The Lost Despatch

by Natalie Sumner Lincoln

  CHAPTER XX

  THE TURNING POINT

  Doctor Ward's fears for his patient's condition were well founded. Theshock of his interview with Baker in his weakened condition brought onan attack of brain fever, and for days Goddard's life hung in thebalance. An experienced Sister of Mercy replaced the young nurse fromthe United States Sanitary Commission; and at Doctor Ward's earnestrequest the provost marshal stationed a sentry at Goddard's door withorders to admit no one to the sick room except by the doctor's expresspermission. Anxious days followed, the doctor and the nurse grimlycontesting each step of the way as Goddard sank nearer and nearer theValley of the Shadow.

  Ward bent over the bed, and anxiously scanned Goddard's bloodless face;then rose and tiptoed softly about the room. He was weary from his longvigil by the bedside; it was a relief to stretch his cramped limbswhile he waited for the crisis to pass.

  "Have you heard anything more about the arrangements for Miss Newton'strial?" asked Sister Angelica softly.

  "No, except that the hearing has been again postponed."

  "I cannot believe the charges against Miss Newton," murmured thesister. "I have seen her frequently at the hospitals when she came toread to the convalescents and bring them pickles."

  "Pickles?"

  "Yes, sir. The soldiers prefer them to many luxuries. I have seen MissNewton do many kind and generous acts. It is incredible that she shouldhave planned and carried out so deliberate and cold-blooded a murder."

  "Judge Holt asked me to-day--" The doctor's hurried whisper wasinterrupted by a sound from the bed, and he hurried to his patient.

  Goddard lay on his back, gazing with unseeing eyes at the ceiling, onethin arm tossed across the pillow. "Nancy," he whispered; "Nancy!"

  "He is always calling her name," murmured Sister Angelica. "Poorfellow--poor girl!"

  "Aye," muttered Ward under his breath. "God help them both--one hereand one in prison!"

  "Nancy." Goddard's weak voice seemed to gain in strength. "Don't cry,dear. I am coming." A feeble smile lighted his face; he turnedslightly, his eyes closed, and, with a sigh like a tired child, heslept.

  Ward's hand sought Goddard's pulse. He touched the white cheek. Theskin was cool and moist. Turning to the nurse, his eyes dancing withdelight, he whispered: "The fever is broken. At last Major Goddard issleeping naturally."

  Sister Angelica's fervid "Thank God!" was lost in the folds of the sashcurtain as she pulled up the shade and let the daylight enter the sickroom.

  * * * * *

  The days passed on leaden feet for Nancy. The suspense and closeconfinement told even on her splendid constitution, and she grew but ashadow of her former self. The prison food was not inviting; only whenpangs of hunger forced her could she swallow the unappetizinghalf-cooked meats and sour bread which were brought to her on a tinplate by a slatternly negress.

  Occasionally the superintendent sent her word of Robert Goddard'scondition, but that was all she heard from the outside world. Thenegress, who tidied her room and brought her meals, had received ordersnot to speak to the prisoner, and the soldiers on guard at the prisonwere, with few exceptions, Germans, who did not understand or speakmuch English. Sometimes Nancy actually ached to hear the sound offriendly voices. The only break in the daily monotony was thenine-o'clock inspection of prisoners, which occurred each morning, aswell as at night. Nancy spent most of her days standing near the windowand gazing with wistful eyes at the other prisoners, who were allowedfresh-air exercise in the courtyard under the watchful eyes of thesentries.

  The horrors of the long, sleepless nights were added to by the presenceof rats, who scampered noisily back and forth across the bare floor.Nancy had discovered one on her bed the second night of herimprisonment, and her screams brought the guard on the double quick.

  "Vat ess de drouble?" he demanded, dashing open the door. He leveledhis Springfield full at the girl, and she heard the click of thehammer. Another soldier came in, carrying a lantern, and Nancy, huddledin one corner of her cot, hastily drew the bedclothes about her.

  "Rats. Look!" And she pointed to a gray body disappearing down a holein one of the corners of the room.

  "Ah, Himmel! Dey ess all ober," remarked the guard stolidly, as helowered his rifle. "Dere ess no use to holler. We can do nuddings."

  "Do you mean to say I have to lie here while those vile creatures runover me?" exclaimed Nancy wrathfully.

  "Ya."

  "Go tell Superintendent Wood I wish to see him at once," imperiously.

  "Nein," both soldiers spoke at once.

  "And you call yourselves men!" ejaculated Nancy scornfully.

  "We fight mit Siegel for de Union," retorted the sentry, retreating tothe hall, "and not mit rats." He shut the door and shot the bolt inplace. Nancy was once again in solitary confinement.

  * * * * *

  To Miss Metoaca and Senator Warren the days fled by all too quickly.Try as they did, they could find no evidence, no clue that wouldbenefit Nancy, or prove another guilty of the crime she was chargedwith. Secretary Stanton was deaf to all appeals that Nancy's captivitybe lightened, and that her aunt be permitted to see her.

  "Treason must be, shall be, punished," he declared. "Miss Newton willbe given an opportunity to clear herself of the charges against herbefore a military commission. Until then she must remain in solitaryconfinement."

  Miss Metoaca refused to be cast down by her rebuffs, and doggedlypersisted in her efforts to obtain Nancy's freedom. She took no part inthe city's mad rejoicing over the fall of Richmond; she was too sick atheart over her niece's threatened fate.

  On the afternoon of the eighth of April she was taking off her wraps inher own room in a thoroughly discouraged frame of mind. She had justcalled on Doctor Ward, who had courteously but firmly refused to allowher to see Goddard.

  "What is it, Jonas?" she demanded crossly, in answer to a timid knockon her door.

  "Mrs. Arnold an' Mrs. Bennett am down in de pawler, Miss Turkey." Nonegro had ever been able to pronounce Miss Metoaca's name, and she hadbeen accustomed from childhood to being called "Miss Turkey" by herdomestics. "Dey done seed yo' come home, an' I'se jes' 'bliged ter showdem in."

  Miss Metoaca considered for a moment. Nancy had confided her suspicionsin regard to Mrs. Bennett to her aunt in February. Should she receiveher now? She had called repeatedly since Nancy's arrest, but MissMetoaca had always excused herself. This time she was inside the house,perhaps already spying around. Miss Metoaca came to a suddenresolution. "Tell the ladies I will be right down," she called to thewaiting servant, and, true to her words, she joined them withoutfurther loss of time.

  "My dear Miss Metoaca," began Mrs. Arnold pompously, but the look inthe spinster's red eyes went straight to her heart, and she threw herarms impulsively about her in a warm embrace without completing hersentence.

  "It is good of you to come," said Miss Metoaca, touched by Mrs.Arnold's greeting. "I--I--was feeling very downhearted."

  "And no wonder," purred Mrs. Bennett, wiping her eyes with a daintyhandkerchief. "You have borne a great deal, Miss Metoaca, and have ourdeepest sympathy."

  "You crocodile," thought the spinster, as she said aloud: "It is cruel,cruel! Nancy never committed that crime, _never_."

  Mrs. Arnold and her friend exchanged doubtful glances.

  "Have you been allowed to see your niece?" inquired the latter, as Mrs.Arnold seemed at a loss for words.

  "No; and I am convinced the food and clothes I send her never get pastthe inspector's office."

  "Have you appealed to the President?"

  "Have I?" Miss Metoaca's tone was eloquent. "I have tormented that poorman nearly to death."

  "Did he give you no comfort?" asked Mrs. Arnold. "Usually PresidentLincoln is only too anxious to sign pardons."

  "He doesn't seem to be in this instance," dryly. "He insists that anopen trial will be the best thing for Nancy. 'Murder is evil,' he said;'
evil cannot stand discussion. The more the mystery is discussed thequicker you will discover clues leading to the murderer. What kills theskunk is the publicity it gives itself. What a skunk wants to do is tokeep snug under the barn--in the daytime--when men are around withshotguns.'"

  "Is Sam working for you now?" inquired Mrs. Arnold, after a slightpause.

  "Sam!" echoed Miss Metoaca, her surprise causing her to raise hervoice.

  Seeing Mrs. Arnold was flurried by the apparent effect of her innocentremark on Miss Metoaca, Mrs. Bennett answered for her.

  "My husband and I met Nancy conversing with the negro Sam, about sixo'clock on the afternoon that Captain Lloyd--ah--died." Miss Metoacawas intently studying the speaker's face, but she could learn nothingfrom the innocent blue eyes raised so confidingly to hers. "Nancy toldus then that Sam, who has often waited on me, was anxious to secure aplace in a private family...."

  "And so," broke in Mrs. Arnold, "as I am in need of anotherman-servant, I came to inquire about Sam."

  "Now that is too bad," exclaimed Miss Metoaca, rallying her wits to heraid. "I wish I had known before that you needed a servant, Mrs. Arnold.Sam came to me and asked me to find him a place, so I sent him over tomy cousin, Mrs. Hillen, in Baltimore, as she wanted a good butler." Hertranquil manner effectually covered a rapidly beating heart. How muchdid Mrs. Bennett know about Sam, and where had she gained herinformation?

  "Great heavens! What is that?" exclaimed Mrs. Bennett, startled out ofher usual calm as a long-drawn howl came from the back of the house.

  "It's Misery. Poor dog! He is grieving his heart out for Nancy. Isuspect Jonas has forgotten and shut him in the pantry." Miss Metoacamade a motion to rise.

  "Sit still, dear." Mrs. Bennett detained her by a gesture. "I will goand release Misery." And before the perturbed spinster could stop hershe had tripped gracefully out of the room.

  "Here is Senator Warren," remarked Mrs. Arnold, catching sight of himthrough the window as he came up the steps; and Miss Metoaca, all elseforgotten, hastened to the front door.

  As Warren greeted her, the shrill voices of newsboys shouting "Extra!""Extra!" sounded down the street, and, with a muttered word of apology,he waited on the steps until a newsboy saw his beckoning hand andrushed up with the paper. Miss Metoaca and Mrs. Arnold, who had joinedher, read the flaring headlines over Warren's shoulder:

  STIRRING NEWS FROM THE FRONT! LEE OVERWHELMED! GRANT CRUSHING HIM ON THE EAST!! SHERIDAN ON THE WEST!!!

  Warren raised his hat reverently. "The end is in sight! Thank God!Thank God!"

  "Oh, I _do_ thank God! This cruel war!" Miss Metoaca choked, and turnedto Mrs. Arnold, who was weeping softly. "Let us go inside." And she ledthe way into the hall, where Warren detained her.

  "I only came to tell you that the military commission meets day afterto-morrow, the tenth, to try Nancy."

  Miss Metoaca drew a long breath. "Anything is better than thissuspense."

  Warren nodded understandingly. "I am to see Nancy to-morrow. The judgeadvocate has furnished me with a copy of the charges. Did Ward allowyou to talk with Goddard?"

  "No."

  "How strange!" exclaimed Mrs. Bennett, who had rejoined them, droppingthe extra which she and Mrs. Arnold were busy reading. "I hear themajor is almost well again. Do you know," warming to the subject, "Iconsider Doctor Ward is acting very mysteriously in regard to MajorGoddard's condition."

  "Indeed? In what way, Mrs. Bennett?" Warren pricked up his ears.

  "By his persistent refusals to let anyone into Major Goddard's sickroom. And I am not the only one who thinks so." She pausedimpressively, then went on: "Colonel Baker told me that he wasconvinced the last time he talked with Major Goddard that he hadregained his sight."

  "Is that so?" Warren looked his disbelief. "I will inquire into it.Good night, Miss Metoaca; I must be running along."

  "And we have to go, too," declared Mrs. Arnold. "Don't be discouraged,dear Miss Metoaca." And she gave the spinster an encouraging pat on hershoulder.

  "Don't allow your mind to dwell too much on your worries," advised Mrs.Bennett soothingly, as she followed the senator down the steps.

  Miss Metoaca nodded a smiling farewell, but when the door was safelyshut the smile faded, and instead her face looked pinched and drawn.Deep in thought she hastened to the morning room, which was back of thedining room, and sat down at her desk to scribble a line to her cousin,Mrs. Hillen.

  To a casual eye the desk was as she had left it two hours before. ButMiss Metoaca had a well-developed bump of order, the terror of herservants, and nothing escaped her eagle eye. One glance showed her thedesk ornaments had been moved. Dropping her pen, Miss Metoaca openedseveral of the drawers. One look was enough to show her that theircontents had been disturbed. Every paper was tossed and tumbled.

  Feverishly Miss Metoaca went through the remaining drawers. Apparentlynothing had been removed. Just as she was drawing a long breath ofrelief, her hand touched a note book concealed under a mass of papersat the back of the bottom drawer. Pulling it out, Miss Metoaca foundthat the book was one used by Nancy to keep the marketing accounts andother memoranda. She turned the pages hastily--five sheets had beentorn out! The book fell unheeded on the floor, as Miss Metoaca bowedher head in her trembling hands.