This interview was conducted in a very pleasant manner by General Winder, and after they had fully answered all the questions which had been propounded to them, they took their leave, being politely invited by the General to call upon him whenever convenient.
Congratulating themselves upon the fortunate outcome of a visit which they had looked forward to with more or less solicitude, they repaired to Webster's room to give him an account of what had transpired.
They had not been seated very long, when a detective from the Marshal's office made his appearance, and after apologizing for his visit, inquired from what parts of England and Ireland the two men had come; stating also, that General Winder desired the information.
After this man had left, Webster turned to his companions and in as firm a voice as he could command, said:
"Get away from Richmond immediately! There is danger brewing. You are certainly suspected, and it may go very hard with all of us, unless you leave the city at once!"
"Why do you think so?" inquired Scully, in a skeptical tone. "We certainly cannot be suspected, and I am confident that you are alarming yourself unnecessarily."
A spasm of pain prevented Webster from replying immediately; but when the agony had somewhat subsided, he answered:
"I tell you that man never would have come here with that question unless there was something wrong. You must, indeed, get away, or the consequences will be serious."
Scarcely had he uttered these words, when there came a sharp rap at the door, which, upon being opened, revealed the forms of two men, one of them being George Cluckner, a detective officer attached to the Provost-Marshal's office, and the other no less a personage than Chase Morton, a son of ex-Governor Morton, of Florida, whose house in Washington my operatives had at one time assisted in searching.
The consternation of Lewis and Scully may well be imagined, and the latter, without uttering a word, walked rapidly towards the open doorway and disappeared, leaving Lewis, filled with astonishment and apprehension, to pass the ordeal of an introduction. The salutations between them were, as may be conjectured, not of a very cordial character; and after the merest form of politeness, Lewis bade Webster good-evening, and left the room. At the top of the landing he found Scully awaiting him, and they were about to descend the stairs, felicitating themselves upon having escaped a threatened danger, when the door of Webster's room was opened, and the Confederate detective again stood before them.