s desk one of the important
factors in the business in hand had not been produced.

"Well, Forbes, well? Where is the negro?" He asked crisply. "Bring him
in! Bring him in!"

"In a moment, General," responded the Adjutant, hastening to the doorway
as the tread of feet sounded again in the hallway. Dismissing the two
privates who had arrived with Uncle Billy between them he led the old
man down to the desk and left him there, bowing and scraping a little
and holding his hat in front of him in both hands.

"Wan' see _me_, suh?" ventured Uncle Billy, intruding delicately on the
General's calculations. "Here I is!"

General Grant looked up quickly and ran his eye over the old man.

"Your name!"

"Er--William Lewis, seh. Yas, seh."

"To whom do you belong?"

Although Uncle Billy's back was not particularly straight this sudden
question introduced a stiffening into it which made it more upright than
it had been in years.

"I b'longs to Cap'n Hubbert Cary, seh--of de Confed'it Army. Das who I
b'longs to. Yas, seh."

The General sat back a little in his chair and studied Uncle Billy. He
saw that after all the old negro was simply a natural slave--that he
probably had no other thought in his grayed head than that of faithful
service to his owner. But he would try him and see how far the old man
would go.

"I understand," he said, "that freedom has been offered you--and you
refused it. Is this true?"

"Yas, seh."

"_Why?_" asked the General quietly.

Uncle Billy stammered.

"Well--er--well, 'skuse me, Mars' Gen'l, but--but down whar _I_ lives at
de--de white gent'men understands a nigger better'n what you-all does.
Yas, seh."

General Grant may have smiled internally, but the only symptom of
amusement was the dry note in his voice.

"I see. But there has been some difference of opinion on the point."

He paused and then pointed past Uncle Billy directly at Morrison. "Do
you know that man?"

"Me?" said Uncle Billy. He turned and saw Morrison and instantly his
face lighted up. It made no difference to the old negro that Morrison's
uniform was mutilated--he could only see the familiar features of one
who had treated his dead mistress with perfect respect under trying
circumstances.

"Aw, yas, seh," he broke out, with a broad grin. "How you does, Cun'l. I
clar to--"

Uncle Billy stopped. His eyes had gone beyond Morrison to the man
sitting beside him and at the sight of that loved figure the old man
beg