ntelligence to dissociate the idea of
consciousness from the idea of the physical forms in which it is
manifested--as an even lower order of intelligence, that of the monkey,
for example, may be unable to imagine a house without inhabitants, and
seeing a ruined hut fancies a suffering occupant. To us it is horrible
because we have inherited the tendency to think it so, accounting for
the notion by wild and fanciful theories of another world--as names of
places give rise to legends explaining them and reasonless conduct to
philosophies in justification. You can hang me, General, but there your
power of evil ends; you cannot condemn me to heaven."

The general appeared not to have heard; the spy's talk had merely turned
his thoughts into an unfamiliar channel, but there they pursued their
will independently to conclusions of their own. The storm had ceased,
and something of the solemn spirit of the night had imparted itself to
his reflections, giving them the sombre tinge of a supernatural dread.
Perhaps there was an element of prescience in it. "I should not like to
die," he said--"not to-night."

He was interrupted--if, indeed, he had intended to speak further--by the
entrance of an officer of his staff, Captain Hasterlick, the
provost-marshal. This recalled him to himself; the absent look passed
away from his face.

"Captain," he said, acknowledging the officer's salute, "this man is a
Yankee spy captured inside our lines with incriminating papers on him.
He has confessed. How is the weather?"

"The storm is over, sir, and the moon shining."

"Good; take a file of men, conduct him at once to the parade ground, and
shoot him."

A sharp cry broke from the spy's lips. He threw himself forward, thrust
out his neck, expanded his eyes, clenched his hands.

"Good God!" he cried hoarsely, almost inarticulately; "you do not mean
that! You forget--I am not to die until morning."

"I have said nothing of morning," replied the general, coldly; "that was
an assumption of your own. You die now."

"But, General, I beg--I implore you to remember; I am to hang! It will
take some time to erect the gallows--two hours--an hour. Spies are
hanged; I have rights under military law. For Heaven's sake, General,
consider how short--"

"Captain, observe my directions."

The officer drew his sword and fixing his eyes upon the prisoner pointed
silently to the opening of the tent. The prisoner hesitated; the officer
grasped him by the