orderly's hands, donned it in a trice, buttoned it from 
 throat to waist, and the fit was almost j^erfect. He 
 carefully looked at the trousers, noted the disap- 
 pearance of the watch-pocket, tossed them aside, and 
 then, as the orderly held the valise open before him, 
 he tried on the cap, — another perfect fit, — examined 
 belt, sash, and gauntlets as deliberately as he did the 
 cap, and all this time not a word was spoken. Foul- 
 weather, breathing hard, seemed at first swelling 
 with assured triumph, but as Belden waxed calmer 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 307 
 
 every moment and more indifferent to his accuser as 
 lie grew interested in the garments and equipments, 
 it seemed to the major that the climax was not as 
 dramatic as he had planned. Belden was curiously 
 studying the marking of the few shirts and collars. 
 These he tumbled with the sash and belt back into 
 the valise, took off the coat, deliberately handed it to 
 his servant, who had come a wondering spectator, 
 "Pick up those trousers," he ordered the boy, "lay 
 the coat, cap, trousers, and sabre on my bed. — They 
 are my property," said he, turning to the officers. "I 
 know nothing about the rest. Ordinarily one re- 
 wards the man who returns stolen property, but you, 
 sir, came here as an enemy. Xow take your plunder 
 — and yourself — off." 
 
 The silence that followed was brief enough, but 
 men who were present long remembered it, and how 
 furiously Foulweather broke it. 
 
 "Damn your infernal impudence!" he began, 
 when a white, muscular hand seized him by the 
 throat; two hands, in fact, were at his collar in an 
 instant, and before them all, despite his furious 
 struggles, Foulweather was seized, throttled, shaken 
 as a terrier shakes a rat, Belden uttering never a 
 word the while, and no man interfered save when 
 Foulweather strove to drag his revolver from its 
 holster. Then the Pennsylvania adjutant made a 
 quick spring and, knocking the hairy paw aside, pos- 
 sessed himself of the weapon, and the throttling and 
 shaking went on. Wilson, looking almost ready to 
 
;:08 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 cry, began to plead. One of the trooj^ers, who had 
 followed old Foulweather all over the plains, ac- 
 tually wept with excitement and distress of mind, 
 and just when it began to look as though the major 
 stood in danger of being choked to death, for his 
 eyes were popping and his face was black, there 
 came a dash of horsemen into their midst, and Colo- 
 nel Clark took in the situation at a glance. 
 
 "Stop this, instantly, Colonel Belden," he cried, 
 his voice ringing loud and commanding. "Release 
 that officer. Gentlemen, I order you both under 
 arrest," and, as Belden obeyed, his almost exhausted 
 victim tottered and would have fallen but for the 
 support of the nearest men, on whose arms he leaned, 
 gasping and gurgling. Then Clark dismounted and 
 came straight into the group. "Give him a chair and 
 some water," he said, indicating Foulweather, and the 
 scared servant jumped out with a camp-stool. "Colo- 
 nel Belden, you at least are able to speak; give me 
 your word this matter shall go no further." 
 
 "I give you my word, sir, that unless that man 
 keeps away it shall go very much further," was the 
 calm reply. "Major Foulweather knows where he 
 can find me any time he desires; for the present I 
 must observe your arrest." And with cool dignity, 
 yet panting a bit from the lively exertion, the stal- 
 wart young colonel retired within his tent. 
 
 It was some minutes before Foulweather could be 
 moved. For a time it looked as though an apoplectic 
 seizure might result, but Clark presently shook him 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 309 
 
 up and ordered him instantly to mount and return 
 with the provost-marshal to Point of Rocks. The 
 moment he could speak at all, Foulweather de- 
 manded that the uniform and sabre be restored to 
 him, but Clark promptly refused. "You declared 
 your belief that they belonged to Colonel Belden," 
 said he. "Colonel Belden substantiates your state- 
 ment, and you have restored them to the owner; you 
 have no right to them whatever." 
 
 "For evidence — when he's tried — I'll never rest — 
 till he's court-martialed," sputtered the raging old 
 soldier. But Wilson, at a sign from Clark, took his 
 bridle-rein and led him away, the provost-marshal 
 on the other side, the orderlies following sorrow- 
 fully. Even among the Pennsylvanians there was 
 sympathy for the broken-down old fire-eater of a 
 dragoon. 
 
 And later that day Clark found him sleeping in 
 his little tent down by the Barnesville road, and bent 
 over the grizzled face of the man who moaned 
 wretchedly in his heavy, almost stertorous slumber. 
 He had been drinking hard, — his only solace, poor, 
 lonely old fellow, — and his throat was bound with a 
 handkerchief steeped in diluted arnica. Treacy came 
 to see the colonel and inquire for particulars. He 
 didn't mind being in command, but, "AVliat the divil 
 had the ould man been doin'?" And Clark briefly 
 explained, then asked to see that mysterious valise, 
 carefully studied the inscription, the lettering on the 
 shirts and collars, had one each of the latter sent to 
 his camp, and rode forthwith to Heatherwood. 
 
310 THE GENE HAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 That evening Madam Heatlierwood repeated to 
 him that she had no idea that any such valise had 
 ever been under her roof, but when told that it was 
 marked "J. L., Xew York City," and asked if she 
 could account for its being there at all, the gentle 
 and beloved lady became greatly agitated. 
 
 "I suspect; but even if I knew, colonel, I could 
 not tell, bound by a promise as I am." 
 
 Clark tried to see Miss Pleatherwood, but was told 
 that she was still far too weak and ill to receive a 
 visitor, much less to be questioned. Then he sought 
 a word with Laura, who had not been seen since his 
 arrival; but Clark had heard laughing talk among 
 the men, and so made at once for the orchard, and 
 there a crippled corporal stood attention on his 
 crutches, and was not unkindly told to go back to 
 hospital, which both Miss Waddell and Mr. Pet- 
 tingill much resented, and the latter confided the 
 cause of his annoyance to that queer fellow Bell, 
 who w^as again convalescent and sitting up. And 
 when, after a half-hour's cross-questioning of the 
 saucy Virginia girl, Colonel Clark came riding down 
 to the field-surgeon's bailiwick, and again spoke 
 kindly and cordially to Pettingillj the latter melted 
 at once. But when that colonel went through the big 
 tents, speaking pleasantly to the wounded, several 
 cots were empty. Bell's among them, and no Bell 
 could they find when the colonel expressed a desire 
 to see the man who fought so gallantly to save Pen- 
 nington's gun. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 311 
 
 But that night Colonel Clark wrote a rather long 
 letter, which, addressed to Mr. George Lowndes, 
 ISTew York City, went off via Baltimore next day, 
 and found no such person at the big gloomy old man- 
 sion. Father and daughter, the Lowndeses, had left 
 the scene of their sorrows and gone abroad. That 
 was why for months no answer came to Clark's 
 missive. In two weeks more he and his regiment 
 were on the Rappahannock, and Belden and Foul- 
 weather — long since released from arrest, as it was 
 understood that the latter would attempt no further 
 meeting with the colonel, but had reduced his 
 grievances and charges to writing and the considera- 
 tion of the War Department — they, too, were well 
 away by different routes on the march to join their 
 brigades, and still newer troops moved into the val- 
 ley of the Monocacy and up the Potomac towards 
 Harper's Ferry. The night before Clark marched 
 he called to say good-by to the gentlewomen of 
 Heatherwood, and there he heard a piece of news 
 that Madam Heatherwood told him with tears run- 
 ning down her cheeks. A\niile her boys, Ralph and 
 Tighlman, were still imprisoned in Washington, 
 Floyd I airfax had succeeded in rejoining Stuart and 
 his old regiment, only to find himself ostracized, 
 "cut," a Pariah among soldiers and gentlemen, ac- 
 cused by Montfort and Garnett of shirking danger 
 and duty with his men and accepting dishonorable 
 captivity under the roof which sheltered the lady of 
 his love. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Evil days had come to Heatlierwood, as well as 
 to those who loved it and so long had made it their 
 home. The gloomy winter of '62-3 opened early. 
 The blue Catoctins had been shrouded in a snow- 
 cloud before November was fairly a week old, and 
 the old household physician, riding over from Fred- 
 erick two or three times a week, an object of suspi- 
 cion to every new sentry or guard despite the numer- 
 ous passes and vouchers he never dared to leave at 
 home, finally shook his head over the slow recovery 
 of his patient, and asked her devoted mother if it 
 were not possible to remove her to Baltimore or 
 "Washington. Laura sang no longer in the orchard, 
 where a meeting and parting of the romantic sort 
 had taken place when Pettingill received sudden 
 orders to accompany a party of convalescents to the 
 distant front, and he and silent, stern-faced Trooper 
 Bell were marched away by slow stages to reinforce 
 the army. Burnside was massing in front of Fred- 
 ericksburg for the senseless slaughter yet to come. 
 Ralph and Tighlman still sighed in their soldier 
 prison and were refused exchange, despite the fact 
 that scores of their comrades were being sent back to 
 Virginia. Foul weather's charges against Belden, 
 though they fell flat where the gallant accused was 
 312 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 313 
 
 concerned, seemed to have redoubled the ire of the 
 Secretary of War and confirmed him in his belief 
 that the lieatherwoods had rewarded kindness with 
 treachery. As ill luck would have it, the officers 
 who best knew the gentle mistress of the old manse 
 were mostly of the class that clung to McClellan, 
 Porter, Stone, and others whose names were, for the 
 time being at least, clouded in Stanton's eyes. 
 Nothing they could say in her behalf appealed to 
 him. l^othing others could urge proved potent 
 enough to outweigh two things, — first, Mrs. Heather- 
 wood's calm and determined assertion that she could 
 not say who it was that had spirited away Fairfax's 
 farmer disguise and had hidden in that chimney 
 niche the uniform and equipment of a cavalry offi- 
 cer; indeed, she said that she did not know; and, 
 secondly. Miss Heatherwood's equally calm and de- 
 termined reply, weak though she was when visited 
 by the staff-officer sent to investigate, that she would 
 not tell, though she admitted that she did know. The 
 question of their removal from Ileatherwood was 
 settled for them without further reference to the 
 doctor, and the three ladies, carefully yet courte- 
 ously guarded, were escorted to Baltimore, where 
 old friends received them with open arms, only to 
 become, in turn, objects of suspicion themselves, 
 and to find their home, their movements, their very 
 lives, dogged by detectives and secret service people. 
 It could not be otherwise. It was one of the inevi- 
 table consequences of the war. Away into Decern- 
 
314 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ber the head of the War Department would boil over 
 with wrath and indignation when Stuart's raid was 
 mentioned, or some one spoke of Fairfax. Well was 
 it for Colonel Clark, with all the splendid record 
 won during the first year of the war, that he had 
 been summoned to Harper's Ferry and was away at 
 the moment of the Virginian's escape. Even as it 
 was, Stanton seemed to hold that the colonel should 
 have foreseen and prevented any possibility of his 
 soldiers being tempted by the wealthy friends of the 
 accused. The Xew Hampshire "boys" went into the 
 hopeless assault on the heights of Fredericksburg 
 under the spur of Stanton's intimation that they had 
 a disgrace to wash out, and if the blood of half their 
 number were atonement sufficient, as Clark sadly 
 wrote that bitter night, then were they indeed 
 absolved. 
 
 Left in charge of poor old Chloe and her aging 
 spouse, with a caretaker from Poolesville and fre- 
 quent domiciliary visits from curious soldiery pass- 
 ing that way, Heatherwood Towers, as the Mary- 
 landers poetically called it, drowsed through the 
 dreary winter, yet found itself not altogether friend- 
 less. The major-general commanding at Baltimore, 
 a man somewhat of Stanton's type, would order no 
 guard for its protection, but there were invalids in 
 the field-hospital under the height who day after day 
 had eagerly awaited the visit of its gentle owner, 
 whose sweet smile and soothing or encouraging 
 words had sustained them in the fevered days of the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 315 
 
 autumn. Mindful of the many little delicacies that 
 she had brought them, and of her affectionate care, 
 they now, in their slowly regaining strength, organ- 
 ized among themselves, after hearing of depredations 
 and robberies, what they called the Heathenvood 
 Guards, and with the full knowledge and approval 
 of the surgeon in charge, who also had learned to 
 bless her coming as much as they, stoutly posted 
 their crippled sentries night and day and taught the 
 evil-disposed a lesson that prolonged the life of the 
 once lovely old place through the bitter winter, until 
 there came a day when once more the orchard was 
 in full bloom and the orioles and blue birds were 
 flashing in the sunlight from tree to tree, when their 
 numbers were so far reduced that they were power- 
 less against the new and relentless foe, and all their 
 loyal tribute of affection and gratitude w^as in vain. 
 Xo need here to tell of the increasing gloom at 
 Washington over the disasters, one after another, 
 that befell the gallant, patient, ever-ready, yet long- 
 mishandled Army of the Potomac, or of the cor- 
 responding joy and increasing hope and defiance in 
 the social life of Baltimore. All through the long, 
 anxious winter the Heatherwoods lived there in mo- 
 notonous seclusion, diversified, perhaps, by the arrest 
 of Miss Waddell for irrepressible impudence to the 
 provost-guard after the news of Fredericksburg. Her 
 release was speedily ordered by a laughing, gray- 
 haired colonel, who drove her to the verge of fury 
 by demanding of his juniors what possible harm the 
 
316 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 little spitfire could have done; and she was really 
 pining to be court-martialied and jailed as a rebel 
 and a martyr one minute, even while secretly pray- 
 ing for news of Fettingill the next. He was first 
 sergeant of his company when Hooker made that 
 admirable move to Chancellorsville the last of April, 
 and, still as first sergeant, commanded it when it 
 slowly fell back with the fiercely fighting line on the 
 third day of that headless battling. "Young and 
 green" as he was at the start, the fighting blood of 
 Concord Bridge and Bunker Hill was coursing in 
 his veins, and Clark, though himself wounded and 
 well-nigh broken-hearted over the disastrous moves 
 that had robbed him of one-third of his officers and 
 men, wrote to the governor that First Sergeant Fet- 
 tingill deserved promotion more than any man he 
 could think of in the ranks. 
 
 And Baltimore was mad with ill-concealed joy 
 and delight when, close upon the heels of the news 
 of Chancellorsville, there came the thrilling whisper, 
 "Lee is coming! Lee is coming! The victorious 
 army of the South will be across the Fotomac — at 
 our very gates — within a fortnight!" And Belle 
 Heatherwood's pale cheek flushed with strange emo- 
 tion — hope? love? anticipation? — who could say? 
 Twice had letters been brought to her from Fairfax, 
 a vindicated man. The letters of friends at Lees- 
 burg, Poolesville, and Frederick, backed by those 
 of Madam Heathcrwood herself, all spirited through 
 the lines by the mysterious agencies existing both in 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 317 
 
 Baltimore and Wasliington, had established his in- 
 nocence of the allegations laid at his door, but, in 
 his wrath at Montfort and Garnett, he had refused 
 further service with them and had fought superbly 
 on the staff of A. P. Hill until the officers and men 
 of a sorely depleted regiment of Virginians urged 
 his acceptance of a vacant lieutenant-colonelcy, and 
 he led them like a lion when they struck the corps of 
 Howard, crushing it like an egg-shell, the fatal first 
 day of Hooker's one battle in chief command. 
 
 But over and again there was a question on the 
 mother's lips that was checked by Belle Heather- 
 wood's uplifted hand, by the piteous plea in her sad, 
 sweet face. Much her mother suspected that one 
 man had risked life and honor to save Floyd Fairfax 
 for no other reason than that he believed the Vir- 
 ginian's death as a spy would break Belle Heather- 
 wood's heart. The nimble escape with the con- 
 demning disguise, the later relapses, and the well- 
 assumed mental break-down essayed to prevent his 
 being called as a witness before the court, — these, 
 together with the daring and devotion he had earlier 
 shown in their service, plainly told their story, — 
 that Trooper Bell was a lover Quixotic, even, in self- 
 abnegation, and so unworthy in his own eyes as to 
 ask no word of hope, and only in one way able to 
 find means to relieve his over-weighted heart: he 
 could not woo or win her love, but her gratitude, her 
 respect, he could and would command. Firmly be- 
 lieving, ever since the night he witnessed her agony 
 
318 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 over the capture of Fairfax, that it was because she 
 devotedly loved him, he had first secured, then 
 dashed away with, the fatal disguise, had later man- 
 aged to head off every effort to produce himself as a 
 witness, and had finally and silently gone his way to 
 rejoin his regiment without one word of blessing 
 from her lips, without one glance from her beau- 
 tiful, grateful eyes. From him no further line or 
 message had come. Foulweather had sent the va- 
 lise with its contents to the War Department, where 
 it was speedily relegated to a rubbish heaj), bigger 
 game than that demanding the efforts of every man 
 on duty; and now the Heatherwoods knew not whom 
 to ask; indeed, they knew not but that inquiry for a 
 Union trooper on their part might blast his name 
 and prospects even as their own seemed ruined. Un- 
 able to relieve their OAvn anxiety on his account, they 
 were ill equipped to lessen that of others, yet there 
 came a day, just when for the second time Lee's 
 hard-marching infantry once more swung their bat- 
 tered hats and cheered at sight of the blue Catoctins 
 of Maryland, when Belle Heatherwood, reading 
 aloud to her wearied mother as the latter lay by the 
 open window, fanned by the soft Southern breeze, 
 was startled by the slow opening of a door leading 
 into the hall, and there, hesitant, timid, yet with a 
 world of sorrow and pleading in her face, dressed 
 still in morning, stood Florence Lowndes. 
 
 One moment she hung there irresolute, as Belle 
 slowly rose from her chair, her face wliiter now than 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 319 
 
 that of her nnlooked for visitor, her slender hands 
 pressed to her temples, her eyes filled with bewilder- 
 ment. Then with one impulsive gesture she threw 
 out her arms, and in an instant the girls were locked 
 in each other's embrace, every bitter word of the past 
 forgotten. 
 
 Later that long June afternoon, their sorrow- 
 weighted hearts relieved through nature's blessed 
 floodgates by the torrent of their tears, they were 
 seated at a window commanding a view of the wide 
 and crowded thoroughfare. All Baltimore seemed 
 thronging into the open air, thrilled with exultation, 
 they whose loved ones marched with Lee, or silent 
 with apprehension, they whose hearts and hopes were 
 bound up in the Union. Wild rumors were afloat 
 on every side. IS'^ewsboys yelled shrill mendacity, as 
 they darted, "extra" laden, through the crowd. 
 Gayly dressed women exchanged congratulations, 
 even daringly flaunted the rebel colors on their dress, 
 laughing gleefully as their bright eyes flashed de- 
 fiance at the blue-uniformed ofiicers hastening to and 
 from the general's head-quarters up the street. A 
 band was playing spirited music at the base of the 
 monument in the adjoining square, and a roar of 
 delight went up from a thousand throats when it 
 suddenly burst forth \vith the strains of "The Bonnie 
 Blue Flag." The rush of the provost-guard was all 
 that stopped still further demonstration, and a regi- 
 ment, with bayonets ominously fixed, marched in 
 grim silence through the square, formed line in front 
 
"320 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 of liead-quarters, and stood at rest, leaning on the 
 muzzles of the long muskets and peering sternly out 
 from under the black visors of the worn blue forage- 
 caps at the occasionally jeering swarm along the op- 
 posite sidewalk. For reasons of her own Mrs. 
 Heatherwood refrained from coming to the windows 
 this day, and remained at the rear of the house. 
 Another perplexity had come. Well she knew that 
 in this unheralded return from abroad Florence 
 Lowndes and her father had at last received Clark's 
 important missive, and were there to question. 
 Surely there was something strange in the fact that 
 Jack's valise, with some of his clothing, together 
 with the uniform of another officer, should have 
 been found at Heatherwood. Florence was confi- 
 dent that Jack had only one such valise, and that he 
 took it with him when he went to the front at the 
 first call. Well she remembered her tearful parting 
 with him and her dread of her father's anger should 
 he discover that his daughter had dared seek his 
 banished son. It had hurt her that the news came as 
 it did. She could hardly explain why, except that 
 "Mr." Clark, as she persisted in calling the now 
 famous brigade commander, beloved and honored 
 in the hard-hit, hard-fighting army, had never un- 
 derstood Jack, and had even prejudiced her father 
 against him. Reasoning it all out, she well knew 
 that after her bitter words to Belle and her refusal 
 to answer the latter's sad, womanly letter she had no 
 right to expect the Ileatherwoods would write again. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 321 
 
 She had never notified them of the project of going 
 abroad, where, finding no comfort in the beaten 
 track, father and daughter had sought the bj-wajs, 
 and had gone to what were then remote places. 
 Clark's letter awaited them in Rome on their return 
 from a long, lingering journej up the I^ile; and so, 
 while, sobbing, she told Miss Ileatherwood of the 
 tidings sent by Clark, it never seemed to occur to her 
 that for over a year Belle had known all about the 
 valise and other and far more vital matters and had 
 made no sign. She accepted as all sufficient Belle's 
 half-choking explanation that it was found at Ma- 
 nassas where mother had gone to nurse the wounded. 
 She seemed to attach no significance to the fact that 
 Mrs. Heatherwood had avoided her all the afternoon. 
 It was but natural that the fond and gentle woman 
 should think best to leave the girls together for 
 hours, that the reconciliation might be complete. 
 Her father was to call at eight and talk with Mrs. 
 Heatherwood himself. He wished to seek her aid 
 in the discovery of important papers Jack probably 
 had in that valise at the time of the capture of the 
 baggage-wagons by the exultant Southerners. Xo 
 one would more readily assist him in his search than 
 this noble woman who was so honored by soldiers 
 both ]!*«3^orth and South. And so as the afternoon 
 wore on Belle's nervousness began to disappear. 
 Florence asked no questions that grievously embar- 
 rassed her. Together they read the ominous extras. 
 
 Together they clung, standing at the window watch- 
 
 21 
 
322 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ing tlie increasing crowd and excitement in the 
 street. Timidly Florence began to ask for tidings 
 of Ilalpli and Tiglilman, and finally of Fairfax, and 
 quickly she noted the faint color that stole to the 
 soft cheek of the Maryland girl at mention of the 
 Virginian's name. Together they were seated at the 
 open casement when, with flashing eyes and flaming 
 cheeks, Laura Waddell came bounding in all athrill, 
 her light silken jacket throwm back, revealing on the 
 bosom of the gossamer gown beneath the scarlet, 
 blue, and white of the "Stars and Bars." The sight 
 of the stranger only slightly checked her impulse. 
 
 "Belle! Belle!" she cried; "look out yahnduh! 
 Here comes that very fella you wouldn't tell me 
 about at home; and he's got to be a general!" 
 
 The clatter of horses' hoofs added to the clamor 
 in the streets. At quick, spirited walk, almost 
 verging on the jog-trot, a little party of Union horse- 
 men came riding towards head-quarters. Right and 
 left the tlirong stood still and stared, though the 
 sight of generals wearing the single star was no 
 novelty. It was the superb form, face, and bearing 
 of the young brigadier foremost in the array that 
 riveted all eyes upon him and left but casual glance 
 for the few staff-officers and orderlies who followed. 
 Erect and graceful, manly strength and confidence 
 in his pose, sitting his spirited horse like a centaur, 
 his keen blue eyes gleaming from under the visor of 
 his jaunty forage-cap, his uniform, evidently new, 
 fitting him without a flaw, his yellow sash and gold- 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 323 
 
 barred belt, his handsome sword, boots, and horse 
 equipments, all the perfection of soldierly style, yet 
 impressing no one vni\\ the idea of the soldier dandy, 
 his handsome, clear-cut face bronzed by the hot Vir- 
 ginia suns, his mouth concealed by the sweeping 
 blond moustache — no wonder even rampant, rebel 
 Baltimore stared and admired. AVith blanched, in- 
 credulous face. Belle Heatherwood gazed, lost to all 
 surroundings, forgetful utterly of the girl at her 
 side, until suddenly recalled to herself and her friend 
 by the piercing cry in which wild joy, amaze, un- 
 belief, aye, even dread, were mingled. "Jack ! Jack ! 
 Brother r' And then with outstretched arms poor 
 Florence fell as though suddenly struck a mortal 
 blow and hung lifeless over the sill of the open 
 window. 
 
 It w^as long before they could restore her. When 
 at last consciousness returned, her father, too, was 
 bending over her, and his stern, sad, rugged old face 
 was piteous in its anxiety and distress. Almost her 
 first words were, "Did you see — Jack?" 
 
 "Hush, my darling!" he answered, brokenly, and 
 the tears started to his eyes. "We have heard all 
 about him. I wish to God it were my Jack. That 
 was the Pennsylvania cavalry officer who won such 
 fame, and his general's stars, on Stoneman's raid. 
 His name is Grosvenor Belden. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 "Up from the South" in the long June days came 
 the long gray columns of Lee. Less than a year had 
 sped since, shattered, yet undismayed, they had re- 
 coiled from the shadows of the blue Catoctins and 
 retired to the old intrenchments of the Rappahan- 
 nock, whence, triumphant and with self-confidence 
 tenfold increased, after the bloody lessons given 
 the Union arms at Fredericksburg and Chancellors- 
 ville, once more they essayed the conquest of Mary- 
 land and the dash at the Northern cities. Once more 
 the daring advance guard bridged the Potomac, and 
 the famous old lieutenants led their grimy corps 
 through the streets of Hagerstown and on towards 
 the lovely Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania, — .all 
 sa^e one; Jackson, most daring of all, had crossed a 
 still more shadowy river, and was resting forever 
 under the shade of the trees. Xot yet had the 
 knightly leader of the Southern host begun to realize 
 the extent of his loss. There had been no general 
 engagement since the grapple in the thickets south 
 and west of the old Virginia hamlet. IN^ot yet had he 
 fully realized another thing, — that the eyes of the 
 latest commander of the Anny of the Potomac had 
 been opened to the need for better use of the eyes of 
 
 the army; that master hands had been reorganizing 
 3-.' I 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. '325 
 
 tlie Union cavalry; that tlie sloths and fossils were 
 being replaced by keen-witted troopere who knew 
 their trade and were ready to ride, scout, and fight 
 night or day, and were praying for no greater boon 
 than a chance to match the "Cavaliers" of Stuart 
 against the "Ironsides" of the I*^orth. John Buford, 
 impatient of staff duty, rode at the head of one 
 division, Kilpatrick and Gregg of the others, while 
 gallant young soldiers had been chosen to step wp to 
 the stars of the brigadier, and Merritt and Custer, 
 boy captains but a day ago, donned the yellow sash, 
 and regular and volunteer, their brigades hailed the 
 new commanders with cheers of jjride and confi- 
 dence. 
 
 At Beverly Ford and Brandy Station the troopers 
 of the l^ortli and South fought their first battle 
 royal, and Stuart saw how great a change had been 
 wrought within the few months. Brainy men were 
 now directing the blows of the Union horse, and 
 brawny arms were delivering them, and for the first 
 time in his war history the Virginian met his match 
 and knew it. Yet, even at the moment when it 
 da^vned upon the Southern commander that at last 
 the Union had a cavalry force worth his considera- 
 tion, and the Army of the Potomac was possessed of 
 a right arm it lacked the year before, even when it 
 was most likely they would need their own, did Lee 
 and Stuart plan a separation. Even as the head of 
 the Southern army of invasion came in view of 
 Maryland Heights, while the Army of the Potomac, 
 
326 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 marching night and day, strove hard to interpose 
 between the rebel battle-flags and the alarmed and 
 threatened halls of government at AVashington, the 
 screen of Stuart's cavalry slipped away from between 
 the parallel columns, and, passing entirely around the 
 rear of Hooker's hindmost brigade, went gayly away 
 on a raid of its own that bore it close under the guns 
 of Washington, and so on up through Maryland and 
 Pennsylvania, lost to Lee for many a day when most 
 he stood in need of it, only to return in time for the 
 last hour's bitter work at Gettysburg and to be 
 ground to earth and battered and slashed and sent 
 whirling from the field, completely overmastered by 
 Gregg and the Second Division, backed by Custer 
 with the Michigan men. 
 
 Yet changes had come in the Union horse that 
 were not all for the better. A wail went up in many 
 a camp when gallant "Grimes" Davis met his soldier 
 fate, heading the dash at Beverly Ford. A growl of 
 remonstrance rose from many a bearded throat when 
 Belden accepted the yellow sash and silver stars and 
 went to Washington, transferred to a new command. 
 ("Lost," said his trooper friends, "in the infantry.") 
 Yet this was before young cavalry captains were 
 getting their brigades, and Belden was wise. Furi- 
 ous things old Foulweather was saying, as he led 
 his regiment, the — th Regulars, on the march to 
 Maryland, but when he read the order that made 
 his junior (a captain of the Second) instead of him- 
 self (a major of the — th) full brigadier-general, and 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 327 
 
 assigned liim to tlie command of the regular brigade, 
 the old fellow's wrath and misery were well-nigh 
 complete. "They might as well kill me outright," 
 said he to Treacy and Hamlin, who had heard the 
 news with secret joy, "as to let me die by slow tor- 
 ture and mortification as they are doing." And a 
 far more serious matter was it beginning to prove 
 than at first his brother ofiicers sujDposed. Envy, 
 jealousy, disapjwinted ambition, hate, and heaven 
 knows how many other things, were telling on the 
 rugged old trooper, and as the brigade crossed the 
 Potomac and reached the Maryland shore the sur- 
 geon came to the commander. 
 
 "Old Foulweather," said he, using the pet name so 
 well known throughout the army, "is in the grasp 
 of a high fever that may prove very serious. He 
 should be sent at once to the nearest hospital." 
 
 And so that very evening a yellow ambulance clat- 
 tered up the towpath and turned in under Heather- 
 wood Height, and the escorting troopers, three in 
 number, asked for the doctor in charge of the field- 
 hospital still maintained there for the benefit of the 
 sick or possible wounded among the troops detailed 
 to guard the canal and the many fords and ferries, 
 and from the depths of the dust-covered vehicle they 
 lifted as tenderly as possible a raging, raving, strug- 
 gling old soldier who swore hideously at surgeon, 
 steward, sergeant, and all, but was overpowered and 
 borne to a shady, airy tent, and there almost forcibly 
 put to bed. 
 
328 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Three hours later, when, refreshed and rested, 
 their horses fed, watered, and groomed, the escorting 
 troopers would have taken the road to Frederick to 
 rejoin their regiment, one of their number was miss- 
 ing, and the sergeant inquired, after the manner of 
 war-time troopers far and near, "Where 'n 'ell's 
 Bell?" 
 
 To which answered the other words to the effect 
 that "you ncA^er knew where Bell was 'cept in a fight, 
 — then he was there P' 
 
 Inquiry among the convalescents seated in the 
 slanting sunshine watching the signal-flags waving 
 on the westward heights evoked the information that 
 a "feller" answering their description had gone up the 
 path to Heathcrwood half an hour before, whereat 
 the sergeant emulated his now prostrate commander 
 and blasphemed vigorously. 
 
 "That damned Beau," said he, "is more trouble 
 
 4 
 
 than the rest of the troop put together just so soon 
 as we get north of the Potomac. South of it he's all 
 right. I might have known he'd be losing himself." 
 
 "What'd you bring him for?" asked his subordi- 
 nate, unfeelingly. 
 
 "I didn't; the lieutenant sent him, and told me 
 he knew the best road and all about the country, and 
 now he's gone and we are ordered to be at Frederick 
 to-night. — Who lives up yonder?" he abruptly 
 asked an invalided sergeant hobbling by, and the 
 volunteer stopped for a chat with the regular. 
 
 "Family named Heatherwood, from Baltimore. 
 
THE GENERAL- S DOUBLE. 329 
 
 House has been vacant for a long time until tins 
 week. ISTow there's several people there, they say. 
 The old hands here used to look after it and kept 
 guard there, but there's only one or two of them left. 
 They post sentries from that regiment over yonder 
 up there every night now since the folks come back, 
 and no one's allowed in or out." 
 
 "Well, I'm going up," said the sergeant, stoutly. 
 "I've lost a man, and they say he went up there. 
 You watch the horses and traps, Jim," he called over 
 his shoulder to the private trooper. "I'll be back 
 in twenty minutes." 
 
 Following the pathway through the leafy woods. 
 Sergeant Black began the somewhat steep ascent 
 among the trees until he emerged from them at the 
 edge of a little sloping bench of cleared and once 
 cultivated ground, beyond whicli stood the bams and 
 enclosures, and beyond them certain weather-beaten 
 sheds and a corn-crib. Not a soul was in sight, and 
 after a moment's quiet reconnoissance and a long 
 breath or two, the war-worn soldier pushed ahead, 
 lie found the bam and barn-yard empty and the 
 last vestige of forage gone. The storehouse, corn- 
 crib, etc., had long since outlived their usefulness, 
 every crumb or kernel having been devoured or 
 SAvept away. Out in the orchard \h.e sun was throw- 
 ing his last rays through the blossoming trees and 
 gilding the old sun-dial and tipping the hedge and 
 that relic of a fence with gold. The kitchen door 
 was open, so was one that led to the cellar, and 
 
330 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 somewhere tliereabouts there was an occupant, for 
 he heard the crooning sound of a darky song. War 
 is the foe of conventionality, and, never stopping to 
 knock, the soldier strode across the threshold. Here 
 there were signs of life and action, for a brisk fire 
 blazed in the stove, and pots and kettles gave forth 
 the appetizing odor of a bounteous supper. Then 
 from the depths of the cellar the darky song came 
 crooning nigher, a woolly head, enveloped in glaring 
 bandana, hove in sight up the mouldering stairs, and 
 two staring, goggle eyes met his in evident disap- 
 probation. 
 
 "I am looking for one of my men who came up 
 here a few minutes " 
 
 "I doan' know nuthin' 'bout your men," was the 
 instant interruption of Aunt Chloe. ^Xord knows 
 we'se had trouble 'nuf between the lot of 'em," yet, 
 with odd inconsistency, added, ''Wha's he like, any- 
 way?" 
 
 "Tall, fine-looking young fellow — handsome, I 
 suppose you'd call him. Don't look like — most of 
 us." 
 
 "I ain't seen nuffin' handsome since Marse Fairfax 
 and Marse Ralph, an' such gen'lemen, was wid us," 
 was Aunt Chloe's almost disdainful answer. "Go 
 long! You're only lookin' for somefin' to eat." 
 
 But the sound of the colloquy had attracted others 
 to the spot," — ^two others, — for the hall door sud- 
 denly opened and, to the amaze of the trooper ser- 
 geant, two young women, winsome, sweet, attrac- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 331 
 
 tive young women, prettily gowned, as even he 
 could see, ladies, as he knew at a glance, stood there 
 at the threshold, looking not unkindly down at him. 
 In an instant off came his cap. 
 
 "I beg your pardon," he faltered, "but I had to 
 come up to inquire if anything had been seen of one 
 of my men who wandered up here a while ago. It 
 is time for us to be moving." 
 
 ''You are cavalry, are you not?" asked the nearest. 
 "!N^o cavalry soldiers have been near here since we 
 came a few days ago. We have infantry guards at 
 night and some crippled soldiers whom my mother 
 nursed long months ago. They are all out in front." 
 
 "Thank you, miss. I'll hunt them up," began Ser- 
 geant Black, backing towards the door. "I didn't 
 mean to intrude." 
 
 But it was Miss Ileatherwood's turn to inquire. 
 TIalf-timidly she asked, "AVhat command — what 
 regiment is yours?" and her soft eyes were full of 
 interest, even of anxiety, as she spoke. 
 
 " — th Regulars, miss. Major Foul weather was 
 commanding. We've brought him here, sick, to the 
 hospital below." 
 
 And now a sudden flush leaped to the questioner's 
 face. Then, though an eager light shone in her 
 eyes, the color died away and left her pale. "What 
 was he like — this — soldier? — what was his name?" 
 she faltered. And in surprise, if, indeed, no other 
 emotion moved her, the fair girl by her side looked 
 suddenly, searchingly, into Miss Ileatherwood's face. 
 
332 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "A tall, fine-looking fellow, miss, with blue eyes 
 and handsome face, — Bell he calls himself." 
 
 "Oh, no., no! — iSTo, indeed!" was the hurried 
 answer. "I'm-^I'm sure no such person has been 
 here; and I would know him. He has been here, 
 you know. It was he who saved the gun the day 
 Stuart's men so nearly got it." 
 
 "The very man, miss. There's no better when it 
 comes to fighting. But this isn't the first time we've 
 lost him, and there'll be trouble if he leaves us now, 
 when every man is needed." 
 
 And still silently, searchingly. Miss Heather- 
 wood's companion, a fair-haired, blue-eyed girl, 
 whose garb told of recent mourning, gazed fixedly 
 into Miss Heatherwood's face, and noted the signs of 
 agitation there and in the rapid rise and fall of her 
 bosom. 
 
 Then with sudden effort, and as though conscious 
 of scrutiny. Miss Heatherwood, despite her fluttering 
 heart, rushed into eager question again. "Can you 
 give us any news, sergeant? Can you tell us where 
 Stuart has gone? or when we can get back to Balti- 
 more? Secretary Stanton gave us permission to 
 spend only three days here, and, when we tried to 
 return, Stuart had cut the railway to Baltimore. 
 The horses we hired at Frederick are gone, we don't 
 know where. My mother has sent word of our 
 plight to the commanding officer at the nearest camp, 
 but no help has come, and my friend here. Miss 
 Lowndes, should have joined her father in Wash- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 333 
 
 ington yesterday. We have sent our old negro ser- 
 vant to Frederick to hire anything on wheels that 
 will carry us, with one trunk, for mother's word was 
 pledged to the general commanding at Balti- 
 more " 
 
 "Will the ladies ride in an ambulance, behind 
 army mules?" was the sergeant's eager inquiry, as he 
 stood buttoning his trooper jacket, hitherto thrown 
 open at the throat and chest. "We have the ambu- 
 lance that brought Major Foul weather. We can 
 take you to Frederick, and then you can go by first 
 train to Baltimore." 
 
 "Oh, most gladly! most gratefully! Could you 
 wait just a moment until I can tell my mother?" 
 asked Miss Heatherwood. "We'll be ready almost 
 any time you say, if she approve." 
 
 And Sergeant Black said he would wait, indeed 
 must wait, until he had found out about Bell, and 
 with a scraping bow that, in its very awkwardness 
 and spurry entangling of his dusty boots, was the 
 acme of soldier devotion, he hastened past Aunt 
 Chloe and around to the front of the house, where, 
 dozing and chatting under the now dingy portico, 
 were three or four of the old hands, men too reduced 
 by camp ailments or long-unhealed wounds to be 
 ordered back to the front, and of them he sought, 
 all unsuccessfully, tidings of the missing trooper. 
 
 Meantime, Miss Heatherwood had scurried up the 
 back staircase, her companion more slowly follow- 
 ing, and tapped lightly at the door of her mother's 
 
334 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 room. Grief, anxiety, and care had so told upon the 
 aging, loving gentlewoman, that night or day, when- 
 ever possible, sleep had been enjoined upon her as 
 nature's best restorer, and never would they sud- 
 denly arouse her. No answer came. Noiselessly 
 the daughter opened the door and peered within. 
 The bed was unoccupied, the lounge as well. The 
 room was without a tenant. Hastily Miss Heather- 
 wood searched the upper floor, calling "Mother!" as 
 she did so, but without success. A shawl was miss- 
 ing, and it was evident that while the girls were busy 
 with their own affairs earlier in the long afternoon, 
 the gentle mother had slipped quietly out of the 
 house. A sudden light dawned on the daughter 
 and shone in her brightening eyes. 
 
 "Stay here, Florence, dear. I know where she's 
 gone," she cried, her excitement manifest in the 
 glowing cheeks, and, darting through the kitchen, 
 she sped swiftly along a winding path through the 
 shrubbery, down the slope to the north of the home- 
 stead. Half-way down was a little arbor and rustic 
 seat, once a favorite resort, but now dismantled, if 
 not well-nigh ruined, and there, smiling through a 
 veil of tears, her mother slowly rose to greet her, 
 while a broad-shouldered form in dusty blue burst 
 through the shrubbery beyond and fairly leaped out 
 of sight in the shelter of the grove. 
 
 That lovely June evening, an hour after sunset, 
 the dust-covered ambulance drove away down the 
 winding road escorted by Sergeant Black and a 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 335 
 
 single trooper, the former mystified beyond expres- 
 sion and unable to say a word. Miss Heatherwood 
 had so eagerly accepted his offer to convoy the little 
 party to Frederick that he expected similar alacrity 
 on part of the mother, and was surprised at the 
 length of time that elapsed before her appearance. 
 Then her gentle, appealing voice and manner 
 charmed him at once, as it did everybody, and the 
 rough soldier stood respectfully attentive to her 
 words. By this time he realized that this was the 
 woman of whom so many a comrade, regular or 
 volunteer, had spoken with blessing on his bearded 
 lips. Gladly she availed herself of the offer, yet 
 there was embarrassment, hesitancy, something- 
 amiss, and at last, as the girls seemed to cling about 
 her, she stepped with him through Chloe's oft-in- 
 vaded sanctum, and he saw and they saw she had 
 that to say to him which others should not hear. 
 
 "I have a favor to ask you, sergeant. We can be 
 ready to start in half an hour, if need be, but all the 
 roads from Edward's Ferry towards Frederick would 
 be crowded with marching columns. Delay will be 
 inevitable. Trooper Bell is with you. AVill you 
 tell him at once we are to go with you in your ambu- 
 lance, and bid him ride ahead and notify my rela- 
 tives, the Tighlmans, that we are coming? He 
 knows their home." 
 
 And then Black recalled the vague rumors he had 
 heard in the troop about Beau Bell's long sojourn at 
 this very spot, and knew that he must be another of 
 Madam Heatherwood's grateful patients. 
 
336 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "He shall go if I can find him," was the prompt 
 answer. 
 
 "'You will find him," was the confident reply. 
 "He was here to see me, bnt there are reasons why 
 mj children, and she smiled fondly as she included 
 Florence in the endearing word, "should not know 
 of it to-night." 
 
 Hastening back to the field-hospital, the sergeant 
 found that Trooper Bell was there on hand as Mrs. 
 Heatherwood had predicted. There was no time for 
 rebuke. Bell received his instructions with evident 
 surprise, but without a word. He quickly saddled, 
 mounted, and rode away while the ambulance was 
 being hitched. A tempting supper was set for Black 
 and his comrade in the dining-room when they ar- 
 rived, and, despite their soldier rations not so long 
 before, they could not turn from Aunt Chloe's 
 chicken and coffee. At eight they drove briskly 
 away with their preciovis freight, not ten minutes 
 before a lieutenant and a dozen men from the aque- 
 duct guard came clambering up the westward slope. 
 "Gone?" said the officer, in dismay, responding to 
 the brief announcement of a crutch-propj)ed invalid. 
 "Why, my God! I've just come with orders to see 
 that they don't go! They're to be taken to Wash- 
 ington under guard to-mon-ow." 
 
 An hour later, plodding slowly along up the Mo- 
 nocacy Valley, hemmed in, front and rear, by solid 
 columns of dusty troopers, many of them sleeping 
 in saddle, the occupants of the ambulance heard the 
 oft repeated caution "Halt!" and for the twentieth 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 337 
 
 time they stopped a moment before trundling on 
 again. The open door-way of the uncouth vehicle 
 was towards the southeast, and the horse of the 
 squadron commander following dropped his weary 
 head and rubbed his nose against the sill. Then a 
 voice was heard to break the silence: "Lieutenant, 
 ain't that a fire back yonder?" 
 
 "More'n likely," w^as the weary answer. "Fires 
 are frequent enough, God knows." 
 
 Miss Heatherwood was supporting her mother's 
 head upon her shoulder at the moment, but the latter 
 was up in an instant, and together they edged to the 
 door-way and gazed out into the night. 
 
 Away to the south a dull-red glare was spreading 
 over the horizon, and the southwest slope of Sugar 
 Loaf gleamed through the blackness of the night, 
 its jagged side aglow with the reflected blaze. Each 
 moment the reflection grew stronger. Then, as 
 though fresh flame had burst through wooden roof 
 or wall, the rolling smoke cloud drifting eastward 
 glowed with sudden force, and even the distant 
 heights at Point of Kocks threw back the ruddy 
 sheen. Then high aloft over the valley a pillar of 
 fire soared into the southern sky, and from within 
 the hooded wagon in his front the squadron leader 
 heard a woman's sob and the half-stifled words, 
 "^Mother, it's Heatherwood! Oh, I know it's 
 Ileatherw^ood!" 
 
 And then, growlingly repeated down the column, 
 came the same relentless order, — "Forward!" 
 
CHAPTEK XXIV. 
 
 Fiercely over the smoke-crowned ridge tlie mid- 
 day sun is beating down. Far as the eye can pene- 
 trate the eddying, sulphurous mist to north or south, 
 black-muzzled guns are rudely aligned, some along 
 the relics of stone wall, now splintered in a hundred 
 places, rent by solid shot and shell, some at the edge 
 of the westward slope. There is a throb and concus- 
 sion in every second borne on the heated air from 
 across the low, flat valley, seamed diagonally by a 
 broad, straight road, dotted towards the southward 
 with two or three farm-houses of stone, all more or 
 less shattered, and one of them — the nearest — 
 ablaze. A cloud-bank of pale blue, perhaps a mile 
 away, spans the valley at the west and extends from 
 far down to the left away up to, around, and beyond 
 a cluster of roofs and walls, of wood and stone, nest- 
 ling in the heart of the northward valley. Here, 
 there, and everywhere that opposite line of low- 
 hanging smoke cloud is rent and torn from beyond 
 by dazzling flashes of fire. The heavens give echo 
 to incessant roar and thunder from the trembling 
 earth. The quivering air is pierced by scores of 
 shrieking demons that, unseen in their flight, come 
 plunging like death-dealing meteors among the silent 
 
 batteries, or bursting in mid-air, with flame and 
 338 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 339 
 
 crash, into hissing fragments that tear their waj 
 earthward or fly far over the fertile plateau that 
 stretches away in graceful undulations until 
 hemmed by the line of distant forest at the east. 
 Only the week before this very spot was the scene of 
 rural, peaceful beauty; this placid old Pennsylvania 
 village drowsed in the summer sunshine tliroughout 
 the long June day; the blue hills, stretching from 
 Maryland away northeastward to the Susquehanna, 
 framed the lovely picture towards the setting sun; 
 the cattle browsed in the sloping fields in the long 
 shadows of the leafy groves; the birds sang to 
 heaven their pseans of rejoicing from morn till 
 night; the cloud shadows sailed over waving fields 
 of wheat and bearded rye, and deepened the dark- 
 green foliage of the orchards; the farm boys whis- 
 tled at their tasks, and around the tavern porch at 
 eve the honest burghers told their tales of how last 
 October they and the home guards sent the rebel 
 raiders — Jeb Stuart's cavalry — "flyin' out of the 
 valley and back to Virginia where they belonged." 
 Yes, all Gettysburg believed it was the sight of the 
 undaunted front of the local militia that bade the 
 triumphant Southron pause in his mad career of de- 
 struction, and history records the fact that not until 
 his advance rode into sight of the steeple of the old 
 Dutch church did Stuart turn and hark back full 
 speed for the Potomac. But a different tale is being- 
 told to-day. Stuart, once more riding and raiding 
 through southern Pennsylvania, has passed far be- 
 
340 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 }^ond, gone awaj northward to the bridges of the 
 Susquehanna by way of York on one side, while one- 
 Jegged Ewell, with Jackson's old "foot cavalry," has 
 trudged every inch of the way to Carlisle on the 
 other; and June goes out with famous John Buford 
 and his devoted troopers jogging through the now 
 alarmed and bustling town, bent on seizing the roads 
 to the west and on "lighting like the devil" to head 
 off these advancing hosts, until Reynolds with the 
 left wing of the army can come up to his aid. Two 
 days of mortal grappling, of desperate hand to hand 
 fighting, have turned the old town and all the fields 
 and slopes, groves and orchards, into morgues or 
 hospitals, and now at last has come the time for Lee's 
 supreme effort. One after another, in assault after 
 assault, Ewell, Hill, Hood, and Longstreet have been 
 hurled back from the rocky flanks of that stem blue 
 line; and now it recalls the old guard at Waterloo, 
 for the great A^irginian, the idol of the Southern 
 host, calls on Virginia to do what other States have 
 failed to do. He sends Stuart, returned at this 
 eleventh hour, to burst through the thin veil of cav- 
 alry out on the Union right and sweep down upon 
 the trains, reserve batteries, and the rear of the bat- 
 tling line, while Pickett, with that glorious division 
 of Virginians, held in leash until the very last, led 
 in brigades by such knightly soldiers as Armistead, 
 Garnett, and Kemper, and supported on the right 
 and left by brigades and divisions less famous, per- 
 haps, yet made up of fighting men under tried and 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. ' 341 
 
 skilful leaders, — Pickett is ordered to pierce that 
 blue line at the centre, then sweep it from the crest. 
 
 For two mortal hours, as preliminary, the fiercest 
 cannonade ever heard on the "Western Continent has 
 shaken the earth and rent the heavens. For two mor- 
 tal hours a rain of bursting shells has poured upon the 
 long, low ridge fringed by the Union guns. Provi- 
 dence thus far has sided with the South, for the soft 
 Avind from the northeast has banked the smoke down 
 in the valley in front of the guns of Lee, blazing 
 along a line two miles in length, while on the higher 
 crest, where stand the Union batteries, it floats away, 
 leaving them exposed to view. From the slopes be- 
 hind their guns the Confederate generals can see 
 the effect of their fire, and direct such changes in 
 elevation as may be needed, while the Union guns 
 have had only the smoke-bank at which to aim, yet 
 their response has been deadly. AVise leaders have 
 solved the meaning of this tremendous long-range 
 battling, however. It is but the overture to a terri- 
 ble drama soon to begin, and Hunt, chief of artillery 
 of the Potomac army, has ridden along his flashing 
 line ordering "Cease firing!" Ammunition must be 
 saved, guns must cool, or there will be failure in the 
 hour of greater need. 
 
 And now, towards three o'clock of the hot July 
 day, a silence ominous and forbidding has followed 
 the furious clamor, a silence broken only by the low- 
 toned words of command, or the moan of almost 
 countless sufferers borne from among the guns to 
 
342 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 where the surgeons, red armed, ply knife and saw in^ 
 the charnel pits at the rear. Havoc and destruction 
 have reigned among the batteries. Here and there a 
 shattered wheel or axle has dropped a cannon on 
 the foremost line, but it is among the limbers and 
 caissons at their back that the effects of the furious 
 shelling is most apparent. Horses lie with stiffening, 
 outstretched legs in bloody heaps, some few still 
 madly plunging in their agony. Here and there a 
 wreck of splinters tells where some ammunition- 
 chest has exploded and wrought death and mutilation 
 on every side. Mopping the black sweat from their 
 swollen faces, brawny men in shirt sleeves have 
 thrown themselves upon the ground among the guns, 
 others are clustered sadly about some dying comrade, 
 others kneel in soldier grief at the side of the dead. 
 All along the line of the ridge behind the batteries, 
 crowding into the rare intervals, battalions of in- 
 fantry sorely reduced in numbers are lying prone to 
 escape as much as possible the hissing fragments of 
 the shells. Out in a little grove south of the still 
 smoking guns of Gushing and Woodruff a new bri- 
 gade has been stationed, and these Green Mountain 
 boys take their baptism of fire with awe and wonder- 
 ment; yet, confident of their leader's judgment, hold 
 their ground like veterans. Away to the left on the 
 rocky sides of the Round Tops there is a flutter of 
 color over jagged ranks of dark blue, that promises 
 the wearied line along the ridge that no enfilade can 
 corae from that quarter, and the gray-clad bodies 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 343 
 
 stiffening among the rocks in the gorges at their base, 
 or among the trees of the curving heights at the 
 north, tell how fierce was the Southern effort to force 
 a way on both fianks, — and how ineffectual. In rear 
 of the line are occasional groups of horsemen, though 
 most ofiicers are dismounted, — common sense dic- 
 tating where Confederate shells do not; yet there are 
 generals and staft'-officers already again in saddle, 
 sure of vigorous work ahead. Some have not dis- 
 mounted at all, even in the storm of missiles; others 
 are quietly mounting now, for the fury of the can- 
 nonade is over, the fire is dying out. The great 
 drama of the day is coming; it is time to reset the 
 stage. 
 
 Hancock, superb as ever, rides among his faithful 
 men and reins in his horse to say a word of cordial 
 greeting to the heavily bearded brigade commander 
 who, seated on an ammunition chest, is stoically sub- 
 mitting to the reslinging and dressing of an arm 
 severely lacerated in the fierce battling of the day 
 before. A soldier every inch of him, despite his 
 years of plodding at the law, Colonel Clark insists 
 on his right and his ability to lead his men this vital 
 day, though it may be months before he can again 
 draw sword. Spurring uj) from the Round Tops 
 another brigade commander, whose sash and stars 
 have not yet known the tarnish of the battle smoke, 
 eagerly accosts the famous leader of the Second 
 Corps, and out goes Hancock's hand in welcome: 
 
 "Belden, this is glorious! How did you reach us? 
 Is vour brio-ade here?" 
 
344 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "^N'ot Yct organized, general. I was doing duty in 
 Baltimore, but got permission by telegraph to join, 
 and rode out from Westminster this morninc."' 
 Curious eyes following the new-comer mark how 
 like to Hancock is the young general. "Just as 
 though they were brothers with not ten years differ- 
 ence in their ages," says Clark to himself, as, to- 
 gether, the two stalwart soldiers ride away in search 
 of General Meade, for Eelden comes to tender his 
 sword and services in any capacity, and there is need, 
 sore need, of every man the Union can throw into 
 the fighting line, and the time is drawing nigh. 
 
 Three o'clock, and now at last the Southern guns 
 are still, and slowly, very slowly, the smoke veil 
 drifts aside, goes sailing out of the valley into the 
 opposite woods, and so the curtain rises on the last 
 great act, of the last great day, — the climax of 
 Gettysburg has come. 
 
 Away down to the left, out beyond the orchard 
 from which Sickles yesterday was driven with such 
 heavy loss, a new division has moved silently for- 
 ward, and as the smoke cloud lifts, and anxious, hag- 
 gard, yet fiercely gleaming eyes peer forth to the dis- 
 tant fields beyond the pike, in two long extended 
 lines, five thousand soldiery in dingy gray can be dis- 
 cerned, crouching or lying upon the shot-ploughed 
 turf. Almost two-thirds of a mile in length in line of 
 battle, five to six thinned regiments to each, are two 
 brigades easily distinguishable by the bits of color 
 where at regular intervals the St. Andrew's cross 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 345 
 
 flutters on the dull red of the Southern battle-flags, 
 and by the grouj)s of horses that, in rear of each com- 
 mand, tell where regimental and brigade leaders are 
 waiting with their few staff-officers the signal for 
 action. Back of them, three hundred yards or so, a 
 third brigade, also in long extended line, stretches 
 from north to south. It is Pickett's magnificent di- 
 vision, all Virginians, Kemper and Garnett com- 
 manding the foremost line, Armistead the second, — 
 gallant fellows, one and all. Only this morning 
 have they reached the field, fresh and confident, — 
 men who never yet have been denied when it came 
 to headlong attack, and Lee has called on these, his 
 "statesmen," his neighbors and friends, his kith and 
 kin, to perforin the last supreme act of devotion, to 
 charge and pierce that wearied Union line at its very 
 centre, to burst through the barrier that blocks their 
 march to the cities of the ISTorth, or to die in the 
 desperate yet glorious effort. 
 
 And that Pickett may have ample support in an 
 assault that all men know must be hazardous in the 
 extreme, and may be disastrous, Wilcox with his 
 strong brigade is ordered to cover him on the right, 
 the southern flank, and Wilcox at this moment it is 
 who leads forward his lines from the skirt of the 
 woods, from under the shelter of the guns set almost 
 hub to hub along the opposite slope, and once clear 
 of the batteries halts his command even farther back 
 than Armistead, to await the movement of the Vir- 
 ginians. On Pickett's left, or northern, flank, too. 
 
34G THE GEN ERA VS DOUBLE. 
 
 iie must have strong support, and here no less than 
 six brigades, led by fellows who have already been 
 fighting hard, are slowly pushed forward into one 
 long line of battle whose front is covered by a heavy 
 force of skirmishers that come well up to the pike 
 and almost under the silent breastworks towards the 
 northern flank of the Union position. These men 
 are mainly Xorth Carolinians, Pettigrew com- 
 manding, and it is their formation that reveals to 
 keen-eyed Hancock and his alert subordinates that 
 the main attack will come at the centre of the line, 
 right out here at Ziegier's grove, directly in front, 
 probably, of that protruding clump of trees where 
 Stannard and his Green Mountain boys are kneeling, 
 and here where Andy Webb's Pennsylvanians, back 
 of the stone wall, are aligned in front of Cushing's 
 guns. Only slender ranks are here to meet them, 
 yet the whole western front of the Union line is 
 threatened by the dispositions of Lee, and not until 
 the attack is centred on some section of the crest is it 
 safe to order one single regiment to move or leave its 
 post in order to strengthen some other. 
 
 Aye! There it comes, some unheard signal from 
 across the vale, ]^o one can see Pickett's solemn 
 farewell to Longstreet or read the grief and reluc- 
 tance in that veteran's face. He cannot, will not, 
 give assent to an assault he deems a hopeless sacrifice. 
 It is Lee's order, and that is all sufficient. Down 
 towards the pike are the smouldering ruins of an old 
 farm-house and its outlying haystacks, the spot where 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 317 
 
 Humphreys's line was so fiercely battling but the 
 day before. There in heaps lie the swelling car- 
 casses of Seely's horses, just where they dropped in 
 rear of his heated guns, and beyond that scene of lire 
 and carnage, and beyond the death-strewn pike, as 
 one man Pickett's division springs to its feet and the 
 next instant is seen to be in motion. Shimmering 
 through the burning heat of the July sun, with the 
 gleam of sloping muskets, the flutter of proudly 
 carried banners, the rhythmic swing of marching- 
 veterans, yonder comes a battle-picture that will live 
 forever in the eyes of those who gazed this vital day, 
 that will go down in history as the grandest pageant 
 of an immortal struggle. Saluted by the guns on 
 Little Round Top, almost instantly followed by 
 many another along the Union lines, superbly indif- 
 ferent to all, Pickett's Virginians, as though on 
 division drill, begin their stately "jDassage of the 
 lines," and in utter silence, in cadenced step despite 
 the shells that burst above their devoted heads and 
 shower them with whirring fragments, they pursue 
 their chosen course. Steadily, aye, with almost dis- 
 dainful deliberation, they move north towards Petti- 
 grew's waiting ranks, and not until opposite the 
 centre of the Union line do they form column of 
 attack. Here Kemper, throwing out a strong veil of 
 skirmishers, is seen to have halted. A broad gap 
 begins to ya%vn between him and his comrade bri- 
 gade, and into this gap, up from the rear, calm and 
 unhurried, marches Armistead; and now, in the 
 
348 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 proud old order of attack tliey love so well and have 
 essayed so often, the three brigades, their foremost 
 regiments aligned, once more are given the word, 
 and Pickett and his splendid legion are facing their 
 soldier fate. Hearts beat hard and lips are com- 
 pressed. No sound comes from the serried lines, but 
 the remorseless tramp, tramp of near ten thousand, 
 and the half-stifled groan with which some poor fel- 
 low pitches heavily forward, or the awful, inde- 
 scribable, crunching, crushing whish and whirr with 
 which huge fragments of iron tear through the 
 stern, solid ranks, rending flesh and bone, sweeping 
 away files and sections, yet never checking the calm, 
 steadfast, indomitable majesty of that matchless 
 advance. "Good God, isn't it superb!" is the cry 
 that goes ujd everywhere among the watchers at the 
 Round Tops and the sheltered right; but along the 
 stone walls and among the black-mouthed guns that 
 line the threatened crest, grimy fellows in long ranks 
 of blue grip tight their fresh-capped rifles and whis- 
 per, "Remember Fredericksburg," 
 
 And now Kem])er is across the pike and his right 
 swings out to pass the flaming ruins at Cadori's, and 
 as Armistead's men breast the low ridge of the road- 
 Avay that crosses their front, and Garnett, too, comes 
 sturdily tramping over, all the Union guns in front 
 of them depress the muzzles, and canister is rammed 
 home in place of shell. Another minute and that 
 superb sacrifice will be within the range of the 
 lighter missiles; but all of a sudden, to the wonder- 
 
THE GENERA VS DOUBLE. 349 
 
 ment of a wliole army, the division lialts in its tracks; 
 Pickett finds it is heading a little south of the point 
 he is ordered to probe, and right there on that open 
 slope, deluged with shot and shell from guns that 
 rake his ranks from right to left or hurl them in 
 the very faces of his men, the Virginia leader dares 
 to order, as though on drill, an oblique change of 
 front, a sort of left half-wheel that brings Kemper's 
 southern Hank almost agraze of the little grove 
 wherein, still silent, Stannard holds his breathless 
 Vernionters. Then once more, "ForAvard!" is 
 sounded, and now may God be with the right! for 
 despite the storm of shot and shell that has strewn 
 their bloody path with dead and wounded, deter- 
 mined, undaunted, magnificent in their disciplined 
 daring and devotion, the brigades resume their grand 
 advance, still so strong in numbers, so glorious in 
 their faith in one another and in their leaders, that 
 victory and triumph seeni perched upon their waving 
 banners, and the thin blue line that spans the crest 
 must burst asunder or be brushed away before the 
 human flood. 
 
 Once across the pike, the nimble skinnishers have 
 been recalled and at the run go darting through the 
 narrow intervals between the ranks. Over the dull 
 gray undulating columns a dull gray cloud is hover- 
 ing, half sulphur smoke from the bursting shells, half 
 powdery dust from the sun-baked slope. Only four 
 hundred yards away now. Already half the mounted 
 officers are unhorsed, and Armistead, struggling 
 
350 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 from underneatli his stricken charger, leaps out in 
 front as thongh to show his devoted men no shot can 
 harm him, and with hat high lifted on liis sword- 
 point, exulting, waves them on. "ForAvard! For- 
 ward! Touch to the centre!" are the only orders. 
 Not once does the iron discipline relax; not once 
 does a subdivision halt to fire, even when Kem- 
 per's leading battalions come abreast of Stannard's 
 bristling grove, and to the furious barking of the 
 double-shotted guns along the crest is added the 
 sudden crash of musketry on the right. Even now, 
 with company commanders, right guides, and dozens 
 of gallant fellows tumbling to earth under the 
 scorching ambuscade, even now the proud morale of 
 the sons of that historic commonwealth is proof 
 against the soldier impulse to wheel and volley into 
 that death- jetting clump of timber. Edge away 
 from it they must, for, remorseless still, the guns of 
 Gushing tear huge gaps in the nearing front, and 
 with every stride the advancing columns narrow. 
 Gallant little Gushing! Mortally wounded though 
 he knows himself to be, mortally wounded as is his 
 devoted classmate. Woodruff, only two years out of 
 West Point, they fight their guns to the very last and 
 die like heroes at their post of duty. Three hundred 
 yards, and still no quickening of the pace; still that 
 steady, measured, inflexible advance. But now 
 comes the test that tells. Webb, mindful of the tac- 
 tics of Bunker Hill, has sternly held the fire of his 
 Pennsylvanians, and at last he gives the word. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 351 
 
 Added to tlie sputtering crash of Stannard, a fierce 
 volley bursts from the stone wall, and the gray ranks 
 reel and stagger, the battle-flags are bowed one in- 
 stant, and only one, for now at last the spell is 
 broken, now at last the word is given, now at last the 
 thrilling shout of "Charge!" is taken up and echoed 
 throughout the column, and, yelling like demons, the 
 Virginians break their stern array, and with levelled 
 bayonets come dashing up the slope. Huge human 
 wave, rolling, surging, sweeping, resistless it bursts 
 and breaks upon the slim barrier at the edge, where 
 despite blood-tipped bayonets, clubbed muskets, 
 hurtling rocks, — every device of hand to hand com- 
 bat, — the blue line is swallowed up and washed back- 
 ward with the gray as over the wall it comes, and in 
 among the smoking guns it rolls, while afar back 
 across tha,t death-strewn valley mad cheers of joy 
 and triumph rend the heavens and the mighty heart 
 of Lee wells up in thanksgiving, for the colors of his 
 beloved State are Avaving frantically over the cap- 
 tured guns, — the grand assault of Pickett has pierced 
 the Union line! 
 
 O short-lived triumph! O bitter close to all that 
 valiant effort! O cruel, fruitless sacrifice of priceless 
 blood and treasure ! With half her number prostrate 
 along the path or stricken here among the foe, Vir- 
 ginia stands alone upon the summit won at such im- 
 measurable cost. AVilcox has wandered with his bri- 
 gade too far to the south and is out of supporting 
 distance; Pettigrew's Xorth Carolinians have re- 
 
352 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 coiled before the defenders of the northward ridge, 
 and the ringing chorus of victory that hails the sight 
 of Pickett's battle-flags, waving on yonder flaming 
 crest, proves but the knell of their defeat. Unsup- 
 ported right and left, they are hemmed in now on 
 three sides by cheering and exultant lines in blue. 
 Hancock and Gibbon, sore wounded, have gone 
 down before their rush; Webb's temple is seamed 
 by their hissing lead; hundreds of gallant officers 
 and devoted men are dying among the Union guns, 
 but all to no purpose for the cause for which Vir- 
 ginia battles. Every instant adds to the thronging 
 numbers of her foes. One after another the wor- 
 shipped battle-flags are dropping. One after another 
 the beloved leaders are missed. Armistead falls 
 dying on Cushing's body. Garnett is shot to death 
 at the wall. Kemper, severel}'' wounded, is being 
 borne by crouching comrades back down the 
 smoking slope. Colonels, majors, and captains by 
 scores are gone, and only a little remnant of the 
 ]iroud division hears the sternly shouted orders to 
 surrender. They have done their best. Never in all 
 the history of warfare did men dare or do more, but 
 they are all exhausted now. Huddled together, 
 leaderless, blind, panting in the hot, stifling smoke, 
 surrounded on every side by hostile ranks, by 
 bearded, blackened faces that even in the flame and 
 fury of battle glow with admiration of such un- 
 daunted heroism and soften with pity for such hap- 
 less fate. It is all over. The cross of Saint Andrew, 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 353 
 
 that waved so madly but a moment ago, droops de- 
 fenceless now. One by one the rifle-stocks are lifted 
 in mournful token of surrender, and, drifting back- 
 ward from the slope, Pickett, broken-liearted, finds 
 himself, with one lieutenant-colonel and a band of 
 stragglers, all that is left of Virginia's grand division, 
 — all that is left but a name that can never die. 
 
 In the solemn joy that hovers over the Avorn and 
 wearied lines on Cemetery Ridge this night there is 
 no sound of cheer or triumph. Such victory costs 
 too dear. At sunset a young Union general, bending 
 over the dark, pallid, clear-cut face of a Virginia 
 colonel, motions the attendant soldier to fall back. 
 
 "In God's name, Fairfax," he murmurs, "why did 
 you let yourself be taken? Do you not realize what 
 is hanging over you?" 
 
 For answer the prostrate officer draws from his 
 holster his stained revolver, every chamber black 
 and empty. "I had not a shot left — for myself. 
 Your bullets would not hit me. It was the butt of a 
 musket that knocked me senseless. I had hoped to 
 die with my brave — my murdered boys." 
 
 23 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Baltimore again, and every hospital is thronged. 
 Mid- July has come, and Lee has gone, once more per- 
 mitted to retire nnharassed across the Potomac. 
 Once more the Union lines are stretched along the 
 canal, and a picket post is stationed on the height 
 where towered stately Heatherwood, now a pile of 
 blackened, melancholy ruins. Once more Bob 
 Hamlin's troopers ride through the dusty lanes that, 
 less than a year before, they traversed at top speed 
 in chase of their Virginia foe, but no longer rages old 
 Foulweather at the head of column. To the amaze 
 of all he had turned up in time for the fierce battling 
 of the second and third day, but shot and sabre-stroke 
 have laid him low and left him, swearing still, a 
 bandaged and bewildered invalid at Hanover. 
 Treacy it is who commands, and Treacy who signs 
 the report that tells of the splendid charge they made 
 to hold the rebel right when Hood launched his col- 
 umns at the Round Tops. 
 
 "Again it is the duty of the regimental com- 
 mander to refer to the gallant conduct of Trooper 
 Bell" (Bob Hamlin writes it all), "for, v/hen tlie 
 sergeant standard bearer was shot from his horse in 
 the midst of the rebel line, it was Bell who rescued 
 
 both, bearing the wounded sergeant to a place of 
 354 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 355 
 
 safety, and then, standard in hand, rejoining in time 
 for the second dash, in which he was unhorsed and 
 seriously wounded, yet managed to toss the precious 
 emblem to a comrade and eventually to crawl back 
 to our lines." 
 
 Again is Beau an impatient patient in the sur- 
 geon's hands, transported, as are many of the 
 wounded, to Baltimore. He recovers rapidly, for 
 hard knocks seem to have no lasting effect on his 
 vigorous constitution. He is up and hobbling about 
 the tented enclosure in which so many comrades lie 
 suffering through the long, hot days. Surgeons are 
 few enough, and nurses sorely needed. Farther 
 north, by hundreds, noble-hearted women crowd to 
 the hospitals and press their services, but the bitter- 
 ness of this bitterest of wars is heaviest here in the 
 proud old Southern city, and many a stricken soldier 
 longs in vain for the soothing touch of a woman's 
 hand. Far to the front the able-bodied and the con- 
 valescent must soon be hurried, but for the time the 
 twin triumphs of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, told in 
 thunder on the glorious Fourth to a rejoicing nation, 
 seem to hold the hand of the Union leaders, as 
 though reluctant further to smite so brave, so suffer- 
 ing a foe. All through the hot July days, east and 
 west, the columns of Meade and Grant are held in 
 leash, as though the merciful, the tender-hearted 
 Lincoln were stretching forth his hand imploring 
 the erring children of the South to come to him that 
 he might indeed bind up the nation's wounds and 
 
356 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 care for him who had borne the battle; for him, or 
 the loved ones left to weep for the soldier who would 
 never fight again. A paralysis of pity has swept over 
 the armies of the Union, and made them powerless 
 to follow np their victories. For weeks the cities 
 swarm with slightly wounded or furloughed men, 
 and provost-marshals cease to demand papers and 
 passes through sheer fatigue. Back to the old 
 familiar lines slowly march the war-worn veterans 
 of Lee, a mournful remnant of the proud and 
 triumphant array that swung so jubilantly north the 
 month before, and there comes a fortnight in which 
 even stern military justice seems forgotten, in which 
 there is no longer thought on vengeance, a fortnight 
 in which Floyd Fairfax lies within his guarded tent, 
 visited by sympathetic friends, nursed by gentle 
 hands, encouraged by more than one old comrade of 
 the blue, before the Iron Secretary seems to realize 
 that once again the spy of Ileatherwood, the escaped 
 prisoner of Point of Kocks, the daring Virginian 
 who had cheated the gallows almost under the 
 shadow of his wing, is here again, a wounded leader 
 of Pickett's legion, — here within his grasp. 
 
 By this time, too, the Virginia colonel is quite 
 able to reappear at the head of his men. A crashing 
 blow of a gun butt on his uncovered head, a knee 
 sorely wrenched by the frantic struggles of his dying 
 horse disembowelled by a shell at the pike, make up 
 the sum total of his casualties, and from these he is 
 well-nigh recovered, but there can be no hope of ex- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 357 
 
 change. Heatlienvood and Tighlman have finally 
 succeeded in effecting their transfer, for the South 
 had far the best of it in prisoners after Fredericks- 
 burg and Chancellorsville, but no such luck can be 
 hoped for in the case of Fairfax. Even in the Union 
 army there are men who tremble when they think of 
 the fate that will surely be his the moment Stanton 
 becomes aware of his recapture, and one of these is 
 Belden. The draft riots in Xew York and other 
 cities have called for the presence of many of the 
 regiments of the Potomac army, and the new-made 
 general, whose bravery and whose example were so 
 conspicuous at the forefront among Gibbon's men, 
 still finds himself without a command. Fort Mc- 
 Henry and the post at Federal Hill are heavily garri- 
 soned. A major-general of volunteers makes his head- 
 quarters at Baltimore, while his command is mainly 
 strung along the Potomac from Edward's Ferry to 
 Cumberland, and to him has the young West Pointer 
 been ordered to report for assignment to duty; but 
 West Pointers are things that double-starred states- 
 man holds in aversion ever since the day he was 
 forced to listen to the comments of one of their num- 
 ber upon an amateur attempt to attack a battery 
 with a regiment in column of platform cars. He 
 greets the new brigadier with cold civility, tells him 
 to make himself at home at Barnum's until some- 
 thing turns up, and dictates a newspaper editorial 
 upon the prevalence of padded, pigeon-breasted 
 graduates of the National Academy in the corridors 
 
358 THFJ GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 of the hotels, while the heroic volunteers of all ranks 
 are found only at the post of danger, — at the front. 
 Meanwhile, the recruitment of the new regiments of 
 Pennsylvanians that were to have formed Belden's 
 brigade seems to have languished, and good honest 
 burghers throughout the Keystone State believe the 
 war is over and clamor for the return of the trooj^s 
 already in the field. Belden writes vehement letters 
 to Washington and Harrisburg, — to fossils at the 
 War Department and to friends at court, — but with 
 little effect at first, for the former are set against the 
 detachment of young regulars to the command of 
 vohinteers, where they speedily win distinction far 
 above that accorded veteran bureau officers, whom 
 they may soon outrank in the permanent establish- 
 ment; and the latter seem to share the belief of all 
 Bucks County that the South has never recovered 
 from the drubbing it received on Pennsylvania soil 
 at the hands of Pennsylvania men, and further en- 
 rollment is unnecessary. They have good cause for 
 pride in the valor of the sons of the Keystone State, 
 God knows, for Meade was defending his own fire- 
 side; for the grandest soldier of them all, though 
 he would not take the command of an army divided 
 against itself, died on the foremost fighting line, re- 
 pelling the fierce onset of the first day on the soil of 
 his native State ; for officers and men in scores from 
 the lovely valleys of the Juniata, the Delaware, the 
 Susquehanna, and the west slope of the Alleghanies 
 laid down their lives in willing sacrifice for the sake 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 359 
 
 of the Union and the glory of the old common- 
 wealth; for it was Webb's Pennsylvanians who op- 
 posed their sturdy front to Pickett's overwhelming 
 rush, fighting like devils even when hurled back by 
 weight of numbers. There were days when General 
 Belden could have torn the stars from his shoulders 
 and gone back to take command of his old squadron. 
 There came a day when he would have done it, such 
 was his wrath and indignation, but stars, straps, coat, 
 and all were gone for a time, and the very devil was 
 to pay in Baltimore ! 
 
 Impatiently awaiting at Barnum's the coming of 
 telegrams or letters in reply to his importunate de- 
 mands; forbidden by the general orders of the AVar 
 Department to visit Washington without permission 
 previously obtained from the adjutant-general, who 
 seemed to see stars too many as it was and refused 
 to encounter more; forbidden by military regula- 
 tions to leave his post of duty without ^vritten per- 
 mission from the general in command, to whom he 
 will not apply under any circumstances, the stalwart 
 young soldier fumes and rages about the Monu- 
 mental City, finding his only comfort or usefulness 
 in visiting the wounded, among whom there are 
 many officers whom he knows. His horses and 
 equipments he keeps at the stable adjoining the great 
 hotel. His aide-de-camp, an enthusiastic stripling 
 of his own name and race, is quartered with him. 
 His orderlies — one a veteran of the old regiment, the 
 other a strapping volunteer — are billeted with the 
 
360 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 provost-gnard, and it becomes his daily custom to 
 ride out to the camps and hospitals and to familiarize 
 himself with such defences as there are. Men and 
 women both look more than once at a fonn so grace- 
 ful and commanding, and at a face so clear-cut, so 
 handsome, so eloquent of soldier spirit and deter- 
 mination. Within the week of his return after 
 Gettysburg, General Belden is far better known by 
 sight to every officer and man of the neighboring 
 forts and camps, and to the populace of the city, than 
 is his senior in rank, the commanding general, who 
 is rarely seen outside his office or his temporary 
 home. 
 
 One soft evening in July, Belden has dismounted 
 within a broad enclosure bounded by a high, un- 
 painted picket-fence, and covered with the spreading 
 canvas of a score of hospital tents. The walls are all 
 looped up to permit free circulation of the air among 
 the patients in their simple cots. The spreading 
 tent-flies are propped high above each ridge-pole to 
 shield the roof from the sun that blazes so hot at mid- 
 day. The surgeon's quarters near the entrance, the 
 guard tent on the opposite side, the entrance gate 
 itself, and the store tents and dispensary are watched 
 by pacing sentries, who halt and present arms as the 
 little party enters. A young medical officer steps 
 quickly forward to greet the distinguished arrival. 
 A group of convalescents, reading newspapers or 
 chatting together under a spreading a^vning, arise 
 and stand attention, — a piece of soldier courtesy the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 361 
 
 young general acknowledges by lifting his forage- 
 cap. Then stepping forward and extending a cordial 
 hand to one or two of their number in whom he 
 recognizes old soldiers of the regular cavalry, Belden 
 seems to comprehend the entire gathering in the 
 kindly look with which he accompanies his inquiries 
 as to their improvement, their needs or mshes. It 
 is while he is thus engaged, surrounded by the battle- 
 scarred fellows, that a tall soldier, in natty, trim- 
 fitting fatigue uniforai, who, sitting somewhat apart 
 from the others, has been eagerly studying the pages 
 of a i^ew York journal, but who, like the rest, had 
 sprung to his feet, is now seen to slip quietly away 
 and to walk rather rapidly, for a convalescent, around 
 the corner of a neighboring tent, and there is lost to 
 view. 
 
 "Who was that?" asks the general. "I've seen 
 him before, haven't I? He has the ear-marks of the 
 dragoon about him." 
 
 "Faith, sir," was the prompt, half-laughing reply 
 of an Irish corporal, with the fond familiarity of 
 that favored race, "the general has seen the likes of 
 him every time he has looked in the glass since lie 
 joined us at old Lar'mie, and small blame to him if 
 he looked as aften as I'd dhrink his health! That's 
 Beau Bell, sir, that the boys would be callin' Belden, 
 for he's the best fighter in the ould regiment — that 
 wasn't born Irish." 
 
 "Bell, indeed!" is the smiling answer, as the gen- 
 eral slips a generous greenback in the soldier's hand. 
 
362 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "We all know liim, and I much want to see him. 
 Tell him, will jou, Terry? I'll ask the surgeon to let 
 you have a little outing this evening, lads, and the 
 corporal has — the countersign," he adds, with a 
 twinkle in his bright blue eyes, ''But remember, 
 draw it mild, and no row with the police or patrols." 
 So saying, he leaves them jubilant, the kindling eyes 
 that follow his erect and graceful figure telling elo- 
 quently the regard in which the soldiers hold him. 
 Directing his steps to a portion of the enclosure de- 
 voted to the officers, the general passes within an airy 
 tent, then stops short almost at the threshold. It 
 stands apart from the others. A sentry is posted 
 at the front, another paces the little pathway not 
 twenty feet away. The occupant is evidently a 
 prisoner in more senses than one, yet at sight of Bel- 
 den both sentries halt and present arms, and a tall, 
 dark-bearded, dark-eyed patient, with gentleman 
 stamped in every feature, rises slowly from his re- 
 clining-chair. "Ah! Belden, this is kind of you," 
 he says; then, turning at once to two visitors seated 
 near him, "Mrs. Heatherwood, may I present Gen- 
 eral Belden? — Miss Heatherwood," he adds; and 
 then, with a backward glance at an officer in the uni- 
 form and equipments of a lieutenant of infantry, 
 "and Lieutenant Farnha.m, who has no wish to super- 
 vise this interview, but, like the soldier he is, must 
 obey his orders," whereat the young volunteer 
 flushes, gratefully. Belden bows low and courte- 
 ously, but Mrs. Heatherwood has risen before he can 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 363 
 
 protest, and, coming forward with the same sweet 
 manner and gentle voice that seem inseparable from 
 her, holds forth her hand, exclaiming, "I am glad, 
 indeed, to meet General Belden. There was a time 
 when it seemed to be maintained that we had met 
 before, and were old friends." 
 
 "And is this « AVhy, what need to ask?" he 
 
 says, with beaming eyes. "Of course, there can be 
 but one Madam Heatherwood." And both his 
 hands are clasping the slender fingers as he gazes 
 into her pale, peaceful, tender face. "I do not know 
 how many fellows have talked of you and blessed 
 you, dear lady, and I envied them the knowing you. 
 Who said we were old friends? I wish we were. I 
 pray we may be," he goes on, impulsively, as he 
 slowly releases her hand. 
 
 "We ought to be," is the mournful answer, "yet it 
 was far better for you that we had never met in the 
 past. What a tale we have to tell you. General Bel- 
 den! It was your name, if not your voice, that 
 saved our home to us a few months at least. It is all 
 in ruins now." 
 
 "My name! my voice!" he cries, amazed, as he 
 draws forward her camp-chair and aids her to her 
 seat. "Why, this accords with some strange yarn I 
 got from Washington, and then that uniform of 
 mine that was found within your doors! What does 
 it mean? How did it happen?" 
 
 "That — I — cannot explain — now," she answers, 
 hesitating, embarrassed. "Yet some day you shall 
 
3G4 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 know, if we all live until ^tliis cruel war is over,' as 
 the song goes. Colonel Fairfax can best tell you 
 how your name suppressed them — the cannoneers — 
 the day that Stuart passed us by, — or my daughter, 
 — for they heard it all. I was prostrate." 
 
 "But not now," interposes Fairfax, in response to 
 an appealing, upward glance from Miss Heather- 
 wood's soft eyes, "'not now!" And without turning 
 he indicates by a significant movement of the hand 
 the officer of the guard, seated unhappily by. 
 
 "Yes, the colonel is right," promj^tly chimes in 
 Mrs. Heatherwood, "for we are limited to a call of 
 fifteen minutes. Come to me, — indeed, I know you 
 will if duties permit, — and you shall hear it all." 
 
 "Then for the moment I will leave you," says Bel- 
 den, promptly, his eyes glancing quickly from Fair- 
 fax to the slender, silent girl. "You must have mat- 
 ters to talk of " 
 
 "We have, general, and may we not have your 
 counsel?" replies Mrs. Heatherwood, as promptly. 
 Then, throwing aside all reserve, she frankly speaks: 
 "You have known Floyd Fairfax for years. You 
 must know he can never have been a spy. You do 
 know the accusation against him. I ask you, is it 
 possible that a spy would risk the loss of his com- 
 rades' respect by refusing to be safely borne away by 
 them to rejoin his regiment in Virginia, simply be- 
 cause he had given his word to an officer — just as he 
 might to this gentleman here — that he would not 
 attemjDt to escape from Heatherwood?" 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 365 
 
 "I know the whole story, dear lady," answ^ers Bel- 
 den, sadly. "But it is not what I believe, or what 
 his old comrades believe, that weighs in this case. 
 The evidence before that old court, he himself vn.ll 
 tell you, is sufficient to convict, and, loyal as I am to 
 my government and my flag, I wish to God he had 
 never risked falling again into our hands." 
 
 "Then you believe " 
 
 "I believe Secretary Stanton to be implacable. 
 Ah! no," he adds, mournfully, as she glances 
 quickly, fearfully, first at Fairfax, then at him, as 
 though she would say, in mercy do not let our kins- 
 man hear such dreadful news, "it will do us no good 
 to blind our eyes. Fairfax and I have talked it all 
 over. It is nothing new to him. You still have 
 warm and influential friends at Washington. Let 
 me urge you to lose no time. See them or vTite them 
 to be in readiness to act in mass on Stanton the in- 
 stant he learns that Fairfax is here. In all his press- 
 ure of care and duty the list of prisoners has not yet 
 been read to him, but sooner or later some one, hope- 
 ful of reward, will tell him, and then — - — " 
 
 "Then what, general?" 
 
 "Then his life will not be worth a penny." 
 
 The impressive silence that follows, broken only 
 by the convulsive sobbing of Miss Heatherwood, 
 lasts but a moment. At the door of the tent appears 
 a corporal of the guard. "The officer of the day's 
 compliments. The fifteen minutes are up, sir;" then, 
 "and the sentry says there's a man here to report to 
 General Bclden." 
 
366 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ''Tell liim to wait/' is the brief answer, "Mrs. ! 
 Heatherwood, you will let me see you to your car- 
 riage?" adds Belden, gently. "We must respect the 
 order, or even such brief privileges may be mth- 
 drawn." 
 
 Sobbing violently, Belle Ileatherwood has risen, 
 her fair head bowed upon her bosom, her handker- 
 chief, wet with her tears, close pressed to her face. 
 The young officer of the guard, with twitching lips 
 and blinking eyes, stands awkwardly by. On the 
 narrow walk at the side of the tent, some unseen 
 foot stirs roughly the gTavel, and a voice is heard: 
 "Don't go; the general says wait." Then, more 
 sharply, "Halt! I say," and the sound of quick foot- 
 falls ceases. Paying no heed to what is transpiring 
 without. Colonel Fairfax bends impulsively and 
 throws his arm about the quivering form of the fair 
 girl and presses one long kiss upon her brow. There 
 is a moment of clasping hands and choking adieu, 
 and then another voice. At the tent door stands 
 a strange officer in the uniform of a captain; the 
 gold cord on his trousers and the dark ground of his 
 shoulder-straps announce him to be of the staff. 
 
 "General Belden," he says, respectfully, extend- 
 ing an official envelope. 
 
 Belden whirls quickly upon him. "Ah! Captain 
 Wallace, orders — for me?" 
 
 "From the major-general commanding, sir. He 
 goes to inspect the lines along the Potomac, to be 
 gone a week, and is ordered by telegraph to leave 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 367 
 
 you in command in his absence. There are instruc- 
 tions affecting — this gentleman," he adds, uneasily, 
 with a glance at Fairfax. 
 
 Tearing open the despatches, Belden reads with 
 paling face. Then both hands drop in helpless 
 sorrow. 
 
 "Well, old man?" says Fairfax, a sad smile on 
 his wan face, as he holds forth a long, slim, sine^vy 
 hand. 
 
 "It has come, dear old friend," is the answer, with 
 something very like a sob. "They order you to 
 Federal Hill. They order me to be your jailer." 
 
CHAPTER XXVL 
 
 Sad and anxious faces were seen on every side that 
 hot July in Baltimore. The thrill of wild anticipa- 
 tion, of coming triumph, with which was hailed the 
 news that Lee once more had invaded the jSTorth 
 gave place to a lethargy of despair. Many house- 
 holds in Maryland were in mourning. Black was 
 seen on every side in Baltimore. With fearful loss 
 the daring army of the South had been driven from 
 Pennsylvania, leaving behind it many a chivalrous 
 leader and thousands of its best and bravest men. It 
 was one thing for gentlemen to die in the battle 
 front fighting for the cause they had espoused, — 
 even in their agony of grief Southern wives and 
 mothers found deep consolation in the thought, — 
 but it was far different to see a loved and honored 
 soldier of their faith threatened with a felon's death 
 upon the scaffold. Baltimore went wild with grief 
 and helpless rage over the stories spread on every 
 side concerning Fairfax. Though still bedridden 
 and enfeebled, he had been dragged, said rumor, 
 from comparative comfort and a clean and airy tent, 
 and despite unhealed wounds was thrust into a foul 
 dungeon, the prey of rats and vermin, chained, like 
 Bonnivard at Chillon, to a pillar below the level of 
 the waters, denied food, raiment, the actual neces- 
 sities of life, deprived of all means of communi- 
 368 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 369 
 
 eating with friends, weighed down with cannon- 
 balls and other. non-portables, subjected to daily and 
 nightly torture, awakened every minute by brutal 
 sentries if he slept. Just heaven! what didn't the 
 women say and believe? Without warrant of law, 
 without complete trial, as it was pointed out to 
 them, even the Iron Secretary could not order his 
 execution, and thereby were they convinced that 
 since Stanton dared not hang his prisoner at once 
 he meant to drive him mad or kill him by slow tor- 
 ture. Even Southern sympathizers knew that if 
 a military commission could complete the trial of 
 the hapless Virginian, there was evidence enough 
 on which to hang him. The question was. How 
 soon could the court get to work and finish the case? 
 How soon might not the impatient Secretary decide 
 to settle the matter out of court? All Baltimore 
 realized that Fairfax was in peril of his life, in 
 danger of a shameful death; and even the contem- 
 plation of the fact that gentlemen like Andre, pa- 
 triots like Xathan Hale, and impulsive boys like 
 Mumford had died for their principles at the rope's 
 end, brought no consolation to the countless friends 
 of the imprisoned soldier. 
 
 Yet to the privileged observer Floyd Fairfax was 
 a happier man than the Union general charged by 
 War Department orders with the defence of Balti- 
 more and the safe-keeping of the spy. So far from 
 the former's being chained in a dungeon beneath 
 the lapping waters, he had the run of a high and airy 
 
 2-1 
 
370 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 room, cool as anything could be under the blazing 
 sun of late July in a Maryland town. He had ice in 
 abundance, flowers in profusion, bath-tub, books, 
 stationery, clean linen, an excellent physician, and at 
 least one devoted friend, his old comrade, his 
 new custodian, Grosvenor Belden. True, only these 
 two were permitted to visit him, only such letters 
 could reach him from without as were inspected by 
 the commanding general, only such letters could he 
 send as the general could certify did not convey more 
 than the stem orders of the Secretary would counte- 
 nance. Four days had elapsed since his transfer 
 from the hospital camp, and in no wise physically 
 had he suffered, while Belden raged at heart over 
 the order which condemned him to such duty, even 
 while Fairfax thanked heaven that it was Belden 
 and no other who was charged with his safe-keeping. 
 What sorrow and humiliation and |X)ssible indignity 
 had not been spared him through this knightly foe 
 and faithful friend who came by day and night to 
 counsel and to cheer! To Fairfax Belden strove to 
 hold out hope of kindly consideration of his plight. 
 To himself, who alone knew the full tenor of the 
 Secretary's instructions, he admitted no hope what- 
 ever. 
 
 Another thing that gave him grave concern was 
 the fact that his superior, the absent commander of 
 the department, was ordered to hasten his return to 
 liis post, and this meant that his, Belden's, charge 
 could be but temporary, and all opportunity for 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 371 
 
 ameliorating the lot of liis old comrade would be 
 denied liim with the other's coming; for, like more 
 than one creation of the war, both Xorth and South, 
 the major-general, when at safe distance from the 
 front, was tremendous in the blows he dealt the foe. 
 Everything Belden could do through friends at 
 Washington he had done, even to the rousing of 
 Stanton's wrath against himself and a renewal of 
 Stanton's warning that he'd have no more of this 
 giving aid and comfort to the enemy. It wasn't 
 enough that gentlemen should fight like Paladins in 
 the field; there were statesmen, heaven save the 
 mark! who would have had their soldiers trample 
 on a prostrate foe, and smite, like jealous, raging 
 women, the face uplifted to implore a victor's mercy. 
 We had them l^orth and Soiith, — the men who bul- 
 lied helpless wives and daughters in New Orleans, 
 or starved and shot their captives in the stockades of 
 Macon and Andersonville. 
 
 It was a lovely Sunday evening. The soft breeze 
 from the Chesapeake was drifting over the heated 
 roofs of the city and cooling the faces of the throng- 
 ing soldiery at the forts. Out on the ramparts 
 swarmed the defenders, now that the sun had sunk 
 below the western horizon, and the flags that all day 
 long unfurled over Federal Hill and frowning Fort 
 McIIenry had fluttered downward like gayly plum- 
 aged birds to sleep until the coming of the morrow's 
 sun. Through the heavily barred windows of his 
 prison Floyd Fairfax looked out over a bustling 
 
372 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 yard, bounded by rude wooden barracks and dotted 
 here and there with snowy canvas. North and 
 south the view was just the same, — barracks, bayo- 
 nets, blue-clad soldiery sauntering ever by, many 
 looking at his gridironed casement with not unkindly 
 interest in their unlifted eyes; some even venturing, 
 half awkwardly, a shy salute. Of the city, the har- 
 bor, the far green fields, the dancing waters of the 
 bay, the distant forests, he could see nothing. Life 
 was hemmed in, circumscribed, by the pitiless accom- 
 paniments of war, and doubled sentries^ with mus- 
 kets capped and bayonets fixed, paced beneath his 
 curtainless windows, peered in, by order, every few 
 minutes day and night, while others, supervised by 
 an officer from his tent door not ten paces off, kept 
 vigil at the entrance that was proof against all 
 machinations or temptation. They were keepers of 
 each other's honor as well as of the prisoner. There 
 could be no buying an entire guard. There could 
 be no possibility of escape. Even if Floyd Fairfax 
 should evade their vigilance, every loop-hole of the 
 fort was guarded, every approach picketed. Sentry 
 after sentry would bar his way. One after another 
 every scheme proposed in rebel Baltimore was given 
 up as hopeless. Floyd Fairfax was doomed. 
 
 Just as twilight settled down an open carriage, at 
 sight of which guards and sentries stood rigidly at 
 attention, came driving rapidly up the dusty road, 
 whirled unhindered past the guard-house, and drew 
 up in front of the prison door-way. Promptly the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 373 
 
 officer of the guard opened the carriage door and 
 offered a white gloved hand to assist the tall young 
 general officer to alight. Even then they noticed, 
 officers and men, that Belden's face was graver, sad- 
 der than before. Followed by the doctor who was 
 driving with him and by an orderly who sprang, 
 basket-laden, from the box, and escorted by the offi- 
 cer of the guard, the little party entered and walked 
 on through a corridor that resounded to their foot- 
 steps. Presently out came the lieutenant, met at the 
 threshold by his red-sashed superior, the officer of 
 the day. 
 
 "Thank God for small favors!" was the instant 
 salutation of the junior. "We're to be relieved from 
 jail watching anyhow. Orders have come to send 
 him to Fort Lafayette." 
 
 "You don't say so! When does he go?" 
 
 "To-morrow some time. A guard is to come for 
 him at reveille." 
 
 Then sergeant looked to soldier, and soldier to his 
 mate, and the faces showed that even then in the 
 sympathy excited by the tidings there was greater 
 sense of comfort and relief. The news went from 
 group to group, from soldiers under arms and in 
 equipments to fellows dawdling about the barracks 
 in their sliirt sleeves, to others strolling townward on 
 pass till tattoo, and there was quite a gathering at 
 respectful distance when once again the young com- 
 mander came striding forth, his forage-cap, as was 
 his wont, pulled well down over his eyes. 
 
374 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Is it true, general?" asked tlie soldierly captain, 
 whose red sash, crossed from shoulder to hip, be- 
 spoke the oiRcer of the day. 
 
 ''Sadly true," said Belden, gravely. "Dr. Morrow 
 remains with him awhile, but I have to drive to Mc- 
 Henry. This weather is too hot for horseback exer- 
 cise. The usual orders, captain. I'll be back later 
 to-night." 
 
 "The usual orders, lieutenant," said the senior to 
 the officer of the guard. "It's our last night at this 
 kind of work, thank God! All the more reason that 
 it be thorough. See that your men understand their 
 night orders. I shall begin questioning before taps." 
 
 "The usual orders, sergeant," said the officer to 
 the sergeant of the guard. "Instruct your reliefs 
 thoroughly. I'll see to those on post." So saying, 
 he turned to the nearest sentry, facing close before 
 the prison door. "Your special orders, sir?" 
 
 Facing his young superior, the soldier tossed his 
 glittering musket across his body to the position of 
 "arras port," and, going straight to the meat of his 
 instructions, ignoring the array of general orders 
 that every wartime sentry knew, he jumped, as 
 directed, to those that met this especial case: 
 
 "My special orders are to use the utmost vigilance 
 in preventing the escape of the prisoner known as 
 Fairfax, here confined; to permit no person to enter 
 except the commanding general, the post comman- 
 der, the officer of the day and guard, the medical 
 officer, and the attendants they direct to accompany 
 them." 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 375 
 
 "From whom do you take orders?" 
 
 "In general, only the commanding general, the 
 post commander, the officers and non-commissioned 
 officers of the guard, but no orders which may permit 
 the prisoner to pass this door-way will be recognized 
 except when given by the commanding general in 
 person or by his superiors in presence of the post 
 commander." 
 
 "No cross-questioning was needed. Only keen- 
 witted, clear-headed men, the j)ick of a clean-cut 
 American regiment, were chosen for this duty. The 
 lieutenant found his flank sentries equally well in- 
 structed, with the addition that bullet or bayonet or 
 both were to be used should the prisoner seek egre^ 
 by the ^vindows overlooking the sentry post. They 
 were chatting in low tones, the officers and non-com- 
 missioned officers of the guard, as to what was the 
 purport of this move to Lafayette, "the Bastile of the 
 North," the isolated fortress that stood at the nar- 
 rows of Xew York harbor, when the doctor and the 
 orderly came forth, and the former's eyes were wet. 
 
 "Yes," he said, in answer to questioning glances. 
 "There is a possibility that he may be removed before 
 da^vn. The general has begged that the ignominy 
 of fetters may not be enforced, and that he may send 
 him around by sea instead of by the scorching rail- 
 way. The 'Narragansett' sails at daylight, and the 
 answer may be here any moment." 
 
 "The basket was — all right, I suppose?" said the 
 captain, dubiously. He could take no chances with 
 Stanton at the head of thino"?. 
 
376 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "Clean linen and the like," said the doctor, briefly. 
 ''You'll hardly doubt your general, I suppose?" 
 
 "There are generals I might doubt," was the 
 answer, "but not him," he added, as Belden's car- 
 riage once more entered the gate-way just as the 
 drums and fifes struck up the long, wailing prelude 
 of tattoo. 
 
 Preoccupied and sad, Belden passed his saluting 
 comrades without a word, and spent ten minutes 
 in the dimly lighted room. The sentry at the north- 
 ward window said that Fairfax had been writing, 
 and gave the general two letters, after which they 
 clasped hands and talked in low tones. 
 
 And even when the general came forth the New- 
 Englander, the officer of the day, with the caution 
 of his Connecticut training, sought further informa- 
 tion at the fountain-head : 
 
 "If the order should come, general, will you bring 
 it, or haow?" 
 
 "I shall come myself, sir," was the answer. "I 
 have asked this favor, backed by the doctor's certifi- 
 cate that a hot day's journey by rail might be fatal 
 to a man just recovering from the blow of a clubbed 
 musket on the brain, and the department will hold 
 me responsible, doubtless, for his safe delivery 
 aboard the 'Narragansett.' Xow, doctor, if you are 
 ready." 
 
 The orderly sprang upon the box. The doctor 
 stepped in by the general's side. The carriage drove 
 rapidly .away. At Barnum's their inquiry was for 
 teleg^rams. Two had come, brought from head-quar- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 377 
 
 ters but a moment before. The first announced that 
 the major-general commanding would return by 
 noon the following day. The second Belden read, 
 then crushed in his hand^ wdiile a flush of indigna- 
 tion leaped to his face and fire glowed in his honest, 
 brave blue eyes. A moment later, like a caged tiger, 
 he was pacing up and down his room, Dr. Morrow 
 silently watching him. 
 
 "Eead that!" exclaimed the young soldier, at last, 
 as he tossed the crumpled paper to his friend. "It's 
 as much as saying that I myself am attainted. By 
 God, Dr. Morrow!" he continued, as he turned, with 
 blazing eyes, upon the calm practitioner, "I'll fight 
 for my flag as long and as hard as any man, but I'll 
 be damned if I can be hired to kick a gallant soldier 
 when he's down." 
 
 "Quiet, quiet, general," was the surgeon's soothing 
 reply, as he picked up the paper and slowly spread 
 it out upon the table. "Walls have ears, key-holes 
 eyes; chimneys, sofas, closets, corridors are packed 
 with spies. That assertion of yours is enough to send 
 you to Lafayette as well as Fairfax. Let's see what 
 the Grand Panjandrum sayeth: 
 
 " 'War Department, WAsniNGTOiT, July — , '63. 
 " 'Gexeeal G. Belden, U.S.Y., 
 
 " 'Temporarily Commanding, Baltimore, Mary- 
 land: 
 " 'Your request not favorably considered. The 
 Secretary of War directs immediate and unhesitating 
 
378 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 compliance with his orders concerning the prisoner 
 Fairfax.' Hum, So and So, Adjutant-General. 
 ISI ow, my dear friend, to be frank with you, I am 
 glad of this. You've been fretting yourself into a 
 fever over Fairfax. You don't know it, but you're 
 a sick man this minute. I've been watching you all 
 day. Your pulse is rattling away as it never did 
 under fire, and your temperature is at fever heat, 
 nothing less. I\^ow, I can do what I couldn't do if 
 Fairfax were to be sent by the 'Xarragansett,' — 
 order you to bed, give you cooling and soothing 
 medicine, and fetch you out in time for the duties of 
 the morning. Come, lad," he added, soothingly, 
 placing his hand on his commander patient's shoul- 
 der, "I'm in earnest. No; you can't go to the 
 Heatherwoods' to-night. You're going to bed at 
 once. I'll send the messenger to Eutav/ Street, and 
 will follow him as soon as I've got you to sleep." 
 
 An hour later, like a tired child, the wearied, trou- 
 bled soldier surrendered to the drowsy influences of 
 the doctor's cooling, soothing draught, and Morrow 
 tiptoed from the room. When Morrissey, the 
 veteran orderly, stole in to get the general's boots 
 and uniform to brush them for the coming day, the 
 general was sleeping the sound sleep of exhaustion, 
 and the faithful Irishman bent a long, wistful look 
 upon the loved commander he had followed from 
 the far frontier, and his hand trembled as, to the 
 bundle of boots and clothing, he added the general's 
 handsome sash and belt, his sword, forage-cap, and 
 gauntlets. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 The patrol of the provost-guard, a little earlier 
 that evening, had halted a tall soldier in the uniform 
 of the cavalry, who was coming briskly down the hill 
 from the direction of the convalescent camp. So far 
 from showing annoyance or disquietude, as was often 
 the case at such interruption, the soldier stood with 
 confident mien and promptly presented his papers, 
 standing rigidly at attention while the officer closely 
 inspected them. There was no flaw. They were all 
 in precise and regular form, — Private Lawrence 
 Bell, Troop "C," — th U. S. Cavalry, a convalescent 
 patient U. S. General Hospital, etc., etc., on recom- 
 mendation of the chief surgeon was granted five 
 days' furlough, with permission to visit relatives in 
 Philadelphia; was to return to said hospital by 
 9.30 P.M. on the 27th day of July, 1863, or be con- 
 sidered a deserter. Said soldier was six feet two 
 inches in height, blue eyes, fair hair, light com- 
 plexion, and was by occupation a clerk, — -that occu- 
 pation being the one almost invariably given by 
 every enlisting soldier who had presumably known 
 better days — but no trade. The furlough was signed 
 by various officials, and was countersigned by the 
 
 provost-marshal, so that for at least two or three 
 
 379 
 
380 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 days Trooper Bell was free to come and go, liis own 
 master so long as lie behaved himself. 
 
 "Where are you going now?" asked the officer. 
 
 "To meet some old comrades, sir, down by Cam- 
 den Station. They have a theatre pass till midnight; 
 then I'll take the train to Philadelphia." The 
 answer was prompt and respectful. 
 
 "You have a long walk for a man recently 
 wounded," said the lieutenant, still glancing over the 
 furlough. 
 
 "I'll take a cab, sir, at the square, if the lieutenant 
 has no objection." 
 
 "Oh, of course not. It's all right if you have 
 money to throw away." 
 
 "We never could save money in our regiment, sir," 
 said the trooper, with a quiet smile that showed the 
 strong white teeth underneath the drooping mous- 
 tache, and lightened for a moment the tired, almost 
 pathetic, look about the deef)-blue eyes. He received 
 respectfully, yet mth an unconscious dignity of man- 
 ner, the papers returned to him, saluted with punc- 
 tilious deference, and then, though his fine face 
 clouded with instant thought and anxiety as soon as 
 he was free, went quietly on his way, followed by 
 the regard of more than one pair of eyes in the 
 patrol. 
 
 "That man looks soldier enough to be a colonel 
 any day," was the muttered comment of the lieu- 
 tenant, "and I've seen him somewhere — in better 
 clothes." Then the silent squad marched on. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 381 
 
 But the driver of the "waiting cab diverged from 
 the route to Camden Station before he'd gone three- 
 quarters of a mile, and as the city clocks were 
 striking eleven, reined up in a side street near an 
 o\)e\\ square. The soldier sprang forth, shot into a 
 dark alley-way, and the cab whipjDed up again. In 
 ten minutes it was back, its lamps gleaming opposite 
 the end of the alley. A gate opened a few paces 
 away, and a woman's voice, low, intense, prayerful, 
 murmured, "I shall spend the hours on my knees. 
 Oh, God speed, God bless you, my boy!" There was 
 a lingering handclasp, but no response. 
 
 "To the stable," was the muttered order, as Bell 
 resumed his place, with a bulky parcel on his arm, 
 and again the light vehicle darted away, this time 
 turning sharp about and threading a course through 
 the side streets, past shops and dwellings, dark or 
 dimly lighted, until at last it hauled up at a corner 
 in rear of some massive buildings, and Bell, bundle 
 laden, stepped out, handed the driver a greenback, 
 briefly said ''Good-night," and, wasting no further 
 words, strode calmly and confidently into the door- 
 way of a roomy stable, passed on to a harness-room 
 at the rear, and there, polishing a pair of high boots 
 and hissing away, trooper fashion, at his task, sat 
 Morrissey. 
 
 "Which?" muttered Bell, as he passed him by. 
 
 "The second, the door av it's open on this side," 
 was the Irishman's answer, and in a moment Bell's 
 bundle was exchanged for one that lay in the depths 
 
382 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 of a closed carriage, standing with others under an 
 open shed. A paved conrt-yard lay beyond, and 
 farther still were the walls and windows of a biff 
 hotel. Presently back came the tall trooper again. 
 
 "Now, Morrissey, there's no time to lose. The 
 doctor's gone probably. Run ujd to the room for ten 
 minutes, and then, mind now, only three drinks, just 
 enough, old boy, so that they can see it when jou 
 order the carriage. No more till after you pick me 
 up at the side entrance. Carrick will drive as usual, 
 and you saddle while Carrick is hitching in." 
 
 Together, bundle laden, the two soldiere passed 
 by a rear stairway used by the servants only, up to 
 the corridors of the old hotel. Morrissey softly en- 
 tered the general's room ; Bell passed on to one a few 
 steps beyond and locked the door behind him. 
 
 Midnight and the bells of the city had ceased their 
 solemn chiming. The roysterers among the various 
 resorts along the wharves were scattering to their 
 undesired roosts before the bayonets of the hated 
 patrol. The dark shadows of the ugly brown bar- 
 racks on the height were unrelieved by the light of 
 a solitary lamp. Out on the northward slope a 
 pacing sentry looked down upon the placid harbor, 
 hemmed by gloomy fore-sts of masts and cordage, by 
 black and frowning warehouses. The silent streets 
 were outlined by dim, yellow dots of gas-lamps, and 
 farther down the broadening estuary the surface of 
 the waters sparkled with the faces of the myriad stars 
 and the riding lights of the ships that lay at anchor, 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 383 
 
 some within the point, others still farther beyond and 
 under the bristling ramparts of Fort McHenry. 
 There they floated, store-ships, transports, merchant- 
 men, and, hovering close at hand, watching them 
 like marine sheep-dogs, the few men-of-war, 
 where, — 
 
 " Here and there ii twinklin<j port reflected on the deep 
 In many a wavy shadow showed their su.len guns asleep." 
 
 ^o breath of air was stirring. A belated watch 
 striking eight bells aboard a distant bark, full two 
 minutes after the dull booming of the city towers had 
 ceased, sent his tinkling knell to the departed day, 
 sweet, clear, and vibrant, quivering like silver string 
 npon the night, and the dreaming sentry at the gate- 
 Avay, his thoughts wandering far homeward to the 
 hills of the Connecticut Valley, whirled about at the 
 sudden crunch and sputter of horses' hoofs coming 
 rapidly up the sharp incline, and his bayonet clashed 
 with unusual menace as it came down to the charge, 
 while stern and sharp the challenge rang out, "Who 
 comes there?" 
 
 'Trind wid the counthersign," responded a loud, 
 jovial, yet thick Milesian voice, as the coming horse- 
 man slackened speetl. 
 
 "Halt! Dismount! Corporal of the guard, frind 
 Avid the counthersign," responded the sentry, keen 
 to the customs of war in like cases, yet, because of 
 the interruption to his visions of home and loved 
 ones, venting his spleen in mischievous and not un- 
 
384 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 recognizable imitation of the Celtic accent. "It's 
 the general's orderly, Morrissey," he muttered, as the 
 corporal came darting out of the guard tent, rifle in 
 hand, to inspect the midnight intruder. 
 
 "Boonesborough, and be damned to ye!" was Mor- 
 rissey's intemperate response to the demand for the 
 soldier credentials required by the regulations; "and 
 I can lick the wooden clock-maker that masquerades 
 there as a soldier on yon post. D'ye hear that, you?" 
 and it was patent to the military eye and ear that 
 the general's orderly had had a drop too much ; "an' 
 I'd do it now if ye'd sthep out av your belts and onto 
 the grass yonder, but that the gineral's jist behind. 
 Turr'n out your gyard, ye lousy son av a wooden 
 
 nutmeg " But the coming crash of hoofs and 
 
 whirr of carriage-wheels put sudden end to his im- 
 pudence. The senior officer of the guard came 
 springing from his tent within the gate-way. Several 
 of the guard seized their rifles, as though expectant 
 of the order to fall in. The carriage reined up 
 almost in their midst before the lieutenant had time 
 to further question its exhilarated advance guard. 
 The light of the guard lantern fell full on the clear- 
 cut, soldierly face at the right window of the car- 
 riage; on the forage-cap pulled down to the brows 
 of the keen blue eyes; on the well known drooping 
 moustache sweeping outward at the ends and the 
 pointed imperial; on the muscular throat, with the 
 velvet collar of the general officer; on the broad, 
 square shoulders dotted by the glistening silver stars. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 385 
 
 "Fall in the guard!" shouted the sergeant at the 
 sight, but there was instant protest in low, finn tone 
 from the carriage window. 
 
 "Xever mind the guard, sir. I do not wish to in- 
 spect. Let my orderly ride in ahead, if you please, 
 and keep the gate open a few minutes for me. He 
 has given the countersign, I presume." 
 
 The lantern was ^vithdrawn, the officers and the 
 men stood at the salute as the carriage again moved 
 on. There was another and briefer parley at the tent 
 of the officer of the prison guard, and the sentries 
 at the door-way of the rude wooden building in 
 which Fairfax was confined faced outward and stood 
 at the carry, while the well-known form of the hand- 
 some young general emerged from the closed car- 
 riage, halted one moment as though to assure the 
 lieutenant, who hastened to join him, and then 
 passed on into the dark interior, followed by the 
 officer and his sergeant with the keys. 
 
 In a moment these latter came forth and found 
 Morrissey once more in saddle, and, consequently, 
 even more independently truculent than if only in 
 liquor, saying opprobrious things to the silent sen- 
 tries about volunteers in general and Connecticut 
 Yankees in particular. A general officer's orderly 
 is a man of consequence, even though garbed as a 
 private soldier, and while the lieutenant hastened 
 away to notify the captain and officer of the day of 
 the important arrival, the sergeant strove to smooth 
 things over. "Any other Mick," he said next day, 
 
386 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ''I'd have flattened out witli the butt of mv gun, but 
 General Belden's man was sacred." To the scandal 
 of the sendee, after sarcastic reference to the war- 
 riors at the outer gate, Trooper Morrissey had the 
 hardihood to produce a flask from his saddle-bag 
 and to take a long, gurgling pull at the contents by 
 way of drinking health and better manners to his 
 hearers, who, hailing from the land of steady habits 
 and thrifty occupations, were a living reproach to so 
 representative a son of the sod and of "the old 
 arrmy." 
 
 "You'll be so drunk in ten minutes you'll tumble 
 olf your horse, man," said the sergeant, in dismay. 
 "The general can't help seeing you're half-seas over 
 now. Hush! He's calling. — Yes, sir, I'll send him 
 right in." But the tall, commanding form appeared 
 at the door. 
 
 "Morrissey, ride down to the wharf and see if the 
 boat is in from the 'JSTarragansett,' and let me know 
 at once." 
 
 "Yis, gineral." And the Irishman, with impres- 
 sive salute, clattered away to the gate. The officers 
 of the day and guard were hastening together to the 
 prison at the moment and heard the orderly as he 
 started. 
 
 "The general sent him to see if a boat was at the 
 wharf from the 'jSTarragansett,' " was the sergeant's 
 explanation. 
 
 "Thank God!" said the junior officer again. 
 "They've got some mercy for the poor fellow after 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 387 
 
 all." On tiptoe the captain stepped witliiu the hall- 
 way, but the door to Fairfax's room was again 
 closed. A faint light gleamed through a crack at the 
 sill, but he could hear or see nothing without stand- 
 ing there and lifting the hinged shutter to the gi-ated 
 aperture, and something told him that this was not 
 appropriate in presence of the general commanding. 
 Chatting in low tones, once more the officers stood 
 together under the starlight. The sergeant spoke of 
 the evident intoxication of the Irish orderly, and 
 wondered that the general hadn't seen it. The 
 driver explained, — the same who drove on the open 
 carriage at dusk, — "Morrissey," said he, "is a char- 
 acter. He was the general's orderly in his old regi- 
 ment out on the plains, and he hasn't touched a drop 
 for weeks, but he thinks almost as much of this ]\Ir. 
 Fairfax as he does of the general. They were both 
 his officers in the same regiment until Virginia 
 seceded. Morrissey took a drink or two when the 
 permission came to send Mr. Fairfax round by sea. 
 Don't mind anything he says. He'll be sorry for it 
 in the morning, and I'll look after him all right." 
 
 "When'd the telegram come?" asked the captain. 
 
 "I don't know, sir. Morrissey routed me out 
 about an hour ago; said the general wanted the 
 closed carriage at once. It'd just got there then, I 
 reckon. What keeps 'em, d'you s'pose?" 
 
 The officer of the day stepped round to the flank 
 where the sentry was silently pacing. A faint light, 
 but no sound, came from the barred window. Only 
 
388 'J'HE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 by standing on a bench could lie look in, and this he 
 shrank from doing. "I stepped up there, sir," said 
 the sentry, "when I saw the light, but the general, 
 he came to the window and told me never mind, he'd 
 come with neAvs for the prisoner." 
 
 ]^ews, indeed! Starting from a troubled sleep at 
 the touch of a hand upon his arm and the murmur 
 of a voice, Floyd Fairfax gazed up eagerly at the 
 dimly outlined form bending over his bed, and stam- 
 mered, "Who-o-who says this? I do not understand. 
 Who are you?" 
 
 "Ask no questions, Fairfax," was the whispered 
 answer. "Your life depends on it. Make no noise. 
 I'm here to lead you to safety. Your friends are 
 waiting for you barely ten miles away. My carriage 
 is here at the door under a general's orders and es- 
 cort. J^one dare stop it. Listen, I say," for the 
 Virginian would have interrupted. "I must strike a 
 light in a moment and you must hurry into your 
 clothes. Xow, I warn you solemnly, not an exclama- 
 tion, not a sound!" And with that the shadowy 
 visitor turned to the table. A match scratched and 
 sputtered. The blue flame feebly shone a moment; 
 then clear and strong a yellow light spread over the 
 curtainless room and revealed in outline the tall, 
 stalwart figure of an officer in Union uniform. His 
 waist was girt with the yellow sash and gold-barred 
 belt of a general. From the bed came a gasp of in- 
 credulity and amaze, but the stranger never turned. 
 He lighted the candle. Then leaving it on the table 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 389 
 
 SO that when he faced the astonished Virginian its 
 beams would fall upon his back, he calmly twirled 
 upon his heel and stood before the prisoner, erect, 
 silent, almost stern. 
 
 "Belden! Belden! In God's name, are you mad?" 
 was the stifled cry, as Fairfax, with staring eyes, fell 
 back upon his pillow, and now there was command in 
 the stern low tone and uplifted hand. 
 
 "Silence, man! and dress instantly! What you 
 see your guards see, and believe," was the whisper. 
 "Xow I have orders to give, but you get up at once." 
 
 Yet when the general returned, having despatched 
 Morrissey on his errand, Fairfax still sat like one in 
 a daze^ a look of awe, if not almost of terror, on his 
 face, for now the light, dim though it was, fell full 
 on the features of the visitor as he re-entered. 
 Shrinking back, the Virginian stared, speechless one 
 moment, then came the words, — 
 
 "Face and form you are Belden. Voice and car- 
 riage you are not. Only one man I ever knew had 
 
 your voice, and he In God's name, who are 
 
 you, if not Jack Lowndes risen from the dead?" 
 
 ".lack Lowndes, whom you killed at Bull Bun, but 
 forgot to bury," was the placid response. "Xow, will 
 you dress, or go to Lafayette at reveille and be 
 hanged as a spy the next day? Damnation, man, if 
 you're not dressed in five minutes, I'll call my guards 
 and pitch you into the carriage, neck and crop!" 
 
 Just as the solemn bells of Baltimore were striking 
 one, and in silvery, mellow tinkling the swarm of 
 
390 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 ships chimed their double strokes, there issued from 
 the dark portal of the prison two tall and manly 
 figures, the one on the right buttoned to the throat in 
 the double-breasted frock of a general officer of the 
 Union army, his belt, sash, and shoulder-straps 
 gleaming in the light of the sergeant's lantern, the 
 one on the left, leaning slightly on his conductor's 
 arm, attired in worn Confederate gray. 
 
 "I relieve you of your charge, gentlemen," said 
 the former, in the same low, grave tones. "Captain, 
 will you kindly assist Colonel Fairfax? That leg 
 won't bear much weight as yet." 
 
 "May I not thank you, gentlemen," said the Vir- 
 ginian, with high-bred courtes}', as he took his seat, 
 "for the consideration and kindness that you have 
 shown me?" He extended his slim white hand. 
 Captain and lieutenant both grasped and shook it, 
 and wished him happier fortune. "Morrissey will 
 return for the colonel's luggage in the morning," 
 said the general. "He should be here now. Good- 
 night, gentlemen." 
 
 "Good-night, sir." And with these parting words 
 the carriage whirled quickly towards the gate, and 
 past the post of the main guard. Here there was a 
 momentary halt and parley. 
 
 "I beg pardon, general," said a voice; "I'm officer 
 of the guard, sir; I'm afraid your orderly's been 
 drinking. He's just tumbled oft" his horse, and I 
 don't think he can mount again." 
 
 "The scoundrel!" exclaimed the brigadier, impa- 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 391 
 
 tiently. "Wliere is lie?" And Morrissej, limp and 
 protesting, was lugged to tlie carriage door. 
 
 "Sure, tlie gineral knows I can ride anything on 
 four legs, drunk or sober," was his maudlin cry, and 
 then his own long legs gave way under him. 
 
 "Here, pitch him right in, sergeant! I've had to 
 pull the old rascal tlirough many a scrape before. 
 Give me the rein of his horse and give the horse a 
 whack when we start, and he'll follow all right. Go 
 on, driver. Lie still, there, Morrissey. Good-night." 
 And so down the incline they sped to the silent street 
 below, and away towards the deserted wharves. But 
 the minute they were out of sight and hearing of 
 the sentry-posts, Morrissey sprang up and began to 
 squirm out of his trooper jacket, and the general 
 spoke, — 
 
 "Off with that uniform, Fairfax! Once more you 
 don the Union blue, sir. Once more you've got to 
 ride for your life in an old Second Cavalry saddle. 
 Think of the night the Comanches chased you into 
 camp on the Wichita, and ride like the wind for old 
 Carrick's place — you remember it — out towards the 
 Point. You'll be on the Eastern Shore, safe and 
 sound, at daybreak." 
 
 But still the Virginian hesitated. "One moment, 
 Lowndes. You've learned your part and my past to 
 perfection, — at Heatherwood, I suppose. What 
 rank you hold, what name you bear on the Federal 
 rolls, I cannot guess, but this night you're in 
 masquerade as Belden. Give me your word that he 
 
392 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 will be in no wise involved, or by God! I go back 
 to prison." 
 
 "You can't. You're my prisoner. General Bel- 
 den is sleeping in his bed, the doctor by his bedside. 
 It will be proved he never left the room." 
 
 "Then you and this gallant old friend and com- 
 rade, Morrissey. Your honor as an officer — his 
 liberty." 
 
 "All that was officer in me was killed at Bull Run. 
 As for Morrissey, nothing can be proved but that he 
 was obeying the orders of the man everybody be- 
 lieved to be the general commanding. A plain drunk 
 is the extent of his offending, — a soldier sin he'd 
 venture any day for a thousandth part of what this 
 will net him." 
 
 And still Fairfax hung back and strove to repel 
 the eilorts of Morrissey to aid him out of his coat. 
 "There's one thing more I've got to know, Lowndes," 
 and the dull glare of a gas-lamp shining for a swift 
 moment on his face showed the tension of his 
 thought. "Before Bull Run I believed you stood — 
 between me and my most cherished hope. What 
 does it mean that you, a Union man, are daring, God 
 only knows wdiat penalties, to save me?" 
 
 "It means simply," answered his companion, 
 slowly, as the carriage sped by the switch-lights of 
 the railway, and jolted over rough, unpaved streets 
 at the outskirts, "that no Union man who knows the 
 truth would have you hanged as a spy. We tight 
 in fair field, sir. You assumed that disguise for — a 
 woman's sake, not for Virc^inia or the South." 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 393 
 
 For another moment Fairfax could not speak, his 
 voice failing him through the force of his emotion. 
 "Words of further gratitude sprang to his lips, jet 
 died there. At last, "Lowndes," he murmured, ''may 
 God grant me life to show mv appreciation. I have 
 misjudged you utterly. But if I should be 
 killed " 
 
 "You ivill be if you are not out of that dress and 
 into this in five minutes. Your pass as orderly is in 
 the right hand saddle-bag, the countersign is Boones- 
 borough, in case you meet patrols, as you probably 
 will. Quick now, you have to mount and we must 
 leave you in a minute. Carrick's boat is waiting for 
 you at the old bank; the Heatherwoods planned it 
 all" 
 
 And though the speaker's lips set tight as he fin- 
 ished the words, he went on unflinchingly. Three 
 minutes later the carriage stopped. 
 
 "I can go no farther, sir, without danger of being 
 heard by the guard at the cross-roads," murmured 
 the driver. 
 
 The occupants stepped out upon the dusty side 
 street. Away to the northward, behind them, a dull 
 glow in the sky and the dim lights underneath 
 marked the site of the city. Around them were 
 open fields and scattered houses. Quickly Morrissey, 
 as he would have done of old, brushed the dust from 
 the saddle of the wondering horse, then held the 
 mud-flecked hood of the stirrup. Slowly, painfully 
 the tall Virginian swung into saddle, and sat there, 
 
394 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 attired from top to waist in tlie uniform of the Union 
 trooper, and liis dull gray trousers, thrust into long 
 boots, would hardly be distinguishable at night from 
 dusty blue. Around his waist Mon-issey clasped the 
 sabre-belt. ''Lord love ye, sorr, I was niver a finer- 
 looking arrderly meself , even when I sthrutted in the 
 thraeks of Colonel Lee." 
 
 A hand-clasp and hearty shake to the sympathetic 
 Irishman, and then, drawing off the gauntlet, Fair- 
 fax bent down to the other side. 
 
 "Lo^vndes," he murmured, as his slim hand was 
 somewhat loosely clasped, "there is something yet I 
 must ask, something I cannot fathom, — What has 
 Miss Heatherwood to do with this — infinite service 
 you are doing for me?" 
 
 And the answer came with but a moment's delay: 
 "Pretty much everything. Remember now, you are 
 riding for her sake." 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 The devil to pay in Baltimore, indeed! The sun- 
 rise guns had hardly boomed from Federal Hill and 
 Fort McHenry, when General Belden, accompanied 
 by his aide-de-camp, who looked somehow as though 
 he'd been up all night, — which it subsequently tran- 
 spired he had, j^laying poker with a jovial coterie of 
 junior officers not a block away from Barnum's, — 
 and followed by an orderly and a closed carriage, in 
 which sat Dr. Morrow, rode j)ast the saluting guard 
 and in among the barracks, and looked surprised to 
 see no sentries at the j^rison. 
 
 "Where are your men?" he briefly asked the cap- 
 tain who hurried to his side. 
 
 "Why, we took 'em off, sir. I didn't suppose they 
 were to be kept on after the prisoner was removed." 
 
 "Prisoner removed! What do you mean?" 
 
 The captain turned various colors. Was it pos- 
 sible that Morrissey's whiskey had befuddled the 
 general too. 
 
 "Colonel Fairfax was the only prisoner in there, 
 sir, and you took him away at one o'clock." 
 
 Belden was off his horse in an instant. "/ take 
 him off! Man alive, you're dreaming! I haven't 
 been here since ten o'clock last night." And he 
 sprang up the stej^s and into the dark hall-way. For 
 
 395 
 
39G THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 a moment the officer of the day seemed stricken 
 dumb; then lie shouted for his lieutenant and the 
 sergeant of the guard, who came on the run, just as 
 Belden reappeared, pale as a sheet, his cap off, the 
 perspiration starting from his brow. "Quick!" he 
 ordered. "Tell me what you mean? When? 
 How ?" 
 
 "Why, General Belden, I'm not dreaming," cried 
 the officer. "These gentlemen were with me. They 
 know. They'll corroborate what I say. It was you, 
 sir, came with a carriage just like this, and Morrissey 
 — only Morrisscy had been drinking. Surely you 
 remember, sir. You were dressed exactly as you are 
 now. You had the same carriage, but a different 
 driver. You know, lieutenant. You saw it, ser- 
 geant." And with consternation in their faces, the 
 subordinates murmured assent. Morrow had sprung 
 from the carriage and was standing, actually trem- 
 bling, by the general's side; the latter stood appar- 
 ently stunned. 
 
 "Do you mean he's gone?" gasped the doctor. 
 
 "j\Iy God! sir, I mean the general himself came 
 and got him, — the only man who could take him 
 came and got him," moaned the Connecticut officer, 
 gazing from one to another, as though ready to be- 
 lieve himself the victim of some foul conspiracy 
 against the government. 
 
 "And he had this carriage — and Morrissey?" 
 cross-questioned the doctor. 
 
 "Yes, sir, this very one." 
 
THE GEXERALS DOUBLE. 307 
 
 Morrow looked to the driver, wlio sat wondering 
 and embarrassed, flicking witli liis whip-lash at the 
 flies alighting on his horse's twitching flanks. 
 
 "It was out, sir, till nearly three o'clock, Carrick 
 driving. 'Twas all covered with mud when I was 
 called this morning. It took four niggers twenty 
 minutes to clean it. Morrissey wasn't to be found 
 anywhere." 
 
 Five minutes more and the general was spurring 
 to head-quarters. In half an hour telegrams were 
 flashing to Washington. By six the provost-guard 
 was searching high and low, and secret service men 
 were boarding every boat and train. Morrissey, 
 limp and bedraggled, was hauled from the stable 
 loft, half dazed wdtli whiskey, yet loudly damning 
 everybody for disturbing his rest after he'd "been out 
 wid the gineral half the night." "Where's me 
 haarse? Shure the gineral let him go, afther he'd 
 ordered me to dismount and get inside, breaking the 
 heart av me that had taught him all the cavalry 
 tricks he ever knew, Who was wid us? Xobody 
 but jist Loot'nant Fairfax takin' a ride wid his ould 
 frinds till I went to slape and niver knew nothing- 
 till we got back to Barnum's, and the gineral went to 
 his room an' I followed to get his boots and clothes. 
 Xo man can say I was dhrunk when I could tind to 
 all me jewties like that." 
 
 Worse and more bewildering grew the situation as 
 the morning wore on. Morrow declared that, re- 
 turning from a visit to friends at midnight, he 
 
398 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 peeped in at his patient and found him soundly sleep- 
 ing; that again he visited the room at one and at 
 two, and there the general lay like a tired child. Yet 
 hotel employes declared that only a few minutes 
 before twelve, in complete uniform, with sash, belt, 
 and sword, the general had descended to the ladies' 
 parlor, and had then taken Carrick's carriage at the 
 side entrance. The night watchman declared that 
 shortly before three the general returned by the same 
 route and went up to the third floor, Morrissey 
 lurching after him, but without the cap and jacket, 
 belt and sword with which he started. He wore in- 
 stead a flannel blouse and a battered hat, and was 
 plainly drunk. The general seemed angered at him, 
 yet permitted him to follow to his room. Towards 
 four o'clock the watchman saw another soldier, who 
 had been with Morrissey earlier, go down the back 
 stairs with him from the servants' quarters, where 
 the orderly had a little sleeping-room. This other 
 seemed trying to help the Irishman to the stable, and 
 that was all. 
 
 At noon there came officials from Washington to 
 conduct investigations. At 12.30 the major-general 
 returned from the West and was closeted with the 
 new-comers, while Belden, still half dazed and all 
 distress and apprehension, paced in restless misery 
 the adjoining room. At one o'clock all Baltimore 
 was athrill with the news that during the night Colo- 
 nel Fairfax had been released from prison by 
 General Belden himself, and at two that Belden was 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 399 
 
 in turn a prisoner. Other Union generals accused 
 of disloyalty liad languished without trial, one, at 
 least, at Lafayette, — why not Belden? Twice before 
 had he incurred the suspicions of the AVar Secretary, 
 and no amount of heroic service in the field seemed 
 to counterbalance the attaint of lukewarm patriotism 
 at the rear. Small wonder, either, with treason 
 stalking unrebuked throughout the streets of 
 Northern cities, preached by more than one paper in 
 many a State, practised by mobs of foreign-born citi- 
 zens and spread far and wide through the venom of 
 the copperhead. Harassed as he was, front, flank, 
 and rear; prejudiced as he had grown to be through 
 reports of Belden's previous record, — his altercation 
 with that sturdy patriot Foulweather; his old com- 
 radeship with Stuart, Fitz Lee, Hood, and Fairfax; 
 his early teachings in the old regiment under Sidney 
 Johnston and liobert E. Lee; his alleged intimacy 
 with the Heatherwoods; his avowed sympathy with 
 Fairfax and persistent efforts in his behalf, — these 
 were enough to poison the mind of milder men than 
 Stanton. And when soon after one the despatch 
 reached him over the wires that the returned major- 
 general considered the evidence against Belden such 
 as demanded immediate arrest, the order flashed back 
 instanter. At three that afternoon, overwhelmed 
 with consternation and dismay. General Grosvenor 
 Belden was shut in a close room at head-quarters, 
 Avith bristling bayonets at the doors, no arrest on 
 honor being deemed sufficient in his case. The Con- 
 
400 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 necticut officers, deprived of tlieii- swords, were con- 
 fined to their tents as possible accomplices. Dr. Mor- 
 row, shadowed by secret service men, was fuming 
 about the hotel and head-quarters, protesting against 
 the whole affair, and swearing that Belden had never 
 left his bed from 10.30 until dawn; and Morrissey, 
 also swearing, but after the manner of a pirate, and 
 fighting like a mad man, was lugged to the guard- 
 house, ''a thing of shreds and patches." 
 
 ''All this on or about the 25th day of July, 1863, 
 in or about the city of Baltimore, Maryland," as the 
 laboriously drawn specifications later said. Then, 
 away down along the south shore of the Patapsco was 
 found that very morning a riderless horse with the 
 government brand and cavalry equipments, an or- 
 derly's pass for one, Trooper Morrissey, in the off 
 saddle-bag, which receptacle was half-full of soldier 
 traps, including a flask of portentous size, itself half- 
 full of whiskey. "Timothy" was grazing contentedly 
 by the roadside when gathered in by a Maryland 
 farmer, whose face was guileless as he answered the 
 sharp questions of the swift-coming scouts. A 
 famous place for oyster-boats were the flats of the 
 Chesapeake, despite the fact that July was not the 
 famous month for oysters, and the "ISTarragansett" 
 ploughed her way through quite a fleet of sails after 
 she weighed anchor in the early morning. The soft 
 bosom of the bay was dotted by peaceable craft in 
 dozens, for crabbing was good and so were clams, 
 and old man Carrick's fishing-place seemed to have 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 401 
 
 been alive at a very earlv hour that morning, too, 
 for when the scouts came galloping thither between 
 six and seven and asking eagerly whether he had 
 fitted out any parties that morning, Carrick was fain 
 to admit that there were ''no less than three come 
 down before sun up." His boys had them somewhere 
 along shore now; but Carrick didn't say for whom 
 was engaged his best boat and oars and oarsmen two 
 days ahead, or who came trotting thither in the dark 
 hours before the dawn and was out of a Yankee uni- 
 form and into a Secesli coat before you could say 
 Jack Robinson. That uniform, weighted with 
 stones, was dropped overboard when the little craft 
 was half-way over towards Sparrows' Point. 
 Another, a worn Confederate gray coat, was loaded 
 with railway spikes and pitched over the bridge rail 
 by ]\Iorrissey on the homeward way, after which the 
 carriage had rolled swiftly back to Barnum's. Spar- 
 rows' was a point on the northeast side of the bay, 
 and while two lusty oarsmen pulled silently out over 
 the dark watei*s, keeping well away from the riding 
 lights of many a shadowy hull, yet peering eagerly 
 through the faint mists that rose from the placid sur- 
 face, the old man blessed the stars that had given 
 him such plucky sons, and led the wondering cavalry 
 horse well out ujjon the roadway, headed him for 
 the dull glow above the westward city, and, with a 
 resounding thwack or two across his outraged 
 haunches, sent him clattering homeward. Long be- 
 fore the "Narragansett" left a streak of foam between 
 
 2G 
 
402 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 the old fishing-pier and the glowing eastern sky, the 
 boys were back and ready to take folks a-fishing 
 should they come, — as speedily they did, — and he 
 who had been their passenger was safely under 
 hatches on a little coasting schooner, far over 
 towards that dreamy, sleepy, old-fashioned region, 
 low lying across the Chesapeake, and known as the 
 "Eastern Shore." Easier was it to find a needle in a 
 haystack than an escaped Confederate when once he 
 reached the drowsy confines of Kent, Queen Anne, 
 or Talbot. 
 
 That Colonel Fairfax had been aided by the con- 
 certed action of many friends in Baltimore was of 
 course the prompt conviction of all the Union offi- 
 cers. That Belden could have lent himself to the 
 plot was readily believed by quite a number who had 
 no previous knowledge of the man, of the old army, 
 or of the customs of war. The major-general com- 
 manding had no doubts whatever, and sneered at 
 those who ventured to entertain them. The men 
 who knew Belden and believed in him were either 
 at the distant front, where they belonged, or 
 languishing from wounds in far-away homes or hos- 
 pitals. For forty-eight hours the papers were full of 
 exciting detail, and their editorials of denunciation 
 and dismay consequent upon this new exhibition 
 of treason in the camp. For forty-eight hours the 
 name of Belden was held up to execration all over 
 the ^orth, and that of Fairfax as a triple-turned 
 spy and traitor. For forty-eight hours the secret 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 403 
 
 service officials swarmed about the homes of many 
 a prominent family in Baltimore, and once more the 
 Ileatherwoods were forbidden to leave their doors. 
 For forty-eight hours loving hearts were praying 
 fervently for further tidings that should have come, 
 signalled or sent through that mysterious agency 
 that proved so subtle and so strong throughout the 
 long four years, yet seemed to falter now. For forty- 
 eight hours at a dozen hearthstones in the old 
 Southern city there dwelt an agony of suspense, for 
 the news so prayed for came not. They whose joy 
 had overflowed at the whispered tidings of the escape 
 now clung to one another shuddering at the vigor of 
 the pursuit, the energy and wrath of the Union 
 leaders, and the probability that prompt action had 
 defeated their well-laid plans and cut off the fugi- 
 tive's retreat. For forty-eight hours no one entered 
 the Heatherwood house except on government busi- 
 ness or by military authority, not even "the butcher, 
 the baker, and the candle-stick maker," and three 
 unhappy Avomen kept their rooms in the second story 
 or gathered for comfort and support by the couch of 
 the gentle mother who seemed at last to have lost 
 hope and courage and to have broken down. By her 
 side knelt her daughter, pallid, silent, tearless. At 
 the window, watching, cat-like, the passers-by and 
 the little groups that, despite the orders of police 
 and patrols, would gather and stare, Laura Waddell, 
 with blazing eyes and burning cheeks, knelt for 
 hours at a time. A light in an opposite dormer-win- 
 
404 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 dow by night, a shade withdrawn by day, would 
 mean that Fairfax had reached in safety the farm- 
 house of some trusted friends, by whom he would 
 be safely hidden until opportunity came of slipping 
 over into Virginia again beyond the Union lines. 
 But the longed-for signal was not shown. Once a 
 sad, white face appeared at a lower window just at 
 the gloaming of the second day, and Laura started 
 nervously, eagerly, yet with her hand warned Belle 
 away. Only a mournful shake of the head answered 
 the appealing gaze from the windows of Mrs. 
 Ileatherwood's room. There was no news of Fairfax, 
 and, had all been Avell, they should have heard full 
 thirty-six houi-s before. It w^as then that Miss 
 HeatherAvood, too, seemed to break down under the 
 strain, and, throwing herself on her knees at her 
 mother's side, burst into a passion of tears. 
 
 "Mother! Mother!" she cried; "I must know 
 what it means! I cannot bear such mystery. Who 
 aided him to escape? AVho released him from his 
 prison? You know, and you are hiding it from me. 
 I must know. Is Jack alive? Was it Jack? Mother, 
 mother, in mercy tell me," she sobbed aloud. 
 "Where is he? Why do I never hear of him now?" 
 
 And drawing the weeping girl to her heart, her 
 own eyes welling over, her pale lips quivering with 
 grief, Mrs. Heatherwood could only answer, "Belle, 
 my child, I wish I did know, I wish I could tell. 
 Just now, even more than news of Floyd, whom I 
 l)elieve to be safe, I would welcome news from 
 Jack." 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 405 
 
 And that night at 9.30 the officer of the guard 
 sat in his tent, overhauled the few jDasses, and in- 
 spected the few men who had been permitted to 
 leave the enclosure for an evening stroll, and the 
 sergeant checked off the names on the list and sent 
 the returning convalescents to their tents. The half- 
 hour passed and the gates were swinging to when the 
 lieutenant lifted up his head and voice. "Hold on a 
 moment there!" he said; "there's a man short. Oh! 
 Bell's the name. He was due here at 9.30. Five 
 days' furlough. Hasn't he come in?" 
 
 "j^o sign of him vet, sir," was the prompt reply. 
 
 "Very well, close the gates. He may turn up 
 within the hour. I'll give him a little leeway, any- 
 how, — trains may be late." 
 
 But the night wore on without him. Another 
 morning flamed on the eastward sky. Again the dis- 
 tant boom from Federal Hill saluted the rising sun, 
 and far and near the first notes of the reveille called 
 the soldiers to the duties of another day. Forty- 
 eight hours, lacking but a few minutes, had passed 
 since the discovery that Colonel Fairfax had been 
 stolen from his guard, and now opposite the name 
 of Trooper Bell on the report submitted for the sig- 
 nature of the surgeon in charge was the single word, 
 "Deserted." 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 A TROOPER S LETTER. 
 
 "Philadelphia, July 27, 1863. 
 "Mr. George Lowndes, 
 
 "Willard's Hotel, Washington, D. C: 
 
 "Dear Sir and Sire, — This letter will not startle 
 jou as it might have done two years ago, because at 
 that time you believed my troubles — and yours on 
 my account — safely ended. Since then, however, 
 thanks to Colonel Clark, you have felt constrained 
 to renew your search for the missing papers, if not 
 for the missing son, whom, but for the doubt as to 
 those documents, you would have been well content 
 to know was buried. 
 
 "So far as you were concerned, it was my intention 
 that that son should be, for all time, dead. His 
 name, his rank, and something, at least, of his past 
 were buried at Bull Run, and you would never again 
 have been troubled by his ghost (and the words with 
 which you drove him from your roof were full war- 
 rant for his determination) had not fate reserved 
 him, and you, for unforeseen complications. The 
 life, the honor, the happiness of men and women 
 whom I hold dear are now at stake, and you are the 
 only person I know who can promptly set things 
 406 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 407 
 
 right. You, as a man of wealth and social position 
 and a power in local political matters, are now in 
 touch with the Secretary of War. You can establish 
 justice and promote tranquillity. To assure the 
 Honorable Secretary of the truth of all that follows 
 in this letter you have only to cause the following- 
 named officers to appear in person at Washington, 
 to wit: 
 
 "Brigadier-General Grosvenor Belden, United 
 States Volunteers, in unmerited arrest, Baltimore, 
 Maryland. 
 
 "Brigadier-General Joshua Clark^ United States 
 Volunteers, commanding brigade, — th Division, 
 Second Army Corps. 
 
 "Major Foulweather, — th United States Cavalry, 
 and be damned to him, in hospital somewhere with 
 a broken leg when it should have been his neck. 
 
 "First Lieutenant Robert F. Hamlin, commanding 
 squadron, — th United States Cavalry. 
 
 "Major W. H. Morrow, Surgeon United States 
 Volunteers, under the shadows of Baltimore detec- 
 tives and Barnum's Hotel. 
 
 "Then there are ladies, including my sister, whose 
 names need not be dragged into the matter at all. 
 
 "A s you did me the honor to say that only business 
 propositions would ever be entertained by you in the 
 future, I tender you, for your good offices in this 
 matter, first, the restoration of letters you have 
 vainly sought for, — those in which my mother 
 pleaded with you for justice to me, and promised 
 
408 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and vowed certain tilings in my name which jou re-' 
 fused to entertain, and thereby transformed into 
 dead letters. Second, the unexpended portion of 
 the little sum my mother placed in the Park Bank 
 for my use, all of which I drew out in April, '61, and 
 intrusted to other hands. So long as I pursued a 
 course that would bring credit to her son and honor 
 to the name I saw fit to assume, I cherished the first 
 named and drew upon the second. Having now 
 taken upon myself, an enlisted soldier of the United 
 States, the functions of a general court-martial, of 
 the reviewing authority, and of the Secretary of 
 War all in one, and having tried, acquitted, released, 
 and thereby done my best to restore to the cause 
 of the Confederacy, as it happens, a gentleman held 
 as a spy, I am no longer worthy to hold such posi- 
 tion of trust and emolument under the general gov- 
 ernment. I therefore voluntarily withdraw from 
 it, and am no more worthy to be called her son, 
 though quite good enough in my own opinion to be 
 yours. In plain words, sir, I, Jack Lowndes, alias 
 Lawrence Bell, a private trooper of the — th United 
 States Cavalry, have given aid and comfort to the 
 enemy by compassing the escape of Colonel Floyd 
 Fairfax, — th Virginia Infantry, and then and there- 
 after deliberately deserting the service of the LTnited 
 States. 
 
 "How did I do it? In this wise: Ever since the 
 week of my most untimely taking on with the 
 regular army old hands have spoken to me of my 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 409 
 
 strong resemblance to tlieir former first lieutenant, 
 Grosvenor Belden, tlien a captain on General 
 Hooker's stafF, later a colonel of Pennsylvania 
 cavalry, and now a brigadier-general of United 
 States Volunteers, always a gallant and distinguished 
 officer and gentleman. The fancied resemblance 
 pleased me, though it didn't Hatter. I saw the gen- 
 tleman in AVashington and had the remarkable oj>- 
 portunity of releasing from pawn certain articles of 
 his apparel placed there, candor compels the admis- 
 sion, not by himself, but by an employe of the hotel, 
 who found them too big for his individual use. It 
 pleased me to attire myself as Captain Belden, sim- 
 ply to see if people would recognize in the resur- 
 rected militiaman and volunteer, left for dead at 
 Bull E.un, and the disinherited knight of your house- 
 hold the resemblance to an officer and a gentleman. 
 In Virginia I had fallen, first, into the hands of the 
 enemy, who, believing me dead, would have buried 
 me alive, thereby reversing the decree of my friends, 
 who, believing me alive, would have buried me dead. 
 Then fate — was it my mother who pointed the way? 
 — led to the scene two of her old and devoted 
 friends, Hester, Lady Heatherwood, and Florence, 
 Lady Fairfax. It was the former who nursed me day 
 and night until she was able to have me transferred 
 from the battle-field to the home of her friend and 
 kinswoman at Leesburg. You will not be grateful 
 to them for their ministrations, but the world will 
 say I should be, and I am. Also am I grateful for 
 
410 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 their solemn promise that Jack Lowndes should re- 
 main numbered with the dead, and for my own that 
 Lawrence Bell would live to serve them loyally. 
 They, under sore stress, have kept their promise to 
 reveal to none but one woman the story of my resur- 
 rection. I to the bitter end have kept my self- 
 recorded pledge to lose no opportunity to befriend 
 those they love, even as my mother loved me. 
 
 "In the dress and authority of Belden I bore an 
 urgent message from Heatherwood to the Hunt 
 house in the Catoctin Valley. In the guise of Bel- 
 den I ordered our gunners to withhold their fire on 
 Stuart's battery the day they rode by Heatherwood, 
 and, finally, in the uniform, the equipments, the car- 
 riage of Belden, accompanied by Belden's orderly, 
 whom I had first befuddled with liquor and then 
 ordered to call Belden's own driver, I assumed Bel- 
 den's sole prerogative and set free a gallant soldier, 
 the son of one benefactress, the kinsman of another. 
 If this were not reason enough, there is still one 
 more, to me the most potent of all, but it would 
 probably have no weight with you. 
 
 "And now, the Llonorable Secretary will not wil- 
 lingly or readily release General Belden, restore him 
 to command, and publicly wipe out the stain. Dis- 
 aster in his eyes, as we know, has ever demanded a 
 victim, i^or will the newspapers now maligning that 
 gallant and brilliant officer tender the faintest 
 amende when the truth is known. These wrongs arc 
 hard for a soldier to bear, and for mv share in their 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 411 
 
 infliction I tender General Belden the expression of 
 my deej) sorrow that things had to be so. But, under 
 similar circumstances I would do the same again, 
 and down in the bottom of his heart General Belden 
 will thank me for having saved his old friend and 
 cherished comrade from the felon's death that would 
 have been his lot. 
 
 "Xo lighter sentence would have suited our Iron 
 Secretary. The circumstances of his disguise, the 
 place of his capture, the character of tlie papers 
 found in the pockets of the farmer garb I strove to 
 drown in the Monocacy, but that Foulweather's fel- 
 lows fished out before they were fairly soaked, all 
 rendered imperative a finding of guilty of being a 
 spy within the Union lines, yet General Belden 
 knows, and I know, spying was the last thing Floyd 
 Fairfax had in view. Belden, being an officer and a 
 gentleman, could not, without dishonor, act on his 
 convictions. Trooper Bell, being only a despised 
 enlisted man, without name, home, or fortune, could 
 and did do what his superiors dare not. The Secre- 
 tary will say it was a crime in me to release him. I 
 say it would have been a crime to hang him, and 
 that his crime would have been far greater than mine 
 I will submit to the decision of that Immortal Judge 
 in whose sight Edwin M. Stanton and Jack Lowndes, 
 alias Bell, — head and foot, respectively, of the army 
 of the United States, — stand on the equal plane of 
 miserable sinners. 
 
 "The Secretary and you will say that if I thought 
 
412 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 I was right I should have stood my ground and faced 
 my accusers, taken my punishment, and not added 
 the crime of desertion to my already clouded name. 
 In the first place, I have no name. In the second, I 
 have no confidence in military justice as practised 
 under cival supervision such as Stanton's; and in the 
 third place, I do not propose to spend ten years at Diy 
 Tortugas or some other prison because I did what I 
 knew to be right. As to the stigma of desertion that 
 must attach to me, I shall look at it from the point of 
 view of the philosopher in the ranks. The men who 
 knew and served with Jack Lowndes at Bull Run, 
 who charged with Lawrence Bell at Gaines's Mill and 
 Hanover Court-House, who fought by his side the 
 day we saved the gun at Ileatherwood, and who were 
 with him in the dash on Hood's right flank at Gettys- 
 burg, will say that, even though he has seen fit to 
 wind up his record with the Army of the Potomac 
 by tricking the guards at Federal Hill and retiring 
 from the service of which he was so bright and not 
 over-particular a star, the credit side of his account 
 outweighs the debit. This sounds immensely egotis- 
 tical, but I mean every word of it. 
 
 "In fine, sir, I feel that, so far from bringing dis- 
 credit on either of my names, I have done honor to 
 both, and as I am now about to assume still another, 
 I hope to cover that, too, with distinction. In another 
 army and another field and with another name, I 
 mean to do battle for our flag 'till the last armed foe 
 expires,' or words to that effect, and should the third 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 413 
 
 name under which I have served my countrv become 
 eventually known to yon as that of a fellow who 
 fought hard and well for the Union's, if not for his 
 name's, sake, I picture the self-complacency with 
 which you will congratulate yourself on having fur- 
 nished no less than three able-bodied soldiers for the 
 common cause, — all from the one son you kicked out 
 of your house. 
 
 "And now, sir, to conclude. I had hoped that my 
 beloved sister would never have to know of my re- 
 appearance on this earth unless I could come to her 
 with a record so proud that eA^en you would have 
 been silenced, but I have seen fit to surrender my 
 prospects, the main hope and inspiration thereof 
 being deader than I was at Bull Kun. By this time 
 her grief would have been assuaged, and she might 
 have ceased to mourn. To her I shall vTite by 
 another hand, as I do to the loved household among 
 whom, when banished from your doors, I found 
 shelter, welcome, and infinite patience and mercy. 
 This done, I have but one other obligation to dis- 
 charge. So soon as General Belden is exonerated 
 you will receive the order for the items of which I 
 spoke. 
 
 "This letter you will doubtless consider bitter, in- 
 solent, most undutiful, and, as of old, will attribute 
 its tone to over-indulgence in liquor. In this you 
 will eiT, as you often did before. AVine mellowed 
 what you termed my intractable spirit, filled me with 
 faith, hope, charity, — ^made all men, even you, my 
 
414 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 friends. These lines are penned under the austere 
 influences of an abstinence that has been total ever 
 since I got drunk ten months ago, as a man does to 
 neutralize snake-bite, in order to delay mj having 
 to testify against Fairfax, at Point of Rocks, until 
 his friends at Frederick could buy off one or more 
 of his jailei's. 
 
 "Posting this and other letters at midnight, I shall 
 leave Philadelphia at once, and become, as you used 
 to suggest, 'another man.' Your friend, the Secre- 
 tary, and his friends, the secret service fellows, will 
 lose time in looking for me. With due respect, 
 "Your son, 
 
 "John Lowndes." 
 
 This was the letter placed in the hands of the 
 Secretary of War at noon on the 28th of July. 
 Pallid, trembling with emotion, his eyes full of trou- 
 ble and dismay, the N^ew Yorker seated himself 
 while the Secretary read. What passed between 
 them later was not told. At one o'clock a despatch 
 was received by an astonished major-general in Balti- 
 more, directing that Brigadier-General Belden be 
 released from arrest and ordered to report in person, 
 accompanied by Surgeon Morrow, to the Secretary 
 of War the following day. So suspicious of trickery 
 was the department conmiander that he demurred. 
 IS^ot until four p.m. was the order communicated to 
 General Belden, on the arrival of certain officers 
 from Washington. With them came a portly 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 415 
 
 civilian, prominent as a member of the Union 
 League, and lield in high consideration by the gov- 
 ernment. Mr. George Lowndes sent his card to the 
 young brigadier, begged the favor of an inter\'iew, 
 was closeted with him and Dr. Morrow half an hour, 
 and then the trio drove to Barnum's, Belden de- 
 clining to stop and accept the congratulations of the 
 commanding general. Later, an orderly was de- 
 spatched %vith a letter to Eutaw Street, where it was 
 received by a young damsel with black eyes and 
 rosy cheeks, who seemed mad with delight and mis- 
 chief, and who perj^lexed the shy volunteer by de- 
 manding, "You Yankees goin' to hang Floyd Fair- 
 fax now, or wait till you get him?" for the shade to 
 the opposite dormer-window was raised, and people 
 with beaming faces had been throwing surreptitious 
 kisses and joyous glances at Madam Heatherwood's 
 window for over an hour. And later still, while the 
 two fair girls were clasped, sobbing, in each other's 
 arms, and Belle and Florence poured out their heart- 
 load of sorrowing confidences, their hopes, their 
 fears, their almost idolatrous praises of Jack's hero- 
 ism, Jack's self-abnegation. Jack's marvellous ex- 
 ploit as described by Florence, — never realizing, 
 woman-like, the gravity of his offences from the legal 
 and military jDoint of view, never dreaming of the 
 peril in which he had placed himself, — a sorrow- 
 stricken father held long conference with Mrs. 
 Heatherwood in the parlor below. To him at last 
 she recounted the strange events of the two years 
 
416 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 past, of her discovery of Jack among the desperately 
 wounded, of the promise extorted from her as soon 
 as lie could make himself understood, — that she 
 would keep his recovery a secret from all but Mrs. 
 Fairfax and Belle, until later on he could absolve 
 her; of the desperate nature of his c^se at first, — 
 shot, as he was, straight through the right lung; of 
 how reckless he had later been in her service, even 
 to the extent, all unknown to her, of having the offi- 
 cer's uniform and equipments kept there at Heather- 
 wood; of his donning it for Belle's sake in order that 
 lie might ride to the Catoctin Valley, where his pass 
 as orderly would not carry him, and so warn the 
 Hunts to tell Fairfax of how Heatherwood was sur- 
 rounded and to forbid his coming; of how Jack 
 later managed to destroy Belle's missive to her Vir- 
 ginia kinsman when Foulweather found the trooper 
 at the mansion; of how he saved them from a can- 
 nonade and had striven to destroy the evidence 
 against Fairfax. Her tears welled up as she spoke 
 of that night, and of his later conduct, or misconduct, 
 while in the hospital. From the night of Fairfax's 
 first arrest Jack had never seen Belle, nor had he 
 written to her, and when he came as one of the escort 
 with the fever-smitten major, it was only herself, 
 Madam Heatlierwood, that he had sent to ask to meet 
 him at the old arbor on the hill-side. It was only 
 herself to whom, later, he unfolded his plans for the 
 release of Fairfax from prison at Federal Hill. She 
 had instantly conferred with the colonel's friends 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 417 
 
 in Baltimore, and, once the prisoner was safely away 
 to Carrick's, the rest was easy. A thousand times 
 over the devoted fellow rewarded her for the little 
 she had done for him, said Mrs. Heatherwood. Yet, 
 as was the case with her daughter, woman-like, she 
 could not see that he had utterly sacrificed himself. 
 Surely the nation, the people, even the government 
 at Washington, would forgive him when they knew 
 all. But how were they ever to know — all? 
 
 And in the midst of their conference a card was 
 handed in. General Belden begged to be allowed to 
 j^ay his respects to Mrs. Heatherwood on the eve of 
 his departure for "Washington, and even as the gen- 
 tle woman turned to greet and welcome him, Aunt 
 Ohloe went wheezing up-stairs with a note for Miss 
 Belle. 
 
 ISTot five minutes later, before the first gTeetings 
 were fairly over, before Mrs. Heatherwood had 
 ceased again to marvel at the resemblance which the 
 silent father sat so mournfully studying, there came 
 the sound of a sudden and heavy fall in the room 
 above. Mrs. Heatherwood looked up in alarm, and 
 then hastened to the hall, for the voice of Florence 
 was heard calling for help. Xot knowing what 
 might have happened, Belden himself led the rush 
 up-stairs, but turned back at the door, — it was only a 
 fainting girl who lay there prostrate, and the letter 
 later explained it all, even to that which the loving 
 mother half suspected, yet so long could not under- 
 stand. 
 
 27 
 
418 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 That night, as Mr. Lowndes and the young gen- 
 eral paced slowly back to the hotel, the latter heard 
 the full particulars, as related, by Mrs. Ileatherwood, 
 of the story of the "double" whose existence he had 
 suspected for many a long month. He took the sad 
 old gentleman by the hand, "So far as I am con- 
 cerned, sir," said he, "your brave son has full forgive- 
 ness. I wish I could say it for the authorities. But 
 if ever he need a friend, he can count on me. I shall 
 do my best to find him just so soon as the hue and cry 
 are over." 
 
 But neither Belden nor the father had seen the 
 letter over which, late into the night, a loving, sor- 
 rowing woman, kneeling by a beloved daughter's 
 side, wept and prayed for hours. 
 
 " Philadelphia, July 27. 
 
 "There was a time in your past when you told me 
 that a great renunciation was needed before I could 
 hope to win the love of any woman worth the having. 
 
 "The day I rode for you to the Catoctins I read 
 such new, sweet promise in your eyes and words that 
 my heart bounded with a hope I never knew before. 
 That day I dared to take your hands in mine and 
 dared to press one kiss upon your forehead, — the 
 first, the last, all in one. The message I bore forbade 
 his coming; your eyes and lips invited me, even 
 though I wore the humblest dress in the hostile blue. 
 That was one day. 
 
 "Then came another when, unseen by you, I 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 419 
 
 watched your agony at your lover's capture, and 
 what I saw and what I heard were more than enough. 
 You and your ever blessed mother had kept my 
 secret, and I had vowed that, come what might, if 
 fate should throw in my way the chance of saving 
 those you loved, I would stop at nothing to keep the 
 faith. I saw again the proofs that your heart was 
 bound up in Floyd Fairfax the day when stern orders 
 compelled me to stand by that open tent and listen to 
 your sobbing, and to hear later — thank God I could 
 not see it! — how his arms enfolded you, how his 
 kisses swept away your tears. 
 
 "It was possible for just one man to save him to 
 you, and — it is done. My promise is kept, and 
 though the love I craved is given to a happier man, 
 I have made my great renunciation. It is now, 
 farewell. 
 
 "John Lowndes." 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 A GENEEAL court-martial assembled at Fort Mc- 
 Henry, Baltimore, late in August, for the trial of 
 Trooper Luke Morrissey, — tli United States Cav- 
 alry, "and such other prisoners as may properly be 
 brought before it," and the odd part of the affair 
 was that there were officers who sought the distinc- 
 tion of being brought before it, and who were denied 
 the luxury. An officer might demand a court of in- 
 quiry, said the sages of the AVar Department, and the 
 President might or might not accord it as he felt dis- 
 posed, but no officer could demand a court-martial. 
 Consequently, released from arrest and restored to 
 duty, the Connecticut officers were denied the privi- 
 lege of being vindicated by a jury of their peers, — no 
 one of whom, it was asserted, could possibly have 
 distinguished between Lowndes and Belden were 
 these two now famous personages attired exactly 
 alike. High and low and unavailing was the search 
 for the deserter, who had vanished, leaving not a 
 trace behind. True to his word, an order for "the 
 items above referred to" came with a sad, fond letter 
 to his sister Florence, who wept over it for days, but 
 dutifully obtained and restored to her father the 
 stout, leather-encased packet, so long reverently 
 guarded by Miss Heatherwood. Xo word of reproach 
 
 42U 
 
THE GEXERALS DOUBLE. 421 
 
 did the daughter utter as she handed to the broken- 
 spirited old man the precious case, and with it the 
 check for the balance remaining in a Philadelphia 
 bank to the credit of "Lawrence Bell." The father's 
 hands trembled as they opened the former, and great 
 tears trickled down his furrowed cheeks as he reread 
 one of the fond, pleading pages, and then bowed his 
 head on his arms and brooded in silence. By his side 
 knelt Florence, striving to soothe and comfort, but 
 he would none of it. "Her last plea," he moaned, 
 "was for Jack, and yet I steeled my heart. I thought 
 I knew him best. I thought his will should yield to 
 mine. I never thought to reason with him." 
 
 In the personal columns of leading journals, east 
 and west, were inserted for weeks appeals to Law- 
 rence Bell to communicate with his friends and that 
 all should be made right ; but if the appeal met the 
 ex-trooper's eye he probably had his doubts as to the 
 ability of even so prominent a member of the Union 
 League to make right a clear case of desertion, or 
 possibly he scented a trap on part of the detectives. 
 Not one clue would he give as to his whereabouts, 
 yet there speedily came proof that he was keenly 
 watching the course of events, and that was during 
 old Morrissey's trial. 
 
 Here, indeed, was a problem. Twenty years had 
 that veteran followed the flag without other reproach 
 to name or fame than the semi-occasional spree so 
 characteristic of the Hibernian trooper of the old 
 army. Wounded in the war with Mexico when he 
 
422 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 rode with the dragoons; extolled in general orders 
 for heroism in Texas when, at the risk of his own 
 gallant life, he stood by a wounded sergeant and 
 fought a swarm of yelling Comanches, being himself 
 twice wounded in the successful attempt to save his 
 comrade ; lionized in the new regiment as the nattiest 
 orderly ever chosen by cavalry adjutant for detail 
 with such honored officers as Sidney Johnston, 
 Robert E. Lee, or dear old Major Slowtrot Thomas; 
 distinguished, as were hundreds of our rank and file 
 for refusing commissions in the army of the Con- 
 federate States, even when importuned by offi- 
 cers they loved as Morrissey loved Fairfax; and, 
 finally, renowned in the regular brigade for his 
 daring and devotion in many a charge or scrimmage 
 in the bitter war then waging, Morrissey's record of 
 twenty years of heroism was now being weighed in 
 the balance against one tremendous accusation, — 
 that of having compassed the release of a rebel officer 
 who stood accused of being a spy within the Union 
 lines. Without his co-operation, drunk or sober, it 
 would have been next to impossible for Bell to play 
 the part of Belden. Evidence was adduced showing 
 that Bell and the accused had had two or three long- 
 conferences the evenings preceding the 25th of July; 
 that when Carrick would have declined his job as 
 driver of the general's carriage, Morrissey offered 
 to "go bail" he'd make it worth Carrick's while in 
 more ways than one. Evidence of his furious de- 
 nunciation of a man who spoke of Fairfax as a spy 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 423 
 
 was produced, and of his declaration in a public place 
 (Moriartj's Shades) that the man that would hang 
 Floyd Fairfax as a spy should be "put in diapers for 
 an immachurist;" which when related by the wit- 
 ness sunply convulsed the court. But there was none 
 but himself to tell how Floyd Fairfax had watched 
 and even nursed the old fellow when down with 
 fever in the lied River bottom. There was no one to 
 step forward and tell that court under oath how in- 
 dignantly the grizzled soldier had refused to touch 
 one penny of the money the friends of Fairfax had 
 raised. 
 
 All the same, there came a letter to the judge ad- 
 vocate from the missing trooper Bell, and a swarm 
 of witnesses to testify to Morrissey's past record and 
 character. Of the latter were both Belden and Foul- 
 weather. The letter of Trooper Bell could not be 
 admitted as evidence, but was read with absorbing 
 interest by every member of the court. All the 
 blame, it said, should be charged to him. Bell, pre- 
 cisely as, in the case of other deserters, it was then 
 the custom to charge every missing article on the 
 ordnance or quartermaster's returns, from a howit- 
 zer to a halter-strap. Morrissey was sirdply the tool 
 with which he wrought. It is easy to persuade an 
 Irishman to risk his own life for the sake of the man 
 or the cause he holds dear, and, having risked his life 
 a hundred times for the government, he was induced 
 to risk trial and punishment to save the neck of his 
 old commander, for no amount of hard swearing 
 
424 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 could ever convince liini, Morrissey, that Fairfax 
 deserved tlie fate of a spy. 
 
 Belden's testimony in behalf of Morrissey was 
 eulogium, so was that of Treacy and Bob Hamlin, 
 but Foulweather, as might have been expected, gave 
 but reluctant praise. To the quick wrath of the ac- 
 cused soldier, the good words of the swarthy major 
 could only be dragged from him by dint of earnest 
 effort on part of the judge advocate, who finally 
 waxed indignant at the obstinacy of his witness; and 
 then followed an unlooked-for and startling incident. 
 
 Angered at the attempts of the judge advocate to 
 extort from him reluctant admission that the accused 
 had been a most valuable and trusted soldier for 
 twenty years, old Foulweather blurted out; "I don't 
 care what a man's past services may have been, the 
 moment he gives aid or comfort in any shape to any 
 creature connected with this damnable rebellion I'd 
 hang him high as Haman! I'd stamp out his name 
 as I would a snake! I'd " 
 
 "Silence, sir!" thundered the president of the 
 court, with a whack of his sword on the table. "Con- 
 fine your remarks to answers to the questions put by 
 the judge advocate. We need no firing the heart of 
 the Xorth in this jDresence." 
 
 "Bedad!" was the astonished interjection of old 
 Morrissey, as he rose from his chair, quivering with 
 mingled wrath and emotion. "There was no need in 
 firing Heatherwood, but ask liim who done it!" And 
 in the midst of an awkward and solemn silence the 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 425 
 
 prisoner pointed square at bis erstwhile commander, 
 who turned, scowling and furious, on the excited 
 Irishman. 
 
 "Sit down, Morrissey!" ordered the judge advo- 
 cate, almost springing at him. "Xot another word, 
 sir! — Sit down, major!" he continued, as old Foul- 
 weather arose as though determined to address the 
 court. "This is no j)lace " 
 
 "Place or no place," shouted Foulweather, "I am 
 challenged and I shall answer here!" Over the in- 
 stant hubbub in the court, over the stern orders of 
 the president for silence, his harsh, sonorous voice 
 rang out invincibly. "That place was the hot-bed 
 of treason, — the home of spies and traitors. They 
 conspired with their kincl in our army to deprive me 
 of command. They put me in charge of a surgeon, 
 but couldn't blind me or stop my ears. They were 
 ordered arrested by the AVar Department. Traitors 
 in our uniform set them free, — helped them away, 
 by God! in the very ambulance that brought me 
 there! D'ye s'pose I'd lie bedridden when I heard 
 that ! I was out of it and up that hill, and those Xew 
 England soldiers knew^ a loyal officer when they saw 
 one, and they did my bidding. War is war, and if 
 I'd had my way that rebel hole would have gone up 
 in smoke a long year before." 
 
 That night, hours after the temporary adjourn- 
 ment of the court, in the corridors of the hotels, in 
 the crowded streets of camp, men stood and talked 
 of Foulweather's boast, and of Foulweather's fever- 
 
426 THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 
 
 crazed deed. Fever might have accounted for his 
 possible craze that night in June, but not now. Long 
 weeks had elapsed since his hammering at Gettys- 
 burg. He had so far recovered as to be allowed to 
 visit Washington and invade the War Department 
 and inveigh against the miscreants promoted over 
 him, and to vaunt his own deeds until ordered as a 
 witness to Baltimore. This night, piling Pelion 
 upon Ossa, he was found to be drinking heavily, and 
 this complicated matters still further. Ordered to 
 report at McHenry for further examination on the 
 morrow, the major at three o'clock in the morning 
 was forcibly borne to a room and put to bed, Treacy 
 and Hamlin mounting guard with solemn faces. 
 Was this to be the realization of a fear each, un- 
 known to the other, had felt for months past, — that 
 the stanch old fighter had fairly worn hmiself out, 
 and that envy and jealousy, blasted hope and 
 blighted ambition, all had conspired with over-much 
 whiskey and more than enough of hard knocks to 
 unbalance the veteran's reason. Certain it was that 
 when the doctor came with the moi'uing he found 
 his patient unconscious, breathing stertorously, his 
 veins black and swollen, his face suffused. There 
 was no Foulweather to answer the call for the wit- 
 ness when court convened that morning. There was 
 no recognition in his blood-shot eyes when Treacy 
 and Hamlin, ordered to rejoin their squadrons at the 
 front, called to see how their old major was and to 
 say good-by. Whatever might have been the extent 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 427 
 
 of his malady when sent to hospital at Ileatherwood, 
 there was left no room for doubt of its severity now. 
 Foul weather was too ill to rejoice even when poor old 
 Morrissey's sentence was later read. The court had 
 no volition at all. Compelled by law to sentence 
 in accordance with the degree of the offence, it had 
 accorded him a long term of imprisonment, with 
 ball and chain, in the dismal casemates of Fort 
 Lafayette, but coupled with this award an earnest 
 plea for mercy. 
 
 And even then the veteran seemed little discom- 
 posed. "AVhist!" said he. "There is wan to spake 
 yet that niver turned his back on a poor privut. 
 Wait till the Prisident hears what they've given old 
 Morrissey." And hear it he did before the setting 
 of another sun. Poor old Foul weather! The news 
 that came a few days later that the veteran trooper 
 had actually been pardoned and restored to duty 
 would have crazed him had he not gone daft already. 
 That winter saw the old regiment in new hands, for 
 the raging major never joined again. 
 
 Meanwhile, the summer's sun had driven many 
 Baltimoreans out of town, and, as might have been 
 expected, both Mrs. and Miss Heatherwood were suf- 
 ferers. Sorrow and anxiety are poor companions 
 with which to encounter the humid heat of the Pa- 
 tapsco shores, yet day after day, as soon as relieved 
 from the restrictions that confined her within doors, 
 Mrs. Heatherwood was again making her tireless 
 round among the sick and wounded. It could not 
 
428 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 last long, and Mr. George Lowndes, absent on a sad 
 quest in Cincinnati, received a telegram from lier 
 physician recalling him at once. Since the hour 
 Jack's farewell letter came, Belle had left the house 
 only when taken out for an occasional drive in the 
 early evening. Florence, despite the heat, refused 
 to leave her friend, and by mid-August the three 
 women looked, as sympathizing neighbors expressed 
 it to one another, ''like perfect frights." This time 
 Lowndes would not take no for answer. He bundled 
 the three into an evening train and settled them at 
 Cape May. It was sorely against Mrs. Heather- 
 wood's will, but she was prostrate and could make 
 no active resistance. There were cool, soft breezes 
 and entire rest; all three could look for benefit. 
 Meantime, the aging father returned to the West 
 and resumed his sorrowful inquiries. 
 
 Profiting by the inaction of the Union leaders in 
 the East, Lee dared to detach one of his three corps 
 and sent Longstreet to Tennessee to the aid of Bragg, 
 with the result that, midway between the scenes of 
 the great Union triumphs of Gettysburg and Vicks- 
 burg the South came up smiling after its supposed 
 annihilation and dealt the direful blow of Chicka- 
 mauga. The war, then, was anything but ended, 
 and once again Baltimore thrilled with joy. 
 
 Mid-October came, and, older, grayer, sadder 
 still, Lowndes came back from weeks of fruitless 
 searching among the hospitals of Kentucky, and, 
 gathering up his household, took them to the old 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 429 
 
 home on Fifth Avenue. Another clew had reached 
 l.im, and he was eager to go to Chattanooga, but 
 Chattanooga was shut off from the outside world by 
 the bold besiegers. Yet no sooner did Grant burst 
 through, with Sherman at his heels, than the inert 
 mass starving or sleeping in the shadows of Lookout 
 Mountain seemed to spring to life again, and just as 
 the early snows were sifting down about the roofs 
 and spires of Gotham, hope and enthusiasm re- 
 awakened in the North over the news that Bragg's 
 besieging army was swept like chaff from Mission 
 Ridge, and only the old flag now was floating down 
 the Tennessee. That grand victory of Grant's came 
 just in the nick of time, for far and near all over the 
 loyal States the pall of despond was spreading. The 
 South had fought too hard and long and well. 
 
 Bivouacked on the very crest of the ridge, close 
 to the dull red earthworks on which they had planted 
 their colors during the day, a strong regiment of far 
 Western men was singing and rejoicing about the 
 blazing cook-fires. Every now and then the groups 
 nearest the dusty roadway would rise and cheer some 
 general or staff-oflicer as he rode rapidly by, and all 
 .along the line the exultant shout would be taken up. 
 They were cheering everybody, anybody, the evening 
 of that glorious day, but they sprang to their feet 
 again and swarmed like bees and swung their caps 
 and shouted madly at sight of a stocky, broad-shoul- 
 dered, sharp-featured little fellow in a major-gen- 
 eral's coat, who laughed and shook his head at their 
 
430 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 characteristic yells for a speech, but he said thrilling 
 words to those who grasped his hands and hugged 
 his booted legs and crowded about his horse, and 
 thej cheered again like mad, for this was Sheridan's 
 division, as undivided a command as ever stood the 
 shock of battle. Presently it transpired that he 
 wanted to see the man who bore their colors u^^ the 
 height after the sergeant was shot down, and there 
 was a yell for Corporal Hoe, and the corporal 
 couldn't be found. The regiment had wavered a 
 minute, it seems, midway up the slope, for Bragg's 
 men gave them a crashing volley or two from a zig- 
 zag line of parapet a hundred yards beyond them. 
 The color-bearer reeled and fell, but passed his silken 
 treasure to the hands of a tall, brown-bearded cor- 
 poral in the rear rank of his guard, and this man, 
 tossing away his rifle, sprang out to the front full a 
 dozen yards, swinging and waving the brilliant ban- 
 ner high over his head and shouting, "Come on, men ! 
 Come on!" In an instant, too, an officer had rushed 
 to the front, the young colonel commanding, waving 
 his sword and shouting, "Forward!" The line burst 
 ahead with a yell, yet could not overtake that tall, 
 athletic leader. Every inch of the way to within a 
 few feet of the summit he kept in advance, leaping 
 the shallow rifle-pits, scrambling over log breast- 
 works; and just how he escaped death was a miracle, 
 for the flag was riddled, the staff splintered with 
 bullets. 
 
 Yet this night, Avhen Sheridan wanted to shake 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 431 
 
 hands with him, Corporal Hoe had disappeared. 
 "Tell him to come to me in the morning," said the 
 little general, as he rode awaj, and then the men 
 began to talk of Iloe. 
 
 Who he was, where he was from, nobody knew, 
 and Hoe wouldn't say. All the information given 
 by the meagre muster-roll was to the effect that he 
 had enlisted in such a county on such a day in 
 August, 1863, but the "batch" of recruits made up of 
 drafted men sent down to join just before Chicka- 
 mauga were able to add that Hoe had enlisted as sub- 
 stitute for a well-to-do father of a numerous family, 
 and they told a story to the effect that the officials 
 said that the substitute was worth ten of the original. 
 Tall, splendidly built, a soldier evidently, the officers 
 were quick to see in the silent, blue-eyed fellow a 
 man with a history. But good men were too valuable 
 to be made restive under importunate questioning. 
 Hoe's reserve was respected. His cool courage at 
 Chickamauga made him a corporal. His stature and 
 steadiness took him at once into the color-guard, and 
 only in one way had he betrayed anything by which 
 his antecedents could be conjectured. There had 
 been hardly any time for drill before the recruits 
 went into action with their regiment, and in loading 
 Private Hoe made a half face to the left, threw the 
 butt of his long rifle back in rear of the left foot, 
 with the barrel sloping to the front instead of, in the 
 language of the drill-sergeants, "bringing the piece 
 vertically in front of the centre of the bodv, barrel 
 
432 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 to the front, butt between the feet." "See that?" 
 said Captain Rogers. "That man learned the manual 
 of arms before the war." Of course, they asked him 
 where, and Hoe, smiling quietly, replied, "In a mili- 
 tia company," which was j^erfectly true, yet helped 
 them not at all. 
 
 That night the colonel called to the adjutant, 
 '"Sheridan has sent for Corporal Hoe to come to his 
 head-quarters. Better make him color-bearer at once 
 and stave off his being detailed as orderly." 
 
 Yet the colonel need not have worried. Hoe had 
 already declined to leave his regiment for any other 
 duty. The spring of '64 came on. Grant and Sheri- 
 dan had been summoned to the East, and, with Sher- 
 man to head the army of the West, these three son§ 
 of Ohio set forth on that momentous campaign that 
 \vas to prove the beginning of the end, and from 
 Atlanta went a j)aper, backed by the endorsement 
 of famous brigade, division, and corps commanders, 
 in which the colonel urged that Sergeant-Major Hoe 
 be commissioned because of conspicuous bravery and 
 marked ability, and so it happened that at Franklin 
 he rode at the colonel's side as adjutant of the regi- 
 ment, and that at Nashville, where Thomas turned 
 the tables on his old regimental comrade. Hood, it 
 was Hoe who led the dash of the attenuated bat- 
 talion when colonel and half the captains were gone. 
 Yet all this time, reserved, silent, and, as all could 
 see, sad, he had remained a stranger, for to no man 
 did he tell the story of his past. They honored him, 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 433 
 
 believed in him, and would eagerly have sought his 
 confidence and friendship, but, while scrupulously 
 courteous and considerate, he maintained what they 
 all felt was an incognito. 
 
 The morning of the second day of the grapple 
 had come, and Hood's astonished army, that on the 
 previous dawn was defiantly facing north and threat- 
 ening the proud capital of Tennessee, had been 
 sledge-hammered out of its encircling earthworks to 
 the west, and now, hanging with grim desperation to 
 the bristling redoubts at the eastward end of their 
 line and the strong post of Overton's Hill, con- 
 fronted the dim blue ranks of Thomas. Who would 
 have said five years before that these fellow-soldiers 
 in the same regiment in which rode Sidney Johnston 
 and Lee, Hardee and Thomas, Hood and Garrard, 
 Fitz Lee and Johnson, Belden and Fairfax, that 
 here within hail of the hospitable Southern eity two 
 great armies would be fighting to the death, — 
 Thomas, the sturdy battalion commander, at the 
 head of one ; Hood, his erstwhile dashing lieutenant, 
 at the head of the other; while two of the divisions 
 engaged on the Union side should be led by Garrard 
 and Johnson, old friends and comrades, — adjutant 
 and subaltern respectively. Fierce and bloody had 
 been the battling at Franklin a fortnight before. 
 Sharp and stern the struggle of yesterday, and now 
 one more united effort was needed and Hood's last 
 prop would be swept away. 
 
 And yet this is almost an improvfeed army that 
 
434 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 Thomas has at hand. Many a new and untried regi- 
 ment is here. Three or fonr brigades and brigadiers 
 were strangers not three weeks ago, and the veterans 
 of the Fourth Corps look askance at the new 
 blankets, overcoats and knapsacks of a brigade that 
 marches by an hour after dawn. "Johnny Raws," 
 say the grinning files of the rearmost line of a 
 Western regiment, whereat the brigade commander, 
 a massive, bearded, soldierly fellow, whom their 
 practised eyes are quick to recognize as a veteran, 
 turns half laughing in his saddle and shakes a gaunt- 
 leted fist. "AVe're to go side by side, you rascally 
 Badgers," he cries. "Let's see if my 'raws' will be 
 done any quicker than you." Whereat there goes 
 up a shout of good-natured chaff and applause. A 
 bumptious man, an ill-tempered rebuke, would have 
 roused the ire of the soldiery. The laughing chal- 
 lenge wins their sympathy instanter. "Bully for the 
 general!" goes up the cry, and several officers turn 
 to see what the shouting means. 
 
 "I never saw that general before," says the senior 
 captain, who has had command since Franklin. 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 "One of those Army of the Potomac fellows," 
 answers their own brigade leader, himself only a 
 colonel. "They take our best generals to plan their 
 doings for them, and then send their new ones out 
 here to learn how to fight. That's General Clark, 
 though they do say he's a good one." 
 
 And at sound of the name the tall adjutant, who 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 435 
 
 has been seated making some memoranda in liis note- 
 book, springs to bis feet and, with paling face, stands 
 gazing after the marching column. 
 
 "What is it, Hoe?" asks the brigade leader. "Have 
 you ever met him?" 
 
 For a moment there is no answer. There is, in- 
 deed, significant silence. Then at last comes the 
 reply, "I have seen him — somewhere before." 
 
 Three hours later the sulphur clouds hang low 
 over the scarred slopes to the south of the lately be- 
 leaguered city, and the roar of battle is giving place 
 all along the line to exultant cheering. Gun after 
 gun, battery after battery, has been enveloped by 
 the charging battalions in the light-blue overcoats, 
 and everywhere on a front of over three miles the 
 waving banners of the Union are pressing onward. 
 Everywhere the dull gray ranks are breaking and 
 drifting away, save at one point. At the edge of a 
 clumj) of trees, in a strong earthwork, half a dozen 
 light guns are still playing on the halted brigade that 
 has essayed their capture, for several plucky but 
 sorely thinned battalions stand firmly in support and 
 sweep with their fire the westward and northward 
 slopes, llaging at the unlooked-for check, a division 
 commander rides furiously along the sullen, unre- 
 sponsive ranks crouching for shelter at the foot of the 
 slope. 
 
 "It's no use, general," says a veteran colonel, de- 
 jectedly. "These fellows have charged twice, and 
 look there!" he adds, pointing with his sword to the 
 
436 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 corpses strown along their front away np almost to 
 the black embrasures. "They are fought out. 
 Another charge would use up what's left of them." 
 
 "Then, by God! let 'em lie there and see better 
 men do their work!" is the savage rejoinder, and 
 spurring at the gallop to his right, the general dashes 
 up to the bearded brigade commander. "General 
 Clark," he shouts, "change front to the half left and 
 drive those fellows out of that grove! You can do 
 it — Crandall's men are pumped." 
 
 Xot five minutes later and with grand enthusiasm 
 the leading line of the new brigade, two strong regi- 
 ments in front, is sweeping steadily up the slope, and 
 the Southern guns and musketry turn savagely upon 
 them. Half-way, and they waver, for men are fall- 
 ing fast, and out rides their brigade commander, 
 colors in hand, his voice ringing magnificently 
 through the roar of artillery. Fired by the sight, 
 the remnant to their left seems all on a sudden to 
 spring to its feet as though to show the division com- 
 mander the colonel has maligned it, but all eyes are 
 on the splendid form of the adjutant of that Badger 
 regiment. Leaping on the horse of a wounded major, 
 seizing the old battle-worn colors he had borne at 
 Mission Ridge, out he dashes full twenty yards in 
 front of the reviving brigade, and with a deafening 
 yell it rises and follows him, and so it happens that 
 in the surging rush that goes over the battery, bat- 
 talions and all, Clark's "Johnny Raws" and Cran- 
 dall's crippled veterans tumble in side by side, their 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 437 
 
 inner flanks huddled together indistinguishably, 
 their voices mingled in exultant cheers. Almost at 
 the same instant, it seems, these two grand leaders, 
 the general and the adjutant, — the general from the 
 Army of the Potomac, the adjutant from none knows 
 where, — their horses shot from beneath them, their 
 flags still waving high, come leaping through the 
 fire-flashing bank of smoke, their jDaths converging, 
 their cheering men close following at their heels. 
 Over the thin and crouching ranks in gray the victors 
 sweep, shouting hoarse orders to those attempting to 
 escape to stojD in their tracks or be shot down, and 
 almost before they realize it three thousand rejoicing 
 men in Union blue are captors of the battery, its 
 supporting brigade, and of the battalions lining the 
 earthworks to the south, who, taken in flank^ can 
 neither fight nor run. For a moment Pandemonium 
 reigns. Hats, caps, and colors are tossed in air. 
 Popular officers are raised on the shoulders of their 
 cheering men, and borne to the parapet. A major- 
 general and his staff come galloping to the scene to 
 join in the jubilee. Right and left the aides and 
 ofiicers are darting, receiving the swords of the cap- 
 tive Confederates and marshalling their sorrowing 
 leaders before the division commander. And then, 
 still panting, General Clark bursts his way through 
 groups of enthusiastic men. 
 
 "Where is the fellow that led on our left?" he 
 demands. "I want to shake hands with him." 
 
 And a soldier, pointing to where half a dozen offi- 
 
4;)8 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 cers are kneeling about a prostrate form, says, "This 
 way, general," and Clark joins them, kneels, and, 
 looking into their anxious faces, queries, "Is he badly 
 wounded?" Whereat a surgeon gravely nods and 
 goes on with his work. Belt and sash have been un- 
 loosed, the coat thrown open from throat to waist, 
 and now as the doctor unbuttons a shirt already 
 soaked with blood, and bares the broad, muscular 
 chest, a reddish-blue mark catches the professional 
 eye. A locket, pendent from a fine gold chain, is re- 
 vealed to all. "This gentleman has been shot before, 
 and if he could recover from that, he can, please 
 God, from this," says the surgeon, solemnly, as he 
 finds a welling fountain farther down on the other 
 side. "It is loss of blood that has used him up," he 
 adds, as with skilful hands he begins to stanch the 
 wound, while an assistant raises the drooping head 
 and applies a flask to the pale lips. Feebly a hand 
 is uplifted and the flask is thrust away. 
 
 "Drink, sir," says the surgeon, "just a sij) or two. 
 It's brandy. No, I insist," he continues, as again 
 the half-unconscious officer seems striving against it. 
 
 "lEoe never drinks," murmurs Captain Rogers. 
 "That's what's the matter," But the surgeon's order 
 prevails. 
 
 "What do you call him? What is this gallant 
 gentleman's name?" asks Clark, bending forward, 
 his eyes ablaze with new and eager interest. "I — 
 think I've met him before." 
 
 "Hoe — John Hoe, our adjutant, by gad!" says 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 439 
 
 the battalion commander, proudly; "and we'll match 
 him against anything in the army, east or west." 
 
 But Clark moves still nearer, and is peering in- 
 tently into the bearded face just beginning to receive 
 faint color, and then, dreamily, the eyes unveil, and 
 faintly, half-consciously come the words, while the 
 ghost of a smile seems to flit about the corners of his 
 mouth, — 
 
 "Hoe — yes — John Hoe — Ivan Hoe, don't you 
 see, Clark — Desdichado — the Disinherited Knight." 
 
 And then, with a cry that startles the groups on 
 every side, the bearded general throws his arms about 
 the swooning man. "Jack! Jack! Thank God 
 we've found you at last!" 
 
 * * -A- * * * * 
 
 The lilacs were in bloom again in many a little 
 court-yard in Gotham. The grand army had come 
 drifting home for muster out after the final parade 
 in Washington. The streets and aveuues were filled 
 with men in faded blue, the clubs with uniforms. A 
 bearded soldier, double-starred by brevet for gal- 
 lant and meritorious services in the battle of Nash- 
 ville, had stopped on his homeward way to call on his 
 old client at the Lowndes homestead, and to shake 
 hands over and over again with a tall, soldierly, yet 
 pallid man whose brave blue eyes and clear-cut face, 
 whose imperial and moustache, were oddly like those 
 of the bronzed and bestarred young general who 
 seemed almost as great an object of interest in the 
 household as his now acknowledged double, the son 
 
440 THE GENEBAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 and heir. Big and roomy as it was, the old brown- 
 stone mansion was filled witli gnests this lovely day 
 in '65, and yet there were more to come. It seemed 
 as thongh the father could not summon friends 
 enough to do homage to Jack. It had seemed, weeks 
 before, as though that helpless invalid could not be 
 brought to realize the truth that, stern and im- 
 placable as he had seemed, that father loved him and 
 had long forgiven the faults and follies of his youth. 
 When at last Jack could see how gravely he had 
 misjudged his father, his humility and penitence 
 were indescribable. Only Florence saw their recon- 
 ciliation; only to one friend did she describe it, — 
 one whose lips but rarely spoke his name, and then 
 only with betraying quiver. For weeks after the 
 great battle they nursed their invalid at !N^ashville, 
 and not until April had they ventured Xorth, and 
 then only as far as AVashington and Baltimore, where 
 an "Iron Secretary" found time to see and shake 
 hands with the young major by brevet of volunteers, 
 whose commission recited heroic deeds and was made 
 out in the name of John Hoe. "Congress will have 
 to straighten out his various names and titles," said 
 the Secretary, now a care-worn and grizzled man, 
 "but I can 'tend to the removal of that charge of de- 
 sertion against Trooper Bell and — certain other 
 deviltries," to which even now, it seems, he could 
 not allude without a grimace. There was a disposi- 
 tion in Baltimore to do homage to the returned vol- 
 unteer, now recognized as the man who had saved 
 
THE GENERALS DOUBLE. 441 
 
 tlie life of Fairfax, but this the convalescent refused. 
 There was a week in which Florence trod on air lest 
 she should disturb certain interviews, that occasion- 
 ally became murmurous, between her hero Jack and 
 her Maryland friend. There were more such weeks 
 when, along in May, the Heatherwoods, mother and 
 daughter, and Colonel Ralph were made to come to 
 Gotham as the guests of George Lowndes, Esq., and 
 the reunion of the blue and the gray began forth- 
 with. There was more of it when Belden dropped 
 in just as Clark returned from the AA'est, and, though 
 there were fortunes to be repaired and shattered 
 homes to be rebuilt, and many and many a grave 
 over which to mourn, there were sunshine and 
 blessed peace, and the heart of one noble woman 
 overflowed with thanksgiving as she looked around 
 with swimming eyes upon the loved ones reunited. 
 They sat clasping her hands one night, Florence 
 on one side, Belle on the other, when the men for the 
 moment, after the fashion of the day, were lingering 
 over their cigars in the dining-room, and to them 
 came the butler. There was a soldier would like to 
 speak with General Belden, and there at the door 
 stood old Morrissey. The exclamations of delight 
 with which that astonished veteran was seized and 
 dragged into the parlor brought a rush from the 
 table in the room beyond, and both Belden and 
 Jack nearly shook his arms loose when they reached 
 him. Then he was fairly hauled into that brilliantly 
 lighted apartment, with all its rich appointments of 
 
442 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 plate-laden sideboard, of snowy, damask-covered 
 table, decked with flowers and bravely set forth with 
 its array of carved decanters, cut glass, and costly 
 china. It was a strange sight, that of the veteran 
 trooper with his scarred face and bristling, grizzled 
 moustache, standing there rigidly erect and scrupu- 
 lously buttoned in his best cavalry jacket, brave with 
 yellow lace, the broad chevrons of the standard- 
 bearer and the glistening shoulder-scales, blushingly 
 holding the wine-glass that his host was hospitably 
 filling to the brim, while two gallant men in the garb 
 of major-generals of the Union, a third in the simple, 
 single-breasted frock of the line officer, but with the 
 gold leaves of a major on his infantry shoulder- 
 straps, looking, despite his modest uniform and pallid 
 face, as though he might be the brother of the 
 younger general officer, a fourth man, youngest of 
 all, and soldier, too, despite the evening dress of civil 
 life, — these four standing with uplifted glasses to 
 drink health and happiness and prosperity to Ser- 
 geant Morrissey of the old army, while three fair 
 women, one with silvery hair, hovered smiling at the 
 broad door-way. 
 
 "By Jove!" cried Major Jack, his blue eyes spark- 
 ling with delight, "what wouldn't I give if Fairfax 
 could but be here!" 
 
 "I saw Gineral Fairfax in Richmond, sorr," said 
 the sergeant, promptly, "and he gave me this, sorr, 
 for the meejor," he added with the quick recognition 
 of the Celtic soldier of new rank and title, and then 
 
Blushingly holding the wine-glass. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 443 
 
 produced from an inner pocket a letter which he 
 handed to Jack as he would have presented an 
 orderly's despatch. "There's no answer, sorr, but I 
 was not to fail to deliver it," and Lowndes turned 
 red as he tucked it in an inner pocket. It was late 
 before he could read it at all, and when he did the 
 girls had gone, much earlier than usual, to their 
 rooms, whereat there were others to look disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 But Madam HeatherAvood, with fond interest in 
 her soft eyes, stood at the door-way of her sitting- 
 room as Lowndes reached the second story, and v/ith 
 all the old trust and faith he hastened to her side, 
 and she led the way within. 
 
 "Read it yourself," he said, "and tell me what it 
 means." But his heart was throbbing hard as he 
 handed her the open sheet. And this was what she 
 read: 
 
 "You told me to ride for Belle Heatherwood's 
 sake the night you set me free and saved my neck. 
 It was like you, Jack Lowndes, but it wasn't fair. 
 You made me believe it was she who planned the 
 whole escape, — that you were but her instrument. 
 I went with hope I had never known before, and 
 that hope was killed long months ago, long before we 
 lost all hope for the cause of our blessed South. Only 
 after you disappeared, leaving no trace behind, did 
 I learn the whole truth. Only after Appomattox 
 did I hear through Belden of your safe and glorious 
 return. 
 
444 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 "I am glad no Virginians were in your front that 
 December day at Nashville. I have often wished 
 I had died with Garnett and Armistead that grand, 
 but fatal afternoon at Gettysburg, and had been 
 buried there where I lay among your guns, but it 
 pleased God to order that I should be with Pickett 
 to the last. 
 
 "Say to dear Aunty Heatherwood that, so long as 
 I live, I shall remember her loving-kindness. Tell 
 her that friends in England offer me an opening 
 there, and that within a few weeks I shall be on my 
 way to London, it appearing that I am no longer 
 'wanted' to answer to the charge of being a spy. Tell 
 her I saw the Waddells at their old home, reunited 
 and, except Laura, reconcilable. Between you and 
 me, that young woman is the worst Reb I ever saw, 
 Frank is a manly fellow, who will soon restore the 
 family fortunes, but as for Laura she declaims 
 against you Yankees from morn till night, despite 
 the New England blood that flowed in her mother's 
 veins and twangs at times in the tones of her other- 
 wise melodious voice; despite the more damaging 
 fact that she is believed to hold prisoner a New 
 Hampshire heart, that of one Lieutenant Pettingill, 
 whom we captured wounded at Cold Harbor; and 
 so loyal a Rebel is she that, following the example 
 of your government, she refuses to exchange her 
 prisoner for a Virginian of equal rank who, in the 
 interest of harmony between the sections, is said to 
 be willing- to offer himself. At this moment Mr. 
 
THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 445 
 
 Pettingill is believed to be home on parole, but 
 within easy call of tliat kittenisJi patte de velours at 
 'Leesburg. It is my belief that, in her longing to 
 whip the whole Yankee nation as it deserves, Miss 
 Waddell has determined to hold him for life, leaving 
 the whippings to be administered in the by and by 
 to a generation yet unborn. 
 
 "And now, to yourself — the man who gave me 
 life and liberty and saved me from a shameful fate 
 — I have no words with which to say how deep is my 
 gratitude, or with what full heart I pray God's bless- 
 ing on you — on you and Belle. 
 
 "Fairfax." 
 
 They were standing under a gas-jet by her dress- 
 ing table, her silvering head bowed over the page, the 
 soft lines about her lips betraying the emotion with 
 which she read, now quivering with tender sym- 
 pathy as the letter told of the writer's sorrow and 
 coming exile, now curving almost merrily as it spoke 
 of Laura; but it was the final paragraph of which 
 Jack had so impulsively sj^oken, of which alone he 
 was thinking, and when at last she raised her head 
 and looked up with swimming eyes into his face, 
 the fond woman whispered, "Wait here one mo- 
 ment," and then, moved to sudden resolution^ left 
 the room. 
 
 A moment he stood there alone. He seemed to 
 realize what was coming. There was a bounding in 
 his pulses, a throbbing in his heart, that recalled 
 
446 THE GENERAL'S DOUBLE. 
 
 the wild ecstasy of the charge, yet iliere there was 
 no trembling. Impatient he turned to the door as 
 though to follow, but there came a light footfall, and 
 at the very threshold he met the girl he had loved so 
 long, and long so hopelessly. Her eyes, startled, 
 fell before his eager gaze. 
 
 "Mother sent me " she faltered, but with sud- 
 den movement he seized her trembling hands and 
 drew her within before she could complete the 
 words. 
 
 "I have such strange news," he hurried to say. 
 "Floyd Fairfax tells me he goes abroad to live. He 
 tells me practically that my renunciation was — 
 wasted. Belle, what does it mean?" 
 
 Her head was bowed so near his breast that his 
 pleading lips almost swept her fair white forehead. 
 For a moment she could not answer. "Tell me," he 
 whispered, bending lower still, and she felt the 
 quiver of his strong, nervous hand and heard the 
 loud throbbing of his brave heart. One quick glance 
 up into his glowing eyes, and then the long lashes 
 swept her cheeks again. 
 
 "1 never told you — I never meant," at last she 
 whispered, "that you should renounce — me." 
 
 FINIS. 
 
By John Strange Winter, 
 
 (Mrs. Arthur Stannard.) 
 
 A Magnificent Young Man. 
 
 l2mo. Paper, 50 cents ; cloth, ^ 1. 00. 
 
 ** There is a happy mingling of comedy and tragedy in A Magnificent Young 
 Man. It is a story with an original plot, involving a secret marriage, the mysteri- 
 ous disappearance of a bridegroom, and the experiences of a young girl, who 
 refuses to clear her reputation, even to the mother of her unacknowledged husband, 
 until such a time as he shall give permission. 1 he plot is well sustained, the in- 
 cidents and dialogue are entertaining, and the mystery is kept up long enough to 
 hold the close attention of the reader to the last chapter." — Boston Beacon. 
 
 Every Inch a Soldier. 
 
 l2mo. Paper, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00. 
 
 "Of the incidents of the work before us, the plot is highly entertaining, and 
 Incidentally we meet the Bishop of Blankhampton, whose matrimonial affairs were 
 ably discussed in a book previously written. It is a very pleasant and readable 
 book, and we are glad to see it." — Norrtstown Herald. 
 
 Aunt Johnnie. 
 
 I2mo. Paper, 50 cents ; cloth, $1.00. 
 
 " Mrs. Stannard preserves her freshness and vivacity in a wonderful way. 
 'Aunt Johnnie' is as bright and amusing a story as any that she has written, and 
 it rattles on from the first chapter to the last with unabated gayety and vigor. I he 
 hero and heroine are both charming, and the frisky matron who gives the story its 
 name is a capitally managed character. 1 he novel is exactly suited to the season, 
 and is sure to be very popular." — Charleston News and Courier. 
 
 The Other Man's Wife. 
 
 i2mo. Paper, 50 cents ; cloth, 5i-00. 
 
 " The hero and heroine have a charm which is really unusual in these hack- 
 neyed personages, for they are most attractive and wholesome types, indeed, 
 wholesomeness may be said to be the most notable characteristic of this author's 
 work." — N. Y. Telegram. 
 
 Only Human. 
 
 i2mo. Paper, 50 cents ; cloth, ;Sl. 00. 
 
 " A bright and interesting story. ... Its pathos and humor are of the 
 Bame admirable quality that is found in all the other novels by this author." — Boston 
 Gazette. 
 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. 
 
By Elizabeth Phipps Train 
 
 /SSUED IN THE LOTOS LIBRARY. 
 ILLUSTRATED. l6MO. POLISHED 
 BUCKRAM. 75 CENTS PER VOL. 
 
 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 A PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY. 
 
 " It is an interesting confession, admirably written, and the story throughout 
 is delightfully fresh and vivacious." — Philadelphia Evening Btdletin. 
 
 " The author gives in this handsome little book a charming glimpse of ultra- 
 fashionable English society. It has an air of truth which makes its moral the more 
 impressive, and the characters are well drawn." — Columbus Evening Dispatch. 
 
 " This is a profoundly interesting love story. Its plot is simple, natural, and 
 life-like — often approaching the tragic. The dangers from the abuse of the powers 
 of hypnotism are strikingly illustrated." — Chicago Inter Ocean. 
 
 A SOCIAL HIGHWAYMAN. 
 
 " There is a consistency of bold purpose in the book which makes it the re- 
 verse of mawkish. It is a kind of modernized Dick Turpin." — Chicago Times- 
 Herald. 
 
 " 'A Social Highwayman,' a small and dainty volume in Lippincott's Lotos 
 Library, is a distinctly interesting, almost a fascinating, story." — Brooklyn Daib 
 Eagle. 
 
 " The J. R. Lippincott Company has issued in the Lotos Library, in a hand- 
 some little volume, with illustrations,' A Social Highwayman,' by Elizabeth Phipps 
 Train, which originally appeared in j^?)>/?'Krip/<'j Magazine. 1 hi thrillingly dra- 
 matic story, always intensely absorbing, has acquired a new interest since it was 
 turned into a play, and many will be an.xious to compare it with the drama which 
 bears the same name. The tale has abundant life and movement, and commands 
 and retains attention." — Boston Saturday Eveniug Gazette. 
 
 \, B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. 
 
RARE BOOK 
 COLLECTION 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 AT 
 
 CHAPEL HILL 
 
 Wilmer 
 
 671 
 
 c.l 
 
\ 
 
 \\ \ \