n in the world
and everything is exactly as she says, or she is a consummate actress,
young as she is."

"General, what in the world do you mean?" queried Farragut.

"I mean," said General Butler sternly, "that it looks very much to me as
if some mischief were afloat. John Archer is under arrest for disloyalty
to the government. Naturally this makes it bad for the girl."

"Then," said Farragut gravely, "why did you permit him to have those
papers?"

"He will not have them long. Did you not notice an Orderly go out after
him?"

"I saw a man go out, but I thought nothing of it," was the response.

"That man has his orders. Archer was relieved of the papers as soon as
he left the room. I wanted to get all the evidence against him that I
could hence I did not tell you about the matter at first. I thought that
he might recognize the girl or she him."

"I believe that you are wrong," said Farragut earnestly. "I know nothing
of course about Archer, but I would stake my life that what the girl says
is true. It would be bold indeed to deliver documents serviceable to the
enemy under our very noses."

"The very boldness of the scheme would make it successful. Besides,
the fellow's arrest is recent. His accomplices in the North cannot
possibly have heard of it as yet. He has been in the service of the Union
until suspected of furnishing information to the enemy. You can see why
the girl would deliver the papers before us. Another thing, her uncle,
Benjamin Vance, is one of the worst rebels in the city."

"What!" cried Farragut.

"Yes."

"But she is too young to enter into any such scheme."

"Ah! you do not know these people as I do. They are perfectly unscrupulous
as regards ways and means when it comes to carrying a point. Do you know
the girl's father? I judged not from what you told me of meeting with her."

"No," admitted Farragut. "But she carried a letter to Commodore Porter
with a few lines from Wallace at Memphis to me. Really you must be
mistaken."

"Letters can be forged," said Butler sententiously. "And sometimes
wheedled from officers, as we know to our sorrow. She may be but a tool of
persons who hope that her youth will protect her from the consequences.
You must confess that it looks bad. Ah, Johnson," as his Orderly made
his appearance, "did you get them?"

"Yes, sir."

Jeanne started forward with a cry of amazement as the Orderly laid upon
the table the very papers which she had given John Arc