"Because I believe you are treacherous," replied Price.
"Treacherous! ha! ha! ha! Can I be else, and serve you?"
"But are you faithful to me and my cause?"
"Your cause!" echoed Johnson. "Why I thought it was your country's cause!"
"My country's cause is mine," replied Price. "Again I ask you, are you faithful to me?"
"Yes!"
"What assurance have I that you will be faithful?"
Johnson bowed his head, and did not reply.
"Answer me," said Price, sternly and suspiciously.
"General Price," replied Johnson, as he raised his head, and fixed his piercing eyes upon his questioner, "General Price, I am poor. If I were or had been a servant in heaven, and the commander-in-chief of the infernal regions had offered me a position on his staff, to escape servitude, and for promotion's sake, not knowing him or his service, I might have accepted. In doing so, I should have lost heaven, and in no case could have returned. Thus, as I would have no choice, I probably should serve faithfully in my new capacity, for policy's sake, even if I was deceived by the devil's promises. In much this way do I stand toward you, General Price!"