e could?"

"Doctah Atkinson, sah," said Uncle Matt, with shrewd gravity, "things is
diff'rent dese days, an' de Guv'ment don't call dem gen'elmen scamps as
was called dat in de Souf."

He looked up under the broad brim of his companion's hat with impassioned
appealing.

"I jes' 'member one thing, sah," he said; "dat you was a Southern
gen'elman, and when a enemy's dead a Southern gen'elman don't cherish no
harm agin him, an' you straight from Delisleville, an' you deed an' heerd
it all, an' de Guv'ment ken see plain enough you's no carpet-bag jobber,
an' ef a gen'elman like you tes'ify, an' say you was enemies--an' you did
pass shots count er dat flag, how's dey gwine talk any more about dis
destructive disloyal business? How dey gwine ter do it?"

"And I am to be the means of enriching his family--the family of an
obstinate old fool, who abused me like a pickpocket and spoiled a
dress-coat for me when dress-coats were scarce."

"He's dead, Doctah Williams Atkinson, sah, he's dead," said Matt. "It was
mighty lonesome the way he died, too, in dat big house, dat was stripped
by de soldiers, an' ev'ybody dead belonging to him--Miss De Willoughby,
an' de young ladies, an' Marse Romaine, an' Marse De Courcy--no one lef
but dat boy. It was mighty lonesome, sah."

"Yes, that's so," said Dr. Atkinson, reflectively. After a few moments'
silence, he added, "Whom do you want me to tell this to? It may be very
little use, but it may serve as evidence."

Uncle Matt stopped upon the pavement.

"Would you let me 'scort you to Senator Milner, sah?" he said, in
absolute terror at his own daring. "Would you 'low me to 'tend you to
Senator Grove? I knows what a favior I'se axin'. I knows it doun to de
groun'. I scarcely dars't to ax it, but if I loses you, sah, Marse Thomas
De Willoughby an' Marse Rupert may lose de claim. Ef I lose you, sah,
seems mos' like I gwine to lose my mind."

* * * * *

There were a thousand chances to one that Senator Milner might not be
where Uncle Matt hoped to find him; there were ten thousand chances to
one that he might be absorbingly engaged; there were uncountable chances
against them obtaining an interview with either man, and yet it so
happened they had the curious good luck to come upon Senator Milner
absolutely without searching for him. It was rather he who came upon them
at one of the entrances of the Capitol itself, before which stood his
daug