"I cannot help it," said Cashmeyer, "my orders are to take him dead, or alive, and those orders I must obey."
"Then," said Mrs. Lawton, "I will go too. He needs care and attention, without it he will die, and no one can nurse him so well as I."
Cashmeyer gazed at the brave little woman for a moment, and a shade of pity came over his face.
"I am sorry to inform you, that my orders are to arrest you also, and to search your trunks."
"This is infamous," exclaimed Webster; "what can Winder mean by arresting this woman, and what am I charged with that renders your orders necessary?"
"Webster," answered Cashmeyer, "as God is my witness, I do not know; I only know what my orders are, and that I must obey them."
Without further parley, Webster and Mrs. Lawton prepared to accompany their guards, and Cashmeyer, demanding their keys, commenced a search of their trunks, which resulted in his finding nothing that would criminate his prisoners.
A carriage was procured, and Webster was assisted into it, while Mrs. Lawton, under the escort of Cashmeyer was compelled to walk. It was quite late when they arrived at the prison, and as Price Lewis was ascending to his cell, Webster and his faithful female companion entered the gloomy portals of the jail.
General Winder was present when they arrived, and after a hurried examination Webster was remanded to a room, in which a number of Union prisoners were already confined, and the atmosphere of which was reeking with filth and disease.
As he entered the room, pale and emaciated, and scarcely able to walk, the prisoners gathered around, in silent pity for his forlorn condition.