s Morrison's
face, but his eyes did not leave the troubled trooper.

"_Whose_ orders?" he demanded.

"Corporal Dudley, sir," was the stammering answer.

At this moment Cary stepped forward and the two officers exchanged nods
of recognition.

"Let me explain," the Confederate said. "Virgie and I were making for
Richmond as rapidly as we could. Here, by this spring, we were put under
arrest by a corporal and four troopers. Naturally, I presented your
pass, but the corporal refused to honor it. He then left me under guard
and hurried off to headquarters with the pass in his possession."

At this unwelcome news Morrison's head jerked back as if he had been
struck and his lips tightened. Without the addition of another word to
Cary's story he saw all the dire consequences to himself of what had
been an act of the commonest humanity. Yes, in other times it would have
been what any right thinking human being would have done for another in
distress, but, unhappily, this was war time and the best of motives were
only too often mis-read. In his mind's eye he saw the vindictive Dudley,
eager for a revenge which he could not encompass any other way, laying
the proof of this act before his superiors with an abundance of
collateral evidence which, he knew, would condemn him before any
military tribunal in the world. It mattered not what kindly impulses had
guided his hand when he wrote the safeguard on the other side of the
paper on which Robert E. Lee had previously placed his name, for it is
not the custom of courts martial to weigh the milk of human kindness
against the blood and iron of war. The good and the safety of the
greater number demand the sacrifice of every man who would imperil the
cause by ill considered generosity. Morrison could see that very
presently he would have to answer certain stern questions.

Yet, there was a chance still that Dudley might be headed off and this
whole miserable business stopped before revenge could set the inexorable
wheels in motion and he whirled round on O'Connell with a sharp
question:

"Which way did Dudley go?"

"Down the pike, then over the hill by the wood road, sor--makin' for
headquarters," the young Irishman answered, only too glad of a chance to
help his officer out of what, he saw, was a frightful situation.

"How long ago?" came back the instant query.

"Five minutes, sor. Ye cud catch him wid a horse."

"Ah," exclaimed Morrison, and he threw up his hand to his men