Secret Service

  CHAPTER XX

  THE LAST REPRIEVE

  General Randolph was evidently in a great hurry. Public affairs of greatmoment pressed upon him, and it was an evidence of the interest he tookin the case of Captain Thorne that he gave him even a minute of hisvaluable time. He had come on horseback, and everybody could see that hewas anxious to get through with his appointed task and get away.

  "Ah, Sergeant," he said, answering the latter's salute as he brought theguard to attention, and then his eye fell upon Captain Thorne. "You havethe prisoner, have you?"

  "Just taking him out, sir," answered the Sergeant, saluting again.

  "To prison?"

  "No, sir."

  "Where, then?"

  "To execute the sentence of the court, sir."

  "Oh!" exclaimed the General, looking hard at the Sergeant. "He has hadhis trial, has he?"

  But Arrelsford, who chafed at thus being left out of the game, nowstepped over and took up the burden of the conversation before theSergeant could reply.

  "We have done everything according to regulation, sir," he said,saluting in a rather cavalier manner. He did not like General Randolph.If it had not been for his interference, the affair would have beensettled long ago, and he still cherished a grudge against the latter forhaving arrested a man so important as the trusted agent of the SecretService. "The findings have gone to the Secretary."

  "Ah!" said General Randolph blandly. He did not like Mr. Arrelsford anybetter than Mr. Arrelsford liked him.

  "Yes, sir."

  "And he was found guilty, I presume?"

  "Certainly, sir."

  "And what are you going to do with him?"

  "There is no time for a hanging now, and the court has ordered himshot."

  "Oh, indeed. And what were the charges?"

  "Conspiracy against our government and the success of our arms, bysending a false and misleading despatch containing forged orders, wasthe particular specification."

  "Well," said General Randolph, "I regret to say that the court has beenmisinformed."

  "What!" cried Arrelsford, in great surprise. "The testimony was veryplain."

  "Yes, indeed, sir," interposed the Sergeant.

  "Nevertheless," returned the General, "the man is not guilty of thatcharge. The despatch was not sent."

  Now Edith Varney had scarcely moved. She had expected nothing, she hadhoped for nothing, from the advent of the General. At best it would meanonly a little delay. The verdict was just, the sentence was adequate,and the punishment must and would be carried out. She had listened,scarcely apprehending, busy with her own thoughts, her eyes fastened onThorne, who stood there so pale and composed. But at this remarkablestatement by General Randolph she was suddenly quickened into life. Alow exclamation broke from her lips. A hope, not that his life might besaved, but that it might be less shameful to love him, came into herheart. Wilfred stepped forward also.

  The terse statement of the General had caused a great deal of excitementand commotion in the room. Only Thorne preserved his calmness. He wasglad that Edith Varney had learned this, and he was more glad that shehad learned it from the lips of the enemy, but it would make nodifference in his fate. He was not guilty of that particular charge, butthere were dozens of other charges for which they could try him, thepunishment of any one of which was death. Besides, he was a spy caughtin the Confederate lines, wearing a uniform not his own. It was enoughthat the woman should learn that he had not taken advantage of heraction; at least she could not reproach herself with that.

  "Why, General," began Arrelsford, greatly dismayed, "I hardly understandwhat you mean. That despatch--I saw him myself----"

  General Randolph turned on him quickly.

  "I say that that despatch was not sent," he roared, striking the tablewith his hand. "I expected to arrive in time for the trial. There is onehere who can testify. Lieutenant Foray?"

  From among the group of staff officers who had followed GeneralRandolph, Lieutenant Foray stepped forward before the General andsaluted.

  "Did Captain Thorne send out that despatch after we left you with him inthe office an hour ago?" asked the older officer.

  "No, sir," answered Foray promptly, glancing from Arrelsford's thwartedand flushed and indignant countenance to Edith Varney's face, in whichhe saw the light of a great illumination was shining. "No, sir," herepeated; "I was just about to send it by his orders, when hecountermanded it and tore up the despatch."

  "And what despatch was it?"

  "It was one signed by the Secretary of War, sir, removing Marston'sDivision from Cemetery Hill."

  "You hear, gentlemen," said the General, and, not giving them time toanswer, he turned again to Foray. "What were Captain Thorne's words atthe time?"

  "He said he refused to act under that commission, and crumpled it up andthrew it away."

  "That will do, Lieutenant," said General Randolph triumphantly. Heturned to Arrelsford again. "If you are not satisfied, Mr. Arrelsford, Ibeg to inform you that we have a despatch, from General Chesney at thefront, in which he says that no orders were received from here. He gotan uncompleted despatch, but could not make anything out of it.Marston's Division was not withdrawn from Cemetery Hill, and ourposition was not weakened in any way. The attack there has failed."There was a low murmur of astonishment from the group of men in theroom. Edith Varney did one significant thing. She made two steps inThorne's direction. That young man did not dare to trust himself to lookat her. "It is quite plain," continued the General, "that the court hasbeen acting under an error. The President of the Confederacy is,therefore, compelled to disapprove the finding, and it is set aside. Hehappened to be with the Secretary when the finding came in."

  Arrelsford made one last desperate effort.

  "General Randolph," he said, and, to do him justice, he did not lackcourage, "this was put in my hands, and----"

  General Randolph laughed.

  "I take it out of your hands," he said curtly. "Report back to the WarOffice, or the Secret Service Office, with my compliments, and----"

  "But there are other charges upon which he could be tried," persistedArrelsford. "He is a spy anyway, and----"

  "I believe I gave you your orders, Mr. Arrelsford," interrupted theGeneral, with suspicious politeness.

  "But hadn't I better wait and see----"

  "By God, sir," thundered Randolph, "do I have to explain my orders tothe whole Secret Service of the Confederacy? Don't wait to see anything.Go at once, or I will have you escorted by a file of soldiers."

  Arrelsford would have defied the General if there had been the least usein the world in doing it, but the game was clearly up for the present.He would try to arrange to have Thorne rearrested and tried as a spylater. Now he could do nothing. He walked out of the room, prideenabling him to keep up a brave front, but with disappointment andresentment raging in his heart. He did not realise that his power overThorne had been withdrawn. In the great game that they had played, hehad lost at all points. They all watched him go, not a single one in theroom with sympathy, or even pity.

  "Now, Sergeant," said the General, as they heard the heavy hall doorclose; "I want to speak to the prisoner."

  "Order arms!" cried the Sergeant. "Parade rest!" As the squad assumedthese positions in obedience to his commands, the Sergeant continued,"Fall out the prisoner."

  Thorne stepped forward one pace from the ranks, and saluted the General.He kept his eyes fixed upon that gentleman, and it was only thethrobbing of his heart that made him aware that Edith Varney was by hisside. She bent her head toward him; he felt her warm breath against hischeek as she whispered:

  "Oh! Why didn't you tell me? I thought you sent it, I thought you----"

  "Miss Varney!" exclaimed the General in surprise.

  But Edith threw maidenly reserve to the winds. The suddenness of therevelation overwhelmed her.

  "There is nothing against him, General Randolph, now; is there? Hedi
dn't send it. There's nothing to try him for!" she said.

  General Randolph smiled grimly at her.

  "You are very much mistaken, Miss Varney," he answered. "The fact of hisbeing caught in our lines without his proper uniform is enough to hanghim in ten minutes."

  Edith caught her heart with her hand with a sharp exclamation, butGeneral Randolph had turned to speak to the prisoner.

  "Captain Thorne," he said, "or Lewis Dumont, if that is your name; thePresident is fully informed regarding the circumstances of your case,and I needn't say that we look upon you as a cursed dangerous character.There isn't any doubt whatever that you ought to be shot right now, but,considering the damned peculiarity of your behaviour, and that yourefused to send out that despatch when you might have done so, we'vedecided to keep you out of mischief some other way. You will be held aprisoner of war."

  Captain Thorne was almost too dazed to realise the purport of thedecree. He mechanically saluted, and from his lips broke a murmured,

  "Thank you, sir."

  The General looked at him severely, and then, seeing Edith Varney,turned away and engaged in conversation with his staff. His intentionwas obvious, and Edith immediately embraced the opportunity.

  "Oh!" she said; "that isn't nearly so bad as death," and before them allshe stretched out her hand to him.

  "No?" queried Thorne in a low voice.

  "No," she said, forcing herself to look at him. "After a whileperhaps--some time----"

  "Oh!" said Thorne. "Some time? If it's some time, that's enough."

  Mrs. Varney, having succeeded in getting Howard quiet and composed, hadbeen in the room since the advent of General Randolph.

  "Mamma," said Edith, "won't you speak to him, too?"

  Mrs. Varney approached him, but Wilfred was quicker.

  "I would like to shake hands with you," he said, with boyish enthusiasm.

  "What, again?" said Thorne, smiling. "All right." He stretched out hishand. "Go ahead."

  "And so would I," said Caroline, following the lead of her boy lover.

  "Don't be afraid now," said Wilfred. "Everything will be all right. Theywill give you a parole, and----"

  "A parole!" said Caroline. "Goodness gracious, they will give youhundreds of them, I am sure."

  But General Randolph turned once more.

  "One moment, please," said the officer. As he came forward, the othersfell back. Only Edith Varney kept her place close by Thorne's side."There is only one reason on earth why the President has set aside acertain verdict of death. You held up that false order and made a turnin our favor. You are not to be tried as a spy, but held as a prisonerof war. We expect you to make that turn complete and enter our service."

  "Never," replied Thorne instantly. "That's impossible, sir."

  "You can give us your answer later," said the General.

  "You have it now."

  "You will be kept in close confinement until you come to our terms,"continued the older officer.

  "You make me a prisoner for life, then."

  "You will see it in another light before many days, and it wouldn'tsurprise me if Miss Varney had something to do with a change in yourviews."

  "You are mistaken, General Randolph," quickly interposed Edith. "I thinkhe is perfectly right."

  "Oh, very well," said the General, smiling a little. "We will see what alittle prison life will do. Sergeant?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "I have turned the prisoner over to Major Whitfield. He requests you totake the prisoner to his office, where he'll take charge of him."

  "Very good, sir," answered the Sergeant.

  "What is it?" whispered Thorne to Edith. "Love and good-bye?"

  "No," answered the girl; "only the first." She stopped and looked up athim, her face flushed, her heart throbbing, her eyes shining gloriously."And that every day, every hour, every minute, until we meet again."

  "Thank God," whispered Thorne. "Until we meet again."

  "Attention!" cried the Sergeant. "Carry arms! Left face! Fall in theprisoner! Forward--March!"