commissioned officer, must also
govern his superiors. As Sergeant Dudley deserved his bullet you merit
_yours_."

His eyes dropped from Morrison's face and he looked up at Harris.

"A bad witness for your client, Lieutenant," he said grimly, as he
nodded his head towards Uncle Billy. "You ought to study law! Take him
away," and he picked up a fresh cigar from a box in front of him and
tossed the old one out of the window.

Uncle Billy, with a puzzled look on his face, slowly yielded to the
touch of the two soldiers who stepped into the room at a gesture from
Forbes. He seemed to realize that his testimony had not been of much
avail though just why was indeed a mystery. One thing, however, was
quite clear.

"'Skuse me, Mars' Gen'l. I--I don't need dat ar pass home now. An' I
much obliged to you fer _not_ givin' it to me. Yas, seh. Thank'e, seh."
At the doorway he bowed with careful politeness to each occupant of the
fatal room. "Good mornin', Mars' Cary. Good mornin', gent'men. _Good_
mornin'."

With the disappearance of bewildered Uncle Billy the General swung
around on the officer who no longer wore his shoulder straps.

"Mr. Morrison," he said, in his distinct, even tones. "Your friend and
counsel, Lieutenant Harris, has applied to me for your pardon!"

"_Pardon?_" cried Morrison, springing to his feet with an exclamation of
amazement.

"Exactly," was the crisp response. "It comes from him--not from you. But
still, as an interested party, have you anything to say in your own
behalf?"

The Union officer stared at his general for a moment without replying.
Yes, there were many things that might be said--all of them honest
arguments in his own behalf, all of them weighted with Right and
Humanity but none of them worth putting into words in the face of this
deadly machine of war, this grim, austere, unyielding tribunal. He
wavered for a moment on his feet as a terrible wave of despair surged
over him, then made a faint gesture of negation.

"I have nothing to say, sir."

"Captain Cary!" ordered the General and, as Cary rose unsteadily to his
feet, "No. Keep your seat, sir; you are wounded. Is it true--as I learn
from this report--that during a skirmish a week ago you helped defend
the Union colors against your own people?"

Cary shot up from his chair with a fiery rush of anger.

"_I? No, sir!_ I defended the _man_--not the soldier, or his flag!"

"Ah!" ejaculated the General, leaning back in his chair a