"Yes, General."
"Great resources; finest wheat-growing country in the world, sir. You
don't happen to know what the actual crop was this year?"
"Hardly, General! but something enormous."
"Yes, I have always said it would be. Have a cigar?"
He handed his cigar-case to the brigadier. Then he took one himself,
lighted it at the smouldering end of the one he had taken from his
mouth, was about to throw the stump carelessly down, but, suddenly
recollecting himself, leaned over his horse, and dropped it carefully
a few inches away from the face of a dead soldier. Then, straightening
himself in the saddle, he shoved his horse against the brigadier, moving
him a little further on, while a slight movement of his hand kept the
staff from following.
"A heavy loss here!"
"I'm afraid so, General."
"It couldn't be helped. We had to rush in your brigade to gain time, and
occupy the enemy, until we could change front."
The young general looked at the shrewd, cold eyes of his chief.
"Change front?" he echoed.
"Yes. Before a gun was fired, we discovered that the enemy was in
complete possession of all our plans, and knew every detail of our
forward movement. All had to be changed."
The younger man now instantly understood the incomprehensible order of
the day before.
The general of division continued, with his first touch of official
formality,--
"You understand, therefore, General Brant, that in the face of this
extraordinary treachery, the utmost vigilance is required, and a
complete surveillance of your camp followers and civilians, to detect
the actual spy within our lines, or the traitor we are harboring,
who has become possessed of this information. You will overhaul your
brigade, and weed out all suspects, and in the position which you are
to take to-morrow, and the plantation you will occupy, you will see that
your private quarters, as well as your lines, are cleared of all but
those you can vouch for."
He reined in his horse, again extended his hand, saluted, and rejoined
his staff.
Brigadier-General Clarence Brant remained for a moment with his head
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