The Lost Despatch

by Natalie Sumner Lincoln

  CHAPTER VIII

  A VOICE FROM THE PAST

  Some hours later Doctor Boyd stepped inside his hall and softly closedthe front door. Quickly removing his hat and heavy cloak, he wentdirectly into his back office and felt about in the dark for his matchbox. It was not to be found in its accustomed place, and an angryexclamation escaped the doctor. Apparently Martha Crane, his trustedold housekeeper, had taken advantage of his absence and tidied up hisdesk, an act of vandalism which always reduced Boyd to a statebordering on frenzy.

  "Kin I help yo', suh?"

  Doctor Boyd's right hand sought his hip pocket, and he faced in thedirection from which the voice came. The intruder guessed his intentionand spoke hastily.

  "Fo' God's sake, doan shoot, suh. I'se Sam." And to confirm hisstatement he struck a match and held it so that his features werevisible by the flickering flame.

  "Well, come in and light this confounded burner," exclaimed the doctortestily, as his fingers slowly relaxed their hold on his weapon. "Nexttime don't announce your presence so dramatically, Sam, or you may gethurt."

  "Yessir." The negro stepped with alacrity through the doorway which ledto the front office, and applied his half burned match to the gas jetover the doctor's desk. "Miss Martha done told me ter wait in dar."

  "Confound the woman!" The doctor seated himself in his armchair andcontemplated the neatly arranged papers and ornaments on his desk indespair. "Where is she?"

  "Done gone out," announced Sam briefly. "I tole her I'd be 'sponsiblefo' de house 'til she cum back."

  "Where were you to-night, Sam? Miss Nancy expected you to meet her atthe Perry's."

  "I went dar, suh, but I seed a lot ob men a-hangin' 'roun' watchin' deplace, so I jes' cum on heah, thinkin' p'raps Miss Nancy mite be wifyo'. I done got de papah she wanted."

  "Miss Nancy leaves at nine o'clock for Winchester."

  "Golly! Den I mus' git right 'roun' an' gib her dis heah papah." Samstarted for the door.

  "Stop!" commanded Boyd. "The Newtons' house is also watched by SecretService agents. I saw them sneaking about the yard when I left MissNancy an hour ago. If you go there at this hour you will be arrestedinstantly."

  Sam scratched his woolly head in perplexity. "I reckon if I jes' go toder back alley an' whistle fo' Misery dey won' notice dis ole nigger,"he volunteered hopefully, after a moment's thought.

  "What good would that do you?"

  "I'll jes' slip de papah in de dawg's collah, an' he'll take it terMissy same as he brings her messages ter me."

  Boyd shook his head. "It is too much to risk on a dog's sagacity nowthat suspicion is directed toward Miss Nancy."

  "Den 'spose I meet Missy at de train an' slip de papah in her han'."

  "Unfortunately she is shadowed wherever she goes. Sit down a moment,Sam, and let me think." The doctor stroked his chin reflectively. "I'mafraid if I go to their house on the pretext of giving Miss Metoacamedicine I will be searched, and if that paper is incriminating we willall swing together. Here, let me read the message, and then I canrepeat it to Miss Nancy at the station."

  "No, suh, 'scuse me, suh, but dis heah papah was ter be delibered terher pussionally."

  "I am the best judge of that. Give me the paper at once."

  "No, suh," reiterated Sam obstinately. "Cunnel Newton tole me I was terdo 'zackly what Miss Nancy oddered, 'kase he willed meh ter her fo' hedied, an' I'se her serbent now same as I wore his body serbent."

  "Confound your stupidity," growled Doctor Boyd. At that moment a soundfrom the basement reached his quick ear. Signing to Sam to remain wherehe was, Boyd tiptoed out into the hall and over to the back stairs. Thekitchen door creaked dolefully as it was pushed open by an old womanwho walked heavily along the lower hall toward the stairs carrying alighted candle. The doctor drew a sigh of relief.

  "Glad you have returned, Martha," he called softly. "Please bring someice water into my office on your way to bed."

  Sam was plucking nervously at his old hat when the doctor reentered theoffice.

  "'Tain't 'kase I doan _want_ ter gib yo' dat papah, suh," he beganconfusedly, edging toward the open hall door. "But de cunnel, hebrunged meh up ter obey his odders, same as he done Miss Nancy. Hisword wore law to eb'ry one on de plantashun. I reckon I'se jes' got terfin' some way ob reachin' Miss Nancy."

  "You won't have to reach far," volunteered a familiar voice from thedoorway. Sam wheeled about and a gasp escaped him.

  "You? Nancy!" The doctor gazed incredulously at the stooping,gray-haired woman who hobbled into the room and closed the door.

  "'You? Nancy!' The doctor gazed incredulously."]

  For answer Nancy straightened her bent shoulders and removed the graywig.

  "I found Martha Crane with Aunt Metoaca," she explained, seatingherself by the desk. "She told me that you were here, Sam, and havingfailed to meet you at the Perrys' I decided to try and catch you herebefore you left."

  "But where on earth did you get that disguise?" demanded the doctor.

  "I borrowed the clothes from Martha; fortunately, with padding, theyfit me quite well. She also lent me the key of your basement so that Iwould not attract attention by going to the front door. The wig," Nancylaughed, "I used that in some tableaux at one of the Sanitary Fairslast year. It came in very handy, for the Secret Service men thought Iwas old Martha and let me pass unquestioned."

  "No wonder; your make-up is perfect," declared Boyd heartily.

  "Have you secured the paper for me, Sam?" asked Nancy.

  "Yes, Missy." Sam took a small slip of paper from an inside pocket andhanded it to her. Nancy studied the closely written lines intently.

  "Important?" inquired the doctor, breaking the long silence.

  "Very." She carefully refolded the slip. "This contains the key toStanton's private cipher code."

  A low whistle of surprise escaped Boyd. "How did you get it?"

  "Arthur Shriver, who, as you know, was a clerk in his office, copiedit, but before he could get it to me he was arrested on suspicion,"explained Nancy. "I heard he was confined in one of the front rooms inthe Old Capitol Prison, and so arranged to have the sentry's attentiondiverted while I questioned Arthur by prearranged signals."

  "Did the plan work?"

  "It did. Arthur told me where he had hidden the paper, and I sent Samto-night to get it for me."

  "Well, well!" The doctor sat back and contemplated Nancy admiringly."There's another message written on the back of that paper."

  Nancy turned it over and her eyes widened in surprise as she read aloudthe hastily scrawled words: "Mrs. Bennett is a Union spy. I have justoverheard an interview between her and Stanton."

  "That woman!" ejaculated the doctor. "That cat!"

  "Felines scratch," Nancy shrugged her shoulders disdainfully. "Stantonis fighting the devil with fire."

  "Be careful, Nancy; don't undervalue your opponents," cautioned thedoctor.

  "I flatter myself I am a match for Mrs. Bennett," retorted Nancy, "andforewarned is forearmed."

  "Strange," muttered Doctor Boyd. "Very strange. Do you recollectthe----"

  "I shall turn this paper over to you, Doctor," broke in Nancyimpetuously, "to take through the lines, along with a despatch which Ialso secured to-night."

  Boyd shook his head. "Impossible. I cannot leave the city now."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I have a capital operation to perform at ten o'clock."

  Nancy gazed at him in consternation. "Why, Doctor, you have always saidthat when the Cause needed your services you would not fail...."

  "Nor will I, when the Cause _really_ needs me. But at present you arebetter equipped to carry these messages through the lines than I."

  Nancy fingered the table ornaments for a moment in silence; then raisedher troubled eyes to her listener's face.

  "I have sent my last despatch," she announced quietly.

  "What!" The doctor could not believe his ears. "Why?"

  "Because I refuse to deceive people
any longer. I was brought up tobelieve a lie an abomination of the Lord--and I have been a living liefor three long years!"

  "You have developed a New England conscience," growled Boyd.

  "Do you think all the virtues belong north of Mason and Dixon's line?"retorted Nancy hotly. "For shame!"

  "I beg your pardon," the old surgeon bowed toward her with statelycourtesy. "Do be reasonable, child. This operation I am to performmeans not only life to the patient, but much to science. Besides, Idoubt if the authorities would allow me to leave Washington to-day.Now, your plans for leaving the city are already made; therefore itwill be a very simple, easy matter for you to carry those papers intoVirginia. You will run little risk..."

  "I am not hesitating on that score," broke in Nancy. "I would give mylife gladly for the 'bonnie blue flag'--_in the open_. It is theunderhand methods--the spying--the deceit--that burn like a red-hotcoal." Nancy paused; then continued more quietly: "There _is_ such aword as '_honor_'." She drew out another slip of paper from the bosomof her dress and tossed it, together with the paper already in herhand, on the table. "You must find another messenger."

  "Missy, Missy, what yo' talkin' 'bout?" Nancy and the doctor bothstarted. They had forgotten Sam's presence. "Is yo' goin' back on yo'gibben word--_yo'_--a Newton?"

  The girl's face whitened. She started to speak, but the negro gave herno opportunity to do so.

  "Has yo' done forgot dat Sunday night?" he asked, leaning forwardacross the table in his earnestness. "Dat night when I fotched yo' fromNewton Manor to Massa's bedside?" His voice deepened, the musical voiceof the emotional African.

  In Nancy's mind distinct and vivid rose the memory of that wild ridethrough the night to her father, the gay, handsome father whom sheidolized. Then, in thought, she again knelt beside the rude bed in thesilent tent, clinging to a feeble hand which had not the strength toreturn her pressure.

  "Missy," Sam's voice brought her back to the present, "Massa donebrunged yo' up ter ride, an' shoot, an' swim 'kase he wanted a boy sobad. He wore shot leadin' a charge ag'in de Yanks, an' when de gen'ralcum later ter say how bad he feel ter lose Massa, he jes' said: 'Ahwish Ah haid uh son ter take ma place in de ranks.'" The negro paused,then continued slowly: "When yo' an' I got dar, Missy, de Massa woremos' gone, but he say ter yo': 'Doan cry, dear, de fightin' Newtonsallus die wid de boots on--an' so die happy.' An' den he raise hissefup uh li'le an' gasp: 'Ah gib yo' ter de Cause--swear to uphold dehonoh ob Virginny--ter repel invasion--swear----'" Sam raised his righthand solemnly. "An' yo' swore dat oath on de Crucifix, Missy, on deCrucifix--in a dyin' man's han'."

  Sam's accusing eyes held Nancy spellbound. Mechanically she readjustedher wig. Quickly her right hand sought the papers lying on the table,and before either of the men realized her intention she had slippedfrom the room and was gone.