lryman's recklessness. He dashed up and did not draw rein until he
was almost upon me.

"Whoa! I have been trying to overtake you, Hawes. What did I tell you?
Didn't I say that the country was gone? I'll swear I don't know what we
are coming to when a man is shot down in the road like that."

"General, did you overtake me to ride to town with me?"

"I did; yes, sir."

"Then you mustn't talk that way."

"I beg your pardon, sir. Perhaps I should not have expressed myself in
that manner. Let us ride along and discuss it quietly. Tell me what you
know."

"It were better, General----"

"Never mind about your grammar and your bookish phrasing. Tell me what
led up to it."

"Must I tell you that your daughter is----"

"By G----, sir, what do you mean?"

"You needn't turn on me, sir."

"Surely not. Pardon me. What about it?"

"I don't know that I ought to tell you--a man of more judgment
wouldn't--but I suppose I must now that I have gone so far. Alf is in
love with your daughter, and on that account Stuart insulted him, abused
him at the point of a pistol."

Then I told him all that I could, all but the fact that Stuart had
spoken slightingly of the girl, for I knew that this would only enrage
him and, indeed, set him harder against Alf, as he would doubtless
believe that my friend had simply forged a mean excuse. For some
distance after I had told him the story, he rode along in silence,
troubled of countenance and with his head hanging low. But just before
we came into the town he looked up and said: "Poor fool, I can't help
him."

"But you can see that justice is done."

"Mr. Hawes, in this instance we may take different views of justice.
Pardon me, but your friendship--and, indeed, I can but honor you for
it--your friendship may cry out against justice."

"I admit, General, that my friendship is strong, although I have known
the young man but a short time, yet I think that I respect justice."

"We all think so until justice pinches us," he replied, placing himself
in firm opposition to me, yet doing it kindly. "I am more concerned in
this, Mr. Hawes, than you can well conceive. I can say this, but I
cannot follow it up with an explanation. But the fact that he stood
waiting there in the road is what will tell most against him. Had he met
him at another time, under almost any other conditions, it would have
been different, would have taken away the aspect of calculated murder.
Yes, I am deeply concerne