o his eyes.

"The wife of Captain Cary," Harris said in a low tone and the General
nodded.

"Den--bless Gawd--de Cun'l come! He pick him down offn de front
po'ch--and put him under 'rest. Yas, seh. An' Miss Hallie, she sho' was
hoppin', Gen'l. She--"

"Never mind that," sighed the man whose creed was Patience. "Go on with
the story."

"Yas, seh. Thank'e, seh. 'Twas des lek I tell you, seh. An' arfter while
orders come to de cav'lry gent'men fer to light out fr'm dar in a hurry.
An' whilst dey was gettin' ready, seh, an' me an' de Cun'l was waitin'
roun' fer to proteck de property, de fire bus' right out de winders!

"Dat's right, Mars' Gen'l," Uncle Billy hurried to state, as the
General's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Dat's right. Den de front do'
flewed open, an' here come dat po' white trash rapscallion--wid de pine
knot in his han'. Yas, _seh_. He--"

"One moment!" snapped the General. "Was he running _towards_ his troop
or _away_ from it?"

"_Way_ fr'm it, seh," replied the old negro, with unmistakable
truthfulness, "t'odes de ice house whar Miss Hallie an' de chillun was
at. Yas, seh."

"And Mr. Morrison tried to stop him?"

"Ha!" cried Uncle Billy, with a chuckle. "He mo'n tried, seh. He _done_
it!"

The General nodded, his lips tight shut.

"So I understand. But what did he do--or say?"

At this question Uncle Billy suddenly developed dramatic abilities that
his master had never dreamed of.

"He say--" and Uncle Billy's arm shot out as he pointed something deadly
at an invisible foe--"he say, '_Halt! Dudley! Halt! Bang!_'"

Uncle Billy's hat dropped down on the floor with a whack. "Dat's all,
seh. Dat po' white trash--he drop lek a stuck pig, seh!"

The General's eyes were on his desk and for a moment there was a pause.
Finally, he lifted his head and looked at Morrison, who rose in salute.

"Mr. Morrison. You did well. Your Sergeant failed in his military
duty--and deserved the punishment. I commend your action."

Harris, listening with all his might, thought the words more favorable
than the tone in which they were spoken and his face brightened. Then he
heard the General speaking more sternly.

"The Federal powers of administrative justice now occupy precisely the
same position with regard to your own default."

Harris' face darkened. After the first just encomium--what was this that
was coming?

Relentless and inflexible the voice went on.

"The rules of war, as applied to a non-