ce I had looked into his face my eyes did not glance in
his direction.

"They both announce the arrival on Tuesday of the Lieutenant, the
Count de Bourdon, to sign the contracts concerning the mules to be
sold by the State of Harpeth to the Republique of France, sir," I
answered in a cold and formal voice and then stood at an attention for
any more questions.

"The devil they do!" exclaimed my Uncle, the General Robert, while
still the Gouverneur Faulkner was silent. "Do they give no excuse for
being nearly ten days ahead of time, sir?"

"No, honored Uncle," I answered. "Madam Whitworth said to me that the
Gouverneur Faulkner had set that date for the arrival of the
Commission, and had so informed her; and I think that to be the reason
for absence of such excuses." And as I made that answer, which was one
of great impertinence from a secretary to a chief who was a great
gouverneur, I looked with cold calmness into the dark star eyes under
their black lashes, which were darting lightnings of anger at my
words.

"God!" exclaimed my Uncle, the General Robert Carruthers, and he
turned white with a trembling as he faced the lightning in those eyes
of the stars. But it was not to his Secretary of State that the great
Gouverneur Faulkner made his denial but to his humble secretary,
Robert Carruthers, who looked without fear into the very depths of
those lightnings.

"This is the first time I have heard of a change of date for the
arrival of the commission, Robert," he said in a calm voice as for a
second his eyes held mine, a second which was sufficient for a truth
to pass from his heart and still the storm in mine. I did not
understand all that his eyes said of a great hurt but I knew that what
he spoke was true and would always be.

"And what were you doing gossiping with that lying hussy, sir?"
demanded my Uncle, the General Robert, with instant belief in the word
of that Gouverneur Faulkner, turning his anger upon me, who stood and
took it with such a joy in my heart from the truth that had come into
it from those eyes of the night stars, that I did not even feel its
violence.

"_Vive la France_ and the State of Harpeth! Behold, I am a spy!"
I answered him as I drew myself to my greatest height and gave the
salute which his old soldiers give to him at that raising of the
banner of the Cause that he had lost in his youth.

"You young daredevil, you, I'm a great mind to break every bone in
your body, as I have sa