of cavalrymen silently sitting their horses in the shadow of the high
wall. A wide gravelled walk, bordered, I thought, with flowers, led
toward the front door of a commodious house built after the colonial
type. The lower story seemed fairly ablaze with lights, and at the head
of the steps as we ascended a young officer came quickly forward.

"Is this the prisoner brought in to-night?"

The corporal pushed me forward.

"This is the man, sir."

"Very well; hold your command here until I send other orders."

He rested one hand, not unkindly, upon my arm, and his tone instantly
changed from that of command to generous courtesy.

"You will accompany me, and permit me to advise you, for your own sake,
to be as civil as possible in your answers to-night, for the 'old man'
is in one of his tantrums."

We crossed the rather dimly lighted hall, which had a sentry posted at
either end of it, and then my conductor threw open a side door, and
silently motioned for me to enter in advance of him. It was a spacious
room, elegant in all its appointments, but my hasty glance revealed
only three occupants. Sitting at a handsomely polished mahogany
writing-table near the centre of the apartment was a short, stoutly
built man, with straggly beard and fierce, stern eyes. I recognized him
at once, although he wore neither uniform nor other insignia of rank.
Close beside him stood a colonel of engineers, possibly his chief of