him._ HAVERILL _grasps his
hand, warmly._] Keep a brave heart and come back to us. [FRANK _moves
up stage. Exit_ STAFF OFFICER.

FRANK. He is my father still. [_Exit._

HAVERILL. My dead boy's face! [_Dropping his face into both hands._

HEARTSEASE. [_Apart to_ KERCHIVAL.] He shall not go alone. [_Aloud._]
General! Will you kindly give me leave of absence from the command?

HAVERILL. Leave of absence! To an officer in active service--and in
the presence of the enemy?

KERCHIVAL. [_Taking hand of_ HEARTSEASE. _Apart._] God bless you, old
fellow! Look after the boy.

HAVERILL. A--h--[_With a sudden thought, turns._] I think I understand
you, Captain Heartsease. Yes; you may have leave of absence.

HEARTSEASE. Thank you. [_Salutes._ HAVERILL _and_ KERCHIVAL _salute.
Exit_ HEARTSEASE.

KERCHIVAL. Have you any further orders for me, General?

HAVERILL. I wish you to understand the great importance of the duty
to which I have just assigned this young officer. General Sheridan
started for Washington this noon, by way of Front Royal. Since his
departure, we have had reason to believe that the enemy are about
to move, and we must be able to read their signal despatches, if
possible. [_Sitting._] I have ordered Captain Lockwood, of our own
Signal Corps, to report to you here, with officers and men. [_Takes up
the empty envelope on table, unconsciously, as he speaks, tapping it
on the table._] If Lieutenant Bedloe succeeds in getting the key
to the enemy's cipher, we can signal from this point--[_Pointing
to elevation._]--to our station at Front Royal. Men and horses are
waiting there now, to carry forward a message, if necessary, to
General Sheridan himself. [_He starts suddenly, looking at the
envelope in his hand; reads address. Aside._] "Colonel Kerchival
West"--in my wife's handwriting.

KERCHIVAL. I'll attend to your orders.

HAVERILL. Postmarked at Washington, yesterday. [_Reads._] "Private and
confidential." [_Aloud._] Colonel West! I found a paragraph, to-day,
in a paper published in Richmond, taken from a prisoner. I will read
it to you. [_Takes newspaper slip from his wallet and reads._]

"From the Charleston Mercury. Captain Edward Thornton, of the
Confederate Secret Service, has been assigned to duty in the
Shenandoah Valley. Our gallant Captain still bears upon his face the
mark of his meeting, in 1861, with Lieutenant, now Colonel Kerchival
West, who is also to serve in the Valley, with Sheridan's Arm