to me and I went to the door.  He requested me to accompany him to the rooms, of the Committee.  I wished to know for what purpose, and at whose instance he came.  He said he could not tell; he was ordered to request my attendance at once, and could say no more.  I got my overcoat and went with him.  On the way down he informed me of the diligent hunt he had made to find me - mentioning half a dozen families whom I frequently visited.  At last we reached Fort Gunny Bags.  He led the way to the Front street door, in the rear of the building.  Two rows of guards with muskets, had position from the curb-stone to the door-way.  He gave the password to these and we passed through.  At the door were other guards — the same giving of pass-word there.  We mounted the narrow stairs — my escort in advance.  Midway on the stairs were two guards — one of them Dr. Rabe, with whom I had been intimate since 1850.  Again the pass-word.  And again at the head of the stairs to the four guards there.  My escort opened the door of a medium-sized room, which fronted on the street, and requested me to be seated.  He left me alone in the room.  For an hour I had the room to myself.  Then the door was opened, and I saw David C. Broderick over the head of the person who had evidently escorted him, and requested him to be seated.  Broderick entered, and the door was closed, and locked from the outside.  We had no more than shaken hands and mutually wondered what we were wanted for, when the key was turned, the door again opened, and in came tall Jo.  McKibben, taller even than Broderick.  As he entered, the door was again locked on the outside.  The situation was too amusing, and we all laughed over it.  But why were we there?  On relating the manner of the “request” and escort, each had been served in similar manner — neither could conjecture the purpose in having us there.  No other person was let in until about an hour.  “Old Jim” Dows, as he was familiarly called, came to see us.  We had known each other for years.  He appeared surprised to see us, and McKibben and myself exchanged some pleasantries with him.  I said to him, at last, that I wished the Executive Committee would hasten whatever business they had in my case and let me go, as I was eager to return to the house I had been visiting.  He said he would and in ten minutes returned to apprise me that I could go right then if I wished.  He accompanied me to the head of the stairs, and in loud voice ordered the guards to let me pass out — that it was “all right.”  With this he passed into the hall.  The guard at the head of the stairs duly let me pass.  At the middle of the stairs Dr. Rabe, who so well knew me, and must have heard Dows’ order, demanded the pass-word, and refused to allow me to proceed.  I said, “Why, Doctor, I don’t know the pass-word, and you heard Jim.  Dows’ order to let me pass out.”  The guard at the head of the stairs cried out to him, “it was all right,” and I was then allowed to pass down.