The Lost Despatch
Page 16
CHAPTER XVI
A TANGLED SKEIN
The President and his companions sat looking at Symonds in stupefiedsilence. Secretary Stanton was the first to speak.
"Dead!" he thundered. "Who killed him?"
"I don't know, sir."
"What killed him?"
"I don't know, sir," reiterated Symonds stupidly.
"Was he shot or stabbed?"
"Neither, sir."
"Well, damn my soul!" The exasperated and hot-tempered Secretaryclutched the inkstand with the evident intention of hurling it atSymonds. "_What_ did he die of?"
"I don't know, sir." Symonds passed a trembling hand over his paleface. "He was just lying there in bed--dead."
"Had Captain Lloyd been ill?" asked the President.
"No, Mr. President; not to my knowledge. He appeared to be in goodhealth and spirits when I left him this afternoon; only exhausted fromfive days in the saddle. He told me he was going to lie down and rest,and that I was to send for him after I had seen Colonel Baker, who wasthen in Baltimore, and arranged for this lady's arrest."
"Take that chair, Symonds," said the President, "and tell us all youknow of this affair."
Obediently Symonds pulled forward the chair indicated, and faced thePresident, much perturbed in mind.
"I met Colonel Baker, as Captain Lloyd directed, and gave him theinformation he had been waiting for. We came here, and, afterconsulting the Secretary, Colonel Baker ordered me to bring CaptainLloyd to this room.
"When I reached Mrs. Lane's boarding house, I went directly up to thecaptain's sitting room. I rapped and rapped on his door, but could getno response." Symonds paused impressively, and five pairs of eyeswatched him almost without blinking. "The captain had told me he was aheavy sleeper; so, thinking I would have to shake him awake, I triedthe door knob. It turned, and I entered. The room was dark except forthe moonlight which came through the front windows.
"I saw that the communicating door leading to the captain's bedroom wasopen; so I went over to it and called Captain Lloyd's name. Not gettingany answer, I walked into the room. It was pitch dark, and the nextthing I knew I had tripped and fallen over a body...."
"You just stated that you found Captain Lloyd dead in bed," interposedthe Secretary sharply.
"And so I did, sir."
"Then, what do you mean by saying you fell over his body on the floor?"
"It wasn't his body, sir."
"Get on, get on!" Stanton glared impatiently at Symonds, who hadstopped and was nervously twirling his cap in his fingers. ThePresident was intently watching Nancy, who sat on the edge of her chairlistening to Symonds' slow speech with bated breath.
"I picked myself up, sir, considerably shaken, struck a match, found aburner and lighted the gas. Then I leaned over and looked at the man onthe floor ... it was Major Goddard!"
A low cry of terror broke from Nancy. She reeled in her seat. Stantonviewed her emotion with grim satisfaction. He had found the vulnerableheel of Achilles.
"He wasn't ... Symonds, don't say it...."
Nancy pleaded. "Don't say he was----" Her hands were raised, as if topush some over-mastering horror from her.
"No, no, ma'am; he was only unconscious from a blow on his head."Symonds, shocked by her look of agony, spoke with unusual rapidity.
Nancy bowed her head in her hands; then, realizing that the four menwere noting her every movement, she straightened herself and faced themwith regained self-control.
"What next, Symonds?" exclaimed Stanton.
"I turned to the bed, and was astounded to see Captain Lloyd sleepingpeacefully--at least, I thought so then. I rushed over and shook andshook him. The Lord forgive me! I was so excited over Major Goddardthat I never thought, never suspected. I had pushed Captain Lloyd up inbed by that time in my efforts to rouse him. To my unutterable horror,he fell back in my arms a dead weight, and my hand accidentally touchedhis cold face. I quickly unbuttoned his shirt and placed my ear overhis heart, but could detect no action there, nor any pulse when Iclutched his wrist.
"It took me a few minutes to collect myself; then I called thelandlady, Mrs. Lane. She sent one of her boarders for the provostmarshal. When he arrived, I turned the rooms over to him, and came onhere to report to the Secretary."
"Did you send for a physician, Symonds?" asked Lincoln.
"Yes, Mr. President. Doctor Ward reached the boarding house a fewminutes before the provost marshal. He declared Captain Lloyd hadapparently been dead for some hours, and that Major Goddard wasunconscious from a blow on the head."
"Did he make an examination as to the cause of Captain Lloyd's death?"inquired Stanton.
"No, Mr. Secretary. He said that the captain was beyond his help, andthat Major Goddard needed immediate attention. He dressed the major'swound at once, and then I helped him lift the still unconscious officeronto the other bed."
"Had Major Goddard regained consciousness before you left?"
"No, Mr. Secretary. He had lost a great deal of blood, and Doctor Wardsaid it might be hours before he came to himself. The doctor seemed tofear concussion of the brain," he added thoughtfully.
A low sigh escaped Nancy. Only the President noticed her agitation. Theother men had forgotten her presence, so absorbed were they in Symonds'story.
"The provost marshal stationed a guard about the house," resumedSymonds, before the Secretary could frame another question. "He placedMrs. Lane and her whole household under arrest pending aninvestigation."
"He did right," was Stanton's brief comment. "The affair is certainlymysterious. Did the room look as if there had been a fight?"
"No, Mr. Secretary. There was a good deal of blood collected on thefloor about Major Goddard's head; but not even a chair was overturned.When I first reached him, Captain Lloyd lay as if asleep, covered by abed quilt."
"Strange!" muttered Stanton, and he looked at the President, who sattilted back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, gazing throughlowered lids at the scene before him. As Lincoln made no comment, andWarren was equally silent, he continued his questions more briskly."Undoubtedly Major Goddard will satisfactorily explain what took placein the room before Captain Lloyd's death, and who his assailant was, assoon as he regains consciousness. Now, we have a more pressing matterto attend to to-night." With a wave of his hand, he indicated Nancy."This afternoon Captain Lloyd showed you a paper, a cipher despatch,written by this young lady..."
"I protest," interrupted Nancy vehemently, "against such a baseaccusation."
"...taken by him from Major George Pegram, a rebel spy, did he not?"continued Stanton, paying no heed to Nancy.
"Yes, Mr. Secretary; he showed me such a paper," admitted Symonds.
"Did it occur to you, Symonds, to take possession of that paper beforeit fell into other hands?"
"It did, sir."
"Good. Give it to me." And Stanton stretched out an eager hand.
"I--I--can't, Mr. Secretary," stammered the Secret Service agent. "Isearched all the captain's belongings before the provost marshalarrived; but the pocketbook containing the despatch had disappeared."