nonsense; the strategical movement would be to have him
march south and re-enforce Sherman. That would mean the death knell of
the Confederacy."

"You are entirely wrong," returned the first speaker heatedly. "Why,
man, look here; suppose this pepper-caster is Richmond, this crust
Petersburg, this crumb Lee, and this crumb Grant--now, bring this
crumb, Sheridan..." His words were drowned by the strains of "The Girl
I Left Behind Me," and the other diners in the room joined in the
chorus.

At the conclusion of the song, Mrs. Warren gathered her belongings
together, preparatory to departure. Colonel Mitchell, seeing his guests
had finished supper, opened his pocketbook and drew out a roll of bank
notes. As he thrust the money back into the pocketbook after paying his
bill, a small folded piece of paper dropped unseen, except by Nancy, on
the floor close beside her chair.

Like a flash she planted her foot squarely on it. Colonel Mitchell had
risen to help Mrs. Warren into her wrap; the senator was busy talking
to a newcomer. None of them had noticed her quick action. Dare she
stoop over and pick up the paper? As she hesitated, their waiter, Sam,
returned with the colonel's change. Mitchell waved the tray away
impatiently, and the negro stepped back, dropping his napkin over
Nancy's foot as he did so.

"Please 'scuse me, missy." Stooping swiftly, he deftly lifted her foot
and removed the paper as he picked up the cloth. "Hyar's yo' napkin,"
laying it back in her lap; then in a voice that reached her ear alone,
"Look out, yo' am bein' watched."

"Thank you, Sam." Nancy's voice was unruffled as her fingers closed
spasmodically over the paper concealed in the napkin. Seeing her
friends were still occupied, she seized her chance, and whispered
rapidly: "Go to Mr. Shriver's room at Wormley's, search behind the
glass in the mirror over his bureau; then bring the paper you will find
concealed there to me at the Perrys' to-night." Sam nodded
understandingly. Nancy rose. "Senator Warren, will you help me on with
my coat."

CHAPTER VI

THE SIGNAL LIGHT

"Are you sure you have made no mistake, Lloyd?" whispered Colonel Baker
in his companion's ear.

"Positive, Colonel; I have laid my plans too carefully for that."

The two men were crouching behind a corner of a tumbled-down stone
wall. Their position commanded a full view of an old square mansion
standing some little distance from B Street. The galleries on the