began to stare curiously at them. At last he
said:

"Wa'al, if this ain't a harder trade than fightin', I'll be darned!"

Several smiled, but none replied to the General's comment. Raymond
presently finished his article, threw it to an ink-blackened galley-boy
and came over to the stove.

"You probably wonder what I am doing here in the enemy's camp," he said.
"The office of every newspaper but my own is the camp of an enemy, but
Winthrop asked me to help him out to-night with some pretty severe
criticism of the Government. As he's responsible and I'm not, I've
pitched into the President, Cabinet and Congress of the Confederate
States of America at a great rate. I don't know what will happen to him,
because while we are fighting for freedom here we are not fighting for
the freedom of the press. We Southerners like to put in some heavy licks
for freedom and then get something else. Maybe we're kin to the old
Puritans."

They heard a light step on the stair, and the two editors looked up
expecting to see some one of the ordinary chance visitors to a newspaper
office. Instead it was the Secretary, Mr. Sefton, a conciliatory smile
on his face and a hand outstretched ready for the customary shake.

"You are surprised to see me, Mr. Winthrop," he said, "but I trust that
I am none the less welcome. I am glad, too, to find so many good men
whom I know and some of whom I have met before on this very evening.
Good-evening to you all, gentlemen."

He bowed to every one. Winthrop looked doubtfully at him as if trying to
guess his business.

"Anything private, Mr. Sefton?" he said "If so we can step into the next
room."

"Not at all! Not at all!" replied the Secretary, spreading out his
fingers in negative style. "There is nothing that your friends need not
hear, not even our great cavalry leader, General Wood. I was passing
after a late errand, and seeing your light it occurred to me that I
might come up to you and speak of some strange gossip that I have been
hearing in Richmond."

All now listened with the keenest interest. They saw that the wily
Secretary had not come on any vague errand at that hour of the morning.

"And may I ask what is the gossip?" said Winthrop with a trace of
defiance in his tone.

"It was only a trifle," replied the Secretary blandly; "but a friend may
serve a friend even in the matter of a trifle."

He paused and looked smilingly around the expectant circle. Winthrop
made an impatient mo