in his ears. His back
was toward the door, and he had not seen Kate. He turned as she broke
into this fervid apostrophe. Whether from surprise, prudence, or anger
he sat silent, uninterrupting till she tottered into the seat placed for
her by a stranger. Then he arose and went to her side, in nowise angry
or discomposed so far as his outward demeanor betrayed him. The
presiding officer of the court-martial had attempted to silence Kate by
a gesture, but with eyes fixed steadily upon him she had disregarded his
command. Now, however, he spoke:

"Madame, you must know this is highly disorderly and indecorous. The
court can take no cognizance of this sort of testimony. Do you desire to
be heard by counsel? If you do, the judge-advocate will give you all
lawful assistance."

"If the court please, this lady is my daughter. She is somewhat excited.
I will take the necessary measures in the matter," Boone began.

Kate pushed her father from before her and again addressed the
president.

"I refuse my father's aid in this case. I don't know what is necessary,
but I ask this court, if it has anything to do with John Sprague, to
give his friends an opportunity to present his story truthfully and
without prejudice."

"The judge-advocate will give you all necessary information. Meanwhile,
the case will be adjourned until to-morrow."

Elisha Boone stood beside his daughter, a figure of perplexity and
chagrin. He dared not remonstrate openly. He was forced to hear the
judge-advocate question this extraordinary witness, and instruct her on
the steps necessary to be taken; worse than all, hear him inform Kate
that the citations to John Sprague had been regularly issued, and that
the evidence of his desertion rested wholly on the fact that he had put
in no answer to the charges promulgated against him by his commanding
officer; that the trial was proceeding on the ground that Sprague had
deserted to the enemy, and refused to answer within the time allowed
by law.

"But he has never heard of the charges," Kate cried, indignantly. "He
has not been heard of since he escaped from Richmond."

"As we understand it, he reached the Union lines merely to ambuscade our
outposts, and then returned to Richmond."

"His sister left Richmond ten days after his flight, and he had then
passed into our lines, as she had the surest means of knowing."

"There is some extraordinary error in all this. If Sprague can be
produced before the term f