“Certainly, Penhallow.  I am always free to advise you.”

“I want to say something and to be asked no questions.  Am I clear?”

“Certainly.”

“Thank you.  I had an extraordinary adventure yesterday.  I am not at liberty to do more than say that it put me in possession of these plans.”  He spread on the table well-drawn sketches of the forts around Washington.

Stanton’s grim, bearded face grew stern.  “You have my word, Penhallow.  If I had not too easily given it we would have been placed in a disagreeable position.  I am debarred from asking you how you came into possession of these papers.  The spies who made them would have been in my power early this morning—­and not even the President’s weakness would have saved their necks.”

Penhallow was silent, but was anxiously watching the angry Secretary, who swept the papers aside with an impatient gesture, feeling that he had been so dealt with as to be left without even the relief he too often found in outbursts of violent language.  Penhallow’s quiet attitude reminded him that he could not now take advantage of his official position to say what was on his mind.

“Colonel,” he said, “I want a report on some better method of getting remounts for the cavalry.”

“I will consider it, sir.”

“What about that contract for ambulances?”

“I shall have my report ready to-morrow.”

“That is all.”  It is to be feared that the next visitor suffered what Penhallow escaped.

With no other orders the Colonel left, rewarded the punctual policeman and went home to write to his wife, infinitely disgusted with the life before him and behind him, and desiring no more adventures.

CHAPTER XXIII

The winter of 1862-63 went by with Sherman’s defeat at Vicksburg and Rosecrans’s inconclusive battle of Stone River.  The unpopular Conscription Act in February, 1863, and last of all the discreditable defeat of Hooker in May at Chancellorsville, disheartened the most hopeful.

Meanwhile, Penhallow wrote to his wife with no word of the war, and poured out his annoyance to Leila with less restraint.

“DEAR LEILA:  I get brief notes from John, who is with the one General (Grant) who has any luck.  The list of discredited commanders good and bad increases.  I am weary beyond measure of the kind of life I lead.  I learn to-day, May 18th, of the progress of the investment of Vicksburg, and of John as busy at last with his proper work of bridges, corduroy roads and the siege approaches.

“The drift homeward of our crippled men, you tell of, is indeed sad.  I am glad that Grace’s boy is well; and so Rivers has gone to the army again.  Pole’s lad, with the lost arm, must have some work at the mills.  Say I ask it.  Good-bye.

“Yours, JAMES PENHALLOW.”

On the 16th of June the Secretary said to Penhallow, “You know that Lee has crossed the Potomac.  General Hunt has asked to have you put in charge of the reserve artillery of the Potomac army.  I shall relieve you here and give the order, but I want you for a week longer to clear up matters.”